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See.Sense AIR anti-theft bike tracker doubles Kickstarter target – in 24 hours; Happy Transport Planning Day; US’s first car-free neighbourhood coming to Arizona; Strava unveils Metro 3.0; Steve Cummings retires + more on the live blog

All today's news from the site and beyond.....
20 November 2019, 20:37
See.Sense AIR anti-theft bike tracker doubles Kickstarter target – in 24 hours

Northern Ireland-based See.Sense is no stranger to Kickstarter – its range of bike lights have been successfully launched through the crowdfunding platform. Now, its latest product, the AIR bike tracker has doubled its fundraising target just a day after its launch.

See.Sense Air

At the time of writing, it has raised pledges of more than £40,000 against a £18,000 goal. According to the company,

AIR is the first dedicated bike tracking device to be built on the new Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) low power wide area network (LPWAN).

LPWA was the missing link in creating a truly effective bike tracking device; under LPWA, See.Sense AIR can connect wider and deeper across the network for a fraction of the power required under the old technology.

This means a properly effective bike tracker is now viable for the very first time. AIR’s coverage is powered by the Vodafone NB-IoT network, which is launching in Europe in early 2020 and into the USA later in the year; See.Sense Kickstarter backers will be the first to experience AIR across these territories. The device was validated by early access to the Vodafone IoT lab in Newbury, enabling See.Sense to develop against the new NB-IoT standard before the network is fully rolled out.

CEO Philip McAleese said: “We’re totally fed up with bike vandalism and theft; even the best locks and chains can’t stop a bike being damaged or stolen. Our See.Sense lights brought a new solution to an old problem through technology and innovation and we always wanted to do the same in the bicycle security space. Now is the perfect time.

“AIR was developed after listening to what our cycling community wanted. It’s a smart device, reacting automatically to its situation. If the bike is moved or tampered with, AIR will sound an alarm and send an SMS to the rider; we call this ‘Fight Mode’.

“If the bike is stolen, AIR will detect this, switching in to ‘Flight’ setting, rapidly transmitting high-powered tracking signals to allow the owner to quickly and accurately locate their bike to the nearest couple of metres. This tracking information can then be passed to local police increasing the chances of recovery. We believe it’s a game-changer.”

20 November 2019, 19:54
This looks like a lovely place to ride a bike
20 November 2019, 19:37
Happy Transport Planning Day! This cartoon nails it when it comes to new housing...
20 November 2019, 17:00
Brace yourself for the UCI Indoor Cycling World Championships

The event wil be held in Basel between 6-8 December, featuring delights such as Cycleball and Artistic Cycling... 

20 November 2019, 16:43
Commitment...

20 November 2019, 15:00
New Arizona housing development will be "first car-free neighbourhood built from scratch in the US"

While the US doesn't have the best reputation for bike-friendliness and active travel, this new neighbourhood being developed in Arizona could be a step in the right direction.

Culdesac say their Culdesac Tempe site will be home to over 1,000 residents, and cars are banned with no parking spaces available. Instead they will offer a range of services including bikes and scooters, ride sharing and an on-site light rail stop to make it easy for residents to get around without needing private cars. More than half of the land area will also be covered in landscaping, public courtyards and greenery, as opposed to mostly concrete pavement in car-centric neighbourhoods. 

Culdesac founders Ryan Johnson and Jeff Berens say of their development: "At Culdesac, we see a way out of this cycle and it starts with transportation. How we move determines how we live, and how we move is changing.

"We’re undergoing the first major shift in transportation since the interstate highway system. Private car ownership is giving ground to transportation that is on-demand, shared, and (on average) more environmentally friendly. That 1-mile trip to get ice cream is increasingly happening on shared bikes, electric scooters, or on foot. Lyft Shared and Uber Pool make daily trips more affordable.

"Culdesac is the first post-car real estate developer in the US. We want to demonstrate a new possibility for formerly car-centric cities."

20 November 2019, 15:40
Good point!
20 November 2019, 16:56
Sandstorm
20 November 2019, 15:58
Steve Cummings' palmares

The popular rider from the Wirral has retired from pro cycling aged 38. 

