spandexwarrior
12-07-05, 12:47 AM
If Canadians Within 30 Minutes Regularly Cycled or Walked to School, Work
by: Staff
Nation-wide survey shows 70% of those within half-hour cycle to work would if safe, dedicated traffic lane available
A major opportunity exists to improve health across Canada while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution by capitalizing on the strong interest of Canadians to lead more active lives, according to the most comprehensive national public survey ever conducted on walking and cycling.
Among conclusions from the Environics International Ltd. survey:
70% of Canadians say if they had access to a dedicated bike lane that would take them to work in less than 30 minutes at a comfortable pace, they would definitely use it;
A large majority in Canada (82%) supports government spending to create dedicated bicycle lanes and paths that would encourage safe cycling and a healthy lifestyle,
Most adults (85%) walk for exercise or leisure but only about half of Canadians who could walk to work in 30 minutes or less do so as a rule;
While 68% of children have a walk to school of 30 minutes or less, just 36% walk as a rule;
Walking and cycling for transportation offers the key to better health in two ways: reducing pollution and increasing individual physical activity. Environics International has found that the public ranks environmental pollution and exercise/diet highest by far among all factors determining individual health;
Some 74% of Canadians could cycle and 62% could walk to one or more routine destinations (work, shopping/errand, visiting friends/family, pursue leisure activities) in 30 minutes or less (up to 5 km cycling, 3 km walking). As a rule, 14% do cycle and 43% do walk.
If those who could cycle to work in 30 minutes or less did so most of the time (three days a week or more, 26 weeks per year), it would save an estimated 13.1 million vehicle km each year, reducing smog and making a significant contribution towards Canada's international pledge to cut emissions of greenhouse gases.
Conducted for Go for Green, a national non-profit organization, the survey provides insights into why some Canadians are physically active while others aren't, probes attitudes towards walking and cycling, and helps identify the conditions that foster an active lifestyle -- important issues in light of estimates that 66% of adult Canadians are not active enough to maintain good health. Even young people need to get moving more often: the Heart and Stroke Foundation estimates that 2 out of 3 Canadian children and youths are at risk of premature death and disability because of inactivity.
Results from the survey, which involved telephone interviews with 1,501 adults, are considered accurate to within plus or minus 2.5%, 19 times out of 20.
Bicycling
The survey found 57% of Canadians (54% of women and 61% of men) own a bicycle; 47% cycle for leisure or recreation.
Only 38% of those with bikes use them for transportation to a routine destination and just 6% cycle to work "at least sometimes"
Of bike owners who live within 5 km of work -- a 30-minute ride or less -- 85% rarely or never cycle. Respondents within a 30 minute ride of other regular destinations also rarely cycle as a means of transportation. The highest positive response comes in connection with leisure: 6% say they cycle nearly all the time to leisure time destinations; another 12% say they cycle more than half the time. Almost two-thirds, however -- 63% -- rarely or never cycle to pursue leisure activities.
Two-thirds of respondents (including 60% of those considered "inactive") would like to cycle more often. However, more than half (53%) of Canadians believe cycling on the streets in their community is dangerous because of vehicle traffic. Women are significantly more inclined to that opinion than men (59% vs. 47%). Worries about the weather and about the safety of cycling in traffic are strongest in communities larger than 1 million (Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver).
The survey shows 82% of Canadians support greater government spending on dedicated bike lanes and paths. Overall, 70% of those within 5 km of work would cycle if safe, dedicated traffic lanes were available. Even 67% of Canadians who neither walk nor cycle once a week to a destination agree with the statement: "If there were a dedicated bike lane which would take me to my workplace in less than 30 minutes at a comfortable pace, I would definitely use it."
Other survey findings about bicycling:
Roughly 3 in 10 Canadians live within 5 km of work but just 1 in 10 cycles "at least sometimes"
Women are far less likely to cycle to work (92% said rarely or never, compared with 79% of men);
Half of those who cycle to work "at least sometimes" live within 5 km. The average distance is 7.4 km;
The top five reasons for bicycling: exercise and health (55%), pleasure (23%) practicality and convenience (13%), environmental concern (3%), saving money (3%);
Public attitudes towards bicycle commuting are positive. Asked for views on the statement "I think people who cycle to work are a little odd," only 7% agree; 92% disagree. Asked if "most Canadians view people who cycle to work as a little odd," 24% agree and 74% disagree;
Just 26% Canadians agree and 72% disagree with the statement "Cyclists in my community are reckless and a major menace to pedestrians and cars";
There is widespread sympathy for cyclists in traffic: 9 in 10 Canadians feel drivers should be much more considerate of bicyclists than they are now.
