London Thinks Big
- Thread starter kernals12
- Start date
Can you imagine the lawsuits that would result from that? Eeeep. How about we just keep bike lanes as they are, Okay? Lord knows Toronto cyclists have given me shit lots of times, but I still think its better to have separate lanes for them, even in a winter city like Toronto.
kernals12
Banned
I don't see the point of bike lanes honestly. Most bike accidents occur at intersections where the bike lanes offer no help.Can you imagine the lawsuits that would result from that? Eeeep. How about we just keep bike lanes as they are, Okay? Lord knows Toronto cyclists have given me shit lots of times, but I still think its better to have separate lanes for them, even in a winter city like Toronto.
What if we limit all motorized and human powered vehicles (except transit and delivery vehicles on closed, grade-separated rights-of-way) to pedestrian walking speed, say 5 mph. No more deadly collisions, you're welcome.
Boy, you really want people driving cars everywhere, huh? Here in Toronto the biggest cause of cycling injuries is what they call 'door prizes' - somebody turning without looking to park or opening their door(s) without looking for what might be coming past them.
kernals12
Banned
Why do cities need to go out of their way to accommodate an incredibly dangerous means of transportation that exceedingly few people use?
With proper infrastructure it's safe and very well used. Just look at the Netherlands where most journeys in towns and cities are by bike, road deaths have plummeted and children are free to travel about on their own to school or whatever. Its cars that kill people, not bikes.
My mother damn near broke her leg falling out of a car, and my steering arm was bent when my car hit a pot hole. That cost a couple of hundred to fix.
Of course if I were to hit a pot hole on my bike and break my arm the local council will end up paying me a large amount of compensation for not keeping the road in a safe condition.
If the problem is congestion, then the solution is more efficient use of land space allocated to transport, in terms of people per square metre.
Meaning light rail and cycling, as both let vastly more people use the same space, relative to motorists. Just keep the oblivious smartphone-zombie pedestrians out of the bike lanes.
Meaning light rail and cycling, as both let vastly more people use the same space, relative to motorists. Just keep the oblivious smartphone-zombie pedestrians out of the bike lanes.
Even where I am it is far from "exceedingly few", and its only dangerous if A) the biker is an idiot (not paying attention to traffic laws, cutting people off, not wearing a helmet, et cetera) and/or B) drivers don't pay enough attention. I see both on a very regular basis. I've biked myself on Toronto streets, and it really isn't that dangerous if everyone follows the rules. THAT is the real problem, honestly.
kernals12
Banned
Helicopters don't take up any space on the roads, so we should build lots of helipads to encourage people to use choppers.
Are you being serious? Helicopters are remarkably expensive, not easy to fly and complicated to maintain.
kernals12
Banned
Which is why it's stupid to only consider transportation systems based on how much space they take up. Bicycles don't work for the elderly or the disabled, they don't work in the rain or cold, and they're dangerous.
Properly segregated bicycle infrastructure does though, it's ideal for mobility scooters to use unlike the pavement. Properly segregated cycle paths aren't dangerous and as for the cold and the rain, even when you drive you still have to get out at some point and walk, in the cold and the rain. That's what coats are for.
A bike is cheap to buy and maintain. Meanwhile a helicopter isn't affordable to most people.
Bikes work for large parts of the population. They are affordable for poor people without enough money to own and maintain a car. Now these poor people can travel to workplaces 30 kilometers away from home.
They are a good solution for older children to travel to their school if their school is in a reasonable distance.
If we redesign and create special paths and lanes for bicycles they become relatively safe.
Of course crowded car centered cities are more dangerous, but that is not the fault of the bike but of poor city planning.
Just make wearing helmets while using your bike mandatory.
Also bikes are good for public health. If you use your bike every day, you already have your minimum of sport and exercise.
The cost to maintain infrastructure for bikes is minimal compared to roads or the infrastructure required for Helicopters.
Yes many disabled and elderly people can't use bikes. For those other forms of transportation are required. But they will also profit from less crowded streets.