tag:theconversation.com,2011:/au/topics/bicycles-39311/articles
Bicycles – The Conversation
2023-08-07T04:10:53Z
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/207928
2023-08-07T04:10:53Z
2023-08-07T04:10:53Z
Do I have the right bicycle helmet and how can I tell if it’s any good? A bike helmet researcher explains
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/532339/original/file-20230616-27-f1f5xs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C21%2C7200%2C5065&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/group-of-cyclist-on-road-2373200/">Pexels/Nishant Aneja</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>If you ride a bike and want to cut your risk of traumatic head injury, you should wear a helmet. A major Australian <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/ije/dyw153">review</a> of 40 different studies and 64,000 injured cyclists worldwide showed wearing a bicycle helmet reduces the risk of serious head injury by nearly 70%.</p>
<p>But there’s a bewildering array of designs out there. How do you know if yours is up to scratch or when it’s time to replace it?</p>
<p>I’m a head injury biomechanics researcher who has researched on bicycle helmet designs. Here’s what you need to know about choosing a bike helmet.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/539875/original/file-20230728-21-sabxi0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A man sitting next to his bike, wearing a helmet." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/539875/original/file-20230728-21-sabxi0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/539875/original/file-20230728-21-sabxi0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539875/original/file-20230728-21-sabxi0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539875/original/file-20230728-21-sabxi0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539875/original/file-20230728-21-sabxi0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539875/original/file-20230728-21-sabxi0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539875/original/file-20230728-21-sabxi0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Pick a helmet that fits comfortably yet firmly on your head and can’t be tilted for more than an inch in any direction.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-sitting-beside-bicycle-2270328/">Pexels/Dó Castle:</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/over-the-top-policing-of-bike-helmet-laws-targets-vulnerable-riders-125228">Over-the-top policing of bike helmet laws targets vulnerable riders</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>The parts of the helmet</h2>
<p>A typical bicycle helmet consists of a plastic shell, foam-like liner and the straps that keep it on your head. </p>
<p>The shell prevents any sharp penetration. The liner – usually made of expanded polystyrene foam or expanded polypropylene – absorbs the impact energy that would otherwise be colliding dangerously with your head.</p>
<p>In Australia, bicycle helmets must be certified to the mandatory Australian and New Zealand standard (the technical name for this standard is “<a href="https://www.productsafety.gov.au/product-safety-laws/safety-standards-bans/mandatory-standards/bicycle-helmets">AS/NZS 2063 — Bicycle helmets</a>”).</p>
<p>This is a very robust safety regulation, and means the helmet has to be tested for:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>impact attenuation (how well it absorbs impact),</p></li>
<li><p>load distribution (how well force is spread out over a larger area, so as to reduce the risk),</p></li>
<li><p>strength, and</p></li>
<li><p>effectiveness of the strap retention system (how well the helmet stays on your head).</p></li>
</ul>
<p>So check your helmet to see if it says “AS/NZS 2063” on it somewhere (usually on a sticker inside it).</p>
<p>However, it’s worth noting these tests mostly look at the helmet’s ability to reduce the translational force (a force which causes an object to move in a single direction) of a direct impact. </p>
<p>They don’t properly consider the damage done by what’s called “rotational forces” – when the head is hit at an angle, causing it to shift abruptly.</p>
<p>This can cause the brain to rotate inside the skull, leading to severe and irreversible <a href="https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/traumatic-brain-injury#:%7E:text=Diffuse%20axonal%20injury%20is%20the,different%20parts%20of%20the%20brain.">brain damage</a>.</p>
<h2>Bike helmet technology is always changing</h2>
<p>A <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijimpeng.2022.104317">recent review</a> by colleagues and I at Swinburne University of Technology looked at bicycle helmet design technologies that may reduce the risk caused by rotational forces.</p>
<p>The best known one is called a “multi-directional impact protection system” (sometimes abbreviated as MIPS). This design allows the helmet shell to rotate around the inner liner, so the helmet absorbs some of the angular forces that would otherwise be transmitted to your head. </p>
<p>You can tell whether a helmet is MIPS-equipped by looking for a small yellow MIPS logo from the outside or a thin yellow liner beneath the pads on the inside. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/539877/original/file-20230728-25-vxf17x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/539877/original/file-20230728-25-vxf17x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/539877/original/file-20230728-25-vxf17x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539877/original/file-20230728-25-vxf17x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539877/original/file-20230728-25-vxf17x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539877/original/file-20230728-25-vxf17x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539877/original/file-20230728-25-vxf17x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539877/original/file-20230728-25-vxf17x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A MIPs-equipped helmet will usually be labelled as such.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Another fancy helmet technology is called an “omni-directional suspension system” (ODS), which has double liner layers connected by special rubbery materials. If you want this feature, look for a white, red and black ODS logo on the helmet shell.</p>
<p>Then there are “shearing pads inside” helmets (also known as SPIN helmets), which features silicone-injected pads in a structure that moves inside the shell.</p>
<p>These help redirect rotational forces when the rider’s head is hit in an accident. Helmets with this feature usually have a SPIN logo on the helmet shell or blue strips on the inside.</p>
<p>A few bicycle helmets use special collapsible liners to reduce the stiffness of shearing in the helmet. Helmets that feature this technology may have words like AIM (which stands for angular impact mitigation), WaveCel and HEXR on them.</p>
<p>My team at Swinburne is developing a bio-inspired flexible structure which can potentially be used as a bicycle helmet liner, and we are currently conducting tests in our Impact Engineering Laboratory. We’re also working on a <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering8110173">helmet design</a> featuring an inflatable airbag in a traditional bike helmet.</p>
<h2>How to pick a helmet</h2>
<p>When choosing a helmet in the shop, pick one that fits comfortably yet firmly on your head and can’t be tilted for more than an inch in any direction. </p>
<p>It should be snug but not annoyingly tight; you’re less likely to wear it if it’s uncomfortable.</p>
<p>Ensure the helmet complies with the national or international bicycle helmet standards, which should be stated on the label inside the helmet.</p>
<p>You may consider buying a helmet featuring one of the advanced protection technologies mentioned earlier (things like AIM, MIPS, SPIN or ODS), as these can help mitigate rotation-induced traumatic brain injury if your head gets hit at an angle.</p>
<p>Pick a helmet with a thicker liner, as long as it’s still comfortable enough to wear properly when riding. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10439-019-02328-8">Thicker liners</a> <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/S0924-0136(02)00047-X">tend</a> to absorb more impact energy because they have a longer crushing zone (a bit like how a car with a longer hood in the front has a longer crush zone before the impact hits the driver).</p>
<p>Ideally, choose one just firm enough to minimise impact forces without “bottoming out” (where the impact crushes and flattens the liner). </p>
<p>Denser foams resist very hard impacts better before crushing to their ultimate limit. Once a foam reaches its crush limit, the remaining impact energy is transmitted to your head. Softer foams compress or crush more easily in lighter impacts, giving better protection against milder injuries. </p>
<p>You never know what kind of accident you will have, so it’s better to choose a helmet with both dense and soft foam layers in the liner.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/539878/original/file-20230728-17-moflih.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A woman tried on a helmet in a bike shop." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/539878/original/file-20230728-17-moflih.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/539878/original/file-20230728-17-moflih.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539878/original/file-20230728-17-moflih.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539878/original/file-20230728-17-moflih.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539878/original/file-20230728-17-moflih.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539878/original/file-20230728-17-moflih.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539878/original/file-20230728-17-moflih.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Your helmet should be snug but not annoyingly tight.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Should you replace your helmet every few years anyway?</h2>
<p>The US Consumer Product Safety Commission says it might be prudent replace your bike helmet between <a href="https://www.cpsc.gov/safety-education/safety-guides/sports-fitness-and-recreation-bicycles/which-helmet-which-activity">five and ten years</a> after you bought it. </p>
<p>But an Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) spokesperson told The Conversation the lifespan of a bicycle helmet is not set by time alone; it depends on its use pattern. </p>
<p>The ACCC suggests a bicycle helmet should be replaced if:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>it’s showing obvious signs of wear and tear (a helmet that is used more often is likely to show more wear and tear sooner)</p></li>
<li><p>it’s showing sign of damage (cracks, pieces missing, compression of the foam, frayed straps)</p></li>
<li><p>it has been involved in an accident and has received a severe blow (even if it appears undamaged, you should destroy and replace it).</p></li>
</ul>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/heres-what-bike-sharing-programs-need-to-succeed-85969">Here's what bike-sharing programs need to succeed</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/207928/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kwong Ming Tse receives funding from the Australian government and from the Australian Research Council.</span></em></p>
Ensure your helmet complies with the national or international bicycle helmet standards, which should be stated on the label inside the helmet.
Kwong Ming (KM) Tse, Senior lecturer in Department of Mechanical Engineering and Product Design Engineering, Swinburne University of Technology
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/208347
2023-07-25T20:32:27Z
2023-07-25T20:32:27Z
How Canada’s first national cycling map will benefit both riders and public planners
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/534702/original/file-20230628-17-it0n73.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C5%2C1280%2C841&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">With more and more Canadians cycling, it is crucial we have up-to-date information on what cycling infrastructure exists and where to find it.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Callista Ottoni)</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span></figcaption></figure><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100px; border: none; position: relative; z-index: 1;" allowtransparency="" allow="clipboard-read; clipboard-write" src="https://narrations.ad-auris.com/widget/the-conversation-canada/how-canadas-first-national-cycling-map-will-benefit-both-riders-and-public-planners" width="100%" height="400"></iframe>
<p>Cycling in Canada has been <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/01441647.2021.1914900">experiencing a great boom in recent years</a> and a national map of cycling infrastructure is critical to allow Canadians to determine where they have access to safe and comfortable facilities and routes. </p>
<p>Yet, there has historically been no consistent and complete way to measure or communicate cycling infrastructure. Until now: <a href="https://www.arcgis.com/apps/mapviewer/index.html?webmap=c6d2917c4a7d4fb4a8e7a615369b68d5">Canada’s first national cycling map</a>.</p>
<p>In 2019, we developed the <a href="https://doi.org/10.24095/hpcdp.40.9.04">Canadian Bikeway Comfort and Safety Classification system (Can-BICS)</a> to classify cycling infrastructure by comfort and safety. Low comfort infrastructure is painted bike lanes, medium comfort is multi-use paths and high comfort are cycle tracks, bike-only paths, or local street bikeways. </p>
<p>We developed Can-BICS using the most current infrastructure design guides and cycling safety evidence. The same <a href="https://www.tac-atc.ca/en/publications-and-resources/geometric-design-guide-canadian-roads">design guides</a> are often used by city staff to develop cycling infrastructure.</p>
<p>The Can-BICS project not only provides a useful tool for Canadian cyclists, it also provides a clear window into the current state of Canadian cycling infrastructure.</p>
<h2>How we built a national dataset</h2>
<p>As researchers specializing in the links between the built environment and cycling, we often found ourselves piecing together datasets from different Canadian cities. Cycling infrastructure projects are typically co-ordinated by individual municipal or regional governments, with data held locally. For many projects, it’s too time consuming to compile data shared independently by multiple cities.</p>
<p>Another issue was that complete and up-to-date data are not even available for all municipalities in Canada. </p>
<p>While many larger cities may have staff dedicated to keeping their maps and databases up to date, other communities do not have the same capacity. Further complicating matters is the inconsistent use of terminology for bicycle facilities. For example, <a href="https://doi.org/10.24095/hpcdp.40.9.04">we found over 100 (often overlapping) terms</a> in use in different cities across Canada. </p>
<p>And importantly, not all bike facilities are equal in comfort and safety. A national map needs to indicate different types of facilities, as not everyone is willing to cycle alongside motor vehicles. </p>
<p>To obtain infrastructure data that was consistent across Canada, we decided to use <a href="https://openstreetmap.org">OpenStreetMap</a> (OSM) — a crowdsourced map of the world. Like a Wikipedia for maps, <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2220-9964/8/5/232">OSM is constantly being updated and improved for accuracy for commercial interests and by data enthusiasts around the world</a>. </p>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/23998083231159905">We developed algorithms that apply the Can-BICS classification to the OSM data</a>. Using Google Street View, we checked over two thousand reference points from OSM for classification accuracy and bias. These points were taken from five small, five medium and five large cities. We then used these algorithms to classify cycling infrastructure across Canada. </p>
<p>The result is the <a href="https://www.arcgis.com/apps/mapviewer/index.html?webmap=c6d2917c4a7d4fb4a8e7a615369b68d5">first-ever national dataset of cycling infrastructure in Canada</a>.</p>
<h2>Cycling infrastructure mapped across Canada</h2>
<p>With the national dataset in place, we identified nearly 23,000 km of cycling infrastructure meeting Can-BICS standards across Canada. </p>
<p>However, over twice this distance (49,000 km) did not meet the safety and comfort standards. These might include gravel paths, suggested cycling routes, quiet residential streets with no specific cycling supports or sharrows on busy roads. (Sharrows are bike decals painted on the road surface to indicate that cycling is allowed, but there is <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijtst.2018.12.003">no evidence that they improve safety or preference for cyclists</a>.)</p>
<p>We found that in Canada, multi-use paths are the most common infrastructure type by length (16.6 per cent of all cycling infrastructure detected), followed by painted bike lanes (11 per cent). High-comfort infrastructure (cycle tracks, bike-only paths and local street bikeways) made up only 4.3 per cent of all detected cycling infrastructure.</p>
<p>Our results suggest that there is work to be done to support Canadians who are ready to make the switch to riding a bicycle. Cities aspire to meet climate goals and improve healthy transportation options for their residents. Yet, many Canadians are still without access to safe and comfortable options for cycling, especially in small- and medium-sized cities. </p>
<h2>Harnessing data</h2>
<p>The national cycling infrastructure dataset can support local, regional and federal governments in deciding where to invest in cycling infrastructure. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-get-more-women-on-bikes-better-biking-infrastructure-designed-by-women-202147">How to get more women on bikes? Better biking infrastructure, designed by women</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>The <a href="https://www.arcgis.com/apps/mapviewer/index.html?webmap=c6d2917c4a7d4fb4a8e7a615369b68d5">dataset is open</a> for use by other researchers and planning practitioners interested in relating cycling infrastructure to other nationally available metrics such as census data. International researchers may be interested in our methodology to develop datasets of cycling infrastructure in their own jurisdictions. </p>
<p>We intend this dataset to become a reliable tool to facilitate comparison between cities. With the open code, it could be updated annually. This would allow users to monitor investments in high-quality cycling infrastructure over time.</p>
<p>Our work provides the first national map of cycling infrastructure available to Canadians. It allows researchers and practitioners to determine how individual infrastructure projects fit into the national landscape, determine gaps in the existing conditions and work to ensure safe and comfortable cycling is an option for all.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/208347/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Meghan Winters has received funding from the Public Health Agency of Canada and Canadian Institutes of Health Research for this work. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Colin Ferster and Karen Laberee do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>
Cycling in Canada has been experiencing a great boom in recent years. Yet, there was no consistent and complete way to measure cycling infrastructure, until now.
