"Dad wants his child to grow up in a place they can cycle to school without having to dodge illegally parked HGV drivers and sharing road space with hundreds of cars".
-
You should have done a risk assessment. Then got a car.
-
Not a London comparison at all. Sheffield is behind Leeds, Manchester, Nottingham, Birmingham, Bristol and Edinburgh (just of the top of my head) in terms of safe cycling infrastructure.
-
Or is it ahead of those cities in terms of not clogging up the streets with two wheeled hospitalisation magnets?
-
Or perhaps it’s just really fcukin hilly so there aren’t many casual cyclists (just non-cyclists or an incredibly vocal small group of over zealous entitled mamils with helmet cams who believe the whole fcukin city’s infrastructure should be redesigned to suit them)
-
Wow, some angry people here. Think I'll leave you guys to it.
-
Modern cities infrastructure should always be redesigned to reflect modern and future needs, surely? Cities have always done this. It's why you no longer get buckets of excrement thrown on your head when you walk down the street.
If you don't think there should always be ongoing investment to develop public spaces and infrastructure for future needs, then you've probably been having your brains boiled by anti social propaganda.
-
They should level hilly Sheffield. It’d be an improvement anyroad.
-
Nuke it from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.
-
Ebikes are pretty awesome. You should maybe try one and reassess how you feel about safe cycling on hills.
Bike lanes are cheap and easy and impact drivers less than they think, not least because more cyclists reduces the number of cars.
And as for sense of entitlement, try suggesting that drivers use a parking building and walk 10 minutes rather than driving in circles trying to find a street space within 5 minutes walk. -
I wasn't angry, just slightly taking the piss. I agree with you on the need for improved cycling infrastructure and the reduced prioritization of motor vehicles in city centres, just amused/bemused that you wouldn't actually make this a major prerequisite when considering a move given your dependence on cycling. You have to admit that you do sound a bit like that guy that buys a house next to an airport and then complains that the planes are noisy.
-
Jumbo Jimbo.
-
My "angry people" comment wasn't really at you, more Simon and Jeff.
As for making it a consideration? Being near family, friends, less expensive housing, and good schools were the primary drivers. Cycling is just the way we move between those places. Besides, there's very few places in the UK that have as good cycling infrastructure as London. Which, and this is key, did not exist 15-20 years ago. People campaigned (I'm starting to try that here). Primarily on the basis of the climate emergency and public health. Politicians and the public said people don't cycle in London, we don't need it, they drive or take the public transport. Thankfully politicians from Ken, through Boris (wanker, but he did 'get' cycling), and very much under Khan, have had the balls to show some thought leadership, decisiveness, and action taking (despite objections) to do what they believe is best for the city. Private companies followed suite with ensuring showers and cycle racks were readily available. Many of the local councils joined in by mandating proper cycle storage at all new builds and setting up quiet-ways. Plus a plethora of other small actions. Cycling is London has now sky-rocketed. Similar has happened in Paris and many other major cities over the last 5-10 years.
Wider context .... if you aren't all concerned about global warming you should be. I know most on here have a brain and are. But against that, there are around 10m (MILLION!) more cars being used on UK roads every day than there were 10 years ago. Ownership and usage, outside of almost everywhere but London, is going up and up. There isn't space on the roads. There aren't spaces on the streets to park. Little Miss Shady had a party after school yesterday. 5-6 of the kids were picked up in cars and took 30 minutes to get there. Churning out pollution on the way. We cycled and it took 10 (but we had to mix with some quite crazy traffic at some major junctions). If you make cycling more widely available and accessible, more people will do it, and swap their journeys. Leaving the roads quieter for those who have to drive (not every journey can be cycled of course, even we take taxis pretty regularly).
Another illustrative example: Went to the post office down the street last week. No cycle racks anywhere near. So took it into the shop (they don't seem to mind which is good). There were already 5 other bikes leaning inside! 5 of the 7 people had cycled there. While sitting there, I watched a guy pull up outside in a fucking massive SUV, park on some double yellows, get out in his pyjamas, and go into the coffee shop to get a take-away coffee. So I'm now writing to the local councillor to try and get some more cycle racks put on that street.
-
I don't disagree at all with any of that, but still. "Bloody Southerners coming up here for cheap housing and then complaining about how we do things" is a pretty common refrain, and you're living that stereotype out beautifully.
-
Complaining about how Yorkshire people do things? It's not like I'm bemoaning their use of Hendersons Relish or demanding they stop calling bread rolls as barn cakes. I'm piggy-backing on the many active travel advocates in the city who want to see things improve and adding my voice to theirs. You'll be telling me I can't vote next until I've lived somewhere 20 years.
-
BarM cakes. FFS Jim, at least try and make an effort to understand local customs.
