It's galvanised the city, now the pro/con bike back-and-forth has driven an editorial fissure down the Time Out office. 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.
Feature continues
Let’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
|
|
The best of London in your inbox
Up to the minute picks of the best things to do in London, delivered to your desktop.
|
|
17 comments
Cyclists on pavements, or any sort of shared surface with pedestrians is simply too dangerous for blind and partially sighted people and should never be allowed. Its almost as dangerous for people with hearing impairments and learning difficulties as well. Disabled people should not be excluded from the streets and getting to whatever film. show, stand up gig or service they want because of cyclists on footpaths. Whatever rules there are, or signs put up, there are always going to be some ignorant or uncaring people that ignore them, and that makes it simply too dangerous to allow
Is this all the Idiot has to talk about, and get paid for it. There are more pressing issues in London.
I think I will be using the GUIDE free in the Guardian or other. from now on rather than buy this kind of Tat
yes i too have had many flashes of inspirations as i walked along the london footpath's and many interesting conversations with the people i brush past on the way- NOT!!! get a life mate
As a London cyclist I have to avoid pedestrians walking on the road / marked cycle path about 6 times a day (24 mile round trip). Sometimes it's genuine mistake, couldn't see me (e.g. walking between buses), but most of the time is plain negligence and not even taking the care to look before stepping out.
Vehicles that drive in the cycle lane (when it's not full of parked cars) are also a common occurrence. And why do Taxi's and bus's need to speed past only seconds later to cut in front and pull over or slow up?
So please if we make a mistake (yes we're not always faultless) consider how many times we may have already taken accident avoiding action on our journey.
I am very much with Derek, not at all with Michael. His article might be brilliantly written, ironic and well, more or less sharp. What I see behind it is the grim mask of conservativeness (which he tries to hide behind his remarks about Boris and David). I never understood why there are so little cyclists in London. You could blame it on the streets, the traffic, the size of the city... well, I am not sure, but think it also has to do with a certain mind set that seems to be very hard to change.
Huh. Has this article been past an editor yet?
The only way for cyclists,pedestrians and motorists to co-exist peacefully together is if ALL road users respect the Highway Code and follow the law of the land-I am a cyclist a motorist and a pedestrian and know of all the bad habits.I gasp in horror at the dangerous liberties each takes with the other-Traffic Laws are made largely to allow citizens to co-exist peacefully and give everyone a chance to avoid the carnage on today's overcrowded roads
Everyone has a grievance with each other - whether cyclist, pedestrian or driver - mostly perfectly well-founded. I'm not a cyclist because I'm terrified of the way people drive on London's roads, so I understand their arguments very well.
However I think the anti-cyclist article above misses one crucial unforgivable thing that [some] cyclists do - jump red lights, particularly on pedestrian crossings. I have very nearly been hit by cyclists going through red lights on a crossing, when I'm legitimately crossing on a green man signal, so many times, and each time it's clear that the cyclist doing the jumping doesn't give a toss about the traffic laws.
Perhaps if we all kept to the rules of the road a bit more - drivers and pedestrians too - we'd all be a lot safer and happier.
Ken livingstones new cycle lanes, great idea! but first why not standardise the use of bus lanes so they are for cycles as well as most even minded people would assume they are/should be anyway.
further to the environmental factors, i recently learned that buses dont have to pass an MOT that monitors their emissions, WHY when they produce the most disgusting spurious fumes it seems an outrageous oversight and a less than accidental one
agreed.... what an old and tired argument! shame on timeout for printing these words. and as for the photography. it sucks. totally sad issue and: completely PEDESTRIAN
(says it all)
Looks to me like someone is short of things to write about and has decided to ride the rise in cycling. albeit badly!
I cycle, walk, bus, drive, trian etc etc. i have been driven at by selfish drivers, pushed into train doors by anxious commuters, abused on the bus by impatient drivers and had cyclists blind side me.
There is no easy ride but put it in perspective. cyclists aren't looking to hurt themselves, they are more alert to their surroundings than the car safe 4x4 drivers and the pedstrians dropping off pavements strapped to their latest eletrical device.
If those who cycle on the pavement raise the awareness of cyclists the few more accidents might happen.
A few more smiles and we can see the middle ground... that is except for bendy busses! get them out of zone 1&2
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.
1 2