20 November 2019, 14:19
Ineos sign promising Spanish youngster Carlos Rodriguez

The 18-year-old Spaniard has signed his first full pro contract with Ineos, and will also carry on studying for a degree in engineering. He said: “I am under no illusions it is a big step up to the professional level. The training is going to be harder and the races much faster. I think that if I work hard, step by step, I can progress and adapt myself to the World Tour. That’s my main objective for the next few seasons and I’m in the best place to do that.” 

20 November 2019, 13:26
Team Retiree?

Wonder if Steve Cummings would still be propping up the rear? 

20 November 2019, 14:50
Dedication...
20 November 2019, 12:50
How do Strava gather their data? Here's what they told us...
strava commute

Scroll down to the comments and some of our readers were discussing exactly how Strava come up with their stats and figures on cycle commuting habits (that Bristol has the most cycle commuters per 1000, for example); because of course, not everyone uses Strava. And what if you don't tag your commute as a commute? Here's what they told us... 

"Strava use Strava data only. Research from the Centers for Disease Control shows that Strava Metro data closely resembles Census data about biking and walking activity by the general public.

"Since not all Strava members use the commute tag — and definitions of a commute vary — we can use a variety of other techniques to identify these trips. For instance, using the straight-line distance between the latitudes & longitudes of where a trip begins and where it ends. When that distance is greater than 1 kilometer, that activity is likely a commute. In order to exclude false positives such as long point-to-point races, we can further filter for long-distance rides that would be indicative of a non-utilitarian trip. Meanwhile, the trips that community members have tagged commutes serve as an essential ground truth to validate and improve different models we use over time."

There's some more in-depth info on Strava's Metro site here

20 November 2019, 12:25
Laura Kenny launches free weekly cycling lessons, as alarming stats find only 4% of women feel comfortable cycling on the road
Laura Kenny Jump 2

We've gone stat mad this morning, and these latest ones make for pretty depressing reading for women's cycling - although Laura Kenny in partnership with Jump (Uber's bikeshare scheme) and Cycle Confident is looking to do something about it by launching free cycling lessons in London that will take place every evening next week. 

Jump's research found that just 4% of women said they feel confident riding a bike on the road, while 41% haven't ridden a bike as an adult at all because they felt unsafe. Some of the stats include gender comparisons, and found that 40% of men would be willing to cycle to the office compared to just 23% of women, while a quarter of men said they would be comfortable 'cycling anywhere' compared to 9% of women. It was also found that 18% of female respondents said they couldn't ride a bike at all. 

 

Laura Kenny said: “I grew up cycling because my mum wanted to get fit and I got hooked on how it made me feel. I think it’s very important to see more women cycling and to ensure that they feel safe and confident on the roads.

“I had a lot of fun contributing to the lessons with Cycle Confident and hope that the lessons will break down any fears or pre-conceptions that exist about road cycling. I understand that it can feel intimidating, but once you feel comfortable on a bike and get to grips with the rules of the road, it gets easier!”

The Jump lessons will run every night from Monday 25th until Friday 29th November starting outside Highbury Leisure Centre from 6pm - those interested can sign up here

20 November 2019, 11:52
Merlin Cycles' graphic to show health and financial benefits of cycle commuting
Merlin Infographic-V2

Merlin quote the RAC Foundation's research that found 16.7 million drive to work every day, with a huge 73.4% taking the car in rural areas. The stats they've put together claim that a 20-minute bike ride can boost your mood for up to 12 hours, make the brai more alert and increase lumg capacity by 15% in just the second week of cycling to work. ​

The moral of the story? Buy a bike from Merlin Cycles! (Just kidding how cynical of us, cheers for the stats Merlin)

20 November 2019, 11:35
Walking better than cycling for short distances, says Oxford cycle campaigner
Oxford Jesus_College_Oxford - wikimedia commons

The head of the Oxford cycling lobby group Cyclox has said that she'd encourage walking over cycling for short journeys of a mile or less because of the greater health benefits. 

Dr Alison Hill told the Oxford Mail: “If your journey is about a mile walking is actually better for you in health terms than cycling - in terms of energy expended you will be using more walking.

That’s because the bike does so much of the work for you - you need to be travelling at 12mph or more to actually get a bit breathless but you won’t necessarily reach that speed over such a short distance in the city centre.” 

