tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37583332747236920.comments2023-09-27T16:07:50.948+01:00(Drawing) Rings Around The WorldJimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04831368698879583744noreply@blogger.comBlogger202125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37583332747236920.post-68084651827750832512015-05-04T16:37:20.935+01:002015-05-04T16:37:20.935+01:00Very interesting comparison and comments.
Does som...Very interesting comparison and comments.<br />Does someone know what's the year of the Dutch data? can't find it anymore. Thanks in advance.Tamarahttp://shift-transports.ch/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37583332747236920.post-67724663524446391322015-03-05T09:36:38.821+00:002015-03-05T09:36:38.821+00:00Thanks Rafael! I love your Rio map - it's a sh...Thanks Rafael! I love your Rio map - it's a shame Transport for London don't (as far as I know) publish GTFS data or someone could do something similar for London.Jimhttp://drawingrings.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37583332747236920.post-7335447211012239142015-03-05T09:30:06.295+00:002015-03-05T09:30:06.295+00:00Nice Map Jim! It reminds a bit the The Racial Dot ...Nice Map Jim! It reminds a bit the The Racial Dot Map but using a different approach to the dataviz http://demographics.coopercenter.org/DotMap/<br /><br />anyway, James is really a great expert on visualizing spatial data in R. He was also my inspiration to make this map here: <br /><br />http://urbandemographics.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/mapping-transit-system-of-rio-with-gtfs.htmlRafael H M Pereirahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06300384365846434244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37583332747236920.post-8915970979230341892014-06-17T13:14:42.114+01:002014-06-17T13:14:42.114+01:00Nice post! Can we see the R code, please?! Thanks!...Nice post! Can we see the R code, please?! Thanks!ARSalvacionhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17928207863865032653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37583332747236920.post-52955585157830055392014-02-18T03:32:32.379+00:002014-02-18T03:32:32.379+00:00Hi. I lived in London (Brixton) for 10 years. I no...Hi. I lived in London (Brixton) for 10 years. I now live in San Francisco.<br /><br />My perception is that the density of people on London's streets is higher than here but according to Wikipedia San Francisco's population density is higher at 6,800/km2 to London's 5,285/km2.<br /><br />What gives?Sinclair Z.https://www.blogger.com/profile/04572698774571076829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37583332747236920.post-5467120841159326532013-09-03T09:34:20.700+01:002013-09-03T09:34:20.700+01:00Looking at the list of junction types to avoid, it...Looking at the list of junction types to avoid, it also makes a difference to me if I know I'm going to end up with an uphill start. Right turn from a minor to major becomes a right pain and even straight through lights can be awkward, with traffic trying to pull past me before I'm in the pedalsbazzarghhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08012482229221537626noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37583332747236920.post-11453380587359694632013-08-27T17:18:09.227+01:002013-08-27T17:18:09.227+01:00Thank you for a very interesting and well presente...Thank you for a very interesting and well presented article. <br /><br />I am interested that going 'straight on where you need to change lanes to avoid left turning traffic', is a similar level of threat to turning right at multi lane roundabout. This concern needs to be addressed more in cycling design standards. I will re-look again.<br /><br />Also, I note the strong agreement to preferring<br />- cycling in a separate cycle lane<br />- try to avoid cycling with fast flowing traffic<br />- cycle in a road with less traffic<br /><br />Does this mean the London Cycling Design Standards (LCDS) have got it right? Where they note cycle lanes or tracks should be provided to assist cyclists where motor vehicle flows and/or speeds are medium or high (30+mph). So in a post 20mph environments, cycle lanes may become rare, unless the traffic volume is VPD is 3000 - 8000VPD 300-800VPH (medium), or 8000 - 10000VPD, 800-1000VPH (higher), or greater.