I can see a big debate here and the findings are suitably controversial.
The comments from the CTC sum it up - people who put in thousands of miles (like me) believe they can contribute most to infrastructure design dominated by non-cycling engineers; but to get people who buy a bike at Halfords and don't use it much on the roads to engage, build segregated infrastructure (and don't make helmets compulsory).
Surely there is a compromise. Didn't Holland and Denmark go through this? The group I ran in Ealing appeals to both audiences with a huge amount of 'general public' activities and confidence-building.
I must say - no street cred problems for cyclists in the inner city of Melbourne, forcing them to buy cars - fixies are flying off the shelves, mainly to teenagers and young people, and the increase in numbers is huge. Segregated paths everywhere would not be cred for them. It is all about positionality in the streetscape. Our calendar expresses some of this cred. http://ladiesbicyclecalendar.com/2011/
More research needed, internationally? There must be some sociological tipping points to be identified.
As an aside: Prof Colin Pooley interviewed me for a Geography undergrad degree at Lancaster in 1982. Having received an E for my A level, I had to retake, and never went there. Sorry about that Colin.
S
Dr. Simon Batterbury
Director | Office for Environmental Programs | Walter Boas Building (163) | University of Melbourne, 3010 VIC, Australia. &
Associate Professor | Dept. of Resource Management and Geography| 221 Bouverie St (rm L2.33)
+61 (0)3 8344 5073 (OEP) | direct +61 (0)3 8344 9319 | simonpjb@ unimelb.edu.au | http://www.simonbatterbury.net | http://www.environment.unimelb.edu.au
-----Original Message-----
From: Cycling and Society Research Group discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Richard Mann
Sent: Thursday, 8 September 2011 9:57 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Please ignore cyclists, especially when they are telling you to ignore cyclists...
http://www.bikehub.co.uk/news/sustainability/when-designing-for-new-cyclists-ignore-the-existing-ones-says-study/
The latest from the Understanding Walking & Cycling project.
I think it could have been expressed a bit more carefully!
Richard
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