davyK wrote:

The problem with urban cycling (setting the arseholes aside - every group has them) is that cities simply weren't designed with it in mind. So it isn't safe for them on the road and they are a hazard on pavements. Belfast is filled with ludicrous short patches of cycle paths that make no-one happy and if anything are hazardous to all - there's one in particular that is 2 way cycle lane on a one way street intersecting with a one way main road and a pedestrian crossing. It's an accident waiting to happen. I know a lady in work who was hospitalised by some dickhead cycling on the pavement. There is no way I'd cycle into work - I'd be taking my life in my hands. Car drivers behaviour adds to the problem.

Dublin has this issue all over. I'm not a fan of the OTT cyclist who insists on driving on roads where there are cycle lines or flies through pedestrian crossings regardless of traffic lights but I think most are not this - bit like tarring all drivers with the bad driver tag. There's been a push to add more cycle lanes but they are taking space from cars which on the surface isnt a big issue but it seems random where they do it. It is part of an initivae not only to provide more space for cyclists but also to actively make driving more off putting. Kinda feel that misses the point when you make access for emergency vehicles tricky on roads which had no record of accidents, cyclist or motor. But I think overall it would be good to have clear cycle lanes which dont break into normal vehicle traffic every 100 meteres.

davyK wrote:

Fuck cyclists on pavements.

You'd have to be quick and agile

alwayssunyexercisebike.gif

In Waltham Forest they have put in loads of LTNs which are great for cyclists and pedestrians. On the main roads they are also installing a lot of separated cycle lanes - apart from the odd bus stop issue and cars turning left without looking at the cycle paths, they also work great. Safe enough for my kids. More please

afgavinstan wrote:

Was it not South Park?

That's was the uni wheel thing, same principle

Yeah the local FB groups are full of anti ltn weirdos with easily falsifiable claims about emergency access restrictions etc. The latest thing is to parrot that “not everyone is able bodied enough to ride a bike / walk, you wokies are so heartless”. The thing they don’t seem to get is that LTNs are long term strategies to get more people to get out of their cars more often, especially for local journeys, thus reducing traffic and enabling disabled people to travel more freely

It’s working for us: my Saturdays are now a fairly constant series of bike rides to various activities and friends’ houses whereas it used to be a lot of short car journeys

Funkstain wrote:

Yeah the local FB groups are full of anti ltn weirdos with easily falsifiable claims about emergency access restrictions etc. The latest thing is to parrot that “not everyone is able bodied enough to ride a bike / walk, you wokies are so heartless”. The thing they don’t seem to get is that LTNs are long term strategies to get more people to get out of their cars more often, especially for local journeys, thus reducing traffic and enabling disabled people to travel more freely It’s working for us: my Saturdays are now a fairly constant series of bike rides to various activities and friends’ houses whereas it used to be a lot of short car journeys

We genuinely had a major issue 2 weeks ago with the Emergency vehicle getting stuck because the new divider that was installed did not allow for any type of vehicle bar Big Foot being able to go up on the kerb. Not saying that experience is a reflection of everywhere (could just be a bad job on that road) but it does happen. Also the first accident on the road happended at a corner where the new "traffic calming" corners that were clearer too sharp created a bit of a turning hazard for larger vehicles. 

remember its just as problematic to lump some legit issues in with the "anti ltn weirdos" as it is to lump genuine progressives in with the "mad wokes"

But I take the overall point that this type of thing is better for communities overall - I think most genuine folk who object are objecting more at the loss of one facility over another instead of not trying to have the best of both. And dismissing those who arent as able bodied is a bit unfair if whats done is actually making things harder for them. I say this is someone who rarely drives and walks everywhere I can - my experience is not everyones.

Gremill wrote:

Tory ghoul on the news this morning claiming that they have 'evidence' that children are being taught that there are 72 genders.

I don't think my daughter even knows what gender means.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx9w9zl5yx5o

The water firm at the centre of a pollution row at England's largest lake has announced a jump in profits for its last financial year.

Earlier this week, United Utilities was engulfed in a scandal over news of a massive sewage spill at Windermere in the Lake District in February.

The company has now reported a 17.5% rise in underlying operating profits to £517.8m in the year to 31 March.

It claimed it has "a sector-leading track record on minimising pollution for over a decade".

But on Wednesday, a fresh row broke out over the state of England's waters after reports that millions of litres of raw sewage had been pumped into Windermere.

The system working as intended. Money for old rope shite.

At what point do we just turn to violence on these people? Imagine waking up, going into work knowing the decisions you're making will literally hurt people, but you're making money so it doesn't matter. You must be a grade one sociopath to do so.  At what point to we stop playing life within their designated sandbox and actually hold these fuckers to account?

Just wait until we get into Freeports and the likes. Sunak is delaying the election so he can sign these deals so that they can't be removed for 25 years. The Tories are selling the country down the river.

Apparently it is the real reason for Brexit and the charge to leave the ECHR. We need to leave the EU in order to allow the kind of Freeports and SEZ that Sunak and his chums want, but we also need to allow them to operate outside Human Rights protections which is why the charge to leave the ECHR is about. It's not about stopping the boats, it's about carving up the UK in saleable plots of land that allow tax avoidance and employers to do what ever they like with employees. And the best part is if Starmer tries to shut them down, the private companies that run them can sue the UK Government for billions. It was part of what the corrupt TRansatlantic Treaty was all about. The Tories are quite literally selling the UK to the highest bidder and it's why we need them out asap.

handsofblue wrote:

Wouldn't it be lovely if there were a proper place for cyclists to go?

Did you mean Amsterdam?

Yep, Amsterdam started their transformation decades ago after making the decision that people were more important than cars. I know nothing about Salzburg but it sounds nice.

Crossing the street there is fun..... Trams and bikes follow their own rules. Add in the right hand side thing, a few beers on board and it's a gamble getting across.