Polution and Anti Car

ianhargreaves

Why are there so many people driving vehicles that can carry 5 people using them solo? If you insist on being a fat ass and using a motor vehicle then use a scooter, at least the resulting polution is more apportioned to the amount of people being transported on the vehicle. There's just no need for 1 person to drive a whole car. Yes ok, many families own a car that one person commutes in but how many single people do the same? Too many.

Why do people insist on using 'high status' off road vehicles? They don't get you from A-B any quicker, they often don't carry more people and if you hit somone with one in an accident you'll do them more damage.
http://www.sundayherald.com/38681
http://www.brake.org.uk/index.php?p=267
http://www.brass.cf.ac.uk/uploads/c...iclesPW0105.pdf
http://www.walk.com.au/pedestrianco....asp?PageID=410
There's many more sites dedicated to these points.

What are the benefits of riding to work given the pollution is so high it negates all other CVR training benefits you gain?
http://www.bikebiz.co.uk/daily-news/article.php?id=5889
http://www.guardian.co.uk/life/this...1555320,00.html

Why are there not more cycle lanes?

Why is there not more legislation to MAKE people get off their fat asses and use more environ friendley modes of transport? Without legislation i.e. making a nanny state, this will not change.

Yes I'm ranting! I ride to work 4 days a week and I work in Manchester City Centre. The smog is unbarable in the heat and there is no need, yes NO need for so many cars. People are lazy and use any excuse to drive rather than use other more conciouse modes of transport. I'm not anti motor I'm just anti unnessessary use of motor. Get a single person motor, car pool, use public transport or best of all, use man power. Man power is totaly non polluting. Yes that means walking or cycling but my god we're a fat country heading toward american sizes and no one cares! Car sales up, obesity up, pollution up. OK It's more conveniant, but at what cost? Pollution caused heart desease? Our lungs? Asthma? Pedestrian - mainly children - accidents? the planet we live on? When will we care?

When it's too late, that's when.

Pete E

If you want to be more comfortable getting to work, pay some car tax and drive!


When you start paying road tax on your bike, then you will have a right to complain about the roads and cyclepaths or lack of them!

And finnaly who gives you the right to dictate to others what the drive? they *pay* for the privilage, so mind your own buisness!

ianhargreaves

I am comfortable getting to work. I think if you read my post then you'll find no mention of being uncomfortable. It's in English, our common language.

I'd have no problem paying road tax, on the promise that cyclists got a dedicated space on the roads and not just on the basis that I'm allowed to use drivers patch nad pay tax anyway. The main reason we don't pay road tax currently is because 2 wheels at 23mm thick (and only 10mm actualy rolls on the road) at a total weight of about 85kg (depending on rider ofcourse) does not damage the road unlike your cars do so it would be draconian to make us pay road tax without the promise that it would go to cycle lane maninance and improval. On the basis that cycles cause so little damage to roads then it would ofcourse have to be appropriatly apportioned to suit which would make cyclist road tax negligable (just my opinion though I accept I may be wrong). Also you'd need to bring in a registration system for bikes and this would then have to be visable for other road users to see so I think your idea would never work.

Who gives you the right to dictate to a smack head over the road not to keep dealing in your area? They "pollute" the area but also pay for the privilage. The law does, so why not change law so suit the health of the country in the same way as drug laws? I argue for why you shouldnt have the right. You never argued WHY you should, you just rubbed it in my face that you do currently have the right so I'm still non the wiser. I want to know WHY people think they should keep the right to own unnessessary modes of transport?
This is not a fight, this is a discussion. Like I said, I'm not anti car just I think we need to use them differently, less often and less polluting versions.

No one gives me the right to dictate anything in this world nor do I claim the right but you cannot dispute the information I put forward. It's all correct and if followed would have a definate improvement on road safty and pollution levels and what's the harm in that?

What give anyone the right to choose a high polluting, dangerouse 4x4. The law does and it's not illegal so no one can stop you. What I'm calling for is for people who don't need them to reconsider. There's no essential need for this many cars on the road you you can't argue otherwise. The only reason a majority of car users argue as vigerously as you is because it's a luxury, that's all. Only a luxury that people do no wish to sacrifice.

There, that's not dictating. It's urging for change, reconsideration of car culture and legislation to influence people away from unessissary car use to less polluting and less dangerouse modes of transport. I'm sorry but the air I breath is not an option and if it polluted by car users why should I not want change?

stokell

If I may break in here...
I no longer live in Britain, but I do ride there, usually every year or so. I am not especially familiar with Manchester, but I think Sustrans is doing a reasonable job of promoting bike use.

That said; I have observed over the last decade or more a disturbing trend of more bigger cars and the same small, crowded roads.

In Canada, where petrol is just over $1 per litre, the sales of those silly big SUVs has plummeted. The company mainly responsible, General Motors is on the verge of bankruptcy and will probably be taken over by Renault. In Toronto people routinely drive 1-2 hours to work, travelling a distance of up to 150 kilometres. People say the houses are cheaper in the suburbs, but 2 people in our office are renting out in the suburbs. They could easily rent much closer to work.

Bottom line is you can't convince people not to drive by appealling to their goodness and common sense. You have to tax them to the point where the only way they can afford to drive is by sharing and maybe then some of them will live a reasonable distance from work.

I guess we get the last laugh in a way because when the petoleum based economy collapses, we'll be ready.

__________________
Allan Stokell
one less car
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/stokell

Cyclaholic

As a cyclist I'll happily pay a road tax, that means that I'll be entitled to use any/all the road and you'll have no right to do anything but sit patiently behind me at 10mph.

As far as the OP is concerned the big issue is AIR POLLUTION. If we're going to be fair then lets have not only a road tax but also an air tax. Since the motor uses and pollutes the same air that we all have to breathe then it's only fair that the user of a motor should pay for the air they pollute, bicycles will also pay a pollution tax, since they generate 0 pollution the tax would be 0. Can't get fairer than that I don't think.