自行车就像“一根滚动的手杖”

自行车就像“一根滚动的手杖”

After Australian Madison Lyden was killed while riding her bike on Central Park West in New York City, a protected bike lane was finally approved. Then the owners of the multimillion dollar condos and co-ops sued to stop the project, citing as a main reason that "disabled and elderly residents who wish to enter Central Park will be in harm's way by having to cross the bike lanes due to bicycle riders who often neglect to abide by the normal traffic rules."

澳大利亚人麦迪逊·莱登(Madison Lyden)在纽约市中央公园西(Central Park West)骑自行车时被撞死后，一条受保护的自行车道终于获得批准。然后数百万美元的公寓的所有者和合作社起诉停止该项目,以作为主要原因“残疾人和老年人居民希望进入中央公园将会受到伤害,穿过车道由于自行车骑手经常忽视遵守正常交通规则。”

Every time a bike lane is proposed, one of the main arguments used to fight it is the concern that disabled and elderly people won't be able to park. But in fact, for many older and disabled people, bikes could be mobility aids.

每当有人提议修建自行车道时，反对的主要理由之一就是担心残疾人和老年人不能停车。但事实上，对许多老年人和残疾人来说，自行车可以帮助他们行动。

Who needs a car when you've got a recumbent bike? (Photo: Lloyd Alter)

In Cambridge, England, over a quarter of disabled people commute by bike. There's even a charity, Wheels for Wellbeing, which promotes bikes as mobility aids. They note that 52 percent of disabled cyclists use regular two-wheelers; the rest use tricycles and recumbents.

在英国剑桥，超过四分之一的残疾人骑自行车上下班。甚至还有一个慈善机构“车轮促进健康”(Wheels for well - being)，该机构将自行车推广为辅助交通工具。他们指出，52%的残疾自行车手使用普通的两轮自行车;其余使用三轮车和横卧。

Graffiti on sign says 'Share the lane.' (Photo: Lloyd Alter)

It inevitably comes back to parking

它不可避免地会回到停车的问题上

Back in North America, organizations like AARP don't fight for parking spaces. Instead they "believe that communities should provide safe, walkable streets; age-friendly housing and transportation options; access to needed services; and opportunities for residents of all ages to participate in community life." When New York Mayor Bill De Blasio rejected congestion pricing, one excuse he used was that it "would unduly burden senior citizens, who supposedly need their cars to get to doctor's appointments in Manhattan." Not true, the AARP's Chris Widelo tells Streetsblog: "It's expensive to have a car in this city, and we know that as many people get older, they tend to give up their keys."

在北美，像美国退休人员协会这样的组织不会争夺停车位。相反，他们“认为社区应该提供安全、适宜步行的街道;对老年人友好的住房和交通选择;获得所需服务;所有年龄的居民都有机会参与社区生活。”当纽约市长比尔·德布拉西奥(Bill De Blasio)拒绝征收拥堵费时，他使用的一个借口是，这“会给老年人带来过度负担，他们本应需要自己的车去曼哈顿看医生。”美国退休人员协会(AARP)的克里斯•维德洛(Chris Widelo)在接受Streetsblog采访时表示:“在这个城市，拥有一辆车是很昂贵的。我们知道，随着许多人年龄的增长，他们往往会放弃自己的车钥匙。”

Here's a pretty car with a disabled permit in a disabled parking spot — proof that we know how to provide specialty parking when we want to. (Photo: Lloyd Alter)

There are many older and disabled people who do need cars to get around, so provisions must be made for parking, as is the norm in many shopping center parking lots.

有许多老年人和残疾人确实需要汽车，所以必须为停车做准备，这是许多购物中心停车场的规范。

That's no kid on that scooter in Paris. (Photo: Lloyd Alter)

We know that exercise is good for older people's minds and bodies, and in the new world of micromobility — the world of e-bikes and scooters — we have many other options besides driving. We also know that not everyone in the bike lane is young and fit. That's why people of every age and ability need decent sidewalks and a safe, secure place to use these new driving alternatives.

我们知道锻炼对老年人的思想和身体有好处，在微移动的新世界里——电动自行车和小型摩托车的世界——除了开车，我们还有很多其他的选择。我们也知道，并不是所有在自行车道上的人都年轻健康。这就是为什么每个年龄和能力的人都需要体面的人行道和一个安全的地方来使用这些新的驾驶选择。

In almost every fight over bike lanes, there will be those who fight to keep the status quo, to keep all those parking spaces, those who never ask the older or disabled people what they want or need.

在几乎每一场关于自行车道的斗争中，都会有一些人为了保持现状而斗争，为了保留所有的停车位而斗争，那些人从不问老人或残疾人他们想要什么或需要什么。

Perhaps it's time they did ask. They might be surprised by the answers.

也许是时候问问他们了。他们可能会对这些答案感到惊讶。