Abstract

Increasing the uptake of active, carbon neutral forms of transport is indicated for both population health and environmental conservation. Efforts to increase cycling uptake are hindered by negative attitudes towards cyclists. Recent research from Australia has found that many people consider cyclists to be less than fully human. There is currently a lack of empirical evidence that explains these dehumanising perceptions. Most people who ride bicycles in Australia wear safety helmets as required by mandatory helmet laws. We hypothesised that people wearing bicycle helmets are perceived as less human compared to people without helmets due to reduced visibility of eyes and hair. We tested this hypothesis through a survey (n = 563) comprised of two-paired alternate forced choice questions to identify which image of a cyclist respondents consider to be less human. We then analysed the results using a Bradley-Terry probability model. We found images of cyclists wearing helmets or safety vests to have a higher probability of being selected as less human compared to images of cyclists wearing no safety equipment. The results have implications for research on cyclist dehumanisation and its mitigation.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/16402340

California socialite Rebecca Grossman sentenced to 15 to life for killing 2 kids in crosswalk

A wealthy California woman who co-founded a burn center foundation in the Los Angeles area was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison Monday for the hit-and-run killings of two children while they were in a crosswalk more than three years ago.

Rebecca Grossman was speeding when she struck and killed Mark Iskander, 11, and his brother Jacob, 8, while they were in a crosswalk in the Los Angeles-area city of Westlake Village on Sept. 29, 2020.

“The loss of these two innocent lives has devastated their family and our community. Ms. Grossman’s blatant disregard for human life is a stark reminder of the grave consequences of irresponsible behavior behind the wheel,” Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón said in a statement.

A jury convicted Grossman in February on two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence and one count of hit-and-run driving resulting in death.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/16097480

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/1d6auj0/how_it_started_vs_how_its_going/

“The police can park where they need to. If they wanted to park upside down, inside out, or on top of a building, that would be acceptable.”

The 32-year-old cyclist stared at the email in disbelief. She wondered if the Toronto Police unit complaint co-ordinator who sent it to her been hacked, or was he just having a bad day?

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/15424245

A highway camera photo shows traffic in FortMcMurray jammed in the southbound lane of Highway 63 on the north side of the Athabasca River. The image was captured at 3:11 p.m. MT, about an hour after an evacuation order was issued for four neighbourhoods. (511 Alberta)

Evacuation order issued as wildfire threatening Fort McMurray draws closer https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/alberta-wildfire-grande-prairie-fort-mcmurray-1.7203695

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/14842857

Idiot couldn't handle his new toy in the rainy Metro Vancouver [OC]

Managed to hit the concrete barriers on both sides of a 3 lane highway. Luckily didn't hit anyone but traffic was about 3km long and hour later and caused another accident within the traffic jam itself.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/baby-survives-stroller-hit-dragged-squamish-1.7182399

Cycle To Call For 150km

Later this spring, Metrolinx officials plan to add five cars to cope with the increased demand along the line that goes through Guelph.

Those new train cars, which are to feature bike storage on the main level and passenger seating above, are expected to be added to the local line in mid- to late-May. Once that’s done, there will be a total of nine bike cars on the route.

This is being done in response to a “big uptick” in the number of people taking their bikes and e-bikes with them to Toronto along the Guelph line during the past year, explained Metrolinx spokesperson Andrea Ernesaks. .....

In this video, we will explore how lethal cars came to dominate social space, through examining what Ivan Illich called the 'radical monopoly' of the motor car.

0:00 Intro

0:10 The Social Ideology of the Motor Car

0:42 Car Harm: deaths and injuries

1:22 Ecological Cost

1:44 Why is the car treated like a sacred cow

3:50 Radical Monopoly

5:24 Illich Calculations

6:20 Sufficiency and Degrowth Solutions

8:22 Conclusion

I can’t help but think that cars (EV included) just aren’t the answer. I feel like bikes aren’t the answer either. I feel like the metro and high speed rail are.

Most people don’t drive because they like driving (US), most people drive because they have to. And that sucks. You shouldn’t feel like you’re forced to drive. Because that’s auto insurance and auto registration that you have to pay.

You can’t eliminate roads altogether. You need at least one or two lanes for fire trucks, ambulances, garbage trucks, etc. but you can create pockets of no car zones.

People like me who like cars, should be able to have places we store our cars. We should have places where we can explore the limits of our cars instead of driving through traffic. But that should be a strictly extracurricular activity.

In the no car pockets, you should be able to walk to a grocery store, hardware store, that has what you need. You should be able to have mixed zoning. Single family units shouldn’t be the norm. If I own a car but it’s not my dedicated form of transportation, I can buy a cooler car and I don’t need a garage next to where I live to store it. I can store it outside no car pockets so that I can take public transport to my car and then take my car to the track.

Yes, it’ll take awhile to get there but why aren’t we doing more to that end? Am I too idealistic?

Last fall, the city completed Phase 1 of the council approved Bloor Street West Complete Street project, which included nearly 4 km of protected bikeways from Runnymede Road to Aberfolyle Crescent in Etobicoke. Phase 2, which will add another 1 km of bikeways west to Resurrection Road and Six Points at Kipling Avenue, is planned for 2024. This project will contribute to giving folks in Etobicoke safer streets, more vibrant communities, a boost to local businesses, and more transportation options.

Ward 3 Etobicoke Lakeshore Councillor Morley is holding a virtual info session on the project on Monday, February 5th. Community members are encouraged to submit questions in advance for the Councillor and the City of Toronto staff that will be present at the meeting.