 

She also made comments about dockless bike schemes - of which there are three in Oxford - saying there needs to be greater regulation to stop swathes of bikes being 'dumped' around the city, and that more should be strategically placed around park and rides and residential areas to make best use of them. 

20 November 2019, 08:58
Strava's new Metro 3.0 update with 84 million commutes is 'the world's largest transportation dataset' - and they also reveal UK's top cycling cities
london-cyclists-hyde-park-corner-copyright-britishcycling.org_.uk_

Not content with being the self-proclaim world's largest sports participation platform, Strava also have an urban planning wing to their business - and the new, improved version of Metro 3.0 offers data from over 84 million commutes recorded in 2018, which makes it the largest set of transport data in the world according to Strava. 

The data on Metro 3.0 allows city planners to analyse when, where and how citizens are commuting by bike and on foot to help with building infrastructure and identifying areas where cycling and walking provisions need to be improved - city planners can sign up to get access to the data which shows popular or avoided routes, peak commute times, crossing times and origin/destination zones.

To coincide with the launch of the updated platform, Strava have also mined the 84 million commutes uploaded in 2018 to give us some stats about the UK's commuting habits - they revealed that Bristol is the top city for cycle commuting in terms of numbers, with 28.9 people per 1,000 citizens commuting by bike. Bristol is followed by Newcastle (20.8), and Southampton (16.4), while London is in 6th place with 11.9 per 1000, although the capital has the largest total number of cycle commuters. Manchester and Liverpool have the fewest amongst major cities, with 7.7 and 6.6 cycle commuters per 1000 respectively. 

The data also revealed that the 35-55 age bracket is the most active commuter group, closely followed by 20-35's. Strava also said there was "a clear correlation between the amount invested in cycling infrastructure in urban environments and the concentration of cycling commuters within that city’s population", with cities that have invested more in cycling infrastructure generally having more cycle commuters. ​

 

The UK Country Manager for Strava Gareth Mills said: “If we’re serious about tackling climate change, air quality and the obesity epidemic, we need to improve the commuting experience across the UK. The new Strava Metro 3.0 platform enables a wealth of information which local authorities can use to enhance infrastructure and keep us safe and motivated to ride or run to work. Renewing our partnership with TfL is evidence that our community data can be used for the benefit of everyone who strives for cleaner, safer cities.”

You can take a look at the Metro 3.0 platform and apply if the data might be of use to you or your business here

 

20 November 2019, 08:44
Nothing to see here...
20 November 2019, 08:37
Steve Cummings retires

According to Ned Boulting, Steve Cummings has announced his retirement at the age of 38. Cummings also wasn't named on the NTT (formerly Team Dimension Data) roster for the 2020 season. 

 

Arriving at road.cc in 2017 via 220 Triathlon Magazine, Jack dipped his toe in most jobs on the site and over at eBikeTips before being named the new editor of road.cc in 2020, much to his surprise. His cycling life began during his students days, when he cobbled together a few hundred quid off the back of a hard winter selling hats (long story) and bought his first road bike - a Trek 1.1 that was quickly relegated to winter steed, before it was sadly pinched a few years later. Creatively replacing it with a Trek 1.2, Jack mostly rides this bike around local cycle paths nowadays, but when he wants to get the racer out and be competitive his preferred events are time trials, sportives, triathlons and pogo sticking - the latter being another long story.  

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30 comments

Avatar
The _Kaner | 4 years ago
0 likes

See.sense Air....
Hello 1982 wants its pager back...

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hawkinspeter | 4 years ago
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Usually I try not to touch electronic devices on Kickstarter as they tend to go south a lot of the time, but I'm intrigued enough by that bike tracker to give it a punt. My ideal tracker device would be one that you can fit into the frame and charge easily (e.g. through wireless charging from the outside of the frame or integrating with electronic shifting to use the same charge port).

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Kendalred replied to hawkinspeter | 4 years ago
1 like
hawkinspeter wrote:

Usually I try not to touch electronic devices on Kickstarter as they tend to go south a lot of the time, but I'm intrigued enough by that bike tracker to give it a punt. My ideal tracker device would be one that you can fit into the frame and charge easily (e.g. through wireless charging from the outside of the frame or integrating with electronic shifting to use the same charge port).