Meghan Winters, Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University
Colin Ferster, Research assistant, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University
Karen Laberee, Research manager, CHATR lab, Simon Fraser University
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/207413
2023-06-14T01:44:33Z
2023-06-14T01:44:33Z
Safety vests and helmets make cyclists look ‘less human’ to other road users
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/531511/original/file-20230613-24-cnyp5h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C4449%2C2961&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Getting more people to <a href="https://bicyclenetwork.com.au/newsroom/2023/05/24/climate-council-urges-australians-to-triple-bike-riding-and-walking/">ride bikes</a> has been flagged as a simple and effective way to improve public health while tackling <a href="https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/CC_MVSA0354-CC-Report-Road-to-Personal-Transport_V5-FA-Screen-Single.pdf">climate change</a>. However, research has repeatedly found safety concerns <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214140522002109">deter people from cycling</a>.</p>
<p>Australia’s <a href="https://theconversation.com/cycling-and-walking-are-short-changed-when-it-comes-to-transport-funding-in-australia-92574">limited cycling infrastructure</a> often forces cyclists to share the road with motor vehicles. This puts them in a vulnerable position as, unlike motorists, they have little to protect their flesh and bones from the road or the vehicles on it.</p>
<p>To reduce their vulnerability, cyclists wear safety gear such as helmets to protect their heads and high-vis safety vests to make them more visible to other road users. However, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1369847823001018">our study</a> found cyclists wearing helmets or safety vests are more likely to be perceived as “less human” than those not wearing safety gear. Around 30% of respondents also perceived cyclists to be less than fully human.</p>
<p>This finding is consistent with <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1369847818308593?casa_token=weI6xibv-roAAAAA:2vb1bpuJsrYWxLG5oyhC1Xr3wA00ZV895BF-jN0wmSmhwXMhGCWypst3ObzEegObXEv_vz1jUjtd">previous research</a> showing that perceiving cyclists as “less human” (known as dehumanisation) was associated with more <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0001457518309588?casa_token=JWfMHzYpB2YAAAAA:RDDs6Q5K2jyUVasAl_OT6odcCDx2y2xg_kM_fP3ZNcTHw_mvaYTynnQ4W2Jb55yLRjuGm3PJY8vM">aggression towards cyclists</a>. Dehumanisation is the denial of attributes, such as complex emotions, intelligence, rationality and individuality, that differentiate humans from other animals and inanimate objects. To dehumanise is to perceive a person or group as having lesser value and worth, which can lead to their mistreatment.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/cycling-and-walking-are-short-changed-when-it-comes-to-transport-funding-in-australia-92574">Cycling and walking are short-changed when it comes to transport funding in Australia</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>What did our study find?</h2>
<p>In <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1369847823001018">our study</a>, 563 participants were shown a series of photographs of models holding a bicycle. The models wore different attire in each photo, including: no headwear, a cap, a helmet, and a bright orange safety vest. Participants were asked to select the person in each pair who looked “less human”. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/531257/original/file-20230611-197517-o2hiep.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Man in casual clothes holding a bicycle, same man in casual clothes holding a bicycle and wearing a helmet" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/531257/original/file-20230611-197517-o2hiep.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/531257/original/file-20230611-197517-o2hiep.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=321&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/531257/original/file-20230611-197517-o2hiep.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=321&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/531257/original/file-20230611-197517-o2hiep.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=321&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/531257/original/file-20230611-197517-o2hiep.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=403&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/531257/original/file-20230611-197517-o2hiep.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=403&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/531257/original/file-20230611-197517-o2hiep.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=403&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">An example of one of the photo comparisons: the model without a helmet versus the same model with a helmet.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1369847823001018">Limb & Collyer 2023</a>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The results showed a clear difference between attire types. People were more likely to select images where the model wore “overt” safety gear as “less human”. </p>
<p>The photos of bicycle riders with helmets were 2.5 times more likely to be selected as “less human” than those with no helmets. Those wearing safety vests were 3.7 times more likely to be selected.</p>
<p>The study participants also provided anecdotes about their experiences cycling on Australian roads. Some reported other road users treated them differently depending on what they wore. Full lycra cycling gear attracted more abuse than casual wear.</p>
<p>Female bicycle riders reported receiving less abuse from motorists than their male counterparts. This observation led some to accentuate their femininity to increase their perceived safety when riding on roads. One said:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>As a female I don’t get treated as badly as my male friends (who have had things thrown at them). I actually purposely have my long hair showing to help.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Our finding that riders in safety vests are seen as “less human” than those without adds to the debate on the actual versus perceived benefit of <a href="https://safetyatworkblog.com/2011/09/04/where-is-the-evidence-for-the-safety-benefits-of-high-visibility-clothing/">safety vests</a>. Safety vests do not necessarily make a rider <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001457513004636?casa_token=4z4T1bnmBW8AAAAA:t1drqFJvdaV1DNc0fisG3zYT73jP3J88FS24Um2d82hymMWVncurTVjbJRm2e7yBWmxmCH3BAIUA">safer</a> or more <a href="https://search.informit.org/doi/pdf/10.3316/informit.344785481775753?casa_token=o0rY-lqpMFQAAAAA%3AGsqOGL_EjaWR6P7fS6Xok5i6Rz0xsfSlu8ND7TKVReTDTZW1kyzmUwAvJ_omwTX5ICVAmdef0I4THaZy">visible</a>. Instead, they reinforce the idea that bicycle riding is a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/bike-blog/2013/jan/10/cycling-high-visibility-safe-fluorescent">dangerous activity</a> – further deterring its uptake.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/minimum-space-for-passing-cyclists-is-now-law-australia-wide-it-increases-safety-but-possibly-road-rage-too-159926">Minimum space for passing cyclists is now law Australia-wide. It increases safety – but possibly road rage too</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>So how can we keep riders safe?</h2>
<p>With cyclists dehumanised and unwelcome on Australian roads, and also not welcome on <a href="https://www.news.com.au/national/nsw-act/news/sydney-police-crack-down-on-delivery-drivers-who-ride-bikes-on-footpaths/news-story/5c05fc45d6bdca54c607b31e48fae537">footpaths</a>, it seems the best solution is to “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jOk8dk-qaU">keep them separated</a>” as US rock band The Offspring sang back in ’94. Australia needs separate infrastructure for bicycle riding, especially if we want more people to take up this active, carbon-neutral form of transport.</p>
<p>It’s time for Australia to follow the lead of countries like <a href="https://www.government.nl/latest/news/2022/08/26/government-shifts-cycling-to-a-higher-gear">the Netherlands</a> and provide <a href="https://theconversation.com/ride-to-work-youll-need-a-bike-barrier-for-that-19111">safe facilities</a> for people to ride on. When the Dutch <a href="https://dutchcycling.nl/">promote cycling culture</a>, they show people dressed for the destination, not the ride. They highlight everyday folks, in everyday clothing, unhindered by special equipment, enjoying a safe and social experience.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/3-in-4-people-want-to-ride-a-bike-but-are-put-off-by-lack-of-safe-lanes-172868">3 in 4 people want to ride a bike but are put off by lack of safe lanes</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/531258/original/file-20230611-172706-lna8lm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Casually dressed couple on a bicycle in Amsterdam" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/531258/original/file-20230611-172706-lna8lm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/531258/original/file-20230611-172706-lna8lm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=816&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/531258/original/file-20230611-172706-lna8lm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=816&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/531258/original/file-20230611-172706-lna8lm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=816&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/531258/original/file-20230611-172706-lna8lm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1025&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/531258/original/file-20230611-172706-lna8lm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1025&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/531258/original/file-20230611-172706-lna8lm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1025&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Dutch cycling promotional material.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://issuu.com/dezoelehaven/docs/amsterdam_20cycling_20matters_20onl">Cycling Matters magazine, City of Amsterdam</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>A city that has active transport is safer, healthier, quieter and more environmentally friendly. The lesson is clear: we need to <a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2016/10/543292">prioritise people</a> over cars.</p>
<p><a href="https://road.cc/content/news/77369-coroner-cyclists-have-duty-other-road-users-wear-high-viz">Blaming cyclists</a> for not being “visible enough” is an ill-considered response. Most cyclists would prefer not to travel on the same roads as motor vehicles. But, until we can achieve complete separation, efforts to counteract the dehumanisation of those who ride bicycles are needed.</p>
<p>While <a href="https://www.cityservices.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/2168768/Report-Putting-a-human-face-on-cyclists-in-the-ACT-24-Jan-2023-accessible.pdf">investigations</a> are informing campaigns to “humanise” bicycle riders, change can begin at an individual level. We can ask ourselves: what goes through our minds when we see a cyclist when we are driving? Do we think of them as someone like us who is just trying to get to work or home, or do we see them differently? Are we dehumanising them?</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/ride-to-work-youll-need-a-bike-barrier-for-that-19111">Ride to work? You'll need a bike barrier for that</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/207413/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>
Bike riders wear helmets and high-vis vests to reduce their vulnerability on the road. Problem is a new study finds this dehumanises cyclists, putting them more at risk of aggression from drivers.
Sarah Collyer, Research Associate, Caring Futures Institute, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University
Mark Limb, Lecturer in Urban and Regional Planning, Queensland University of Technology
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/179359
2022-08-01T12:26:33Z
2022-08-01T12:26:33Z
If all the vehicles in the world were to convert to electric, would it be quieter?
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/476721/original/file-20220729-16-tw2mnu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=53%2C0%2C5936%2C3936&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Apartment buildings in New York City abut the Cross Bronx Expressway.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/cars-and-trucks-move-along-the-cross-bronx-expressway-a-news-photo/1353690656">Spencer Platt/Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><figure class="align-left ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/281719/original/file-20190628-76743-26slbc.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/281719/original/file-20190628-76743-26slbc.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=293&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/281719/original/file-20190628-76743-26slbc.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=293&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/281719/original/file-20190628-76743-26slbc.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=293&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/281719/original/file-20190628-76743-26slbc.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=368&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/281719/original/file-20190628-76743-26slbc.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=368&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/281719/original/file-20190628-76743-26slbc.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=368&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/us/topics/curious-kids-us-74795">Curious Kids</a> is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to <a href="mailto:curiouskidsus@theconversation.com">curiouskidsus@theconversation.com</a>.</em></p>
<hr>
<blockquote>
<p><strong>If all of the vehicles in the world were to convert to electric, would it be quieter? – Joseph, age 10, Chatham, New Jersey</strong></p>
</blockquote>
<hr>
<p>If everyone everywhere received a free electric vehicle at the same time – and owners were required to travel at really slow speeds across well-maintained roads – the world would sound different. </p>
<p>But that doesn’t mean it would be quieter. </p>
<p>People can have different feelings about the same sound. As the founder of <a href="https://communitynoiselab.org/">Community Noise Lab</a> at Brown University’s School of Public Health, I am particularly interested in how we, as humans, decide what is a sound and what is a noise – which is what we call unwanted sounds. We perceive the sounds that we experience in our daily lives in many ways, from quiet to loud. And they can make us feel happy, angry or many things in between. </p>
<p>These feelings can affect our health by relaxing or stressing us. Studies also show that chronic exposure to noise can affect your sleep and hearing and contribute to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1307272">health problems like heart disease</a>.</p>
<h2>How loud are cars?</h2>
<p>We know that gasoline-powered cars make a lot of noise, especially on highways where they can travel at high speeds. In 1981, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimated that nearly 100 million people nationwide were exposed to traffic noise every year that was <a href="https://tinyurl.com/97ru8dcs">loud enough to be harmful to their health</a>. At the time, this was about 50% of the U.S. population.</p>
<p>Many factors influence how loud a car is on the road, including its design, how fast it travels and physical road conditions. On average, cars moving at around 30 mph on local roads will produce sound levels ranging from 33 to 69 decibels. That’s the range between a quiet library and a loud dishwasher.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/20aeY67N5tk?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">This video compares the decibel levels produced by loud, moderate and quiet dishwashers.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>For cars traveling at typical speeds on the interstate, which is around 70 mph, sound levels range up to 89 decibels. That’s equivalent to two people shouting their conversation at each other.</p>
<p>Electric and hybrid gas/electric cars emit very low sounds at low speeds because they don’t have internal combustion engines producing noise and vibrations. To ensure that pedestrians will hear electric and hybrid vehicles coming, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration <a href="https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/nhtsa-sets-%E2%80%9Cquiet-car%E2%80%9D-safety-standard-protect-pedestrians">requires these vehicles to emit sounds</a> ranging from 43 to 64 decibels when they are moving at less than 18.6 mph. Each manufacturer uses its own warning sounds. </p>
<p>At high speeds, there may not be much difference between gas-powered cars and EVs or hybrids. That’s because other factors like tire and wind noise become louder as cars move faster. </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CTV-wwszGw8?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Urban noise is a serious health threat worldwide, and the main source is motor vehicles.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Quieter streets for everyone</h2>
<p>Infrastructure also contributes to street noise. Cracks, depressions and holes in roads can increase sound levels as cars travel across them. </p>
<p>Lower-income communities <a href="https://www.pothole.info/2016/02/poor-pavement-hits-lower-income-americans-hard/">tend to have poorer-quality streets</a> and <a href="https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-22-104578">highways</a>. So <a href="https://www.marketplace.org/2019/05/15/one-way-oakland-is-fighting-racial-inequality-by-fixing-potholes/">failing to fix roads</a> could drown out any improvements in a community’s soundscape from EVs, quite literally. </p>
<p>Another way to reduce traffic noise would be to build more bike lanes and paths in less-wealthy communities, which <a href="https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/hsph-in-the-news/biking-low-income-neighborhoods/">often lack them</a>, and encourage people to substitute this cheaper, healthier, cleaner and quieter mode of transportation when they can.</p>
<p>Electric vehicles are still out of reach for many people because most models cost more than gas-powered cars. So in reality, the benefits of switching to electric-powered vehicles – such as lower fuel costs, cleaner air and somewhat quieter streets – are going now mainly to people who live in wealthier communities and can afford EVs. </p>
<p>That inequitable distribution of benefits is what the EPA calls an <a href="https://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice">environmental injustice</a>: a situation in which everyone doesn’t have the same degree of protection from environmental and health hazards. To share those benefits more equally, electric vehicles will have to become as affordable as gas-powered versions. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1553055337141440515"}"></div></p>
<p>Many people think of noise as a nuisance that’s <a href="https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/opinion/worlds-cities-must-take-cacophony-noise-pollution">less urgent</a> than other, more pressing environmental issues like air and water pollution. As a result, governments fail to plan for noise, measure it, mitigate it or regulate it in any meaningful way. </p>
<p>In fact, noise is a significant environmental stressor that negatively affects everyone’s health and well-being, especially those who are most vulnerable. At Community Noise Lab, we aim to shed light on the public health implications of noise, argue for more holistic measurements of sound, and study noise together with other environmental pollutants like water and air pollution, working alongside vulnerable communities across the United States.</p>
<hr>
<p><em>Hello, curious kids! Do you have a question you’d like an expert to answer? Ask an adult to send your question to <a href="mailto:curiouskidsus@theconversation.com">CuriousKidsUS@theconversation.com</a>. Please tell us your name, age and the city where you live.</em></p>
<p><em>And since curiosity has no age limit – adults, let us know what you’re wondering, too. We won’t be able to answer every question, but we will do our best.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/179359/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Erica D Walker receives funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.</span></em></p>
Noise pollution is a serious problem, and cars make a lot of it. But roads are also a factor.
Erica D. Walker, Assistant Professor of Epidemiology, Brown University
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/186088
2022-06-30T14:25:25Z
2022-06-30T14:25:25Z
Winning the Tour de France requires subtle physics, young muscles and an obscene amount of calories – 3 essential reads
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/471684/original/file-20220629-15-kvfn1y.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=23%2C52%2C2992%2C2053&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Last year's Tour de France winner was Tadej Pogacar, in the yellow jersey here – his second consecutive Tour title.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/tadej-pogacar-followed-by-jonas-vingegaard-during-the-climb-news-photo/1234302769?adppopup=true">SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The <a href="https://www.letour.fr/en/">2022 Tour de France is here</a>. Starting in Copenhagen on July 1, the tour <a href="https://www.letour.fr/en/overall-route">covers almost 2,100 miles (3,380 kilometers)</a> over 24 days of riding through Denmark, Belgium, Switzerland and France. The tour is a feat of human athleticism, but to really understand how incredible it is to complete the race – much less win it – requires thinking about a unique blend of physics, biology and physiology. Mix those up just right and you get a Tour de France champion.</p>
<p>Over the years, The Conversation has published a series of stories covering the science of the Tour de France and elite athletics. Below are excerpts from three of those stories to help you better appreciate this spectacular race.</p>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/471687/original/file-20220629-22-3rg1tr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A wood engraving of two people riding old-school big wheel bikes." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/471687/original/file-20220629-22-3rg1tr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/471687/original/file-20220629-22-3rg1tr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=520&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471687/original/file-20220629-22-3rg1tr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=520&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471687/original/file-20220629-22-3rg1tr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=520&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471687/original/file-20220629-22-3rg1tr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=654&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471687/original/file-20220629-22-3rg1tr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=654&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471687/original/file-20220629-22-3rg1tr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=654&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Bicycles have changed a lot since they were first invented in the early 1800s, but the principles of keeping the bike below the rider’s center of gravity remain the same.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_American_Velocipede.jpg#/media/File:The_American_Velocipede.jpg">Theodore R. Davis / Wikimedia Commons</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>1. The biomechanics of riding a bike</h2>
<p>Riding a bike is an easy thing to do once you learn, but the physics of how bikes and riders work together is surprisingly complicated. As <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=7XdBQfAAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao">Stephen Cain, a mechanical engineer</a> at West Virginia University, explains, “A big part of balancing a bicycle has to do with controlling the center of mass of the rider-bicycle system.” Basically, you have to keep the center of mass above the wheels – otherwise you tip over. </p>
<p>“Bicycle riders can use two main balancing strategies: steering and body movement relative to the bike,” says Cain. Steering keeps the bike underneath you while body movements subtly shift your center of gravity. Cain and his colleagues ran a study to understand the difference between how novice and professional cyclists balance a bike, and as he says in his article, they found that “both novice and expert riders exhibit similar balance performance at slow speeds. But at higher speeds, expert riders achieve superior balance performance by employing smaller but more effective body movements and less steering.” </p>
<p>This fine-scale control is why the racers in the Tour de France barely look like they are steering at all. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-mysterious-biomechanics-of-riding-and-balancing-a-bicycle-55093">The mysterious biomechanics of riding – and balancing – a bicycle</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>2. How many calories do Tour riders burn?</h2>
<p>Think back to the last time you did some hard exercise and how hungry you were that evening. Now imagine how hungry you would be if you needed to ride your bike over 100 miles (165 km) and climb nearly 10,000 feet (about 3,050 meters) of elevation in less than five hours. This is what racers will have to do during Stage 12 of this year’s race as they traverse mountain passes through the French Alps. As <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=eHzYy_EAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao">Eric Goff, a sports physicist</a> at the University of Lynchburg explains, the cyclists are going to need a lot of fuel to pull this off. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/471689/original/file-20220629-26-6ezm1g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A pile of hamburgers." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/471689/original/file-20220629-26-6ezm1g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/471689/original/file-20220629-26-6ezm1g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=335&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471689/original/file-20220629-26-6ezm1g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=335&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471689/original/file-20220629-26-6ezm1g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=335&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471689/original/file-20220629-26-6ezm1g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=421&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471689/original/file-20220629-26-6ezm1g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=421&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471689/original/file-20220629-26-6ezm1g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=421&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Riders will burn around 120,000 calories over the course of the race, roughly equivalent to 210 Big Mac hamburgers.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/set-of-tasty-and-delicious-burgers-royalty-free-image/1318786684">Arbi Lena / iStock via Getty Images Plus</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>“To make a bicycle move, a Tour de France rider transfers energy from his muscles, through the bicycle and to the wheels that push back on the ground,” says Goff. Professional cyclists are in another league when it comes to producing power with their legs, but they are still limited by basic human biology. “Muscles, like any machine, can’t convert 100% of food energy directly into energy output,” explains Goff. “Muscles can be anywhere between 2% efficient when used for activities like swimming and 40% efficient in the heart.”</p>
<p>With mountains to climb and glory to claim, riders need to fuel their muscles with food. In his story, Goff calculates that over the course of the Tour de France, racers will burn an astonishing 120,000 calories – the equivalent of about 210 Big Macs.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/tour-de-france-how-many-calories-will-the-winner-burn-163043">Tour de France: How many calories will the winner burn?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>3. Biology explains why professional athletes are young</h2>
<p>When you watch the Tour de France, soccer’s World Cup or the Olympics, it’s common to see a young teenage phenom, but it’s rare for anyone over the age of 40 to be competing.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LVVwm9EM4XM?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Professional cyclists are some of the fittest people on the planet, able to race up hills after biking for a hundred miles.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p><a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=4-73LroAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao">Roger Fielding, an aging and exercise researcher</a> at Tufts University, writes that “old and young people build muscle in the same way.” But there is a biological reason no 50-year-old has ever won the Tour de France: “As you age, many of the biological processes that turn exercise into muscle become less effective.”</p>
<p>Muscles grow thanks to a number of complicated cellular pathways that are activated during exercise. When this network of receptors and signaling chemicals gets triggered, the body responds by increasing muscle size – and even makes some small tweaks to what genes are active. But as Fielding explains, in older people “the signal telling muscles to grow is much weaker for a given amount of exercise. These changes begin to occur when a person reaches around 50 years old and become more pronounced as time goes on.” </p>
<p>Many people can and do get into the best shape of their lives when they are in their 50s or 60s. But the fact that it is harder to get fit as you age is a major reason why it’s so important for older people to exercise – and why you won’t see any retirees leading the peloton in the Tour de France. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/50-year-old-muscles-just-cant-grow-big-like-they-used-to-the-biology-of-how-muscles-change-with-age-172941">50-year-old muscles just can’t grow big like they used to – the biology of how muscles change with age</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/186088/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
Three scientists explain the biology and physics of what goes into one of the world’s most grueling races, the Tour de France.
