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Cycling is more important than electric cars for reaching net-zero cities

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Re: Cycling is more important than electric cars for reaching net-zero cities

#431

Post by alamortsubite »

jryle70 wrote: post #416
onlyrealcuzzo wrote: post #386

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm quite tired of Americans saying - but I NEED a car. I mean, maybe YOU do. But most people can live in a lot of different areas, if not cities & states. You chose to live a lifestyle that requires a car. Which is fine. But it's a choice.

> You chose to live a lifestyle that requires a car I don't think this is true. People move because of job opportunity, family, weather or cost of living. Very rarely because they want a change of scene. Car is the often the requirement where they move to in America.

It's almost as if the average American is so thoroughly inured to automotive and suburban culture that they're completely unable to imagine anything but the status quo.

Re: Cycling is more important than electric cars for reaching net-zero cities

#432

Post by avidiax »

fooker wrote: post #424
selectodude wrote: post #417

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Today roads are partly paid for with gas taxes and sometimes vehicle property taxes. Which is hilarious because road damage squares with the weight of the vehicle and bike lanes would need to be repaved maybe once per century.

Any place with a seasonal temperature variation needs significant road repairs every 2-3 years, if not more often.

Is that because of the cracks formed by heavy vehicles?

Re: Cycling is more important than electric cars for reaching net-zero cities

#433

Post by hereme888 »

jedberg wrote: post #35

Switching from gas to electric is something I can do all on my own. Switching from gas car to cycling is something that would require major investments from my city and developers. Both are noble goals, but let's not let perfect be the enemy of good. Switch to electric now, and also encourage new roads and new developments to be bike friendly, so that switching to a bike is something that will be viable in 20 or 30 y…

I agree. Good analysis. I bought an ebike for myself instead of a second car for the family, otherwise there's no way I could realistically travel the needed distances on a daily basis.

The biggest hindrance to me right now is no way to park a bicycle safely. Even carrying bulky bike locks is risky in NY for someone who wanted a nice ebike.

Re: Cycling is more important than electric cars for reaching net-zero cities

#434

Post by hereme888 »

titzer wrote: post #348
jedberg wrote: post #35

Switching from gas to electric is something I can do all on my own. Switching from gas car to cycling is something that would require major investments from my city and developers. Both are noble goals, but let's not let perfect be the enemy of good. Switch to electric now, and also encourage new roads and new developments to be bike friendly, so that switching to a bike is something that will be viable in 20 or 30 y…

Step 1. Paint bike lanes. Step 2. Fine bastards who violate them.

Step 3. Build bike cages so you can safely park bikes w/o worrying about theft.

Re: Cycling is more important than electric cars for reaching net-zero cities

#435

Post by dfgdghdf »

autokad wrote: post #369
michael1999 wrote: post #228

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It can be a real winner politically, depending on the electoral boundaries. Roads have such limited throughput that a new bike lane might inconvenience only a few hundred people in cars, while opening up the city to thousands of people on bikes. Once politicians figure out that calculation, it can go very quickly.

I think you got it backwards mate. your basically asking hundreds of thousands of cars to suffer in favor of a few hundred bicyclists. Most people who bike strangely think most people want to bike but just cant. most dont want to. as an aging nation, most cant.

We can't all drive though. There is not physically enough space in an urban environment. If you don't provide good alternatives - cycling is one, trains and buses are also key - then everyone will be stuck in traffic.

Re: Cycling is more important than electric cars for reaching net-zero cities

#436

Post by Tiktaalik »

Switching to electric cars from ICE cars is continuing to do the wrong thing and make the wrong choices, but doing this wrong thing a bit better.

It's still the same status quo, woefully terrible and unsustainable transportation model.

Automobile oriented transportation doesn't scale, is a huge waste of resources, and perpetuates unsustainable, ultra expensive and resource intensive sprawling urban development patterns.

In contrast more compact cities with bike lanes take CO2 intensive cars off the road, and less cars means less parking, which enables cheaper buildings with less CO2 intensive concrete parking lots. Wins all around.

It's frustrating to see so called environmentalist politicians that go all in with big electric car mandates but can barely put any money toward active transportation and rebuilding our cities to be more space efficient and accordingly use less carbon.

Remarkably former British Columbia Green Leader Andrew Weaver even got on twitter recently to oppose a Victoria area protected bike lane and got into all sorts of arguments with cyclists. Incredible to see an environmental leader do this.

Re: Cycling is more important than electric cars for reaching net-zero cities

#437

Post by Johnny555 »

jryle70 wrote: post #416
onlyrealcuzzo wrote: post #386

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm quite tired of Americans saying - but I NEED a car. I mean, maybe YOU do. But most people can live in a lot of different areas, if not cities & states. You chose to live a lifestyle that requires a car. Which is fine. But it's a choice.

> You chose to live a lifestyle that requires a car I don't think this is true. People move because of job opportunity, family, weather or cost of living. Very rarely because they want a change of scene. Car is the often the requirement where they move to in America.

Aren't those all pretty much lifestyle choices in the end? I chose to live where there are many jobs, but the cost of living is high (but also where I can reasonably commute by bike or transit). I could have stayed where I was and enjoyed a low cost of living, but a worse job. Whether or not to have a family is probably the biggest lifestyle choice that most people make in their lives.

Re: Cycling is more important than electric cars for reaching net-zero cities

#438

Post by temp8964 »

TomSwirly wrote: post #268
temp8964 wrote: post #182

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Jacket might be ok for small rain, but for heavy rain and thunderstorm? No. Employers expect employees to come to work every business day, and people expect business to open every business day, even under heavy rain and thunderstorm. Watch! Heavy rain/wind! Most people can't go to work! Most businesses are closed! Teachers can't go to schools! Nurses can't go to clinics and hospitals! What a ridiculous picture of a m…

I'm almost 60. I'm not a jock. I bike everywhere. Try again.

You read my whole comment right? The context is in heavy rain / wind. Do you do that too?

Re: Cycling is more important than electric cars for reaching net-zero cities

#439

Post by dfgdghdf »

stjohnswarts wrote: post #321
colpabar wrote: post #251

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> City streets are narrow and extremely uncomfortable to drive on as it is. I agree. I live in a city and am constantly afraid of all the gigantic cars that fly by me whenever I walk anywhere. I'm also constantly (albeit much less) afraid of someone stepping out onto the street when they're not supposed to and not being able to stop in time. But maybe, just maybe, the cars (that get bigger every year) are the problem…

Living in a democratic country means the will of the voters will most always win so I wouldn't expect there to be any changes anytime soon in the USA for more than minor accommodations for pedestrians, certainly cities will not decrease cars on the road for the foreseeable future save maybe a city here and there.

Study: Politicians listen to rich people, not you https://www.vox.com/2014/4/18/5624310/martin-gilens-testing-...

Re: Cycling is more important than electric cars for reaching net-zero cities

#440

Post by Tiktaalik »

balls187 wrote: post #339

In 2006 I started commuting to work by bike. After two days, after 5 near miss collisions with automobiles, I stopped.

Your experience reveals the structural flaws in the infrastructure of our cities.

They're designed to maximize traffic flow for cars with little to no thought towards the safety of pedestrians and cyclists.

When there exist separated bike lanes, people can be assured of their safety, and that's when you see cycling growth.

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