The Great Big Bank Holiday Bonus Blog Roundup

Infrastructure

Why do we get so worked up about red lights and cycling? Brooklyn Spoke suggests it's a bit more complicated than simple law-breaking. And guess what - people behave better when you make their journeys easier. Are you wondering how to make roundabouts safe? Look no further than the Dutch, who obviously know how to do things, as David Hembrow explains. Even Las Vegas - Las Vegas! - appears to be taking serious steps to improving the physical environment for cycling (although it depends who you ask), while US cities are pushing protected bike lanes into downtown areas - they just need to get rid of those pesky anti-urban turn lanes. Unfortunately the future doesn't appear to be so bright in Maidstone, where there is a proposal to remove a shared use footway and replace it with… an extra car lane. Progress doesn't seem to be being made in Glasgow either, whether it's new 'infrastructure', or improvements to subways. Maybe they should be taking notes?

Health… and safety

Staying in Scotland, the case for action could hardly be more obvious, with Scottish kids bottom of the table for physical activity (and England barely doing any better). It turns out that segregated infrastructure would, of course, bring significant safety benefits for those most opposed - vehicular cyclists. Safer lorry design has now been delayed by eight years, thanks to lobbying by Sweden and France - too late for one London cyclist. If you get hit by a driver who then fails to stop, you would think the police would be interested in investigating - apparently not in Manchester. But there was a slightly more positive outcome, following a hit-and-run, in Australia. Perhaps the answer lies with obligatory cycle licences - for drivers? Certainly it seems that cycling drivers can confound the expectations of some people cycling. Road rage certainly has changed through the ages, but in Alabama it takes a familiar form (although thankfully he has been quickly arrested) - best to console yourself with BikesnobNYC's own inimitable take on the affair.

Space for Cycling

You may not have noticed it (where were you!?) but there were plenty of Big Rides up and down the country last weekend, calling on councillors to provide Space for Cycling - including in Sheffield, in Manchester and in Newcastle. In London, Space for Cycling collided with Tweed, and Mark Ames paid tribute to those who turned out. This all matters politically - Cycling South Tyne had a constructive talk with councillors, there were responses in Ipswich, while HFCyclists paid close attention to Andrew Gilligan's speech, and VoleOSpeed took a considered look at what this might all amount to. Impressively, three-quarters of Cambridge council candidates responded, while in London, the LCC managed to get half of all the candidates to support their ward asks; but with plenty of variation from party to party, for instance in Hammersmith, and disappointing responses in Islington. There was an interesting view from the other side of the ballot paper from Jon Irwin - who sadly didn't get elected, unlike Caroline Russell - but - wherever you are - if you are interested in cycling as a mode of transport, it's probably best not to vote for UKIP.

Die-in

A demo is worth a thousand words, and this week proved it - Space for Cycling wasn't the only protest, with a die-in staged at Elephant and Castle, a striking display of a DIY bike lane. Ranty Highwayman was in attendance, with thoughts on campaigning more generally, while Simon Hughes was put on the spot. Cynthia Barlow spoke at the demonstration, while ITV News chose to put a curious spin on events, arguing people lying on a pavement could cause congestion by distracting drivers. Sadly TfL's plans for the other part of the junction represent missed opportunity http://healthyrider.weebly.com/bruces-blog/elephant-and-castle-consultation.

Cycling around the world… literally

There's a certain joy to pointless riding, but global cycling was taken literally this week by I Bike London, who investigated The Adventurers. There was touring of a more sedate kind in Denmark - by cargo bike - and Herbert Tiemens managed to explore the same country, during conference season. Sadly Vienna still seems willing to cling to 'door zone' cycle lanes, but we can always rely on a good news story from (where else) the Netherlands, to cheer and inspire us, knowing they can reverse the mistakes of the past, while Milanese voters demand a congestion charge to address pollution. And, in another inspiring story, who about some guerrilla protected intersections in Hamilton, Canada? Adelaide might be holding the global Velo City conference next week, but its police officers are busy threatening to ticket anti-helmet protesters riding on paths away from roads. Finally Gothenburg is taking the personal touch to extremes, coaching 35 individuals on the benefits of bike riding.

Park your bike

Parking for bikes featured on several blogs this week, with Kevin Mayne taking a comprehensive look, filtered through the Utrecht standard. Cycle Space made the case for designing cycle parking space into apartment buildings; cycling also allows you to get a cheaper apartment in New York. There's a new site aimed at helping those who are considering cycling for transport in Manchester, Liverpool unveils plans for a (modest) cycling revolution, while there are small signs of progress in Aberdeen. And is this the ultimate transport bike? The case for cycling We all know that a less car-dependent society would be a better society, but how to bring it about? The tireless Chris Boardman was making the case in his home town of West Kirby, while at a nation level explaining why councils should do more to support cycling. Proper cycling infrastructure makes towns and cities more humane, maximising human interaction, and there is no more efficient mode of transport than the humble bicycle.

Kids

Do we need to start including kids in our forums on cycling? Momentum Mag certainly think so. The school run - who knew! - can actually be more fun without a car, but you certainly don't need to go as far as these schoolchildren, who have piled into the Dolomites by bike. There are tips on how to shift children onto their own bikes, from the back of yours, from Modal Mom, and in the UK there is apparent public demand for cycling lessons to be on the curriculum.

Upgrades

Essex has managed to swap some deeply unhelpful barriers for bollards in Chelmsford, while the upgraded A14 in Cambridgeshire will now (hopefully) include some proper cycling infrastructure. There's also funding for cycle routes severed by trunk routes in Leeds, while the CTC make the case for the 'cycle-proofing' of the HS2 route. A vibrant neighbourhood in Cardiff gets the 20s Plenty treatment, but - bizarrely - the speed limits are awry on National Cycle Route 93 in Northern Ireland, where cars can travel at 40mph, but bikes are limited to 5mph.

And finally ...

If you're in Edinburgh next month, make sure you don't miss the Women's Cycle Forum event on the 14th June, featuring Bikeable Jo (among many others!)

And while Bikesnob NYC sings the praises of the bike hire scheme in New York on its first anniversary, here in Britain we've found a new use for the London hire bikes - as racing machines in the Smithfield Nocturne. Only for the very fit...