Slashdot Mirror
London Deploys Cycle Superhighways Despite "Old Men In Limos"
dkatana writes: London's mayor Boris Johnson had to fight its way through stiff resistance to the new Cycle Superhighways to see his vision of a cycling capital become reality.
Detractors included the Taxi Drivers Association (LTDA), which threatened legal action, but ultimately backed away when it became apparent that a judicial review of TfL's plans would simply delay rather than stop the new routes. Property firm Canary Wharf Group had also been vocal, producing an anonymous briefing (which it later acknowledged) that called the planned route "extremely damaging for London." An unnamed borough was threatened with powers to seize control of their roads if cycle superhighways were blocked.
Now the two new segregated bike paths will crisscross the city and open up speedy, safe cycling that will ease pollution and traffic for everyone, non-cyclists, too, Boris Johnson says.
Detractors included the Taxi Drivers Association (LTDA), which threatened legal action, but ultimately backed away when it became apparent that a judicial review of TfL's plans would simply delay rather than stop the new routes. Property firm Canary Wharf Group had also been vocal, producing an anonymous briefing (which it later acknowledged) that called the planned route "extremely damaging for London." An unnamed borough was threatened with powers to seize control of their roads if cycle superhighways were blocked.
Now the two new segregated bike paths will crisscross the city and open up speedy, safe cycling that will ease pollution and traffic for everyone, non-cyclists, too, Boris Johnson says.
I drive on heavily congested roads for about 12 miles. My car says I average 22 mph....
If there was a bicycle highway that was uninterrupted for this distance, I could save stress by riding a bike rather than a car, with little cost in time.
As someone from the UK who's recently moved to the US, I can safely say, cyclists in the UK are a lot better (not perfect, but much better) at keeping to the rules. Cyclists in the US really genuinely seem to think that absolutely no rules apply to them at all.
Just because you ride a bike, doesn't mean you can ride in the road and ignore traffic lights, ignore stop signs, cut the lane in between cars and have the gull to grab onto a car and use it as a speed booster.
Indeed it doesn't. And I don't know about where you are, but in the UK most of those things are likely to get the cyclist a hefty fine if caught. Sure, some cyclists try it on anyway, but how many motorists can say they've never exceeded a speed limit?
Quidnam Latine loqui modo coepi?
Otherwise it's the entire office that will smell like a locker room.
No, it actually doesn't work like that. The keen cyclists like to tear around fast and get hot and smelly. I like doing so. Once you have enough people cycling, you get the more normal people. They put about as much effort as walking, only being on a bike it's about 2.5x the speed. Much like normal pedestrians, they arrive at their destinations basically pretty fresh.
They also tend to ride nice upright bikes which emphasise comfort over speed.
SJW n. One who posts facts.