Re: Plan on Cycle Deaths and Accidents, ideas and suggestion
I'll need to agree with Pyro Tim - in all practicality - but do admire your efforts to do something.
I'll chip in that commuting in a group sounds good in theory, but there will always be variations of speed and the dreaded puncture / mechanical. Let's remember it's commuting with all the real life constraints rather than a club run meet. This is a key thing in comparing to say Denmark where the majority of city bikes - for commuting fairly short distances - are identical, virtually identical speed and the lay of the land is fairly flat. I would take a guess that the majority of commuters would see themselves as a "normal person" and not necessarily a cyclist; infact the origins of the cycling boom there comes from an oil shortage forcing the car not to be used.
I've lived and cycled in few major cities (but not London) and without shadow of a doubt I felt more secure where there was respect (and admiration) for a vulnerable cyclist than gizmo parallel infrastructure. Stockholm for example is "well developed" and the cycle paths in and out of the city, train station to train station, and around the suburbs or joining the towns together are great. BUT, in the city I feel safer to carve my way through small back streets and cars than contend with the cycle paths (due to car doors, buses, goods loading, goods unloading, taxis, pedestrians, head-phones, texting, prams, dogs, etc.). In a sense, the segregation and rule book as left common sense vulnerability and respect on the back burner for a lot of motorists and cyclists.
On a final note, when I passed my driving test, the examiner said "Congratulations, you have passed your test and you now have a license to kill". I've never forgotten that, and wonder if something as simple as that is needed?
PS: You may find this interesting as it deals with the cycling culture question amongst other things: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0QjhGr73Ns
I'll need to agree with Pyro Tim - in all practicality - but do admire your efforts to do something.
I'll chip in that commuting in a group sounds good in theory, but there will always be variations of speed and the dreaded puncture / mechanical. Let's remember it's commuting with all the real life constraints rather than a club run meet. This is a key thing in comparing to say Denmark where the majority of city bikes - for commuting fairly short distances - are identical, virtually identical speed and the lay of the land is fairly flat. I would take a guess that the majority of commuters would see themselves as a "normal person" and not necessarily a cyclist; infact the origins of the cycling boom there comes from an oil shortage forcing the car not to be used.
I've lived and cycled in few major cities (but not London) and without shadow of a doubt I felt more secure where there was respect (and admiration) for a vulnerable cyclist than gizmo parallel infrastructure. Stockholm for example is "well developed" and the cycle paths in and out of the city, train station to train station, and around the suburbs or joining the towns together are great. BUT, in the city I feel safer to carve my way through small back streets and cars than contend with the cycle paths (due to car doors, buses, goods loading, goods unloading, taxis, pedestrians, head-phones, texting, prams, dogs, etc.). In a sense, the segregation and rule book as left common sense vulnerability and respect on the back burner for a lot of motorists and cyclists.
On a final note, when I passed my driving test, the examiner said "Congratulations, you have passed your test and you now have a license to kill". I've never forgotten that, and wonder if something as simple as that is needed?
PS: You may find this interesting as it deals with the cycling culture question amongst other things: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0QjhGr73Ns
