News from Italy (Hoping It Will be Overturned)

[nogoodnamesleft]

Worrying ... but maybe Lord Winston would be proud ... (but then I'm a big cynic ...)

Como mayor bans bikes in city centre after being hit ‘by one of these beasts’​

Alessandro Rapinese denies he is waging personal vendetta against cyclists amid a public backlash

The mayor of Como has set the wheels of controversy in motion for banning bikes in the walled historical centre of the lakeside city after being hit by one.

Alessandro Rapinese’s ban, which comes into force in September, targets about 30 streets and means cyclists, whether on e-bikes or push bikes, will have to dismount and walk through those areas.

Rapinese immediately came under fire, with resident groups and politicians from across the spectrum accusing him of waging a personal vendetta. Activists have started a petition calling for him to overturn the rule and cyclists are planning to ride their bikes through the specified streets in mid-September in protest.

nb Moderators please feel free to move thread to more appropriate section

 

[Ajax Bay]

To be fair, I suspect this is a perfectly reasonable exclusion in a very limited area: about 700m x 400m.

Maybe just ban e-bikes not all, and allow cargo bikes.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Never been to Como but as @Ajax Bay points out, the walled city is a pretty specific limited area.
There's already restricted area (ZTL) that bans all vehicles that don't have specific authorisation and a permit. https://lakecomovisitor.com/ztl-zones-near-lake-como/

Similarly, you can't ride bikes in Venice either (not that you'd want to with all those little bridges with steps), not to mention the watery bits.

 

[Drago]

I have been there with the ex Mrs D. The area is largely pedestrianised anyway, and the design is such, for the mostpart, its not really appropriate for any vehicle.

It appears to have been done as a knee jerk, but a pedestrian only precinct is no bad thing for a city who's layout dates back tonthe 12th century.

 

[nogoodnamesleft]

My concern about the ban is not so much about the suitability of the area for cycling but rather how a single member of the legislature puts in place a ban based on a single incident and prejudice.

Stopping cycling should be subject to proposal, consultation and review by eg Councils not a knee jerk reaction by one individual based on a single incident.

 

[N0bodyOfTheGoat]

The place infamously sang about by The Beach Boys, with a stutter?

 

[Dorset Boy]

My concern about the ban is not so much about the suitability of the area for cycling but rather how a single member of the legislature puts in place a ban based on a single incident and prejudice.

Stopping cycling should be subject to proposal, consultation and review by eg Councils not a knee jerk reaction by one individual based on a single incident.

If that's they way it works in Italy, we're not really in a position to question it.
It's like mayors having a lot of power in France in comparison to the UK where in small towns it's a ceremonial role.