Britain is built for cars

[boydj]

I wondered how far this thread would get before it became blatantly prejudiced against car drivers.

For the record, I drive my car, sometimes for fun when I don't even need to, and I don't feel even the slightest tinge of guilt when I do so.

That out the way, I actually disagree with the implication that most people are fundamentally lazy. There is an abundance of evidence that while although of course some are lazy, it's not the majority. The thriving fitness industry is proof of that.

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Far too many car drivers just fail to see or contemplate any alternative to driving, no matter how short the distance. It may not be laziness, it's more likely a complete blind spot to alternatives. A couple of examples :

I have witnessed somebody get their car out of a garage, drive ~200 metres to the local primary school, then return and park outside their house. They would have been quicker walking the child to school, not to mention setting the child's attitude to travelling short distances.

At the local David Lloyd gym you'll see people drive around the car park looking for a space as close to the building as possible before attending their fitness class.

 

[Slick]

Your not kidding. I was visiting the MIL today and read this.

https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/3536813/frank-mcavennie-column-scottish-sun-cyclists-blast/

 

[mudsticks]

Years ago when I was a jobbing gardener i used to cycle six miles to a clients house, spend about three hours walking up and down her lawn pushing a mower, then cycle home again..

At some point during the morning she would come out to give me a cheque for my trouble, before jumping in her 4wd to drive to the gym.

Nice little earner - and the biscuits weren't too bad either

 

[classic33]

I wondered how far this thread would get before it became blatantly prejudiced against car drivers.

For the record, I drive my car, sometimes for fun when I don't even need to, and I don't feel even the slightest tinge of guilt when I do so.

That out the way, I actually disagree with the implication that most people are fundamentally lazy. There is an abundance of evidence that while although of course some are lazy, it's not the majority. The thriving fitness industry is proof of that.

Some people are genuinely lazy. But many are simply brainwashed. I wonder how many here have ever applied for a job, any job, and not been asked if they have a full clean driving licence. Then there's the fear factor. I used to live and work in a city. My work was a measly 2 miles from my house. When I first moved there for the job, I'd get the bus to work. I was frequently late, as the bus would either be late, not turn up, or drive straight past because it was too full. So I started to walk it. Great, until I witnessed several acts of violence in the rough patch I had to walk through, and was even threatened myself once, just for being there. So, I considered my bike, and I considered the absolutely crazy city centre traffic. So I finally concluded, I'd rather be in a steel box than a wooden box, and started taking my car. Ironically, the local authority, having realised that patch of town didn't really work well, invested millions in a revamp. I saw the plans. Not a single metre of new cycle path. So I started a bit of a one man campaign, pointing out they have a one off chance to get this right. They just argued that the city already has so many thousand miles of cycle path or some such.

Have you ever considered why there are so many gyms nowadays.

We have less actual physical activity in our everyday lives. If we were to increase the physical activity, maybe there'd be fewer gyms open.

We'd also be removing the fashion behind gyms.

 

[Globalti]

Look at any old film from as recently as the 70s and you'll hardly see a fat person. Even Police officers look quite fit.

 

[mudsticks]

Look at any old film from as recently as the 70s and you'll hardly see a fat person. Even Police officers look quite fit.

You got a thing about people in uniforms then?

We've become addicted to refined carbohydrates in all forms - including sugar - and the hydrocarbons we put in our vehicles.

I used to walk, or cycle my kids all of less than a mile to their primary school - and was often told how 'brave' I was to do it.. The other parents often said they wouldn't do it because the roads were so dangerous with "all the cars"

There seems to be a distinct inability to link cause and effect nowadays - what we probably need is a few more studies to understand what's really going on here.

 

[MontyVeda]

This isn’t Holland, never will be.

This isn't the USA either... that's a country that really is built for cars. In comparison to the USA, the UK is a mecca for cycling

 

[Johnno260]

This isn't the USA either... that's a country that really is built for cars. In comparison to the USA, the UK is a mecca for cycling

This is quite true, when I visited New Jersey for work, they were horrified I walked from the hotel to the offices there, all of about 500m.... they had organised a car to pick me up lol

 

[Cavalol]

Things will definitely change (for the better, for cyclists) in towns and cities but to me there’s s couple of other issues.
Firstly, (and I’d buy one myself, so not slating them for the sake of it) you can’t really hear electric cars, so would think we’ll see more accidents with cyclists and pedestrians.
Secondly, can’t see them spending to widen a-roads to help us. The point made about dangerous roads is very valid, I expect we all have routes we’d love to cycle but it’s just not safe to do so.