<br /><br />And they provide a “target for quiet cycle routes along back streets, residential roads and roads through parks should be flows below 1500 veh/24hours and speeds below 20mph”<br /><br />But… what I feel Boroughs are following is the guidance from ‘Manual For Streets’ there is an emphasis where ‘cyclists should be catered for on the road if at all practicable’<br /><br />6.4.5 Cyclists are particularly sensitive to<br />traffic conditions. High speeds or high volumes<br />of traffic tend to discourage cycling. If traffic<br />conditions are inappropriate for on-street<br />cycling, the factors contributing to them need to<br />be addressed, if practicable, to make on-street<br />cycling satisfactory. This is described in more<br />detail in Chapter 7.<br /><br />6.4.8 Cyclists should be catered for on the<br />road if at all practicable. If cycle lanes are<br />installed, measures should be taken to prevent<br />them from being blocked by parked vehicles.<br />If cycle tracks are provided, they should be<br />physically segregated from footways/footpaths<br />if there is sufficient width available. However,<br />there is generally little point in segregating a<br />combined width of about 3.3 m or less. The<br />fear of being struck by cyclists is a significant<br />concern for many disabled people. Access<br />officers and consultation groups should be<br />involved in the decision-making process.<br /><br />Seems a disconnect here in UK design standards and cyclist's preference for safer accessibility for their routes or junction safety concerns. <br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37583332747236920.post-26187431901573625332013-08-14T16:46:32.189+01:002013-08-14T16:46:32.189+01:00No, I think cyclists in GB prefer residential stre...No, I think cyclists in GB prefer residential streets for the same reason, but the point you make in your very last sentence is well understood: even in Copenhagen - Steffen Rasmussen told a GLA committee hearing - there are certain junctions which some cyclists are known to avoid.<br /><br />If you have never cycled in London, it's difficult to explain how things still are, and how far we've still got to go. Sad to say, but the moral of this <a href="http://youtu.be/HArUmqqiL0s?t=3m58s" rel="nofollow">children's TV programme from the early 1970s</a> would not be entirely out of place in this day and age.<br /><br />The case is, it's actually very difficult to use the back streets, what with all the one-ways and the lack of good signage and what-not. If you don't have the confidence to cycle on a main road, then almost certainly you won't be using a bicycle for utility purposes.<br /><br />In a recent <a href="http://cyclelondoncity.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/2nd-september-london-cycling-campaign.html?showComment=1375258624599#c3396442154239976138" rel="nofollow">comment on the Cyclists in the City blog</a>, I wrote that the cycle networks in the Netherlands are developed around a combination of main road routes (treated) and back street routes (traffic-calmed). "So it's not a case of one or the other, but a combination of the both, and then let users decide which route suits them best."<br /><br />In London, cyclists effectively have "no choice other than to cycle through ridiculously designed road junctions", whereas in the Netherlands, they have two choices: they can either avoid the junction altogether, or they can cycle through the junction using well-designed facilities.<br /><br />It's going to take quite a long time for us to get to this point. We don't even have a functioning cycle network!<br />bikemapperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16902775699101288384noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37583332747236920.post-33299221292496728712013-08-14T10:07:05.340+01:002013-08-14T10:07:05.340+01:00Cyclists in NL prefer a quiet residential street t...Cyclists in NL prefer a quiet residential street to a path alongside busy traffic arteries for a different reason than their GB counterparts.<br />In NL the choice will be motivated by comfort: QUIET street vs path alongside busy (noisy, smelly) road. Both roads will be taken by all ages and gender without real problems, but comfort makes a preference. Like a luxury choice. The time people want to spend not riding along the busy road will be much less than these GB numbers (though I do not know of any research in NL in this matter), from what I hear from my fellow fietsers (NOT cyclists)<br />In GB I guess the choice will be motivated by safety (survival instinct), which I would consider a real problem. So the time lags people are willing to take to evade some situations, sound pretty extreme to my dutch ears. I do not know of any NL people giving the same sounds. We're just spoiled, clearly. KruidigMeisjehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13107816808016462178noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37583332747236920.post-85989839781225611502013-08-13T15:21:27.111+01:002013-08-13T15:21:27.111+01:00Thank you for bringing this research to my attenti...Thank you for bringing this research to my attention, which I am sure would otherwise have passed me by.