I try not to run those people (in these contraptions) over when I drive to work. Hold on, let me explain....
I used to live in what was considered "outside" of the city, in the country. In the 10 years since I moved there, the city has expanded outward and to the east of where I live. So what does that have to do with cyclist and I???
The road to town I take is a 2 lane black top that sometime ago was found to be suitable to cyclist to test their endurance going up and down the rolling hills that surround the city. As such, it's not unusual to see groups of 20-30 on the road.
Share the road you say? sure except for 1 thing....
Remember that urban development I spoke of? Well a nice 8 lane "Super highway" was constructed to connect those outling areas with the city. (Great right??) Wrong. They install tons of stoplights that brings all traffic to a standstill. It's not unusual for it to take over a hour to traverse the 5 mile distance from the outer loop going north to these new developments.
So how does this affect cyclists? Because there was a small 2 lane road that connected my main fairway to the far north portion of the new developments. Didn't take long for people to figure out they could avoid the headache of the super highway by bypassing all of it and coming over to my little 2 lane road. So now, the city has expanded that previous 2 lane to 4 lane and my little fairway is going to be undergoing construction to at least 4, possible 6 lanes. People come flying down this road doing 60-70 MPH in a continuous train of vehicles
I think you see the problem now with speeding vehicles and groups of 20-30 cyclists on what is still a 2 lane road with no shoulder. But I digress....
First of all, motorists hate cyclists and cyclists hate motorists, that will never change. Cyclists get in the way of cars and cars kill too many cyclists. The only way to have both on a road is to segregate them with dedicated cycle lanes.
Groups of 20-30 cyclists would be seen as a club run here and would need permission to bunch that many on a road. We have the annual Prudential Ride London where roads are closed to traffic for the duration of the weekend. The last one was in July and they are already taking reservations for the 2018 run. I stewarded two of them, and I can tell you first hand that the general public hate them and don't want them, but sponsorship money talks.
But it can work, look at Holland. By general agreement the nation prefers cycling to using cars, so fine for everybody over there. Over here in the UK we prefer cars and only a minority prefer bicycles. But at present the Greens have jumped on the bandwagon with dire threats about global warming and polluting city air etc. So politicians that want to be re-elected are going along with it.
The net result is that our government is spending millions of pounds that they can't afford, on Mini Holland Cycling schemes that nobody wants. I see it as a passing fad and at some point we will all calm down and get back to normal.
Waiting for Godot & salvation :-)
Why do doctors have to practice?
You'd think they'd have got it right by now
But it can work, look at Holland. By general agreement the nation prefers cycling to using cars, so fine for everybody over there. Over here in the UK we prefer cars and only a minority prefer bicycles. But at present the Greens have jumped on the bandwagon with dire threats about global warming and polluting city air etc. So politicians that want to be re-elected are going along with it.
The net result is that our government is spending millions of pounds that they can't afford, on Mini Holland Cycling schemes that nobody wants. I see it as a passing fad and at some point we will all calm down and get back to normal.
The problem is that people in the UK and the US want things RIGHT FRICKING NOW, not like the people in Holland, and other bike popular areas, that can wait 5 minutes or even an hour or two and enjoy that wait while riding their bikes, taking a walk etc. In a very wide general sense cars also isolate people from one another while bikes tend to bring people together, Holland enjoys the biking 'experience' while the rest of us use our cars strictly to get from point a to point b. Now obviously some people enjoy their cars, but for most of us it's usually a mode of transportation.
In Pigeon Forge Tennessee, USA in a few weeks well over 1,000 classic cars will be brought for display, now that is an example of people enjoying their cars and enjoying the 'experience'.
So you drive from home to work, spend time waiting around in your previous car in traffic. Get home, the go to the gym because you need some exercise, go there by car, spending some more time waiting around in traffic, etc. Etc.
I simply cycle to work and cycle home. On a daily basis that will cost me around 10 minutes a day extra compared to the car. But I don't go to the gym as I have already had my exercise. Only the time to get to and from the gym is more then the additional time required to take the bicycle instead of the car. So if you want to save time, money, the environment and work out, take the (electric) bicycle!
So if you want to save time, money, the environment and work out, take the (electric) bicycle!
Oh dear back to square one! Electricity needs to be generated to charge electrically powered devices. That is not green and does not save the environment.
10 more minutes? More like 3 hours if I took a bike (1 way) so half a day just to get to work then spend 12 hours at work?? No thank you... And as far as exercise? I don't sit behind a desk all day. We are on our feet start to finish. So....
If it works for you great, doesn't work for everyone else...
Try this!
Try this!
Waiting for Godot & salvation :-)
Why do doctors have to practice?
You'd think they'd have got it right by now
I try not to run those people
I try not to run those people (in these contraptions) over when I drive to work. Hold on, let me explain....
