As brought to my attention by the "Biking in Heels"
blog, some folks with an interesting world view (that is the most
polite way I can think of to put it!) seem to think that encouraging
cycling is a BAD THING.
A quick quote from the New York Times article that is referred to:
“The Tea Party people say they want nonpolluted air and clean water and everything we promote and support, but they also say it (sustainable development) is a communist movement. I really don’t understand what they want.”
... and I suspect neither do they, but it no doubt it brings the Tea Party the publicity (and the funding!) they so much desire. Maybe the Tea Party think that government-funded schemes like building expressways are also a hot bed of commie anti-Americanism!!! - remember that road building doesn't have to be done by the state, which is why toll roads and turnpikes used to be so popular!
Meanwhile back in the small community of "Lovelyville" where we live, and everything is, of course, lovely, things are somewhat better.
(Oh dear, "community" sounds a bit like "communist" - better not tell the Tea Party!)
Our town became a "Cycling Demonstration Town" a bit less than seven years ago, and a number of projects were pursued to encourage cycling, as well as showing what could be done.
In brief:
and:
and:
and:
Or to but it more simply:
But public transportation planning is not just about cycling.
Our town opened a second railway station a couple of years ago, situated near to the edge of town, to serve the extensive new housebuilding in that area - our local railway company, however, is privately owned and German - surely a good capitalist railway company! (just in case there are any Tea Party supporters reading this blog!)
Note that the station was opened BEFORE most of the houses were built, not the other way round.
Now the commuters that travel to London from that new part of town don't have to drive to the town centre to catch the train, avoiding all that extra congestion in the central areas!
Several of the surrounding villages are also served by bus connections to the new station (with free bus travel for rail season ticket holders), further increasing transportation choice and reducing road congestion and air pollution, allowing faster movement for the folks who do use cars and a cleaner, higher value, atmosphere for the various light industries and commercial buildings that the town has attracted - banks/finance companies being a notable example, as well as the surfeit of lawyers' offices that one attracts as the major administrational (de facto "county town") and judicial (de jure "assize town") town in the area.
I don't call our town "Lovelyville" for nothing :-)
It is all about using the "right" method of transportation for the "right" task.
Part of that mix of transportation methods clearly should be cycling, particularly in urban areas, and the arguments for investing in cycling infrastructure are both persuasive and relevant (as outlined above).
Spend a pound (or dollar) and get five pounds (or dollars) worth of benefits sounds rather like it ought to be a good Capitalist idea (employ capital to get a larger return!), but if, somehow, in some faraway place, some ill-informed folk think this counts as "European Socialism", then I suggest that they very little about either "Europe" or "Socialism"!!!
Enough of the fancy politics - the picture below seems to me to show a good reason to ride a bike more and drive a car less - all those folk are trapped in lttle metal boxes, while I have the freedom afforded by the cycle lane :-) I'll get to the town centre quicker, as well!
If you wish to thank me for this article, then please comment or click on one of the advertisers' links - you might like some of the cycling related stuff (I know I do!)
A quick quote from the New York Times article that is referred to:
“The Tea Party people say they want nonpolluted air and clean water and everything we promote and support, but they also say it (sustainable development) is a communist movement. I really don’t understand what they want.”
... and I suspect neither do they, but it no doubt it brings the Tea Party the publicity (and the funding!) they so much desire. Maybe the Tea Party think that government-funded schemes like building expressways are also a hot bed of commie anti-Americanism!!! - remember that road building doesn't have to be done by the state, which is why toll roads and turnpikes used to be so popular!
Meanwhile back in the small community of "Lovelyville" where we live, and everything is, of course, lovely, things are somewhat better.
(Oh dear, "community" sounds a bit like "communist" - better not tell the Tea Party!)
Our town became a "Cycling Demonstration Town" a bit less than seven years ago, and a number of projects were pursued to encourage cycling, as well as showing what could be done.
In brief:
- Nine cycle routes were developed, all running into the town centre. Many pavements were increased in width, making them suitable for dual use by both pedestrians and cyclists, and some quieter roads had cycle lanes marked on them.
- A large new bridge was constructed for use by pedestrians and cyclists, providing an additional, central, link from the southwest side of town to the centre, crossing the North-West to South East railway line that intersects our town. This bridge is used by four of the cycle routes, and provides a shorter, safer, and more pleasant route from some parts of the town to the central area than the other existing railway crossings.
- A number of additional bike racks were installed in the town centre, and retailers and businesses were encouraged to develop cycle parking areas. A number of cycle-sized "lockers" were also installed at the railway station for secure storage, primarily aimed at owners of higher-value cycles who were also rail users - there are about 300 "formal" cycle parking facilities in the central area, as well as all the "informal" places (streetlights, railings, etc. etc.)
- Schools were encouraged to run cycling campaigns to reduce the amount of motor traffic used in the "school run". Use of the various cycle routes for travelling to school was encouraged.
and:
and:
and:
Or to but it more simply:
- Spend a pound (or dollar) on cycling infrastructure, and get overall benefits worth five pounds (or dollars).
- What's not to like?
But public transportation planning is not just about cycling.
Our town opened a second railway station a couple of years ago, situated near to the edge of town, to serve the extensive new housebuilding in that area - our local railway company, however, is privately owned and German - surely a good capitalist railway company! (just in case there are any Tea Party supporters reading this blog!)
Note that the station was opened BEFORE most of the houses were built, not the other way round.
Now the commuters that travel to London from that new part of town don't have to drive to the town centre to catch the train, avoiding all that extra congestion in the central areas!
Several of the surrounding villages are also served by bus connections to the new station (with free bus travel for rail season ticket holders), further increasing transportation choice and reducing road congestion and air pollution, allowing faster movement for the folks who do use cars and a cleaner, higher value, atmosphere for the various light industries and commercial buildings that the town has attracted - banks/finance companies being a notable example, as well as the surfeit of lawyers' offices that one attracts as the major administrational (de facto "county town") and judicial (de jure "assize town") town in the area.
I don't call our town "Lovelyville" for nothing :-)
It is all about using the "right" method of transportation for the "right" task.
Part of that mix of transportation methods clearly should be cycling, particularly in urban areas, and the arguments for investing in cycling infrastructure are both persuasive and relevant (as outlined above).
Spend a pound (or dollar) and get five pounds (or dollars) worth of benefits sounds rather like it ought to be a good Capitalist idea (employ capital to get a larger return!), but if, somehow, in some faraway place, some ill-informed folk think this counts as "European Socialism", then I suggest that they very little about either "Europe" or "Socialism"!!!
Enough of the fancy politics - the picture below seems to me to show a good reason to ride a bike more and drive a car less - all those folk are trapped in lttle metal boxes, while I have the freedom afforded by the cycle lane :-) I'll get to the town centre quicker, as well!
 | |
| Be part of the solution, not part of the problem ... the path on the left is a dual-use pedestrian/cycle sidewalk/cycle path |
If you wish to thank me for this article, then please comment or click on one of the advertisers' links - you might like some of the cycling related stuff (I know I do!)
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