Basil Moss

Anyone seen this? I though it was rather good. He makes some good points about how to "normalise" cycling, and to make it something for everybody. Also about how cyclists are perhaps a tad too "defensive" about what they do, and maybe they needn't be.

https://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=WfnkwfG1r6Y

BarracksSi

"The risk of [being too closely identified simply as a 'green transport' issue] is that it comes to be seen as completely voluntary and, perhaps, even rather pious as a lifestyle choice."

"What we need to get across is that cycling is not just for do-gooders but, really, for everyone. It's not something you do because you want to save the planet, it's what you do because it just makes sense. It's fast, efficient, convenient, healthy, and fun."

Also talking about "ditching the habits of speaking for an embattled minority" and, instead, speaking for "everyone".

He makes sense. The funny thing is, he's hoping to see the same kind of attitudes already long present in other, mostly non-Western parts of the world.

closetbiker

I've addressed much of what he spoke of in my columns this past season.

Cyclists already have a historical and legal place on our roads. We now need a cultural acceptance and acknowledgement as a source of improvement for the transportation system.

It's vital that the standards of behavior that cyclists hold others users of the road be held to, are held to by cyclists themselves.

Every day folks can jump on a bike to get places. They need to know, you don't have to be an extreme athlete, dare devil, or a bit of a kook to do so.

I'll try to keep up this theme next season.

unterhausen

some of the grad students I know drive their car less than 2 miles and then spend all day dodging parking enforcement. I keep telling them they should be riding their bikes, which they agree with, but they don't change their habits.

Dahon.Steve

I thnk he missed the most important reason for the change in attitude regarding bicycle commuting and that was the gas prices last summer. It will take another 3-4 years before gas reaches that price again.

StrangeWill

"blah blah blah blah blah, zoom in closer, blah blah blah"

closetbiker

well that displays a depth of insight.

The presentation may have been a bit dry, but I've seen (and read) worse.

What about the content of what he talked about? Is there, something in the air? Do you think attitudes towards cycling is or has changed?

genec

No. I think we have gotten some press lately that has increased awareness of cycling, but overall in the big picture, nothing has actually changed yet. But indeed even this small awareness could be part of a larger developing wave... but it will take time. And there will be backlashes... any real forward progress will not come easy.

closetbiker

Maybe in Britain it's different?

I'm not sure if it's changed all that much up here, but it seems to me, Vancouver has always been more accepting than many other areas (or so I understand) of cycling as an integral part of the transportation system. We're even considering a Velib-style bike sharing program.

As I have posted many times since this past June, it seems to me I was given a cycling column on this basis of a recent change in attitude towards cycling. Then again, it could have been the rise in gas prices, a bump in building of local cycling infrastructure, and an unusually dry summer. We'll see how well the column goes over next spring/summer(/fall?)

genec

Sure it's different... for one thing London has a congestion charge. The same thing tried here in NYC failed. No congestion charge. Some minor changes have been made in NYC, but the rest of America is still thinking of bicycles as toys... and that won't change for some time I am afraid.

Cheap gas isn't going to help... the consumer will again be lulled into thinking they can just drive everywhere and that cycling is just a PITA. So bottom line, while those in London specifically and England overall may be starting to act like their neighbors in Copenhagen, the folks on this side of the pond (just under Canada) have a long long way to go.

closetbiker

I guess since it seems most of the people on these forums are from the US, the majority opinion may be as yours is.

Odd how that it seems that Canada has a more accepting attitude towards cycling than the US. We share many values, but there are other values that put us in opposition.

genec

It's not all that odd... The US probably has the worlds worst attitude towards cycling...

All while telling the rest of the world what to do with carbon footprints and human rights and the like... all rather ironic, eh?

No doubt if the US took a lead in such things as cycling as transportation and solar and wind sources for power, the rest of the world would "follow." (follow is in quotes as the rest of the world leads in these technologies.)

StrangeWill

Actually to be honest I couldn't be bothered to reach for my headphones.

genec

and yet you continue to comment as if you actually had knowledge of everything expressed...

StrangeWill

Hellooo, A&S.