A Crash Course in Cycling (or, why everyone should be a cyclist)

[Mr Mystery]

Or people need to stop driving/cycling like utter fannies?

[Wolfshade]

Or people need to stop driving/cycling/walking like utter fannies?

ftfy

What we need is a complete re-think in terms of road design and how people actually use them, rather than how it is theorised people will use them.

[Mr Mystery]

Indeedy.

As came up in (I think) another thread, what about the old Beeching Lines? Get them reopened. Boom. Instant cycle highways.

They've got some in Edinburgh. Popular with Dog Walkers and Cyclists, and being an old 'two way line' has room enough for multiple users. One I used to use with my Grandad and cousins goes from the outskirts, right into the centre. Glorious run, nice and flat too. Other cities have these, so why not use them?

[Wolfshade]

Which is fine in general, but then once in the city they then need to move about, and spread out from a single point. Which is why people walk/cycle from bus/train/tram stops.

Birmingham City are embarking on an adverturous plan which is trying to incorporate parallel off road routes along with on road routes. It does have the advantage of the huge number of canals (obligatory mention: most canals in the world has Birmingham) which with their toe-paths also enable a vast number of routes.

[Psychosplodge]

tow path.

[Mr Mystery]

There will always be issues. Such as utter, utter selfish gits on South Eastern Trains. They don't have enough seats, and cost a packet to use (hence me using the coach). Which leads to many people having to stand.

Except the standing room is reduced because of people taking their sodding folding bikes on board, and leaving them by the doors, whilst they toddle off and have a nice bit sit down.... which is bloody infuriating. I'm not adverse to sitting on the floor on a train. But you can't do it when some chinless goon has dumped their bike there.

Oh, and don't forget to be first off the train, so you can hold everyone up by unfolding the infernal contraption as soon as you disembark.

[Psychosplodge]

Just remove it as you get on...

[Mr Mystery]

It's been more than tempting to just dump them on the platform.

But hey, I get the coach now! Half the price, far more luxurious (not only guaranteed a seat, but it reclines. And air conditioning) and drops me right outside my door. Lovely.

[Wolfshade]

You used to be able to stow bicycles in the guard van, but that is on the decline.
There is a problem of overcrowding on trains at peak times generally which is futher compounded by people needing to cycle or wheelchairs or pushchairs and indeed many carriers have banned them during peak hours, you know those hours that most people who commute use.

Cycling round London makes a lot of sense though. If I come in by train then I will need to walk or use public transport to get to my destination, if that additional journey is under 7 miles then it is quicker to cycle.

In Birmingham there are train stations with full bike lockers which you can rent so you can cycle to the train station, securely lock the bike then get the train to the centre. If you are just going to the centre it is compact enough to walk to your destination, something which isn't quite so in London.
And to be quite snobish, if I have a sub 10kg bike then why I would choose to use a Boris bike is beyond me, at almost two and an half times the weight, poor gear ratios (for a regular cyclist) then it is not really a sensible option. But being snobish isn't a good argument.

While I dislike folding bikes, I can see their appeal.

Of course if you want to guarantee a seat you could go by coach and avoid the issue of lack of seats and folding bikes.

It appears you do see I'm a genius.

[Wolfshade]

Wow. [url]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-24960489[/url]

Japan builds automatic underground bike shed.