自行車就像“一根滾動的手杖”

自行車就像“一根滾動的手杖”

After Australian Madison Lyden was killed while riding her bike on Central Park West in New York City, a protected bike lane was finally approved. Then the owners of the multimillion dollar condos and co-ops sued to stop the project, citing as a main reason that "disabled and elderly residents who wish to enter Central Park will be in harm's way by having to cross the bike lanes due to bicycle riders who often neglect to abide by the normal traffic rules."

澳大利亞人麥迪遜·萊登(Madison Lyden)在紐約市中央公園西(Central Park West)騎自行車時被撞死后，一條受保護的自行車道終于獲得批準。然后數(shù)百萬美元的公寓的所有者和合作社起訴停止該項目,以作為主要原因“殘疾人和老年人居民希望進入中央公園將會受到傷害,穿過車道由于自行車騎手經(jīng)常忽視遵守正常交通規(guī)則。”

Every time a bike lane is proposed, one of the main arguments used to fight it is the concern that disabled and elderly people won't be able to park. But in fact, for many older and disabled people, bikes could be mobility aids.

每當有人提議修建自行車道時，反對的主要理由之一就是擔心殘疾人和老年人不能停車。但事實上，對許多老年人和殘疾人來說，自行車可以幫助他們行動。

Who needs a car when you've got a recumbent bike? (Photo: Lloyd Alter)

In Cambridge, England, over a quarter of disabled people commute by bike. There's even a charity, Wheels for Wellbeing, which promotes bikes as mobility aids. They note that 52 percent of disabled cyclists use regular two-wheelers; the rest use tricycles and recumbents.

在英國劍橋，超過四分之一的殘疾人騎自行車上下班。甚至還有一個慈善機構(gòu)“車輪促進健康”(Wheels for well - being)，該機構(gòu)將自行車推廣為輔助交通工具。他們指出，52%的殘疾自行車手使用普通的兩輪自行車;其余使用三輪車和橫臥。

Graffiti on sign says 'Share the lane.' (Photo: Lloyd Alter)

It inevitably comes back to parking

它不可避免地會回到停車的問題上

Back in North America, organizations like AARP don't fight for parking spaces. Instead they "believe that communities should provide safe, walkable streets; age-friendly housing and transportation options; access to needed services; and opportunities for residents of all ages to participate in community life." When New York Mayor Bill De Blasio rejected congestion pricing, one excuse he used was that it "would unduly burden senior citizens, who supposedly need their cars to get to doctor's appointments in Manhattan." Not true, the AARP's Chris Widelo tells Streetsblog: "It's expensive to have a car in this city, and we know that as many people get older, they tend to give up their keys."

在北美，像美國退休人員協(xié)會這樣的組織不會爭奪停車位。相反，他們“認為社區(qū)應該提供安全、適宜步行的街道;對老年人友好的住房和交通選擇;獲得所需服務;所有年齡的居民都有機會參與社區(qū)生活。”當紐約市長比爾·德布拉西奧(Bill De Blasio)拒絕征收擁堵費時，他使用的一個借口是，這“會給老年人帶來過度負擔，他們本應需要自己的車去曼哈頓看醫(yī)生。”美國退休人員協(xié)會(AARP)的克里斯•維德洛(Chris Widelo)在接受Streetsblog采訪時表示:“在這個城市，擁有一輛車是很昂貴的。我們知道，隨著許多人年齡的增長，他們往往會放棄自己的車鑰匙。”

Here's a pretty car with a disabled permit in a disabled parking spot — proof that we know how to provide specialty parking when we want to. (Photo: Lloyd Alter)

There are many older and disabled people who do need cars to get around, so provisions must be made for parking, as is the norm in many shopping center parking lots.

有許多老年人和殘疾人確實需要汽車，所以必須為停車做準備，這是許多購物中心停車場的規(guī)范。

That's no kid on that scooter in Paris. (Photo: Lloyd Alter)

We know that exercise is good for older people's minds and bodies, and in the new world of micromobility — the world of e-bikes and scooters — we have many other options besides driving. We also know that not everyone in the bike lane is young and fit. That's why people of every age and ability need decent sidewalks and a safe, secure place to use these new driving alternatives.

我們知道鍛煉對老年人的思想和身體有好處，在微移動的新世界里——電動自行車和小型摩托車的世界——除了開車，我們還有很多其他的選擇。我們也知道，并不是所有在自行車道上的人都年輕健康。這就是為什么每個年齡和能力的人都需要體面的人行道和一個安全的地方來使用這些新的駕駛選擇。

In almost every fight over bike lanes, there will be those who fight to keep the status quo, to keep all those parking spaces, those who never ask the older or disabled people what they want or need.

在幾乎每一場關于自行車道的斗爭中，都會有一些人為了保持現(xiàn)狀而斗爭，為了保留所有的停車位而斗爭，那些人從不問老人或殘疾人他們想要什么或需要什么。

Perhaps it's time they did ask. They might be surprised by the answers.

也許是時候問問他們了。他們可能會對這些答案感到驚訝。