It’s important for people to tackle the issues from many angles, including both zoning and dangerous vehicle design. I’d argue the real waste of our grass-roots energy is going after each other.
It’s important for people to tackle the issues from many angles, including both zoning and dangerous vehicle design. I’d argue the real waste of our grass-roots energy is going after each other.
This is a great way to do it too! Many streets even have a 40km/h speed limit but are built wide enough to accommodate 80km/h, so drivers often speed and increase fatalities.
There are some politicians that will listen, so consider joining a bicycle advocacy group if your town has one. Failing that, guerilla urbanism is an option.
Some cities are car-centric because we designed and subsidised infrastructure to make it so. We induced a demand for cars by spending billions on building, expanding, and maintaining highways to the point that people hop in their car for a 2km trip. People now have no choice of transport other than a car, and that’s a problem. It’s literally killing us and our children whowith road violence, lung cancer from emissions, and via our climate.
Your steakhouse metaphor is akin to the entire city consisting almost exclusively of steakhouses. But why bother changing it, all cities are designed only for steakhouses. You don’t get a choice to eat other cuisines because it’s so inconvenient to go across town to the one Greek restaurant.
You’re right - I’ll stop feeding them.
Bike lanes are proven to increase revenue for businesses in their vicinity. Car parking takes up valuable space in a city which could be used more productively.
Additionally, when you build driving to be the only feasible option then those who cannot drive cannot get around. This includes but is not limited to the elderly, children, and those with disabilities.
There are cycles available for almost every type of disability – it’s actually an inclusive mode of transport that will often act as a mobility aid for people who find walking difficult, people who can’t walk far and even those who cannot walk at all.
Evidence from the Netherlands (and increasingly from the UK, where new infrastructure has been built) shows that high quality cycling infrastructure is often shared with wheelchairs, mobility scooters and other assistive modes of transport.
And in general, cycling infrastructure should go hand-in-hand with other improvements to the physical environment too – like smooth, continuous footways across side roads, for example.
So in fact the truth is the opposite of the myth – cycling actually gives people with physical disabilities more transport options and independence, not less.
It’s not surprising when we’ve created an induced demand for driving through which infrastructure we build and subsidize. However, the numbers in Germany and China are changing as they push for non car-centric infrastructure. I can’t speak to the other countries.
Places like Copenhagen and Amsterdam used to be full of roads and parking lots. When they built public transit and safe bike infrastructure for shorter trips, they induced a demand and people ditched their cars for safer, cheaper, and more convenient alternatives.
Many communities have some number of jerks. I actually find that people constantly stereotype based on outliers they hear about online. I’ve met very few vegans who were normal, reasonable prople, yet I’ve met very many people who steteotype and hate on vegans despite knowing none.
Reducing congestion is mostly attempted by building and expanding highways, which is proven not to reduce congestion. The vast majority of the budget is spent on building and expending highways.
This makes me happy :)
Almost everywhere, ebikes (pedal assist) have speed limiters. What are effectively mopeds are what people complain about. Imo the real issue is there is insufficient infrastructure for them to blend into car traffic safely. When there are 80km/h stroads with SUVs and pickup trucks, they feel unsafe and choose to ride on sidewalks and bike paths. Additionally, they’re more noticeable when we’re fighting for the scraps of narrow, unsafe bike infrastructure.
My general stance though is that if you get hit by one of those, it is incomparible to getting hit by even a small car going at a slow speed. So, there are bigger problems to solve and directing hate towards them would be better directed at fixing car-centric infrastructure. We don’t need more pedestrians, people on bikes, and people on ebikes fighting. Let’s fix the infrastructure first because they’re another person who understands what needs to be improved.
Location so someone can cover it with another sticker? ;)
Permanent license suspension would be enough to prevent it from happening again, perhaps more repercussions. But your suggestion is a display of cruelty and revenge.
They do in Canada, but it’s an easy written test. No driving test. And only once you hit 80.
Seniors should have quality public transport options to use and bike/walking infrastructure for short trips or mobility scooters.
Also, fire engunes are used to respond to non-fire related calls which are most of them.
An emergency… like someone going out of the blocked bike lane into traffic and getting hit by a truck which literally happened in Toronto recently?
Zoning is a very important topic, but if someone doesn’t have any passion for it, then it’s better for them to focus on vehicle design than nothing.
Try not to control how other people help - you may have more success posting and commenting about zoning issues and actions in your community to bring awareness and dialogue than discouraging others from focusing on truck-specific issues. 🙂