Dear readers, this text is yours, collectively. I drew on the countless comments you have left us in recent months on the place of cycling in the city. And the least we can say is that the exchanges are vigorous! Between lovers of the little queen and velophobes, the debate often gets out of hand.
The grievances against cyclists come back again and again: red lights burned, sidewalks shamelessly crisscrossed, pedestrians brushed past at full speed. “Nothing more dangerous than a bicycle in town and especially in 30 or 20 km/h zones!”, exclaims thevisionofthings*which calls for more police checks.
Cargo bikes, these pedal vans, come under particularly virulent criticism. Transporting children is “voluntary endangerment”, judge happy to live*. For his part, chicken* calls for their outright ban. Without forgetting the question of the wallet, raised by ercolino*: why could these sometimes imposing machines circulate on the road without being subject to the same taxes as cars?
Authorities singled out
The anger also turns against the Lausanne authorities, accused of waging a war against the car. Bertrand52* denounces a “certain and undisguised relentlessness”. Parking spaces removed, complicated access, expensive parking: several readers, including dylan76* And coucoucestpat*say they have given up shopping in the city center in favor of outlying shopping centers. By putting up obstacles for motorists, the Municipality would not push them towards public transport, but out of the city, believes Lilizen*.
The defenders of cycling do not let themselves be discouraged. Moving 70 kilos of flesh and bones in two tonnes of metal is absurd, says happybear*. For Alex_Jac*after a century of automobile reign, it is time to redistribute public space to pedestrians, cyclists and public transport. As for pedestrianization, it would not harm businesses, quite the contrary. “All the streets that have become pedestrianized, in Switzerland and in Europe, have seen an increase in the turnover of traders,” maintains pergola2024*.
Between these two camps, a few voices are trying to break the deadlock. “Most cyclists don’t bother me, a little fair play on the part of all road users and it works out for everyone,” recalls caramba-caranba*. alex12.12* puts Lausanne traffic jams into perspective. “Personally, by car in Lausanne, I did very well. You just have to de-stress and realize that doing 8 minutes or 8 minutes 40 for a journey doesn’t change anything in my life.” Jeanda7* suggests not remaining at ground level: “Everyone must know whether the means they use is relevant or not and corresponds to a form of ecological, social or economic respect. Complementarity in means of transport can only promote our responsibility.”
A capital that has become an inaccessible fortress?
Finally, another divide is emerging between residents of the center, better served by public transport, and those of the periphery, for whom the car sometimes remains difficult to replace. Some readers, notably archie-d-bunker* And fabtamère*point out the cost of public transport subscriptions and park-and-ride lots, which would make alternatives to the car unattractive. With this underlying question: has the capital of the canton lost sight of the fact that it must remain accessible to all Vaudois?
Should Lausanne continue to reduce the number of cars to promote soft mobility? Or should certain developments be reviewed to preserve the accessibility of the city center? And how can we better encourage pedestrians, cyclists and motorists to coexist? Give your opinion in our comments area. The most relevant will be read on LFM this Friday.
* All pseudonyms are authentic
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