Live far or near cycling infrastructure?

[oz rider]

1 car parking space probably could easily hold 6 bikes comfortably or more. It's a wonderful, cheap way to "sell" or lease a occupacy space for tenants or residents.

I discussed this at length with a green developer recently. For a development 5km from the CBD, the council insisted on 2 car parks per unit, which entrenches car dependency and lower density. Most people will only make the switch to walk/PT/bike when it's more convenient so encouraging cars is just silly. However he also thought communal bike parking was ok and I disagree. We allocate unique car parking spaces but seriously expect communal parking of valuable portable items like bikes? If it's not sufficiently secure to chain up the hifi or the artwork to the rail, why expect cyclists to do the same? Or are we unwittingly treating bikes with less respect? How about we fit in two or four secure, usable spaces instead of six second rate ones?

I don't really live near any cycling infrastructure.

I'm surrounded by it, and it takes me anywhere I want to go. It's called roads. Why spend money on duplicate (or separated) infrastructure when it already exists? Sure, separated facilties help some people get started, but if drivers make the roads unsafe for other users, surely it is the issue of driving unsafely that needs to be addressed. With education and advice for cyclists about alternative routes where major roads are impractical. Just a thought.