
Government to urge us all to walk and cycle more - Sami_Lehtinen
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-52592421
======
flurdy
Hopefully, that will persist beyond the initial knee-jerk reaction to go back
to work after lockdown.

Though they (UK gov, and elsewhere probably) do need to invest a lot more in
infrastructure to assist.

* Safe and easy to use separated continuous paths. Not just paint strips but actual physical separation.

* Cut/ban hedges so you can see the car coming round the bend at 60mph on a tiny narrow lane. And so the car overtaking you on a blind corner won't push into the hedge when surprised by another car.

* Wider paths to support both walkers, people with pushchairs, and slow recreational cyclist like me without pushing one into the road or hedge as they pass.

* Paths beyond the towns, so you can actually safely cycle / walk to the next village. Was pretty dangerous to go see a friend when I walked everywhere with a pushcair.

~~~
danielecook
> Safe and easy to use separated continuous paths. Not just paint strips but
> actual physical separation.

I think this is such a critical point. A lot of people are not interested in
getting on a busy road, but would definitely get on a bike only path.

I will also add that I think cities should be creative and try to develop more
bike infrastructure that is independent of the roadways altogether. The
lakefront trail in Chicago is a good example. Many cities could develop
similar infrastructure along rivers, through parks, through repurposed
streets, etc. having a separate network is not only safer but if done right
can often be faster for commuters than driving or public transport.

~~~
tonyedgecombe
We have quite a lot of that in the UK already, the trouble is it isn’t often
where people make their daily journeys.

~~~
danielecook
I would not classify it as “a lot” even in the wrong places. And, even when
paths do exist they are far from adequate.

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tgsovlerkhgsel
I'd definitely consider cycling for work if I wasn't certain that doing so on
a daily basis would get me run over before retirement.

I'd also consider walking to work if doing so didn't mean walking next to
noisy, polluted high-traffic roads most of the time. This could be addressed
e.g. by cities progressively forcing a transition to electric cars (e.g. by
switching parking spots to electric-only).

~~~
notauser
There have been quite a few studies with conclusions like this:

"On average, the estimated health benefits of cycling were substantially
larger than the risks relative to car driving for individuals shifting their
mode of transport."

[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2920084/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2920084/)

Cycling could be made better, but, it is already safer than getting fat in
your car.

~~~
conanbatt
I'd bet that that doesn't hold true in SF. Cycling on Market street turned me
in to a Veteran with PTSD.

~~~
avianlyric
I remember reading a study that looked at life expectancy of cycling vs
driving, which I unfortunately can’t find right now, in many cities around the
world.

The TL;DR in almost all cities you’ll live longer cycling (even considering
extra exposure to pollution and road accidents) than driving. Except in a very
small handful of city, none of which were in the US.

So cycling in SF is probably better for you than driving. But that doesn’t
mean it’s gonna be a pleasant experience. (I mean getting injections isn’t
fun, but vaccines are definitely good for you).

~~~
scottlocklin
I'd be surprised if those studies modeled the survivor bias. For example; this
link was a standard reference:

[http://www.phred.org/~alex/kenkifer/www.kenkifer.com/bikepag...](http://www.phred.org/~alex/kenkifer/www.kenkifer.com/bikepages/health/risks.htm)

The author of it died in a bike crash.

~~~
avianlyric
The studies looked at predicted life expectancy when you consider the various
health benefits of cycling vs increased severity of road accidents and expose
to pollution. They don’t need to model for survivor bias, they weren’t
tracking individuals, but deriving specific population stats from larger
general populations stats.

> The author of it died in a bike crash.

I’m not sure what your point is?

People die that’s not a surprise, the fact the author died in a bike crash
doesn’t invalidate their work.

Doctors die of smoking, some scientists studying nutrition are fat. None of
that changes the validity of their work.

------
notkaiho
It's funny how air quality has improved both visibly and measurably during the
UK's lockdown, and yet the proposals for limiting car traffic and encouraging
cycling through segregated safer paths within London are always met with howls
of derision.

~~~
ashtonkem
I live in Los Angeles; it’s been glorious how clean our air is. We’ve been
able to see the Hollywood sign miles further away than you typically can,
because of the haze.

~~~
oinksoft
[https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2020-04-28/coronav...](https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2020-04-28/coronavirus-
la-air-quality-improved-pandemic-dont-expect-it-to-last)

> “It is possible that this was partially due to reduced emissions, but
> meteorology likely played a much larger role.”

Here in OC over the past couple weeks the haze has returned, while traffic is
only slightly up.