Yes exactly. I like the look of the See Sense device, but feel it's just too visible and open to vandalism. Not sure how much effort would be needed to wrench if off the saddle, then all you'll be doing is sending the police to a ditch somewhere about half a mile from where the bike was stolen. Although given resources I suspect by the time plod got round to it the battery would have given up.

Something that made the same noise, but far more difficult to locate would be ideal.

 

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fukawitribe replied to Kendalred | 4 years ago
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Kendalred wrote:

Yes exactly. I like the look of the See Sense device, but feel it's just too visible and open to vandalism. Not sure how much effort would be needed to wrench if off the saddle

Difficult to tell without actually knowing what's everthings made of. Squinting at the funding page i'd guess not much, maybe a couple of seconds, if that mount and/or fixing spur are rigid plastics like they sort of look like. Decent hammer or bolt-cutters would make it a moot point.

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visionset | 4 years ago
0 likes

cycling nirvana

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Argus Tuft replied to visionset | 4 years ago
0 likes
visionset wrote:

cycling nirvana

I couldn't agree more.If the lanes are that quiet they won't need infra. I'm a forager myself,poking around looking for abandoned and self-sown fruit trees.

 

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jacko645 | 4 years ago
0 likes

On the subject of forgetting to mark your commute as a commute, you can use http://commutemarker.com/ to do it automatically for you.
I believe it's developed by Strava or some of their staff and is pretty good at identifying even if you vary your route quite a lot.
Saves 10 taps a day!

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Shake | 4 years ago
1 like

The reason I cycle the way to work that I do is because the fastest way is more dangerous because of the lack of infurstructure. 
So my route will show an already quieter and safer route

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ktache | 4 years ago
3 likes

On the Strava thing, I was thinking similar brooksby, perhaps Strava is not as popular in the 20-35 age group.

I doubt if they get many commutes registered by those on cheap bikes either, doesn't mean there aren't a lot of  people out there.

Cambridge has a lot of cyclists, but by the look of a lot of them, I doubt many were subscribers.

 

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brooksby replied to ktache | 4 years ago
1 like
ktache wrote:

On the Strava thing, I was thinking similar brooksby, perhaps Strava is not as popular in the 20-35 age group.

I doubt if they get many commutes registered by those on cheap bikes either, doesn't mean there aren't a lot of  people out there.

Cambridge has a lot of cyclists, but by the look of a lot of them, I doubt many were subscribers.

Exactly.  I suspect they've - if anything - under estimated cycling figures.  I don't appear in their numbers, because I don't use Strava.   And I imagine even a real hardcore roadie doesn't use Strava for their commute / run to work, so how many more people are invisible to their data-gathering?

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fenix replied to brooksby | 4 years ago
2 likes
brooksby wrote:

And I imagine even a real hardcore roadie doesn't use Strava for their commute / run to work, so how many more people are invisible to their data-gathering?

You imagine wrong. How else would you track the mileage you'd done on the commute bike ?

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Kendalred replied to brooksby | 4 years ago
1 like
brooksby wrote:
ktache wrote:

On the Strava thing, I was thinking similar brooksby, perhaps Strava is not as popular in the 20-35 age group.

I doubt if they get many commutes registered by those on cheap bikes either, doesn't mean there aren't a lot of  people out there.

Cambridge has a lot of cyclists, but by the look of a lot of them, I doubt many were subscribers.

Exactly.  I suspect they've - if anything - under estimated cycling figures.  I don't appear in their numbers, because I don't use Strava.   And I imagine even a real hardcore roadie doesn't use Strava for their commute / run to work, so how many more people are invisible to their data-gathering?

Well I'm a roadie (Hardcore? That's debatable!) and use Strava every time I commute, and always make sure I click the 'Commute' button as I was aware that they gathered the data. My colleague does even more mileage than me (he IS hardcore - 75km every day, cyclocross at the weekend etc) and does the same.

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brooksby replied to Kendalred | 4 years ago
1 like
Kendalred wrote:
brooksby wrote:
ktache wrote:

On the Strava thing, I was thinking similar brooksby, perhaps Strava is not as popular in the 20-35 age group.

