Forget Cyclists, Pedestrians are Real Danger

We are having a debate about this topic. Here are some letters from our readers.

★Yes, many cyclists behave dangerously. Many drivers are disrespectful of cyclists. But pedestrians are probably the worst offenders.

People of all ages happily walk along the pavement with eyes and hands glued to the mobile phone, quite unaware of what is going on around them. They may even do the same thing while crossing a road at a pedestrian crossing or elsewhere. The rest of us have to evade（避让）them or just stand still to wait for the unavoidable collision（碰撞）.

The real problem is that some pedestrians seem to be, at least for the moment, in worlds of their own that are, to them, much more important than the welfare of others.

——Michael Horan

★I love the letter from Bob Brooks about cyclists（Viewpoints, May 29）. I am afraid they seem to think they own the roads.

I was walking across Altrincham Road one morning when a cyclist went round me and on being asked what he was doing he shouted at me.

The government built a cycle lane on the road but it is hardly used.

The police do nothing. What a laugh they are!

The cyclists should all have to be made to use the cycle lanes and wear helmets, fluorescent（发荧光的）jacket and lights at night and in the morning they should pay some sort of tax and be fined for not wearing them.

——Carol Harvey

★Cyclists jump on and off pavements（which are meant for pedestrians）, ride at speed alone the pavement, and think they have a special right to go through traffic lights when they are on red.

I was almost knocked down recently by a cyclist riding on the pavement when there was a cycle lane right next to him.

Other road users, including horse riders, manage to obey the rules so why not cyclists?

It's about time they had to be registered and insured, so when they do hi a pedestrian or a vehicle, or cause an accident, at least they can be treated and there might be an opportunity to claim compensation.

——JML

Write to Viewpoints of the newspaper.

Japan recently introduced the world’s first Dual-Mode Vehicle (DMV), a vehicle that runs both on roads, like a bus, and on rails, like a train.

The unique bus-train vehicle was introduced last month, in the town of Kaiyo, Japan's Tokushima Prefecture. The mini-bus-like vehicle didn't win anyone over with its looks, but it definitely made an impression in terms of practicality. It runs with normal rubber tires on the road, but when it needs to switch to train mode, a pair of metal wheels drop down from the vehicle's underbelly. The front tires are lifted off the track, while the back wheels stay down to drive the vehicle. Switching between road and train modes takes only about 15 seconds.

“This DMV can reach the locals as a bus and carry them onto the railway as well,” Shigeki Miura, CEO of Asa Coast Railway, told Reuters. “Especially in the countryside with an aging population, we expect it to be a very good form of public transport.”

The DMV has been in the works for over ten years, and the government in Tokushima hopes that it will not only improve the lives of locals but also attract tourists curiosity to see the dual-mode vehicle in person.

The dual-mode vehicles, which come in a variety of colors, can carry up to 21 passengers and run at a speed of 60 km/h in train mode, and up to 100 km/h as a bus.

Shigeki Miura is confident that the unique vehicle could help small towns like Kaiyo with an aging and shrinking population, where traditional transportation companies struggle to make money. The vehicles will soon cover part of the coast of Shikoku island, connecting several towns and offering riders breathtaking seaside views.

The Government has proposed to spend money developing wireless charging roads in the UK as part of a £ 40 million plan. Wireless charging roads could be developed to recharge electric cars while they drive along to solve some problems about limited equipment to encourage ownership of these vehicles and ensure better air quality. The Government has promised the money to developing both on-street and wireless charging to help transformation from internal combustion engine(内燃机) cars to electric cars.

These systems work similarly to a Scalextric toy car. Wireless charging uses a process called electromagnetic induction(电磁感应) to move energy. On the ground is a pad in which electricity is passed through a set of wire to generate a magnetic field. It is then moved to a receiver on the underside of the car. Once the technology works, it could mean that drivers can fill up their car as they drive along, meaning there could be longer periods between charging.

The proposal was made in Department for Transport (DfT) and could also see charging points positioned at service stations and car parks. New homes will also, where permitted, be built with some points. David Martell, of the electric car charging company BP Chargemaster, said: “Wireless charging will make driving an electric vehicle as similar as possible to driving a petrol car but without going to the petrol station frequently.”

This is not the first time that wireless charging roads have been proposed as a number of firms have developed technologies. Renault partnered with Qualcomm and VEDECOM Tech to develop a road to test the technology’s capability. The 100-metre test track was said to be capable of a charge up to 20 kilowatts at speeds up to, and over, 62 miles per hour (nearly 100 kmh).