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Oxford Professor: Cycling is 10 times more important than electric cars for reaching net-zero cities
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this post was submitted on 08 Apr 2025
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They always ignore the rest of the world. Sure you can bike ride in yor little university town built from riches pillaged from the world but the rest of the world? You want India and Africa to ride bikes? Did they include the absolute infrastructure update in their calculations?
"Cars are more accessible for poor people" is certainly a take that someone could have.
Cycling and related infrastructure are orders of magnitude cheaper.
Ah yes cause there's only cars and bicycling! /s
You know there are other forms of transportation right?
Feel free to make a point if you have one.
Sure I'm paraphrasing my other comment:
Bicycle is just a poor vehicle choice for these regions and I'd argue most of the world in general and I say that as a recreation e-bike lover - its just not a good transporation method for mass adoption.
Motorbikes for one are much more viable because the winters are easy and the terrain can be too difficult for muscle powered bicycles. Also Motorbikes can carry a lot compared to a bike just look up some photos like this one https://i.imgur.com/t4aWcFx.jpeg - that's a 500-1000usd motorbike doing your job for years. Minimal maintenance and fuel use and relatively low polution. You couldn't even get a decent e-bike in europe for this.
The rest is filled in by public transportation - busses, trains, rickshaws, converted pick up trucks, minibuses, ferries etc.
I've been living in Asia for almost 20 years now and bicycle is not it trust me. It's only viable for rich compact well developed countries and anyone who says otherwise really needs to get out more.
Cool well this sub is called "fuck cars", not "fuck everything that's not a pedal-powered bicycle."
Like sorry, but you're arguing against something that just hasn't been said.
Cars are bad for motorbikes too. Bikes are still way better than cars.
But also, walkability and bicycle friendly infrastructure isn't out of the reach of south east asian countries. That's not a feature of wealthy countries - like I said, it's very cheap.
I don't have the details to hand, but usually when poorer nations have bad infrastructure, it's mainly down to structural adjustment policies stopping them from investing in their own people's welfare to keep them more desparate and easier to exploit as cheap labour.
Anti-car people in general are going to want to end poverty in general, which means the squalid conditions of a lot of these places would change. It's not a matter of changing one thing and leaving literally every other variable untouched. Anti-car advocacy is part of a wider a holistic change in society.
Like I've spent time in Ho Chi Minh City, and yeah, the place is a sea of motorbikes. It's a health & aafety disaster. But it's a flat city. There's nothing to say bicycles couldn't be used there.
Tbh I have no idea what you're talking about so have a nice day I guess
Cool story, you've got loads to say but no ability to listen. Thanks for wasting my time.
Don't you know they live in asia for almost 20 years? (born there so still a kid) lmao
I think their whole argument boils down to "I cannot imagine a better world."
More like refuse really. They got the same argument as a teenager living in a car and highway infested south east asia city and just got their motorcycle license. I know because i live through that phase lol.
It's not like poor Chinese, Vietnamese or Indian people would ever use bicycles. The very idea, how ludicrous. Haha.
They use motorbikes 🤦♂️
Colonial extortion built the cycle infrastructure....
Oh, goodie. Lemmy always delivers, lmao.
Wat?
I'd guess they're stating that the semi-developed countries with high density populations and high rates pollution may not consider cycling infrastructure on their list of city planning priorities
India's cities are jammed up with car traffic. It's one of the major sources of pollution. That's what this professor is addressing. Africa is a whole, huge continent. containing many countries with greatly varying levels of economic development. The poorer ones don't even have much of an infrastructure base. And lots of people there do ride bicycles. All that considered, my question stands.
Yes but cycling is not a valid option either. Public transportation and motorbikes is clearly the answer and all of these countries are moving towards them.
The article is giving "white man knows better"
Do indian and african not ride a bike?
Its not the optimal choice. Motorbikes for one are much more viable because the winters are easy and the terrain can be too difficult for muscle powered bicycles. Also Motorbikes can carry a lot compared to a bike. The rest is filled in by public transportation - busses, trains, rickshaw, converted pick up trucks.
I've been living in Asia for almost 20 years now and bicycle is not it trust me. It's only viable for rich small diatance well developed countries and anyone who says otherwise really needs to get out more.
It's totally not for long distance, no one is claiming that.
You speak like as if in winter country people doesn't bike? Also bicycle maintenance is way cheaper though.
most of the time people doesn't carry much anyway. Kinda like bicycle ehh.
Bicycle is pretty good for last mile transport too, it's free to boot.
It's not really a flex as you think it is, maybe you should listen to me because i'm here 35 years.
Because there never a good infrastructure for it? And people tend to ride motorcycle/car because it's easy and they live far, and they live far because they have motorcycle/car. See the issue? Let's not mention those who drive 500m just to buy something.
What about kids? In my time, kids bike to school, it gave us the sense of freedom and independence. They still do these day but less of them do now, you wanna know why? Cars, because there's so much car on the road nowadays and 0 bicycle infrastructure for them to do it safely, and no one have the brain to build it 20 years ago, so now there's even less people cycling there's no reason for those elected to believe it's helpful.
I've seen bus companies gone bankrupt because ridership is shrinking once economy is turning better for people, i've seen neighbourhood torn apart as highway cut through in the middle where you need to cycle/walk extra kilometers to get to the other side or play frogger. Are you really, truly sure bicycle is not it or is it because no one decided to develop the infrastructure for it to be safe to do so?
China were once ruled by bicycle before and they're not rich at the time. Once their economy advanced, they all turn to car. Guess where they're slowly going now. Also are you saying everything is a sprawl in Asia? I don't get your point, it seems like you're insulting Asia just to proof your point, as if we doesn't have a city/town with stuff in walkable/bikeable distance, which, in my life living here, isn't the case.
Idk seems like you need to touch grass more.
U sound angry lol
Oof, where's that "i liVE iN aSIa fOr AlmOSt 20 yEArS" confidence goes? It's as empty as i guessed.
Ok dude have a good day!
K