Cars still dominate the commute....

[Mr Foldy]

That is **** poor. Can't really see how 'importance of cars' comes into it either. What, you mean as manufacturers? Can't really see much correlation there. I suspect it's a combination of a number of factors, including things like the extent and competence of government encouragement (cycle lanes, positive legislation), the culture (which has over here only recently even begun to escape the notion that bicycles are the 'poor relation' option for people who can't afford a car), and the sheer size of our major cities (it's easy to commute in Copenhagen or Antwerp - you probably only live 2-3 miles from work. Mostly, tho', I think it's because we're a nation of beer-swilling junk-food munching lard-arse couch potatoes.

Guilty! At least my cycling helps counteract some junk food munching lardiness.

 

[gaz]

[QUOTE 2799800, member: 259"]I would imagine cycling still gets a few more takers than the underground, tram, or metro in rural areas.[/quote]
What rural areas have underground, tram or metro?

 

[Platinum]

Narrow lanes and poor roads are a massive problem in Britain. Here in the countryside the roads still follow the old medieval layouts, they've just put a layer of tarmac on top.

Last summer after spending 3 weeks in the Netherlands, driving hundreds of miles on country roads with 80kph limits, perfectly smooth tarmac, separate cycle lanes, no tractors allowed, long and straight with excellent sightlines, well signposted, proper traffic signal phases, or on the top notch modern safe and fast motorway network that actually covers most of the country, mile long entry/exit lanes instead of having to dive for gaps on slip lanes.

Coming home up the A68 was the most terrifying place I've ever driven, 60mph limit with 90 degree blind bends, humps and dips, potholes etc, all shared with cyclists. Driving on roads designed for the horse and cart.

The Dutch are clearly miles ahead in all aspects of road design, not just superior cycle lanes; driving along the A2 from Amsterdam to Maastricht to Liege in Belgium as soon as you cross the border it feels like going into a 3rd world country.

 

[400bhp]

I'm talking aout the width of each lane in the carriageway...much wider. they have different laws regarding jay walking there to here, but it is the lack of width in each lane which causes conflict around here.

inhabitants per square mile.

 

[Linford]

inhabitants per square mile.

Eh ?

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

The UK has a very low level of cycle use which may be put down to the importance of cars to the economy. However looking at other EU countries, Germany which has a massive input from car manufacturing has a much healthier level of cycle use (2010 figures):

It seems to demonstrate that you can have both and I suspect that Germany organises its infrastructure with a more social-economic agenda. A feat that the ideological polarisation of the UK has made impossible for decades.

A bit late to respond to this, I suppose, but I missed it first time round. I found myself thinking of what we probably regard as the biggest cycling countries and I first though of Netherlands and Denmark. Then I thought, oh, they don't have any major car manufacturers. Coincidence or not? Along came Germany: a powerful car industry, and a strong uptake of cycling and provision of cycling infrastructure. You can have bikes and business after all. FO car lobby.

 

[Cycling Dan]

What rural areas have underground, tram or metro?

All of them do. However they keep it hidden and a secret as they don't want it to turn out like the tube.