Cyclists are morally superior in every way

Forums › Transport (cars, bikes and boats) › Cyclists are morally superior in every way

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#3211214 26-Mar-2024 15:28

Earbanean:

In terms of banal threads, this is right up in podium level dumbness. When a thread is kicked off from the word go, with stated goals of pissing people off, my immediate thought is do people not have jobs or absolutely anything better to do. Where do you get the time for this nonsense? Are you guys all retired, or unemployed, or recovering from surgery in hospital or something?

I'm on a must-attend teams call about uninteresting-corporate-blah-blah

Mike

Earbanean

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#3211216 26-Mar-2024 15:30

freitasm:

Perhaps out of five million people there are quite a few in those conditions?

How is that impacting you? You are free to not read the thread, for example.

Apologies. My post wasn't meant to have a go at anyone in those categories. It was meant to express a little bit of exasperation at threads/posts with stated goals of pissing people off. Clearly I didn't make my point well.

Rikkitic

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#3211221 26-Mar-2024 15:42

Earbanean:

Apologies. My post wasn't meant to have a go at anyone in those categories. It was meant to express a little bit of exasperation at threads/posts with stated goals of pissing people off. Clearly I didn't make my point well.

My title choice and comment was meant humourously. My goal was to arouse spirited debate and that happened.

Plesse igmore amd axxept applogies in adbance fir anu typos

MikeB4

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#3211222 26-Mar-2024 15:42

Earbanean:

In terms of banal threads, this is right up in podium level dumbness. When a thread is kicked off from the word go, with stated goals of pissing people off, my immediate thought is do people not have jobs or absolutely anything better to do. Where do you get the time for this nonsense? Are you guys all retired, or unemployed, or recovering from surgery in hospital or something?

I am retired and I am significantly disabled. Does that make me a lesser person only capable of banal dumbness?

networkn

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#3211226 26-Mar-2024 15:47

MikeB4:

I am retired and I am significantly disabled. Does that make me a lesser person only capable of banal dumbness?

Did you start this thread? Then it doesn't apply to you.

Rikkitic

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#3211238 26-Mar-2024 15:57

networkn:

Did you start this thread? Then it doesn't apply to you.

I guess that leaves me then. I've been accused of worse.

Plesse igmore amd axxept applogies in adbance fir anu typos

mudguard

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#3211242 26-Mar-2024 15:59

Lias:

Always a contentious topic. Over the space of my life I've gone from being a very active cyclist to someone who would quite happily purchase a license should Fish and Game ever start issuing permits for cyclists. When I was a kid, it was drummed into me that when riding my bike, it was my responsibility to get the hell out of the way of anything which could kill me. That seems to be a worldview lacking in modern cycle advocates.

Here's some of my thoughts on the matter:

I am frustrated by the attitudes of cyclists who think they have the same right to be on the road as vehicles while travelling at much slower speeds or riding 2 or more abreast and holding up people. I know this isn't all cyclists, but it's not a few outliers either.
I am frustrated that cyclists do not contribute financially to the costs of general road infrastructure, nevermind the cost of things like dedicated cycle lanes, other than by being general taxpayers. Cycle advocates love to scream "we pay taxes too" but other road users pay MORE taxes than you, because they pay general taxes as well as fuel/mileage taxes, registration, licensing etc.
I am frustrated that cyclists do not pay ACC levies commensurate with the risk of injury like other groups do (e.g motorcycle ACC levies)
I am frustrated that cyclists are one of the only (if not THE only) group of road users who are not licensed, and cycles not registered/vinned. I believe the ability to ride a cycle on the road should require a license, and every cycle should be subject to the registration and WOF regimes that other vehicles are. It ensures that people are suitable to be on the roads, provides legal accountability, and more importantly provides a revenue stream so that all cycle related works such as cycleways can be fully funded by those who use them. I've widely heard the counter argument that this would be costly, but honestly, I'm 100% fine with riding a bicycle being a luxury that most can't afford. If it's good enough for motorcycles, it's good enough for cycles.

I presume most of this is half in jest. Could you imagine the logistics of some of this?

Point one, I routinely find other traffic driving considerably slower than the speed limit. Tractors, large trucks. It's a part of life, slow down for a bit, wait until it's safe. The poor cyclists is probably at 170bpm trying to get up the hill. Yes it's annoying if they are two abreast, but you wait 30s, then squeeze your right foot ever so slightly and you are back up to speed for minimum effort.

Lack of contribution to infrastructure. I like to mountain-bike. I also drive between 40-50,000kms per year. There's my contribution (and wear and tear).

ACC. Motorbikes get reamed by this. $400 per year for a 50cc scooter. $411 61cc-600cc, $525 for big bikes (600cc and up). If they want to apply ACC risk to activities then please apply to ski lift passes, rugby club annual subscriptions and so on.

Electric bikes are coming and currently avoid rego.

