Quote:
Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark
I have to say I am disappointed every time I read this sort of comment from either "side". It just cements the differences between us all and perpetuates the "us" vs "them" mentality. Whether it's drivers complaining about cyclists, or cyclists complaining about drivers, or pedestrians complaining about all of them.. whatever.
I think it's time we moved forward and recognized that we are all part of the picture and we need to learn how to be respectful and aware of each others' situations. The main goal in commuting is getting to where you want to go, and arriving there healthy and in good spirits. If we can accomplish this, then we all win.
So I would like to propose that we stop the mudslinging and accept that the other isn't going away. I know that unless the public in general suddenly becomes a whole lot smarter, that these problems aren't going to disappear completely, but let's at least try to make a baby-step towards it. Let's try to be bigger than this.
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Unfortunately the issue has become politicized and I don't think that will ever go away. There are a few schools of thought that are quite common:
A: Climate change is very real, and is a very pressing issue, and we should be doing whatever we can to reduce our impact including pushing the number of people who drive cars (but don't
have to) to near 0. Cycling infrastructure is a key part of this for most, and for many, so is
actively making it more difficult for people to drive. The latter is not necessarily the dominant attitude, but is certainly common, among the planning/urbanist community in particular.
B: Climate change is very real, and is a very pressing issue, but the amount of impact that could be reduced by having everyone in Halifax stop driving cars is negligible, especially in proportion to the inconveniences it would cause. There should be a "balanced" approach that doesn't treat this as an emergency, and continues to make things as convenient as possible for both cars and bicycles. Unfortunately this is much easier said than done, especially with the limited amounts of space we're working with, and is kind of unfair to the younger generation that will likely have to deal with the effects of climate change, but whatever.
C: The oil industry is controlled by greedy capitalists who are willing to sell out our planet's future so they can live like kings for the rest of their lives. We should be doing everything we can to eliminate the oil industry (because it is also accelerating climate change), including getting rid of all vehicles that run on oil. While again not a dominant viewpoint, there are certainly undertones of this present in most discussions.
D: Cyclists are annoying anarchists who use their means of transportation as a means of activism. Many of them do not obey traffic laws (sometimes deliberately, to make a point) and this does create real dangers. We should not give in to their demands, just as we should not negotiate with terrorists. If people insist on cycling, at the very least, they should be subjected to the same kinds of road tests (and ideally, fees) that drivers are. Anything less is unfair to drivers and creates an environment where many cyclists do not know the rules of the road and will behave erratically. (One could also point out that many drivers do not know/follow the rules of the road and/or drive erratically, with much, much more serious consequences, but whatever).
E: Cycling is trendy in many cities, especially among young people, and improving cycling infrastructure would be an effective way of helping to retain/attract more 18-35 yr olds.
F: We live in a car culture and if we don't continue to make concessions to cars, people will become so fed up with traffic that they will move away and/or productivity will suffer drastically. Bike lanes should be seen as a frill, not a necessity. The real people who really matter mostly drive cars, and we should not upset them for the sake of a bunch of hippies who hate mainstream society, including, quite possibly, you or I.
G: Halifax is a hilly city with notoriously bad weather and cycling is not a practical means of transportation for most people for a significant chunk of the year.
There are certainly other schools of thought, and I don't necessarily subscribe to any of these completely (other than "E" and "G") although they are all true to a point and I can certainly sympathize with anyone who strongly holds any of these opinions. But I'd argue that this is why it's become difficult to have a civilized/productive discussion on the topic that moves beyond "YAY OUR SIDE! BOOOOOOO YOUR SIDE!" Most people I know subscribe firmly to one of these viewpoints (or else never talk about such things).
This of course ignores the fact that many people use both bicycles AND cars, and that many people use neither.
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