European Tribune - Community, Politics & Progress.

Cycle & Walk (Earth Day 2007)

by DoDo
Tue Apr 24th, 2007 at 08:28:10 AM EST

Sunday was Earth Day. In many cities of the world, including Budapest, this is also the day for cyclists to protests for a more human city by staging a tour along busy main roads.

In Budapest, the events got so large (drivers would have to wait a hour or two for all bikers the pass) that the offensiveness was taken away, hundreds of organisers in green jerseys regulated crossing traffic.

Like last year, I attended.

Cycling

Since I moved out into a smaller city over the past one year, I first cycled into Budapest -- c. 30-32 km mostly on an often curving and narrow biker path in 95 minutes, not so bad. Along the way, I met the in-construction Stephen Colbert Bridge:

Symbolic for transport priorities: the brand-new bike path was just discontinued at the construction site, I had to go on the edge of a busy road.

I reached the end of the already started rally, then I tried to find some friends by cycling forward through the masses in dangerous style. I passed maybe three-fourths when I reached the Petőfi Bridge (see photo above the fold), and saw cyclists on both banks of the Danube as far as I could see.

Below: Eastern (Pest) bank with the Economic University, Western (Buda) bank with the Technical Universaity and the Gellért mountain.

This event was HUGE. Last year's already drew tens of thousands, but this year's 14-km route (with more than half in a loop along the river banks) was longer, and I was further away from front, yet when I reached the crossing point of the loop, the end was still not visible.

When I reached the end point, with 'only' 1-2 thousand already there, I couldn't find my friends. I cycled back to Oktogon place, waited half an hour, didn't saw them.

I didn't wait the end to have room on my train home. Here is my bike on a train in India (those who know know what I mean):

Later when I called them, it turned out they passed another hour later, it took more than two hours for all the masses to arrive! The media reports "at least 50,000" took part.

Walking

When I moved to this city, I bought an ultra-cheap second-hand bike that was so crappy that I didn't fear it would be stolen, thinking I'll use it to get to the railway station during my daily commute, and to make errands.

But in the end I never used it: I found that I can stand walking as daily routine for much longer than I expected. The 12 resp. 14 minutes to the two railway stations in town (at my rather fast walking speed of c. 6 km/h) is no problem, while the bank, post, grocery, market, mayor's office are all less than 10 minutes away.

I wonder how much others walk on a daily basis.

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Cycle & Walk (Earth Day 2007) | 37 comments (37 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: Cycle & Walk (Earth Day 2007) (4.00 / 2)

It's not just the French elections today...

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

by DoDo on Sun Apr 22nd, 2007 at 02:19:18 PM EST

Re: Cycle &amp; Walk (Earth Day 2007) (none / 0)

This is very inspiring, you heretic, you! ;)

Our knowledge has surpassed our wisdom. --Charu Saxena.

by metavision on Sun Apr 22nd, 2007 at 02:25:07 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Cycle & Walk (Earth Day 2007) (4.00 / 4)

I wonder how much others walk on a daily basis.

I walk to and from work, 35 min each way. I've thought about getting a bike, but I really do like my morning walk and am not sure I really want to give it up. Gives me a chance to wake up while on the move, and it is nice to be outside since I get to spend 8h in the office. A walking commute does not feel like a 'waste' the way a car commute would. I have experimented with reading while walking a few times. It works pretty well, actually, because I am mostly on long walk paths with no cars to look out for.

by someone (s0me1smail(a)gmail(d)com) on Sun Apr 22nd, 2007 at 03:12:50 PM EST

Re: Cycle &amp; Walk (Earth Day 2007) (4.00 / 2)

Back when I lived in Budapest, my cycle commute took 25-30 minutes (and the bus commute involved a 6min walk, which I experienced as long).

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

by DoDo on Sun Apr 22nd, 2007 at 04:34:21 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Cycle Walk (Earth Day 2007) (none / 0)

We talk a lot about cognitive dissonance on ET, now here is one of mine: I completely forgot about another daily walk, one taking at least half an hour! It's when I walk the dog -- or when the dog walks me. (Maybe that's why I didn't think of it, not a transport mode of choice.)