<br /><br />I think the point needs to be emphatically made that this was primarily a survey of existing cyclists, with 81% of the respondents cycling at least twice a week, 71% having cycled in London for at least a year, and 69% feeling confident enough to cycle on any kind of road.<br /><br />Even so, it is noteworthy, as you point out, "how many people, even frequent cyclists, agree with statements like 'If I had to negotiate a number of difficult junctions I would try to find another route' and 'I would prefer cycling in a cycle lane which is separate from the traffic even if it meant a longer journey'".<br /><br />The effect of parks and green spaces was significant, with around half saying they would change their route in order to be able to use such off-road facilities.<br /><br />One thing that struck me was that, even though residential streets are currently not very well-suited to travel by bike (as a rule of thumb), they were still preferred to other road types. This is consistent with evidence from the Netherlands (<a href="http://www.fietsberaad.nl/index.cfm?lang=en&repository=Cycling+in+the+Netherlands" rel="nofollow">here</a>), which says: "Cyclists often prefer a quiet residential street to an autonomous bicycle path alongside busy traffic arteries."<br /><br />I was intrigued by the response to the question: "The quality of signage and cycle markings has no influence on what route I take."<br /><br />On what route I <i>would</i> take, or on what route I <i>currently</i> take? If most people are going to stick to the routes they know, regardless, then I suppose it doesn't make any difference.<br /><br />Finally, if this survey was ever repeated, I would be interested to know how people felt about a right-turn from a main road onto a back street (as <a href="http://helpmychaincameoff.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/when-right-turn-becomes-wrong-turn.html" rel="nofollow">here</a>).<br /><br />Thanks again.bikemapperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16902775699101288384noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37583332747236920.post-84647312985161451872013-08-13T13:09:00.968+01:002013-08-13T13:09:00.968+01:00I suppose most people take the bus because it'...I suppose most people take the bus because it's cheaper than driving and safer than cycling.<br /><br />And yes, you're right that modelling alone won't get the right decisions made. But if we're going to do transport modelling, and it seems we are, we should try to do it right.Jimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04831368698879583744noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37583332747236920.post-38453063637565228982013-08-13T12:35:47.741+01:002013-08-13T12:35:47.741+01:00Why does anyone take the bus if cycling/driving ar...Why does anyone take the bus if cycling/driving are so much better? You need to build car-parking availability and car-ownership into the model.<br /><br />I'm not sure modelling is going to solve this: the decisions over space are mainly going to be political. Modelling is mostly useful for making sure that the "damage" done to traffic capacity is done in a controlled manner.<br /><br />Richard Mannhttp://www.transportparadise.co.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37583332747236920.post-60274028324526686672013-07-18T20:11:13.414+01:002013-07-18T20:11:13.414+01:00In the US of A, prognosticators are seizing on cur...In the US of A, prognosticators are seizing on current non-licensing and low VMT of the youth to emphatically declare the DRIVING BOOM IS OVER. This contravenes the criteria used by DfT here. I think we Yanks are cherry-picking stats to confirm our biases but what do I know. Do you tracks these young people numbers and what do you make of them? <br />TOM MURPHYAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37583332747236920.post-15397171894746508462013-07-02T22:31:10.220+01:002013-07-02T22:31:10.220+01:00I guess it puts paid to the extreme version of the...I guess it puts paid to the extreme version of the safety in numbers theory, i.e. the idea that it applies strongly everywhere and at all times. I still think a more contingent version probably has something to it, i.e. having more cyclists around probably does make drivers take more notice of them, but this effect can be more than offset by other things, e.g. existing facilities becoming overcrowded. So you certainly can't just sit back and wait for the safety to happen.Jimhttp://drawingrings.blogspot.co.