New E-Bike Loan Scheme for South Yorkshire Set to be Approved

[AndrewC]

On 03/06/2024 at 23:34, Planner1 said:

Not true. There are examples nearby. Leeds and Bradford.

 

Bradford are in the process of delivering a very ambitious scheme to remove through traffic in their city centre and give most of it over to pedestrians and cycles. Leeds are doing something quite similar in stages. 

 

Rare chinks of light - Sheffield has grand plans too, but most are failing to happen at all, or the pace of development is glacial, or the finished products are watered-down. Common story across the country. Generally speaking, the UK is far behind it's peers still, and not catching up.

[carosio]

On 30/05/2024 at 15:47, pfifes said:

I would love an e bike in theory. There are two main reasons I don’t have one.

1. Safety.  There aren’t enough dedicated cycle lanes and there are too many poor drivers (in ability and/or attitude)

2. Theft.  E bikes are a  prime target for thieves.  I don’t know how this scheme addresses this issue.

Yep, that's the reason I wouldn't have one unless I could take it inside with me at the destination, but who would want an ebike inside their property perhaps on charge?

I read that 77 bicycles of all types are stolen in Amsterdam every day, many are whisked over the border. To have any chance, you need two locks, remove expensive battery (they get stolen too), have a tracker.

Even with an ebike, if we have a bad winter in Sheffield we'll be back to the car and bus.

[redruby]

2 hours ago, carosio said:

Yep, that's the reason I wouldn't have one unless I could take it inside with me at the destination, but who would want an ebike inside their property perhaps on charge?

I read that 77 bicycles of all types are stolen in Amsterdam every day, many are whisked over the border. To have any chance, you need two locks, remove expensive battery (they get stolen too), have a tracker.

Even with an ebike, if we have a bad winter in Sheffield we'll be back to the car and bus.

I know of some people whose house was targeted for an e bike theft.  They were very brazen trying to break in early evening to an occupied house.  I just wouldn’t want all the worry of thinking it was being targeted so I wouldn’t get one for that reason alone, never mind road safety etc.

[Planner1]

2 hours ago, redruby said:

I know of some people whose house was targeted for an e bike theft.  They were very brazen trying to break in early evening to an occupied house.  I just wouldn’t want all the worry of thinking it was being targeted so I wouldn’t get one for that reason alone, never mind road safety etc.

So do you not have a car because you’re worried about safety?

 

Breaking into your house to get the keys is one of the few ways someone can steal modern cars.

 

As for road safety, do you walk down the street?

 

This research reckons that cyclists and pedestrians have the same chance of being a road casualty ( ie not very much at all)

 

 

 

 

[sheffbag]

9 hours ago, Planner1 said:

So do you not have a car because you’re worried about safety?

 

Breaking into your house to get the keys is one of the few ways someone can steal modern cars.

 

As for road safety, do you walk down the street?

 

This research reckons that cyclists and pedestrians have the same chance of being a road casualty ( ie not very much at all)

 

 

 

 

That post is from 2013 (i.e 11 years ago) and chose to focus on London

2023 figures this research shows you are 20 times more likely to be killed as a cyclist than a car user but the figure for pedestrian deaths has decreased by over 75%

 

stats can be made to show whatever you want it to

[AndrewC]

14 hours ago, carosio said:

I read that 77 bicycles of all types are stolen in Amsterdam every day, many are whisked over the border. To have any chance, you need two locks, remove expensive battery (they get stolen too), have a tracker.

 

Bear in mind there a phenomenal number of bikes in Amsterdam.

 

Quote

Even with an ebike, if we have a bad winter in Sheffield we'll be back to the car and bus.

 

This will happen to some extent wherever, but actually in places with the good infrastructure like Amsterdam, this shift back to car in bad weather isn't as common as you'd think. If nothing else, in places where there's been a really strong modal shift, people tend to have given up their cars, so there is no car to 'go back to'. Additionally, we have this perception in this country that all cycling is done in lycra, but the reality in more cycling-friendly nations is that the majority cycle comfortably in casual clothes, which can include a good raincoat etc when the weather calls for it.

 

It's also worth remembering that if we have a 'bad winter' then you're probably not going to be going all that far in your car, either. Might depend on your definition of 'bad winter'.

[carosio]

15 minutes ago, AndrewC said:

 

Bear in mind there a phenomenal number of bikes in Amsterdam.

 

 

This will happen to some extent wherever, but actually in places with the good infrastructure like Amsterdam, this shift back to car in bad weather isn't as common as you'd think. If nothing else, in places where there's been a really strong modal shift, people tend to have given up their cars, so there is no car to 'go back to'. Additionally, we have this perception in this country that all cycling is done in lycra, but the reality in more cycling-friendly nations is that the majority cycle comfortably in casual clothes, which can include a good raincoat etc when the weather calls for it.

 

It's also worth remembering that if we have a 'bad winter' then you're probably not going to be going all that far in your car, either. Might depend on your definition of 'bad winter'.

 

Even so, a sustantial chunk of the estimated 850,000 bikes in Amsterdam get nicked.

 

I wouldn't consider Sheffield a "cycle friendly city" mainly because of its hills and narrow side streets, although powered bikes obviously help to flatten the hills. A bad winter is one where we have long and protracted snow falls and/or deep frosts. Even without these, the winters can be long and unpleasant- you have rain, freezing cold winds, steep icy side roads, gales. It's nearly the middle of June and so far all we have seen is rain and wind.

[Planner1]

1 hour ago, sheffbag said:

That post is from 2013 (i.e 11 years ago) and chose to focus on London

2023 figures this research shows you are 20 times more likely to be killed as a cyclist than a car user but the figure for pedestrian deaths has decreased by over 75%

 

stats can be made to show whatever you want it to

Indeed you can, but the overriding point on road casualties is that you have only a very tiny chance of being killed or seriously injured on the roads these days.

 

The point I’m making to the person I quoted is that however you choose to travel, there’s a risk. Even staying in the house has risks.

[Planner1]

26 minutes ago, carosio said:

 

Even so, a sustantial chunk of the estimated 850,000 bikes in Amsterdam get nicked.

 

I wouldn't consider Sheffield a "cycle friendly city" mainly because of its hills and narrow side streets, although powered bikes obviously help to flatten the hills. A bad winter is one where we have long and protracted snow falls and/or deep frosts. Even without these, the winters can be long and unpleasant- you have rain, freezing cold winds, steep icy side roads, gales. It's nearly the middle of June and so far all we have seen is rain and wind.

A substantial number of cars in any city get nicked. Does that stop you owning one?

 

People who use bikes regularly often use an older bike that doesn’t attract attention for commuting trips, so if it gets stolen, it’s not a great loss. Sensible cyclists insure their bikes and take reasonable security precautions.

 

The hills and weather are a red herring. There are plenty of hilly places that have increased cycling numbers greatly. Do a search and see. Normal bikes have gears, lots of them which make hills less of an issue for anyone with reasonable fitness ( which improves the more you cycle).

 

When was the last time we had really prolonged snowfall here? As another poster said, if it snows, I tend to leave the car at home and walk anyway. So, no difference if I was cycling instead of driving.

[SheffieldForum]

I was in the Lake District last week... you think Sheffield is hilly and has narrow streets and gets snowfall?! Guess what - cyclists were EVERYWHERE. There were cycle hire shops doing a roaring trade, people were loving riding around the scenery and the challenges of the hills. Whole families riding around. 

 

That Sheffield is hilly is a poor, lazy argument - people manage with cycles all over the world in lots of terrains and conditions.