Journalism and cycling

Chuchote

Muahahaha wrote: »

Anyone hear George Hooks latest on cycling during the week? He had some Danish professor on who revealed that Copenhagen now has more cyclists entering the city every day than motorists. By Hooks standards it was reasonably balanced. He still had to ask if the Danish tax and licence bikes though :rolleyes:

Has anyone rung in and suggested that cyclists should pay €10 per year for road wear, based on 100kg weight, and cars should pay €15m, based on 1,500kg weight? It mightn't be kind, though

AndrewJRenko

Chuchote wrote: »

May I disagree? There are houses, lots of houses, lying empty; some of them derelict and others in perfectly good condition. What there isn't is any means of prising them free of their owners' gripping fingers to allow others to live in them.

That's certainly an issue, though I don't know if it is a huge issue. I'd agree with any 'vacancy' tax to ensure that empty properties are put to good use, but I'm not sure there is enough of them to make a huge difference. There are lots of empty sites, including the empty 14 story tower shell in Sandyford - prime location. Surely it would make some financial sense to finish this off and flog them before the bubble bursts again?

magicbastarder

a friend of a friend works in the planning section in DCC, and they've started the new system taxing vacant or derelict sites.

Chuchote

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

That's certainly an issue, though I don't know if it is a huge issue. I'd agree with any 'vacancy' tax to ensure that empty properties are put to good use, but I'm not sure there is enough of them to make a huge difference. There are lots of empty sites, including the empty 14 story tower shell in Sandyford - prime location. Surely it would make some financial sense to finish this off and flog them before the bubble bursts again?

http://www.thejournal.ie/empty-houses-homelessness-3265373-Mar2017/

There are 27 empty houses for every one person in emergency accommodation
The Simon Communities want vacant properties to be used to boost social housing supply.

Mar 2nd 2017, 7:00 AM
THERE ARE 27 empty houses for every one person in emergency accommodation, according to the Simon Communities.
The homeless and housing charity has said it is unacceptable that 198,358 homes lie empty in Ireland (about 13% of total housing stock) while 7,167 people live in emergency accommodation.

tomasrojo

Chuchote wrote: »

Has anyone rung in and suggested that cyclists should pay €10 per year for road wear, based on 100kg weight, and cars should pay €15m, based on 1,500kg weight? It mightn't be kind, though

Think it would be more like €0.5m, assuming road wear is proportional the fourth power of axle weight.

Chuchote

tomasrojo wrote: »

Think it would be more like €0.5m, assuming road wear is proportional the fourth power of axle weight.

Thanks, arithmetic not my strong point. Sounds like a fair deal still

AndrewJRenko

Chuchote wrote: »

http://www.thejournal.ie/empty-houses-homelessness-3265373-Mar2017/

That's mad, really didn't think the numbers were of that scale, especially excluding holiday homes. You'd have to wonder where are all these empty homes. I've done a bit of door-to-door work, and the noticeably derelict ones would be very much the exception, not the rule.

Chuchote

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

That's mad, really didn't think the numbers were of that scale, especially excluding holiday homes. You'd have to wonder where are all these empty homes. I've done a bit of door-to-door work, and the noticeably derelict ones would be very much the exception, not the rule.

Yeah, but not all the empty homes are noticeably derelict. Two that I know of in my neighbourhood are kept lawn-mowed by neighbours; one has lights coming on at night despite the electricity being cut off…

Chuchote

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jun/12/children-risk-air-pollution-cars-former-uk-chief-scientist-warns?CMP=share_btn_tw

Children are at risk of dangerous levels of air pollution in cars because exposure to toxic air is often far higher inside than outside vehicles, a former government chief scientific adviser has warned.

Prof Sir David King, writing for the Guardian, says walking or cycling to school would be much better for children’s health. The warning comes as the UK government faces a third legal defeat for failing to tackle the country’s illegal levels of air pollution. Air pollution is known to damage children’s developing lungs but recent research also indicates it harms children’s ability to learn at school and may damage their DNA.

“Children sitting in the backseat of vehicles are likely to be exposed to dangerous levels [of air pollution],” said King. “You may be driving a cleaner vehicle but your children are sitting in a box collecting toxic gases from all the vehicles around you.”

https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2017/jun/12/commuting-conversations-take-challenge-fellow-cyclist

As we kick off Guardian Cities cycle week we want to set our readers a challenge: have a conversation with a fellow cyclist.

