Tag: transport
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Worst invention ever
I’ve heard designers say the customer is not always right because if Henry Ford had asked his customers what they wanted they’d have replied with, “A faster horse.” I disagree. The car is the worst invention in the history of all humankind. Some 3,287 people die every day in road crashes and more than half…
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Bikes and mikes
I gave a talk at the monthly climate cafe last night about my petition for a bike path on Union St. It started badly. The microphone was too short and in my attempt to adjust it I dropped the clicker to advance my slides. When it hit the floor the back came off and the…
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Is HS2 coming to Aberdeen?
We received a funny letter yesterday, addressed to The Occupier and with our full address in Aberdeen on the front. Inside was a notice about impending archaeology works in our local area in preparation for HS2. HS2 is a new high speed train being built in England to connect London with the north. You can…
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Pedal on Parliament 2018, Aberdeen
It was the Aberdeen Pedal on Parliament today. The Pedal on Parliament is a demonstration for safe cycling infrastructure throughout Scotland. The main event was in Edinburgh on Saturday but there were two smaller events, one in Aberdeen and the other in Inverness. It’s the fourth year running for Aberdeen and we had 80-100 people…
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Pedal on Parliament Aberdeen 2018
When: Sunday 29th April at 11am Where: Starting at Rubislaw Terrace Gardens and cycling along Albyn Street, then Union Street and finishing up at The Town House on Broad Street. Pedal on Parliament is an annual event to promote bike-friendly cities in Scotland. The Scottish government wants to increase rates of cycling but money has…
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Bike path for Union Street
Which of the following two photos do you think looks better? Union Street without a bike path: Union Street with a bike path: The second photo is an artist’s impression produced by Cycling UK. It was a year ago last month that I discovered the city council had no plans for a bike path through…
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Make Union Street Great Again!
I made a few signs about the event coming up in Aberdeen on Saturday, 3rd February, asking for a bike path for Union St. I put one of the signs in Foodstory on the weekend and they took a photo of it and posted it to Facebook! Foodstory are the best. Please go there! I’m…
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Calling all Aberdonians!
Where: At the King Edward statue, corner of Union Street and Union Terrace. When: Saturday 3rd February from 11:30am – 12:30pm. Aberdeen City Council wants to pedestrianise the city centre but there are no plans for a protected bike path on Union Street. The best way to get more people on bikes is to give…
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Part-pedestrianisation of Broad St
To say I was disappointed when the Aberdeen City Council announced in June 2016 they were to go ahead with a part-pedestrianisation of Broad St is to say I’m unmoved by a bit of snow. Perhaps I get too emotional about these things but just as I’m overjoyed to see snow, I was deeply saddened…
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Cargo bike options for older kids and adults
We’ve had Busby our bakfiets for almost 5 years now. He has been a fantastic investment and I’ve got so much use out of him. However for the past couple of years I’ve struggled as the kids are bigger and heavier than they once were. The hills are much harder than they used to be…
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I am not a cyclist
This is a cyclist: This is me: A cyclist has special clothing for cycling, a helmet, an expensive bike, clip-on shoes, and they travel fast. I, on the other hand, cycle slowly, I don’t wear any special clothing, and I’m terrified of those clip-on shoes cyclists wear. I ride my bike in regular clothes. I…
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Goodbye goody two-shoes
Yesterday I did everything in my power to kill myself accidentally. It’s fortunate I survived because today is my birthday and I’m now the meaning of life, 42. I’m a bit of a goody two-shoes but this is only because I don’t like getting into trouble. This makes it doubly painful when I do the…
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Pedal on Parliament 2017 Aberdeen
We gathered on the Beach Esplanade at 11am this morning for the Aberdeen Pedal on Parliament ride. This is the third year running for Aberdeen and the sixth year for Pedal on Parliament in Scotland. We were an energetic, cheerful, and brave crowd hoping to convince the Aberdeen City Council to give some road space…
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Why do some people hate cyclists?
After being the recipient of some verbal abuse recently I got to thinking about what it is that aggravates some people by the sight of cyclists. Why do people have such a passionate dislike of cyclists? To be clear, the cyclist-hating types are a minority and on the whole my experience of motorists here in Aberdeen lifts my…
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Moan, moan, moan – that’s all I seem to do
I feel like I’m always complaining to the Aberdeen City Council. It’s just that they keep making silly decisions and not doing what I suggest. This week they announced their plans for pedestrianisation of an historic street in the city centre only their idea of pedestrianisation is to make it a thoroughfare for buses. Don’t…
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Dressed for the destination, not the journey
This YouTube video comparing cycling in Holland with cycling in Britain is truly wonderful and well worth watching. What is particularly interesting is that it wasn’t always this way in Holland. They used to have the same problems we have with traffic and air pollution but a spate of child deaths sparked protests and so began the start of policy which…
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I’m getting a new bike!
I am so close to ordering a new bike. I have been lusting after a new bike for ages and ages now and finally I’ve decided what I want and we’re about to place an order. The delay is because Ben is being very annoying and wants to make sure the bike will fit through…
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Bicycle rush hour in Copenhagen
I saw this great YouTube footage of bicycle rush hour in Copenhagen on the Copenhagenize site. As you watch it, imagine how different it would look if each of those cyclists or even the majority of them, were in private motor vehicles instead. Also notice how hardly any of the cyclists are wearing helmets or hi-viz clothing…
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A rant … feeling better already
I have just read the most extraordinary articles and need to have another rant to calm myself down. A friend of mine in Christchurch hinted that there had been some objections to building bicycle paths in the city and so I searched to find out more. Big mistake that was! I should not have read…
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What is commuter cycling?
People in English-speaking countries don’t understand commuter cycling. I went into one of those outdoor sports shops this morning looking for waterproof tights. When I cycle in the rain my raincoat keeps my upper body dry and my boots keep my feet and calves dry. But the bit from my knees to the bottom of…
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