I get the idea, but comparing straight lines is not at all a representative visual.

As a Londoner, on my 10 mile commute on a bike I easily beat the underground; and that includes the shower. During peak times I also beat cars. But when it comes to any other time - cars are just faster.

I'm also not going to cycle 60 miles to my favourite sea town. Nobody's laying tracks all over the place to actually make cars obsolete - that would be an insane waste of space, resources and time. That also frees my up from any worries about whether whatever union will threaten to strike this month trying to protect their drunk/high/incompetent colleague from taking responsibility.

Trains should connect towns, but most of the time when people say that they don't really think about it. What ends up happening is a spiderweb sort of layout, where one can reach the regional centre from all surrounding towns, but going north to north-east requires taking north - regional centre - north-east route. Which is simply obnoxious.

Bike lanes should be separate. Certain mayors should not, during covid, promise to spend 2 billion on cycling infra, then force councils to immediately make it a reality, only to undo it all a few weeks later when it turns out that giving 2 of the 4 lanes of the road to cyclists it just fucking stupid. And then tearing all the separation columns/paint/etc down. 2 bil well spent.

Bikes and cars should not share the same lights. Bike lights should not delay car lights from turning green to create an impression that cyclists are cared after. All that does is make drivers annoyed and create useless delays for everyone. Either cars or bikes should get under/overpasses, depending on the environment.

In general - it's never the mode of transportation.

Driver's licence should be considered a privilege that is only granted to those who can actually attentively, assertively and safely. Notice I haven't said slowly - speed has very little to do with problems on the road. It's always alcohol, drugs, phone or some other stupid thing that ruins it.

I will never support requiring a licence/insurance/bollocks for cyclists, but something has to be done. The amount of obnoxious daydreamers is astounding. I'm not asking you to race to the next lights, Karen; all I'm saying is you should put your phone in your pocket and start paying attention to your surroundings. People have to start giving a damn.

Public transit. It's great, until it isn't. It just so happens, that moving six 60 ton cars (that's mass loaded with people) creates excessive amounts of heat with no easy way to get rid of it. Love me a good sweaty armpit first thing in the morning. Buses. The only somewhat efficient setup I had ever seen was in Westminster. Everywhere else - garbage. They run too infrequently, they're too slow, the routes are barely tolerable - you always have to keep changing the bus. Throw in the dumbass Arriva contract bullshit where it's cheaper for them to cancel the route and hold the bus for half an hour that to be late a few minutes to every stop till end of route and you've got yourself a perfect shitshow.

Taxis are probably a great thing, but something's wrong with their drivers - they're always trying to crash into me. It's annoying while driving, but life-threatening while cycling. I guess this one wounds back at "driving should be a privilege".

Thanks for coming to my TED talk.