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Something special is happening in Barcelona

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Re: Something special is happening in Barcelona

#71

Post by eikenberry »

Darmody wrote: post #68
yawaworht1978 wrote: post #38

I used to live in Barcelona, the infrastructure is definitely anti car in every aspect, it's desired to be. For such a large city, the car traffic is minimal, there are not enough parking opportunities, especially at the beach. There would be space, but the government knows better, if you have ever been in a tourist destination in Spain during peak season you will know that there is no way to accommodate all the cars…

It has a good public transport system, yes, but ironically it's the only city where I felt kind of insecure in the subway. Always making sure nobody is going to pickpocket me or I don't look the wrong way at some guy looking for trouble. A friend of mine works there as security and after all the stories he told me I rather get in a car and deal with the traffic. And I'm saying this as someone who uses the subway to c…

Are you speaking of Barcelona or London?

Re: Something special is happening in Barcelona

#72

Post by namesbc »

tgsovlerkhgsel wrote: post #67
_Wintermute wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Stealing public roads", you do realise the roads are for people, not just motor vehicles? Especially in densely populated cities.

If there is a sidewalk and cycling path, then in most countries, the road is very specifically for motor vehicles.

100% wrong. Roads are for everyone. Just because you are in a vehicle you can use as a weapon shouldn't allow you to threaten other road users out of their road.

Just wait patiently and drive at the speed of traffic.

Re: Something special is happening in Barcelona

#73

Post by Darmody »

eikenberry wrote: post #71
Darmody wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It has a good public transport system, yes, but ironically it's the only city where I felt kind of insecure in the subway. Always making sure nobody is going to pickpocket me or I don't look the wrong way at some guy looking for trouble. A friend of mine works there as security and after all the stories he told me I rather get in a car and deal with the traffic. And I'm saying this as someone who uses the subway to c…

Are you speaking of Barcelona or London?

Barcelona.

Re: Something special is happening in Barcelona

#74

Post by vanilla_nut »

peterburkimsher wrote: post #15
jolmg wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I thought that was because of a lacking density of parks in the city.

What is the optimum density of parks in a city? A possible suggestion is to change our metric for success from financial gain to connectedness. For city planning, like everything else, that could be achieved using a Sierpiński triangle: lots of space in the middle (with walking & bike paths) and high-density on 3 sides. Are there any SimCity players here who could simulate this for us? Whether the city is willing to…

I would think that for optimal citizen mental health, you want something like a honeycomb: citizens should ideally have 2 parks within walking distance of their homes where they can get outside, relax, enjoy nature. Similar principles apply for coffee shops, grocery stores, bars, and many other amenities: you can get by with one within walking distance, but you ideally want at least two options to insulate against closures, times when one is closed or too busy, or in the case or parks, when a large event, like a public market or a concert, is happening in one.

I can say from experience in NYC: Central Park is nice, but one giant park for a large chunk of manhattan is not ideal. Works fine for UES/UWS, who have other park options on the island coast. But the section down near Midtown is miserable. And “parks” in the rest of the borough often don’t even have accessible grass (it’s fenced off, as if it was a garden or something).

There are problems in my current city, Denver, as well. But parks are very pleasantly pockmarked around the city to give residents options. Now if only they’d close off the biggest park to car traffic…

Re: Something special is happening in Barcelona

#75

Post by HarryHirsch »

maccolgan wrote: post #61
yodsanklai wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Car pollute, are extremely dangerous to other road users, and take a lot of space on the road. Cars in city should be the exception, not the rule.

>take a lot of space on the road That's the point, cars deliver a lot of personal space & comfort that really make it attractive vis a vis public transport.

Try Cambridge in England just once. The commuter gridlock is appalling. On a bicycle you could just zip by the madness, and you don't even need much fitness.

Re: Something special is happening in Barcelona

#77

Post by seattle_spring »

throwawaysea wrote: post #21
Fargren wrote: post #4

Reminds me of Masa Crítica in Buenos Aires, a monthly event where lots (probably around a hundred, maybe two?) of bikers would pedal from the city center to the outskirts, to show support for the rights of people using bicycles.

Critical mass events are incredibly disruptive and are an offensively aggressive act to those who are just trying to go about their day and use the infrastructure for its funded intent - which is to say, cars and other motorized vehicles that move at higher speeds. It’s one thing to advocate for changes through proper political channels. It’s another thing entirely to hijack infrastructure, clog intersections by circ…

The OP has nothing to do with "critical mass" events, so your comment seems like nothing more than a non sequitur.

Re: Something special is happening in Barcelona

#78

Post by tgsovlerkhgsel »

namesbc wrote: post #72
tgsovlerkhgsel wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If there is a sidewalk and cycling path, then in most countries, the road is very specifically for motor vehicles.

100% wrong. Roads are for everyone. Just because you are in a vehicle you can use as a weapon shouldn't allow you to threaten other road users out of their road. Just wait patiently and drive at the speed of traffic.

If there is a cycle path (meeting certain conditions), then using it is generally mandatory in at least Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Italy. In Spain, Netherlands and France, some are mandatory and some are not, depends on the form of signage.

Re: Something special is happening in Barcelona

#79

Post by pastacacioepepe »

nbzso wrote: post #76

[flagged]

> Guys and girls. This starting to look exactly like communism

Is this some kind of a joke I don't get? If you're serious tho, it sounds like a positive to me.

> Cars are not the enemy

They are. Most modern cities are an unlivable toxic mess thanks to the fact we based transportation on private cars. There is no clean tech that can sustain the large scale usage of cars we currently have. Even electric pollutes a lot just during production/disposal.

I'm so tired of being poisoned (and with my greatest discomfort, my child too) every time I go out. I'm tired of having to give up something like 80% of the open space in our cities to a mass of lazy people that identify their "freedom" with the possession of a private vehicle.

> Example: Porsche's synthetic fuel

You know that only an infinitesimal part of the population will ever be able to afford a Porsche? How is that going to change anything except by calming the guilt of a few privileged individuals?

> The risk of biking injuries is always present.

That's why as they specify in the thread, you need a critical mass, in order to stop hysterical moped/car drivers from trying to dangerously pass you. Maybe if you just read it, instead of going on a rant against communism, you'd have something better to offer to this discussion.

I promise you, I love this idea so much I am going to dedicate myself to spread it and make it a reality.

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