Come for a ride, Mr. Wells

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Hello Jason,

We’d like to invite you to come out on a ride with Richmond Cycling. A few years ago, local paper the Richmond Magazine had a very unfortunate editorial. We invited the editor to come for a ride with us to understand cycling in the borough a bit better, and now we’d like to extend the same offer to you.

(Courtesy GB Cycling Embassy http://www.cycling-embassy.org.uk/good-cycling-facility-of-the-week)

How we’d like cycling to be (Courtesy GB Cycling Embassy http://www.cycling-embassy.org.uk/good-cycling-facility-of-the-week)

The cycle lane along Priory Lane is a terrible facility, but we understand why many people wouldn’t see that, so we’d welcome the opportunity to show you why we campaign so hard for proper facilities for cycling in the borough.

Yours,

Richmond Cycling Campaign

 

One thought on “Come for a ride, Mr. Wells”

  1. Its not Mr Wells who should be invited for a ride, its the members of the council. I expect we could all suggest a short trip between 3 – 5 miles that would demonstrate the disjointed, confusing & frankly scary ‘cycle provision’ that LBRUT represents. As a starter, I suggest the journey between my front door & my Doctor’s surgery: two miles which affords me the opportunity to be left hooked a few times, travel in a door zone, hoick the bike across a pedestrian bridge or wait with impatient drivers at a level crossing & then ‘take the lane’ once the barriers are up, dismount at junctions and walk across several roads.

    Next: A trip through Twickenham. I bet they have all driven through the town. I wonder how many of them cycle through it.

    Finally: my journey to & from work. A 5 mile trip. This would be best in the winter when it is dark and possibly even wet, the route is unlit & there is a chance of a surprise skid as the mud, puddles or unswept leaves contribute to the experience. If they prefer the better lit route, then obviously there is no mud. They’d get to see the puddles, fast traffic, narrow roads with cars parked on them, buses, bus stops, lorries & vans and general disregard of the speed limits. They’d also get a better appreciation of the amount of space a person on a bike needs in order not to be affected by the turbulence generated by vehicles.

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