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

by DoDo on Tue Apr 24th, 2007 at 02:47:47 PM EST
[ Parent ]

I love bikes (4.00 / 3)

but they're scary and not all that convenient in Manhattan. Walking, on the other hand, is pure joy. I walk a minimum of three miles every day just running errands and anywhere from seven to ten miles on "exercise/mental health days." At least once a month, I also love to walk to New Jersey, partly to prove that I'll never be a Prisoner of New York. Those days involve about 15 miles of walking.

by Matt in NYC on Mon Apr 23rd, 2007 at 07:54:50 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I love bikes (none / 1)

Respect! But what are those distances in time for you?

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

by DoDo on Mon Apr 23rd, 2007 at 08:05:46 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I love bikes (4.00 / 3)

The daily three miles is just part of my regular life, so it's hard to say. For example, going to my bank branch to deposit a check is a mile walk there and back, and so is Zabar's. I also can't stand switching subway lines. It feels like a betrayal of the West Side IRT (the oldest and imho, most cultured line in the City) and nothing is more boring than peering down an empty tunnel for five to ten minutes. So the whole time I've lived in New York, I've made a practice of just taking the 1/2/3 -- the beautiful red line to the west to the "latitude" I want to go to, and then walking west or east. This adds up! As for time, I usually calculate 15 minutes a mile, but it can be faster -- or, as right now, when magnolias, daffodils and callery pear trees are in spectacular bloom everywhere you go -- quite a bit longer!

Walking to New Jersey is intended to be a power walk, so I try to do it in 3.5 to 4 hours. Another one of my favorite routes -- the entire 6.5 mi periphery of Central Park -- takes 1.5 to 1.75 hours, depending on the weather and my mood.

by Matt in NYC on Mon Apr 23rd, 2007 at 08:34:13 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I love bikes (none / 1)

So you do 6 to 7 km/h -- another fast-walker!

Do you do any excursions/trekking in woods or are you entirely a city guy? It's in woods and mountains where I do walking for fun. Nothing extreme, whole-day treks up to 40 km; in contrast some of my once and future companions regularly participated in 100-km/1000m+ elevation difference day-and-night contests.

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

by DoDo on Mon Apr 23rd, 2007 at 08:49:11 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I love bikes (4.00 / 2)

A few years ago, I had a rather severe case of pneumonia, the sickest I've ever been in my life. Before that I had always pushed myself to do at least 5 mi an hour, which is really exhillarating. As you no doubt know, there's a certain speed where the body realizes it would be more economical in terms of calories, etc., just to break into a run, so, for me, when I get close to 5.5 miles, it's agony keeping myself walking, not running.

At any rate, it took me almost two months to get back to that speed after my bout of pneumonia -- just to prove to myself that I wasn't a total basket case -- but since then I've slacked off. Coincidentally, around about that time is when I became obsessed with New York trees -- we have almost 200 species! -- and I started carrying around New York City Trees: A Field Guide and nerdily notating whenever I hit on a new or interesting species. ("Treespotting," I call it.) Trying to make out buds, leaf shapes, etc. slows you down when you're walking, but I've decided it's worth it. What I may lose in physical fitness, I gain in mental stimulation!

I also love long treks in the woods (or fields -- Iowa, my home state, has incredible walking/bike paths) -- but unfortunately most of my travels outside New York these days are to South Florida, home of my Significant Other, and the only sane place to walk there is on the beaches.

by Matt in NYC on Mon Apr 23rd, 2007 at 09:45:12 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I love bikes (none / 1)

Are there no walkways in nice woods up North along the Hudson river? (A question based entirely on photos of Metro-North RR trains :-))

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

by DoDo on Mon Apr 23rd, 2007 at 10:08:41 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Actually, yes! (4.00 / 2)

Sometimes when I walk to New Jersey I head north through the Palisades after crossing the George Washington Bridge. I haven't done it in a few years, but you can also take a boat up the Hudson to Bear Mountain , which is pretty spectacular too. And both the Metro North and the Amtrak trains up the Hudson among the most satisfying day trips you can take from Manhattan.

by Matt in NYC on Mon Apr 23rd, 2007 at 10:21:08 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I love bikes (none / 0)

A few years ago, I had a rather severe case of pneumonia, the sickest I've ever been in my life. Before that I had always pushed myself to do at least 5 mi an hour, which is really exhillarating. As you no doubt know, there's a certain speed where the body realizes it would be more economical in terms of calories, etc., just to break into a run, so, for me, when I get close to 5.5 miles, it's agony keeping myself walking, not running.