I used to live in what was considered "outside" of the city, in the country. In the 10 years since I moved there, the city has expanded outward and to the east of where I live. So what does that have to do with cyclist and I???
The road to town I take is a 2 lane black top that sometime ago was found to be suitable to cyclist to test their endurance going up and down the rolling hills that surround the city. As such, it's not unusual to see groups of 20-30 on the road.
Share the road you say? sure except for 1 thing....
Remember that urban development I spoke of? Well a nice 8 lane "Super highway" was constructed to connect those outling areas with the city. (Great right??) Wrong. They install tons of stoplights that brings all traffic to a standstill. It's not unusual for it to take over a hour to traverse the 5 mile distance from the outer loop going north to these new developments.
So how does this affect cyclists? Because there was a small 2 lane road that connected my main fairway to the far north portion of the new developments. Didn't take long for people to figure out they could avoid the headache of the super highway by bypassing all of it and coming over to my little 2 lane road. So now, the city has expanded that previous 2 lane to 4 lane and my little fairway is going to be undergoing construction to at least 4, possible 6 lanes. People come flying down this road doing 60-70 MPH in a continuous train of vehicles
I think you see the problem now with speeding vehicles and groups of 20-30 cyclists on what is still a 2 lane road with no shoulder. But I digress....
First of all, motorists hate
First of all, motorists hate cyclists and cyclists hate motorists, that will never change. Cyclists get in the way of cars and cars kill too many cyclists. The only way to have both on a road is to segregate them with dedicated cycle lanes.
Groups of 20-30 cyclists would be seen as a club run here and would need permission to bunch that many on a road. We have the annual Prudential Ride London where roads are closed to traffic for the duration of the weekend. The last one was in July and they are already taking reservations for the 2018 run. I stewarded two of them, and I can tell you first hand that the general public hate them and don't want them, but sponsorship money talks.
But it can work, look at Holland. By general agreement the nation prefers cycling to using cars, so fine for everybody over there. Over here in the UK we prefer cars and only a minority prefer bicycles. But at present the Greens have jumped on the bandwagon with dire threats about global warming and polluting city air etc. So politicians that want to be re-elected are going along with it.
The net result is that our government is spending millions of pounds that they can't afford, on Mini Holland Cycling schemes that nobody wants. I see it as a passing fad and at some point we will all calm down and get back to normal.
Waiting for Godot & salvation :-)
Why do doctors have to practice?
You'd think they'd have got it right by now
Chris S_2 wrote:First of all,
Neither will sweeping categorical generalisations ! LOL .... nice one :-)))
Cheers, Mike.
I have made this letter longer than usual because I lack the time to make it shorter ...
... and my other CPU is a Ryzen 5950X :-) Blaise Pascal
Thank you Mike, I will take
Thank you very much Mike, I will take that as a compliment :-)))
BBC
Planetizen
Australia
Top Gear
Waiting for Godot & salvation :-)
Why do doctors have to practice?
You'd think they'd have got it right by now
Chris S_2 wrote: But it can
The problem is that people in the UK and the US want things RIGHT FRICKING NOW, not like the people in Holland, and other bike popular areas, that can wait 5 minutes or even an hour or two and enjoy that wait while riding their bikes, taking a walk etc. In a very wide general sense cars also isolate people from one another while bikes tend to bring people together, Holland enjoys the biking 'experience' while the rest of us use our cars strictly to get from point a to point b. Now obviously some people enjoy their cars, but for most of us it's usually a mode of transportation.
In Pigeon Forge Tennessee, USA in a few weeks well over 1,000 classic cars will be brought for display, now that is an example of people enjoying their cars and enjoying the 'experience'.
So you drive from home to
So you drive from home to work, spend time waiting around in your previous car in traffic. Get home, the go to the gym because you need some exercise, go there by car, spending some more time waiting around in traffic, etc. Etc.
I simply cycle to work and cycle home. On a daily basis that will cost me around 10 minutes a day extra compared to the car. But I don't go to the gym as I have already had my exercise. Only the time to get to and from the gym is more then the additional time required to take the bicycle instead of the car. So if you want to save time, money, the environment and work out, take the (electric) bicycle!
So if you want to save time,
Oh dear back to square one! Electricity needs to be generated to charge electrically powered devices. That is not green and does not save the environment.
Don't Buy
Waiting for Godot & salvation :-)
Why do doctors have to practice?
You'd think they'd have got it right by now
10 more minutes? More like 3
10 more minutes? More like 3 hours if I took a bike (1 way) so half a day just to get to work then spend 12 hours at work?? No thank you... And as far as exercise? I don't sit behind a desk all day. We are on our feet start to finish. So....
If it works for you great, doesn't work for everyone else...
Amen!
Amen!