My current pet peeve is people complaining about the ‘cost’ of protected bike lanes because “people on bikes don’t pay their way”.

Beyond even the data showing just how much private car ownership is already subsidized, can we just take a moment and acknowledge: We wouldn’t need protected lanes at all if cars were not killing and injuring so many people.

It’s like the owner of an animal bemoaning the cost of an enclosure for their animal, which keeps killing and maiming members of the public as they pass by.

It’s not the victim’s fault the enclosure is needed, and it’s not the fault of someone riding a bike they need protection in a public space.

  • @[email protected]English
    5•4 months ago

    Well couldn’t you just say the car taxes and such pay their way on the car road and the bikers “pay” for the bike lanes (which needs much less maintenance)? Just a rhetorical question, I’m guessing the people who make this argument never think this far.

    People in many communities around the world use bicycles for most of their daily errands.

    Haha, you don’t have to tell me, I live in Copenhagen and do that myself :)

    • @[email protected]English
      8•4 months ago

      There’s no specific taxes on cyclists to help pay for the lanes I think is the reasoning. But it’s silly regardless, by cycling you help improve streets in other ways - reducing need for maintenance, reducing traffic, freeing up parking etc. Cyclists and pedestrians are good for cars, too. It’s just driving a car makes most people irrationally angry for some reason so all the benefits are lost on them.

    • @[email protected]English
      3•4 months ago

      I would love to get to Copenhagen. I spent a month in Berlin last summer and the sheer volume of cyclists stunned me. Compared to the last time I was there the rate of cycling was through the roof.

      So many people were moving things on bikes and it was great. The city has also strongly discouraged downtown driving along Unter den Linden so even during work days it has lots of empty street at times. It has made the city much nicer to walk around in.

      I’ve been trying to move to Europe for a couple of years now. Once I work out family issues I’ll be there like a shot. It’s a much more humanist place to be and I am ready for that kind of life.

      • @[email protected]English
        3•4 months ago

        You’ll likely see even more bikes in Copenhagen haha! :D

        Moving to Denmark is not easy though, especially if you’re not in the EU. But it is possible.

        • @[email protected]English
          2•4 months ago

          I have seen some footage and the numbers on bike use in Copenhagen. You’re kicking it out of the park.

          I applied to Københavns Universitet, but didn’t get the interview. So far my best luck has been Germany and Finland for faculty appointments. I’ll get over there soon.

    • @fruitycoderEnglish
      1•4 months ago

      I wonder what tax could be limited to just bikers? Like all bike sales in the city? A tag system? Bike tolls? Personally property taxes of places connected by the lanes make the most sense to me. If its from a public transport stop maybe include that in that transport cost structure?