Unexpected ally

[[email protected]]

Hi All,

In the most recent edition of the Norwegian magazine Motor which is
published by the Norwegian automobile association NAF (basically a
consumer and lobbying group for motorists in Norway), the editor's
column came down hard on segregated bike paths. The editor points out
that they are more dangerous that riding with traffic, and he
encourages cyclists to use the road instead, unless they are
travelling at a walking pace.

This is something that has been common knowledge for cyclists for some
time, so it was quite a pleasant surprise to see support for this
reasoning coming from such an unexpected source.

Joseph

[John Kane]

On May 17, 4:02 pm, "
> wrote:
> Hi All,
>
> In the most recent edition of the Norwegian magazine Motor which is
> published by the Norwegian automobile association NAF (basically a
> consumer and lobbying group for motorists in Norway), the editor's
> column came down hard on segregated bike paths. The editor points out
> that they are more dangerous that riding with traffic, and he
> encourages cyclists to use the road instead, unless they are
> travelling at a walking pace.
>
> This is something that has been common knowledge for cyclists for some
> time, so it was quite a pleasant surprise to see support for this
> reasoning coming from such an unexpected source.
>
> Joseph

You don't think the real editor has been kidnapped by fanatical
cyclists and replaced by a clone do you ?

John Kane, Kingston ON Canada

[Ivar Hesselager]

Den 17.05.2007 kl. 22:04 skrev John Kane >:

> On May 17, 4:02 pm, "
> > wrote:
>> Hi All,
>>
>
> You don't think the real editor has been kidnapped by fanatical
> cyclists and replaced by a clone do you ?
>
> John Kane, Kingston ON Canada
>

I have previously read about simular conlusions in danish newspapers - but
I have not gone in to checking the statistiscs myself. I will try to do
that now, beacause I also think it likely to be true, that bikelanes are
more dangerous than no bikelanes.

Ivar of Denmark

[John Kane]

On May 17, 5:44 pm, "Ivar Hesselager" >
wrote:
> Den 17.05.2007 kl. 22:04 skrev John Kane >:
>
> > On May 17, 4:02 pm, "
> > > wrote:
> >> Hi All,
>
> > You don't think the real editor has been kidnapped by fanatical
> > cyclists and replaced by a clone do you ?
>
> > John Kane, Kingston ON Canada
>
> I have previously read about simular conlusions in danish newspapers - but
> I have not gone in to checking the statistiscs myself. I will try to do
> that now, beacause I also think it likely to be true, that bikelanes are
> more dangerous than no bikelanes.
>
> Ivar of Denmark

All the research that I have seen says that this is true. I have seen
figures for Denmark and Finland that support this. Also I believe John
Franklin in the UK has reported on bike paths in Milton Keynes and
come to the same conclusions. Have a look at his annotated
bibliography http://www.cyclecraft.co.uk/digest/research.html


I was just surprised an editor of an auto magazine would say so.

John Kane, Kingston ON Canada

[John Kane]

On May 17, 5:44 pm, "Ivar Hesselager" >
wrote:
> Den 17.05.2007 kl. 22:04 skrev John Kane >:
>
> > On May 17, 4:02 pm, "
> > > wrote:
> >> Hi All,
>
> > You don't think the real editor has been kidnapped by fanatical
> > cyclists and replaced by a clone do you ?
>
> > John Kane, Kingston ON Canada
>
> I have previously read about simular conlusions in danish newspapers - but
> I have not gone in to checking the statistiscs myself. I will try to do
> that now, beacause I also think it likely to be true, that bikelanes are
> more dangerous than no bikelanes.
>
> Ivar of Denmark

All the research that I have seen says that this is true. I have seen
figures for Denmark and Finland that support this. Also I believe John
Franklin in the UK has reported on bike paths in Milton Keynes and
come to the same conclusions. Have a look at his annotated
bibliography http://www.cyclecraft.co.uk/digest/research.html


I was just surprised an editor of an auto magazine would say so.

John Kane, Kingston ON Canada

[Patrick Lamb]

On 17 May 2007 13:02:09 -0700, "
> wrote:
>In the most recent edition of the Norwegian magazine Motor which is
>published by the Norwegian automobile association NAF (basically a
>consumer and lobbying group for motorists in Norway), the editor's
>column came down hard on segregated bike paths. The editor points out
>that they are more dangerous that riding with traffic, and he
>encourages cyclists to use the road instead, unless they are
>travelling at a walking pace.
>
>This is something that has been common knowledge for cyclists for some
>time, so it was quite a pleasant surprise to see support for this
>reasoning coming from such an unexpected source.

Was this the April Fool's edition? Adventure Cycling pulled one off
by sending theirs out three weeks late...

Email address works as is.

[Wayne Pein]

>>In the most recent edition of the Norwegian magazine Motor which is
>>published by the Norwegian automobile association NAF (basically a
>>consumer and lobbying group for motorists in Norway), the editor's
>>column came down hard on segregated bike paths. The editor points out
>>that they are more dangerous that riding with traffic, and he
>>encourages cyclists to use the road instead, unless they are
>>travelling at a walking pace.
>>
>>This is something that has been common knowledge for cyclists for some
>>time, so it was quite a pleasant surprise to see support for this
>>reasoning coming from such an unexpected source.

IF there were an ulterior motive, it might be that the added
intersections of bike paths with roads is more of an annoyance in terms
of delay to motorists than having bicyclists on the roads. Also, rather
than being strictly altruistic with concern for the safety of
bicyclists, the motoring organization may be more concerned about their
insurance/liability issues.

Wayne

[[email protected]]

On May 18, 2:26 am, John Kane > wrote:
> On May 17, 5:44 pm, "Ivar Hesselager" >
> wrote:
>
>
>
> > Den 17.05.2007 kl. 22:04 skrev John Kane >:
>
> > > On May 17, 4:02 pm, "
> > > > wrote:
> > >> Hi All,
>
> > > You don't think the real editor has been kidnapped by fanatical
> > > cyclists and replaced by a clone do you ?
>
> > > John Kane, Kingston ON Canada
>
> > I have previously read about simular conlusions in danish newspapers - but
> > I have not gone in to checking the statistiscs myself. I will try to do
> > that now, beacause I also think it likely to be true, that bikelanes are
> > more dangerous than no bikelanes.
>
> > Ivar of Denmark
>
> All the research that I have seen says that this is true. I have seen
> figures for Denmark and Finland that support this. Also I believe John
> Franklin in the UK has reported on bike paths in Milton Keynes and
> come to the same conclusions. Have a look at his annotated
> bibliographyhttp://www.cyclecraft.co.uk/digest/research.html
>
> I was just surprised an editor of an auto magazine would say so.

Most reasonable people agree when I present my argument for why the
paths are dangerous, and the editor of the magazine is apparently a
reasonable person, so I wasn't really surprised that he would agree
with these things were he aware, but more surprised that he would deem
them imporatnt enough to warrant an editors column.

Joseph