Daniel Merino, Associate Breaking News Editor and Co-Host of The Conversation Weekly Podcast
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/183074
2022-06-01T20:50:33Z
2022-06-01T20:50:33Z
Will the bicycle help us address pressing social issues?
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/466106/original/file-20220530-26-k52u9x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C2991%2C1997&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">With the rising cost of gas, commuting via bicycle is a viable solution.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>World Bicycle Day is celebrated on June 3 in support <a href="https://www.un.org/en/observances/bicycle-day">of the idea</a> that bicycles “contribute to cleaner air and less congestion and makes education, health care and other social services more accessible to the most vulnerable populations.”</p>
<p>The bicycle <a href="https://theconversation.com/physical-distancing-is-here-for-a-while-over-100-experts-call-for-more-safe-walking-and-cycling-space-137374">plays a massive role</a> in physical activity. This was especially evident during the pandemic, as bicycle purchases <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/bicycle-boom-industry-turmoil-covid-19-1.5956400">skyrocketed</a>. Amid lockdown measures, cycling remained a crucial alternative to public transportation, while offering the benefit of <a href="https://theconversation.com/can-the-city-cycling-boom-survive-the-end-of-the-covid-19-pandemic-155913">outdoor and socially distanced physical activity</a>. <a href="https://www.bbc.com/future/bespoke/made-on-earth/the-great-bicycle-boom-of-2020.html">But even before the pandemic started</a>, people’s interest in bikes was growing. </p>
<p>Cycling could be the answer to more than just our physical activity and pandemic woes. It could offer public officials a way to address convergent crises in public health, transportation and climate. At the same time, increased bicycle use can <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/14413523.2021.1899721">generate new economic opportunities</a>, like offering low-cost bicycles for sustainable transport and mechanical training to local communities to create jobs.</p>
<p>And as gas prices continue to rise due to the ongoing invasion of Ukraine, <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/europe-prepared-for-russias-gas-blackmail-eu-chief-says-as-it-happened/a-61602729">governments are urging citizens to consider the bicycle</a>. What’s clear is that the bicycle’s capacity to respond to pressing social issues has inspired both intrigue and optimism, especially in the context of COVID-19.</p>
<h2>Bicycles for development</h2>
<p>We are a group of researchers interested in the social and environmental dimensions of sport, physical activity and health with a focus — for the work described here — on the perceived role of development in the emergent cycling boom. </p>
<p>So far our research has attempted to map out the <a href="https://bicyclesfordevelopment.ca/">bicycles for development</a> movement, which considers the bicycle a powerful technology that holds notable <a href="https://sdgs.un.org/goals">implications for social change and development objectives</a>.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A dirt covered street with many cyclists." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/466107/original/file-20220530-16-sp8qe2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/466107/original/file-20220530-16-sp8qe2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=337&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/466107/original/file-20220530-16-sp8qe2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=337&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/466107/original/file-20220530-16-sp8qe2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=337&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/466107/original/file-20220530-16-sp8qe2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/466107/original/file-20220530-16-sp8qe2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/466107/original/file-20220530-16-sp8qe2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A street is pictured in Soroti, Uganda.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1012690220904921">Our research</a> shows that this movement is driven largely by the work of non-governmental organizations delivering bicycles to communities across the globe. </p>
<p>These initiatives can be entirely local, although they often cross international lines — organizations collecting used bicycles in one place sometimes ship them elsewhere. Bicycles that are delivered to communities often come from donations, micro-financing initiatives or <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/01436597.2021.2020634">social entrepreneurial ventures, like those led by women in rural Uganda</a>.</p>
<p>Over the past six years our research in Canada, Nicaragua and Uganda has highlighted key ways that bicycles for development initiatives seem to have positive effects. For example, bicycle access can foster mobility, which can lead to various opportunities (like accessing educational opportunities and local markets to sell goods), and may help promote a sense of social inclusion or economic development.</p>
<h2>Creating a temporary solution</h2>
<p>In Canada, we conducted research with communities in Toronto and Vancouver. Our studies in Toronto showed how bicycles are being taken up by <a href="https://www.bikebrigade.ca/">mutual aid organizations</a> to respond to increasing food insecurity <a href="https://cyclingmagazine.ca/advocacy/this-group-of-volunteer-cyclists-delivers-food-to-vulnerable-communities/">during the pandemic</a>. Through focusing on the experiences of 2SLGBTQ+ and racialized cyclists, we highlighted the ways in which diverse cyclists challenge systems of racialized and gendered oppression using the bicycle to dismantle stereotypes about who can participate in cycling. </p>
<p>However, while the bicycle has positive potential, our research also demonstrated that providing bicycles to women and girls is, in some ways, filled with tensions and challenges. For example, in our most recent research in Uganda, some women explained that prior to receiving the bicycle, they were mainly responsible for caregiving and other domestic tasks like cooking. </p>
<p>Upon receiving the bicycle, they now also have to engage in economic activities — meaning more labour-focused expectations for women in rural communities. This often leads to an extension of existing inequalities between men and women.</p>
<p>There <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1012690220904921">was also a concern</a> over the quality of bicycles donated. For example some of the bicycles donated required specific unavailable spare parts meaning they were of little use once they broke down. But programs like <a href="https://worldbicyclerelief.org/the-bike/">World Bicycle Relief’s “Buffalo Bicycle”</a> are geared towards addressing this problem.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="People on bikes fill a street" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/466108/original/file-20220530-20-8tweyn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/466108/original/file-20220530-20-8tweyn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=373&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/466108/original/file-20220530-20-8tweyn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=373&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/466108/original/file-20220530-20-8tweyn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=373&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/466108/original/file-20220530-20-8tweyn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=469&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/466108/original/file-20220530-20-8tweyn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=469&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/466108/original/file-20220530-20-8tweyn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=469&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Crowds at Mercado la Terminal market in Leon, Nicaragua.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The fact that bicycle-driven aid may have unintended and sometimes negative consequences aligns with a wealth of <a href="https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-83867-863-020211001">research in the sport for development field, and in development studies more broadly</a>.</p>
<p>We refer to these unintended negative outcomes of development-focused interventions as forms of “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1123/ssj.26.1.155">ironic activism</a>.”</p>
<p>While our research revealed the positive potential of bicycle access, our findings also steered us in other directions: bicycles might empower people and communities but they may also reflect or exacerbate existing problems and inequalities. Bicycle-based development programs can have both intended and unintended consequences. </p>
<p>While the optimism for World Bicycle Day is welcome, it is important to remember that with all of their potential, bicycles cannot solve our overlapping contemporary crises on their own.</p>
<p><em>Janet Otte, Patrick Eyul and Lidieth del Soccorro Cruz Centeno co-authored this article. Janet has experience managing development projects on refugees, women’s rights and clinical research in Uganda. Patrick is a social scientist who works with development and research organizations in Uganda. Lidieth is the director of the Asociación Movimiento de Jóvenes de Ometepe in Nicaragua.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/183074/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Lyndsay Hayhurst receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, Canadian Heritage and the Canadian Foundation for Innovation.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Brad Millington receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Brian Wilson receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jeanette Steinmann receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and MITACS.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jessica Nachman receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, the Ontario Graduate Scholarship program, and MITACS.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Mitchell McSweeney receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.</span></em></p>
The bicycle’s capacity to respond to pressing social issues has inspired both intrigue and optimism, especially in the context of COVID-19.
Lyndsay M.C. Hayhurst, Assistant Professor, School of Kinesiology and Health Science, York University, Canada
Brad Millington, Associate Professor, Sport Management, Brock University
Brian Wilson, Professor, School of Kinesiology, University of British Columbia
Jeanette Steinmann, PhD Student, Kinesiology, University of British Columbia
Jessica Nachman, Master's Student, School of Kinesiology and Health Science, York University, Canada
Mitchell McSweeney, Postdoctoral Fellow, Kinesiology, University of British Columbia
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/169687
2022-01-04T02:35:02Z
2022-01-04T02:35:02Z
Bike kitchens: the community-run repair workshops that help build a culture of cycling
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/429257/original/file-20211029-26-1nkvavl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=22%2C36%2C4904%2C3382&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">James Batterbury</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Cycling <a href="https://www.bikeradar.com/features/long-reads/cycling-environmental-impact/">reduces greenhouse gas emissions</a>, brings myriad <a href="https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2021/215/9/2021-report-mja-lancet-countdown-health-and-climate-change-australia?utm_source=carousel&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=homepage">health benefits</a> and reduces traffic. But urban planners and policymakers often struggle to get more people on bikes.</p>
<p>To increase urban cycling, we need more than extra cycling infrastructure; we need a culture change. A worldwide movement of community bike workshops, also known as bike kitchens, can help.</p>
<p>Bike kitchens offer tools, second hand parts and bikes, and convivial help with repairs. They are also hubs for community development. </p>
<p>Since 2014 we have <a href="https://bikeworkshopsresearch.wordpress.com/workshops-visited/">visited over 50</a> bike kitchens around the world – in the US, Australia, NZ, UK, France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Portugal, Mexico and Belgium to research how they operate. We have also volunteered and led student projects at several workshops. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/429242/original/file-20211029-25-1u7otmx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A woman repairs a bike." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/429242/original/file-20211029-25-1u7otmx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/429242/original/file-20211029-25-1u7otmx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/429242/original/file-20211029-25-1u7otmx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/429242/original/file-20211029-25-1u7otmx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/429242/original/file-20211029-25-1u7otmx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/429242/original/file-20211029-25-1u7otmx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/429242/original/file-20211029-25-1u7otmx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Bike kitchens offer tools, second hand parts and bikes, and convivial help with repairs.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Building a culture of cycling</h2>
<p>Dedicated bike lanes, road treatments and bike parking are relatively cheap to build and maintain compared to roads, car parks, and major public transport schemes. There is <a href="https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/cycling-sustainable-cities">some correlation</a> between better bike infrastructure and more riders. </p>
<p>But better infrastructure alone does not solve the problem. In Paris, with its pro-bike mayor and traffic calming initiatives, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/02/world/europe/paris-bicyles-france.html">a recent explosion in bike use</a> has led to accidents and clashes, suggesting other factors like social acceptance and up-skilling need attention. </p>
<p>In lockdown this year, Sydney experienced a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/oct/31/spike-in-cycling-accidents-during-sydney-lockdown-as-more-people-took-to-two-wheels">78% increase in cycling injuries</a> when more people took to their bikes. </p>
<p>Cycling in cities is a <a href="https://www.simonbatterbury.net/pubs/sociality%20of%20cycling%20preprint.pdf">social practice</a>, and building a <em>culture</em> of cycling is essential – especially where bike use has traditionally been low. </p>
<p>It’s essential to cycling culture that a critical mass of people have riding and bike maintenance skills, and the activity is more socially accepted.</p>
<p>That’s where bike kitchens come in.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/429258/original/file-20211029-23-1tkvrgk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/429258/original/file-20211029-23-1tkvrgk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/429258/original/file-20211029-23-1tkvrgk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=409&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/429258/original/file-20211029-23-1tkvrgk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=409&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/429258/original/file-20211029-23-1tkvrgk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=409&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/429258/original/file-20211029-23-1tkvrgk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=514&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/429258/original/file-20211029-23-1tkvrgk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=514&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/429258/original/file-20211029-23-1tkvrgk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=514&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">WeCycle, a workshop in Gumbri Park, Melbourne gives free bikes to asylum seekers, refugees, and people in need.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Simon Batterbury</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Convivial places to build and repair a bike</h2>
<p>Bike kitchen workshops are initiated and run by activists and socially-minded cyclists. Most teach hands-on <a href="http://modularbikes.com.au/thecyclezoo.html">self-repair and maintenance</a> skills to people who want to learn. Others give away free bikes to those who need them.</p>
<p>Workshops extend the use life of bicycles and components. They are part of the <a href="https://www.communityeconomies.org/">community economy</a> and interrupt the waste stream; most parts come from donated or scavenged bikes and are re-used creatively and cheaply with a DIY ethos, avoiding new consumption. </p>
<p>Some bikes may be sold to support ongoing workshop costs, but rarely for high prices. </p>
<p>Workshops numbers have grown since the 1990s, and are widespread across Europe, the <a href="https://en.bikebike.org/">Americas</a>, Australasia and the rest of the world.</p>
<p>The largest concentration is in France. Most are networked through <a href="https://www.heureux-cyclage.org/?lang=en">l'Heureux Cyclage</a>, which coordinates events, logistics, and learning between 250 workshops, assisting well over 110,000 people yearly. </p>
<p>Brussels has at least 18, like <a href="https://cycloperativa.org/">Cycloperativa</a>, spread across the city’s <em>arrondissements</em>. </p>
<p>Ten bike workshops operate in Austria, with at least four in Vienna. They include <a href="http://flickerei.blogsport.at/">Flickerei</a> and <a href="http://fahrrad.wuk.at/">WUK</a> which, established in 1983, is probably the world’s oldest.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/we-analysed-100-million-bike-trips-to-reveal-where-in-the-world-cyclists-are-most-likely-to-brave-rain-and-cold-166894">We analysed 100 million bike trips to reveal where in the world cyclists are most likely to brave rain and cold</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/429248/original/file-20211029-18-1f92h2a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A woman and a man work together on a bike." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/429248/original/file-20211029-18-1f92h2a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/429248/original/file-20211029-18-1f92h2a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/429248/original/file-20211029-18-1f92h2a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/429248/original/file-20211029-18-1f92h2a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/429248/original/file-20211029-18-1f92h2a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/429248/original/file-20211029-18-1f92h2a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/429248/original/file-20211029-18-1f92h2a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Workshops extend the use life of bicycles and components.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>How bike kitchens work</h2>
<p>There are two main types of bike kitchens: </p>
<p>1) places where tools, parts and bike stands are offered for anybody to use, assisted by workshop volunteers and sometimes by paid mechanics. Most are social enterprises or non-profits, promoting what’s known in French as <em>vélonomie</em>: the ability of a cyclist to maintain a bicycle and ride safely and with confidence. </p>
<p>2) those that fix bikes for others – often for the disadvantaged – such as <a href="http://www.wecycle-melbourne.com/">WeCycle</a> in <a href="https://www.racv.com.au/royalauto/transport/bike-repair-community-victoria.html">Melbourne</a> which offers bikes to refugees and asylum seekers. <a href="https://workingbikes.org">Working Bikes</a> in Chicago sends bikes to the Global South.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/what-australia-can-learn-from-bicycle-friendly-cities-overseas-144283">What Australia can learn from bicycle-friendly cities overseas</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/428122/original/file-20211024-21-m32uqd.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/428122/original/file-20211024-21-m32uqd.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/428122/original/file-20211024-21-m32uqd.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/428122/original/file-20211024-21-m32uqd.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/428122/original/file-20211024-21-m32uqd.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/428122/original/file-20211024-21-m32uqd.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/428122/original/file-20211024-21-m32uqd.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/428122/original/file-20211024-21-m32uqd.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Récup'R in its former premises in Bordeaux, France.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Simon Batterbury</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>There are often <a href="https://www.wildcat.arizona.edu/article/2019/02/n-bicas-wtf?fbclid=IwAR0HLBMrFnZpuI544-15XJWLesi_KDU86RRLgh4CcCixsGXuPsgg22lFtxU">fixing sessions</a> and other activities for specific ages, <a href="https://www.heureux-cyclage.org/panorama-2019-des-ateliers-velo-en.html?lang=fr">genders</a> and groups. At one of the oldest French bike workshops, <em><a href="http://www.ptitvelo.net/">Un p'tit vélo dans la tête</a></em> in Grenoble, one volunteer told us some fixing sessions are women-only. </p>
<p>For members of the public without money, earn-a-bike programs convert volunteer hours into eventual bike ownership. </p>
<p>Workshop rules vary, but almost all <a href="https://en.bikebike.org/policy/">forbid</a> racist and sexist behaviour and support <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iMGC4A3L3I">conviviality</a>, diversity and respect. The main goal is “integrating a community”, the same volunteer told us.</p>
<p>Over time, a few diversify to become big social enterprises, like <a href="https://www.cyclo.org/en">Cyclo</a> in Brussels. Fees from memberships or workshop time, bike sales or government employment schemes allow some workshops to take on paid staff. </p>
<p>Others like <em><a href="http://velorution.org/paris/atelier/bastille/">Atelier Vélorutionaire</a></em> in Paris reject commercial or government support entirely, championing a more militant stance against cars and capitalism. </p>
<h2>Bike kitchens in Australia</h2>
<p>Australia has had many community bike projects dating back over 30 years, with <a href="https://thebikeshed.org.au/">The Bike Shed</a> in Melbourne being one of the first. Workshops come and go, but there are at least 18, with seven in Melbourne and four in Sydney. </p>
<p>Many smaller initiatives work in schools, churches, or at recycling centres. They are networked through <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/989483538572616">BiCANZ</a>.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.wecycle-melbourne.com/">WeCycle</a> in Melbourne is a workshop focused on fixing bikes for others. Founders <a href="https://matildabowra.com/tag/gayle-potts/">Gayle Potts</a> and Craig Jackson have supplied refurbished bikes to asylum seekers, refugees and people in need since 2016.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/429539/original/file-20211101-15-d4g21a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Bikes in an Australian community bike workshop." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/429539/original/file-20211101-15-d4g21a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/429539/original/file-20211101-15-d4g21a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/429539/original/file-20211101-15-d4g21a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/429539/original/file-20211101-15-d4g21a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/429539/original/file-20211101-15-d4g21a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/429539/original/file-20211101-15-d4g21a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/429539/original/file-20211101-15-d4g21a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Donated bikes accumulate in a workshop, ready for repair and re-homing.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Simon Batterbury</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>A community approach to sustainable transport</h2>
<p>Workshops need volunteers and secure premises with power and light, on or off-grid. Limited budgets make this a challenge.</p>
<p>While workshops can be co-housed, secure premises is the key area where support from government and bike-friendly donors is welcome. Tools, racks and spares are also needed.</p>
<p>Community bike workshops extend bicycle lifespans and promote a community approach to sustainable transport – all while promoting <a href="https://arl.human.cornell.edu/linked%20docs/Illich_Tools_for_Conviviality.pdf">conviviality</a> and making our cities more liveable. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/do-the-sums-bicycle-friendly-changes-are-good-business-58213">Do the sums: bicycle-friendly changes are good business</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/169687/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Simon Batterbury received funding from the Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute, University of Melbourne and Cosmopolis, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium. The assistance of Bernardita del Real, Stephen Nurse, Derlie Mateo-Babiano, Alexandre Rigal, Max Teppner and Carlos Uxo is appreciated. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Alejandro Manga is a board member of L'Heureux Cyclage. He has a research grant from the Mobile Lives Forum that partly funds the European part of his PhD. He is a dual degree PhD Candidate in the program of Communication, Culture and Media (Drexel University, Philadelphia) and in Urban and Regional Planning at Université Gustave Eiffel LVMT.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Matthias Kowasch is affiliated with Chôros (<a href="https://www.choros.place/">https://www.choros.place/</a>).</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Ruth Lane has received funding from the ARC.</span></em></p>
Building a culture of cycling is essential, especially where bike use is low. A global movement of community bike workshops, also known as bike kitchens, can help.
