| Topic: | Re:London's pop-up cycle lanes 'stopping disabled travel' | |
| Posted by: | Philippa Bond | |
| Date/Time: | 16/08/20 13:04:00 |
| It has been wonderful over these weeks seeing whole families cycling out together. Cycles don't have to only have two wheels there are also three and four wheelers. There are also electrically assisted ones which make it easier to go up hill if you are concerned that London isn't as flat as Amsterdam. In Scandinavia they cycle all year round in all weathers. We're considered a joke here. We need safer cycling for everyone and that does not mean that cyclists should be pushed onto the pavements which makes them unsafe for pedestrians. The disabled together with the charities and taxis should be working with Councils to make sure that there are drop off points for the disabled where they are best suited. In my experience taxis just stop in the middle of the road anyway and don't bother to pull in even when it is easy and safe for them to do so! Unfortunately there can be a fear of labelling of stigmatisation and while most people fiercely defend their independence but they are doing no-one including themselves any favours by simply criticising and being negative instead of coming up with some positive solutions that they may have seen and appreciated elsewhere. It just gives the impression that they are simply objecting and failing to adjust to any changes. I don't disagree that cyclists need to be more responsible but so do drivers thinking that they have more rights than cyclists to use the road including not slowing down and insisting on overtaking every cyclist they meet whatever the situation. Pedestrians also need safe pavements free from cyclists (unless they are marked shared paths) and free from all the damage caused by lazy drivers who drive over them cracking and damaging the paving and dislodging the kerbstones. Many cycles can be stored in a cyclehoop taking up the space of just one car. Have you checked out your nearest car share club? |