Aerial cycle highways

[MikeyBikey]

Oh but the cost! One elegant elevated cycle roundabout in Netherlands cost 19M euros!
out Spectacular New Floating Cycle Roundabout | BICYCLE DUTCH
With pics & vids of it in use. Cheers, Mikey

 

[peerjay56]

Oh but the cost! One elegant elevated cycle roundabout in Netherlands cost 19M euros!
out Spectacular New Floating Cycle Roundabout | BICYCLE DUTCH
With pics & vids of it in use. Cheers, Mikey

Doesn't it just show the chasm between British and Dutch attitudes to not only cycling, but civic pride too.

 

[Blew it]

I watched the video several times, and yes, there is an element of architectural vanity in the structure, but wholly functional. It is of course a great example of aesthetically stunning Cable-stay technology.

By the way, did anybody spot the front-motored electric step-through at 2:03

Notice the "lightning arresters" at 3:08, presumably to direct a strike straight down the "Skylon" to ground. Were the charge to follow the cables, the whole contraption would light up like a christmas tree.

Just like the Motorola facility in Swindon some years ago...with yours truly inside it...such demonstrations of nature's power can be frightening even to the bravest.

The video also reminded me of the way the Dutch always conduct themselves in a seemingly dignified way. Is this a trick of the eye, an effect of the predominantly upright riding posture as opposed to the aggressive MTB style ape-crouch adopted by us Brits?

Amazing how many people attend a grand opening, especially with free do-nuts and pop on offer.

Great contribution to the thread Mikey.
Thanks for posting.

 

[flecc]

I think all the 'Cycle Superhighways' should be converted to 'Skyways' and paid for with extra Vehicle Excise Duty. After all motorists will be getting the benefit of less cyclists obstructing them on the road, so they can travel faster and worry less about running them over!

No, jointly paid for by cyclists and drivers. Cyclists will benefit the most so why shouldn't they pay? They aren't and shouldn't be charity cases, they should pay their way like everyone else.

 

[flecc]

The video also reminded me of the way the Dutch always conduct themselves in a seemingly dignified way. Is this a trick of the eye, an effect of the predominantly upright riding posture as opposed to the aggressive MTB style ape-crouch adopted by us Brits?

Yes, I've always thought the same. The way they ride I think not only looks civilised but probably has an influence on all general public behaviour, a form of prompting civilised conduct by visual example.

Strong stuff, psychology.

 

[Blew it]

Doesn't it just show the chasm between British and Dutch attitudes to not only cycling, but civic pride too.

Spot-on Phil, it's an example of a country which places the well being of it's population before the wealth of it's "businessmen".

 

[funkylyn]

Spot-on Phil, it's an example of a country which places the well being of it's population before the wealth of it's "businessmen".

Yes very true......but i would like to hear more about your lightening experience ??

Lynda

 

[Blew it]

....but i would like to hear more about your lightening experience ??

Okay, I'll try to explain.

8 pm on the afternoon shift, day workers and management gone home. All of us quietly sitting at our Base Station System Controller testing areas.

I remember a loud "click" ( the leader sent up from the ground which attracts the strike?) immediately followed by an almighty bang which shook the whole building. Some of the discharge shot across the inside of the roof....unable to get to ground due to the thick anti-static floor covering. Lights and PC's all went down, a mixture of screams and hysterical laughter from us lot. There was a very strong smell of Ozone.

In the "internal street", outside of our "clean-air" testing rooms, two thankfully unoccupied steel spiral staircases directed the strike to ground.

The building was extensively damaged. Where each steel support entered the ground, the anti-rust epoxy coating had been blown off by the grounding, Repair costs were around £500k.

The security guy in the gatehouse was watching when the facility was struck, "the whole place lit up like a Christmas tree" said he.

Eventually, somebody decided to check on our well-being. Actually, we were more concerned with the loss of five hours worth of test results than the excitement of the strike.

 

[funkylyn]

Woah....my god that sounds like a very lucky escape.

Sounds like the anti static flooring was to blame, a case of trying to make you all safer could have ended with killing you all.....elf n safety really can be the death of us......

Lynda

 

[Blew it]

Just the opposite Lynda, the ESD floor covering reduced the possibility of the discharge seeking a path to ground, instead, choosing the easier route across the inside of the roof to areas with ceramic tile flooring.

In actual fact, the design of the building kept us very safe. All of the grounding points where external to the clean air areas.

As per the advice given, if caught in a thunderstorm whilst driving. Close the windows and stay in the vehicle, the steel bodywork will direct the discharge to ground. And yes, electricity can and does travel through rubber tyres. When aircraft touch down, static build-up is immediately discharged....through the rubber tyred landing gear.

 

[flecc]

And yes, electricity can and does travel through rubber tyres.

Yes, rubber isn't naturally black, the included carbon in tyres makes them black and in quantity it's a good conductor.

 

[funkylyn]

Just the opposite Lynda, the ESD floor covering reduced the possibility of the discharge seeking a path to ground, instead, choosing the easier route across the inside of the roof to areas with ceramic tile flooring.

In actual fact, the design of the building kept us very safe. All of the grounding points where external to the clean air areas.