Walking to work, shop, visits and pleasure destinations
About 1 in 5 respondents live within 3 km of their workplace (representing a walk of about 30 minutes or less) but just 1 in 10 report walking "most of the time" (3 days a week or more). One-third of those with a walk to work of 3 km or less "never or rarely walk"; 53% walk less than half the time.
The average distance covered by those who walk to work "at least sometimes" is 3.6 km each way.
While relatively few people walk to work, a large majority of Canadians (89% of women and 80% of men) say they walk for leisure or recreation.
Some 62% of Canadian adults live within 30 minutes by foot of at least one regular destination (work , shopping , visiting family/friends , pursue leisure activities ). Among those who live within a reasonable walk of a routine destination, the survey found people most likely to walk to leisure activities: 19% walk most of the time to leisure destinations, another 31% walk at least sometimes.
Some 82% of Canadians say they'd like to walk as a mode of transportation more than they do. Just one-third of all respondents agrees with the statement "I never have time to walk," and only 15% agree "there are no pleasant places to walk near my home."
Asked then what prevents them from walking more often, 47% of Canadians say distance, 19% say lack of time, 18% say weather conditions, 11% say poor health/disabled, 11% cite laziness or inconvenience, 6% say they have too much to carry. The lack of a pleasant route was cited by 2% of respondents and 1% cited traffic concerns and bad roads.
The survey divided respondents into two groups: inactive and active (those who walk or cycle at least sometimes -- one day a week -- to a destination). Both groups showed virtually the same desire to walk more often (81% of the inactive group, 83% of the active group) but the inactive respondents were more inclined (40% vs. 24%) to the view that they never have time.
The survey canvassed Canadians' favorite reasons for walking as a mode of transportation. A majority (62%) does it for exercise and health, while 30% does it simply for pleasure. Another 24% say that for them walking is practical and convenient, 10% cite environmental reasons, 9% cite the money savings and 2% say they have no choice.
Statistics on children walking to school …
On a typical day, about 40% of Canadian school children take a school bus , 29% walk, 13% ride in a family vehicle, 5% use public transit; and 2% cycle.
Asked to rate the safety of their child's walk to school, 25% of Canadians with girl children and 19% with boys say it is fairly or very unsafe. Safety concerns are significantly higher in smaller communities -- 29% of those in centers with less than 10,000 people say walking to school is unsafe.
Top parental concerns about walking to school: busy traffic/bad drivers (cited by 55%); no sidewalks/poor roads (19%); too far (16%); bad area/drugs etc. (12%); gangs/other kids (3%). If walking to school was very safe, 20% of those who don't now feel that way say their child would walk much more often.
... and bicycling to school
Among children 13 to 18 years old, 82% have a bike yet just 4% cycle to school. Almost all respondents (96%) with 5 to 13 year olds said their children have bikes but just 2% of children in that age group cycle to school.
Distance and safety are the two reasons cited most often when asked why their children don't cycle more often. Asked to assess how safe it is for children to bicycle to school in their community, 42% of those with girl children and 33% of those with boys say it is fairly or very unsafe. Among people who consider cycling to school unsafe, 88% cite busy traffic and bad drivers; 14% cite poor roads or a lack of routes and 12% say it is unsafe because of the distance involved.
If bicycling to school was very safe, almost half (49%) of those who don't now feel that way say their child would cycle more often, with 17% saying "much more often."
Summary
"This survey shows that most Canadians want to be more active and are frustrated they are not active more often," said Mr. Grundy. "Through education and the improvement of infrastructure, including more paths for walking and cycling, better lighting, dedicated bicycle lanes on streets, and bicycle parking facilties, society can create safer and inviting conditions for active transportation. We need to help Canadians move from good intentions to action by creating a community environment that supports an active lifestyle."
