tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3090991993980511979.post7963667870313503642..comments2023-08-23T22:06:29.354+10:00Comments on Freedom Cyclist (ad-free advocacy): Big Helma Thinking - it's essential to be superficially plausible & quickly adoptedFreedom Cyclisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11187400454555241935noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3090991993980511979.post-57674887844662324292010-02-23T06:52:30.227+11:002010-02-23T06:52:30.227+11:00As a Dane I have to correct your last lines about ...As a Dane I have to correct your last lines about the bike exam in Denmark.<br /><br />There is no requirement to pass the "exam" and nothing happens if you fail, and if it is what I think it is then it seems to merely be a competition to find the best cyclist in the council area.<br /><br />I might be wrong but the above is my impression from the test/exam I participated in myself when I went to 7th/8th grade (and not 9th as you said). There could also be a difference between the different councils in Denmark<br /><br />And please keep up your campaigning work :)<br /><br />Rasmus JensenSirius7dkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08688465574306782024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3090991993980511979.post-34289226745021076222010-01-19T21:12:57.956+11:002010-01-19T21:12:57.956+11:00(apologies, i can't spell though, taliesin!)(apologies, i can't spell though, taliesin!)Freedom Cyclisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11187400454555241935noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3090991993980511979.post-76590804407679220452010-01-19T21:11:30.592+11:002010-01-19T21:11:30.592+11:00talliesin! i completely agree with you!talliesin! i completely agree with you!Freedom Cyclisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11187400454555241935noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3090991993980511979.post-63572543355681113642010-01-18T11:13:44.730+11:002010-01-18T11:13:44.730+11:00My answer to the general question, "Why don&#...My answer to the general question, "Why don't governments encourage cycling more?" is to flip the question on its head and ask: "Why don't governments encourage automobile use less?" The latter question is more interesting, because most governments in Australia would claim to be eager to encourage cycling, yet progress in doing so is painfully slow. My feeling is that any approach that would genuinely cause a cycling revolution would require reallocating space on main roads for cycling, reducing speed limits and placing a higher duty of care on motorists towards cyclists and pedestrians. This isn't too controversial a set of prescriptions among anyone who takes an interest in cycling promotion.<br /><br />However, taking the example of reallocation of carriageway space for cycle infrastructure, it becomes pretty apparent that doing so requires reducing the space available for motor vehicles, either for parking or moving traffic. I am not aware of any examples of cycle lanes constructed by removing a lane for motor vehicles in Australia. <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/minister-runs-down-cycle-plan/2007/03/02/1172338882523.html" rel="nofollow">This is what happens when a proposal is put up that would require real sacrifice by motorists.</a>. The cycle lanes we get now are only possible if they don't get in the way of the cars too much.<br /><br />When you consider the huge financial investment governments and households have made in the private automobile, it isn't surprising they're reluctant to admit that they've poured, and are still pouring, money down the toilet. I do find it difficult to understand why some of the European nations have taken a different approach. My guess is that a greater residual bicycle culture, different geography and a different social structure combined to produce a different reaction to the 1970s oil shock, but I'm only guessing.<br /><br />So in my opinion, the underlying problem isn't how to get more cyclists onto the roads, but how to reduce the number of motorists on the roads. Given the deeply engraned car culture, I think we're waiting for the big oil shock to bring that question to the front of people's minds. When petrol climbs above $5/L, the MHL will probably implode. Until then, most people won't look further than the "common sense" attitude to cycle helmets.Taliesinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04399506198451047847noreply@blogger.com