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If the only way to cycle safely in the city is to pretend you're a full sized motor vehicle, it sounds like you understand how ridiculous it is that the roads a
by alex_g 6y ago
If the only way to cycle safely in the city is to pretend you're a full sized motor vehicle, it sounds like you understand how ridiculous it is that the roads are designed for and devoted to cars.
- uoaei 6y agoI think this is the wrong framing. The correct framing is, each lawful user of a roadway has equal rights to occupying space on that roadway. As a frequent city cyclist, I take the lane early and often as is my lawful right, signalling unequivocally my intention and impending action to merge into the traffic lane. Most often I use this right when avoiding someone double-parked in the bike lane, or when turning left at an intersection.
- alex_g 6y agoIn the eyes of the law, sure it's not the right framing. But I'm looking at what I think makes sense for the future. I think our cities would be better with more cyclists and less cars. I don't think that's accomplished by encouraging equal use of roadways. I think that means space currently designated for cars should be reduced to make way for other modes of transportation.
- TulliusCicero 6y agoAnd how well will that work for 8 year olds and 80 year olds?
- uoaei 6y agoCycling on roadways with motor traffic is not for everyone...
- TulliusCicero 6y agoExactly, it only works for the very few. Accessible cycling is what we need, and that usually means physical separation from cars.
- uoaei 6y agoNo, because cycling is not for everyone. Multiple modes of transportation should be equally available, but that doesn't mean you should expect that everyone be able to use every mode. For instance I don't see any particular utility to making infrastructure so that there's enough room for every person to use a motorized wheelchair. Different conditions demand different solutions.
- alex_g 6y agoThe point was about, or at least could be made, beyond just cycling. Replace "Accessible Cycling" with "Accessible form of transport that does not endanger other people not using that form." Whether that's bicycles or wheelchairs or scooters, etc. The point is that putting them with cars is dangerous.
- TulliusCicero 6y agoSo what, you want to intentionally exclude people from the benefits of biking? Why? How is that better than making biking accessible to a wide range of people, like some countries already do?