Ted Scrutton of Halifax, National Chair of Go for Green, said the issue of active transportation embraces key areas of public concern: health, safety, transportation and the environment.
" The benefits of shifting to an active lifestyle include not only better health and lower health care costs but important environmental benefits as well," he added.
"Every year, each of Canada's 14 million cars travels an average of 16,000 km and pumps out more than four tonnes of greenhouse gases and other air pollutants. The average car makes 2,000 trips per year of 3 km or less and many of these trips could easily be done on foot or bicycle," said Mr. Scrutton. "The fact is, when we make a short trip, we cause a great deal of pollution because a cold engine generates much more emissions than a warm one. Promoting active transportation and eliminating needless short car trips is an excellent way to help Canada reduce smog and meet our international commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions."
Mr. Grundy said the survey provides an important baseline for future research into attitudes towards walking and cycling as transportation options.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Walk a Child to School Day", Wednesday, Sept 23
Canada's first-ever nationwide "Walk a Child to School Day", Wednesday, Sept 23, calls on Canadians wherever possible to promote active transportation to school. Go for Green will use the occasion to launch its Active and Safe Routes to School program, designed to explain and promote such innovative ideas as "walking" or "cycling" school buses, mapping safe routes to school, and establishing "no idling" zones in front of schools. For information, please call 613-562-5309.
Go for Green
Go for Green helps individual Canadians participate in outdoor physical activities, at the same time encouraging them to become good environmental citizens -- to protect, enhance and restore the environment in which they live, work and play.
Go for Green supports local community action to improve opportunities for citizens to become more active in outdoor environments that are clean, safe and accessible -- helping people understand better the relationship between their health and the environment. Among its priorities, Go for Green encourages active transportation to replace short car trips, promotes positive changes in community infrastructure, such as trails and bike lanes, and discourages excessive use of pesticides in parks and home gardens.
Go for Green works in partnership with Health Canada, Environment Canada, every provincial and territorial government, national voluntary organizations, community groups, and the private sector.
http://erg.environics.net/news/default.asp?aID=361
Wow, gotta love those Canadians! I think if Americans were polled with the same questions, I think 70% would say, "I think people who cycle to work are a little odd," and some 10% would say, "Cyclists deserve to be run into a ditch."
by: Staff
Nation-wide survey shows 70% of those within half-hour cycle to work would if safe, dedicated traffic lane available
A major opportunity exists to improve health across Canada while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution by capitalizing on the strong interest of Canadians to lead more active lives, according to the most comprehensive national public survey ever conducted on walking and cycling.
Among conclusions from the Environics International Ltd. survey:
70% of Canadians say if they had access to a dedicated bike lane that would take them to work in less than 30 minutes at a comfortable pace, they would definitely use it;
A large majority in Canada (82%) supports government spending to create dedicated bicycle lanes and paths that would encourage safe cycling and a healthy lifestyle,
Most adults (85%) walk for exercise or leisure but only about half of Canadians who could walk to work in 30 minutes or less do so as a rule;
While 68% of children have a walk to school of 30 minutes or less, just 36% walk as a rule;
Walking and cycling for transportation offers the key to better health in two ways: reducing pollution and increasing individual physical activity. Environics International has found that the public ranks environmental pollution and exercise/diet highest by far among all factors determining individual health;
Some 74% of Canadians could cycle and 62% could walk to one or more routine destinations (work, shopping/errand, visiting friends/family, pursue leisure activities) in 30 minutes or less (up to 5 km cycling, 3 km walking). As a rule, 14% do cycle and 43% do walk.
If those who could cycle to work in 30 minutes or less did so most of the time (three days a week or more, 26 weeks per year), it would save an estimated 13.1 million vehicle km each year, reducing smog and making a significant contribution towards Canada's international pledge to cut emissions of greenhouse gases.
Conducted for Go for Green, a national non-profit organization, the survey provides insights into why some Canadians are physically active while others aren't, probes attitudes towards walking and cycling, and helps identify the conditions that foster an active lifestyle -- important issues in light of estimates that 66% of adult Canadians are not active enough to maintain good health. Even young people need to get moving more often: the Heart and Stroke Foundation estimates that 2 out of 3 Canadian children and youths are at risk of premature death and disability because of inactivity.