At that stage I usually start running. Actually if I have a reason to walk fast and no company I usually start running anyway just because it is a bit boring to walk.

by A swedish kind of death on Tue Apr 24th, 2007 at 10:34:07 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Cycle &amp; Walk (Earth Day 2007) (4.00 / 2)

Joburg can not be transversed easily without a car, so despite my initial hopes to do without one, on the long term I think there's no other way than purchase one.

In the meantime, I've been testing out other forms of transport. Walking to campus takes me over an hour and I've no idea how far it is, though I guess some 6 km.

If I take one of these still bewildering taxi rides, I exit over the hill and walk for another 20 minutes.

Biking is almost equal to suicide here, mainly because the shortest routes are taxi routes and a taxi route is not the place you want to be on as a biker. I wouldn't recommend trying to adopt Jerome's rebel act of cracking mirrors - not until the taxi wars have quieted down...

by Nomad on Mon Apr 23rd, 2007 at 09:15:36 AM EST
[ Parent ]

How about a pair of these (none / 1)

Don't fight forces, use them R. Buckminster Fuller.

by rg (leopold dot lepster at google mail dot com) on Mon Apr 23rd, 2007 at 09:33:20 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Cycle &amp;amp; Walk (Earth Day 2007) (none / 1)

Good lord. Is there another taxi war? They just never seem to end.

by the stormy present (stormypresent aaaaaaat gmail etc) on Mon Apr 23rd, 2007 at 10:13:21 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Well (none / 1)

I have little context yet to know what's normal around here, but there recently was a violent upsurge in the Soweto area. The government has begun pushing the recapitalization program (again?) earlier this year. They want the majority of the taxis overhauled before 2010.

by Nomad on Mon Apr 23rd, 2007 at 10:29:52 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Cycle & Walk (Earth Day 2007) (4.00 / 3)

Around the centre of town: I walk. To work, I cycle. Rather than think in distances, I tend to think in time, either on foot or on bike. To my friends house: a five minute walk. The pub: two minutes down the hill. Work: twenty minutes on my bike. My other place of work: also twenty minutes, but a pig of a hill (where I work is at the top of the highest hill. It's near this place: note the drop down to the sea.)

Up to the hills: thirty minutes of slog up a busy road, which is too far for me, too many cars, too much hill...there's a bus that goes to the top. Here's the view once you get there.

I have a friend who lives at the top of yet another hill--the steepest hill in town. From my place it's down then up up up. Walking, it's a stiff twenty minute trek. By bike, it's a steep hill. I'd consider that the limit of my evening's capacity to travel (without a motor.)

Well, there you go. Typed in the spirit of there always being a film on during the cup final.

Don't fight forces, use them R. Buckminster Fuller.

by rg (leopold dot lepster at google mail dot com) on Sun Apr 22nd, 2007 at 04:30:32 PM EST

Re: Cycle & Walk (Earth Day 2007) (4.00 / 3)

Photos from Index.hu:

This must be a few minutes after the start, on the Pest side:

CriticalMass bike lifting:

The President (guy in bright shirt to the left) came again, this time, without scary bodyguards:

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

by DoDo on Sun Apr 22nd, 2007 at 07:18:57 PM EST

Re: Cycle &amp; Walk (Earth Day 2007) (none / 1)

Sole photo I found that indicates the loopback:

(Photo from the old Chain Bridge, in the background the Parliament, the cyclists cycling under it won't cross this bridge for another 40-60 minutes)

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

by DoDo on Sun Apr 22nd, 2007 at 07:42:43 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Cycle & Walk (Earth Day 2007) (4.00 / 3)

Fantastic stuff! We need a protest like this in Cardiff, the cycle lanes are terrible.

