Guys

A précis of my response to Kira.

“””

Kira

I don’t know if you’ve seen Nicholas Oddy’s contribution but I tend to agree….comparing Canada and Denmark is probably too narrow.

I’ve worked in Canada (in fact not far from where you are)and cycled across the US some years ago (New York to San Francisco).  I also lived and worked in Holland on and off for many years (since the late 70’s) and cycled extensively in Northern Europe and Scandinavia.  Based on those experiences I’d suggest that, on this subject, the geographical reasons drive history and culture…and not the other way around. 

Basically, distances are so huge in North America that, even in the more populated coastal states, cycling on a daily basis is limited to leisure/sport and, to a lesser extent, utility.  

In contrast distances between population centres, villages and the like in Europe are so small as to ensure leisure/day touring is both feasible and attractive.  Roads are winding, often sheltered by trees and hedges, there’s variety in the scenery and topography….which, although it exists to an extent in the coastal and eastern mountain states of North America, the distances preclude day touring.

I think cycling research has missed a trick in not identifying the role of day touring in the development and support for utility and sport cycling (in Europe), it maintains ownership of cycling in the minds of many people, creating a tacit base on which to maintain interest in the high profile sporting side.

That situation can’t really exist in North America, at least outside of the large urban conurbations and aforementioned states, so the sporting side is equally poorly recognised.

This bigness has inhibited the wider importation of the bicycle culture.  In North America, outside of the big urban conurbations cycling is very easy and very safe (well, ignoring cattle truck drivers in Wyoming!).  Traffic densities are low on most county highways, likewise the old US Highways, with their wide hard shoulder.  Furthermore the construction of tarmac paved roads is still considerably less than in Europe, particularly through the Mid-West, even today.

Cyclists are seen as unusual and non-threatening….I and many US side-to-side cyclists find themselves invited for coffee and to stay.  A couple of places I was chased by local small town reporters for a story (I was riding a recumbent tricycle, not exactly the usual human powered machinery seen around small towns!).  The kids all have bikes but, even if they get into serious mountain biking, the focus is on the first car which is (has to be) an important mode of transport to get around.  Again, outside of the urban conurbations there’s little in the way of public transport, apart for the school bus system, so a car is essential to everyone.  On the whole motorists drive slower (than the UK) though, admittedly don’t take prisoners…but at least they don’t deliberately try to run you off the road like they do in the UK.  So, unlike the UK, it’s actually a very benign environment for cycling….it’s just not very practical!

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!

That said I’d suggest that your question “Why it's so hard to incorporate bicycles in Canadian traffic?” is a bit general.  I’m told by a Canadian friend that places like Ottawa, Montreal, Vancouver and Victoria have good cycling routes and infrastructure networks.  San Francisco, which I have cycled around, has an established set of bike routes and is real easy to cycle around….and traffic is often much less of a problem than in London (UK).  The authorities have thought about the problems of getting around the Bay, so bikes are carried on the ferries and there used to be a bus-trailer to take cyclists across the bridges.  So I cycled around Oakland, Berkeley and Richmond, across the Bay and there’s not really much of a problem.

So I’m not sure the position is as clear cut as your first thoughts. 

Cheers

John Meudell

C.Eng, MIMechE

Research Associate, Swansea University

From: Cycling and Society Research Group discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of [log in to unmask]
Sent: 27 January 2012 15:34
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: A request for help

This was forwarded from the ICHC. If anybody wishes to respond, bear in mind she may not be on this list.

----- Forwarded message -----
From: "Renate Franz" <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Fri, Jan 27, 2012 14:57
Subject: Another question for help :)
To: "Renate Franz" <[log in to unmask]>



selectName: Ms.

Last Name: Falsing

First Name: Kira

Street: 308 Wharncliffe

Zip: N6G 1E2

Town: London

Country: Canada

Email: [log in to unmask]

Relationship: I'm writing an article about the main differences between
North America (Canada) and Europe (Copenhagen), when it comes to bicycling.
Why it's so hard to incorporate bicycles in Canadian traffic, and the
historical and geographical reasons for this.

So I have some questions, that I was hoping you could help me with.



Is the reasons to be found in the geographical background, like North
America is a much 'newer' world than Europe, so they just builds roads
immediately, beause of the invension of the automobile at that time, or is
it rather a cultural thing like a fascination in cars and big machines?



Hope to hear from you and that you can enlighten me or suggest some articles
or websites to look at. the article will also include the the history of the
bicycle as transportation.



Best

Kira Falsing



University of Western Ontario

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