Pedestriansfirst“Bus or Lime bike? New subscription heats up the race for a cheaper commute. New pricing means it might be cheaper to e-cycle or e-scooter than get the bus.” Disastrous news for pedestrians. Why can’t people just walk? Oh it makes no money for the already rich. #Walking #EScooters #Capitalism
MJ Ray@pedestrians1st more people on lightweight transport instead of killer headway-chasing buses seems like it should be a win for pedestrians. It really disappoints me when walkers fight e-bikes and ignore the bigger danger
Christo. London, England@mjr @pedestrians1st
I am pro cycling just not on pavements, especially when the road is empty of traffic
I am pro cycling just not on pavements, especially when the road is empty of traffic
@Christo_459 @pedestrians1st I'm fine with that. But where government is failing to provide safe roads, people should be allowed to scoot along quiet pavements as long as they stop and give way to all wakers, disabled or not.
@Christo_459 @mjr That’s not how it works. Scooterists and cyclists do not like giving way to pedestrians.
I know, when I try to cross Old St at a green pedestrian crossing buses and cars stop but most bikes rush through. You have to have your wits about you to not get mown down. Then there are the cyclists who cyle on pavements at speed and the road is empty
@Christo_459 @mjr Let’s not forget the escooters which are silent but deadly. Often on the pavement and generally illegal to ride except with the landowners permission.
@pedestrians1st @Christo_459 but let's forget the motorists who kill dozens on pavements each year, eh?
@Christo_459 @mjr Just because motorists kill people on pavements doesn’t mean cyclists and scooterists should as well.
@pedestrians1st @Christo_459 and nobody is saying they should, but the ones who do will do so whether allowed or not. Focusing on a non-existent threat from possible legalisation of safe riders mainly discourages the ones we had nothing much to worry about anyway, while failing to tackle the killers who are already killing! It's really disappointing to see.
@pedestrians1st @Christo_459 I know it doesn't work like that at the moment. I'm suggesting how it should work.
@mjr @Christo_459 How it should work is cyclists should take great care around pedestrians and e-scooters should be banned.
@mjr I think it’s e-scooters on pavements that really upset pedestrians. Especially when they are killed!
@pedestrians1st 1. All England should have protected London-style cycleways for scooters and cycles, as well as pavements. 2. But even on pavements, motorists kill way more pedestrians, but walkers only seem to attack cyclists and scooters while largely ignoring killer drivers. It seems a bit distorted to me.
Mike 🇬🇧 🇪🇺@mjr @pedestrians1st
Unfortunately the default in the UK seems to becoming that cycling and escooters are acceptable on pavements rather than in the road.
Equally, pavement parking by motorists has become normalised.
It's only when you experience disability that you realise that British pavements have become an unnecessarily contested space.
Can we all agree to abide by the sensible rules in the Highway Code?
@MikeFromLFE @pedestrians1st yes, but only the sensible rules! "Be seen" and the other victim-blaming nonsense can go whistle!
@mjr @MikeFromLFE What victim blaming nonsense are you referring to?
Linux and praxis: part of the resistance 🇵🇸 ☮️@pedestrians1st @mjr @MikeFromLFE
There is a reason for every rule in the Highway Code.
@linuxgnome @pedestrians1st @MikeFromLFE often that reason seems to be that it was in a previous edition and the DfT ignore new research that shows a measure either doesn't help, or even actively harms the vulnerable.
@pedestrians1st @MikeFromLFE rule 3, for example. Too many people wearing reflectives mainly encourages motorists to look for reflectives instead of people and drive faster than they can stop within what they can see to be clear.
@mjr @pedestrians1st
I'd agree with that as a general principle - I used to do a lot of night cycling and at dusk and at night retro-reflective clothing can be highly visible.
I'm less convinced about the effectiveness of fluorescent clothes in daylight.
I'd agree with that as a general principle - I used to do a lot of night cycling and at dusk and at night retro-reflective clothing can be highly visible.
I'm less convinced about the effectiveness of fluorescent clothes in daylight.
@MikeFromLFE @pedestrians1st the problem is not that the killers can't see their victims. The problem is more often that they don't look properly, or are going too fast to look. No road user is actually invisible. Cosplaying as a road sign just helps them expect to look less carefully, harming anyone later in the journey not cosplaying. So wearing reflective is an antisocial beggar-thy-neighbour
@MikeFromLFE @mjr @pedestrians1st
and parents with prams. Local authorities now have the power and must levy fines for parking on pavements.