From: craigb@sdd.hp.com (Craig Bosworth)
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles.misc
Subject: Re: A Quick Survey
Date: 22 Jan 1993 16:35:21 -0800
Organization: Hewlett Packard, San Diego Division
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: hpsdl136.sdd.hp.com

In article <11432@baird.cs.strath.ac.uk> dmarsh@cs.strath.ac.uk (David R Marsh CS91) writes:
>Do you cycle on roads at all?

As little as possible.

>Do you cycle on major roads at all?

Ditto.

>Do you cycle on major roads (especially dual carriageways) outwith towns?

I think this equates to freeways here in the US.  No.

>What do you think of the attitude of car (bus etc) drivers?

At worst, they (we) are outright insane and/or blind drunk.  More
frequently they are distracted, unskilled, and obtuse.  At best 
they are reasonably skilled and attentive, but their number one
priority is their own safety, not the safety of someone else outside
their car.

This is not a group into whose hands I am comfortable placing my life.

>Do you think cyclists get enough respect?

Hmm.  They get as much as they get.  No, I don't think they get enough 
respect, but I think you could argue the same thing about virtually *any* 
group.

>Do you feel safe cycling on roads? 

Ha!  No.  No, I do not.

>Do you think enough is done to improve conditions for cyclists?

If there were unlimited resources, I would say no.  But before I'd
say that more should be done, I'd have to know where the money would
come from.  Which things would we cut in order to spend more on 
improving conditions for cyclists?  Or, which taxes would we raise?

I am personally against enlarging an already obese government by raising
taxes, and I can't think of too many programs in which cuts would both
make sense and be politically correct.  So, I'll say that more *could*
be done, but I don't think too much more will be done.

>...and how do you think this should be done (cycleways, cycle lanes, or what)?

Yes some infrastructure items like cycle trails located well away from 
roads would be nice.  Another area of more general benefit would be 
tougher treatment of people who kill and maim other people with their
vehicles.  Do you think we could define drunk driving as attempted
murder?

>What is your normal mode of transport?

I drive to work with my wife.

>How do you transport your bike (when not actually cycling!)?

On a trunk mounted rack.

>Are you a member of a cycle club or campaign group?

I hit the dirt with some guys from the bike shop every Sunday.  Does that
count?

>What do you think of current transport policy?

Well, here in sunny southern California we sure do encourage everyone to
drive.  The freeways here are vast, with 8+ lanes, grooved surfaces,
and neat little bumps between lanes so you don't even have to look at
the road.

Should that change?  Well, any proposal to change it would meet up with
some stiff attitudinal barriers here.  I think we will have to change
something, but it will probably be more in the alternative fuel style
than anything else.

>Do you think that bike carriage on trains is important?

Since so few people use bikes and trains here, no.

>What are the main uses of your bike?

Recreation and fitness.

>What sort of bike(s) do you have (mountain bike, recumbent, racer etc)?

Mountain.

>What do you think of law-breaking cyclists?

The same thing I think of law breaking bakers, schoolchildren, and cops.
People should obey the law.

>(And I suppose I have to ask) do you wear a helmet?

Yes.  As you might note from some of the above, my head is pretty hard,
very brittle...
-- 
Craig Bosworth  (619) 592-8609
Hewlett-Packard, San Diego Division
craigb@sdd.hp.com
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles.misc