Results from the survey, which involved telephone interviews with 1,501 adults, are considered accurate to within plus or minus 2.5%, 19 times out of 20.
Bicycling
The survey found 57% of Canadians (54% of women and 61% of men) own a bicycle; 47% cycle for leisure or recreation.
Only 38% of those with bikes use them for transportation to a routine destination and just 6% cycle to work "at least sometimes"
Of bike owners who live within 5 km of work -- a 30-minute ride or less -- 85% rarely or never cycle. Respondents within a 30 minute ride of other regular destinations also rarely cycle as a means of transportation. The highest positive response comes in connection with leisure: 6% say they cycle nearly all the time to leisure time destinations; another 12% say they cycle more than half the time. Almost two-thirds, however -- 63% -- rarely or never cycle to pursue leisure activities.
Two-thirds of respondents (including 60% of those considered "inactive") would like to cycle more often. However, more than half (53%) of Canadians believe cycling on the streets in their community is dangerous because of vehicle traffic. Women are significantly more inclined to that opinion than men (59% vs. 47%). Worries about the weather and about the safety of cycling in traffic are strongest in communities larger than 1 million (Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver).
The survey shows 82% of Canadians support greater government spending on dedicated bike lanes and paths. Overall, 70% of those within 5 km of work would cycle if safe, dedicated traffic lanes were available. Even 67% of Canadians who neither walk nor cycle once a week to a destination agree with the statement: "If there were a dedicated bike lane which would take me to my workplace in less than 30 minutes at a comfortable pace, I would definitely use it."
Other survey findings about bicycling:
Roughly 3 in 10 Canadians live within 5 km of work but just 1 in 10 cycles "at least sometimes"
Women are far less likely to cycle to work (92% said rarely or never, compared with 79% of men);
Half of those who cycle to work "at least sometimes" live within 5 km. The average distance is 7.4 km;
The top five reasons for bicycling: exercise and health (55%), pleasure (23%) practicality and convenience (13%), environmental concern (3%), saving money (3%);
Public attitudes towards bicycle commuting are positive. Asked for views on the statement "I think people who cycle to work are a little odd," only 7% agree; 92% disagree. Asked if "most Canadians view people who cycle to work as a little odd," 24% agree and 74% disagree;
Just 26% Canadians agree and 72% disagree with the statement "Cyclists in my community are reckless and a major menace to pedestrians and cars";
There is widespread sympathy for cyclists in traffic: 9 in 10 Canadians feel drivers should be much more considerate of bicyclists than they are now.
Walking to work, shop, visits and pleasure destinations
About 1 in 5 respondents live within 3 km of their workplace (representing a walk of about 30 minutes or less) but just 1 in 10 report walking "most of the time" (3 days a week or more). One-third of those with a walk to work of 3 km or less "never or rarely walk"; 53% walk less than half the time.
The average distance covered by those who walk to work "at least sometimes" is 3.6 km each way.
While relatively few people walk to work, a large majority of Canadians (89% of women and 80% of men) say they walk for leisure or recreation.
Some 62% of Canadian adults live within 30 minutes by foot of at least one regular destination (work , shopping , visiting family/friends , pursue leisure activities ). Among those who live within a reasonable walk of a routine destination, the survey found people most likely to walk to leisure activities: 19% walk most of the time to leisure destinations, another 31% walk at least sometimes.
Some 82% of Canadians say they'd like to walk as a mode of transportation more than they do. Just one-third of all respondents agrees with the statement "I never have time to walk," and only 15% agree "there are no pleasant places to walk near my home."
Asked then what prevents them from walking more often, 47% of Canadians say distance, 19% say lack of time, 18% say weather conditions, 11% say poor health/disabled, 11% cite laziness or inconvenience, 6% say they have too much to carry. The lack of a pleasant route was cited by 2% of respondents and 1% cited traffic concerns and bad roads.
The survey divided respondents into two groups: inactive and active (those who walk or cycle at least sometimes -- one day a week -- to a destination). Both groups showed virtually the same desire to walk more often (81% of the inactive group, 83% of the active group) but the inactive respondents were more inclined (40% vs. 24%) to the view that they never have time.