I walk or cycle to work mostly, depending on the weather. Sometimes I'll use a bus or train.

My walk takes about half an hour and I enjoy it, it gives my brain some quiet time. Especially coming home it serves as my debrief time where I chew over what the day has involved and then let it go in time to relax for the evening.

I tend to cycle if the weather is nice or if I have meetings across town to attend and I really enjoy being boisterous on my bike. It makes me hungry though!

Ad astra per aspera

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Mon Apr 23rd, 2007 at 02:54:56 AM EST

Re: Cycle &amp; Walk (Earth Day 2007) (none / 1)

We need a protest like this in Cardiff, the cycle lanes are terrible.

You at least have them :-) In most of Hungary (maybe excepting the Westernmost part), they are few and between, and where present, they are often just some village road or part of a walkway redesignated.

I didn't tell in this year's or last year's diary that another prominent person beyond the President participates: the finance minister, a neolib yuppie (who, to my unending regret, just became the chairman of the liberal party with a narrow vote). An absolutely hypocritical act all for image: he won't give any big money for bike paths but pours billions into new highways.

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

by DoDo on Mon Apr 23rd, 2007 at 08:00:54 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Cycle &amp;amp; Walk (Earth Day 2007) (4.00 / 2)

Speaking of cheap-o bike path solutions, a solution good for bikers but angering me that is popular with municipalities in the West is to tear up the rails of disused branchlines and pour asphalt over the embankment -- they spare the earthworks but exclude the possibility of re-starting proper public transport in the future.

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

by DoDo on Mon Apr 23rd, 2007 at 08:04:35 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Cycle & Walk (Earth Day 2007) (4.00 / 2)

I used to bike pretty far to a work I had. 40-50 minutes in very high speed (higher speed the later I started). Good exercise.

It was in the countryside and part of the way was an old rail track that had been converted to a bikeroad. It was a pretty steep hill to get up to it, but once you rode a straight path on the hillcrest a long while. Used to get some pretty good speeds up there.

I was figuring that at least this way the embankment and bridges were kept up, making it easier to re-start railways there in the future. Are you saying that once you have poured the asphalt the embankment is destroyed for any railroad purposes?

by A swedish kind of death on Tue Apr 24th, 2007 at 10:31:16 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Cycle & Walk (Earth Day 2007) (none / 1)

No, it would only cost more, while the municipality just signalled that it won't be willing to pay for it, and bikers would most likely protest against re-starting the railroad -- unless (or even if?) a new bike path is also built (giving to the costs). But you are right that if houses or a road for cars is allowed to be built on/across it, that is a bigger problem.

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

by DoDo on Tue Apr 24th, 2007 at 11:35:46 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Cycle & Walk (Earth Day 2007) (4.00 / 2)

I have in the past biked for exercise, fun and commuting, but not here! No way. My poor mountain bike (which I love) is leaning up against a wall in my apartment with flattened tires. I haven't even bothered to straighten out the handlebars, which were turned sideways when I packed it up and moved it here.

People do bike here, though, for basic transportation. I have no idea how they manage not to get splattered, weaving around between the cars jamming the streets.

One of my favorite sights here, and something I never cease to marvel at, is the biking bread guys. Not only do they weave their bikes around in traffic at full speed, but they do it with enormous trays of bread balanced on their heads. These wooden trays are easily four or five feet square. I don't know how you'd balance a huge tray of bread on your head while riding a bike in any circumstance, but to do it in Cairo traffic.... unbelievable. And yet I see them doing it every day.

by the stormy present (stormypresent aaaaaaat gmail etc) on Mon Apr 23rd, 2007 at 10:22:41 AM EST

Re: Cycle & Walk (Earth Day 2007) (4.00 / 2)

Man, I hope they succeed in awareness. I'd personally love it if center cities were off limits to any private vehicles, it's the world I suspect our grandchildren will enjoy.