Could you imagine the logistics of your licensing point? WOF, Rego, Licence? I have seven mountain bikes, my partner has two plus a road bike. When a five year old kid gets their first bike, how much is your rego fee going to be? Chuck in some mandatory insurance and so on.

Personally I hate riding on the road. NZ has had one hundred years of car focus, it's not changing any time soon. Public transport is an extremely issue and will continue to be while we keep building further and further out.

$5L per litre will probably sort it.

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Free kids accounts - trade shares and funds (NZ, US) with Sharesies (affiliate link).

johno1234

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#3211245 26-Mar-2024 16:03

elpenguino:

johno1234:

People are not commuting around a country. They commute around part of a town. Japan might have mountains but Tokyo is quite flat. I've been to a few central areas there and hardly recall seeing any cyclists though. The streets are incredibly busy and it has one of the best train systems I've ever seen so not surprising that cycling was not seen there. Christchurch is quite flat too. It's a great place for cycling but that doesn't mean other places in NZ are.

E-bikes mean hills are no longer a limiting factor for people.

This is true. However the other issues remain so still need a car to commute.

johno1234

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#3211246 26-Mar-2024 16:04

Rikkitic:

I am not 'resorting' to ChatGPT. I am making use of a pretty good tool. It was a quick and easy way to get an overview of this particular subject. If I was working on a doctoral dissertation, I would want to verify the informaiton. For you that is not necessary.

You might want to quit now. You are starting to sound silly.

I'm not surprised to see your appeal above but not going to let you get away with the stuff you've been posting.

networkn

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#3211249 26-Mar-2024 16:08

johno1234:

This is true. However the other issues remain so still need a car to commute.

Not to mention, E-Bikes aren't exactly cheap. Quite a large percentage of the population couldn't afford one, nor the maintenance of one, esp since, it's unlikely a lot of people in NZ could do away with a car as a result of owning an E-Bike.

I feel that if many cyclists and those advocating for more cyclist centric resources, were less extreme in the delivery of their message, the message would get more traction.

johno1234

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#3211250 26-Mar-2024 16:11

networkn:

johno1234:

This is true. However the other issues remain so still need a car to commute.

Not to mention, E-Bikes aren't exactly cheap. Quite a large percentage of the population couldn't afford one, nor the maintenance of one, esp since, it's unlikely a lot of people in NZ could do away with a car as a result of owning an E-Bike.

I feel that if many cyclists and those advocating for more cyclist centric resources, were less extreme in the delivery of their message, the message would get more traction.

Yep, if they didn't need the car as well, to cover all the things you can't do with a bike or e-bike, then that $5k e-bike might be affordable. But if you need to get across the suburb with your shopping, take the kids to sport or the beach or holiday, or tow a trailer or you know, most thinks kiwi families need to do, you still need cars.

Rikkitic

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#3211252 26-Mar-2024 16:14

johno1234:

I'm not surprised to see your appeal above but not going to let you get away with the stuff you've been posting.

What do you think I'm 'getting away' with? And who appointed you arbiter of anything?

Don't make this personal. It bores everyone else and it makes you look silly. If you have a substantial argument against anything I've said, just state it.

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MikeB4

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#3211254 26-Mar-2024 16:17

The WRC is considering charging a parking fee for the park and ride car parks around Te Whanganui-a-Tara. This may well prompt more to ride bikes or their cars, I believe it to be a poor decision if it is made. A better idea I believe as a long term ingredient to ease congestion is for government departments to decentralise their head offices out of the city. This could also prompt private enterprise to decentralise out of CBDs. This could have a two fold benefit of reducing congestion and pollution in the cities, free up car parking and help vitalise regional Aotearoa.

We authored this problem when we promoted the ideal of centralising employment and housing the work force in dormitory suburbs some distance from that employment. The answer, move employment closer to work force or to regional towns where there is not a shortage of land to provide sensible and sustainable housing.

MikeB4

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#3211255 26-Mar-2024 16:20

networkn:

Not to mention, E-Bikes aren't exactly cheap. Quite a large percentage of the population couldn't afford one, nor the maintenance of one, esp since, it's unlikely a lot of people in NZ could do away with a car as a result of owning an E-Bike.

I feel that if many cyclists and those advocating for more cyclist centric resources, were less extreme in the delivery of their message, the message would get more traction.

But can afford a $10,000 $20,000 $40,000 car??????

MikeB4

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#3211257 26-Mar-2024 16:24

johno1234:

Yep, if they didn't need the car as well, to cover all the things you can't do with a bike or e-bike, then that $5k e-bike might be affordable. But if you need to get across the suburb with your shopping, take the kids to sport or the beach or holiday, or tow a trailer or you know, most thinks kiwi families need to do, you still need cars.

I don't drive anymore. I gave up driving for safety of others yet I can get across town to go to my specialist appointments, get across town to do shopping or visit friends. Travel into Poneke just for the hell of it.

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