Simon Batterbury, Associate Professor, The University of Melbourne
Alejandro Manga, PhD candidate, Drexel University
Matthias Kowasch, Professor of Didactics in Geography, Pädagogische Hochschule Steiermark
Ruth Lane, Associate Professor in Human Geography, Monash University
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/173388
2021-12-09T10:44:59Z
2021-12-09T10:44:59Z
Cycle lanes blamed for urban congestion – here’s the reality
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/436501/original/file-20211208-23-t1wcy9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C5699%2C3782&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/bicycle-traffic-lights-london-734928964">Patrick Shutterstock/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The average driver in London spent 148 hours in traffic jams in 2021 – twice the national average, according to <a href="https://inrix.com/scorecard/">a new report</a> by Inrix, a firm that analyses road traffic. These findings prompted <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-59559863">a BBC story</a> that attributed London’s new supposed status as the world’s most congested city to <a href="https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/media/press-releases/2020/december/major-boost-for-london-s-cycling-network">an increase in cycle lanes</a>, implemented throughout the capital to maintain socially distanced travel during the pandemic. This analysis would seem to overlook the fact that congestion during 2021 was about the same as it was in 2019, before the pandemic. </p>
<p>To make sense of what is happening, we need to remember that the amount of time available to each of us constrains the amount we can travel. There are many things we need to fit into 24 hours, and on average, people spend just an hour <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03081060.2020.1851445">on the move</a>. This limits the build-up of congestion in cities.</p>
<p>Road traffic congestion happens when there is a high density of people and high car ownership and not enough road space for all the car trips that might be made. If traffic volumes grow for any reason, delays increase and some people who might otherwise drive make other choices instead. They might travel at a different time or take another route, use an alternative mode like the bus, change their destination and go to a different shopping centre, for example, or decide not to travel at all, by shopping online for instance. </p>
<p>If road space is taken away from cars to create cycle or bus lanes, then congestion will initially increase. But the additional delays will prompt some drivers to make other arrangements, and congestion will revert to what it had been.</p>
<p>The overall effect is to reduce the share of trips by car. This is <a href="https://content.tfl.gov.uk/travel-in-london-report-13.pdf">what has been happening</a> in London for many years as the population has grown and as there has been large investment in public transport. Private transport use fell from 48% in 2000 to 37% in 2019, while public transport use grew from 27% to 36% over the same period. Cycling increased from 1.2% to 2.4% while walking held steady at 25%. </p>
<p>The London mayor’s transport strategy aims to cut private transport use to <a href="https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/mayors-transport-strategy-2018.pdf">20% of all trips by 2041</a>. This would probably diminish the total amount of traffic congestion, although not necessarily its intensity at peak times in the busiest areas.</p>
<h2>The limits of cycle lanes</h2>
<p>Creating cycles lanes reduces the space available for cars but does not get people out of cars. Copenhagen is a city famous for cycling, with <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-a-uk-cycling-and-walking-revolution-wont-reduce-car-travel-144689">28% of journeys</a> made by bike. Yet car traffic is only slightly less than in London. Aside from cycling, the other big difference is that public transport accounts for only half the proportion of trips compared with London. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Cyclists on a road in Copenhagen city centre." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/436503/original/file-20211208-68670-y7w87k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/436503/original/file-20211208-68670-y7w87k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/436503/original/file-20211208-68670-y7w87k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/436503/original/file-20211208-68670-y7w87k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/436503/original/file-20211208-68670-y7w87k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/436503/original/file-20211208-68670-y7w87k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/436503/original/file-20211208-68670-y7w87k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Copenhagen has some of the highest urban cycling rates in the world.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/copenhagen-one-most-bicycle-friendly-cities-337279727">S-F/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The experience of Copenhagen shows that people can be persuaded off of buses and onto bikes, which are cheaper, healthier, better for the environment and no slower in congested traffic. Yet buses are an efficient way of using road space to move people in urban areas. Replacing their diesel engines with electric or hydrogen propulsion could cut carbon emissions, too. Getting drivers out of cars and onto bicycles has proved more difficult, even in Copenhagen, a small, flat city with excellent cycling infrastructure and a strong cycling culture.</p>
<p>Across a range of European cities, there are diverse patterns of journeys by different travel modes, reflecting the history, geography, size and population density of each place. But there are no major cities with high levels of <a href="https://epub.wupperinst.org/frontdoor/deliver/index/docId/7033/file/7033_Living_Moving_Breathing.pdf">both cycling and public transport</a>. The prospects for a substantial increase in cycling in London are far from certain given the relatively high level of past public transport use. Still, the very act of creating cycle lanes reduces road space for cars, regardless of the extent to which these lanes are used.</p>
<p>COVID has had a major impact on public transport use in London, with bus and tube journeys still at <a href="https://app.powerbi.com/view?r=eyJrIjoiMjZjMmQwYTktZjYxNS00MTIwLTg0ZjAtNWIwNGE0ODMzZGJhIiwidCI6IjFmYmQ2NWJmLTVkZWYtNGVlYS1hNjkyLWEwODljMjU1MzQ2YiIsImMiOjh9">70-75% of pre-pandemic levels</a>. The financial shortfall may mean Transport for London has to <a href="https://www.onlondon.co.uk/transport-for-london-prepares-for-managed-decline-of-network-as-government-fails-to-engage-on-funding/">reduce services</a>, unless the government offers more support.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A woman walks down an empty escalator on the London Underground." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/436502/original/file-20211208-17-6hcvti.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/436502/original/file-20211208-17-6hcvti.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/436502/original/file-20211208-17-6hcvti.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/436502/original/file-20211208-17-6hcvti.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/436502/original/file-20211208-17-6hcvti.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/436502/original/file-20211208-17-6hcvti.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/436502/original/file-20211208-17-6hcvti.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Public transport use may take a while to fully recover from the pandemic.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/london-england-june-8-2020-underground-1756044071">Chaz Bharj/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Further investment in new rail routes, both tube and overground, would not be possible in these circumstances. Investment in cycling infrastructure would then make the most sense for reducing car use in London, both by encouraging cycling as an alternative and by lessening the scope for people to drive.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/173388/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>David Metz does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>
London was rated 2021’s most congested city.
David Metz, Honorary Professor of Transport Studies, UCL
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/164856
2021-07-22T00:59:22Z
2021-07-22T00:59:22Z
Why calling ordinary Kiwi cyclists ‘elitist’ just doesn’t add up
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/412547/original/file-20210721-15-1yrdrmz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=7%2C0%2C5175%2C3450&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">GettyImages</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Something strange has happened to the perception of cyclists and cycling in the more than 200 years they’ve been around. Once a novelty, bike riding has moved from being a critical transport mode to a children’s pastime to now being popularly perceived as an <a href="https://www.salon.com/2011/12/04/are_urban_bicyclists_just_elite_snobs/">elitist activity</a>.</p>
<p>This was readily apparent after the recent “liberate the lane” protest on Auckland’s harbour bridge. Cyclists who broke a police barrier and rode onto the motorway were <a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/teuila-fuatai-harbour-bridge-cycling-debate-spotlights-aucklands-infrastructure-tug-of-war/XQOVWBEV4JQ52736BKHMYAOTLU/">variously described</a> as privileged, white, entitled and, yes, elitist.</p>
<p>Ask most people what a cyclist looks like and they’ll more than likely conjure an image of the stereotypical rider – decked out head to toe in lycra, absurd aerodynamic helmet, wraparound sunglasses and, of course, a futuristic bike capable of slicing through the headwinds.</p>
<p>But that image owes much more to marketing than reality. In the 1960s and 1970s, the market was full of cheap and reliable steel ten-speed bikes. These were fantastic commuters with minimal sex appeal. At that time, the stereotypical cyclist was just an average person.</p>
<p>Then the 1980s welcomed the newly invented mountain bike and the cycling world splintered into different camps. Road cyclists split into high-speed racing, triathlon and long-distance sub-tribes. Along the way, marketing and business were eager to sell more and more specialised gear.</p>
<p>But mainstream cyclists have always been there, wearing everyday clothing, obeying the rules of the road and riding modest bicycles. Their averageness has contributed to their invisibility. For this mainstream, however, one thing always remained constant: cycling is cheap.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1398790228400230400"}"></div></p>
<h2>Low cost and affordable</h2>
<p>Cars are costly to own, especially compared to a bicycle. Thanks to the meticulous research of New Zealander John Meekings, we can directly compare those costs. Tracking his expenses from initial purchase for ten years and across 100,000km, he calculated the <a href="https://can.org.nz/article/bicycle-running-costs">total cost</a> of owning and operating his bike was about 4 cents/km.</p>
<p>Logically, for cycling to be an elitist transport mode, the cost of car ownership would have to be considerably lower. So, is it? The Automobile Association did the maths using a very moderately priced NZ$26,600 car (we’re in Suzuki Swift territory here). </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/ten-reasons-why-we-should-all-love-cyclists-76755">Ten reasons why we should all love cyclists</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Taking into account variable and fixed costs, with an average annual driving distance of 14,000km, the <a href="https://www.aa.co.nz/cars/motoring-blog/vehicle-ownership-costs-more-than-just-the-purchase-price/">cost of ownership</a> was $21 per day. That works out to about 54 cents/km, or more than 13 times the cost of bicycle ownership.</p>
<p>At this difference, there is more than enough money left over for the average cyclist to buy a full lycra suit with all the accoutrements and still spend vastly less than what a typical driver pays.</p>
<p>Better yet, cyclists could extend their mobility with an e-bike, which makes cycling accessible to a large proportion of the population. Even the most expensive e-bike is a fraction of the price of a new car, not counting the <a href="https://www.vtpi.org/tca/tca01.pdf">unpriced environmental costs</a> of car ownership. A good e-bike costs less than the credit available under the government’s electric vehicle “<a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/the-feebate-govt-confirms-rebates-for-buyers-of-electric-cars-but-petrol-car-buyers-will-cop-it/TEJ3V5CF72YFTT5NPQTOWJ3AAE/">feebate</a>” scheme.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1398915335575662604"}"></div></p>
<h2>Equitable and egalitarian</h2>
<p>Cycling is far more widespread than we often think. <a href="https://at.govt.nz/media/1977266/tra_at_activemodes_publicrelease-1.pdf">More than 50% of Aucklanders own a bike,</a> and many use that bike quite frequently. Cyclists in Auckland hail from every corner of the city, not just from the wealthiest enclaves.</p>
<p>Bikes are also an accessible and often vital transport mode for minority populations. Contrary to the accusation cycling is predominantly white and middle-class, for example, recent research indicates it’s just as common among Māori as with Pākehā — though <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/nzg.12280">Māori may be more reliant</a> on the bicycle. </p>
<p>Rather than being elitist, then, cycling is perhaps one of the most equitable forms of transport.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1416950691289993216"}"></div></p>
<p>Certainly, Auckland’s proposed <a href="https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/444079/auckland-harbour-cycle-and-pedestrian-bridge-facing-criticism-from-both-sides">$780 million bicycle and pedestrian bridge</a> does little to reduce the elitist image, but it is also <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/opinion-analysis/300333655/i-should-be-a-fan-of-aucklands-proposed-cycle-and-pedestrian-bridge--but-im-not">not what cycling activists were demanding</a>.</p>
<p>Contrary to the elitist stereotyping, cyclists aren’t asking for gold-plated cycleways and separate infrastructure. They do want a fair share of the country’s existing road network set aside as a relatively safe place to commute — <a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/news/gavin-scoble-all-have-the-right-to-be-on-the-road-even-cyclists/7UFCVWMFQ4O3EDSJ5DNVALBJFQ/">space for which they have paid</a> through taxes and rates.</p>
<p>Even the most extravagantly lycra-clad cyclist, let alone the humble everyday pedal pusher, spends less on getting around than the most frugal motorist. By any such measure, if riders on cycleways are elitists, then so are pedestrians on footpaths.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/twenty-times-more-english-children-could-cycle-to-school-with-better-transport-planning-113082">Twenty times more English children could cycle to school with better transport planning</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/164856/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Timothy Welch does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>
It’s time to stop demonising cyclists and cycling activists as elitists — the accusation fails at the first test.
