This post is inspired by me seeing an ambulance in the bike lane by the apartment building opposite of mine.
By this point, I’m sure we’ve all had just about enough of anti-urbanists and NIMBYs claiming in bad faith that bike lanes and bus lanes will be obstructive for emergency vehicles, and as such cannot be built.
You’re probably well aware that exactly the opposite is the case - cars are the principal obstruction for emergency vehicles, and emergency vehicles can actually make very efficient use of bike and bus lanes to shorten response times.
I propose that we flip the argument on its head by rebranding bike and bus lanes as Emergency Vehicle-lanes, which just so happen to afford permission to buses and bikes when not in active use by emergency vehicles (which is of course already the case, everyone is required to yield any space to emergency vehicles, at least where I live).
This way, we kill this particular argument against bike and bus lanes in its crib, and expose the opposition as being actually against emergency vehicle mobility, in favour of having more lanes to drive their cars on.
Let me know what you think!
NIMBYs claiming in bad faith
[…]
I propose that we flip the argument
And there’s your mistake. You understand that NIMBYs are not arguing in good faith, yet still ponder how to make a better argument.
If you do that, the cagers will whine “Look at all the cyclists driving their bikes in the lanes set aside for emergency vehicles!”
Keep it codified that bikes and buses are allowed to use the space, and that specifically only private cars and commercial transport vehicles are prohibited.
I’ve had drivers scream at me and threaten my life over using the street when it was painted with a bicycle icons indicating it’s legal there. People unfortunately go by what they think should be legal until it affects them personally
Your first mistake is assuming NIMBYs are arguing in good faith. They will simply keep arguing the point, or find another one. They don’t even have to argue on a basis of truth, as long as they keep screeching loud enough for everyone to go “FINE, baby. Have it your way” because they don’t wanna deal with it anymore.
Do not appeal to or argue with NIMBYs, instead present your case to politicians and participate in your local politics.
I’ve never understood why bike lanes aren’t protected as a form of accessibility that people with mobility devices benefit from.
Where I live, there are a LOT of people in mobility devices using bike lanes, and it pains me to see them forced onto the roadway because of some asshole parking in the bike lane.
Accessibility tends to be an easy win, because only the biggest shills would be against accessibility infrastructure.
Like getting mad at curb cuts, handicapped parking, wheelchair ramps would be insane.
Make it so bike lanes are protected under the same umbrella, because they should be.
