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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think we could close some roads for one hour a week?

164 replies

StScholastica · 27/04/2025 13:24

To let people who want to get fit by cycling or families with younger children, cycle in safety. I think it would also build community cohesion.
Obviously there would have to be concessions for emergency vehicles?

Am I mad?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
5
FullOfLemons · 27/04/2025 17:03

In Paris they close of roads for a whole day each month.

I think a day makes more sense sense than an hour

Original poster
StScholastica · 27/04/2025 17:03

86% of voters think AIBU.
I'm a bit surprised really.
I guess the car is still king.

OP posts:
Original poster
StScholastica · 27/04/2025 17:04

FullOfLemons · 27/04/2025 17:03

In Paris they close of roads for a whole day each month.

I think a day makes more sense sense than an hour

God, I can't see the car drivers of the UK going without their car for a while day.

OP posts:
Comedycook · 27/04/2025 17:04

I see a lot of people have drunk the kool aid....no wonder the councils get away with so much shit.

Look forward to your pathetic fifteen minute zones where you get fined for daring to step out of your area...

It's the drip drip effect... unbelievable

TizerorFizz · 27/04/2025 17:05

As I said earlier - a noisy minority try and get the rest of us to do what they want.

Original poster
StScholastica · 27/04/2025 17:06

Comedycook · 27/04/2025 17:04

I see a lot of people have drunk the kool aid....no wonder the councils get away with so much shit.

Look forward to your pathetic fifteen minute zones where you get fined for daring to step out of your area...

It's the drip drip effect... unbelievable

It was a suggestion, that's all, there's really no need to be rude.

OP posts:
Original poster
StScholastica · 27/04/2025 17:07

TizerorFizz · 27/04/2025 17:05

As I said earlier - a noisy minority try and get the rest of us to do what they want.

No, I asked for others views. That's all.

OP posts:
faerietales · 27/04/2025 17:09

StScholastica · 27/04/2025 17:03

86% of voters think AIBU.
I'm a bit surprised really.
I guess the car is still king.

I actually can't stand driving and would happily sell my car tomorrow if I could.

But I need my car in order to do my job, and DH is the same. Neither of us can do our jobs on public transport (even if it did exist here), so it's not so much that "car as king" as opposed to "cars are a necessity for us to pay our bills".

Comedycook · 27/04/2025 17:10

StScholastica · 27/04/2025 17:06

It was a suggestion, that's all, there's really no need to be rude.

Show quote history

Because this is not just about your idea is it? It's a whole movement which is dressed up as a green initiative but is actually a way for governments and councils to control our movements. It's might seem benign now but the end result if this nonsense continues is actually really sinister.

FullOfLemons · 27/04/2025 17:14

We closed off lots of roads today in London for the Marathon.

It was fine

Lauren1983 · 27/04/2025 17:16

StScholastica · 27/04/2025 17:03

86% of voters think AIBU.
I'm a bit surprised really.
I guess the car is still king.

Probably because Sunday isn't a day of rest in the same way it was. I work Sundays. Today at work there was a market for people to buy second hand baby goods, we always have baby swimming, kids football etc. Lots of people shop on Sunday.

It would suit me more if the hour was between 5 and 6pm on a Friday night. Would that suit you?

We live in a 24 hour society now and anything like this would disrupt someone.

FullOfLemons · 27/04/2025 17:19

Comedycook · 27/04/2025 17:10

Because this is not just about your idea is it? It's a whole movement which is dressed up as a green initiative but is actually a way for governments and councils to control our movements. It's might seem benign now but the end result if this nonsense continues is actually really sinister.

Show quote history

My council can’t even empty bins each week.

They are not going to be controlling anyone’s movement

Your argument assumes there is somebody in local or central Government who knows what they are doing.

I can assure you there isn’t.

Basically we are on a ship of fools without a captain.

If we were in somewhere like the China I’d agree with you.

BeyondMyWits · 27/04/2025 17:20

Trouble is you can't change delivery schedules... or carer availability.

Our cul-de-sac tried closing for 3 hours for the jubilee... caused a lot of bad will...

carers trying to take equipment in and out to 2 houses, cleaner to one, tesco delivery for 1 amazon for 2, evri for another,

the only residents cars trying to return were the one family who had been away on a long haul trip and wanted to get home to unpack, and the on call computer manager -DH -who had been fixing a system for 7 hours and wanted to get home, take his diagnostic kit in out of the car.

That was 3 planned hours on a weekend - 14 houses.

Won't happen again.

Comedycook · 27/04/2025 17:26

FullOfLemons · 27/04/2025 17:19

My council can’t even empty bins each week.

