Comment by makingStuffForFun@lemmy.ml on “But tradespeople can’t carry their stuff around by bike” – oh yes they can! How cargo bikes are changing the way people work

I’m in Vietnam right now, and let me tell you, trades people can definitely carry tools around on a bike. The huge loads they carry here are impressive.

However, the reality is, in say Australia, that tradesperson has about 2.5 tonnes of tools, and no bike anywhere is going to be able to lug that around.

4wd. Long range, and most likely, diesel engines are the best for these people. That’s reality. Anything else is a fantasy.

I’m in London, and I frequently see a local painter/decorator with his stuff on a cargo bike - including a stepladdder. Sees entirely practical

For that person sure. My neighbour has 4 different types of nail guns, each for the special task they’re required for. The air compressor to drive them. The high-pressure air hose. About 12 batteries for his various saws, drills, etc. Speaking of saws, he has circular. Drop. Reticulation. And more. Then his hammers, hand saws, nails for said guns. Screws. Ladders. Straight edges. There would be lots of things I’ve missed like saw horses for his drop saw. The actual portable drop saw bench. Then of course the materials. Wood, glues, putty, etc etc etc. There is no way this guy is getting on a bike. My neighbour is your typical tradie in Australia.

Edit. Down voted for the facts. Come on, argue some facts if you disagree.

Nobody expects everybody to transport everything everywhere with a bike.

Germany has a growing number of carpenters, construction workers, etc using cargo bikes when possible, which is quite often. Same in France. Of course they also use a van to transport wood, etc. But many jobs don’t require to bring everything and the kitchen sink. So they have maybe one van and three cargo bikes instead of four vans, or just rent one when needed.

https://www.handwerk-magazin.de/lastenrad-einsatz-im-handwerk-ohne-fuehrerschein-voll-bepackt-und-schnell-am-ziel-278177/

https://www.holzundheim.de/schreiner-berlin-kreuzberg.html

Most tradespeople are working across several jobs at once. The cases where it would be practical to shuttle between them & organise all materials to be delivered ahead of time would be very limited. You’d need to be in a dense area (city), that is relatively flat & have a number of large, simple jobs on the go at a time.

If you’ve ever built something you’ll be familiar with the million screws & extras you had to duck out for - tradesmen carry that stuff in their vehicle to save them (& you) the expense of them coming back with the parts later.

I’m an avid cyclist & used to ride motorbikes. There is absolutely no way I could carry what I need to do the job, outside of a massive multi-week fit out where I can essentially park my tools & all equipment onsite & commute to/from by bike.

What part of nobody expects everyone to use a bike do you not understand?

I don’t care about the people who cannot use a bike. What I do care about is that the people who can start doing so.

You’d need to be in a dense area (city)

So? You make that sound like it’s a rare exception. Plenty of people living in dense cities, let’s start there.

If you’ve ever built something

I guess the carpenter in the example I gave you who started with one bike, now has three, and says it heavily reduced their use of cars hasn’t built anything at all in his life…

Yeh, so he uses his van as a portable store for all of hys equipment. ons alternative is taking the tools you need need for that day’s work.

Anyway. The argument isn’t that bikes are suitable for all tradespeople in all circumstances (well that’s not my argument anyway) it’s that they are practical in a significant way.

This article merely states that some tradespeople can use bikes instead of cars/vans/trucks, a point which you repeatedly agree with. You then go on to argue that the article is wrong because not everybody can use a bike.

I’m not sure why you’ve decided to pick an argument here.

But I’m not. I’m simply stating it’s not possible for most. Other people didn’t like that fact, and they started arguing. Good on the German guy that can. Unfortunately, most tradies have to burn diesel though.

You’ll always be downvoted for facts they don’t like here, it’s normal with this kind of people.

And with “facts” you mean the strawmen you like to burn?

https://kbin.social /m/fuck_cars@lemmy.ml/t/570625/-/comment/3180120

Say, how many sock puppet accounts do you have exactly to spread your hate of bikes?

I don’t spread “hate of bikes”. I don’t hate bikes, either. I’ve probably done more kilometers on them than most of the regulars here.

I just point out the extreme level of bigotry in this kind of “kill all cars” communities.

There is no “kill all cars community” except in your head…

The reality I gave was, in fact, for a trades person in Australia, and it’s the way it works there.

No cities or towns in Australia, I guezs

The reality is, for this kind of work, none that are able to be ridden by bike with your tools. Australia is a massively spread out country, with many builders driving anywhere from 15 to 60 km each way to their jobs each day.

Combine that with multiple jobs in the one day, and it’s completely impractical to consider riding.

There may be the odd handyman who works only in their own area, and that would work.

But, by and large it’s the reality of Australian building.

Weird. My wife is Australian and I’ve visited many times. Even places as small as somewhere like Broome have electricians and plumbers who work primarily in Broome - and that’s before you go to places like Adelaide, Darwin, Perth etc etc

Our plumber is about 25 km from our house. Our sparky is about 15.

That’s a long way to ride your gear back and forward. Imagine the downtime on any given day to riding. These people are charging out at anywhere from $150 to $300 p/h. They’re not going to lose that income riding those distances.

I’m in Vietnam right now, and let me tell you, trades people can definitely carry tools around on a bike. The huge loads they carry here are impressive.

And how many are doing this in a way that would be acceptable as traffic-safe in a western city? I’ve seen videos of people in SEA transporting goods in all kinds of highly unsafe manners. Full-size fridge on a normal bike? A ton of bricks in a small hand-cart? Haybales, three meters wide and four high, on a scooter? Quite normal down there, but I can’t see anyone doing this in a large western city.

Not a single one would pass any form of regulation in Australia at least. It can be done, but it’s not practical, legal, nor considered safe in my country.

Try that I Canada this time of year too. We have snow in BC and it is below zero ( or 32 for Americans) most days now.

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Focus on discussing the idea, not attacking the person.

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