Timothy Welch, Senior Lecturer in Urban Planning, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/151844
2021-02-01T18:58:05Z
2021-02-01T18:58:05Z
Why e-bikes can succeed where earlier bike-share schemes failed
<p>Shared mobility devices such as bicycles and electric scooters have experienced <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/carltonreid/2020/10/09/bikes-and-buses-will-be-futures-dominant-modes-of-urban-mobility-predict-346-transport-experts/?sh=f6eda011b03f">significant growth</a> across the globe and Australia is no exception. In cities with such offerings, users are able to get around in more convenient and flexible ways.</p>
<p>The recent emergence of dockless shared e-scooters (i.e. <a href="http://v1.li.me/locations/australia">Lime</a> and <a href="https://techau.com.au/neuron-mobility-is-launching-electric-scooters-in-adelaide-brisbane-darwin-canberra-and-townsville/">Neuron</a>) heralded a new-age of <a href="https://theconversation.com/to-bolster-our-fragile-road-and-rail-system-we-need-to-add-a-micro-mobility-network-124895">micromobility</a>. In Brisbane, it <a href="https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/brisbane-to-scrap-citycycle-scheme-as-rider-numbers-collapse-20201124-p56hfl.html">signalled the end</a> for the ten-year-old <a href="http://www.citycycle.com.au/">CityCycle</a> bike-share scheme.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/limes-not-lemons-lessons-from-australias-first-e-scooter-sharing-trial-108924">Limes not lemons: lessons from Australia’s first e-scooter sharing trial</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Not long after announcing CityCycle’s demise in late 2020, Brisbane City Council <a href="https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/things-to-see-and-do/outdoor-activities/riding-in-brisbane/citycycle-bike-hire">proposed</a> its replacement with shared dockless e-bikes and the topic <a href="https://www.racq.com.au/Live/Articles/241120-CityCycle-scrapped-in-favour-of-e-bikes-RACQ-approves">started</a> <a href="https://vickihoward.com/ebikescoming/">trending</a>. The question is: why will the e-bike scheme succeed where its predecessors in Brisbane and other Australian cities failed? (See below for a summary of the evolution of shared mobility schemes in Australia.)</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/381314/original/file-20210129-23-1903dll.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Table showing previous, current and planned shared micromobility sharing services (as of Jan 2021)" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/381314/original/file-20210129-23-1903dll.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/381314/original/file-20210129-23-1903dll.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=616&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/381314/original/file-20210129-23-1903dll.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=616&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/381314/original/file-20210129-23-1903dll.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=616&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/381314/original/file-20210129-23-1903dll.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=775&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/381314/original/file-20210129-23-1903dll.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=775&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/381314/original/file-20210129-23-1903dll.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=775&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Evolution of micromobility sharing services in major Australian cities.*</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Compiled by Dr Abraham Leung and Madison Bland, Griffith University</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Mobility is being offered more and more as a service. The uptake of share travel across Australian cities has undergone a transition from docked bikes to dockless e-mobility, aided largely by advances in technology and the proliferation of mobile devices. Sharing is being considered as an attractive alternative to owning a bike or car thanks to new ways to bundle mobility services into packages, in much the same way as we use entertainment streaming services instead of buying movies or records. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/we-subscribe-to-movies-and-music-why-not-transport-119538">We subscribe to movies and music, why not transport?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>What can we expect from e-bikes?</h2>
<p>E-bikes are pedal-assisted bicycles offering users electric motor assistance up to speeds of 25km/h. A shared bike scheme with self-locking and smartphone connectivity offers an extremely flexible riding experience. </p>
<p>It isn’t yet clear how e-bikes will be deployed in Brisbane. What we do know is the scheme will be privately operated under a short-term tender. As with CityCycle, <a href="https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/brisbane-to-scrap-citycycle-scheme-as-rider-numbers-collapse-20201124-p56hfl.html">2,000 bikes</a> will be provided across Brisbane, similar to how e-scooters are managed.</p>
<p>The e-bikes can improve on both e-scooters and CityCycle’s docked bikes in several ways. </p>
<p><strong>Trip flexibility:</strong> GPS tracking and smart lock technology remove the need to locate set docking stations. Users can start and end trips at places of their own choosing. This means they avoid the frustrations caused by docking stations reaching maximum capacity, especially in popular destinations such as the CBD.</p>
<p><strong>Wider appeal:</strong> <a href="https://theconversation.com/can-e-scooters-solve-the-last-mile-problem-theyll-need-to-avoid-the-fate-of-dockless-bikes-102633">unlike e-scooters and their younger target market</a>, e-bikes can attract a wider demographic more familiar with riding bikes. They also offer greater load-carrying capacity and are permitted for use on roads whereas e-scooters are <a href="https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/council-wants-e-scooters-in-bike-lanes-to-protect-pedestrians-20200904-p55siq.html">restricted to footpaths or bikeways</a> in Brisbane. In New South Wales and Victoria, e-scooters are banned altogether - though <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/could-e-scooters-be-the-answer-to-impending-covid-19-gridlock-20201005-p56257.html">changes</a> could be on the way for Victoria.</p>
<p><strong>Assisted riding:</strong> electrically assisted bikes can make cycling easier and accessible for more people. For those who struggle to ride at the best of times, e-bikes can help overcome fitness issues, especially in <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0965856415301531">Brisbane’s hot climate and hilly terrain</a>.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/billions-are-pouring-into-mobility-technology-will-the-transport-revolution-live-up-to-the-hype-131154">Billions are pouring into mobility technology – will the transport revolution live up to the hype?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>So, what punctured CityCycle?</h2>
<p>CityCycle was launched in 2010 under a 20-year single-operator contract. The scheme failed to achieve ambitious patronage targets and the goal of paying for itself. Despite usage growing until 2018, a <a href="https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/citycycle-to-go-but-outdoor-advertising-designed-to-fund-bike-scheme-to-stay-20201124-p56hiv.html">shifting market</a> has since resulted in significant declines. </p>
<p>The reasons for the lack of use are clear: </p>
<ol>
<li><p>CityCycle was delivered through a monopolised model lacking market competition, with the shared bike scheme a secondary focus for operator JCDecaux Group’s advertising juggernaut, and this once-novel model became dated when dockless bikes emerged.</p></li>
<li><p>a cumbersome payment system made renting bikes difficult, with only smartcards accepted at first, and while uptake increased once credit card payments were introduced, e-scooters’ mobile-based payment options are more convenient for walk-up users.</p></li>
<li><p>the arrival of e-scooter schemes in 2018 attracted many CityCycle users, as the chart below shows (click to enlarge), and the 2020 coronavirus pandemic wrote off the scheme when the city became deserted during the lockdown.</p></li>
</ol>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/380150/original/file-20210122-15-w07kna.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/380150/original/file-20210122-15-w07kna.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/380150/original/file-20210122-15-w07kna.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=317&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/380150/original/file-20210122-15-w07kna.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=317&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/380150/original/file-20210122-15-w07kna.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=317&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/380150/original/file-20210122-15-w07kna.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=398&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/380150/original/file-20210122-15-w07kna.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=398&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/380150/original/file-20210122-15-w07kna.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=398&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Patronage of Brisbane’s CityCycle scheme from 2010 to 2020.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Data: Brisbane City Council, JCDecaux. Adapted by Dr A. Leung</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-coronavirus-made-2020-the-year-of-the-electric-bike-143158">How coronavirus made 2020 the year of the electric bike</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>The path to success</h2>
<p>As Brisbane moves towards a dockless e-bike scheme, its ability to outperform its predecessor will ultimately rest with decision-makers delivering a safe and convenient rider experience. This involves several key considerations.</p>
<p><strong>Pricing and payment:</strong> the scheme will have to be competitive with current modes (particularly e-scooters), where registration and payment are integrated with existing systems. The rise of <a href="https://theconversation.com/for-mobility-as-a-service-maas-to-solve-our-transport-woes-some-things-need-to-change-105119">mobility as a service</a> (MaaS) platforms can incorporate the service within shared mobility apps and bundle offers (packaging public transport and shared mobility services).</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/for-mobility-as-a-service-maas-to-solve-our-transport-woes-some-things-need-to-change-105119">For Mobility as a Service (MaaS) to solve our transport woes, some things need to change</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p><strong>Availability:</strong> the dockless model, while more flexible, will require operators to actively manage bike distribution and avoid cluttering. The blocking of access ways and even dumping of bikes have been sources of public opposition to other bike-share schemes. Though repositioning bikes (using service vehicles) will take up significant time and money, it is crucial in maintaining a balanced and orderly network that maximises bike availability.</p>
<p><strong>Initial launch:</strong> the scheme’s roll-out will be important, as positive perceptions are best achieved by people riding, rather than bikes sitting idle. Importantly, a winter launch should be avoided – <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/on-your-bike-public-hire-scheme-hits-cbd-20100531-wp4k.html">as Melbourne found</a> – when bike trips are at yearly lows.</p>
<p><strong>Cycle infrastructure:</strong> As with cycling in general, providing safe and connected bicycle networks is paramount for increasing participation rates. For Australian cities, the <a href="https://theconversation.com/cycling-and-walking-are-short-changed-when-it-comes-to-transport-funding-in-australia-92574">historic lack of funding for cycle infrastructure</a> has limited ridership growth. Much work remains to be done, though Brisbane City Council has committed to <a href="https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/traffic-and-transport/roads-infrastructure-and-bikeways/bikeway-and-pathway-projects/citylink-cycleway-trial">trial improvements</a> to its CBD on-road bike lanes.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/cycling-and-walking-are-short-changed-when-it-comes-to-transport-funding-in-australia-92574">Cycling and walking are short-changed when it comes to transport funding in Australia</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Ultimately, dockless shared e-bikes can deliver a more flexible mobility option as operators maximise user convenience and governments develop urban cycling infrastructure.</p>
<hr>
<p><em>* The regulatory environment for micromobility is rapidly evolving. There are many <a href="https://www.ntc.gov.au/sites/default/files/assets/files/NTC-Decision-RIS-PMDs.pdf">nuances across Australian jurisdictions</a>, and users should check with their own state or territory for up-to-date road rules and regulations.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/151844/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Madison Bland is affiliated with the Griffith Cities Research Institute where he is completing his PhD research in partnership with the City of Gold Coast. He is also an active member of PIA and PedBikeTrans industry groups</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Abraham Leung is affiliated with the Griffith Cities Research Institute where his research is funded by the Queensland Department of Transport. He is also an active member of AITPM and PedBikeTrans industry groups.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Benjamin Kaufman is affiliated with the Griffith Cities Research Institute where he is completing his PhD research in partnership with the Queensland Department of Transport. He is also an active member of AITPM and PedBikeTrans industry groups.</span></em></p>
And the winner is … e-bikes? A new entrant is set to overtake Brisbane’s CityCycle scheme in the race for the shared mobility market.
Madison Bland, PhD Candidate, Cities Research Institute, Griffith University
Abraham Leung, Transport Academic Partnership (TAP) Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Cities Research Institute, Griffith University
Benjamin Kaufman, PhD Candidate, Cities Research Institute, Griffith University
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/150752
2020-11-26T19:02:43Z
2020-11-26T19:02:43Z
Delivery rider deaths highlight need to make streets safer for everyone
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/371401/original/file-20201125-23-ee8k8m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=473%2C540%2C3014%2C2041&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Mahathir Mohd Yasin/Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Five food-delivery cyclists <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-11-24/uber-eats-vows-to-improve-safety-cyclist-killed-in-inner-sydney/12913840">have died</a> on Australian roads in the past three months, four in Sydney. Most commentary has focused on the <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/food-delivery-riders-are-the-21st-century-s-chimney-sweeps-20201125-p56htn.html">harsh employment conditions</a> that force people to take risks they shouldn’t have to. These problems should of course be fixed, but cycling in general is too dangerous in our cities. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/three-charts-on-the-rise-in-cycling-injuries-and-deaths-in-australia-116660">Three Charts on the rise in cycling injuries and deaths in Australia</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>We need to look not just at labour laws but at the laws that shape our streets: things like road rules, planning requirements and engineering standards. Food delivery is a compelling example because it shows cycling is the most efficient way to get around the city. </p>
<p>Despite the efforts of supposedly business-minded people like shock jock Alan Jones and New South Wales’ former roads minister, Duncan Gay (who infamously ripped up infrastructure including a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/aug/25/sydney-australia-bike-lane-skeptic-cycling-duncan-gay-cycleways">cycleway along College Road</a> in central Sydney and a <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-04-11/government-tears-up-rainbow-crossing/4621896?nw=0">rainbow crossing</a> on Oxford Street in Surry Hills), businesses have worked out bikes are the best way to move around the city. </p>
<p>Bikes are fastest for distances <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.3141/2247-12?casa_token=6vELy3I6legAAAAA:vMzALMcRv95IJtv7HzstBi1F7BhRF_gbZoaFwCZNU9MQmigqh3MsgonjZKJQWLYMvgXLAlT2aZI">up to 5km</a>, even for beginners. For more experienced cyclists and during peak hour, bikes are faster for trips of 10km and often even more. </p>
<p>Cycling has wider benefits too. Swapping cars for bikes can reduce the tens of billions of dollars lost in traffic <a href="https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/cities/smart-cities/plan/index.aspx">congestion</a>, the many gigatonnes of <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/site/assets/uploads/2018/02/ipcc_wg3_ar5_chapter8.pdf">greenhouse gas emissions</a> and the health impacts of sedentary lifestyles. Even after accidents are taken into account, the <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01441647.2015.1057877">health benefits</a> of cycling far outweigh the costs. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/cycle-walk-drive-or-train-weighing-up-the-healthiest-and-safest-ways-to-get-around-the-city-100238">Cycle, walk, drive or train? Weighing up the healthiest (and safest) ways to get around the city</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Cycling can also <a href="https://theconversation.com/covid-19-cyclists-expanding-bike-lane-network-can-lead-to-more-inclusive-cities-144343">help to improve equity</a> and social inclusion, since the burdens of car-centric development are suffered most by people who are already vulnerable. They include the largely migrant food-delivery workforce. </p>
<p>Food-delivery cyclists are not the only people dying in car crashes. Worldwide, traffic accidents cause more than <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/road-traffic-injuries">1.35 million deaths</a> every year and are the leading killer of children. </p>
<h2>Blaming the victims</h2>
<p>Instead of focusing on the dangers created by cars and trucks, however, NSW Transport and Roads Minister Andrew Constance this week <a href="https://www.2gb.com/minister-insists-premiers-critics-clutching-at-straws-over-accusations-of-health-rules-breach/">blamed the victim</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>If people are riding around, particularly at night, they have an obligation to make sure they are wearing high-visibility jackets. They’ve obviously got to have the requisite lighting in terms of the bike. They themselves should obviously be putting protective and high-vis clothes on.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Before this week, news stories about food-delivery cyclists were mostly negative. Just last month, police announced a <a href="https://www.news.com.au/national/nsw-act/news/sydney-police-crack-down-on-delivery-drivers-who-ride-bikes-on-footpaths/news-story/5c05fc45d6bdca54c607b31e48fae537">crackdown on delivery cyclists</a> riding on footpaths. </p>
<p>Fears about cyclists injuring pedestrians receive a lot of attention, yet car driving <a href="https://theconversation.com/road-safety-switch-to-cycling-to-keep-others-safe-131964">kills three times more people</a> per kilometre than cycling. The danger created by trucks is more than ten times greater per kilometre (and vastly greater overall). </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/cars-bicycles-and-the-fatal-myth-of-equal-reciprocity-81034">Cars, bicycles and the fatal myth of equal reciprocity</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Rules give priority to cars</h2>
<p>Of course, we have all seen cyclists doing risky things. But the issue is less about individual behaviour and more about the regulatory environment. In Sydney and many other places, a plethora of state and federal rules and regulations give priority to cars in our cities. </p>
<p>Planning rules entrench the dominance of cars by <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-elephant-in-the-planning-scheme-how-cities-still-work-around-the-dominance-of-parking-space-87098">mandating the provision of car parking</a> (despite its significant <a href="https://vtpi.org/park-hou.pdf">impact on housing affordability</a>). Engineering standards support high-speed travel. </p>
<p>Road rules and policing practices also enforce the dominance of cars on streets. An example is penalising pedestrians who step onto or cross the road within 20 metres of a zebra crossing. In contrast, sanctions for dangerous driving are weak and <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/furious-cyclists-demand-police-focus-on-dangerous-drivers-not-helmets-20180426-p4zbte.html">poorly enforced</a>, and cycling is <a href="https://www.amygillett.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/AGF-Submission-to-NSW-Staysafe-Committee-Inquiry-into-Driver-Education-Training-and-Road-Safety-200217.pdf">left out of driver education</a>.</p>
<h2>Infrastructure is a problem too</h2>
<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/cycling-and-walking-can-help-drive-australias-recovery-but-not-with-less-than-2-of-transport-budgets-142176">Lopsided budget allocations</a> and infrastructure make the situation worse. Even projects supposedly aimed at pedestrians and cyclists often benefit cars far more. An example is overpasses that increase walking and cycling distances, while giving cars a smooth, lights-free ride. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/cycling-and-walking-can-help-drive-australias-recovery-but-not-with-less-than-2-of-transport-budgets-142176">Cycling and walking can help drive Australia's recovery – but not with less than 2% of transport budgets</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>The challenge is particularly acute in older areas, where streets were not designed for high car use. Calls for bike lanes, widened footpaths and other infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists are often refused on the grounds of lack of space. But why do cars get what little space there is? </p>
<p>The site of Sunday’s death is a clear example. The intersection where the cyclist was killed by an excavator-carrying truck is not a highway but a relatively narrow street with houses and a school. Should large trucks really be driving on streets like this? </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/physical-distancing-is-here-for-a-while-over-100-experts-call-for-more-safe-walking-and-cycling-space-137374">Physical distancing is here for a while – over 100 experts call for more safe walking and cycling space</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Law reform is overdue</h2>
<p>Internationally, there is a growing recognition that legal reform is needed to improve safety, and in turn to achieve both individual and national benefits. The <a href="https://bicycledutch.wordpress.com/2012/01/02/sustainable-safety/">Dutch approach</a> has long been celebrated, both for the high quality of cycling infrastructure and the <a href="https://theconversation.com/cars-overwhelmingly-cause-bike-collisions-and-the-law-should-reflect-that-78922">high level of liability for car drivers</a>. The Swedish <a href="https://visionzeronetwork.org/">Vision Zero</a> has also been influential, with cities around the world introducing laws and policies to eliminate deaths in traffic. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/cars-overwhelmingly-cause-bike-collisions-and-the-law-should-reflect-that-78922">Cars overwhelmingly cause bike collisions, and the law should reflect that</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Even in the US, where car culture is deeply entrenched, many cities are adopting <a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5ad9018bf93fd4ad7295ba8f/t/5f1f030c0cf14f38fa318020/1595867918978/CityHealth_Complete+Streets+Report.pdf">complete streets</a> legislation. These laws require streets to be planned, designed, operated and maintained to enable safe, convenient and comfortable access for users of all ages and abilities, regardless of their transport mode. </p>
<p>In Australia, councils like the <a href="https://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/cycling">City of Sydney</a> are taking very positive actions to support cycling, but this alone is not enough. To save the lives of delivery riders – and everyone else – we need legal reforms at the state and federal levels.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/150752/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Amelia Thorpe does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>
Delivery riders are paying the ultimate price for the fact that our cities, their infrastructure and the rules governing them make cycling much more dangerous than it should be.
