How Can Government Ask People To Cycle On Our Mad Roads?

Question

Politicians who like to play the green card are always telling people to cycle to work etc. The roads are barely in a good enough state for cars let alone bikes. Potholes everywhere. Negotiating roundabouts is a nightmare on a bike as drivers just drive straight at you. With so many psychos behind the wheel should fat politicians in limos be telling folk to cycle when the fail to invest in safe cycle zones for bikers. What do you guys think?

Answer 1

i live in central london and cycle to and from work every day as well as almost everywhere else. I agree that the roads are poorly maintained and drivers (especially black-cab drivers) are very aggressive towards cyclists.

If the govt is serious about getting more people onto bikes they need to do more than provide these cycle lanes which many drivers just use as a place to stop in as they pull into another road. i'd say there needs to be a real rethink and some roads need to be made cycle/skates only.

in reality, it won't happen and there'll just be more deaths on the road.

Answer 2

It would be extremely difficult to convince me, even though where I live there are cycle paths on some pavements and lanes at the side of some roads but in the entire 3 years I've been where I am I've only seen 2 cyclists use them. In any case the roads there on are so bad I think that's why they don't get used much. Any way the other day outside work a taxi driver KILLED a cyclist and used the lame excuse of he didn't see him even though he was wearing a hi visibility jacket. As a result the surrounding roads were gridlocked for a good hour.

Answer 3

Yes we need to invest in safe cycle zones although I see it from the other side of a driver's wheel. As there are excellent cyclists there are excellent motorists and many a time I am appalled the way cyclists behave on the roads, cutting in, without checking, not giving clear signals where they are going as in turning etc, wearing dark clothes at night and even on many occassions on main roads with no lights.

Answer 4

I would cycle but after a 12 hour night shift as a nurse in charge of a stroke unit a 10 mile cycle ride just isnt that appealing.

Answer 5

Hah - we had this convo ten minutes ago! You are clearly watching the same news as we are.

I wouldn't cycle on the main roads in this country to save my life. Fortunately round here we have miles and miles of cycle paths off the main roads!

Answer 6

i know!! I would never ever cycle on our roads-it's crazy!! i'm all for saving our planet but i'd also like to save my life-unfortunately due to the state of our roads -this means driving or getting a bus for longer journeys. i walk where possible though!

Answer 7

I have been cycling on the roads in Glasgow for many years and it is perfectly safe if you are carefull and awareof other traffic when cycling.

Answer 8

and if you dare try cycling on the pavement where it is safer, you will get a rollicking from the police even though the pavement is full of prams ,buggys shopping trolleys skateboarders dogs on long leads and worst of all is the tearaway older people on electric scooters who run over your feet or reverse into you .

Answer 9

You may not live in an area where bicycling is practical. I lived in northern virginia and you can bicycle on the sidewalk and ride 10 miles across town just on the sidewalks.

Answer 10

I have a 50 mile drive to work. My route is 99% interstate highway. So, yes I agree that it would be completely unsafe for me to ride my bike to work. Not to mention very very time consuming.