Letter: The Negativity Towards Cycling Is Staggering

Published on: 23 Aug, 2016
Updated on: 23 Aug, 2016

From Chris Ogle

The negativity of some of the comments in the cycling in Guildford debate on The Dragon is staggering.

If you look at other cities in the UK, York, Brighton, Cambridge and of course London, you can see that cycling can make a massive difference.

Look further afield to Holland, well known for the prevalence of cycling but also Germany you can see that cycling can become the predominant form of transport.

It is about the political will to tackle this seriously – and sadly that is lacking with the current set of councillors. This is reflected in the appalling state of the roads that many people have alluded to.

There is supposed to be a policy that if you identify a pothole to the council, of a certain size and with evidence of course then it will be repaired. North Street is a disgrace.

I sent photos to the council of the junction of North Street and Haydon Place. A quick patch up was done and the result is an obstacle course of bumps and holes. I was asked to give feedback on the repair and my reply was that it was very poor and frankly a lazy repair. Nothing further has been done.

We cannot wait for driverless cars to appear or for the Local Plan to solve this; we need to act now and sort out the roads and construct, as Doug Clare has suggested, proper, segregated cycle lanes so that people can cycle on the roads without fearing for their lives.

Of course cyclists should not cycle on the pavements but because of the danger of cycling on the roads who can blame them?

This evening (August 23) there will be a meeting of the Guildford Bike Users Group (G-Bug) at the council offices from 6pm. Come and make your feelings known and let’s get things moving.

Responses to Letter: The Negativity Towards Cycling Is Staggering

Bernard Parke Reply

August 23, 2016 at 11:01 am

It is a sobering thought that in 2015 three cyclists were killed and 136 seriously injured in Surrey out of a total 679 casualties (18 killed, 661 seriously injured).
Peter Davies Reply

August 23, 2016 at 4:29 pm

I am a bus, truck and private car driver.

There is little doubt that cycling is good for your health and the environment. It is also true that cyclists increase motorists blood pressure and can push ones patience close to the limits.

All I ask of cyclists is:

Be seen. Your life is in my hands, give me a chance to save it! Some of you are wearing black or dark clothing! Or you have a great reflective jacket hidden by a ruck sack. Some lights are great but these head waving dazzling torches are both confusing and illegal. I have slowed down almost to a stand as I have assumed I am being waved down because of an accident, but no its just two excited cyclists out for a ride.

I want to be the cyclists friend (I own a bike) whenever I make allowances for another motorist or horse rider they invariably give a wave but when I go out if my way for a cyclist or follow a them at 15mph for half a mile or more waiting to pass safely, they completely ignore me as though they own the road, not even a nod of the head or a raised finger (they don’t even have to let go of the handle bars).

Cyclists should show respect for motorists and help motorists respect them.