[sustran] Re: transit in Mexico city

[Alan Patrick Howes]

I certainly don't claim to be any sort of expert on cycling, but having
observed it both in the UK and the Gulf, my views are:

1) Certain basic safety standards have to be enforced. I have never yet seen
a cyclist in the Gulf with lights, whereas in the UK no-one would ride
without them - both from self-preservation, and because they would be
stopped by the police. I dread to think what the accident rate here must be
for cycles.

2) Cyclways are worth providing if by doing so you can provide cyclists with
a more direct or level route than by following the road, e.g. going through
a park rather than round it.

3) Most importantly, bikes need special attention at some junctions, where
otherwise they can be very vulnerable.


-- 
Alan P Howes, Special Transport Advisor, 
     Dubai Municipality Public Transport Department
aphowes at dm.gov.ae
Tel:    +971 4 286 1616 ext 214
Mobile: +971 50 5989661


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Ramon [mailto:bayk at quickweb.com.ph]
> Sent: Sun, March 31, 2002 5:24 PM
> To: sustran-discuss at jca.ax.apc.org
> Subject: [sustran] Re: transit in Mexico city
> 
> 
> I am not familiar with the situation in Mexico DF but I would 
> guess that 25
> km is the longest trip from home to work? If that's so, then 
> it is a stretch
> to cycle but certainly not impossible. I cycle 15 km to work 
> daily and it
> takes me about an hour to do so. Add another 10 km and that's 
> much less than
> the 2-3 hours of commute by public transport (I'm assuming) 
> that has been
> reported. I do not generally advocate separate bikeways for 
> cyclists because
> I think they are unnecessary. What I do advocate is for 
> cyclists to undergo
> proper training so that: 1) they can cycle safely on roads; 
> and 2) they can
> enjoy cycling as an activity in itself -- something that will 
> sustain their
> cycling  more than the usually good-intentioned but usually 
> poorly designed
> and implemented bikeways.
> 
> Ramon
>