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Compulsory cycling law passed



Stat Brother

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
Jul 11, 2003
73,363
West west west Sussex
in Bolivia

A city in Bolivia has passed a law that will make it compulsory for residents to ride a bike once a week instead of using other means of transport to get around for their everyday trips.

Beatrice Zegarra, the councillor who proposed the law in Cochabamba, the South American country’s fourth largest city and home to some 600,000 people, hopes that it will come into force early in the new year.

The legislation was approved by the city council’s Committee for Urban Development, Planning and the Environment last week, reports Bolivian news website, Opinion.

It is aimed at not only reducing pollution, but also at improving the health of the city’s residents by introducing them to the benefits of using two wheels to get around, as part of promoting healthier lifestyles.

The law also provides for the construction of a major new cycle route, upgrading of existing ones, the provision of cycle parking at public and private workplaces and other institutions, and cycle training in schools.

Last month, the country’s president Evo Morales participated in a Day of Pedestrians and Cyclists in Defence of Mother Earth, held nationwide since 2011 but first instituted in Cochabamba a decade ago.

Each year, the day sees all motorised traffic in Bolivia halted for eight hours, leaving the streets free for people on foot or on bikes.


http://road.cc/content/news/96009-city-bolivia-passes-law-making-it-compulsory-ride-bikes

Come on Brighton, you know you want too.

Imagine how odd 8 hours without a single car would be.
 


Gwylan

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
31,322
Uffern
i
Come on Brighton, you know you want too.

Imagine how odd 8 hours without a single car would be.

Doesn't this already happen? At least in the town centre - I'm sure there's a car-free day some time in autumn.

But that Bolivia initiative sounds completely mad - imagine the whole of the UK turned into a big cycle route. Not sure whether someone having a heart attack would be happy be taken to hospital on a bike trailer though
 


seagull_in_malaysia

Active member
Aug 18, 2006
910
Reading
I don't feel safe cycling on a public road. If there were cycling-only paths everywhere I would consider getting a bike, but at the moment it's not worth risking my life I feel.

Having said that I'm always amazed at how many people cycle in this country without a helmet. Surely it is law to wear one?
 


Gwylan

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
31,322
Uffern
Having said that I'm always amazed at how many people cycle in this country without a helmet. Surely it is law to wear one?

No, it's not.

If you go to Netherlands or Denmark you will see hundreds of people cycling and none of them wear helmets.
 


teaboy

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
1,840
My house
It's a brilliant law - it isn't about 'no car' days, just about not using cars for journeys that can easily be completed by bike. Why drive 2 miles to work and back? Why drive 1 mile to the shop? Combined with the investment in infrastructure it'll be great. It's just a shame a law is needed for something that's just so sensible.
 




shaolinpunk

[Insert witty title here]
Nov 28, 2005
7,187
Brighton
What if you can't ride a bike?
 




Albumen

Don't wait for me!
Jan 19, 2010
11,495
Brighton - In your face
Unfortunately no car day ceased two years ago with the council budget cuts, along with bike week.

You're not going to change the routine of lazy *****. Good try though, Bolivia.
 




teaboy

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
1,840
My house
Unfortunately no car day ceased two years ago with the council budget cuts, along with bike week.

You're not going to change the routine of lazy *****. Good try though, Bolivia.

It's not just lazy though - it's stupid. How much is fuel? How much is parking? Why spend that money on a journey you can make in the same time by bike, for free?
 


Stat Brother

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
Jul 11, 2003
73,363
West west west Sussex
It would be a brilliant thing to just do, no laws, no fines, no self interest, no moaning, just do it.
9-5 15th June 2014, boom, job done.

The country would so bizarre.
 


bluenitsuj

Listen to me!!!
Feb 26, 2011
4,301
Willingdon
No, it's not.

If you go to Netherlands or Denmark you will see hundreds of people cycling and none of them wear helmets.

Cycling on the roads without a helmet is just idiotic. Also the many cyclists that cycle in the dark without lights.
 




teaboy

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
1,840
My house
Cycling on the roads without a helmet is just idiotic. Also the many cyclists that cycle in the dark without lights.

