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Motor traffic on residential streets, and why it matters: a brief thread, inspired by a just-finished 20-min local ride to do some chores.
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First the ride: all on small-ish local roads. And almost all were awash with cars, motorbikes and trucks. In 20 mins I had two cars close pass me - one a deliberate punishment pass - and a moped cut left without indicating. Yes, bit worse than normal, but not hugely so.
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I’m about as gung ho a city rider as you get. I’m spent several years as a courier. If I was a newcomer, or basically a normal person, I’d try that a couple of times and go, ‘Sod this’. It’s why so few trips are cycled. Not weather, not hills, not culture. Perceived danger.
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So unless you address traffic on local roads, you’ll *never* get many more people cycling. Separated bike lanes are great for commuters. But lots of the trips that would replace driving are like mine - round residential roads. You need fewer motor vehicles.
And that’s why I’m so wary of the media-amplified movement against low-traffic zones. I’m sure many people are sincere in their objections. But the effect is to cement a status quo in which only outliers/freaks like me will ever cycle. And that’s a crying shame.
5/ends
5/ends
