Active Travel

[HiVibes]

Drive down Albany Road, Hawarden Avanue, St.Catherines Drive, or of course Woodbourne Road in the morning and you will soon realise it's not uneven road surface causing the problems but congestion caused by heaps of metal driven by fatties. These roads were simply not designed for the throughput nor to be massive carparks. Active travel is an appropriate response to the problem, not moaning about pot holes and ROAD TAX, what a hopeless chuff.

[quilp]

7 minutes ago, Stabit said:

Anyone believing that it never gets dark, or rains (or even snows!) in Amsterdam probably also thinks that the Isle of Man is so different to the rest of the world that it doesn't need speed limits...

Probably. But Amsterdam is flat. You can easily travel from A 2 B without ever leaving the saddle to push. It's motorists are certainly more spatially aware, and vigilant in looking out for cyclists and pedestrians. What hope is there when the standard of consideration and driving overall is SO bad on this hilly little rock?

[HiVibes]

6 minutes ago, quilp said:

Probably. But Amsterdam is flat. You can easily travel from A 2 B without ever leaving the saddle to push. 

What hills in Douglas mean you have to get off the bike and push? How pathetic, Crellins Hill is but a short blast and can be avoided if you can't manage, the rest are at worst gradual inclines. 

Edited November 22, 2022 by HiVibes

[Happier diner]

1 hour ago, Banker said:

To be fair I think it was the MAMILs in last house eg Shimmins, Harmer Baker & peake who pushed active travel agenda 

Any MAMIL worth his salt would not be impressed with Pulrose Bridge

[Mikimoto]

Set up a congestion charge for cars entering Douglas.

A fiver a day should bring car numbers down.

[asitis]

I like the fact Stu will introduce an element of realism to the travel debates, before we blow another wedge on something unrealistic. No problem at all with cycle routes where they are needed and used, but knowing how we perform, they'll build something that only Mark Cavendish would use whilst in training and sell it to the public as a must have !

 

[Stabit]

4 minutes ago, quilp said:

Probably. But Amsterdam is flat. You can easily travel from A 2 B without ever leaving the saddle to push. It's motorists are certainly more spatially aware, and vigilant in looking out for cyclists and pedestrians. What hope is there when the standard of consideration and driving overall is SO bad on this hilly little rock?

There's alway hope!  

Drivers would adapt to more cyclists/pedestrians - just like we adapt to there being more motorbikes during TT.  You expect to see them, so you look out for them more.

I agree that we have our fair share of hills.  Ebikes completely eliminate that problem, but active travel isn't exactly aimed at people travelling over the mountain every day.  

[Banker]

5 minutes ago, Mikimoto said:

Set up a congestion charge for cars entering Douglas.

A fiver a day should bring car numbers down.

But probably be free for civil servants to go with free car parking 😂

[HiVibes]

4 minutes ago, Happier diner said:

Any MAMIL worth his salt would not be impressed with Pulrose Bridge

If you remember how bad Pulrose bridge was before, it required cyclists to mount a narrow pavement before crossing the carriage way with 3 lanes of heavy traffic and no crossing point, and then rejoin the cycle path at the entrance to the bowl, it is a lot safer for both pedestrians and cyclists.

[quilp]

9 minutes ago, HiVibes said:

What hills in Douglas mean you have to get off the bike and push? How pathetic, Crellins Hill is but a short blast and can be avoided if you can't manage, the rest are at worst gradual inclines. 

Well, fuckface, I'm not talking personally but the terrain and quality of the road surfaces, the standard of local driving and the attitude of those drivers towards cyclists is discouraging to existing and potential cyclists.

Now, off you fuck... 

[HiVibes]

1 minute ago, quilp said:

Well, fuckface, I'm not talking personally but the terrain and quality of the road surfaces, the standard of local driving and the attitude of those drivers towards cyclists is discouraging to existing and potential cyclists.

Now, off you fuck... 

So you can't back up your pathetic claim with any evidence?

[doc.fixit]

2 hours ago, Stabit said:

I quoe this as example of what I simply don't understand (not picking an arguement with any individual poster). 

Why wouldn't you want to encourage active travel.  How does it harm you in any way?  You would benefit, even if you weren't inclined/willing/able to take up the option for your own journeys.

As to your points:   Historically, we had fewer (and smaller) motor vehicles on the road, so cycling was safer and more practical.  I really can't see any government enforcement.  Surely every £ spent on active travel reduces spend on healthcare (probably by a multiple).   People have this weird fascination about linking DOI spending to their own cost in respect of vehicle excise and fuel duty (rather than accepting it's all paid for out of general taxation).  Applying that same logic, smokers would have preferencial access to our healthcare facilities.

It was because folk coulcn't afford cars and could barely afford a bike to get to work on. Also, as has been pointed out, most of Holland is flat and purpose built historically. IOM is very hilly, wet, cold, and narrow. 

I have no problem with a bicycle being used to get to work if that's all you can afford but I have a major problem with packs of specialist racing pattern bicycles using our roads or lanes as practice routes or exercise tracks.

Take it or leave it, that's what I think and I speak as a long time touring cyclist in days of old. The priority should be fixing and maintaining the infrastructure before all these vanity projects that only ever benefit a minority.

[Non-Believer]

"Build it and they will come".

We built it - so where are they all? Where are the pelotons coming into work everyday from Farmhill via the new infrastructure through Pully for example, let alone everywhere else. One or two isn't validation of the expense. 

The theory is flawed. For most, cycling is a summer leisure pursuit (I exclude the mountain bikers cos getting wet and muddy is their "thing") but most commuters don't want to spend the day at work having got wet and cold on the way there and then face more on the way home, quite possibly via a steep uphill journey.

[2bees]

They should have decentralised bus stations at Nobles park, The Bowl and The hospital, shuttle services should take passengers from those stations to town at times to coincide with arrivals/departures from the satellite bus routes. Satellite bus services would include mini busses going around the various Onchan estates, Willaston, Anaghcoar (& Pulrose) as well as services to/from the other towns. There are already cafes at The Hospital, Bowl & at Nobles park - unlike the horrible stark bus station hellholes in Douglas/Ramsey/Peel/Port Erin. 

The cycle lanes are rubbish, they're not wide enough to be safe and as for the state of Pulrose Bridge - Jesus wept, no, he actually hung himself on the cross because of Pulrose Bridge.

[hampsterkahn]

Attitudes to  daily travel are influenced by where  you live and your health /mobility.

Group 1.A person who lives and works in central London for example, may  have ready access to the tube, regular buses and taxis.

if they have reasonable health and mobility they might be attracted to use bicycle, e- bike or scooter.For them a car  as unessential, even an  encumbrance and condemn their use.

Group2.A person living in the country may have problems with poor access to public transport.

If they have cardiac, respiratory or mobility difficulties, cycling and walking are never going to be realistic options.For them, car use is an essential to have a reasonable quality of life.

- A problem can arise if policy makers are  group (1) and dismissive of the needs of group( 2)