It can be about cycling, perhaps the obvious thing you have in common, or something more general. A quick exchange of anecdotes, or deep philosophical musings on the meaning of life.

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/consumer/cars-v-bikes-why-two-wheels-are-better-than-four-1.3110758?utm_content=sf-man

Cars v bikes: Why two wheels are better than four
In honour of National Bike Week, here are 10 good reasons to switch to pedal power

ThisRegard

A discussion on Cycling in Ireland just starting on Newstalk at the moment.

CramCycle

Reasonable enough for a change. I'd disagree with a few statements, except for the "Is it safe?" by the presenter. He just wouldn't drop it.

The dutch lady made a very good point, "is it the buggy causing the danger" and the interviewer slipped and said, no it is the other drivers and lorries on the road.

ThisRegard

Yeah, it was a pretty good segment for a change, some good points well made. He did walk himself into what makes cycling dangerous and the whole mild hysteria about kids on carriers, and moved on from it once he gave the obvious answer.

tomasrojo

Doctor Bob wrote: »

The Journal has a PDF of the full article at the end: http://www.thejournal.ie/cycling-to-work-study-3430971-Jun2017/?utm_source=shortlink

Just in passing ... one of the assumption in their model is that cyclists are more exposed to particulate matter and other forms of pollution than other road users.

I thought this was probably wrong when I read it, as other studies have shown that car occupants are more exposed. Here's another news report claiming that car occupants are exposed to more pollutants (with particular emphasis on children):
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jun/12/children-risk-air-pollution-cars-former-uk-chief-scientist-warns

“The best thing for all our health is to leave our cars behind,” said King, who now advises the British Lung Foundation. “It’s been shown that the health benefits of walking and cycling far outweigh the costs of breathing in pollution. If more drivers knew the damage they could be doing to their children, I think they’d think twice about getting in the car.”

EDIT: Just saw that Chuchote already posted this. Think it's of further interest in relation to the model study that was in the media last week, as I said.

Chuchote

More than 14,000 years of life are lost every year in Ireland due to particulates, which penetrate sensitive parts of the lungs, causing or worsening respiratory diseases such as asthma, emphysema and bronchitis. Particulates also aggravate heart disease.

And this study:

http://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/latest-news/cyclists-exposed-five-times-less-air-pollution-cars-experiment-suggests-133129#JoWRmJqpBJAspqdl.99

Cyclists exposed to five times less air pollution than those in cars, experiment suggests

In a video, shown on the Guardian website, by the Healthy Air Campaign, Kings College London, and Camden Council, air pollution detectors were fitted to one person driving a car, one on a bus, one on foot and one on a bike on a busy route across central London. One person also cycled and another walked on a quieter parallel route away from busy roads.

Air pollution is a big killer, causing 29,000 premature deaths each year in the UK and 4,300 in London. Road traffic, particularly diesel engines, is a major contributor to this.

Dr Ben Barratt, lecturer in air quality science at Kings College London, said: “By walking and cycling you’ll not only create less air pollution yourself but you can reduce your exposure to air pollution. You can take a step further by taking quieter routes away from this traffic.”

“But avoiding air pollution is not a sustainable option. This is a very important point. We need to take more action by government to reduce the amount of air pollution in cities.”

rubadub

Muahahaha wrote: »

By Hooks standards it was reasonably balanced. He still had to ask if the Danish tax and licence bikes though :rolleyes:

I'd love if your man said "of course, every country does don't they? what possible reason could there be not to?" playing his own game of acting the ignorant asshole.

I have no doubt he knew the answer already, but wonder if Hook knows some countries pay cyclists to go to work.

HivemindXX

tomasrojo wrote: »

Just in passing ... one of the assumption in their model is that cyclists are more exposed to particulate matter and other forms of pollution than other road users.

This is an issue that I've seen talked about before. The "more pollutants" metric is based on measuring everything and cars to filter out a lot of that stuff. However a lot of the stuff car filters remove is on the less dangerous end of things. The more dangerous pollutants are too small for car air filters to get rid of.

Kind of like how Conor Faughnan was trying to say people cause as much pollution as cars by focusing only on CO2 and ignoring NO and other dangerous particulates.

AndrewJRenko

rubadub wrote: »

I have no doubt he knew the answer already, but wonder if Hook knows some countries pay cyclists to go to work.

