[*BCM*] Bike over trash to save on gas

[Ethan Woehrling]

(sorry about the previous mis-send)

Mike,

Living in a city with cycle lanes, I can promise you that they are only worthwhile once motorists give them the respect they deserve (ie worthless, since once motorists are aware of cycle lanes they might as well be asked to be aware of cyclists).

Here in Brum cycle lanes are either dangerously narrow, or so wide that cars don't stay out of them.  In Germany and the rest of mailand Europe they manage a good mix of off-road cycle tracks and on-road lanes, but these only work because motorists and pedestrians are considerate of cyclists (ie most drivers are also cyclists, there are lots of cyclists, and if you walk on a cycle track you will get run over by a cyclist).

The only "cycle friendly" initiatives that I have heard of, that could actually get more people cycling would be
*lower speed limits in built up areas - ie 20mph
*a London-style congestion charge
*a Paris style full-scale assault on the roads (halve the number of lanes, close some major routes to make a beach, and make some other major axes one-way roads)
*cycle friendly traffic enforcement (and more police cyclists)

Well I live in one of the worst cities for cycling in Europe, so I don't expect many of the above being implemented.  
__________________
Sure, there are problems with cycling in Boston. The streets are not bicycle-friendly, for the most part, and neither are those using them. And not only are motorists a danger to cyclists, cyclists are a danger to each other. But part of the reason for this is the lack of dedicated bike lanes. Organizations like Livable Streets (www.livablestreets.info) are struggling to raise awareness of Boston�s enormous potential as a greener, more livable city, but it is an uphill battle, for sure.


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