The majority of physical disabilities prevent people from driving, resulting in a loss of mobility and freedom when they do not have viable alternatives. Many people who do not bike for transport and do not talk to people who bike for transport see a handicap parking spot and assume that everybody with a handicap drives.
People cycling and using public transit free up road space for the minority of people with handicaps who drive. I know two utilitarian cyclists with disabilities who cannot drive but use a bicycle as their primary means of transportation.
Can be more easily/comfortably used in extreme weather
Wear a jacket. Many of us go for walks in extreme weather. There are very cold and hot countries all over the world that have high rates of bicycle usage for transport. The problem usually lies in cities designing and maintaining their roads in a hostile way to all forms of transportation other than bicycles in the winter. Look at Montreal and Oulu for counter-examples. Even the Netherlands gets constant rain.
And there small low power cars for people with disabilities that can drive that are still safe for people around them. In some countries like Netherlands they can even use the bike lanes.
I mean we already have people who clearly can’t drive/can’t afford a car riding rascals around but they have to ride them on shitty uneven sidewalks or in the gutter because America
Someone addressed your first point. But the second two are only true when your city is so spread out to make room for huge roads and parking lots between everything. Not to mention zoning laws that make it illegal to build denser housing, or to build a grocery store near where people live.
Id rather be in a tram on rails in snowy conditions than in a private vehicle thats subject to slippery conditions and other vehicles hitting it. The tram if hit often has more mass and survives the hit better than a sedan would.
I used to live steps from an LRT station. It was amazing. Didn’t even need to bike because the LRT took me everywhere I needed to go in the city! (Well, I also had the option of walking where the LRT didn’t go, lol)
Here in Turku we have good public transport, but they’re buses. Unlike personal vehicle, buses don’t require winter tires. Theyre literally driving on slicks. (it’s because there’s so many and so much weight).
This will sound racist, but my city has a problem of hiring bus drivers and quite a lot of them may not be as experienced in driving in winter conditions.
There’s also no seat buses on the city buses. (Long distance ones do)
A personal vehicle will have studded tires, won’t have to use the completely shiny bus lanes (the buses stopping and going with those slicks really grind them into mirrors), and has seatbelts and airbags. So definitely personal transport is safer in my city.
Here what the bus stops and lanes look like at times. And this isn’t even the worst, just one say napped a photo as it was slightly frozen.
Here’s like worse weather. That. But everywhere. Then the most dangerously one is that plus a hint of powdery snow, because then you won’t see the super slippery ice underneath and step on it unprepared.
Do you have any data or proof to back up your claim that private vehicles are safer than buses in your city? Buses running tires that slip could also be a symptom of underfunding, not an inherent flaw in buses. My car would slip too if i kept summers on it instead of quality winter tires. Buses tend to be much higher off the ground and much larger than everything else on the road, unless the bus rolls over most passengers would walk away with minor injuries in a collision.
Mister hasn’t ever been in a proper winter or understand how one drives in winter.
It’s rare they crash, yeah. But it’s happened and and then there’s lots of tiny personal injuries, at the worst. Because of the speed in cities.
My car would slip too if i kept summers on it instead of quality winter tires
You don’t understand how friction works with larger vehicles. They don’t change them for a reason, not because we’re a cheap country who doesn’t regulate safety.
You can dig up data if you want to be but thinking a bus is less prone to losing control than a personal vehicles shows your inexperience.
the second two are only true when your city is so spread out to make room for huge roads and parking lots between everything. Not to mention zoning laws that make it illegal to build denser housing, or to build a grocery store near where people live.
That’s all definitely true! Sometimes people just live in areas that weren’t designed well, or they live in a different place than where they work by preference or availability.
If someone normally cycles to work in 20 minutes, it might be worthwhile to have a car available as a backup for days that are extra hot or extra blizzardy.
Even if someones neighborhood wasn’t designed well, changing zoning laws to allow for more density may make it more viable to put transit there. Then this hypothetical person’s normally 20 minute cycle could become a 5 minute walk + 10 minute tram ride on extra hot or extra blizzardy days.
Yeah, definitely. The post was about bicycle vs. car though, so that’s what my comment was based on. When we add public transit into the equation, it becomes a bigger and more wholesome picture.
I’m generally in support of this. The car allows for more freedom in certain conditions, though:
The majority of physical disabilities prevent people from driving, resulting in a loss of mobility and freedom when they do not have viable alternatives. Many people who do not bike for transport and do not talk to people who bike for transport see a handicap parking spot and assume that everybody with a handicap drives.