There is a fair chance that he would spontaneously combust in a black hole of indignation if you told him.

cjt156

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

There is a fair chance that he would spontaneously combust in a black hole of indignation if you told him.

...and what a loss to broadcasting that would be...

HivemindXX

Article in the Examiner with statistics on bicycle usage. The headline is about the gap between how many men versus women cycle but they actually have a bunch of stats on other things and some information about Bike Week.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/cycling-gender-gap-men-more-likely-to-cycle-daily-in-ireland-793219.html

Shame this didn't come out last week since Bike Week is already in progress but some more publicity is nice.

tomasrojo

HivemindXX wrote: »

Kind of like how Conor Faughnan was trying to say people cause as much pollution as cars by focusing only on CO2 and ignoring NO and other dangerous particulates.

The other part of that claim that's obtuse (or deliberately misleading) is that CO2 respired by humans is CO2 that was recently in the atmosphere, while CO2 from combustion of fossil fuels is CO2 that hasn't been in the atmosphere for millions of years. Effectively, it's the difference between spending money and printing money in the causes of inflation.

Chuchote

Macrons en vacances - M and Mmme Macron took to their bikes for their first holiday of the presidency; one picture of 15…

http://www.parismatch.com/Actu/Politique/Bain-de-foule-et-balade-a-velo-au-Touquet-pour-Emmanuel-et-Brigitte-Macron-1281656

Chuchote

Incidentally, today's poll in TheJournal is "Do you ever cycle?"

http://www.thejournal.ie/lunch-crunch-poll-cycling-3439578-Jun2017/

Currently at 38% No, 59% combined yesses, but No in the lead because of the structure of the poll.

I love Sean nos

Chuchote wrote: »

Incidentally, today's poll in TheJournal is "Do you ever cycle?"

http://www.thejournal.ie/lunch-crunch-poll-cycling-3439578-Jun2017/

Currently at 38% No, 59% combined yesses, but No in the lead because of the structure of the poll.

What a crock of an article. It starts with:

DUBLIN HAS THE highest percentage of people who cycle every day, according to new research by the Department of Transport.

There's no need for your lousy poll then, is there? The work has already been done. :rolleyes:

Only there to drive comments, which I'm not going to bother reading when I could be sandpapering my arsehole instead.

check_six

Heard a Road Safety Authority radio ad mentioning the 1.5m minimum passing distance.

As per normal operating procedures they have managed to muddle the message. They mention a 1.5m minimum passing distance (MPD) in areas where the speed limit is above 50kph, and a 1m MPD in areas where the speed limit is 50kph or less.

Now, as I understand it the 1m MPD is for areas where the speed limit is less than 50kph, ie. where the speed limit is 30kph.

I suppose the MPD rules are all just theoretical for the moment, but it's interesting to see how the RSA decided to reduce the MPD off their own bat.

Thanks RSA!

Chips Lovell

EDIT, apologies, I misread your post. I see the difference now.

TheChizler

check_six wrote: »

Now, as I understand it the 1m MPD is for areas where the speed limit is less than 50kph, ie. where the speed limit is 30kph.

I suppose the MPD rules are all just theoretical for the moment, but it's interesting to see how the RSA decided to reduce the MPD off their own bat.

Thanks RSA!

I had the opposite impression, up to and including 50 km/h is a 1 m gap, and above 1.5 m. Trying to remember where I read that.

mr spuckler

COLLEGE GREEN “CYCLISTS DISMOUNT” VOTE PASSED BY DECIDING VOTE

council reaffirming their love of all things cycling.

check_six

TheChizler wrote: »

I had the opposite impression, up to and including 50 km/h is a 1 m gap, and above 1.5 m. Trying to remember where I read that.

I think we can see where the waters are muddied here. We're not sure what the proposal is exactly and we're interested in the topic. How does it work for everyone else who is just boppin' about on the roads?

murf

mr spuckler wrote: »

COLLEGE GREEN “CYCLISTS DISMOUNT” VOTE PASSED BY DECIDING VOTE

council reaffirming their love of all things cycling.

Recipe for conflict. Nobody will believe you can't cycle across such a huge central space, and now it'll happen randomly without paths. Quality.

mr spuckler

murf wrote: »

Recipe for conflict. Nobody will believe you can't cycle across such a huge central space, and now it'll happen randomly without paths. Quality.

well it suggests that this is non-binding and has been overtaken by the later plans but just reflects the general attitude of the council towards cyclists and cycling infrastructure.