For my part, I got 150 km in on the bike on Earth Day. But not as part of any earth day festivities, of course...

"C'est un scandale !"

by redstar on Mon Apr 23rd, 2007 at 12:13:56 PM EST

Re: Cycle &amp; Walk (Earth Day 2007) (4.00 / 3)

Downtown Minneapolis has Nicollet Mall, a mile long stretch of the downtown core that is only open to buses and bikes. Even with the buses it is pretty tranquil. Would be nice to see cars banned from a good percentage of downtown overall, though, similar to many European cities.

you are the media you consume.

by MillMan (millguy at gmail) on Mon Apr 23rd, 2007 at 01:20:03 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Cycle &amp;amp; Walk (Earth Day 2007) (none / 1)

You're right about Nicollet mall being much nicer without the cars, and most of DT Mpls now has bike lanes. That's exactly what I'm thinking of.

There's an annual race (Nature Value Grand Prix) which borrows Nicollet (in front of Brit's Pub) for a bit that's quite fun, too, though aside from that, it's pretty hard to get up much speed on a bike on that stretch though...

"C'est un scandale !"

by redstar on Mon Apr 23rd, 2007 at 04:16:58 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Cycle Walk (Earth Day 2007) (none / 1)

So you live in Minneapolis?

you are the media you consume.

by MillMan (millguy at gmail) on Mon Apr 23rd, 2007 at 06:12:44 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Cycle Walk (Earth Day 2007) (4.00 / 2)

St Paul.

"C'est un scandale !"

by redstar on Mon Apr 23rd, 2007 at 06:30:11 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Cycle Walk (Earth Day 2007) (4.00 / 2)

I lived in the Twin Cities for 25 years, but I always refer to the area as Minneapolis. I lived in St. Paul for one year, my last year of college, a few blocks from the cathedral on Selby Ave. Nice walkable area with Grand Ave close by, although I rarely walked as this was before my understanding (and subsequent enjoyment) of functional urban neighborhoods.

you are the media you consume.

by MillMan (millguy at gmail) on Mon Apr 23rd, 2007 at 06:44:45 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Cycle Walk (Earth Day 2007) (4.00 / 2)

I've been here for 12 years, and went to college at Macalester too back in the '80's, so 16 total in the Twin Cities.

Was in St Cloud for awhile too when my dad was a prof at St Johns (Marxism and Political Economy - surprise surprise, he didn't get tenure).

It's really the only part of the US I know aside from the Houghton area of upper Michigan where I lived for awhile as well.

Great place to live on a day to day basis, though for training on the bike, not the greatest...

"C'est un scandale !"

by redstar on Mon Apr 23rd, 2007 at 07:51:25 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Cycle & Walk (Earth Day 2007) (4.00 / 2)

Beautiful thoughts.

When I lived across the Bay from San Francisco I'd take the ferry across for the monthly Critical Mass. Same basic thing, except we'd do it monthly.

I now live out of the city in a sparsely populated area of Western Washington, and I ride my mountain bike or walk daily on trails though the forests, just for the joy of it.

"I would pillow myself on the stream, for I'd like to cleanse my ears" - Sun Chu (218-293) Chinese recluse

by Ren on Tue Apr 24th, 2007 at 11:40:52 AM EST

Re: Cycle &amp; Walk (Earth Day 2007) (none / 1)

What was the best attendance you had in SF?

If I remember correctly, CriticalMass started in SF in the seventies.

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

by DoDo on Tue Apr 24th, 2007 at 12:18:05 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Cycle &amp;amp; Walk (Earth Day 2007) (none / 1)

D'oh, your link does say so, but says 1992 was the starting date... will have to check my sources.

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

by DoDo on Tue Apr 24th, 2007 at 12:19:10 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Cycle Walk (Earth Day 2007) (none / 1)

Heh. I was led astray by a stupid journalist who confused Earth Day with CriticalMass, it was the former that began in 1970.

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

by DoDo on Tue Apr 24th, 2007 at 02:44:46 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Cycle & Walk (Earth Day 2007) | 37 comments (37 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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