They are not going to be controlling anyone’s movement

Your argument assumes there is somebody in local or central Government who knows what they are doing.

I can assure you there isn’t.

Basically we are on a ship of fools without a captain.

If we were in somewhere like the China I’d agree with you.

Show quote history

But they already do. School streets, ltns..
Fines if you don't have the right permit. It can't happen overnight..there would be riots on the streets so it creeps in very very slowly. It's started.

Have a think...do we ever get given more freedoms or less?

BankHolidayBonanza · 27/04/2025 17:27

Langdale3 · 27/04/2025 17:01

Sunday mornings are a good time. I think it’s a good idea.

why Sundays?

We have food shop deliveries.
Some of us still work.

I use my car a lot more at the weekend because I have to drive my kids to their parties, or sport clubs, drop kids back and forth from sleepovers and so on.

Sundays are the worst days for busy families!

MikeRafone · 27/04/2025 17:28

Whoarethoseguys · 27/04/2025 15:35

I couldn't ride a bike apart from my breathing difficulties I live at the top of a steep hill. If I couldn't use the car I would have to stay in. As would many others.
And an electric bike isn't practical for shopping or if you need to take other people out

Edited
Show quote history

Its not for everyone - but it is for some, and electric bikes are fine for some shopping and living at the top of a hill. There will never be a one size fits all, but if some can do it and find it easier - then it could be looked at for others to improve their quality of life

BankHolidayBonanza · 27/04/2025 17:30

StScholastica · 27/04/2025 16:58

How do you know that people wouldn't join in? It might be good to trial it? People might actually like it.

Show quote history

have you seen the mess around schools? You can't even convince people to walk 10 mn to school, and most parents genuinely are ridiculous to drive when schools are at walking distance. It takes many people longer to fight for a parking space than for to walk back and forth.

So not a chance in hell lazy people will stop being lazy.

I use my car when I need it, I would be more than pissed off and unhelpful if someone try to dictate the time I am allowed to drive around my house.

Ritasueandbobtoo9 · 27/04/2025 17:32

People mean about the 20mph speed limit in Wales but it has saved over 100 lives.

BeyondMyWits · 27/04/2025 17:42

We have had a 20mph zone imposed very nearby in the last month. No one wanted it, there have been precisely zero accidents in the zone in at least the past 2 years - but a supermarket was built 15 years ago. Developers had to agree to pay to put in "traffic calming" measures, so that's what we've got... FIFTEEN YEARS LATER - along with a "chicane" and speed bumps.

DefyingGravidy · 27/04/2025 18:01

a main road near us was closed this weekend. We went cycling yesterday and it was bliss cycling on an empty road. The DC asked to do again today (and we did).

do you want to know how many other families we saw out cycling…,

…… zero

So nice idea but the British general public are unlikely to make enough use of it to make it worthwhile.

intrepidpanda · 27/04/2025 18:06

Which hour?
11am to 12am would likely be fine, 6pm to 7pm less so.
Would it be all roads in a town or just some?
Would cars have an alternative route they could take?

MagpiePi · 27/04/2025 18:09

No child or adult is going to get fit by cycling up and down a 500m road for one hour once a week. Unless you’re thinking of some sprint training, but who’s going to want to have to negotiate all the kiddies on tricycles?

What you mean OP is you want your road to be closed so that your kids can cycle up and down when it is convenient for you.

BeyondMyWits · 27/04/2025 18:10

intrepidpanda · 27/04/2025 18:06

Which hour?
11am to 12am would likely be fine, 6pm to 7pm less so.
Would it be all roads in a town or just some?
Would cars have an alternative route they could take?

5-6 am would be fine for me. Walking the dog with no cars... mind you, not that many around at 5am on a Sunday anyhow.... now they just have to get the kids up and out...

ExpressCheckout · 27/04/2025 18:17

(TW - child fatality statistics)

Unfortunately the psychology of car owners/ownership means that people won't get out of their vehicles unless compelled to do so.

As a reminder, in 2024, almost 400 pedestrians (64 of which were children) and over 80 cyclists were killed on the roads (Gov.uk).

I hope that one day driving a car in an urban/suburban area is seen to be just as antisocial as smoking in public or drink-driving.

Road accidents and serious accidents - GOV.UK

Reported road accidents, casualties and fatalities.

https://www.gov.uk/transport/road-accidents-and-serious-accidents

BankHolidayBonanza · 27/04/2025 18:24

I hope that one day driving a car in an urban/suburban area is seen to be just as antisocial as smoking in public or drink-driving

how does that work when you live in an urban area.. at some point you need to get the car in and out!