fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
It's increasing in Manchester, but I'm a minus 1 now. Not commuting into the city again.
Cycling commuters, a diminishing breed?
- Thread starter snorri
- Start date
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I see a fair number of cyclists in south Manchester but still hopelessly outnumbered by cars on roads really not designed for that much traffic. Motorists seem aware enough that cyclists exist on my route though.
Really wish they would congestion charge the shoot out of the city centre or something. Or give tax breaks to people commuting to work by bike.
Really wish they would congestion charge the shoot out of the city centre or something. Or give tax breaks to people commuting to work by bike.
mjr
Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
- Location
- mostly Norfolk, sometimes Somerset
Ah, that reminds me! The Manchester Congestion Charge Referendum: proof that you can get a city to vote to suffocate itself!
Said by another car driver I bet...
BEHMOTH66
Active Member
- Location
- Salford, Gtr Manchester
Congestion charge in Manchester was a very badly designed and hurried and the public rightly voted against it. So now the councils have decided to put in guided bus lanes to places no one ever wants to go which into chokes the city, as there is now half the amount of lanes there was 18 months ago. So it is not the publics fault its the stupid local government who would sell their mothers for government cash who try and introduce any crazy schemes. They forget who they work for
mjr
Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
- Location
- mostly Norfolk, sometimes Somerset
Exactly! The Manchester congestion charge was imperfect AFAICT but better than the alternative that Manchester got instead. The vote was debated on the incorrect premise that a No C Charge vote meant no change, rather than the councils would have to try to tackle growing congestion in some less desirable way.
mustang1
Legendary Member
- Location
- London, UK
I would rather get a motorbike/scooter.
mustang1
Legendary Member
- Location
- London, UK
Isn't this how things started in London? First the bus lanes were installed this halfing the road that cars could use. As a result, congestion increased and then the c-charge came around. As an extra, the traffic lights were phased to cause evn more congestion and on the day the c-charge was launched, the traffic lights were miraculously 'reaffirmed' to correct syncronicty.
Et voila. The congestion charge.
MontyVeda
a short-tempered ill-controlled small-minded troll
- Location
- Lancaster... the little city.
One for the tin foil hat brigade, but there's something in the fact the traffic in Manchester is absolutely horrendous at the moment, the public transport system is a complete and utter shambles, the Metrolink an embarrassment to the city, I don't think it's down to volume of traffic increasing, but more the ongoing roadworks and "improvement" measures.
Look at the guided bus way and the trouble that has caused during it's construction, it's finished now, has the traffic eased coming in from Salford / Leigh down the East Lancs, is everyone using the buses now? Currently Piccadilly bus station is closed for "resurfacing", they're closing half of Portland Street to cars, the Mancunian way has collapsed, The second crossing for the Metrolink, how on earth is this going to help? A tram breaks down in Bury, it affects all services, the points fail at Cornbrook, all services are affected, someone drives on to the tracks at Holt town? all services are affected, the system is a joke, and downright dangerous at peak times. TFGM have a lot to answer for, even to us not wearing tin foil hats they've thrown their toys out of the pram since the congestion charge was dropped.
mustang1
Legendary Member
- Location
- London, UK
About getting a motorbike or scooter. I've given this a modicum of thought...
Suppose I have somewhere important to be. Trains and subway could be subject to delay any time. Cars can get stuck in traffic. Buses are a joke. Cycles are an awesome way of getting around, no doubt about it and is my preferred transport method.
But getting to places all sweaty isn't a bunch of fun if there are no washing facilities at the other end so I thought what has advantages similar to a cycle, doesnt make me sweat, gets to destination faster: a motorbike.
Or an electric bike?
OP
OP
snorri
Legendary Member
- Location
- East coast, up a bit.
Could be, but it sounds like an expensive option, why not just take a little more time to your journey?
Cycling should not induce sweating in normal circumstances.
MontyVeda
a short-tempered ill-controlled small-minded troll
- Location
- Lancaster... the little city.
You're unlikely to break into a sweat cycling the flat 3 miles between Lancaster and Morecambe... unless of course you want to.
mcshroom
Bionic Subsonic
- Location
- Egremont, Cumbria
Big advantage the cyclists have over a motorbike on that route is that there's a flat, straight, well surfaced and traffic free cycle path between the two down an old railway line.
