Would you actively pursue policies that would enable cycling to develop along the lines that have made it the transportation mode of choice for so many in Copenhagen?
Dear Alan, My personal experience of cycling as you call it is in Hamburg Germany. There many people do not have cars as they can only park them on the street if they can find a park and public transport (light rail and buses) are very frequent (four minutes is a long wait). There, in the suburbs, many people bike.
In the suburbs Cyclists have special lanes marked into the footpath to use and they have right of way. The foot paths are very wide, much wider than ours to allow for the cycle lanes so the system is set up to accommodate cycling. Cycle helmets are not a necessity because the cyclist are not using the roads. There are special lanes at all intersections for cyclists. Also it is easy to take your bike on the public transport to get from one part of town to another.
Very few people bike around the city centre. There are no cycle lanes that I recall. But the city centre is compact. And people are used to walking.
There it is my personal opinion that cycle lanes work well in the suburbs although pedestrians are still at a disadvantage as many businesses have hoardings etc out on the street. Life can be even more difficult when wheeling a pram or pushchair.
Here are a few of my personal opinions
I agree that more cycling is desirable. But I do not think that it is easy to make take a few ideas from a well integrated system in Europe and impose it on Christchurch.
Would you lobby to rescind the law that compels cyclists to wear helmets in order to make it discretionary on the rider (as it is wherever utility cycling is well-established ) ?
Not while cyclists are biking on the road. This is a safety issue
Our footpaths are not wide enough to accommodate special cycling lanes at present. Our footpaths should also accommodate wheelchairs, children, the elderly who are not steady on their feet, pregnant women, prams and pushchairs. These people are entitled to be able to walk safely. That is not possible with bikes moving at speed unless there are special lanes. Therefore, until we develop a system for cyclists that gets them out of the traffic they need cycle helmets. I still remember the “Cycle Lady” that cam around when I was at school. Her son had been sitting at an intersection waiting for lights to change. He had his rear wheel nudged by a car, fell over the handlebars on his head and became a paraplegic for life. Her message was that a helmet would have saved him.
I will not advocate a system where people are put at risk of very severe injury that will affect them for the rest of their lives.
Would you give preference to a comprehensive network of cycle lanes over retaining the right to curbside parking?
I think that cycle lanes are a very good idea. I think we should develop a comprehensive network and this is slowly happening throughout Riccarton. There are still some problems at some intersections but I notice that these are now being worked through.
However taking the approach of replacing curbside parking with cycle lanes is a simplistic approach for the following reason:
Bus lanes are required and on some roads there is talk of replacing curbside parking with a bus lane at peak hours.
Cars are a fact of life and have to be left somewhere.
Would you lobby to rescind the law which prohibits cyclists from using pavements (at least as an interim measure for the years it will otherwise take to establish real separation from motorized vehicles)to enable 'slow cyclists'(e.g.the elderly)to take up utility cycling?
-Before you answer this question, next time you're out driving, take note of how few pedestrians are actually using our pavements and keep in mind that there are places in the world where cyclists and pedestrians co-exist harmoniously in significantly greater numbers.
Not on our narrow footpaths. As I have explained above in Hamburg there is a dedicated cycle lane marked into the footpath. This is safe for cyclists and pedestrians.
'Leaving it to the market to decide' is not working as virtually none of New Zealand's bicycle importers or retailers are taking the initiative to either promote or make available the types of bicycles and technologies which would make utility cycling practicable by a much broader range of people(e.g. the elderly ) or practical (e.g. for carrying children or shopping).
To ensure that fleets of utility bicycles become established throughout New Zealand's urban areas, would you promote or support a campaign that will create awareness of utility cycling technologies among the public to help to stimulate consumer demand ?
e.g. actively lobby for the acquisition of a fleet of utility bicycles for council staff to get around town on.
I think utility bicycles would be a good idea. But only if people wear cycle helmets on our roads as they are at present
Would you lobby for the installation of bicycle racks on ALL public transport vehicles ?
This needs thinking about as public transport has to be fast and efficient to work. In Hamburg people wheeled their cycles onto the bus at the back and collected their ticket from the front once they were on. I think this is a better system as it works for cycles, wheelchairs and prams.
Do you cycle yourself? - And if not at this stage in your life, what would it take to get you to take up 'utility' cycling in the future ?
I have cycled extensively in the past. I am not able to cycle at the present time.
Would you recommend that other people (children/ the elderly) cycle?
I think cycling is good for many people. The cycle tracks around the city are encouraging more people to get on bikes away from the traffic. They then gain the confidence to cycle where there is traffic.
Why? / Why not?
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