The great London cycling debate
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By Derek Adams and Michael Hodges. Photography Rob Greig
Updated: Mon Aug 10 2009 -
It's galvanised the capital, now the pro/con bicycle to-ing and fro-ing has driven an editorial fissure between Time Out's London cyclists. Derek Adams and Michael Hodges try and adopt the moral high ground on a bit of London pavement
Don't pity the cyclist, snarls Michael Hodges
Pity the cyclist, pleads Derek Adams
After fifteen years of commuting solely by bike, I gave up the racer a couple of years ago on the grounds of, er, wishing to remain alive. I now take the Jubilee Line and use a folding bike for the very short distances at either end. True, the unpredictable weather played a small part in my decision, but mostly it was down to a severe attack of the heebiejeebies brought about by a complete lack of a cycling infrastructure. In this month’s issue of London Cyclist, Ken Livingstone tells us that TfL has, to date, installed some 40,000 extra parking spaces and completed over 550km of the London Cycle Network Plus. Really? Where? His recent announcement about an extra squillion kilometres of cycle tracks over the next ten years may sound like wonderful news, but to me it sounds like a politician up for election, fishing for votes.
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AdvertisementLet’s face it, cycling in London is a lottery: pick the right number, you make it home; pick wrong, go straight to A&E. Some of the roads are in appalling condition – especially the gutter areas where cyclists are often forced to ride – while others are simply too crowded. This is especially true of the war zone that is Oxford Street. In the Routemaster days, you could hear a bus coming up from behind. Today’s buses, though, have their engines at the back, so the only way you know they’re there is by the mountainous shadow they cast over you as they trundle along, in near silence, mere metres away. This worries me – a lot. If I were to hit a pothole and fall off (quite possible given the quantity of them) the driver would never stop in time: he’d be too wary of making one of his three passengers spill their Starbucks. I won’t even start on the horror that is the bendy buses, except to ask – what is the stench that comes out of them? Cat shit? Dead rats? Parmesan-flavoured puke? Cheap Venezuelan oil?
Black cabs offer their fair share of whiffy fumes but that’s nothing compared to the shin-mashing bumpers most of them still sport. Add pedestrians who cross the road using ears alone and is it any wonder many cyclists ride around looking like they’re fantasising about mowing everyone else down? And we’re effectively mid-workout, pumped full of adrenalin like a boxer in the ring: if we’re cut up by someone, the fear-of-injury factor soars, the fight-or-flight mechanism kicks in and, I’m sorry, but sometimes it’s fight not flight. I’m not trying to justify the actions of some of the scariest cyclists out there but for heaven’s sake, all you avid anti-cyclist letter writers – surely you can see we poor pedal-pushers have a point.
Don't pity the cyclist, snarls Michael Hodges- Add your comment to this feature
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21 comments
What a boring argument - and all centred on the few cyclists who do ride on the pavement. He first attacks cyclists for being healthy in a city meant for thinking (he's not from London then, I guess) and then tries to also claim the high ground for health with the spurious argument that walking is cheaper and easier - ergo healthier. I cycle to get from A to B, not to work out. I slow down for pedestrians on the tow path. I chat to little old ladies with dogs, I get off and walk through pedestrian areas (even through Hampstead Heath, which really needs a north south cycle-way through it.). I think this antagonism is being blown up by the papers because they'd rather have a fight than look at the problem - how small-minded!
I'm a cyclist, a walker, a driver and a motorbike rider. Walkers get upset by bikes coming up close to them, and never think that it is exactly the same thing they do to us (as cyclists) when they have finished their 200 foot walk and are back in their cars. That said most of us, in whatever guise, behave well - there are some nutters in every category. As a cyclist I want to see more separate cycling lanes, and a sub-network of ways through London that use parks, canals and unused roads. And I want a law like the French have, whereby if a motorist hits a cyclist he is automatically in the wrong. And I think Michael Hodges needs to deal with his inner demons and calm down a little.
Two well-written and entertaining articles... But... It's pretty simple really, isn't it? The roads should be repaired, particularly in the gutters where they're always the worst, cycle lanes should be put in wherever possible, and drivers should stop trying to glue their smelly vehicles to the curb and driving into the cycle boxes in front of traffic lights.
HA! As if any of that's likely to happen soon! Maybe we should start an online petition for the next Mayor - how about that, Time Out?
Of pavements and stupidity: cyclists should avoid going on the pavements unless there's really no other choice - and then go slowly and carefully because of course pedestrians should have priority on the pavements. As for pedestrians crossing without looking, I'd say they deserve to get hit but we've all done it! And cyclists tend to come off worst in collisions with pedestrians anyway...
If only everyone could just be a little more respectful of each other what a wonderful world it would be (bleeuurrghh!).
I don't understand this rant. Cyclists ride on the road, on cycle paths and shared use paths.
how does that affect the pedestrian exactly?
if you mean people cycling on pavements, then you really need to be directing your ire towards those people.
most criminal activity is carried out by motorists or those on foot, I suggest you have a pop at these evil pedestrians and drivers.
now you see how stupid you are, two people to write such drivel? blimey, shouldn't you be doing homework or a paper round? leave the writing to the journalists.
The guy who wrote this is an idiot.
"London is also a city for nipping across the road and between cars"
Right so what were Londoners doing before cars then?
Get some original content FFS I've read all this a dozen or more times before.
I wouldn't mind if there was a touch of wit or wisdom, but this is just repetitive crap. Dull tedious, clueless wanker with minimal writing skills has a pop at cyclists. Stupid cyclist tries to muster sympathy without research or logic.
In a better, kinder, kinder world where I ruled, you would both be eviscerated and dipped in salt for your crimes against creativity.