Amelia Thorpe, Associate Professor in Law, UNSW Sydney
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/144343
2020-11-22T14:16:17Z
2020-11-22T14:16:17Z
COVID-19 cyclists: Expanding bike lane network can lead to more inclusive cities
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/370226/original/file-20201119-24-zabons.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">The COVID-19 pandemic has seen an increase in people cycling as an alternative to public transit. </span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>A major urban policy response during the pandemic has been the rapid implementation of new bike lanes. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/12/business/paris-bicycles-commute-coronavirus.html">Paris</a>, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/21/milan-seeks-to-prevent-post-crisis-return-of-traffic-pollution">Milan</a> and <a href="https://www.smartcitiesworld.net/news/news/bogota-expands-bike-lanes-overnight-to-curb-coronavirus-spread-5127">Bogotá</a> were among the first cities to develop dozens, or even hundreds, of kilometres of new cycling routes. </p>
<p>Canadian cities were slower off the mark, but over the summer, <a href="https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/montreals-summer-plans-an-extra-327-km-of-bike-paths-pedestrian-lanes">new cycling infrastructure</a> became part of their response to COVID-19 as well. <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/toronto-cycling-poll-1.5730111">A recent survey in Toronto demonstrated overwhelming support for these initiatives</a>. It found that 84 per cent of respondents supported the construction of protected bike lanes and 85 per cent wanted the city to do more to protect vulnerable road users. </p>
<h2>More than bike paths</h2>
<p>Bike lanes are about more than bikes. They can be part of building a more equitable city. To achieve this potential, traditionally siloed discussions about transportation, housing, urban design, race and inequality need to be part of the same conversation. Building a better cycling city for all requires more than bicycle infrastructure.</p>
<p>This is because our experiences of the city, including by bicycle, are dependent on gender identity, gender, race, class, ability and sexual orientation, all of which can amplify experiences of marginalization. Therefore, an <a href="https://time.com/5786710/kimberle-crenshaw-intersectionality/">intersectional approach</a> is necessary in order to fully understand different experiences and meanings of cycling.</p>
<p>As urban scholars and cycling advocates researching the <a href="http://www.briandoucet.com/">production of inequality</a> and <a href="https://robinmazumder.com/">how people experience urban space</a>, we welcome new initiatives to enhance cycling. However, a critical analysis remains necessary in order to ensure that new bike lanes do not reinforce the already existing social, spatial and racial <a href="https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/books/7833">fault lines within cities</a>.</p>
<p>To achieve cycling’s potential to enhance the safety, enjoyment, health, mobility and opportunities for everyone, three interrelated issues need to be addressed.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/370224/original/file-20201119-18-qs0mt5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=37%2C0%2C3600%2C2624&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/370224/original/file-20201119-18-qs0mt5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=437&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/370224/original/file-20201119-18-qs0mt5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=437&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/370224/original/file-20201119-18-qs0mt5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=437&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/370224/original/file-20201119-18-qs0mt5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=550&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/370224/original/file-20201119-18-qs0mt5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=550&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/370224/original/file-20201119-18-qs0mt5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=550&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A man cycles in a snow with a mask on in downtown Toronto on April 16, 2020.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>High-quality bike lanes</h2>
<p>In North America, bike lanes are often mere <a href="https://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/waterloo-bike-lane-causes-cyclists-concern-1.4347837">strips of paint</a> ending at a busy intersection, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/01490400.2018.1518174">forcing cyclists to navigate these busy intersections with cars and trucks</a>. To allow more people to cycle safely during the pandemic and beyond, new infrastructure needs to be better designed, including separated bike lanes and protected intersections.</p>
<p>The Dutch <a href="https://www.crow.nl/publicaties/design-manual-for-bicycle-traffic">Design Manual for Bicycle Traffic</a> is the <a href="https://islandpress.org/books/building-cycling-city">international gold standard</a> for developing safe, seamless and connected bicycle networks. Some cities are taking note: <a href="https://www.therecord.com/news/waterloo-region/2019/01/06/dutch-roundabout-among-1m-in-cycling-improvements-proposed-in-kitchener-budget.html">Kitchener, Ont., is planning Canada’s first Dutch-design roundabout</a>, which prioritizes bikes over cars.</p>
<h2>Uneven distribution</h2>
<p>Even before the pandemic, <a href="http://neighbourhoodchange.ca/">cities were becoming increasingly divided</a> between affluent cores and peripheries that were home to growing concentrations of poverty, marginalization and visible minorities.</p>
<p>In these “<a href="https://www.azuremagazine.com/article/urban-density-confronting-the-distance-between-desire-and-disparity/">forgotten densities</a>” on the urban peripheries, there <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.retrec.2016.07.027">tends to be less cycling infrastructure</a>. </p>
<p>The pandemic has accelerated these disparities. In June, the City of Toronto approved <a href="https://www.toronto.ca/home/covid-19/covid-19-protect-yourself-others/covid-19-reduce-virus-spread/covid-19-activeto/covid-19-activeto-expanding-the-cycling-network/">40 kilometres of new bike lanes</a>: the largest one-year increase in the city’s history. Of the eight projects, five were in the gentrified urban core (including two directly above a subway line). None can be found in neighbourhoods with the <a href="https://www.toronto.ca/home/covid-19/covid-19-latest-city-of-toronto-news/covid-19-status-of-cases-in-toronto/">highest rates of COVID-19 infections</a>.</p>
<p>Many of the most vocal cycling advocates live in gentrified urban cores. Measurable rates of cycling — <a href="https://censusmapper.ca/maps/983">such as journey-to-work</a> — are far higher in these areas. However, there are many hidden aspects of cycling — such as the experiences of low-income and racialized residents — that neither show up in official statistics nor are central to mainstream urban debates.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/poor-and-black-invisible-cyclists-need-to-be-part-of-post-pandemic-transport-planning-too-139145">Poor and black 'invisible cyclists' need to be part of post-pandemic transport planning too</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>In North America, the scarcity of bike lanes combined with their role in enhancing the quality of the urban environment means that <a href="https://www.upress.umn.edu/book-division/books/cyclescapes-of-the-unequal-city">they contribute to gentrification and displacement</a>, particularly <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/02723638.2017.1360041">in downtown neighbourhoods</a>. </p>
<p>This uneven geography is accelerating because of the pandemic: new bike lanes mean that those living in gentrified urban cores enjoy enhanced mobility choices. At the same time, residents in marginalized or peripheral communities continue to rely on <a href="http://spacing.ca/toronto/2020/04/01/marhsall-mapping-ttc-crowding-during-a-pandemic/">overcrowded transit</a> or are <a href="https://doi.org/10.17645/up.v3i4.1684">dependent on their automobiles</a>.</p>
<p>To address these imbalances, the goal should be to develop a comprehensive network cycling infrastructure across the city. Bike lanes should be a ubiquitous piece of infrastructure found downtown and in the suburbs, in rich neighbourhoods and poor ones. This is common in Dutch cities, <a href="https://bicycledutch.wordpress.com/2012/08/23/spectacular-new-floating-cycle-roundabout/">where some of the best infrastructure can be found at the edges of cities</a>.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FR5l48_h5Eo?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">A video showing traffic flow around a Dutch roundabout that prioritizes cyclists.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Intersectionality and the experiences of urban space</h2>
<p>However, even if this geographic uniformity were achieved, it would still not make cycling safe and enjoyable for all. As the recent Black Lives Matter and anti-police brutality protests have shown, how urban spaces are experienced varies tremendously depending on who you are. Cycling is not exempt from this.</p>
<p>Traditional planning metrics to measure the experiences of cycling focus on traffic-related stress, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/01490400.2018.1518174">such as sharing busy a road with trucks</a>. Cycling advocates call for measures to reduce this stress, such protected bike lanes . However, it is important to consider how other forms of stress, like racism and police surveillance, intersect with traffic-related stress and influence the experiences of cyclists marginalized by race, gender, age, class or sexual orientation. </p>
<p>Planner Tamika Butler and anthropolgist-planner Destiny Thomas point out that in order for cycling to be a tool to further social justice, <a href="https://www.bicycling.com/culture/a32783551/cycling-talk-fight-racism/">race has to be central to how we plan and advocate for safer streets</a>. Thomas says: “<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-06-08/-safe-streets-are-not-safe-for-black-lives">If you want to ban cars, start by banning racism</a>.”</p>
<p>There is nothing inherently exclusionary about the bicycle. Because of its ease of use, affordability and flexibility, cycling can be one of the most egalitarian forms of transport. To achieve this, however, advocacy, planning and policy needs to shift beyond infrastructure to an intersectional analysis that examines the different lived experiences of urban space. That means connecting cycling to wider conversations about social and racial justice, defunding the police, the right to the city and the anti-eviction movement. This approach is necessary to plan and build a more equitable city.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/144343/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Brian Doucet receives funding from the Canada Research Chairs program. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Robin Mazumder receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship.
</span></em></p>
An increase in cyclists due to the COVID-19 pandemic means that cities need to look at what it means to develop and maintain inclusive bicycle infrastructure.
Brian Doucet, Canada Research Chair in Urban Change and Social Inclusion, University of Waterloo
Robin Mazumder, PhD Candidate, Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Waterloo
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/144283
2020-08-27T20:10:54Z
2020-08-27T20:10:54Z
What Australia can learn from bicycle-friendly cities overseas
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/353804/original/file-20200820-18-1t7sf8x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=22%2C261%2C1586%2C899&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Ursa Komac</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Walking and cycling are in the spotlight given the need to keep fit, get about and keep a social distance from others during the pandemic.</p>
<p>We have <a href="https://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/vision/better-infrastructure/streets-and-public-places/current-works/pop-up-cycleways">pop-up cycleways</a>, <a href="https://7news.com.au/news/nsw/taxpayers-in-nsw-to-fund-15-million-program-for-footpaths-amid-covid-19-pandemic-c-1026351">enlarged footpaths</a> and even whole streets <a href="https://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/council/your-say/notice-temporary-closure-george-street-bathurst-street-rawson-place">closed to traffic</a>.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/physical-distancing-is-here-for-a-while-over-100-experts-call-for-more-safe-walking-and-cycling-space-137374">Physical distancing is here for a while – over 100 experts call for more safe walking and cycling space</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>But even if the new cycleways stay in place after the COVID-19 crisis, we’ll still be far from being as bicycle-friendly as <a href="https://www.visitcopenhagen.com/copenhagen/activities/what-makes-copenhagen-worlds-most-bicycle-friendly-city">Copenhagen</a> or <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/may/05/amsterdam-bicycle-capital-world-transport-cycling-kindermoord">Amsterdam</a>, over in Europe.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/353805/original/file-20200820-22-dzbmnz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Several people on bicycles in Amsterdam." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/353805/original/file-20200820-22-dzbmnz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/353805/original/file-20200820-22-dzbmnz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=337&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353805/original/file-20200820-22-dzbmnz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=337&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353805/original/file-20200820-22-dzbmnz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=337&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353805/original/file-20200820-22-dzbmnz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353805/original/file-20200820-22-dzbmnz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353805/original/file-20200820-22-dzbmnz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Plenty of people get around Amsterdam on bicycles.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/16nine/3548300458/">Mikael Colville Andersen/Flickr</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>CBDs and city suburbs</h2>
<p>The reason lies in how Australian cities are shaped and how they work. Copenhagen is a compact city, so most trips are relatively short, an <a href="http://www.cycling-embassy.dk/facts-about-cycling-in-denmark/statistics/">average 3km a day</a>. People can walk or cycle all the way to work, to the shops, to school or to a restaurant. </p>
<p>Any attempt to emulate Copenhagen’s active transport modes in Australia is only really a feasible option for our CBDs and inner-city suburbs.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/cycling-and-walking-are-short-changed-when-it-comes-to-transport-funding-in-australia-92574">Cycling and walking are short-changed when it comes to transport funding in Australia</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>For the rest we already have some cycleways mostly following transport corridors. Sometimes these are literally a bicycle lane on the <a href="https://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/roads/safety-rules/road-rules/motorways.html">shoulder of the motorway</a>.</p>
<p>There are some people who use those, but even the most committed of cyclists would think twice before a 20km one-way commute under a scorching sun or in heavy rain.</p>
<h2>Go the ‘first mile’</h2>
<p>Only if cycling becomes an option for almost everyone, any day, can it truly make a difference.</p>
<p>That is, for most of us cycling cannot be an alternative, but a complement, to public transport. Cycling has the potential to solve what is often referred to as the “first mile” problem, the challenge of getting people to a public transport hub.</p>
<p>For people who live up to 1km away from a railway station, they should have a comfortable walk.</p>
<p>Many more, living up to 3km away, could benefit from cycling. They could ride to the station, leave their bike securely parked, and catch a train to their final destination.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/walking-and-cycling-to-work-makes-commuters-happier-and-more-productive-117819">Walking and cycling to work makes commuters happier and more productive</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Access derailed</h2>
<p>But the way things are, cycling or walking to the station can be a dangerous ordeal, or at least rather unpleasant, for most of us.</p>
<p>Footpaths may disappear on one or both sides of the road, pedestrian crossings may be scarce, heavy traffic on arterial roads creates toxic fumes and noise, and the lack of trees greatly reduces amenity.</p>
<p>If you do not see other people walking or cycling, then even a short trip can be unsettling or feel unsafe.</p>
<p>The conditions can be worse for cyclists, who may have no options other than to ride illegally on the narrow footpath or risk it on the road.</p>
<h2>Turning Japanese</h2>
<p>Improving active transport access to suburban stations is a low-cost endeavour with many benefits. First of all, we need to look at examples that work and find out why, then adapt them to our needs.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/cycling-and-walking-can-help-drive-australias-recovery-but-not-with-less-than-2-of-transport-budgets-142176">Cycling and walking can help drive Australia's recovery – but not with less than 2% of transport budgets</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>We believe the best examples applicable to suburban Australia are not just in great European cycling cities but include the humble <a href="https://www.nippon.com/en/features/jg00091/" title="Mamachari: Japan’s Iconic Bicycle"><em>mamachari</em> bicycles</a> found in the suburbs of Japan’s big cities.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/353983/original/file-20200821-22-oyyvv9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A young woman riding a bike that also holds three young children." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/353983/original/file-20200821-22-oyyvv9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/353983/original/file-20200821-22-oyyvv9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=480&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353983/original/file-20200821-22-oyyvv9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=480&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353983/original/file-20200821-22-oyyvv9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=480&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353983/original/file-20200821-22-oyyvv9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=603&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353983/original/file-20200821-22-oyyvv9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=603&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353983/original/file-20200821-22-oyyvv9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=603&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Taking the children with you by bicycle is a common thing in Japan.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Ursa Komac</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>We have written about what makes Japanese city planning and transportation so bicycle-friendly in our most recent book, <a href="https://www.springer.com/gp/book/9789811557392">City Form, Economics and Culture: For the Architecture of Public Space</a>.</p>
<p>Note that Greater Tokyo (known as the Kanto region) is not an incredibly dense behemoth but a sea of single-family detached houses in which most of the population live.</p>
<p>Suburban Kanto is built around railway stations, much like many parts of Sydney or Melbourne. Large shops, schools and offices are located around the station so most local transport is on foot or bike. Longer trips are done by train.</p>
<p>Most people in Greater Tokyo walk or ride their bicycles to the station. This is possible because most streets carry very little traffic. Arterial roads and motorways are congested with commercial traffic, but can be easily avoided for local trips.</p>
<p>So you won’t often find cycle lanes or even footpaths at all in Japan. They are not necessary.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/353984/original/file-20200821-16-18xf47p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A young woman riding her bicycle with no other traffic on the road." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/353984/original/file-20200821-16-18xf47p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/353984/original/file-20200821-16-18xf47p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353984/original/file-20200821-16-18xf47p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353984/original/file-20200821-16-18xf47p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353984/original/file-20200821-16-18xf47p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353984/original/file-20200821-16-18xf47p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353984/original/file-20200821-16-18xf47p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">No congestion on many roads makes cycling an easy way to get to and from the railway stations in suburban Tokyo.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Ursa Komac</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>What Australia can learn</h2>
<p>In Australia the overall goal, or strategy, should be to make it easier for people to cycle and walk to and from their local public transport station. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-recovery-public-transport-is-key-to-avoid-repeating-old-and-unsustainable-mistakes-138415">Coronavirus recovery: public transport is key to avoid repeating old and unsustainable mistakes</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>The ways to achieve this, the tactics, need to be different and tailored for each suburb.</p>
<p>For instance, some of our suburbs have very wide streets with little traffic so a row of trees could be planted in the middle and on-street car parking moved there, making it easier for cyclists on the road.</p>
<p>A wide bicycle lane could then be accommodated next to the footpath, away from opening car doors.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/353989/original/file-20200821-18-j2tnfo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A white car parked in a bike lane." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/353989/original/file-20200821-18-j2tnfo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/353989/original/file-20200821-18-j2tnfo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353989/original/file-20200821-18-j2tnfo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353989/original/file-20200821-18-j2tnfo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353989/original/file-20200821-18-j2tnfo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353989/original/file-20200821-18-j2tnfo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/353989/original/file-20200821-18-j2tnfo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Cars parked in bike lanes don’t help.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/yewenyi/4280738082/">Flickr/</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/">CC BY-NC</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Sometimes there is an existing network of lanes that could be easily adapted as a route for cyclists. In any case, paths should be clearly marked and continuous, so no-one rides all of sudden in heavy traffic.</p>
<p>Increasing walking and cycling also <a href="https://theconversation.com/do-the-sums-bicycle-friendly-changes-are-good-business-58213">generates opportunities for local business</a>. Little and mid-size shops should be allowed to flourish around stations.</p>
<p>All in all, the suburbs would be a bit less dependent on the CBD and the shopping centre without losing much of their charm and character, and we will all lose a couple of kilos.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/144283/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>
If we’re to get more people walking and cycling in our cities, then we need to make it easier for people, and we can learn from others overseas.
