Might 2025 be the year we tackle SUVs? #146

This week a drift of news stories is pointing in the same direction: oversized SUVs are a threat to our and our planet’s health and wellbeing, and society’s response is far from sufficient.

This week a drift of news stories and research is pointing in the same direction: oversized SUVs are a threat to our and our planet’s health and wellbeing, and society’s response is far from sufficient. It’s worth putting some of them together.

BIG STORIES FOR CYCLING ADVOCACY

NEW YORK INTRODUCES CONGESTION PRICING. It’s taken a while, but it’s finally happened, and the War on Cars went out and interviewed some New Yorkers about it. Tens of thousands fewer vehicles entered the busiest parts of Manhattan in the first six days of the $9 toll (the fee for most passenger cars), according to city officials, though some areas saw more traffic. The New York Times reports on this and suggestions bus journey times are down, in these very early first days.

SUVS AS A PUBLIC HEALTH THREAT. We heard Chris Boardman talking about misinformation as a threat to cycling culture. Well, this week we turn our gaze towards the public health threat of SUVs which, Vox’s David Zipper compares to the threat of smoking, with their large size and emissions. Zipper argues (not for the first time) the anti-smoking playbook could prove useful in tackling this current health threat.

SUVS AS A PLANETARY THREAT. New research takes into account vehicle size in the electrification of road transport, concluding CO2 emissions in new vehicles are only substantially reduced in a scenario that cuts our use of motor vehicles, and their size. Electrifying - and selling - more large SUVs fails to solve this problem and, as Brent Toderian put it “could actually INCREASE emissions by using up scarce battery material that could otherwise be used to electrify a lot MORE smaller cars (and e-bikes)”.

SUVS AS A ROAD SAFETY THREAT. If you’re a cyclist or pedestrian, a collision with a larger car is 20% more likely to be fatal than with an average-sized one. In the Netherlands, cycling injury and death has doubled for the heaviest vehicles, media outlet RTL found. While growing SUV numbers explain part of this increase, per collision larger vehicles are 20% more deadly.

E-BIKE MISINFORMATION. A recent Panorama programme on e-bikes has been roundly criticised for repeatedly misrepresenting what an electric bike is, and for being unduly negative about the potential of e-bikes for transport and leisure. Mark Sutton at Cycling Electric has, in typically thorough style, has analysed the programme and its flaws - and made an Ofcom complaint while he was at it. He won’t be alone.

(SOME HAPPIER) OTHER HEADLINES

SHARED EBIKES USED FOR COMMUTING AND ERRANDS. Data from public ebike hire company Beryl shows its shared electric bikes are mostly used for commuting and errands. Since March 2020 more than a million trips have been made on its machines, the company says. In Norwich, councillor Graham Plant called the scheme ‘hugely positive’, with 90,000 regular users and more than 30 riders joining daily.

CYCLING TRANSFORMS LIVES. This collection of stories, of people learning skills as adults, includes a rather lovely cycling tale. Naida Jabar was 44 when she learned to cycle. Deciding to start cycling as her kids did, Jabar embarked on a programme of learning, together with some of her Muslim friends. Three years later she teaches other women as a Bikeability instructor.

INTERESTING GRAPH OF THE WEEK:

Paris has dramatically improved its air quality since 2007 thanks to bold measures to curb traffic and provide alternatives to private cars. Source: https://www.paris.fr/dossiers/incollable-sur-paris-ces-cartes-inedites-vous-prouveront-le-contraire-199

ACTIVE TRAVEL WORD OF THE WEEK:

Activism. This can mean different things to different people. While social media can be a tool for change, there’s nothing like campaigning to make a difference in the real world. There’s some nice advice on how it works, in this Cycling UK piece.

Until next time,

Adam

Adam Tranter

Founder, #BikeIsBest