university of portsmouth cargo bike

university of portsmouth cargo bike
Originally uploaded by jon crel

Private Transport Efficiency

How many cars contain one person traveling?

28=one occupant/driver
25=more than one occupant
4=cyclists

Time 1230-1300(Friday)
Place Southsea
Journey 3 miles
Date 27 June 2011 (Monday)

53 cars. Cold damp headwind

Approx 8% cycling usage. One of the worst days ever despite being a nice warm sunny day. Students are down at the moment, probably the main explanation. Car usage a bit more sensible, with a lower proportion of single occupant cars than usual on a weekday...

Methodology:
Count (1) private cars with one occupant, (2) cars with more than one occupant, (3) cyclists, all in the oncoming lane.
Do not count commercial/working vehicles (vans, taxis, cars with stuff written on them).

sorry mate I saw you but you were in my way...

Twice on a cycle back from shopping in north end. Once on Dover Road, a silver saloon full of apparently drunk young men, came out of a junction without looking, I rang my bell they stopped, so I ended up in front of them on a narrow street, I got the jeering 'ding ding', then a narrow shave over take and a horn blown right next to me. Didn't get the number, which was a shame as there was a police car at the end of the road.

Then five minutes later another silver vehicle (a small panel van) wanted to over take me, on a road that is only wide enough for one car (Walmer Road). I was cycling at about 15 mph in a 20 mph limit, and could not easily pull into a single car space to let him past at that speed. When he passed (another narrow shave) he then slowed right down to force me to slow down, and was audible shouting that I should cycle faster. Its just a shame that people like this have driving licences. I did get the index number on that occasion and have reported his driving behaviour. I stopped and got my phone out and he sped off. As it appeared to be a commercial vehicle I'm staggered that he would take such a risk with his livelihood.

Thing is, I used the back roads in Portsmouth because the main streets are often unpleasant to cycle in, but most of the back streets, despite 20 mph limits are sufficiently blocked by parked cars that there is just enough room for a car, and difficult for a car to pass a bike safely, even at 20 mph.. Just depressing. I'll have to get the helmet cam out. Fortunately this does not happen very often, and its been a couple of years since I've experienced anything like this, even on this route which I use quite often. Most of the driving in Portsmouth is quite good, even considerate, it just seems to be a tiny number of people for whom aggression is a way of life. My observation is that a very small number of people cause 90% of the mayhem in society and on the road. Wish we could identify them, get them off the road, and ideally lock them up on a tiny island, maybe a traffic island!

Private Transport Efficiency

How many cars contain one person traveling?

33=one occupant/driver
22=more than one occupant
9=cyclists

Time 1230-1245 (Friday)
Place Southsea
Journey 3 miles
Date 8 October 2010 (Friday)

55 cars. Cold damp headwind

Approx 14% cycling usage. Pretty good considering the weather! 51% single occupant cars, pretty uninspiring. 25% of the people traveling use 56% of the road resources, single occupancy car use is very expensive for us all.

Methodology:
Count (1) private cars with one occupant, (2) cars with more than one occupant, (3) cyclists, all in the oncoming lane.
Do not count commercial/working vehicles (vans, taxis, cars with stuff written on them).

Private Transport Efficiency

First post for a while, although I note that the approx 20% cycling vehicles continued through Nov and December, but proportion is a little lower in January

How many cars contain one person traveling?

6=one occupant/driver
22=more than one occupant
6=cyclists

Time 1630-1645 (Sunday)
Place Southsea
Journey 3 miles
Date 8 October 2010 (Friday)

28 cars. Usual Sunday pattern with much more efficient car use. Bitterly cold.

Approx 20% cycling usage. Although with the much more efficient use of cars probably a smaller than average proportion of travelers on bikes. Interesting to note that a lot more people than usual seem to travel on Sunday than weekdays, but in far fewer cars.

Methodology:
Count (1) private cars with one occupant, (2) cars with more than one occupant, (3) cyclists, all in the oncoming lane.
Do not count commercial/working vehicles (vans, taxis, cars with stuff written on them).

Private Transport Efficiency

How many cars contain one person traveling?

23=one occupant/driver
2=more than one occupant
15=cyclists

Time 0930-1000
Place Southsea
Journey 3 miles
Date 8 October 2010 (Friday)

25 cars. More efficient usage could have taken this down to about 8 cars(!), this level of sole occupant usage is bad news for a congested city such as Portsmouth. Basically single occupancy cars use such a high proportion of the road 'resource'. Its not fair. Roughly 85% of the roadspace is being used by 50% of the users.

A record 37% cycling usage. Its a pity this level of cycle usage is not recognised by the transport planning for the city, which remains very car centric.

Methodology:
Count (1) private cars with one occupant, (2) cars with more than one occupant, (3) cyclists, all in the oncoming lane.
Do not count commercial/working vehicles (vans, taxis, cars with stuff written on them).

Private Transport Efficiency

How many cars contain one person traveling?

24=one occupant/driver
11=more than one occupant
6=cyclists

Time 1000-1300
Place Portsmouth/Hilsea/NorthEnd
Journey 3 miles
Date 8 September 2010 (Wednesday)

35 cars. More efficient usage could have taken this down to about 18 cars, this level of sole occupant usage is bad news for a congested city such as Portsmouth. Basically single occupancy cars use such a high proportion of the road 'resource'. Its not fair.

15% cycling usage. Well, it is raining, probably explains the low turnout.

Methodology:
Count (1) private cars with one occupant, (2) cars with more than one occupant, (3) cyclists, all in the oncoming lane.
Do not count commercial/working vehicles (vans, taxis, cars with stuff written on them).