Pablo Guillen, Associate Professor, School of Economics, University of Sydney
Miguel Loyola, PhD Candidate, Business School, University of Sydney
Ursa Komac, Senior Lecturer, Architectural Design and Technology, Western Sydney University
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/140408
2020-07-21T12:06:57Z
2020-07-21T12:06:57Z
With fewer cars on US streets, now is the time to reinvent roadways and how we use them
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/348046/original/file-20200716-15-sbnv15.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C4031%2C3024&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">New priorities in Boulder, Colo.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Kevin Krizek</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">CC BY-ND</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Sticking closer to home because of COVID-19 has shown many people what cities can be like with less traffic, noise, congestion and pollution. Roads and parking lots devoted to cars take up <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/04/pandemic-shows-what-cities-have-surrendered-cars/610423/">a lot of land</a>. For example, in <a href="https://transfersmagazine.org/magazine-article/valley-of-the-sun-drenched-parking-space/">Phoenix, Los Angeles</a> and <a href="https://nextcity.org/daily/entry/how-much-public-space-does-a-city-need-UN-Habitat-joan-clos-50-percent">New York City</a> these spaces account for over one-third of each city’s total area. </p>
<p>When stay-at-home orders went into effect in many parts of the U.S. in March, streets and parking lots went dormant seemingly overnight. Within days, municipalities across the U.S. started <a href="http://pedbikeinfo.org/resources/resources_details.cfm?id=5209">shifting these spaces</a> to other uses that better suit people.</p>
<p>As a professor of environmental design and transport, I’ve worked for decades to <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=lfb0Tu4AAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao">unravel the many factors</a> that keep people reliant on cars, SUVs and trucks. Weather, time constraints, children – there are many reasons that prevent people from using transportation modes like bicycles. Yet with a simple first step – starting to reconfigure city streets – meaningful change can begin to break down traditional transportation barriers and usher in a new culture of getting around town by means other than cars. </p>
<h2>The dangerous, expensive automobile</h2>
<p>In large U.S. cities, nearly half of all car trips are <a href="https://doi.org/10.32866/10777">less than four miles</a>. Using cars to travel such short distances has many costs. </p>
<p>For example, consider traffic fatalities. Two pedestrians or cyclists die every hour on U.S. city streets, a national trend that’s been <a href="http://www.trb.org/Main/Blurbs/180624.aspx">worsening</a> in recent years, even though cycling and walking rates are <a href="https://bikeleague.org/content/new-data-bike-commuting">steady or declining</a>. Pollution from cars contributes to climate change and worsens air quality. Designing cities around cars <a href="https://theconversation.com/people-are-stranded-in-transit-deserts-in-dozens-of-us-cities-92722">marginalizes individuals who don’t have them</a>.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/h-I6HFQXquU?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">The COVID-19 pandemic offers an opportunity to radically change how cities worldwide use their streets.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>In my view, this is the time to move beyond the “grab the keys” mentality on the way out the door, as <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/01944363.2015.1057196">millennials</a> and <a href="https://washpirg.org/blogs/blog/usp/don%E2%80%99t-believe-hype-%E2%80%93-millennials%E2%80%99-transportation-habits-are-changing">GenXers</a> already are doing. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/09/opinion/ban-cars-manhattan-cities.html">New visions</a> for streets, where cars use less space and are replaced by smaller vehicles built for individual riders, are gaining currency.</p>
<p>These modes of transport might be <a href="https://electrek.co/2020/06/19/cityqs-enclosed-electric-car-ebike-begins-taking-pre-orders/">new forms of e-bikes</a>, e-scooters or hoverboards. These novel vehicles, which were already <a href="https://usa.streetsblog.org/2020/06/17/four-signs-this-might-be-micromobilitys-big-moment/">attracting attention</a> before COVID-19, complement conventional bicycles, whose <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/18/nyregion/bike-shortage-coronavirus.html">sales have boomed</a> during the pandemic.</p>
<h2>New thinking, different results</h2>
<p>Increasingly, thinking about the future of cities suggests that chiefly relying on cars as a form of transport <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/08/opinion/us-infrastructure-plan.html">has run its course</a>. By minimally modifying the existing infrastructure, it is possible for city leaders to repurpose roads and parking spaces while ensuring the same ease of being able to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trd.2020.102336">reach daily services</a>. </p>
<p>Emerging forms of mobility and changing mindsets can help deliver these opportunities. Bicycles and bicycle-like vehicles provide a catalyst to shift how city streets are used. </p>
<p>Research demonstrates that people will adopt new ways of getting around town when they are confident that an entire route, including intersections and parking lots, is safe for travel. Some COVID-19-induced street changes that have emerged recently, such as <a href="https://globaldesigningcities.org/publication/global-street-design-guide/designing-streets-people/designing-for-motorists/traffic-calming-strategies/">reducing the number of traffic lanes</a> and <a href="https://www.insider.com/cities-closed-streets-for-pedestrians-covid-lockdowns-2020-5#eventually-new-york-city-aims-to-open-a-total-of-100-miles-of-streets-for-free-use-to-pedestrians-2">closing streets to traffic</a>, are a good first step. But they lack the network component.</p>
<p>Networks quickly develop the more people use them. The quickest way to build one that is scaled and purposed for people begins by identifying streets used to make short trips. These are places near neighborhood retail districts, schools and other activity centers. </p>
<p>Informed by local data, leaders can make decisions about which streets should give priority to vehicles such as bicycles, not cars. Changes might include physically demarcated lanes and signs making statements like “Cars are guests.” Initially, these changes might require waivers to exempt them from adhering to current engineering guidelines and standards – restrictions that stifle innovation. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1264305002203492352"}"></div></p>
<p>Now large and small U.S. cities are experimenting with different strategies and contending with long-standing equity concerns about <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/20/upshot/pandemic-city-planning-inequality.html?action=click&module=Spotlight&pgtype=Homepage">which streets</a> to change. For example, Minneapolis has <a href="https://www.minneapolisparks.org/news/2020/04/03/minneapolis-park-and-recreation-board-announces-three-more-parkway-closures-to-motor-vehicles-to-allow-pedestrians-more-space-for-social-distancing/">closed a number of parkways to cars</a>, reserving them exclusively for cyclists and walkers. </p>
<p>Pioneering cities like <a href="https://bikeportland.org/2020/04/29/heres-what-to-expect-with-portlands-new-slow-streets-plan-314117">Portland, Oregon</a>, <a href="https://www.seattle.gov/transportation/projects-and-programs/programs/stay-healthy-streets">Seattle</a> and <a href="https://www.oaklandca.gov/projects/oakland-slow-streets">Oakland</a> are using this time to test ways of sharing a broader array of streets among cyclists, walkers and car users. Researchers are providing tools to identify the most promising places to reallocate space for <a href="https://doi.org/10.32866/001c.13421">pop-up cycle ways</a>. </p>
<p>Enacting change now – in a strategic manner and while travel levels are down – may be an opportunity to reap <a href="https://twitter.com/BrentToderian/status/1280517484362129409">quick gains</a> with <a href="https://twitter.com/Jamesdestafford/status/1278735426312945664">high impact</a>. I believe that a better transport future is within reach by taking advantage of the space dominated by automobiles. This is the time to leverage current low-traffic conditions so that streets and roads can be converted to accommodate new technology and transport.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/140408/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kevin J. Krizek does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>
City streets were built to accommodate cars, but the COVID-19 pandemic has scrambled our transport needs. Many cities are moving to make streets more people-friendly and less car-centric.
Kevin J. Krizek, Professor of Environmental Design, University of Colorado Boulder
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/139107
2020-06-10T19:51:33Z
2020-06-10T19:51:33Z
Drivers v cyclists: it’s like an ethnic conflict, which offers clues to managing ‘road wars’
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/340797/original/file-20200610-82651-idbmq6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C7315%2C4891&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/forcing-right-way-on-road-driver-1111918487">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Motorists and cyclists are akin to ethnic groups, <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14442213.2020.1754894">our research</a> shows. This means we might want to look to multiculturalism in managing relations on the roads.</p>
<p>As we exit lockdown, <a href="https://theconversation.com/cars-transition-from-lockdown-is-a-fork-in-the-road-here-are-two-possible-outcomes-for-future-travel-139885">car and bicycle use will increase greatly</a>. Commuters may be swapping one risk for another – an increased risk of traffic accidents and congestion for the <a href="https://theconversation.com/as-coronavirus-restrictions-ease-heres-how-you-can-navigate-public-transport-as-safely-as-possible-138845">risk of coronavirus infection on public transport</a>. Cities overseas are increasingly turning to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/21/milan-seeks-to-prevent-post-crisis-return-of-traffic-pollution">segregated car and bicycle lanes as a solution</a>. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-recovery-public-transport-is-key-to-avoid-repeating-old-and-unsustainable-mistakes-138415">Coronavirus recovery: public transport is key to avoid repeating old and unsustainable mistakes</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Segregation isn’t a panacea</h2>
<p>However, segregation can be difficult to implement. Its construction may be costly and increase traffic congestion. </p>
<p>In addition, when many motorists incorrectly view car licensing as the main means of financing roads, it can be a politically risky project. Simply, there are many more motorist than cyclist voters.</p>
<p>Claims that segregation is a panacea are debatable anyway. Vehicle segregation in Australia dates to the 19th century. Its purpose then was to designate roads as being <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/279622103_The_disruptive_traveller_A_Foucauldian_analysis_of_cycleways">mainly for “car-riages”</a>, to the exclusion of activities such as walking and trading. In turn, cars came to be <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0263276404046059">viewed as the “natural” vehicles</a> of the road.</p>
<p>This engendered a <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14442213.2020.1754894">sense of road entitlement and aggressive driving</a>. So segregation, the very thing designed to protect cyclists from motorists, lies at the root of why some motorists are a danger in the first place.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/235357394_Hell_is_other_cyclists_Rethinking_transport_and_identity">Research also suggests</a> motorists’ conduct towards cyclists becomes less responsible in mixed traffic settings as segregation increases elsewhere. Basically, danger is displaced to the suburbs.</p>
<h2>Why is aggression on roads so common?</h2>
<p>Given this, segregation must surely be complemented by promoting safety in mixed traffic settings too. This requires an understanding of behaviour on the roads and how to promote good behaviour.</p>
<p>It is not enough to put motorists’ aggression towards cyclists down to “road rage”. Aggression on the roads is more common in some places than others, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1369847805000884">in the Antipodes more than in the UK</a> for example. </p>
<p>We would not conceive of aggression in other contexts, such as ethnic conflict, as being the result of a universally aberrant state of mind. We would take social and cultural circumstances into account. So why do otherwise in the case of roads?</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/rising-cyclist-death-toll-is-mainly-due-to-drivers-so-change-the-road-laws-and-culture-102567">Rising cyclist death toll is mainly due to drivers, so change the road laws and culture</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>What does this have to do with ethnic conflict?</h2>
<p>The ethnic conflict analogy is not coincidental. Ethnicity is a useful point of reference for thinking about the <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14442213.2020.1754894">identities and relations of drivers and cyclists</a>. </p>
<p>Much like disability and LGBTQI activists, a growing body of cycling activists see cyclists as having <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1369847816302388">characteristics like those of an ethnic minority</a>. In these terms, one could argue segregated car and bicycle lanes perpetuate a form of historical domination: driving is the equivalent of “whiteness” and segregation a form of infrastructural “apartheid”.</p>
<p>However, we do not want to take the analogy that far. Cyclists do not meet cultural criteria of minority status. And so, in times when ethnic minority status is an increasingly influential advocacy discourse, the cyclist-equals-oppressed ethnic-group equation can be exposed as purely tactical.</p>
<p>What we do observe, however, is that identity formation among motorists and cyclists mirrors that of ethnic group formation. <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14442213.2020.1754894">Our research</a> analyses what several hundred respondents had to say in online public forums about motorist-cyclist relations in Melbourne. </p>
<p>Our analysis reveals motorists and cyclists have distinct identities, involving both their sense of themselves and of the other group of road users. There is also a widespread sense, even among cyclists, that cars are the <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/258192332_The_'System'_of_Automobility">“natural” vehicles of the road</a>. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/340502/original/file-20200609-165349-5wgll9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/340502/original/file-20200609-165349-5wgll9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/340502/original/file-20200609-165349-5wgll9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=232&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/340502/original/file-20200609-165349-5wgll9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=232&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/340502/original/file-20200609-165349-5wgll9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=232&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/340502/original/file-20200609-165349-5wgll9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=292&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/340502/original/file-20200609-165349-5wgll9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=292&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/340502/original/file-20200609-165349-5wgll9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=292&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Cyclists and motorists have a distinct sense of identity, of themselves and of each other.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Gwoeii/Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Our analysis also reveals an array of derogatory ethnic-like stereotypes that motorists and cyclists hold about one another. Interestingly, like some Bosnian former Yugoslavs who deny their ambiguous ethnic status by declaring militant Bosniac (Muslim), Croat or Serb patriotism and hatred of the ethnic other, cyclists who also drive often express the most extreme views. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/contested-spaces-virtuous-drivers-malicious-cyclists-mindset-gets-us-nowhere-73371">Contested spaces: 'virtuous drivers, malicious cyclists' mindset gets us nowhere</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Drawing on multicultural tolerance</h2>
<p>If ethnicity is a useful point of comparison for thinking about the identities and relations of drivers and cyclists, then it makes sense to go a step further. It may also, à la multiculturalism, offer pointers to how to manage relations between drivers and cyclists.</p>
<p>At the heart of multiculturalism is a <a href="http://elplandehiram.org/documentos/JoustingNYC/Politics_of_Recognition.pdf">politics of “recognition”</a>. We see it in a range of practices such as cross-cultural awareness training. Likewise, vehicle use education could pay more attention to increasing awareness of the capacities and limitations of other vehicles.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/cars-bicycles-and-the-fatal-myth-of-equal-reciprocity-81034">Cars, bicycles and the fatal myth of equal reciprocity</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>There is also recognition in the legal practice of “<a href="http://defensewiki.ibj.org/index.php/Cultural_Defense">cultural defence</a>”. Crime and punishment are not determined solely by a universal standard, but also with regard to a defendant’s cultural background. </p>
<p>Likewise, a shared code of conduct could govern conduct on the road, tempered sensitively to the unique capacities of particular vehicles. The “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idaho_stop">Idaho stop</a>”, for example, permits cyclists in that state to treat stop signs as yield or give way signs if conditions are safe to do. Research has shown this <a href="https://cyclingmagazine.ca/sections/news/the-idaho-stop-gets-added-momentum-with-chicago-study/">increases safety on the roads</a>. Versions of this law have been passed in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idaho_stop">Delaware, Colorodo, Arkansas and Oregon</a> since 2017.</p>
<figure>
<iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/4140910" width="500" height="281" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen="" mozallowfullscreen="" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">An explanation of the ‘Idaho stop’ law, which has been in place in that state since 1982.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Practices such as these might lead to greater “tolerance” between different road users. Putting this another way, we argue for the road to be reconceived as a “<a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14442213.2020.1754894">multiautocultural</a>” space.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/seeing-red-why-cyclists-ride-through-traffic-lights-12916">Seeing red: why cyclists ride through traffic lights</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/139107/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>
Drivers and cyclists develop distinct identities of themselves and others in ways that mirror the formation of ethnic identities. And on-road segregation runs the risk of reinforcing this process.
