I've been watching these threads develop with interest and wondering
whether to post anything. The last couple of posts from Nicholas and
Gary finally tipped me into action for what it's worth.
I'd have to say - and I'm not trying to represent anyone else here -
that I would put myself in the bracket of cyclist that Nicholas
describes. It's not that I 'enjoy' the do or die status of cycling,
just that cycling for me is about feeling alive; stepping outside the
sensorily muted world we live in and trying to create some feeling and
adrenalin. Apart from road racing and mountain biking, I've found
London - which is an awful place to ride if you just want to get from
a to b safely and peacefully - an excellent place to do this. Fast A
roads I'm less keen on because if you get hit at 60mph, you won't even
know about it.
I fear Gary, that you may have a somewhat LCC-centric view of
cyclists. That is not to say that those who quite like the danger are
in the majority; far from it. Rather that there may be a few more of
us than you would like to think. Again, I can't claim to represent
this type of cyclist but they are perhaps far less likely to be card
carrying LCC members, and probably less concerned with evangelising
the cycling cause than just getting on and cycling.
Now, in terms cycling-specific infrastructure, I have to admit that
even if it's done well, I think it's often dull to ride on. That
doesn't mean for a moment that I don't think high quality
infrastructure is required; I think it's vital precisely because
neither I nor the LCC represent the average cyclist, mainly because
the average cyclist doesn't actually cycle at present. The average
cyclist, or at least whom we would like to be the average cyclist if
you will, is that person who has yet to see a good enough reason to
become someone who cycles. To get these people cycling will require
high quality infrastructure and a lot more besides.
On Wed, Feb 1, 2012 at 9:45 PM, gary cummins <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Come on Nicholas, do you really believe that the active participants among
> the 10,000 plus member of the London Cycling Campaign join, pay their £30
> plus fee and spend weekends running stalls at civic events, volunteering at
> repair workshops and leading recreational easy rides NOT to increase the
> numbers cycling?
>
> In all my time living in and cycling around London I never encountered the
> type you describe above. I did not hang about with couriers I admit, but my
> fellow cyclists were really in for the transport, not a lifestyle or sport,
> simply a way to get about.
>
> Gary Cummins
>
> ________________________________
> Date: Wed, 1 Feb 2012 20:58:24 +0000
> From: [log in to unmask]
>
> Subject: Re: A request for help[Scanned-Clean]
> To: [log in to unmask]
>
>
> What you have is the same problem that beset the high bicycle, fine when you
> are on it, but it looks very dangerous…a long way to fall. There was no
> solution, but the riders who were attracted to the machine did not really
> want one. I’d suggest that many confident urban and A-road cyclists rather
> enjoy their elite do-or-die status and are not that worried about increasing
> the numbers.
>
>
>
> Nicholas Oddy
>
>
>
> From: Cycling and Society Research Group discussion list
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Tim Jones
> Sent: 31 January 2012 10:46
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: A request for help[Scanned-Clean]
>
>
>
> Dear Chris and all
>
> Interesting use of the word 'objectively'. Subjective is 'real' enough to
> the 'subjects'. Of course people on this list will step forward and state,
> "that is really not my experience of cycling in London..." with implication
> that folk really just ought to get over it and try cycling to overcome their
> fears (and cycle training can help prepare for this!).
>
> I read an interesting analogy by Blogger Cyclinginfo (an adept racing and
> commuter cyclist) http://cyclinginfo.co.uk/ this morning paraphrasing
> Michael Hutchinson writing in Cycling Weekly a couple of weeks ago: "Cycle
> around Kings Cross, London, and you can feel like a Lancaster bomber on a
> low flying mission across occupied Europe – trying to remain unmoved by all
> the flack coming from every angle. It’s not a surprise American and London
> cyclists are the most likely to wear a helmet, fluorescent jacket et al. ,
> even if the effect is purely psychological, you feel like you need some kind
> of protection."
>
> As our Understanding Walking and Cycling research based on extensive
> in-depth research across four cities outside of London made clear, we are
> kidding ourselves if we think that a democratic landscape of cycling will
> emerge out of the current transport system without radical overhaul. The key
> is to eradicate the war not to encourage the trembling troops to train to go
> into battle.
>
> Tim Jones
>
> On 31 January 2012 10:00, Chris Peck <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> “This really is not my experience of cycling in London (UK), I'd suggest
> London (UK) is one of the more benign areas to cycle in in Britain hence
> some areas of the inner city with 10% modal share of cycling and rising.
> Cycling on rural A4 roads in Britain outwith built up areas can be far more
> intimidating.”
>
> … and objectively more risky as well:
>
> * 313 deaths per billion kms cycled on rural A-roads last year.
>
> * 11 deaths per billion kms cycled on minor urban roads.
>
> (see:
> http://www.ctc.org.uk/resources/Campaigns/1110_CTC_Transcom_RSS-con-final.pdf,
> from RAS30018)
>
>
>
> ________________________________
>
> From: Cycling and Society Research Group discussion list
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of gary cummins
> Sent: 31 January 2012 09:40
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: A request for help
>
>
>
> John Meudell said:
>
>
> On that particular point, I’d suggest making a clear distinction between the
> UK and Europe. My experience is that, if you can cycle confidently cycle
> around London without getting intimidated, run off the road or killed, you
> can survive anywhere!
>
>
>
>
> This really is not my experience of cycling in London (UK), I'd suggest
> London (UK) is one of the more benign areas to cycle in in Britain hence
> some areas of the inner city with 10% modal share of cycling and rising.
> Cycling on rural A4 roads in Britain outwith built up areas can be far more
> intimidating.
>
> Gary Cummins
>
>
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>
> --
> Research Fellow
> Oxford Institute for Sustainable Development
> & Department of Planning
> Faculty of Technology Design and Environment
> Oxford Brookes University
> Gipsy Lane Campus
> Oxford OX3 0BP
> Tel +44 (0)1865 483436
> [log in to unmask]
> http://www.brookes.ac.uk/about/faculties/tde
>
> EPSRC Understanding Walking and Cycling summary findings now available for
> download:
> http://radar.brookes.ac.uk/radar/items/17bb3ed2-1209-b3e9-5357-614f329af72e/1/
>
> Quote: "“A society which measures man’s [sic] worth in terms of volume of
> publications accumulated is no less sick than one which measures his worth
> in terms of dollars amassed” (Stea 1969:1)."
>
>
>
> Stea D (1969) Positions, purposes, pragmatics: A journal of radical
> geography. Antipode 1(1):1–2
>
>
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