Based on what? More car occupants are killed by head injury than cyclists - is it "idiotic" to get into a car without one? Cycling is not inherently any more dangerous than travelling by foot.

I agree about the lights issue though.

(Sorry, SB!)
 


Stat Brother

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
Jul 11, 2003
73,363
West west west Sussex
Based on what? More car occupants are killed by head injury than cyclists - is it "idiotic" to get into a car without one? Cycling is not inherently any more dangerous than travelling by foot.

I agree about the lights issue though.

(Sorry, SB!)
Err :shrug:

Lights and helmets should be used, what are you sorry for?
 






Stat Brother

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
Jul 11, 2003
73,363
West west west Sussex
They could try stopping at Red lights, that would cut the number of accidents...
:yawn: jog on.

Just because there's the word bicycle it doesn't mean you have to spew out the same bile.

Are you always hungry when a bell rings?
 


teaboy

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
1,840
My house
Err :shrug:

Lights and helmets should be used, what are you sorry for?

Entering into the doomed area of the helmet debate. Wear one if you want, don't wear one if you choose not to. Just understand the risks and make informed decisions either way.
 


bluenitsuj

Listen to me!!!
Feb 26, 2011
4,301
Willingdon
Entering into the doomed area of the helmet debate. Wear one if you want, don't wear one if you choose not to. Just understand the risks and make informed decisions either way.

Agree its choice, personally i would want to do everything possible to protect me. It takes seconds to put on a helmet.
 


teaboy

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
1,840
My house
Agree its choice, personally i would want to do everything possible to protect me. It takes seconds to put on a helmet.

Fair enough, but a helmet is certainly the very last line of protection, and is only any use post-crash, and only if you hit your head. Prevention of the accident in the first place is much more useful, and helmets can give people (riders and motorists) a feeling of invincibility. I ride with a helmet on my 'fast' bikes, and without on my 'slow' bike. I also ride in a very different way, and for different reasons.
 




Shropshire Seagull

Well-known member
Nov 5, 2004
8,477
Telford
The helmet debate always reminds me of a statistics lecture when doing my degree.

During the 1st world war the British army introduced tin helmets to replace cloth berets, caps and hats.
This change increased dramatically the number of head injuries recorded.
How can this be, the war minister asked. Weren't tin helmets were supposed to reduce injuries?

Answer: fewer soldiers were being killed outright, the tin helmet reduced a previously fatal incident to a mere head injury but the stats alone, based on number of head injuries, was misleading.

Anyway, cycle helmets, wear one if you value your brain, as they reduce brain injuries - FACT
 


vegster

Sanity Clause
May 5, 2008
27,866
in Bolivia

A city in Bolivia has passed a law that will make it compulsory for residents to ride a bike once a week instead of using other means of transport to get around for their everyday trips.

Beatrice Zegarra, the councillor who proposed the law in Cochabamba, the South American country’s fourth largest city and home to some 600,000 people, hopes that it will come into force early in the new year.

The legislation was approved by the city council’s Committee for Urban Development, Planning and the Environment last week, reports Bolivian news website, Opinion.

It is aimed at not only reducing pollution, but also at improving the health of the city’s residents by introducing them to the benefits of using two wheels to get around, as part of promoting healthier lifestyles.

The law also provides for the construction of a major new cycle route, upgrading of existing ones, the provision of cycle parking at public and private workplaces and other institutions, and cycle training in schools.

Last month, the country’s president Evo Morales participated in a Day of Pedestrians and Cyclists in Defence of Mother Earth, held nationwide since 2011 but first instituted in Cochabamba a decade ago.

Each year, the day sees all motorised traffic in Bolivia halted for eight hours, leaving the streets free for people on foot or on bikes.


http://road.cc/content/news/96009-city-bolivia-passes-law-making-it-compulsory-ride-bikes

Come on Brighton, you know you want too.

Imagine how odd 8 hours without a single car would be.

Carnage, probably. Given cyclists already poor judgement of speed and compliance with Highway Code rules and guidelines.

http://www.theweek.co.uk/uk-news/55464/cyclist-badly-injured-new-cycle-safe-junction
 



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