The Big 'Let's sell our cars and take buses/ebikes instead' thread (warning: probably very dull)
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No, I don't, I'm sorry. If you live in a city there are other transit options available. And I commuted into one using other transport options for a very long time. When I've lived in cities, I haven't driven around them much, because it's a stupid way to travel.
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Genuinely lost as to what I am sure can’t happen. The emergency services get a say in the introduction of LTNs (and other things such as traffic calming). If they have a genuine concern it will impact on response times and safety they will object. It would be a brave / foolish highway authority to ignore a formal objection. Not saying it can never happen but I think most of the times it gets raised as an issue it is by members of the public trying to use it as a reason rather than the actual emergency services.
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You should read the article about the report on LTNs.
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No. I chose to move.
There will always be traffic once you go beyond your little LTN bubble.
"I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]0 -
That's a Guardian article so it's interpretation of the report is unlikely to be unbiased. It says that local people tend to support them which implies those are people who live in LTNs. See my point above.
"I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]0 -
Read, see my moments above.
Did you read the link I posted about the cancelled LTN?
"I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]0 -
I don't understand the rationale that the opinions of the people who live in them doesn't count as much h, or can be regarded as distorting the figures somehow.
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Yes. The suspended ltn where they are about to put in a bike lane like I said before.
When they've sorted the issues I wouldn't be surprised to see it come back.
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Is that the only bit you took from it? It says a lot more.
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I am simply casting doubt on the Guardian commentary, which colours the whole thing. May be worth looking beyond one single survey as well.
Why don't you tell me what you think instead of this patronising 'have you read it?' approach.
"I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]0 -
Anyway, the Conservative policy is "we will make the road outside your house worse", despite what the report says.
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I'm sure that's what you're hoping for.
"I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]0 -
Think of it a bit like people supporting tax cuts which benefit them.
"I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]0 -
Well you hadn't read it when you first replied, so it's not patronising, is it?
I think LTNs are usually a good thing. Through traffic should be generally on main roads.
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You assumed that, which is also patronising.
You said you live in one, so no surprise you're supportive but you can't claim to be unbiased on this. I don't live in one - or near one, thankfully.
"I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]0 -
You seem to care a lot about them for someone that doesn't live near or in one.
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Not sure it's that different. If that particular LTN was poorly designed then it's quite right that it should be suspended and re-thought. Streatham Wells is right next to a junction on a major South London thoroughfare.
Having ridden through that junction every weekday day for several years it was never not busy. It is and will always be a bottle neck. The road narrows and there's no option to widen it so I can see why people would try to go around the problem by cutting through the residential streets immediately behind the High Road. I did the same (on my bike) when traffic was really bad.bThat obviously needs a lot of careful thought to make that work. There are parked cars and pedestrians everywhere. There are also three different railway stations serving Streatham on different lines, so it's not like there aren't alternatives.
I'm not sure the failure of this particular attempt invalidates other more successful LTNs any more than one badly conceived roundabout means that all roundabouts should be changed to light controlled junctions.
Lastly, yes, poorly designed development can negatively affect an existing settlement, but having somewhere decent to live is a pretty fundamental necessity, whereas being able to drive through a few side streets to cut off a bit of a queue at some traffic lights - well it's handy, but hardly a basic requirement for a decent life.
1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
Pinnacle Monzonite
Part of the anti-growth coalition0 -
It's unlikely to be any more skewed than the Telegraph article you originally posted. Both have a view. It's just that you agree with one. Or to put it another way, you are biased against them - I'm not sure why as they must have minimal impact on you. Do you secretly yearn to spend your nights driving round the side streets of Streatham in a large German car with the bass turned up really loud?😁
1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
Pinnacle Monzonite
Part of the anti-growth coalition1 -
Frankly, if you are driving in from the sticks, you are causing the increased traffic, so your view is of much less value. If you don't like the delays, don't drive.
I live in one, it causes no problems for anyone.
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No it's IMBYism.
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Sometimes it's good to challenge the anti car groupthink that seems to exist on here. Doesn't do for all the these Cake Stoppers to be in an echo chamber.
"I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]1 -
That as well. Good we agree here 🙂
"I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]0 -
As mentioned above, sometimes it's good to challenge the anti car groupthink on here, otherwise some of you might start thinking that you're right and we can't have that 🙂
"I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]0 -
Funny how your experience is so rose tinted compared to what I have read and heard. Maybe as mentioned because you live in one.
"I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]0 -
Let's not also forget that councils like them because they are a big money spinner. For example:
"I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]0 -
Seems a win-win then - make residential streets nicer for the people who live in them, and help fund local services.
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Not sure what the problem is with this. It's generally accepted that certain roads have an additional charge. Toll roads have been around since the 18th century. It's also generally accepted that one function of variable road pricing is to modify behaviour and reduce traffic on certain roads. Why shouldn't Councils charge for driving on certain streets? It's no different from off-peak train tickets being cheaper or easyJet charging more for more popular flights. That isn't perceived as anti-flying.
It's not as though Councils of any political stripe don't need the money.
1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
Pinnacle Monzonite
Part of the anti-growth coalition0 -
I suspect that there may be a way for those drivers to avoid being penalised.
The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
I am not sure. You have no chance.Veronese68 wrote:PB is the most sensible person on here.0 -
Who is anti car other than me?
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