FAO: London cyclists

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  • Wolfboy

    There have been three deaths in the past three weeks on the London roads. One death is obviously too many, but this kind of frequency is surely the last straw. Something needs to change quickly.

    Last week there was a protest for safety ride attended by between 1500 and 2000 cyclist. Tonight (Tuesday 16th July) there is a second protest being organised by The London Cycling Campaign:

    http://lcc.org.uk/articles/lcc-o…

    If you ride in London, make your way down there. #space4cycling

    There are a few pick up points round the city in case you're not sure where to go:

    https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?…

  • detritus0

    Too hot, too busy - wish I could though.

    It's been over a year since I last went to Critical Mass too :(

  • 23kon0

    What are they campaigning for? Dedicated cycle lanes?
    Maybe fine for key routes but would never happen on every street.
    Money would be better spent trying to change all road users attitudes to each other or policing these routes and coming down heavy on ANYONE who doesn't take into account other road users space or rights.

  • utopian0

    In the States there are just as many ignorant, arrogant, asinine cyclists as there are motorists...

  • ORAZAL0

    They are campaigning for dedicated lanes which I think would be a necessity in a city such as London. Obviously it's not going to be implemented in every street and I don't think that is what is they are asking.
    Dedicated bike lanes do offer more security and awareness to drivers and pedestrians that people using bikes as a means of transportation is a reality and should be taken into account (#changingattitudes).
    I do agree with you 23kon when you say that say that EVERYONE should take into account other road user space or rights. Most bikers, pedestrians and drivers usually consider themselves as having the priority depending on which role they are taking at the time. I live in a city were they are enough dedicated bike lanes and I usually see bikers zigzagging between cars and not respecting traffic lights.

    My advice to fellow bikers is: Always wear a helmet and don't be a cunt.

  • Wolfboy0

    It's fine saying everyone should be following the law and respecting the other road users and of course that should be the case, but that's not the issue. The issue is a general lack of safety due to an out dated road system and terrible decisions made by the road planners. At the end of the day it's cyclists that are being killed.

    A few weeks ago a french girl was killed while riding a TFL hire bike on a TFL 'cycle super highway' (essentially nothing more than a strip of paint that is blue because it is sponsored by Barclays and was predicted to be dangerous by independent parties).

    Yesterday a man was killed by an HGV (one of the regular causes of cyclist death in London, usually when they're turning left) at Holborn - an area with more than one lane for motor vehicles an zero dedicated space for cyclists.

    I think this quote sums it up, there's no them and us about it, it's just simply calling for necessary action to be taken so less people will die just because they use a bike in London:

    LCC chief executive Ashok Sinha said, "Three Londoners have now been killed in three weeks, all of them on busy roads that provide no dedicated space for cycling.

    "Mayor Boris Johnson must take swift and radical steps to redesign our streets to make them safe and inviting for cycling.

    "The evidence is clear: if the Mayor doesn't take urgent action, then more Londoners will die needlessly cycling on our city streets."

  • kingkong0

    All cities have a pecking order that needs changing

    Cars
    Buses
    Bicycles
    People

    They need to invert it.

    We need to reclaim cities back from the cars. Not wholesale but in large parts.

    Boris to his credit recognises this and has proposed this http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-eng…

    I cycle from the west to central (Ealing - Soho) and in 10 miles of road there are no dedicated non sharing bits of my commute.

    A bike friendly city is good for everyone, and people love that kind of stuff, just look at high line in NYC or the Southbank in London.

    • <, < and thrice <

      The pecking order inversion being especially true.
      detritus
  • Wolfboy0

    I couldn't agree more Kingkong, after around 12 years in London I still can't quite believe that Regent Street and Oxford Street aren't pedestrianised areas. They should be world leading areas where people can flock to without having to share them with cars. Just block those big old roads at all ends with lots of bike parking (with retractable bollards for deliveries, pave the streets and plant some trees. It would be glorious. And most importantly - night time deliveries.

    My major issue with Borris though, is that he is the ultimate politician, he never seems to propose anything that is not spectacular and usually having the opportunity to have a 'Borris' prefix. He needs to open the purse strings and do some of the smaller things quickly.

    I'd love to see his massive plans happen over the next few years, fuck I would even vote for the Tory bastard if I saw it starting to happen, but he needs to get things moving now.

    Changes to HGV delivery times ruels (no rush hour), enforcing fines on motorists who encroach the cycling boxes at junctions - and make sure there are cycling boxes at all major junctions. etc etc.

    • Don't forget fines for dick-cyclists too shooting red lights or wearing headphones23kon
  • lowimpakt0

    i don't live in london but I have cycled around it quite a few times and have found it ok in most places but hairy as hell in others. Last time a bus completely ignored my handsignal at a roundabout and cut me off while he was turning left.

    Agree 100% about inverting the hierarchy by infrastructure/planning but there is also lot to be said about the culture/mindset of a city being part of the problem.

    I was cycling around Berlin a few weeks ago an for me it's one of the greatest big cities for cycling in.

  • animatedgif0

    To be fair, London has the worst behaved cyclists

    • this could be truelowimpakt
    • compulsory reg plates for cyclists to make them more accountable. Get rid of the dicks...23kon
    • ... and other road users will be much more hospitable towards cyclists.23kon
    • reg plates haven't stopped car drivers being dickheadslowimpakt
    • no but it makes them accountable and punishable rather than anonymous!23kon
  • utopian0

  • Wolfboy0

    An article in the aftermath of the protest ride I was banging on about the other day. It's not often I'm in agreement with articles coming out of the Standard, but this is worth a read.

    The numbers on the ride were pretty big by the way, 2500 people all brought together inside 24hours. It was an incredible sight from the middle of it all as Holborn was brought to a stand still.

    http://www.standard.co.uk/commen…

  • lowimpakt0

    a city with less cars is a good city to live in.