I doubt if they get many commutes registered by those on cheap bikes either, doesn't mean there aren't a lot of  people out there.

Cambridge has a lot of cyclists, but by the look of a lot of them, I doubt many were subscribers.

Exactly.  I suspect they've - if anything - under estimated cycling figures.  I don't appear in their numbers, because I don't use Strava.   And I imagine even a real hardcore roadie doesn't use Strava for their commute / run to work, so how many more people are invisible to their data-gathering?

Well I'm a roadie (Hardcore? That's debatable!) and use Strava every time I commute, and always make sure I click the 'Commute' button as I was aware that they gathered the data. My colleague does even more mileage than me (he IS hardcore - 75km every day, cyclocross at the weekend etc) and does the same.

OK, fenix and Kendalred, I stand corrected.  I didn't realise you could describe the 'type' of ride you were doing in Strava.

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Jack Sexty replied to brooksby | 4 years ago
0 likes
brooksby wrote:

Kendalred wrote:

brooksby wrote:

ktache wrote:

On the Strava thing, I was thinking similar brooksby, perhaps Strava is not as popular in the 20-35 age group.

I doubt if they get many commutes registered by those on cheap bikes either, doesn't mean there aren't a lot of  people out there.

Cambridge has a lot of cyclists, but by the look of a lot of them, I doubt many were subscribers.

Exactly.  I suspect they've - if anything - under estimated cycling figures.  I don't appear in their numbers, because I don't use Strava.   And I imagine even a real hardcore roadie doesn't use Strava for their commute / run to work, so how many more people are invisible to their data-gathering?

Well I'm a roadie (Hardcore? That's debatable!) and use Strava every time I commute, and always make sure I click the 'Commute' button as I was aware that they gathered the data. My colleague does even more mileage than me (he IS hardcore - 75km every day, cyclocross at the weekend etc) and does the same.

OK, fenix and Kendalred, I stand corrected.  I didn't realise you could describe the 'type' of ride you were doing in Strava.

I have a response from Strava already that gives a little info on how they gather data, see latest blog post.

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Simon E replied to Kendalred | 4 years ago
3 likes
ktache wrote:

On the Strava thing, I was thinking similar brooksby, perhaps Strava is not as popular in the 20-35 age group.

Do you mean students and working adults riding around towns on sit-up bikes? Because all the young 'uns in our club are totally into Strava, 10 years and upwards. There are only a few Luddites like me that don't use it. I'm a roadie (but unlikely to ever be called 'hardcore') and have clocked up 100 miles+ a week for a number of years now. The people I see cycle commuting around Shrewsbury don't generally look like they'd be using Strava.

Nice to see Laura Kenny doing something for women cyclists, and I agree that confidence makes a huge difference, but free lessons - even if rolled out nationwide - won't make any difference to that dreadful 4% figure. Segregated infrastructure is the only way to do it. And I can see absolutely no way of doing that for less densely populated areas or country roads.

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visionset replied to Simon E | 4 years ago
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Simon E wrote:

 And I can see absolutely no way of doing that for less densely populated areas or country roads.

No and you don't want to either, that'd be massively detrimental

 

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Argus Tuft replied to visionset | 4 years ago
1 like
visionset wrote:
Simon E wrote:

 And I can see absolutely no way of doing that for less densely populated areas or country roads.

No and you don't want to either, that'd be massively detrimental

 

After lots of opposition,railtrails have done wonders for several country towns.Many new ones are being built,or are in the pipeline.I can't see a downside.

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Simon E replied to Argus Tuft | 4 years ago
0 likes
Argus Tuft wrote:

After lots of opposition,railtrails have done wonders for several country towns.Many new ones are being built,or are in the pipeline.I can't see a downside.

I'd say that's wildly optimistic. AFAIK the only railtrail that could be converted near here, a handful of miles between 2 villages, was blocked by farmers. Even if it was built it wouldn't help anyone commuting into Shrewsbury. I'm sure many large towns are the same.  2

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Argus Tuft replied to Simon E | 4 years ago
0 likes
Simon E wrote:
Argus Tuft wrote:

After lots of opposition,railtrails have done wonders for several country towns.Many new ones are being built,or are in the pipeline.I can't see a downside.