People cycling and using public transit free up road space for the minority of people with handicaps who drive. I know two utilitarian cyclists with disabilities who cannot drive but use a bicycle as their primary means of transportation.
Wear a jacket. Many of us go for walks in extreme weather. There are very cold and hot countries all over the world that have high rates of bicycle usage for transport. The problem usually lies in cities designing and maintaining their roads in a hostile way to all forms of transportation other than bicycles in the winter. Look at Montreal and Oulu for counter-examples. Even the Netherlands gets constant rain.
This is a great video on the topic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uhx-26GfCBU
See above
Are there many physical handicaps that prevent people from driving, but not from riding a bike?
As for the extreme weather, I said “Can be more easily/comfortably used in extreme weather”
The OP was asking why the car is a symbol for freedom and not the bicycle, so I provided some possible explanations.
At least the people with handicaps that can still drive.
It actively makes the transportation landscape worse for those without hearing or sight or a mobilty reducing handicap that disallows driving.
Yeah, reducing car usage would be much better for all handicapped people (those who can drive get better traffic.)
And there small low power cars for people with disabilities that can drive that are still safe for people around them. In some countries like Netherlands they can even use the bike lanes.
A wheelchair powered or otherwise should be well accommodated by a city designed around bikes.
I mean we already have people who clearly can’t drive/can’t afford a car riding rascals around but they have to ride them on shitty uneven sidewalks or in the gutter because America
Yes, I should’ve specified *certain physical handicaps
Someone addressed your first point. But the second two are only true when your city is so spread out to make room for huge roads and parking lots between everything. Not to mention zoning laws that make it illegal to build denser housing, or to build a grocery store near where people live.
Id rather be in a tram on rails in snowy conditions than in a private vehicle thats subject to slippery conditions and other vehicles hitting it. The tram if hit often has more mass and survives the hit better than a sedan would.
The rail transport is always the safest option, barring staying at home in the first place.
Me too. The post is about bicycles though
This comment thread is about how cars shield you from the weather. I’d also rather tram part way and bike the rest if the conditions are nasty out.
I used to live steps from an LRT station. It was amazing. Didn’t even need to bike because the LRT took me everywhere I needed to go in the city! (Well, I also had the option of walking where the LRT didn’t go, lol)
And if there’s no trams or subs, but buses?
Here in Turku we have good public transport, but they’re buses. Unlike personal vehicle, buses don’t require winter tires. Theyre literally driving on slicks. (it’s because there’s so many and so much weight).
This will sound racist, but my city has a problem of hiring bus drivers and quite a lot of them may not be as experienced in driving in winter conditions.
There’s also no seat buses on the city buses. (Long distance ones do)
A personal vehicle will have studded tires, won’t have to use the completely shiny bus lanes (the buses stopping and going with those slicks really grind them into mirrors), and has seatbelts and airbags. So definitely personal transport is safer in my city.
Here what the bus stops and lanes look like at times. And this isn’t even the worst, just one say napped a photo as it was slightly frozen.
Here’s like worse weather. That. But everywhere. Then the most dangerously one is that plus a hint of powdery snow, because then you won’t see the super slippery ice underneath and step on it unprepared.
Do you have any data or proof to back up your claim that private vehicles are safer than buses in your city? Buses running tires that slip could also be a symptom of underfunding, not an inherent flaw in buses. My car would slip too if i kept summers on it instead of quality winter tires. Buses tend to be much higher off the ground and much larger than everything else on the road, unless the bus rolls over most passengers would walk away with minor injuries in a collision.
Pff.
Mister hasn’t ever been in a proper winter or understand how one drives in winter.
It’s rare they crash, yeah. But it’s happened and and then there’s lots of tiny personal injuries, at the worst. Because of the speed in cities.
You don’t understand how friction works with larger vehicles. They don’t change them for a reason, not because we’re a cheap country who doesn’t regulate safety.
You can dig up data if you want to be but thinking a bus is less prone to losing control than a personal vehicles shows your inexperience.
That’s all definitely true! Sometimes people just live in areas that weren’t designed well, or they live in a different place than where they work by preference or availability.
If someone normally cycles to work in 20 minutes, it might be worthwhile to have a car available as a backup for days that are extra hot or extra blizzardy.
Even if someones neighborhood wasn’t designed well, changing zoning laws to allow for more density may make it more viable to put transit there. Then this hypothetical person’s normally 20 minute cycle could become a 5 minute walk + 10 minute tram ride on extra hot or extra blizzardy days.
Yeah, definitely. The post was about bicycle vs. car though, so that’s what my comment was based on. When we add public transit into the equation, it becomes a bigger and more wholesome picture.
Also, the car will be way faster