tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5245014510735955366.post8102472308899793433..comments2024-02-02T10:14:07.404+00:00Comments on Mad Cycle Lanes of Manchester: Love Cycling Go Dutch - ManchesterUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5245014510735955366.post-1811307400771865552012-11-26T22:42:39.516+00:002012-11-26T22:42:39.516+00:00patricktsudlow: Might I ask what form of "reg...patricktsudlow: Might I ask what form of "regime change" you would like? A benevolent dictatorship?<br /><br />If you ask the vast majority of people in the UK where they want their taxes spent, better cycling facilities won't feature very highly. No level of government in the UK is going to wake up one morning and say "we're going to spend £30 per head, per year on cycling", because to do so would be unjustifiable to the vast majority of the electorate.<br /><br />Events such as "Love Cycling, Go Dutch" are currently the best hope we have of getting the little money that is available for cycling facilities spent in the most effective manner. Maybe events such as this help to give those responsible for investing in cycling the evidence they need to secure more funds to set us on our way to the kind of infrastructure we need. Maybe it will strike a chord with an engineer or an architect who is designing a bus lane - perhaps it will cause them to think "Hey, cyclists and ten-tonne buses don't mix. Perhaps there's a better way of accommodating both that's within my budget?"<br /><br />Or we could take your approach; bitch, whinge and (having read your blog post on this subject) make derogatory and demonstrably false statements about those responsible for spending what little funding we have. Do you really think that is a more promising approach than "Love Cycling, Go Dutch"?Marchiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04041624649610680775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5245014510735955366.post-6314689820685384862012-11-26T10:39:02.370+00:002012-11-26T10:39:02.370+00:00I was also fortunate enough to attend, and went ou...I was also fortunate enough to attend, and went out with the Wilmslow Road site visit on the Monday. It did feel like a real light-bulb-moment when we did the maths, adding up the profile widths and discovered there would be space for the (2 metre high quality) cycle paths in each direction and room to spare, even at the narrowest point (as long as you could get rid of the parking of course). As a Rusholme resident the thought was genuinely exciting, but I won't hold my breath.<br /><br />There were a couple of thoughts I had about the talks. <br /><br />Even Margriet Leemhuis (Deputy Ambassador) over-egged the strict liability point. Marjolein de Lange later confirmed to me that my understanding of the situation (mostly gained from the good Mr Hembrow here: http://www.aviewfromthecyclepath.com/2012/01/campaign-for-sustainable-safety-not.html ) was broadly correct, and Margriet Leemhuis was wrong.<br /><br />Also, it seemed that much was made of the various benefits of cycling, both personal and social, and the evidence for those benefits. Then we learned about how the Dutch do things in practice. But not so much was said about the link. So often people ask why the Dutch cycle - history, culture - rather than why the British don't, despite obviously wanting to. The answer to the latter (and the justification for all that infrastructure and slower speeds) being that cycling in the UK is too scary for most people.<br /><br />Subjective safety (or perceived safety) was mentioned briefly, but I really felt it should have been hammered home. Maybe it's not an issue for the Dutch - they solved this years ago and hardly think about it now. Even Wim Bot seemed non-committal about the significance of the infrastructure? So instead, they talked about their more pressing problems like not having enough bike parking spaces at stations. While better parking is always welcome, we can only dream of having bike parking problems of that scale!<br /><br />It seems we have this weird issue of cycle-campaigners trying to argue that on balance, cycling is actually hugely beneficial to health even in the UK, especially considering long term benefits. But then saying we need better infrastructure because it's too dangerous. This is all correct, but it's not obvious to everyone. And now I'm waffling on again!<br /><br />Thanks for sharing your review of the day.<br /><br />Timhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12957616409432299713noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5245014510735955366.post-47318393420749024062012-11-25T20:59:00.283+00:002012-11-25T20:59:00.283+00:00I did not bother going because I knew it will just...I did not bother going because I knew it will just be another talking shop and nothing will happen here in Manchester to improve the cyclist lot, till we have got rid of the present regime. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com