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37583332747236920.post-61522274213555504792013-07-02T13:01:06.356+01:002013-07-02T13:01:06.356+01:00Looking at those graphs, there's a peak for 19...Looking at those graphs, there's a peak for 1989 in all of them (albeit sometimes a small one) – I wonder what happened in 1989 that made it so dangerous for cycling?<br /><br />Secondly – does this put paid to the "safety in numbers" theory that cycling gets safer as the number of people doing it increase?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37583332747236920.post-57144227697540396122013-06-10T14:11:19.086+01:002013-06-10T14:11:19.086+01:00The Dutch bike, of course, is a direct copy of the...The Dutch bike, of course, is a direct copy of the typical pre-1920s English bike, before the "lightweight bicycle" boom.<br /><br />Carlton Reidhttp://www.roadswerenotbuiltforcars.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37583332747236920.post-72354603932096890272013-06-03T15:07:30.813+01:002013-06-03T15:07:30.813+01:00I used to loathe Elephant and Castle back when I w...I used to loathe Elephant and Castle back when I was a pedestrian (you were forced into a series of labyrinthine tunnels, badly-lit and smelly as I remember, not sure if it still works like that), as a cyclist its terrifying.<br /><br />It is just about possible to bypass it for many cycle journeys, at the expense of a significant detour, though that leads to the normal problem of having to come out of side streets to cross busy roads, with no real provision for cyclists (apart from one spot on CS7 which has those useless cycle-crossing lights that always seem to be permanently stuck on red).<br /><br />I reckon they should just dig a whacking great tunnel under it and put the cars underground and let human beings who aren't wielding deadly weapons, whether pedestrians or cyclists, stay in the daylight on the surface.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37583332747236920.post-84304849060386768152013-05-24T20:24:54.251+01:002013-05-24T20:24:54.251+01:00Great post - important to highlight, as you do, th...Great post - important to highlight, as you do, that 20mph limits and safer infrastructure for cyclists (therefore fewer crashes) are actually great ways of 'smoothing traffic flow'.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08205378822164679021noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37583332747236920.post-36358628745855779762013-05-21T19:04:04.349+01:002013-05-21T19:04:04.349+01:00Wouldn't bicycles, by virtue of their greater ...Wouldn't bicycles, by virtue of their greater manoeuvreability, be much less affected by the anti-smoothing effect of works, collisions etc e.g. easier to turn round and use another street than a motor vehicle blocked between 2 others? In this respect, it would be germane to know what proportion of the journeys taken in motor vehicles in this region could have been taken by bicycle, then the potential effect of getting more people on bikes could be calculated. It would also be germane to know what proportion did make the modal shift during the longer-term disruptions. Is it remotely possible that if people simply used bicycles more, both the congestion and flow smoothing problems would be ameliorated?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37583332747236920.post-47935480598120951452013-05-21T15:48:34.494+01:002013-05-21T15:48:34.494+01:00You mean, like, impose a 20mph speed limit? It is...You mean, like, impose a 20mph speed limit? It is said that every 1mph reduction in average speeds = 6% reduction in collisionsPaul Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07929808238663838155noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37583332747236920.post-26531268517278213592013-05-21T14:20:49.462+01:002013-05-21T14:20:49.462+01:00It would also be interesting to see if there's...It would also be interesting to see if there's a difference in bicycle use in larger cities (like Amsterdam) and smaller towns in the Netherlands. When I still had indoor parking available, I always owned two bikes: a cheap daily workhorse that could be left at train stations or city centers, and a better maintained, more expensive one that was used for longer distances.<br /><br />Living in Amsterdam, I now only have the first type, which limits my bike-radius to about 30 minutes (~8 km in traffic). For anything above that, i'll take public transport or car. <br />However, if I still had access to a decent bike, I might be tempted to do longer distances, especially with nice weather (not that often). Also, since Amsterdam is very compact, distances are limited, while in other parts of the country, you might want to cycle to the nearest town or city.