h a l f b a k e r yGetting blown into traffic is never fun.
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Recently, a Netherlands highway authority donated a bike (worth about 1.000€) to each of about 2.500 automobilists who where clogging the busy roads every morning, as documented by the highway video observation system. Their reason was to avoid the cost for adding a third lane to the existing highway.
In
Cologne they are building a new metro line which up to now is 14 years delayed, incurred cost of about €1.15 billion and will have an estimated passenger volume of 2.500/day. Wouldn't it be nice if they had given a small part of the money to the bikers instead?
Here is the proposal: each bicyclist gets paid by the state for each mile they travel. The actual distance can be measured with either a RFID chip on the bike and transponder stations at various strategic points in the city, or by a smartphone app which sends GPS data to a central server, or a combination of both. The money comes from the budgets for building new infrastructure like roads, bridges and public transport, and health insurance companies should also embrace and sponsor the idea.
Try it first in a medium-sized city on a flat terrain. Be prepared to close some roads for cars, as bicyclists will take over.
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hmm, just make bike share systems super cheap. Then the
absolute number of bikes stays in check. |
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Places that instate this system should deduct hours spent pedalling around and then showering and changing at work against the total state mandated paid vacation hours. I am aware that the shower /change time might not be necessary in some countries. |
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@bungston: I don't understand your rationale. If they are having fun doing a good thing they have to be punished for it? Driving to work has to be a bore lest it is unfair? |
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// deduct hours spent pedalling around and then showering
and changing at work// |
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You forgot the hours of smug conversation about how much
better they feel, the general cycling proselytizing, the nerdy
talk about the new titanium Brompton, fielding questions
about which group of cyclists it is that run red lights and
feeling inferior to those that cycle in only as training for
their Ironman triathalons. |
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@Bungston- I don't know how your office does it, but I put in
my work day from the time I get back to my desk after the
shower to the time I leave it to get changed for the ride
home. I don't see why what I do on my own time should
affect my vacation. |
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@bs0- We can spend the time talking about bikes or about
Nascar, not sure what difference it makes. |
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Paying people to not do something (drive) is a bad idea.
They don't have to ride a bike to not drive. Other options
exist. |
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Actually, this should not be necessary. If the gas
tax (or a per mile, per vehicle size tax) is set
correctly and used for building/maintaining roads,
then the more people drive, the more money
there is for building and maintaining roads. If
more people switch to bikes, there will be less
funds. If too many people switch to bikes, there
might need to be a bike tax to pay for expansion
of bike lanes, but for now we'll give those to the
cyclists for free since it would be too complicated
to implement a tax. |
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The tricky part with a public road system is
striking the right balance between different
people's needs. That will be very much affected
by what each person's time is worth to them, plus
a lot of other personal factors like risk tolerance. |
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//We can spend the time talking about bikes or about
Nascar, not sure what difference it makes.// |
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Bikes please, I've just got a brand new Brookes leather
saddle. Now, how do I go about accelerating the process of
getting a nice patina on it? It's far too shiny as it is. |
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// Now, how do I go about accelerating the process of getting a nice patina on it? // |
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Just ride it for 12 hours a day instead of 1. Also, apply lots of saddle soap and rain water. And as soon as you are beginning to feel comfortable (after 100 hours or so) buy another one for your second bike - or you will have to constantly switch saddles, as I do. |
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/ Now, how do I go about accelerating the process of getting a nice patina on it/ |
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You could leave the bike shorts at home. |
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wait; maybe I misunderstand what "patina" is. I thought patinas were shiny. |
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// leave the bike shorts at home // |
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That's a truly disgusting image .... |
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//Just ride it for 12 hours a day instead of 1// |
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There are people who ride an hour a day? Wow, I might get
to use all 3 speeds if I rode that much. What I don't
understand is that once I reach work, after about 6 mins, do
I just sort of ride around for another 54 mins? |
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I already saved tons of money & felt better when I was bike-
commuting. A few extra dollars wouldn't have been any
motivator. |
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What did bug me was how most people assumed I was
powerless, and biked just because I had to. |
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It's rather like racism. Even though 99% of the people are
nice, you still tend to bump into 1 person per day who will
disrespect you. On a bike, this can mean threatening your
life by taking your lane or opening a door. The good 99% of
people don't know what prejudice you're experiencing
because they aren't doing it, but it's still an every day
occurrence. |
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So, we don't need monetary incentives. We need cultural
changes. How can we make bikers look powerful? |
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Lasers. Actually, what I do (and I commute to work through very heavy traffic) is I have a 115dB airhorn to surprise pedestrians and motorists with. It can be pressurised with a normal bicycle pump. |
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I need one of those [hippo]. Being an avid bike rider I would
love to get paid for what I love to do. And I agree to what
[sophocles] said too. Culture in the US and other places,
needs to change drastically. People think I'm penny poor
because I ride my bike on the weekend. Oh wait... |
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([blissmiss] The brand name is "Airzound") |
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/How can we make bikers look powerful?/ |
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I am thinking the patina-enhanicng maneuver I suggested above may be at cross-purposes here. Empowered, perhaps? |
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Being disrespectful is what I am up to with these posts, sniggering all the while. Tittering, even. |
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But I think the issue with US car drivers is not disrespect but lack of driving skills. I would stand at a distance from some of these folks while they poured coffee. It is bad enough to share the road while armored in my behemoth. Entrusting my tender flesh to the attentiveness and good judgement of random drivers is terrifying. |
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/How can we make bikers look powerful?/ |
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A heavy duty rear rack is capable of carrying a single use
light anti-tank weapon. |
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Not that I'm making recommendations or anything. |
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//Raise fuel taxes (slowly). This will prioritise transport
where its needed, and remove pointless travel and
shipping from one side of the planet to the other// |
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SOME tax on ship and aircraft fuel would be a
phenomenal start. Unfortunately, early adopters would
see their trade suffer, and flight hubs would shift so that
only short hops with double fuel on board would land in
taxed countries. I think it would take a huge trading
block, say EU+US+China to agree on a tax before other
countries followed because they'd be missing out. |
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