I am not sure if there is anything that can be done that will change the mode of transport people choose, without some sort of negative force on the alternatives. There are so many problems, so many distorted attitudes, so many long term planning choices to overcome. That doesn't even cover the innate laziness of everyone...
The huge decline in road cycling events over the past 50 years and the massive growth in MTB and the recovery of cyclocross indicates people have taken bikes off the roads. "Cycle traffic declined from 23 to 5 billion passenger kilometres between 1952 and 2006", and blips like 2001 onwards are only significant when you ignore the massive falls of the past 50 years. Even the success of sportives is partly due to road closures/policing (and their costs are going up as they attempt to keep motor vehicles and bikes apart), and although clubs like ERB are huge, I just sense that road biking is continuing to decline.
The whole dutch, basket upright, cute girls with swishing dresses, is a great goal (and I for one, want!), and I would welcome the death of the roadwarriorz crap that I have encountered (and been guilty of) if it helped. I tend to think, however, that we evolved down a different line, and "we found ouselves in dark woods; and the right road was wholly gone and lost" and getting back is not an option until we survive through this phase into something else. Perhaps that is all we can do; mitigate the worst through campaigns, and try and be decent, considerate cyclists, and crucially, stay alive out there.
I am depressing myself. "Never surrender, never give up", and I completely support Spokes/CTC, and I have been a member of the BCF for years, but cycle paths are in the gutter for a reason. They are telling us something.
Bitter? You bet.
posts