<br /><br />Jannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37583332747236920.post-50722918814298108612013-05-20T09:12:30.086+01:002013-05-20T09:12:30.086+01:00Another factor in the London/Amsterdam debate, hin...Another factor in the London/Amsterdam debate, hinted at above, is that the type of bicycle used is quite different.<br /><br />A typical English cyclist will need to don high-viz, helmet, cycling trousers or complete kit, trouser clips, find a lock and key, perhaps dig some lights out, even before they fetch their bike from some obscure out-of-the-way parking location. Their bike will have dirty wheels from rim brakes on aluminium rims, dirty chain that always transfers horrible black grease onto trousers even if it doesn't eat those trousers, and often doesn't even have basic mudguards to keep road dirt off.<br /><br />I, however, have a Dutch bike, which has hub gears and hub brakes, fully enclosed chain, integral lock with captive key, integral lights, prop stand, "dress guard", mudguards. Whatever I'm wearing I can just jump on it and ride, without needing to find any kit other than the bike itself. This makes it a sensible transport choice for trips from only a few hundred metres: it's quicker than walking overall, and you get to sit down. If my bike is out of the garage (which it is most days after the morning school run) I will use it even to post a letter at the end of our road, a trip of just 400 metres.Fonanthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02138087859465124942noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37583332747236920.post-39587268215544621142013-05-15T15:55:11.741+01:002013-05-15T15:55:11.741+01:00I live in Amsterdam. I switch from walking to cycl...I live in Amsterdam. I switch from walking to cycling for distances above ~1km, maybe 1500m when I've enough time and the weather is nice. Due to the lack of indoor parking, most bikes are parked outside continuously, so everybody owns cheap and rusty bikes. Otoh, that also means you have fast access to them, and you can leave them close to your destination without bothering about parking, any light post will do just fine.<br /><br />You would walk 2km or more? Really? That would make me spend an additional hour a day walking to the shops, restaurants, friends, et cetera.Jannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37583332747236920.post-43196499521956365052013-05-13T16:06:33.685+01:002013-05-13T16:06:33.685+01:00...or people with limited time to do those short d......or people with limited time to do those short distances.<br /><br />After I drop my young daughter at school at 9am (she cycles and I walk alongside with my bike), I ride the 1.5 miles (2.5km) into work and get there at ten past which is acceptable. Otherwise it would be half past, and I'd have to leave 20 minutes later and get home later. Similarly one night a week I take her to swimming lessons near my work, then drop her home, before heading into town for my running group. Only the bike makes this possible - an extra 20 minutes here and there would mean a rethink of my schedule and I would have to miss something.<br /><br />My point is, this is the kind of cycling we see so little of, but the kind that can be so useful. Your comment seems to indicate cycling is either for long distances, or it only benefits the elderly or the very young, and I don't buy that.<br /><br />Does it really take you ten minutes to lock a bike to a sheffield stand? I deliberately chose a serviceable but inexpensive bike for getting around town.Timhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12957616409432299713noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37583332747236920.post-28160224322738431902013-05-13T15:32:18.682+01:002013-05-13T15:32:18.682+01:00Exactly. The difference in cycling share between L...Exactly. The difference in cycling share between London & A'dam is greatest for 1-2.5km journeys.<br /><br />As a reasonably fit adult cyclist, I probably wouldn't bother cycling that distance unless I'm in a real hurry. Little time saved vs a brisk walk, by the time I've gotten the bike out of the garage & locked it at the other end.. plus being an enthusiast, I ride decent-ish bikes & don't like to leave them locked outside more than I have to.<br /><br />The people most likely to cycle 1-2.5km are those for whom walking that distance is a slow and maybe unappealing prospect - and people traveling along with them. My 4 year old son, say, or his 70 year old grandmother. 2km for either would be ten minutes on a bike, or half an hour on foot. Perfectly practical, just the right amount of healthy exercise & a useful chunk of time saved.. of course, with London's awful roads & dismal driving culture, it's not an option, but you probably knew that already (sadface)angus hnoreply@blogger.com