In CT women barely feature on the roads (even in racing). Anecdotal evidence this is, but in my first 20 years of cycle commuting I encountered one other woman cycle commuter on my route. In the last year I've seen one or two, although I have seen other women cycle commuters when I'm driving in other parts of the city, or when I'm cycling on a different route ie on a Saturday. Sports cycling in SA, about 20% of race entrants are women...
On 22 Jun 2011, at 10:30 AM, john meudell wrote:
> I'd quote the research presented at this body's last symposium, in Oxford,
> that suggests women's age related pattern of cycle use is intrinsically
> quite different than men's. The research suggested that men tended to be
> more consistent in their use of bicycles throughout whilst women tended to
> have a more broken pattern, at certain times of their life using other modes
> more consistent with their (family and social related) transport needs.
>
> So I think this numbers game of gender equality lacks a certain connection
> with the real world and risks falling into the "administrator target" trap.
>
>
> That said, and having spent a major part of my career living in the
> Netherlands, in respect of the wider utility function of a bicycle a lot can
> be put down to (at least in the UK) a very limited and uninspiring range of
> accessories to make utility tasks easier along with a lack of knowledge,
> and/or confidence to use knowledge, of how to adapt a bike to many utility
> transport tasks.
>
> Cheers
>
> John Meudell
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Cycling and Society Research Group discussion list
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Paul Rosen
> Sent: 21 June 2011 14:17
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Bicycling's gender gap: It's the economy, stupid | Bikenomics |
> Grist
>
> An interesting article here, that challenges the assumptions behind cycling
> promotion in the UK as well as the USA, I think. I'd be interested to know
> how true it rings for those who've been doing more recent research on
> cycling than I have.
>
> http://www.grist.org/biking/2011-06-20-bicyclings-gender-gap-its-the-economy
> -stupid
>
> Paul
|