Rory Sutherland
Already a subscriber? Log in
Besides, the idea that we must wage war on drivers to prevent ever-increasing road use is not borne out by the data. Mileage by car has been declining or mostly static since the late 1980s. The increase before then was largely caused by more people being able to drive (in the 1970s, only around 30 per cent of women held a licence). We seem to have a natural psychological ceiling for the length of time we’re happy to spend in cars, and most of us appear to have reached it.
There are better ways to reduce congestion than a psychological war on motorists. For one thing we could introduce a nationwide locker system for parcel deliveries – van miles have increased enormously. We could also redirect our ire from drivers towards parked cars. Many of London’s thoroughfares are effectively blocked by residents’ vehicles, often stationary all week. Typically, land worth about £100,000 is rented out in the shape of a resident’s parking permit for about £100 a year, a huge hidden subsidy. Remove parked cars from one side of many roads and you might add a cycle lane and an extra lane of traffic.
Finally, we do need to consider the potential of e-bikes. Even a car-fan like me admits there is room for a slower, smaller version of the car. Conventional bikes are too limited to ever reach mass popular appeal. They require a combination of fitness, flat terrain, good weather, no luggage and personal bravery that is rarely found in combination. Carving off road space for cyclists may not make sense. Carving off road space for cyclists and e-cyclists might actually pay. And the required infrastructure is largely the same.
It isn’t just about hills. With an e-bike, setting off from standstill at traffic lights is relatively painless, since acceleration is boosted by the motor (much arsey road behaviour among cyclists is driven by their obsession with maintaining momentum). You can also sacrifice pure efficiency for comfort and safety – adding fatter tires, for instance, and bright lights.
Maybe some e-cyclists could even sacrifice a few grams of weight-advantage to add a bell. Pedestrians would feel much less antipathy towards cyclists if they rang bells rather than either shouting at people or sneaking up on them like a stealth bomber. An electronically generated noise might not be a bad idea either.
Because you read about cars
Also by Rory Sutherland
Latest
Comments
Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just $5 for 3 monthsAlready a subscriber? Log in