 

[Johnno260]

Things will definitely change (for the better, for cyclists) in towns and cities but to me there’s s couple of other issues.
Firstly, (and I’d buy one myself, so not slating them for the sake of it) you can’t really hear electric cars, so would think we’ll see more accidents with cyclists and pedestrians.
Secondly, can’t see them spending to widen a-roads to help us. The point made about dangerous roads is very valid, I expect we all have routes we’d love to cycle but it’s just not safe to do so.

There are a few electric cars near me and you're right you can't hear them at all, I know you should look but I have seen people step out in front of electric cars in car parks numerous times, and its due to them no hearing a car so not looking.

One electric car driving guy who I didn't move over for very quickly was quite nice, at the traffic lights I said sorry I didn't hear him, he said they should put a speaker on them to make some noise, I said if I'm in front of him in the future please just a little toot on the horn to let me know he is there, which he now does every time.

 

[Globalti]

In many countries people drive everywhere because they feel unsafe walking thanks to street crime. My colleague in Lagos says his shoes never wear out. There's also the danger of unlit streets and open storm drains. My cycling buddy fell in one in India, up to his neck in crap

 

[mudsticks]

[QUOTE 5452752, member: 9609"]Not quite, we're always about 20 years behind and very eager to copy them.

cars are a catastrophy and the world is obsessed by them. We have even put one in space to circle the solar system for ever - bbc link- I guess it will serve as a sign to any future alien visitors that there was once a civilisation here that destroyed itself with a pointless 4 wheeled obsession[/QUOTE]

I think it was Ghandi who quipped back, when questioned as to what he thought about "Western Civilisation"

"That sounds like a very good idea"

We have enormous amounts of clever tech, and 'scientific knowledge'

But woeful amounts of 'wisdom' when it comes to putting them to good use for the benefit of everyone, rather than the mega profits of the few - I'm always hoping, that at some point enough of us will wake up to the fact that we've taken a massively wrong turning, in terms of always chasing short term gain, over long term wellbeing.

Sometimes hope is all you have


whatever you political 'color'
This raised a hollow laugh for me

https://outabouter.com/2018/10/16/e...by-conservatives/?fbclid=IwAR1nTXBXD5zBvOMLVn

 

[MartinQ]

Just a (quiet) shout out for Boardman who has been working hard recently to do just this in Manchester.
https://www.manchestereveningnews.c...g-walking-masterplan-routes-chorlton-14930463
Got to admire his ability to keep calm and rational on social media (twitter) about this scheme :-).

 

[mudsticks]

Just a (quiet) shout out for Boardman who has been working hard recently to do just this in Manchester.
https://www.manchestereveningnews.c...g-walking-masterplan-routes-chorlton-14930463
Got to admire his ability to keep calm and rational on social media (twitter) about this scheme :-).

Yes especially given that it must be such a deeply personal subject for him..

I avoid twitter where i can - it looks like it often sinks to the very lowest common denominator - in terms of personal interactions.

 

[classic33]

I think the problem is that reluctant box ticking and really rubbish facilities is probably the best we're ever going to get. And I suspect that any targets or standards will be eroded over the coming years and even the reluctant box ticking may go away.

If it changes (and it will change, but not necessarily for the better) it won't be driven by the irrelevant "cycling and walking commissioners". It will be driven by changes in the energy market, and in attitudes to ownership versus service models. More electric cars, more automation, less car ownership more services in the Zipcar/Uber mould. More home deliveries, fewer in town stores. Quite what impact these will have I don't know, but cycling/walking will be absolutely at the back of the queue, apart from a few "quirky" brands who will make a big deal of things like electric cargo bikes for delivering niche high markup goods.

I took the old washer down to the recycling centre, then went to pick its replacement up. I wasn't paying for removal or delivery, when I could do both myself.