As per the advice given, if caught in a thunderstorm whilst driving. Close the windows and stay in the vehicle, the steel bodywork will direct the discharge to ground. And yes, electricity can and does travel through rubber tyres. When aircraft touch down, static build-up is immediately discharged....through the rubber tyred landing gear.

......its all a mystery to me.....only thing that I obviously understand then... is that you are still alive.....thankfully

Lynda

 

[hopper_rider]

Oh but the cost! One elegant elevated cycle roundabout in Netherlands cost 19M euros!
out Spectacular New Floating Cycle Roundabout | BICYCLE DUTCH
With pics & vids of it in use. Cheers, Mikey

At least they got an elevated cycle roundabout for that. We could lose that in consultancy fees

 

[peerjay56]

No, jointly paid for by cyclists and drivers. Cyclists will benefit the most so why shouldn't they pay? They aren't and shouldn't be charity cases, they should pay their way like everyone else.

As I understand it, the status of pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders as non motorised travellers has safeguarded us from the threat of a tax on moving along roads/paths etc, based on the RIGHT of free movement for pedestrians, and by extension (maybe tenuously) to cyclists, as opposed to the PRIVILEGE of movement granted to motorised vehicles through the licensing system.
Whilst I would argue that cyclists and pedestrians DO pay their way, in that they are also tax payers, and that VED is NOT a road tax, I have to concede that the motorisaton of the cyclist through the ebike is now perhaps eroding that right? Maybe it should become a privilege?
As I now sound like a turkey voting for christmas, I'll leave it there!

 

[MikeyBikey]

As I now sound like a turkey voting for christmas, I'll leave it there!

We should adopt a proactive attitude to any curtailment of citizens rights. The Public Highway is paid for out of state & council taxation, which we all pay, and are therefore all entitled to use without further payment.
In a democratic state, everything is allowed, unless it reasonably needs to be otherwise. It is a police state where everything is forbidden unless permission is bought to obtain it.
As I now sound like I'm preaching, I'll leave it there too ! ;-)

 

[flecc]

We should adopt a proactive attitude to any curtailment of citizens rights. The Public Highway is paid for out of state & council taxation, which we all pay, and are therefore all entitled to use without further payment.

Philosophically payment has no part in the matter in England and many other places. Since the enclosures of the 13th century and beyond, often the only way to go from A to B without trespass is on public highways. As all are born free and cannot be imprisoned in one location without just cause, they have the right to such travel and there are numerous examples of those making no taxation contribution doing so. Today's travellers for example.

That right has always extended to persons with livestock so includes riders. The problem appears to arise with vehicle use, which raises the interesting question, what is a vehicle?

Are horses, mules, donkeys or oxen not vehicles? Possibly they are, the OED tells me that a vehicle is a conveyance for transporting passengers or goods on land or in space, and those animals are surely that when we use them in such manner. But that last phrase is a problem and leaves a loophole for legislators to argue otherwise, since the primary purpose on earth of these animals is not to be vehicles, whilst it is the primary purpose of bicycles and all other mechanical transport.

 

[hopper_rider]

Philosophically payment has no part in the matter in England and many other places. Since the enclosures of the 13th century and beyond, often the only way to go from A to B without trespass is on public highways. As all are born free and cannot be imprisoned in one location without just cause, they have the right to such travel and there are numerous examples of those making no taxation contribution doing so. Today's travellers for example.

That right has always extended to persons with livestock so includes riders. The problem appears to arise with vehicle use, which raises the interesting question, what is a vehicle?

Are horses, mules, donkeys or oxen not vehicles? Possibly they are, the OED tells me that a vehicle is a conveyance for transporting passengers or goods on land or in space, and those animals are surely that when we use them in such manner. But that last phrase is a problem and leaves a loophole for legislators to argue otherwise, since the primary purpose on earth of these animals is not to be vehicles, whilst it is the primary purpose of bicycles and all other mechanical transport.

.......... And then there are mobility scooters and electric wheelchairs. Saying nothing about cyclists who cannot ride without assistance, so possibly their conveyances are mobility related as well.

 

[flecc]

.......... And then there are mobility scooters and electric wheelchairs. Saying nothing about cyclists who cannot ride without assistance, so possibly their conveyances are mobility related as well.

By extension from my above discussion, these are all mechanical transport so are vehicles which cannot share in the natural rights I described which solely apply to the person.

Therefore there is no ethical reason why legislation can not restrict or prevent such vehicles, whether human power propelled or not. There may of course be a moral dimension in the case of the disabled.
.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

All these big capital projects might have some benefit for the public, but their main aim is to create a big pool of cash so that all the politicians and their mates can get their noses in the trough. Look at that lovely Dutch roundabout. Can you see 19m Euros in it? If I had the contract for half of that, I think I would've still had enough left over to buy a palace by the sea somewhere warm. HS2 is going to make a few people rich. It's up to £80 billion today. That's £1000 for every inhabitant of the UK, or about £2500 for every tax-payer.

When steel structures like cars are struck by lightning, you're safe inside because electric charge can only travel around the outside. It can't come inside. This is what Faraday discovered:
http://www.mylespaul.com/gallery/data/723/faraday_cage.jpg