I'd say that's wildly optimistic. AFAIK the only railtrail that could be converted near here, a handful of miles between 2 villages, was blocked by farmers. Even if it was built it wouldn't help anyone commuting into Shrewsbury. I'm sure many large towns are the same.  2

I was responding to Visionset,wondering how separate infrastructure in rural areas could be detrimental. Railtrails are only one example.

Avatar
visionset replied to Argus Tuft | 4 years ago
1 like
Argus Tuft wrote:

I was responding to Visionset,wondering how separate infrastructure in rural areas could be detrimental. Railtrails are only one example.

 

 

Because when you remove cyclists from roads driving gets worse. I would speculate that the major safety factor on roads is the presence of cyclists.  Since you will never infra everywhere you need lots of cyclists on roads. In numbers we are safer.  Obviously a disused railway line is not a problem. My main (bit of a soapbox really) argument is against those (typically Londeners et al)  who can only see infra as the solution and in fact are completely unhelpful & counter productive when it comes to the drive to make the roads we already have (that are completely fit for purpose, bar the odd pothole eh),  safer.

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Argus Tuft replied to visionset | 4 years ago
0 likes
visionset wrote:
Argus Tuft wrote:

I was responding to Visionset,wondering how separate infrastructure in rural areas could be detrimental. Railtrails are only one example.

 

 

Because when you remove cyclists from roads driving gets worse. I would speculate that the major safety factor on roads is the presence of cyclists.  Since you will never infra everywhere you need lots of cyclists on roads. In numbers we are safer.  Obviously a disused railway line is not a problem. My main (bit of a soapbox really) argument is against those (typically Londeners et al)  who can only see infra as the solution and in fact are completely unhelpful & counter productive when it comes to the drive to make the roads we already have (that are completely fit for purpose, bar the odd pothole eh),  safer.

I follow your reasoning,but fear you're swimming against the tide.The overwhelming perception is that cycling with traffic is dangerous.What you or I think is irrelevant.Better driving is not going to happen,neither is improved enforcement.If the carnage of the last few decades hasn't forced a change,what will? Actually it has,and the change is bikeways.

Have you ever been able to ride wherever you choose on a car free, cycle only path?Once you have you never want to go back to sharing the road.

Inner City real estate serviced by bike infra commands higher prices  and outlying estates provide it as a development condition.Politicians love to announce the opening of x new ks of bikeway. The motoring lobby loves it.As for not being everywhere,if Wagga can build 45ks of new cycle paths,anywhere can.  

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visionset replied to Argus Tuft | 4 years ago
0 likes
Argus Tuft wrote:

Have you ever been able to ride wherever you choose on a car free, cycle only path?Once you have you never want to go back to sharing the road.

Have you ever ridden on quiet country lanes? Who would ever want to give that up? How is cycling infra ever going to replace that? I can do a hundred mile ride where at least 80 miles is like that.  Cycling through 100s of years of historical countryside.  The only reason that feels safe is because most drivers drive expecting cyclists, you never want that reversing.

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FluffyKittenofT... replied to visionset | 4 years ago
1 like
visionset wrote:
Argus Tuft wrote:

I was responding to Visionset,wondering how separate infrastructure in rural areas could be detrimental. Railtrails are only one example.

 

 

Because when you remove cyclists from roads driving gets worse. I would speculate that the major safety factor on roads is the presence of cyclists.  Since you will never infra everywhere you need lots of cyclists on roads. In numbers we are safer.  Obviously a disused railway line is not a problem. My main (bit of a soapbox really) argument is against those (typically Londeners et al)  who can only see infra as the solution and in fact are completely unhelpful & counter productive when it comes to the drive to make the roads we already have (that are completely fit for purpose, bar the odd pothole eh),  safer.

Not sure I like the idea of being treated as a human traffic-calming measure (doesn't that fail Kant's categorical imperative? Treat people as ends, not means?). And, while I simply don't care as much about what happens in rural areas (by definition there aren't as many people in such areas to be affected or benefit), it seems to me that separated routes are often possible. If they can build new roads they can build a few new properly-surfaced cycle routes.