The survey canvassed Canadians' favorite reasons for walking as a mode of transportation. A majority (62%) does it for exercise and health, while 30% does it simply for pleasure. Another 24% say that for them walking is practical and convenient, 10% cite environmental reasons, 9% cite the money savings and 2% say they have no choice.
Statistics on children walking to school …
On a typical day, about 40% of Canadian school children take a school bus , 29% walk, 13% ride in a family vehicle, 5% use public transit; and 2% cycle.
Asked to rate the safety of their child's walk to school, 25% of Canadians with girl children and 19% with boys say it is fairly or very unsafe. Safety concerns are significantly higher in smaller communities -- 29% of those in centers with less than 10,000 people say walking to school is unsafe.
Top parental concerns about walking to school: busy traffic/bad drivers (cited by 55%); no sidewalks/poor roads (19%); too far (16%); bad area/drugs etc. (12%); gangs/other kids (3%). If walking to school was very safe, 20% of those who don't now feel that way say their child would walk much more often.
... and bicycling to school
Among children 13 to 18 years old, 82% have a bike yet just 4% cycle to school. Almost all respondents (96%) with 5 to 13 year olds said their children have bikes but just 2% of children in that age group cycle to school.
Distance and safety are the two reasons cited most often when asked why their children don't cycle more often. Asked to assess how safe it is for children to bicycle to school in their community, 42% of those with girl children and 33% of those with boys say it is fairly or very unsafe. Among people who consider cycling to school unsafe, 88% cite busy traffic and bad drivers; 14% cite poor roads or a lack of routes and 12% say it is unsafe because of the distance involved.
If bicycling to school was very safe, almost half (49%) of those who don't now feel that way say their child would cycle more often, with 17% saying "much more often."
Summary
"This survey shows that most Canadians want to be more active and are frustrated they are not active more often," said Mr. Grundy. "Through education and the improvement of infrastructure, including more paths for walking and cycling, better lighting, dedicated bicycle lanes on streets, and bicycle parking facilties, society can create safer and inviting conditions for active transportation. We need to help Canadians move from good intentions to action by creating a community environment that supports an active lifestyle."
Ted Scrutton of Halifax, National Chair of Go for Green, said the issue of active transportation embraces key areas of public concern: health, safety, transportation and the environment.
" The benefits of shifting to an active lifestyle include not only better health and lower health care costs but important environmental benefits as well," he added.
"Every year, each of Canada's 14 million cars travels an average of 16,000 km and pumps out more than four tonnes of greenhouse gases and other air pollutants. The average car makes 2,000 trips per year of 3 km or less and many of these trips could easily be done on foot or bicycle," said Mr. Scrutton. "The fact is, when we make a short trip, we cause a great deal of pollution because a cold engine generates much more emissions than a warm one. Promoting active transportation and eliminating needless short car trips is an excellent way to help Canada reduce smog and meet our international commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions."
Mr. Grundy said the survey provides an important baseline for future research into attitudes towards walking and cycling as transportation options.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Walk a Child to School Day", Wednesday, Sept 23
Canada's first-ever nationwide "Walk a Child to School Day", Wednesday, Sept 23, calls on Canadians wherever possible to promote active transportation to school. Go for Green will use the occasion to launch its Active and Safe Routes to School program, designed to explain and promote such innovative ideas as "walking" or "cycling" school buses, mapping safe routes to school, and establishing "no idling" zones in front of schools. For information, please call 613-562-5309.
Go for Green
Go for Green helps individual Canadians participate in outdoor physical activities, at the same time encouraging them to become good environmental citizens -- to protect, enhance and restore the environment in which they live, work and play.
Go for Green supports local community action to improve opportunities for citizens to become more active in outdoor environments that are clean, safe and accessible -- helping people understand better the relationship between their health and the environment. Among its priorities, Go for Green encourages active transportation to replace short car trips, promotes positive changes in community infrastructure, such as trails and bike lanes, and discourages excessive use of pesticides in parks and home gardens.
Go for Green works in partnership with Health Canada, Environment Canada, every provincial and territorial government, national voluntary organizations, community groups, and the private sector.
http://erg.environics.net/news/default.asp?aID=361
Wow, gotta love those Canadians! I think if Americans were polled with the same questions, I think 70% would say, "I think people who cycle to work are a little odd," and some 10% would say, "Cyclists deserve to be run into a ditch."