George Debono, Sliema
Just a lazy, unhealthy bunch of motor drivers
Albert Cilia Vincenti is absolutely correct in saying that trying to get Maltese youth (and others) on to bicycles is a lost cause (October 23).
But it is not necessarily a question of money. To equate the prevailing infatuation with cars with "love of money" ignores the paradox that cycling is, in fact, most popular in wealthy countries which are progressive and have a high standard of living, such as Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland and, especially, Holland.
Two bloggers commenting on The Times website got it right. Besides having the money to buy objects of desire such as the image-enhancing car, preferably with personalised number plates, we are just a pampered bunch of softies who will always take the easiest and laziest option. Consequently the only conceivable way to move from A to B in Malta remains the car.
It simply never occurs to anybody that it is possible to walk or (dare one say it? - cycle) somewhere.
Because of the small size of our islands and consequent high visibility because we all know one another, the car is also a powerful status symbol. This attitude is so extreme that many people lavish far more care on their cars than they do to their personal health - or body shape - so that being fat and flabby doesn't matter as long as it is possible to flaunt a gleaming car. This unhealthy attitude is fostered by a government which continues to give priority to an infrastructure that favours the car.
Just to give an example of how progressive we are - the newly revamped uphill section of Tower Road in Sliema, which is a beastly stretch of street for cyclists, does not appear to have a cycle track. It is also a shame that no provision has been made to plant trees to make this new section of road shady in the summer, and less dreary. It's just more of the same - cars and smoke-emitting buses can proceed uphill unimpeded, that is important. That shoppers continue to breathe polluted air from the exhaust matters not a bit.
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George Debono
Nov 2nd 2008, 13:52
Andy
Nice that you answered.
No the issue is entirely the problem of too many cars on the Uni Campuis and too few parking spaces.
I also suggested in my letter that those living within biking distance (ie birkirkara HAmrun, Sliema &c) should use bikes. &c &C &c
G
Andy Towler
Nov 2nd 2008, 08:02
You're right, parking is normally OK where I work - however your letter made no mention of parking - it was just despairing in the fact that people love to use their cars.
My comment simply attempted to give one person's viewpoint as to the reason why.
George Debono
Nov 1st 2008, 20:12
In case, i'm being misunderstood -
Andy: if it's easy to park in Ta Xbiex (as I suspect to be the case) then you don't have a problem in the first place. I am only trying to suggest a solution to those who are frustrated precisely because they cannot park.
I cycled to work for most of my working life because I enjoyed it and I never felt so well as when I used to do this - (& could eat as much as I liked!)
In Denmark I was a top executive. I had a company car (a BMW ,no less) and a reserved parking place. Biut I got such a buzz from cycling to work that I left the BMW at home and always went by bike (round trip of about 30km) whenever possible (ie if I had no outside appointments impossibly far away for a bike )
All those students who are fed up with parking problems - give it a twirl and try a bike (or bike + car) !!!
More info from gdmc@kemmunet if you like...........
G
George Debono
Nov 1st 2008, 19:56
Angelo and Andy !!
O ye of little faith! (and imagination)
I already replied to Angelo but it never appeared.
So I will try again.
- The marines would surely buy Plan B
For a number of years I was in the same position as both of you. ie 25km between me and my workplace. A round trip of 50km/day was a bit much. So I used to drive to a convenient spot and do the remainder on a bike - just sailed past the rush-hour traffic (using quiet back streets avoiding fumes)
Best of both worlds! Drive in comfort - do a tiny bit of exercies on a bike - AND - no parking hassle .
I still do this now.
Say, if I want to go to Vallettta but feeling lazy (or it looks like rain) I just hitch a bike on to my car, park at park'n'drive & then cycle precisely to wherever I need to go - much quicker. No boring waiting for bus or trudging around . It's great !
Try it - Drive to easy parking place within biking distance & sail into the Campus (or workplace) .
Andy Towler
Nov 1st 2008, 19:12
So Mr Debono, I live in Rabat and work in Ta' Xbiex.
Do you really think that I am going to spend something like 50 minutes cycling through toxic fumes from buses and diesel cars, undoing any possible health benefit derived from the activity of cycling, when I can hop in my small-engined, economical car and be there in 20 minutes?
Alternatively, do you think I am going to spend over an hour sitting in 2 buses (with probably a 15 minute wait next to traffic fumes between the two bus journeys), when I can hop... well, see above for the rest.
Angelo Micallef
Nov 1st 2008, 16:28
Try living in a village like Marsaxlokk, away from any other major locality and cycle yourself to work or university!!!
Mr. Debono go sell this argument to the marines!!!
George Debono
Nov 1st 2008, 14:47
Brian
I don't necessarily agree with you.....
The perception that cycling is dangerous in Malta is not entirely correct.
I regularly cycled to work while living in Switzerland and Demnark. Back in the UK this was a great disappointment. The attitude of UK drivers to cyclists is awful. Returning to Malta was, by comparison, a pleasant surprise – Maltese drivers aren’t that bad at all towards cyclists; the real awful baddies are bus and lorry drivers.
The trick is to cycle defensively (as I discovered in the UK)-. This includes using pavements along main routes (illegal, of course), using quiet roads (away from buses etc ) instead of main routes and so on. With increasing experience one becomes aware of hazards & behaves pro-actively*.
In 10 years of cycling 1000–2000km/year in Malta I have only had one scare – a huge bus squeezed me against a wall on a left-hand curve on the Naxxar Road (which is probably the most unpleasant road to cycle on here). Apart from that I have not had much hassle from motorists.
*If you wish to have some bumph on cycling in Malta & in general contact me at gdmc@kemmunet.net.mt.
brian lee
Nov 1st 2008, 13:03
George,whilst i agree with your arguments on this matter i feel that one of the problems here lies with the attitude of the motorists to other road users.The manner of driving in many cases leaves a lot to be desired so wo-betide the poor cyclist who meets a motorist cutting a blind corner or coming out of a side street using his mobile phone.
Pedestrians have to be extremely cautious when crossing the roads so beware the poor cyclist.The state of the roads .the camber,the ruts,deep curbs,all add to the hazzards of the cyclist.Probably for these reasons cycling is not on the menu for this Islands "would be" cyclists.Sorry.