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visionset replied to FluffyKittenofTindalos | 4 years ago
0 likes
FluffyKittenofTindalos][quote=visionset wrote:

Not sure I like the idea of being treated as a human traffic-calming measure.

And, while I simply don't care as much about what happens in rural areas (by definition there aren't as many people in such areas to be affected or benefit), it seems to me that separated routes are often possible. If they can build new roads they can build a few new properly-surfaced cycle routes.

 

Like it or not it's always going to be the case.  I'm sure many of us here appreciate the difference between cycling on equally busy roads of similar types but in different areas of the country that have a different cycling uptake. For me Nottm isn't too bad, but parts of Lincolnshire are terrible.  It's just adjustment.  Not only for drivers directly encountering cyclists but for the (admittedly pitiful) enforcement of road laws.  Nothing would ever have been done about close passes 20 years ago. But now, at least it's starting to happen.  If cycling volume on roads drops due to infrastructure or any other reason, there's no need to enforce anymore, that's a vote winner with the motorist, they can carry on with car is king mentallity.  It isn't just about our cycling concerns, it's about the whole nice place to live, tavel, work etc thing for everything/one that isn't a car. Cyclists on the road is vital.

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brooksby | 4 years ago
0 likes

And on the flaming bike - maybe they were just sick of not being seen by motorists...? 

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brooksby | 4 years ago
5 likes

Am I missing something?

Surely all that Strava can accurately say is that - for example - "Bristol is the top city for cycle commuting in terms of numbers numbers of Strava users who have uploaded the data", etc?

This is back to making use of / money out of the behavioural surplus type stuff , isn't it? (why yes, I did just finish reading 'The Age of Surveillance Capitalism', thanks for asking).

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Jack Sexty replied to brooksby | 4 years ago
3 likes
brooksby wrote:

Am I missing something?

Surely all that Strava can accurately say is that - for example - "Bristol is the top city for cycle commuting in terms of numbers numbers of Strava users who have uploaded the data", etc?

This is back to making use of / money out of the behavioural surplus type stuff , isn't it? (why yes, I did just finish reading 'The Age of Surveillance Capitalism', thanks for asking).

That's kind of what I was saying, perhaps I phrased it clumsily - but of course they can only go off of uploads to Strava, which indeed may not be reflective of some age-groups/demographics.

Avatar
brooksby replied to Jack Sexty | 4 years ago
1 like
Jack Sexty wrote:
brooksby wrote:

Am I missing something?

Surely all that Strava can accurately say is that - for example - "Bristol is the top city for cycle commuting in terms of numbers numbers of Strava users who have uploaded the data", etc?

This is back to making use of / money out of the behavioural surplus type stuff , isn't it? (why yes, I did just finish reading 'The Age of Surveillance Capitalism', thanks for asking).

That's kind of what I was saying, perhaps I phrased it clumsily - but of course they can only go off of uploads to Strava, which indeed may not be reflective of some age-groups/demographics.

Sorry, Jack - I totally agree.

Avatar
visionset replied to brooksby | 4 years ago
1 like
brooksby wrote:

Am I missing something?

Surely all that Strava can accurately say is that - for example - "Bristol is the top city for cycle commuting in terms of numbers numbers of Strava users who have uploaded the data", etc?

This is back to making use of / money out of the behavioural surplus type stuff , isn't it? (why yes, I did just finish reading 'The Age of Surveillance Capitalism', thanks for asking).

 

Well if they've done it properly they will have normalised the data taking into account what they know about strava adoption.  Of course they may know nothing about that...

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Jack Sexty replied to visionset | 4 years ago
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visionset wrote:

brooksby wrote:

Am I missing something?

Surely all that Strava can accurately say is that - for example - "Bristol is the top city for cycle commuting in terms of numbers numbers of Strava users who have uploaded the data", etc?

This is back to making use of / money out of the behavioural surplus type stuff , isn't it? (why yes, I did just finish reading 'The Age of Surveillance Capitalism', thanks for asking).

 

Well if they've done it properly they will have normalised the data taking into account what they know about strava adoption.  Of course they may know nothing about that...

I've actually asked them because I'm interested myself! You'd think they'd take some other info into account, I also never remember to tag my rides as commutes so wondering if they dig deeper and do manual checks.

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