tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7129037502516609710.post9079283509615305207..comments2024-03-18T08:51:07.314+00:00Comments on i b i k e l o n d o n: Space4cycling shows us: campaigning worksibikelondonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06978714126105951294noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7129037502516609710.post-86867502803424934932013-11-01T10:56:50.883+00:002013-11-01T10:56:50.883+00:00In response to Mark's exchange with an anonymo...In response to Mark's exchange with an anonymous poster, he won't be surprised to know that I (non-anonymously) am also critical of LCC. They of course do good things, but they always draw the line at activism which might really speed up changes.<br /><br />Getting thousands of cyclists out for a symbolic demonstration is excellent; but getting a fraction of that number out for something less symbolic (such as hundreds of bikes taking over the road space at a dangerous junction for as long as it took to be noticed; and then doing it again and again, week after week) might concentrate TfL's minds a bit more urgently!<br /><br />When the Bikes Alive campaign was active last year, trying to plug that gap in LCC's tactics, LCC not only failed to support it but actually - behind the scenes - tried to discourage people from getting involved. (This criticism isn't of local LCC groups, by the way.)<br /><br />Cheers<br /><br />Albert Beale (worldpeace @ gn.apc.org)Albert Bealenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7129037502516609710.post-78210335612147637472013-10-17T10:29:53.777+01:002013-10-17T10:29:53.777+01:00@Anonymous Rather than listing the many things tha...@Anonymous Rather than listing the many things that LCC have achieved in recent years, and some of the fantastic work that they do, I'd really be more interested in hearing what you suggest as an alternative?ibikelondonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06978714126105951294noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7129037502516609710.post-23136873615119973842013-10-16T21:25:14.509+01:002013-10-16T21:25:14.509+01:00LCC is a complete waste of time. They achieve so ...LCC is a complete waste of time. They achieve so little yet claim such great success. Cyclists in London are dying and getting injured all the time yet what do LCC do?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7129037502516609710.post-14401259808095161982013-10-16T18:28:03.842+01:002013-10-16T18:28:03.842+01:00Waiting for automated cars is no solution. Perhaps...Waiting for automated cars is no solution. Perhaps the cars will get safer, but cyclists make wobbles and mistakes too. Imagine riding close by a passing train. Whilst I know the train will not likely veer off its course, I certainly wouldn't feel comfortable cycling there. Wind can blow me in its course, I might wobble or ride into a pothole, etc etc. Automation is no panaceum or perfect cheap solution. It's just being lazy and afraid to make bold steps. Would you let your five year old child or 80 year old dad cycle there? The can in NL.<br />Koennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7129037502516609710.post-23935008212059026632013-10-15T15:44:41.299+01:002013-10-15T15:44:41.299+01:00Thanks everyone for all of your points and for tak...Thanks everyone for all of your points and for taking the time to write.<br /><br />@Paul I quite agree on all of your points; that the LCC have sensed the winds of change and acted accordingly and should be praised for it, that joining them is a very worthwhile thing to do and that Gift Aid is an easy thing for us and a wonderful thing for them.<br /><br />As for flying cars and computer-driven cars and battery cars, I couldn't have put it better myself. It is funny how these wheezes come in cycles (if you'll pardon the pun); just a few years ago those who advocated doing nothing - while hoovering up massive grants and funding initiatives to do so - said it wouldn't be long for us to have to wait for oil to run out and for the bike to have its day in the sun. Now that is clearly not going to happen anytime soon with the (frankly terrifying) boom in "difficult to reach" oil extraction technology, it would seem computer cars are the new thing to stop us in our (cycle) tracks.<br /><br />@Anonymous Absolutely, and I should have put this in the article, but responding to consultations really helps. I hope one of the campaigns sets up a "Consultation Watch" soon!<br /><br />@Mike_LCC Beautifully put - see you on Saturday!<br />ibikelondonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06978714126105951294noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7129037502516609710.post-57132465931462213222013-10-15T14:35:23.868+01:002013-10-15T14:35:23.868+01:00I would like to add to this: keep an eye on your l...I would like to add to this: keep an eye on your local consultations (and those linked to by blogs like this) and BE SURE TO RESPOND!<br /><br />There really aren't that many respondents to most consultations so if a good few cyclists respond it can really sway the numbers.<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7129037502516609710.post-68866106035210127132013-10-15T10:59:16.846+01:002013-10-15T10:59:16.846+01:00Inspiring words, as ever Mark...
The London Cycli...Inspiring words, as ever Mark...<br /><br />The London Cycling Campaign's next big campaign target is the 2014 local elections in May. Our 33 local authorities control 90% of our city streets, including the areas that surround our homes, schools and shops. We're planning a massive campaign to put pressure on every single council election candidate to provide safe space for cycling - which will also make for safer and nicer places to walk too.<br /><br />To find out how you can influence and take part in our 2014 campaign, why not come along to our annual conference in Holloway Road this Saturday? http://goo.gl/h0w9H0 <br /><br />You don't have to be an experienced or hard-core campaigner. Quite the opposite, in fact - we want as many new people to come with fresh outlooks and ideas. <br /><br />If you can't make this event, sign up to our regular campaign updates (http://space4cycling.org) or get in touch with your local LCC group (http://lcc.org.uk/pages/in-your-area). <br /><br />If you're not an LCC member already, please join today http://lcc.org.uk/pages/joining-options<br /><br />Without our members, we couldn't run any protest rides or campaigns.<br /><br />We want 2014 to be an even bigger year for cycling, so (to paraphrase a great campaigner) now's the time to be part of the change you want to see...mike-lcchttp://www.lcc.org.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7129037502516609710.post-28254147541044494412013-10-15T10:34:46.388+01:002013-10-15T10:34:46.388+01:00On activism and the #space4cycling campaign, can I...On activism and the #space4cycling campaign, can I urge your London-based readers, if they haven’t done so already, to join the London Cycling Campaign? I accept your point that LCC was perhaps a little supine in the past, indeed not that long ago, but to give credit where credit is due, it has responded to the evident wishes of its membership base and started to apply its skills and organisation capabilities to managed campaigning with an ambitious demand. However, it can always get bigger, and more members means a louder and more persuasive voice. At about 12,000 members, out of perhaps 150-200,000 daily cyclists in London, there is clearly room for growth!<br /><br />And if you do join, or indeed if you are already a member, (and you are an income taxpayer) make sure to complete the gift-aid declaration on their website, as this adds a further 25% on top of the subscription you pay yourself.<br /><br />On self-driving cars, well, we have been there before, haven’t we, with those “Eagle” comic images of the future, from the 1950s, showing dad in a sports coat and trilby, smoking a pipe, mum in a rah-rah-dress and alice band, sitting in their flying car? The clothes changed, the earthliness of the car didn’t. As for their safety, I can imagine that might be true, as the most dangerous component of a car, or a plane, or a ship, has long been acknowledged to be “the nut behind the wheel”. Airliners routinely fly themselves these days, and I heard a joke told by an air-traffic controller that modern airliners only need a crew of one man and one dog – the man to feed the dog, and the dog to bite the man if he touches anything. <br /><br />However, computer-controlled driving would no doubt be capable of much tighter tolerances, on separation distances etc, and you may have seen an ad in which computer-driven cars whizz in all directions through a junction rather like one of those military motorcycle display teams you see at the Edinburgh Tattoo. Even assuming that the cars can sense, and avoid, pedestrians and cyclists, I can only imagine that the subjective safety environment, which is what will drive an increase in cycling, would be far, far worse. No, the computer-driven car is just as much an evolutionary dead end as the battery driven car.<br />Paul Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07929808238663838155noreply@blogger.com