4 ms·

> In my view it is too dangerous to put cycles on the same roads as cars and lorries. And if we want to promote cycling (perfect mix of exercise and local trans

> In my view it is too dangerous to put cycles on the same roads as cars and lorries. And if we want to promote cycling (perfect mix of exercise and local transport) then we need to invest in totally separate pathways. Where we already do it that already, particularly on "new build" estates, is almost always awful. They're basically shared pavement, so you have to stop at every single side-road, which is not what you want on a bike. On the continent at least, cycles paths are parallel to the road and mostly protected from traffic, and have the same continuous right of way as the road they're following. UK cycle infrastructure is awful. Drain and utility covers in the road, next to kerbs so cyclists have no choice but to swerve around them, pot holes everywhere, mismatched tarmac, and absolutely shoddy road repairs by the utility companies every time they dig the road up. It turns out the UK did build cycle paths almost 100 years ago, and many are lost: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/bike-blog/2017/may/09/how-80-forgotten-1930s-cycleways-could-transform-uk-cycling https://www.theguardian.com/environment/bike-blog/2017/may/0... (edit) http://www.bikeboom.info/press/ http://www.bikeboom.info/press/

BrianHenryIE 4y ago
> Where we already do it that already, Sounds the same in Ireland. The bike infrastructure seems built to get cyclists out of the road for the benefit of drivers, it's not built with the cyclist's experience in mind.
lifeisstillgood 4y ago
And these are all choices. I just don't think they are informed choices. Or optimal choices. So, elsewhere there are calculation re energy use per person in "western world". They tend to land around so many KJ per day which tends to be something like X times 3000 calories per day, which is like have X servants / slaves. X often turns out to be 40 ish. Now imagine you had 40 people working each day for your benefit. Some would work farms to feed you, some would carry you to work. But overall, is the current layout of your life, the one you would plan if you really had 40 servants? (No we ignore the weird sexual plans here, and the worst unethical plans). What I am saying is that the industrial revolution has transformed energy allocation and use. But the way we happen to have built the world does not mean it's the best way. Maybe it's too late for the UK but the citizens of China, India and Africa might be able to learn something useful. But I hope we can learn how to rebuild our worlds to benefit us the most. Out of interest I think Demoocracy plays a huge part here. So many people feel powerless or unable to direct or control resources. Whereas they would know what to do with 40 servants. And yet 50% of resources and activity in our society sits in private companies that are outrageous dictatorships. The resource allocation of that 50% should be waaay more democratic - either through regulation or just voting by the owners of capital (the employees ! The ultimate beneficiary of stocks (pension funds usually vote with the execs. why can I not vote my pension fund alice how Inlike?) And finally the 50% under government ownership - again I do vote but local government in UK is a joke, years of cut backs have decimated courts, police, etc. These are probably not the choices most people would have made locally. We can remake our world - once we take the levers of power away from those hording them (I would say elites but despite that being a correct term, somehow it has been corrupted to point at the wrong people.)

BrianHenryIE 4y ago

> Where we already do it that already, Sounds the same in Ireland. The bike infrastructure seems built to get cyclists out of the road for the benefit of drivers, it's not built with the cyclist's experience in mind.

lifeisstillgood 4y ago

And these are all choices. I just don't think they are informed choices. Or optimal choices. So, elsewhere there are calculation re energy use per person in "western world". They tend to land around so many KJ per day which tends to be something like X times 3000 calories per day, which is like have X servants / slaves. X often turns out to be 40 ish. Now imagine you had 40 people working each day for your benefit. Some would work farms to feed you, some would carry you to work. But overall, is the current layout of your life, the one you would plan if you really had 40 servants? (No we ignore the weird sexual plans here, and the worst unethical plans). What I am saying is that the industrial revolution has transformed energy allocation and use. But the way we happen to have built the world does not mean it's the best way. Maybe it's too late for the UK but the citizens of China, India and Africa might be able to learn something useful. But I hope we can learn how to rebuild our worlds to benefit us the most. Out of interest I think Demoocracy plays a huge part here. So many people feel powerless or unable to direct or control resources. Whereas they would know what to do with 40 servants. And yet 50% of resources and activity in our society sits in private companies that are outrageous dictatorships. The resource allocation of that 50% should be waaay more democratic - either through regulation or just voting by the owners of capital (the employees ! The ultimate beneficiary of stocks (pension funds usually vote with the execs. why can I not vote my pension fund alice how Inlike?) And finally the 50% under government ownership - again I do vote but local government in UK is a joke, years of cut backs have decimated courts, police, etc. These are probably not the choices most people would have made locally. We can remake our world - once we take the levers of power away from those hording them (I would say elites but despite that being a correct term, somehow it has been corrupted to point at the wrong people.)