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It’s shaping up to be one hell of a battle.
The truth will get through in the end, but be prepared to be exhausted and bloodied.
In one corner you have the dinosaurs and their supporters. They live in some strange dreamland of a bygone era. They are standing staunch and sticking their appendages in the dyke. Doing their best to impede progress.
In the other corner you have the leaders; Dynamic and brave. Armed with powerful research as their weapons. They seek freedom from the tyrany of cars and all their associated problems. They seek a better life for all.
Meanwhile, the keen and the willing wait patiently. Bicycles ready to roll. They wait for the leaders of the city to see the truth and plant the first seeds of a transport culture that will allow the city to flourish.
Cycling-the non-vehicular way.
why is that boxer wearing red? What did Labour do in 9 years for cyclists?
Well put Lucy!!!
I would like to see Labour treating transport as a hot election issue just like they are dealing with the CGT issue. They have in effect adopted Green policy. The reality is though, cycling (and sustainable transport) cuts across all colours of the political spectrum. transport is a billion dollar industry. It should appeal to blues for the economic benefits that sustainable transport options provide.
Ah Mark but that is assuming that the Nats are interested in real economic(not to mention social and community) benefits, the reality is they are interested in helping their mates the roading industry in return for heaps of funding for their party.
there's a US paper that looks at passenger transport from a conservative p.o.v. maybe a similar analysis could be applied to cycling?
http://www.apta.com/resources/reportsandpublications/Documents/weyrich_does_transit_work.pdf
here part 1 of a 10 part youtube presentation by the same guy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmMOSz4ZIl4
might give it some thought
@Simon I agree. That's why it's important to be able to highlight the economic benefits of cycling. And those benefits do exist. They now need to be communicated. I still believe cycling is non-political and perhaps is slightly tainted because it is seen as a 'Green' issue. That's my personal experience.
@Steve. Let us know if you get your hands on economic data that 'sells' cycling. The economic benefits are enormous and need to be promoted.
@ Mark. I think it's a mistake to believe this govt actually cares about economic arguments around transport. Obviously, economic arguments are good to have to support your case with the public. But the reality is that if National cared about economics they wouldn't be building almost any of the RoNS. End of.
I am also tired of people saying that we don't get action on xxxx issue because it is seen as a "Green" issue. I think in almost all cases where this is advanced as an argument for lack of political action the reality is actually more something like.
- reluctance to spend money on new things (20%)
- lobbying by powerful and vested interest groups (50%)
- fear of disapproval by public and/lack of courage to try new things (5%)
- old fashioned ways of thinkings based on habit/personal world view (15%)
- lack of credible and effective groups lobbying for the alternative (10%)
Obviously, that's not to say I don't think cycling groups in Auckland are credible and effective – I do which is why we have been seeing so much progress lately in terms of investment!
But I just get tired of hearing "Oh, we don't take action as a country/world on climate change/public transport/decent housing (insert issue here) because it's tainted by association with Greenies."
And it's like, oh really? so it's not the millions of dollars that lobby groups spend to influence politicians that's the problem? Or the fact that taking action on issues like climate change is actually really hard and would take huge political courage? Or the fact that, in most cases, we only have finite funding available so if you spend it on something new then you have to cut funding for something existing which is really difficult?
Or, come to that, the lack of political action by "mainstream people" who like to complain about that fact that we never get better [insert issue here] because it is tainted as a Green issue? This is usually because the "greenies" are the only people who ever do anything about [insert issue] so that's the only context you hear about it in.
Sorry Mark – I'm not including you in that category of person. But, as you may have noticed, I'm a little bit tired of hearing that meme repeated again and again by people with very little evidence to support it.
@Lucy I am certainly not dissing the Greens. Some of my best friends are Greens…
My point was that one of the key planks for cycling advocacy has been the 'good for the environment' one. Getting more people cycling is going to take much more creativity, bloody mindedness to achieve any significant shift. For a few of us, that rationale may be enough. For the majority, it's much more basic than that. They want to get around simply, easily, conveniently, safely. Benefits to society and the climate don't feature in the consciousness of everyone but by riding a bike those benefits will be realised. Accidentally but still realised. There are a whole lot of questions still not being asked. What do these people need to get them on a bike? A whole lot of social engineering needs to be taking place alongside the road engineering.
@Simon I don't see cycling as being a right/left issue as you suggest. There are conservative pollies that embrace cycling. There is a strong economic argument to support cycling. That argument needs to be presented to all pollies before you write them off.
@Mark- Sorry if my point was not clear -I am not suggesting cycling is a right/left issue I was really refering to the situation now with a government/minister that has ignored facts and pushed for their own agenda and paying back their supporters in doing this – This could happen regardless of whether governmennt is left or right. I myself come from the " whoever you vote for the government wins" school of political thought!!!!