I rode my bike from Birmingham to Coventry for the first time today, and have some images and thoughts to share about, of all things, #UKCarCulture.

The first thing I want to say is obvious but important. Riding and walking in a society structured in racial, class, gender, heteronormative, and ableist dominance, I might not like car culture, but I benefit from many of the things that have made it possible.

So as my whiteness helped convey me along the route today, I didn't have to worry about dangerous encounters with police, or sexist harassment from motorists, or not being able to afford a bike in the first place. Car culture is an intersectional social justice issue.

This also helps explain why most – though certainly not all – of the other cyclists I saw today were white men like me.

Also relevant is that I was able to do this ride as an unathletic 49-year-old, which means lots of people could to this….if only it was safe to do so.

As the ride itself began, I was immediately reminded, at Hagley Road, of just how much public space is reserved for the exclusive use of motorists.

I don't have the confidence to ride in the 5-Ways roundabout, but the other option of riding among pedestrians is not safe either. This whole setup needs to be fixed.

At this point I was grasping for the plural for Cyclops (it's Cyclopes. I looked it up!). Reason being, of course, because we're going to need an army of them if Birmingham's roundabouts are ever going to be safe for people not in cars.

I think this was on Stratford Road. It's a bike lane, but not one that would keep anyone safe.

I also got a little lost at times, but following the Solihull sings was useful as I made my way to the edge of the city.

The Solihull Bypass was one of the worst parts of the ride. Traffic was light, but when cars came along, their drivers were often going really fast.

This disgrace was also on the Solihull Bypass. The people who designed and approved this unmarked crossing on a busy road should be made to cross here on foot with their families every day.

Still trying to figure out what these markings mean. I think I’m settling on “feel free to drive as fast as you like without worrying about consequences.”

This is Friday Lane. Why the hell is the speed limit on this country road 50 MPH? Just kidding, I know the answer, and so do you.

Pylons on the A452. Is an actual safe route for cycling really underway? Sorry, I know we all already know the answer to that one as well.

Okay, a cycle lane does appear at Hallmeadow Road. All you have to do is cross an unmarked crossing where the "speed limit" is 50 MPH.

Lots of criticisms, but it must be said, it’s also nice to be out of the city and into the countryside!

I was hoping to get off the road and onto the path here, but no luck. Imagine the money that would get spent to have this cleared right up if this was a motorist route.

My kids liked this photo.

The animals reminded me of a safe and very pleasant cycle we went on earlier this year. It is possible, just not here. https://twitter.com/johnjamesmunro/status/1292905150588346369

I made it to the Charter Ave bike lane. It’s great, and thank you to those responsible for setting it up!

This is Kenilworth Road. Google Maps says there’s a bike lane here, but all I saw was some old painted markings on a sidewalk.

Made it to Coventry Station, but decided that it would be nice to make a stop in War Memorial Park.

And it was lovely.

Time to head for home, and so another cruise through the Charter Ave lane. As you can see, I’m not fast, but still I was through the length of the lane in just 1 minute.

For context, it takes more than twice that long just to cross Hagley Road as a pedestrian back in Birmingham. https://twitter.com/johnjamesmunro/status/1203786702617223170

The sun was going down on the ride back, so I took the canal after the village of Catherine de Barnes. Canal paths are not cycling infrastructure, and there’s certainly a gendered dimension to who might feel safe using them and when.

What the hell is this?

Made it home in one piece as night fell. So much potential for a proper path for everyone between these two cities, but a long way to go before it’s realized.

And then I walked in the door to see the final #Election2020Results!