Give away bikes and take away cars…

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  • #120851
    Tharg

      The government is to spend £2bn on a scheme giving free bicycles to people for whom obesity is an issue. Where will they get this money? Well, the introduction of PIP was intended to save £2bn by removing free cars for the disabled so that should fund it nicely. However, the introduction of PIP has actually cost the government £4bn. So, funding wise, our leaders have spent identical grand sums on taking away cars from disabled and giving away bicycles to obese people. By any financial standards, this is spending incompetence of a very high order. Moreover, one could and should question the ethical and moral nature of the government’s actions – considering that obesity is almost exclusively a self-inflicted medical condition and the mobility/disablement issues for PIP claimants occur almost exclusively because of accident or chronic, unavoidable health conditions.
      Personally, these actions make me very, very angry. Almost red-mist territory. However, I have tried to hold back my rage to state the case in a reasonable and acceptable manner. Nevertheless, it seems to me that the government is being more than just incompetent and thoughtless, it seems that it is going out of its way to be intentionally offensive and harmful to the disabled, particularly to those depending on Motability. This is even more disgusting considering that there are ways to lessen the trauma of losing Motability’s service which would be self-funding AND give the government a profit!
      Permit me one, small rant: perhaps I could apply for a free bicycle to aid mobility when PIP removes my Motability transport. Oh, I forgot, my mobility issues mean that I cannot even get on to a bicycle let alone pedal the damn thing.

    Viewing 6 replies - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)
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    • #121016
      alan1302
      Participant

        The money spent is to encourage people who can to take up cycling to relieve the pressure on the roads and to increase peoples fitness.  All very positive for a lot of people.  Also it’s not just about giving bicycles to overweight people – it’s investment in helping to create a better cycle network through the UK.

        All very separate from the running costs of the PIP and only a one off cost – not money that will be spent each year.

        Being angry about the way the government has changed the benefits for disabled people is fair enough but does not mean that when they spend on something that does not benefit you that you should be angry about it.

         

        #121040
        Tharg

          I take your point, Alan. As I said, I tried not to let my personal feeling intervene as I have no objection to the purpose of the bike scheme, nor to the benefits it is supposed to deliver. I simply wanted to point out the staggering financial incompetence of the government and its complete lack of any empathy for the disabled. Will be very interested to see a) how many people actually get these bikes; b) how much the cost of each one will total and c) how much over budget the scheme eventually runs to.

          #121063
          Georgie

            I always have a (somewhat dark) chuckle at all the cycle paths around Bordon and Whitehill – Bordon from Boar dun (Boar hill) and White hill.  The clue is in the names and I have yet to see a single cyclist brave those cycle paths other than on foot and pushing their bikes.

            When a ‘major supermarket’ wanted to open a store they offered to fund either cycle paths (which nobody wanted) or a local nipper bus (which people desperately wanted after the previous one was lost to Council cuts).  Guess which option the Liberal Council pounced for.

            #121064
            Tharg

              If I might move a bit off topic, has anyone else noticed that the number of VERY badly ridden bicycles has increased since the onset of Covidcrisis? It seems that people wanting to take exercise have taken to pedalling. Well, good for them but I do wish they would think a BIT more about other road users. As a pedestrian, I have been forced to make prompt exits from road (no pavement) into front gardens to avoid being cycled over. As a motorist, I just pull over and stop until their danger has passed.

              #121160
              alan1302
              Participant

                Have noticed more cyclists – but not noticed them cycling any worse than usual.  Has been the car drivers that have been worse recently – seem to want to tail gate more/pull out of roundabouts when they shouldn’t etc.

                #121172
                Tharg

                  Now you mention it, I have noticed more tail-gating of late. No idea why this should be. Tempting as it is to whizz off into the distance, I simply leave two car-lengths between me and car in front so that I have an escape zone if tail-gater doesn’t notice traffic has stopped. On open road, just pull over and stop as soon as poss – rather have them in front than behind.

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