http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: US lawmaker blames bicycle breath for global warming gas en Mon, 01 Jun 2026 04:34:02 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9622#post-103072 Wed, 06 Mar 2013 14:38:45 +0000 Arellcat 103072@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>... but [aimed] at commentors who consider cycles to be damaging the road surface, and who should be not allowed free use of them</em></p> <p>That was my point. Cyclists would, as a group, perhaps prefer taxation based on surface damage—because we know that it would be negligible for bicycles, and considerable for motor vehicles—or atmospheric damage, for which the bicycle is also the clear winner. Taxation based on greater/lesser right to use is already a spurious argument because of the way roads and paths are funded from general finances and the way rights are described in law. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9622#post-103060 Wed, 06 Mar 2013 14:20:54 +0000 Uberuce 103060@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I've read a couple of time that LRT buses are particularly bad because they ride so low on their axles. I can't for the life of me figure out why that makes any difference. Well, unless it's because they've got such long wheelbase that each axle stresses the surfacing as two separate compression/expansion events while a shorter wheelbase shares some of it. Doesn't seem likely to me, but I ain't a knowy-thingy guy in these matter. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9622#post-103051 Wed, 06 Mar 2013 14:09:03 +0000 slowcoach 103051@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The damage is related to the axle/wheel load rather than overall weight. Depending on other things the power can vary from 3 to 6. Taking it as 4th power, a vehicle with 2 axles of 10t each would cause 8 times as much damage as the same overall weight spread over 4 axles of 5t. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9622#post-102953 Tue, 05 Mar 2013 17:40:22 +0000 fimm 102953@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Apparently the damage to the road is proportionate to the fourth power of the weight of the vehicle. So if you were to tax a cyclist 1p a year for the damage they do to the road, you'd have to tax a car £1000.</p> <p>I hope I've got this right - I'm quoting a civil engineer friend who knew what he was talking about but I may have mis-remembered... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9622#post-102942 Tue, 05 Mar 2013 16:46:00 +0000 cc 102942@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Hmm, that'd put the average bus fare up fairly substantially I should think, and the cost of everything delivered by lorry. ... Hey, that might result in a huge increase in the cost of petrol. Whoops! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9622#post-102940 Tue, 05 Mar 2013 16:36:58 +0000 DaveC 102940@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Arellcat typed "<em>Both articles and their comments suggest a preference for taxation according to damage (air, <strong>road surface</strong>, etc.) rather than taxation on desire to use.</em>"</p> <p>...because of course the damage cyclists do to the road surface is horrendous!! as can be seen on the NEPN which is littered with potholes and other depredded sections of carrageway!!</p> <p>Not aimed at you Arellcat, but at that commentors who consider cycles to be damaging the road surface, and who should be not allowed free use of them (disregarding the fact that everyone who pays Council Tax funds roads locally) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9622#post-102935 Tue, 05 Mar 2013 16:13:58 +0000 Snowy 102935@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>It's quite bonkers.</p> <p>I found myself thinking, "Just as well they forgot to mention cyclist methane emissions"</p> <p>(apologies for lowering the tone) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9622#post-102929 Tue, 05 Mar 2013 15:10:21 +0000 Radgeworks 102929@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>And was originally found here prior to this post...</p> <p> <a href="http://www.activistpost.com/2013/03/tax-bicyclists-for-exhaling-co2-when.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.activistpost.com/2013/03/tax-bicyclists-for-exhaling-co2-when.html</a></p> <p>Nearly laughed maself sick at this nonsense, this should be read purely as entertainment, and with a suitably large dose of salt....</p> <p>R </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9622#post-102928 Tue, 05 Mar 2013 14:46:18 +0000 Arellcat 102928@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>And as BikePortland reports, Orcutt has responded quite quickly to offer an olive branch to cyclists. Well, maybe more of a twig than a branch.</p> <p><a href="http://bikeportland.org/2013/03/04/rep-ed-orcutt-responds-apologizes-for-email-confusion-83716" rel="nofollow">http://bikeportland.org/2013/03/04/rep-ed-orcutt-responds-apologizes-for-email-confusion-83716</a></p> <p>The response has also made these shores, on road.cc:</p> <p><a href="http://road.cc/content/news/77533-us-politician-apologises-saying-cyclists-heavy-breathing-helps-cause-global" rel="nofollow">http://road.cc/content/news/77533-us-politician-apologises-saying-cyclists-heavy-breathing-helps-cause-global</a></p> <p>Both articles and their comments suggest a preference for taxation according to damage (air, road surface, etc.) rather than taxation on desire to use. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9622#post-102911 Tue, 05 Mar 2013 13:14:40 +0000 Uberuce 102911@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>More evidence for my theory that people shouldn't be allowed to hold public office until demonstrating a basic grasp of maths, the scientific method and knowledge of available evidence. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9622#post-102909 Tue, 05 Mar 2013 13:10:51 +0000 Snowy 102909@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><a href="http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/03/05/bicyclists_as_polluters/"><a href="http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/03/05/bicyclists_as_polluters/" rel="nofollow">http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/03/05/bicyclists_as_polluters/</a><br /> </a></p> <p>Talk about grasping at straws... </p>