I recently
posted about a video I had watched of John Key on the spate of cycling accidents. I was instantly irritated by the lack of understanding and his car-centric view point. I was mad ... fuming actually, that people had been killed on their bicycles, and I failed to explain what was actually going through my head. I had a 'blog-burst', it's a bit like an 'outburst' but instead of bending the ear of the unfortunate person who happens to be standing next to you, you blurt out your frustration on a blog ... I just made up this terminology, but I think it works!
I was really only aware that my point was not crystal when I read the comments. So here is the full story ...
We have to start with some philosophy ....
In science most of the time things truck along in a normal manner but occasionally we undergo a
paradigm shift. This is where enough evidence and information build up that a change of perspective occurs. What is accepted as normal before the shift is discarded and a new 'normal' is accepted.
This is what is occurring around the globe where cars and bicycles are concerned. The old car-centric 'efficient movement of cars' view point is being discarded in favour of an 'efficient movement of people' view point. Bicycles are a very efficient, cheap and clean way of moving people.
The second piece of theory is that of a Gestalt Shift. This is where you suddenly see a new picture in the same space as you saw the old picture - all of a sudden you see things differently.
John Key is clearly in the old paradigm, the 20th century rather than the 21st century paradigm. And as yet he cannot see the new picture, the alternate image.
Here are the points that made me angry ...
"NZ road conditions can be dangerous"
... like somehow it's innate! Roads are 'made' ... they just need to be 'made' better, with slower cars and better educated drivers that aren't drunk or mere children.
(Parallel - fields are not naturally dangerous but if you hold the battle of the Somme there, it becomes pretty scary!)
He says that sometimes "drivers have a lapse of judgement and cyclists do something silly" - in other European countries the fault rest firmly on the drivers because they should know that cyclists behave erratically. They should adjust their driving accordingly as they are the ones sitting in a lethal weapon.
(Parallel - I you have a gun, point it at another person and it goes off - you don't blame the victim for being in the way of the bullet!)
He says that "cycling accidents occur in other countries and I'm not sure what we can do" - It's not a secret ... just Google it! Here's an idea, why don't you find out what the countries with low accident ratios do, and do that. It certainly isn't helmets and fleuro outfits.
Then Key talks about the cycleway projects as a safe way for people to cycle - These projects have nothing what so ever to do with everyday cycling - they are holidays. What planet is he on?
(Parallel - It's like suggesting drivers go to an off-road car racing circuit in Taupo if they don't like the traffic congestion in the CBD!)
Then there's the bit about NZTA having a $50 million budget for cycleways and things like that .... this is a ridiculously small amount of money to be spending on cycling infrastructure. Just compare it to the amount of money being spent on the so called roads of national significance, which based on the business case and
oil future, will only be significant in the level of stupidity and short sightedness displayed.
Then he says that roads are built with allowance for cyclists where it is "PRACTICAL FOR CYCLISTS TO BE THERE" ... This is what I mean by a paradigm shift in thought ... increasingly the view in many more enlightened countries is that it is ALWAYS practical.
He says that he knows that cycling is becoming more popular because increasingly "you see big groups of cyclists" - obviously the rest of us don't exist ... stereotyping or what? (it's also very interesting to watch his subconscious facial expressions through this interview). He finishes by saying "you see near misses all the time" - and again we're back to the "it's very dangerous but cycling's like that" perspective.
Everything Key says sits squarely in 20th century thinking, pre paradigm shift. His viewpoint is based very much on the premise that the roads belong to cars and bikes are interlopers that don't belong and get in the way, irritating people and creating accidents. He is very clearly seeing the young lady of the Gestalt shift rather than the old lady that I, and many others like me, can see.
Try watching the video again from the other side of the paradigm shift - from the perspective that:
- People have a right to use and be safe on the roads whatever their means of transport - bikes, feet, cars, scooters etc.
- Cars are dangerous and those who use them should do so very carefully (in the full knowledge that they are operating a potentially lethal weapon) within strict guidelines and in places and at speeds that don't cause harm to other road users.
- Roads are only dangerous if you make them badly
Well done if you got to the bottom of this ... rant over!
It seems that Key is not alone in his outdated thinking -
This man is an utter fool
