Spokes 2015 AGM on Mon 2nd Nov was a great success!
Over 50 people attended th AGM followed by Carlton Reid whose nation-wide book tour came to Canterbury.
An excellent read - essential not only for all interested in transport history but for those motorists who think that they alone have the divine right to use the roads. The book covers the development of the cycle and how especially the pneumatic tyre and the Rover safety bicycle made road improvements necessary. It points out that it was the work by these early cyclists that literally paved the way for the roads of today, enjoyed by millions of motorists, but which has been mainly written out of history. it was the early cyclists who had the necessary engineering skills to go on to develop the motor vehicle and even aircraft. The book lists in great detail the large number of today's household names in motor vehicle manufacture that were founded by cyclists.
Today, apart from motorways, our roads are open legally to all and should be designed on this basis. Sadly our road engineers, aping their American cousins, mainly design roads only for motor vehicles and all other users risk their lives using them. Carlton Reid deserves our thanks for this book. |