------
incognito_limey
Myself and the Mrs. took free cycling lessons from the council a few years
back with the idea we wanted to start cycling to work etc more. We decided it
was too risky due to the terrible traffic. As a regular pedestrian, I've
almost been run over multiple times in the last few years. I think the city
really needs to look at banning non delivery vehicles from zones 1 and 2, or
something to that effect.

~~~
ashtonkem
Or modify the roads; driver and cyclist behavior are heavily influenced by
road design. Protected lanes actually protect cyclists, and narrower roads
naturally cause drivers to slow down.

~~~
alrs
Cycle facilities in countries without a strong cycling tradition are generally
dangerous, illogical, and awful. Cycle facilities in countries with a strong
cycling tradition are usually better-engineered but mostly exist to get
cyclists "out of the way" of motor vehicle traffic.

The solution is low speed limits in urban areas.

~~~
atoav
Your comment is spot on, however I'd go further: cycle facilities in countries
with a strong cycling tradition don't exist to move cyclists out of the way
from motorists — it is the other way around: motorists are moved out of the
way from cyclists and the points were both intersect are carefully chosen.

This makes things easier for both sides..

~~~
alrs
...and high speed limits are maintained. The poor still wind up with highways
through their neighborhoods, and a blanket of noise covers the country.
Everyone breathes vehicle exhaust, asbestos particulates from brake pads, and
ground-up tire dust.

~~~
atoav
As someone who lived at a main crossroads for a while: don't forget the mind
numbing effect of constant noise

------
tomcooks
When you're unable to provide safe public transport, you demand people move on
foot. Thanks for all the lack of cycling paths and constant tax refund to car
buyers I guess?

~~~
Hamuko
Do they not tax cars in your country?

~~~
notauser
UK VED is a polution tax (not a road tax) and cycles don't pay it because they
don't pollute. VED is a very small proportion of the UK general tax take and
not ringfenced to funding roads.

UK roads are funded from the general tax pot and regular cyclists in the UK –
those who cycle at least once a week – are disproportionately likely to have a
household income of at least £50,000 per year which means they almost
certainly pay more towards road maintainance than the general population (1).

In addition to this this, 83% of UK cyclists live in a household that pays VED
in some form (2) anyway.

The argument that cyclists pay no tax and therefore don't deserve to use the
roads is rubbish.

(1)
[https://www.theguardian.com/environment/blog/2010/aug/10/cyc...](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/blog/2010/aug/10/cycling-
boom-survey)

(2) [https://www.eta.co.uk/2013/05/24/more-cyclists-pay-road-
tax-...](https://www.eta.co.uk/2013/05/24/more-cyclists-pay-road-tax-than-car-
drivers/)

------
DrBazza
Cycle more, until the end of summer 2020, then the bad weather hits, and
people are back in their cars and 2020 is a distant memory.

And in the UK cycling is horrifically bad.

Car drivers that don't accept that cyclists have identical rights to use the
road.

Awful tarmac and pot holes.

Drain covers and manhole covers in the road, by the gutter where cyclists are
expected to cycle.

Cycle paths shared with pedestrians and dog walkers.

Cycle paths that are badly laid out, incomplete, badly signed, switch sides,
full of obstructions and just don't join up.

And then there's the law. If a cyclist is killed by a motorist, the motorist
rarely gets more than a slap on the wrist. If a cyclist collides with an idiot
on their mobile phone that hasn't looked before they stepped off the kerb,
it's the cyclist's fault.

------
TaylorSwift
Can someone enlightenment why opening your windows or just general walking in
the public, observing social distancing, is safe from lingering viruses in the
air?

Wouldn't we just breathe those virus in the air if we kept our windows opened
or walking by a person who was infected?

~~~
not_a_moth
There are I believe 0 confirmed cases of virus transmission taking place
outdoors, of the almost 4 million cases.

Edit - does anyone have data to contrary?

~~~
majewsky
That's such an unlikely claim that the onus to show proof lies on you.

~~~
not_a_moth
Well I heard this on Brett Weinstein's podcast where he reviewed literature
showing this to be the case, a couple weeks ago at least. No doubt related to
UV which has shown to kill the virus.

I'm sure you're aware that positive news about the virus is generally being
censoring by mainstream outlets, if you're wondering why you didn't hear about
it.

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frobozz
That's all very well, but to buy a family-sized home within a half hour walk
of my office, I would need a salary north of £250k. Renting an appropriately
sized home is not cheap either.

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_bxg1
Should also help the general population with circulation and vitamin D, which
appear to be key factors in COVID outcomes

------
feralimal
The government isn't a person. It can't 'urge', even if the BBC says it can.

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truculent
If only they had the ability to make it easier to do so beyond mere urging.
Alas

~~~
truculent
What an impoverished sense of statehood the U.K. has

