I feel like we're going to look back on the past ten years of EV hype the same way we look at the big tech/social media rise of the obama years -- why were we so completely in the throes of this silver bullet, seeing no downsides to a different set of trade offs...
Norway rolls back EV incentives while boosting walking and cycling (2022)
91–100 of 142 posts
Re: Norway rolls back EV incentives while boosting walking and cycling (2022)
#92Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's a myth that people can't ride bikes in cities that experience exceptionally hot or cold weather. They can, and do, it's just that the cities need to fund infrastructure to make those things more comfortable and enticing. For heat specifically, you need trees covering sidewalks and bike paths. Also the materials you build sidewalks and structures with contribute to this, and if you can then adding some evaporativ…
Do you live in a place that regularly reaches 100 degrees in the summer? No amount of shade or water is going to be enough to persuade me to go outside at 5pm, much less commute home on a bike.
Or commute to work - getting to work drenched in sweat or soaked in rain isn’t a reasonable thing to expect people to do. Most offices don’t have showers or reasonable places to change clothes.
Re: Norway rolls back EV incentives while boosting walking and cycling (2022)
#93Earlier quoted context omitted.
Relatively less than it could be when compared to other countries with less wealth per capita. The US is the wealthiest large country per capita, and yet we aren't the healthiest or longest lived. What's all this wealth for if poorer people are living better and longer lives?
The US is far more diverse than most other countries. There is no “we” with respect to demographic health data.
This isn’t relevant. Americans die earlier than the British across the entire income distribution, despite earning significantly more on average.
Re: Norway rolls back EV incentives while boosting walking and cycling (2022)
#94Earlier quoted context omitted.
This isn't a problem with biking in Finland in the winter. Bike lanes are plowed and/or compacted multiple times a day during heavy snowfall. Albeit it isn't really that hilly but more than weather, the main constraint is having a city willing to actually maintain biking infrastructure.
In heavily biked areas, is Finland mostly flat?
We have e-bikes, S-pedelecs, e-scooters and electric motorbikes. Hills are not a relevant issue technologically
Re: Norway rolls back EV incentives while boosting walking and cycling (2022)
#95Earlier quoted context omitted.
welcome to (southern) Germany, I recommend you a bike with electric assist and you will be fine
The real game changer is a helmet with a full face visor. Also I am warmer on a scooter than a bike due to the fact that I'm not moving my legs "pumping" air in and out of my clothes. I found that on an electric scooter with a full helmet I was totally warm at high speed into icy wind coming off the sea. Warmer than say just standing outside for a few minutes with a hat and scarf but my face not covered.
Do you mean scooter as a standing one or as motorbike
Re: Norway rolls back EV incentives while boosting walking and cycling (2022)
#96I live in Norway now (ex US) (BTW: One of the world's biggest producers of oil and natural gas (fossile fuels)) It is a country with winters filled with slippery ice at least in the south, and lots of steep hills up and down up and down. The ER stats for broken hip bones and other injuries during the winter is high. The ice is a much bigger factor than cold or snow when evaluating walking or biking It is possible to…
> I wish they would stop spending major money on constructing bike paths and allocating more and more of the road to bikes, and instead invest heavily in improving and expanding public transit. Since it is useful for nearly all of the population all year around.
They are, though. That’s where most of the money goes.
All the trams are being replaced with higher capacity trams. Additional trams are being purchased as well. When this process is finished, Oslo will have doubled the tram capacity.
A new metro tunnel is in construction between Fornebu and Majorstua, which will greatly reduce the need for buses on that stretch (it’s one of the most active public transit routes).
The metro signal system is being replaced as well. When done, subway trains can travel closer to each other, increasing capacity on the same infrastructure.
When it comes to bikes. Bike infrastructure is cheap. Most of the bike lanes come at the expense of roads to regular cars, not other public transport. It’s also become more popular with electric assist on bikes to help with the uneven terrain and, sadly, winters are only getting shorter.
Bikes are becoming more popular. But most of the money, and people, are still going to public transportation.
Re: Norway rolls back EV incentives while boosting walking and cycling (2022)
#97I live in Norway now (ex US) (BTW: One of the world's biggest producers of oil and natural gas (fossile fuels)) It is a country with winters filled with slippery ice at least in the south, and lots of steep hills up and down up and down. The ER stats for broken hip bones and other injuries during the winter is high. The ice is a much bigger factor than cold or snow when evaluating walking or biking It is possible to…
I cycle like 1,000 miles a year, in UK, and last winter broke a few bones. Not sure I am doing that again.
I feel cycling advocates get some strange tunnel vision, we can have other mobility solutions. Perhaps one that is more stable on ice. Current EU law is stupid - if it has pedals, it’s a bicycle even with 4 wheels, but a small scooter is an illegal motorised vehicle.
Re: Norway rolls back EV incentives while boosting walking and cycling (2022)
#98Earlier quoted context omitted.
I cycled to work for 3 years in Paris. Cycling on fresh snow isn't so dangerous, but on ice it is as you won't be able to brake. Also, cycling by -20°c is a very uncomfortable experience and increases a lot your chances to die if you fall and pass out. Last, cycling, especially in winter, is good if you're able-bodied, but it leaves out people with disabilities, which makes a sizable amount of the population if you t…
-20°C is plenty comfortable to ride if you know how to dress for the weather.
To put it in perspective for US folks, -20 C is -4 F. It's manageable, including ice, with studded tires. With that said, I don't push it on my friends. I'd rather encourage them to make riding in nice weather a habit before taking the plunge. Also, there's more to it than even cold and ice. The roads become effectively narrower due to piled up snow. It gets dark during commuting hours, making it more dangerous if car traffic is involved. Road salt makes a mess of bikes, so it helps to have a dedicated winter bike that can take the brunt of it.
Re: Norway rolls back EV incentives while boosting walking and cycling (2022)
#99I get the sneaking suspicion this is part of a ratcheting strategy for state prohibition of private ownership of any means of transportation for common people. Calling these policies sumptuary laws probably wouldn't fly nowadays I suppose.
Re: Norway rolls back EV incentives while boosting walking and cycling (2022)
#100Earlier quoted context omitted.
> Winter isn't a legit excuse. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uhx-26GfCBU when you are 80 years old and frail you'll have to bike too? I do love people who comment by assuming everyone is going to be forever in top health to bike.
The last time I visited Amsterdam, I was surprised by how old a lot of the riders were. That said, when I am pushing 80 years old and if I have health issues, I can imagine that I would want an e-trike. That sort of vehicle solves for the issues of stamina and balance. I don't know that I would ever consider traveling on a micro mobility device to be something I "have" to do. If I ever get to the point that I really…
Or a mobility scooter if even an e-trike is too much. Good cycling infrastructure benefits people of widely varying levels of ability: https://youtu.be/xSGx3HSjKDo?si=XMhcv3CYFvA83nNV