Single File Please

Ahh, the Old Street roundabout. They could always tear down the building to make more room for an extended bike lane - a bike lane that will go unused for at least 5 months a year due to winter? That would keep the cycling lobby happy - if only for a few minutes?

Presumably Toronto has similar weather dependant cycling participation as London. Which in turn raises the question, why build cycling infrastrucutre if it's going to be empty for at least 4-5 months a year?

Interestingly, in Australia, much the opposite tends to happen. It gets so hot during an Australian summer many cycling advocates believe office buildings need to provide "end of trip facilities" which will alow cyclists to have a shower before going upstairs to their office.

More evidence from the UK Dept of Transport whichs shows just how much cycling in England depends on good weather. Every winter cycling participation falls dramatically until the next summer. That means bike lanes in London are mostly empty for 6 months a year.

An Australian cyclist recently made a complaint to police about an incident he describes as ‘an extremely dangerous close pass’. However, the police stated he brought the problem on himself by attempting to impede the path of a passing truck. singlefile.org/cyclist-plays-…

@MelbUrbanist @AusCycle @_JamesSteward_ And another... singlefile.org/why-are-so-man…

@MelbUrbanist @AusCycle @_JamesSteward_ One of several articles we've written about Ed Hore, aka @AusCycle singlefile.org/the-cycling-lo…

The writer is being pilloried on Twitter for this. It shocks me that anyone could take these words as so offensive to cyclists they have to attack the writer/paper.

Hands up if you've ever been cornered by a cyclist just like this guy? Wow... that's a LOT of hands!

From London to New York to Paris to Melbourne... it's the question normal people keep asking everywhere. Why are so many cycling lobbyists such terrible cyber stalkers? singlefile.org/why-are-so-man…

One thing's for sure. The very last reason reason we make roads is so that 3 guys going though a middle age crisis can have a chat while riding their bikes.

@VincentStops @TfL That's why we wrote this article. singlefile.org/london-is-abou…

.@TfL have published their latest quarterly road safety report. It demonstrates an awful, and deteriorating, cycle safety record. Bike lanes in London aren’t making London’s streets any safer for cyclists: board.tfl.gov.uk/documents/s184…

In closing, cycling lobbies around the world keep trying to sell cycling as a solution to ever increasing population density. But how are we winning when we constrict traffic flow more and more for a niche audience which only uses thir bit of road system in fine weather?

Serious cycling injuries are also stratospheric, as evidenced by this data from Australia. In both The Netherlands and Australia, huge numbers of cyclists present themselves to hospitals with serious injuries after being involved in single vehicle crashes.

It doesn't matter how much London's cycling lobby claims "the lack" of segregated cycling infrastructure is why cycling hasn't solved London's traffic crisis. The problem isn't infrastructure. The reality is most people only ride bikes in fine weather.