Andrew Dawson, Professor and Chair of Anthropology, The University of Melbourne
Jennifer Day, Senior Lecturer in Urban Planning, The University of Melbourne
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/125619
2019-11-21T20:09:57Z
2019-11-21T20:09:57Z
E-scooters, bikes and urban mobility: lessons from the streets of Paris
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/300678/original/file-20191107-10935-1rthtu4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C59%2C4000%2C2473&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Rue des Tournelles, Paris, November 5, 2019. Four Voi scooters wait hopefully for potential clients, with a Lime and Dott sprawling nearby. Behind them, a Velib' rider has made his choice. </span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Leighton Kille/The Conversation France </span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Mobility is a crucial challenge for global cities in the 21st century. The <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-50401308">growing impact</a> and <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/08/climate/climate-change-food-supply.html">immense risks</a> of climate change are becoming clearer every day, and cities are <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/10/29/climate/coastal-cities-underwater.html">on the front line</a>. Globally, transportation generates <a href="https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/global-greenhouse-gas-emissions-data">14% of all greenhouse gases</a>, much of it for personal transportation.</p>
<p>To reduce their carbon footprint and increase mobility options, many cities have been investing in <a href="https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi/pdf/10.1289/EHP3754">bike-share systems</a>. One of the largest is Paris’s <a href="https://www.velib-metropole.fr/en_GB/discover/service">Velib’</a>, with more than <a href="https://velib.philibert.info/">14,000 bicycles</a>. Launched in 2007, the system is built around docks – it’s there that customers pick up and drop off bikes, and they also serve as recharging stations for electric models.</p>
<p>Since 2017, a host of start-ups has emerged offering fleets of dockless bikes and electric scooters in cities around the world. The concept was simple: users downloaded an app and paid, grabbed a bike or scooter, and off they went, leaving it wherever they wanted after. Floating on an <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/03/reuters-america-scooter-startup-bird-raises-275-million-in-latest-funding-round.html">ocean of venture capital</a>, the firms took advantage of a <a href="https://www.vox.com/2018/8/27/17676670/electric-scooter-rental-bird-lime-skip-spin-cities">legal void</a> and distributed thousands of bicycles and scooters in cities large and small around the world.</p>
<h2>Destination, the City of Light</h2>
<p>For mobility start-ups, Paris offered an irresistible target. The region’s population is more than 12 million and it attracted approximately <a href="https://press.parisinfo.com/news/press-releases/Paris-record-tourist-numbers-in-2017">40 million tourists in 2017</a>, each one a potential customer. For better or worse, the city’s leadership initially took a hands-off approach to free-floating bikes and scooters and the result was predictable: <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexledsom/2019/09/10/e-scooter-havoc-across-french-cities-is-a-crackdown-needed/">chaos</a>.</p>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/300680/original/file-20191107-10905-16tamrk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/300680/original/file-20191107-10905-16tamrk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/300680/original/file-20191107-10905-16tamrk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=800&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/300680/original/file-20191107-10905-16tamrk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=800&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/300680/original/file-20191107-10905-16tamrk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=800&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/300680/original/file-20191107-10905-16tamrk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1005&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/300680/original/file-20191107-10905-16tamrk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1005&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/300680/original/file-20191107-10905-16tamrk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1005&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A snapped Lime lies abandoned in Paris. Attempting to speed their launch and minimise costs, e-mobility firms have often used off-the-shelf scooters that die quickly on city streets.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Leighton Kille/The Conversation France</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>At the height the boom in the summer of 2019, more than a dozen firms were filling Paris streets with vehicles of all sorts. Not only was the free-for-all <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/08/12/electric-scooter-victims-sue-paris-authorities-demand-end-anarchy/">bad for residents and visitors</a>, it was cruel to the start-ups themselves. E-scooters in particular proved to cost far more than they bring in over their <a href="https://qz.com/1561654/how-long-does-a-scooter-last-less-than-a-month-louisville-data-suggests/">extremely short lives</a> and the companies burned through their cash.</p>
<p>The result was high turnover, with firms exiting the market almost as quickly as they entered. At least six Paris e-scooter operators have <a href="https://www.clubic.com/mobilie-urbaine-electrique/actualite-862650-trottinettes-electriques-6-12-operateurs-jettent-provisoirement-eponge-paris.html">“suspended operations”</a> (read, given up), and that follows the departure of free-floating bikes from <a href="http://www.leparisien.fr/info-paris-ile-de-france-oise/transports/les-velos-en-free-floating-ofo-mis-en-pause-a-paris-18-12-2018-7971831.php">Gobee, Obike and Ofo</a>. The most recent victim is Coup, an affiliate of Bosch, which announced November 25 that it would suspend operations in Paris and Berlin because its electric-scooter service was <a href="http://www.leparisien.fr/info-paris-ile-de-france-oise/transports/scooters-en-libre-service-l-operateur-coup-va-mettre-fin-a-ses-activites-a-paris-25-11-2019-8201487.php">“economically non-viable”</a>.</p>
<p>Despite the numerous failures and the city’s demand that companies show <a href="https://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2019/08/24/trottinettes-electriques-en-attendant-les-regles_5502278_3224.html">greater responsibility</a>, the venture-capital-driven optimism continues. Newer entrants such as Jump, Wind and Donkey Republic are all hoping to beat the dockless jinx, and more will certainly come. This makes Paris an interesting case study, where regulatory loopholes and brute capitalism meet, with the city’s streets as the battlefield.</p>
<h2>Easy come, easy go</h2>
<p>A key puzzle is why the companies that were the first to arrive in Paris exited almost as quickly. Shouldn’t they have had <a href="https://www.investopedia.com/terms/f/firstmover.asp">“first-mover advantage”</a>, allowing them to keep others at bay? Unfortunately, there were powerful economic realities at play in the micromobility space that made their reigns brief, and that will likely do away with many of the newer entrants as well.</p>
<ul>
<li><p><strong>Low barriers to entry</strong>: When new firms enter an industry, there are often factors that protect existing operators – patents, deep pockets or regulations, for example. But all an e-mobility start-up needs are a modest amount of capital, a website and an app. Scooters are manufactured as cheaply as possible overseas, distributed in the targeted city, and from there it’s up to users and teams of <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/25/business/lime-bird-scooters-rechargers.html">freelance “juicers”</a> to keep things moving. Operators can go wherever they deem attractive, and that’s bad news for existing operators.</p></li>
<li><p><strong>Non-existent switching costs</strong>: When customers shift between, say, smartphones, there’s often a cost in terms of money or time and effort. When it comes to e-scooters or dockless bikes, however, they’re all nearly identical other than the logos. The same goes for the applications and the pricing – in Europe, the unlocking costs are generally 1 euro ($1.14) and the per-minute charges around 0.25 (30 cents). So other than the time spent installing an app, there is no reason for customers to be loyal to any one operator.</p></li>
<li><p><strong>Abundant substitutes</strong>: Today most urban centres offer a wealth of options for solving the <a href="https://www.investopedia.com/terms/l/lastmile.asp">last-mile problem</a>. First among these are <a href="https://www.bikesharingmap.com">bike-share systems</a>, which are often city-supported, with dedicated maintenance teams and docks that automatically recharge electric models. Other options include mass transportation, taxis, ride-sharing services, a personal bike, scooter or hoverboard, and the list goes on. Indeed, a <a href="http://transports.blog.lemonde.fr/2019/06/06/enquete-inedite-utilisateurs-trottinettes-electriques/">June 2019 survey</a> of Paris e-scooter users revealed that 47% would have simply walked if one hadn’t been available.</p></li>
<li><p><strong>Misaligned interests</strong>: E-mobility operators have the benefit of being untethered by fixed infrastructure, but that also creates a situation where riders and “juicers” are the de facto service providers. This creates <a href="https://www.oxford-review.com/oxford-review-encyclopaedia-terms/distributed-agency-definition-application/">“distributed agency” problems</a>, where these individuals’ interests may not align with those of the firms – for example, users can drop scooters in locations they’re unlikely to be rented or even <a href="https://laist.com/2019/06/13/bird_graveyard_scooter_instagram_q_and_a.php">destroy them</a>.</p></li>
</ul>
<h2>Not so green after all</h2>
<p>Beyond these cruel economic realities, the business model currently used by operators of dockless e-scooters and bikes imposes a range of <a href="https://www.investopedia.com/terms/e/externality.asp">negative externalities</a>, which are costs imposed on those not directly involved in a transaction between two parties – an e-scooter left sprawling after being used is a simple example. Cities find themselves stuck with having to impose order, discard broken vehicles, and sort out accidents, minor and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/jul/13/tv-presenter-emily-hartridge-dies-in-scooter-crash">sometimes fatal</a>.</p>
<p>And while e-scooters are often promoted as a “green” mode of transportation, research indicates that, as a whole, dockless systems have <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/ab2da8">high environmental costs</a>. In <a href="https://chesterenergyandpolicy.com/2019/01/28/its-a-bird-its-a-lime-its-dockless-scooters-but-can-these-electric-powered-mobility-options-be-considered-sustainable-using-life-cycle-analysis/">some scenarios</a>, their per-kilometre lifetime carbon emissions that are comparable to those of midsize gas-powered cars.</p>
<p>Scooter companies and users don’t pay these external costs, but they <a href="https://www.lesnumeriques.com/trottinette-electrique/dott-en-veut-a-bird-lime-responsables-desamour-trottinettes-n88947.html">damage the firms’ public image</a> and that’s no small matter in a battle for a market that has a wealth of competitors and <a href="https://qz.com/1561654/how-long-does-a-scooter-last-less-than-a-month-louisville-data-suggests/">non-existent margins</a>.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/300686/original/file-20191107-10935-c5f50p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/300686/original/file-20191107-10935-c5f50p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/300686/original/file-20191107-10935-c5f50p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/300686/original/file-20191107-10935-c5f50p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/300686/original/file-20191107-10935-c5f50p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/300686/original/file-20191107-10935-c5f50p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=505&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/300686/original/file-20191107-10935-c5f50p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=505&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/300686/original/file-20191107-10935-c5f50p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=505&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Paris, Rue de l'Abbé de l'Epée and the Boulevard Saint-Michel, May 27, 2019. Eight Birds, one Jump and a Mobike try to temp city residents and visitors.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Leighton Kille/The Conversation France</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Some hope on battlefield</h2>
<p>All this makes the situation ominous for any current operator of dockless e-mobility services, and enormously complicate the task of any start-up wishing to launch a competing service. A few of the possibilities:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>New and ideally patented innovations can differentiate what are essentially interchangeable services and thereafter create entry barriers – say, scooters with markedly superior battery performance or unique safety features. For example, <a href="https://www.intelligenttransport.com/transport-news/90161/wind-unveils-new-e-scooter-with-industry-first-swappable-battery/">Wind</a> recently introduced scooters with swappable batteries that speed recharging.</p></li>
<li><p>Interconnection of related services (or <a href="https://www.investopedia.com/terms/e/economiesofscope.asp">economies of scope</a>). Uber has started offering electric bikes and scooters through the same app that allows customers to call a car ride or order food. In a sense, Paris has long used the same all-in-once approach, connecting the city’s regional rail and metro with the Velib’ bike-sharing system through the same <a href="http://www.navigo.fr/">Navigo card</a>.</p></li>
<li><p>Complementary partnerships. <a href="https://www.li.me/second-street/lime-google-maps-integration-expands-over-80-new-cities">Lime</a> is now available on Google Maps, increasing the odds that it will be chosen by those looking for the best available routes.</p></li>
<li><p>Change the value propositions and service delivery to create a <a href="https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/businessreview/2019/09/24/how-digital-businesses-can-leverage-the-high-cost-for-consumers-to-switch-platforms/">lock-in effect</a>. For example, firms could target corporate customers or rent for longer periods, something Bird has introduced in select cities. This has the advantage for operators of making customers responsible for charging and could theoretically cause them to behave more responsibly.</p></li>
<li><p>Negotiate contracts. Many cities have effectively banned scooters, including New York and London, but that also creates an opportunity a firm can obtain an official contract. That’s what happened in San Francisco, and while fleet sizes remain <a href="https://sf.curbed.com/2019/10/15/20915198/san-francisco-e-scooter-electronic-escooter-scooters-sf">strictly controlled</a>, for operators it’s better than being driven out of business in an all-for-none brawl.</p></li>
</ul>
<h2>No easy answers</h2>
<p>It’s hard to predict how the e-mobility industry will evolve, but the low entry barriers, non-existent switching costs, abundant substitutes, distributed agency problems, and negative externalities will not disappear anytime soon. That makes it supremely difficult for any one operator to remain in place, much less dominate a market. </p>
<p>Worse, because there are no barriers to entry, new firms can show up overnight, a fresh threat to those that had managed to survive up to that point. While some companies are trying to counter some of these adverse conditions, the headwinds are stiff and the story so far is anything but reassuring.</p>
<p>So which start-up will win the urban mobility battle? Quite possibly, none of the above.<br>
</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/300687/original/file-20191107-10924-p94sa6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/300687/original/file-20191107-10924-p94sa6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/300687/original/file-20191107-10924-p94sa6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/300687/original/file-20191107-10924-p94sa6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/300687/original/file-20191107-10924-p94sa6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/300687/original/file-20191107-10924-p94sa6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/300687/original/file-20191107-10924-p94sa6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/300687/original/file-20191107-10924-p94sa6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">An Ofo and an Obike come out after an extended dip in the Seine, June 20, 2019. Both firms gave up trying to crack the Paris market long ago.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Leighton Kille/The Conversation France</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p><em>The origin of this text and its main arguments gained from insightful conversations with <a href="https://www.emlv.fr/en/team/dan-prudhomme/">Professor Dan Prud'Homme</a> (EMLV Business School). <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/leighton-kille-173484/">Leighton Kille</a> of The Conversation France contributed examples, resources and photographs, and edited the text for clarity</em>.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/125619/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Tiago Ratinho ne travaille pas, ne conseille pas, ne possède pas de parts, ne reçoit pas de fonds d'une organisation qui pourrait tirer profit de cet article, et n'a déclaré aucune autre affiliation que son organisme de recherche.</span></em></p>
In major cities around the world, dockless scooters and bikes are everywhere, yet the companies themselves are often breathtakingly short-lived. Basic economic concepts give us clues why.
Tiago Ratinho, Associate Professor in Entrepreneurship, IÉSEG School of Management
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/126112
2019-11-12T19:02:28Z
2019-11-12T19:02:28Z
Own a bike you never ride? We need to learn how to fail better at active transport
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/301018/original/file-20191111-194641-1we0h1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=542%2C709%2C2360%2C1506&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Many rarely used bikes end up languishing in the shed.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/dirty-old-wooden-garage-shed-filled-703109386?src=4529fe86-5c3a-43de-85b0-9de9688e9b08-1-0">peace baby/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Once upon a time when something was simple to do we said: “It’s as easy as riding a bike.” But switching from driving a car to riding a bike as one’s main means of transport is anything but easy. </p>
<p>The well-documented obstacles holding people back from cycling include a lack of <a href="https://theconversation.com/ride-to-work-youll-need-a-bike-barrier-for-that-19111">proper bike lanes</a>, <a href="http://www.pedbikeinfo.org/cms/downloads/DeterminantsofBicycleCommuting.pdf">secure parking arrangements, end-of-trip facilities</a> and bike-friendly public transport, as well as lack of convenient storage space. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-problem-isnt-dockless-share-bikes-its-the-lack-of-bike-parking-102985">The problem isn't dockless share bikes. It's the lack of bike parking</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Despite these obstacles, people continue to try to make cycling a central part of their lives, with varying degrees of success.</p>
<p>While we know broadly what the impediments are, we don’t know how individuals confront them over time. We tend to approach this issue as an “all or nothing” affair – either people cycle or they don’t. Research is often <a href="http://www.istiee.unict.it/europeantransport/papers/N69/P04_69_2018.pdf">framed in terms of cyclists and non-cyclists</a>. </p>
<p>But, for most people, <a href="https://cyclingculture.org/">our research</a> tells us it is a gradual process of transformation, with setbacks as well as small victories. The hesitant maybe-cyclist of today is potentially the fully committed cyclist of tomorrow. Unfortunately, the reverse is also true.</p>
<p>We have taken a lead from <a href="https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/6/6/e011045">research into smoking</a>, which sees failed quit attempts not as failures but as necessary steps on the road to success. Part of <a href="https://cyclingculture.org/">our research</a> is interested in the faltering starts people make in transitioning from motor vehicles to bikes. Our aim is to help identify new intervention points for cycling policy. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/jul/10/10-best-cycling-books-tour-de-france">Cycling enthusiast Samuel Beckett</a> aptly summed up this in <a href="https://genius.com/Samuel-beckett-worstward-ho-annotated">Worstward Ho</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Try again. Fail again. Fail better. </p>
</blockquote>
<h2>Where the bike is kept is telling</h2>
<p>Our question is: how can we fail better? Building on research with 58 cyclists in the Wollongong region, we recently shifted our emphasis to another local government area, the City of Sydney. </p>
<p>We focused on people who want to cycle but have mostly failed so far. We carried out in-depth qualitative interviews with 12 participants, following up each with a go-along, where participants guide us through their regular travel routes. </p>
<p>To date, all participants convey good intentions to incorporate cycling into their lives. All say they want to resume cycling, yet none have succeeded.</p>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/301019/original/file-20191111-194656-1acnhyw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/301019/original/file-20191111-194656-1acnhyw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/301019/original/file-20191111-194656-1acnhyw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=800&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/301019/original/file-20191111-194656-1acnhyw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=800&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/301019/original/file-20191111-194656-1acnhyw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=800&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/301019/original/file-20191111-194656-1acnhyw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1005&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/301019/original/file-20191111-194656-1acnhyw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1005&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/301019/original/file-20191111-194656-1acnhyw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1005&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">These bikes near the front door of a student share house are almost certainly ridden often.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/cbamber85/2438675638">cbamber85/Flickr</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Their attempts were inhibited by commonplace issues: lost confidence in their abilities, less enjoyment of cycling because of congestion, and experiences of a car accident or a near miss. </p>
<p>Our research has found that where bicycles are stored is a reliable indicator of the changing value of the bicycle in an individual’s everyday life. One can pinpoint where someone is in the course of their starting-to-cycle journey by locating where their bike is kept. </p>
<p>When things are going well the bike is near the front door ready for immediate use. As things get difficult, the bike migrates from the front to the back of the house, to languish in a spare room or the shed, before finally being put out on the curb as hard rubbish (or for “freecycling”). </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/people-take-to-their-bikes-when-we-make-it-safer-and-easier-for-them-82251">People take to their bikes when we make it safer and easier for them</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Storage is a key obstacle</h2>
<p>Contrary to interpretations of <a href="https://ijbnpa.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12966-015-0294-1">data indicating inner-city residents are the most likely to cycle</a>, we have found participants who live in small, inner-city dwellings face daunting storage issues that all too often defeat them. They have told us about storing the bicycle inconveniently inside the house, wedged in dining rooms, hallways and bedrooms. </p>
<p>The search for a place to store the bike increased the inconvenience of using it for transport until finally the bike was locked away, kept only as a sign of ongoing intention and hope. This inconvenience defeats successive start attempts before they’re seriously able to be revived. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/301012/original/file-20191111-194641-hy2sku.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/301012/original/file-20191111-194641-hy2sku.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/301012/original/file-20191111-194641-hy2sku.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=803&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/301012/original/file-20191111-194641-hy2sku.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=803&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/301012/original/file-20191111-194641-hy2sku.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=803&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/301012/original/file-20191111-194641-hy2sku.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1010&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/301012/original/file-20191111-194641-hy2sku.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1010&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/301012/original/file-20191111-194641-hy2sku.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1010&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Lack of convenient storage is a serious obstacle to becoming a regular bike rider.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>For example, Greg (37) confirms the “pain” of poor storage options discourages him from riding more regularly:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>So it’s called the room under the stairs, according to the real estate agent. I don’t know how … And that’s partly the pain of taking it out. I would take it out more often, but every time I have to take it out I have to delicately wheel it here where you are. And sometimes scratch the wall, and then out through the door and gate … I would keep it outside, but my partner won’t let me because he thinks it will be stolen. I would ride more if it was just there, and I’d hop on and off.“ </p>
</blockquote>
<h2>Urban design for convenience matters</h2>
<p>The languishing bike prompts us to ask questions about the urban design of convenience. It’s a key element of any active transport policy that aims to promote cycling and walking. </p>
<p>Something as simple as lockable bike hangars on residential streets might liberate intentions into actions. Such facilities would be everyday visual reminders to cycle and an added symbol that cars are not the only way of occupying roads. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/301020/original/file-20191111-194641-1y1rbhl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/301020/original/file-20191111-194641-1y1rbhl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/301020/original/file-20191111-194641-1y1rbhl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/301020/original/file-20191111-194641-1y1rbhl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/301020/original/file-20191111-194641-1y1rbhl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/301020/original/file-20191111-194641-1y1rbhl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/301020/original/file-20191111-194641-1y1rbhl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/301020/original/file-20191111-194641-1y1rbhl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Bicycle lockers on the street, like these ones in Dublin, Ireland, are a visible sign of a cycle-friendly culture.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/dublin-ireland-july-26-2019-cyclok-1464823145?src=d0ff2874-fe00-4e52-84b1-face4a160961-1-0">Arnieby/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/cycling-and-walking-are-short-changed-when-it-comes-to-transport-funding-in-australia-92574">Cycling and walking are short-changed when it comes to transport funding in Australia</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p><em>We invite others who have started this journey to share and celebrate their stories of failing better, particularly those in the City of Sydney, by <a href="https://cyclingculture.org/2019/11/11/cycling-participation-and-cessation-research/">participating in our research</a>.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/126112/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Glen Fuller receives funding from the Australian Research Council Discovery Grant program for the project Pedalling for Change.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Gordon Waitt receives funding from the Australian Research Council Discovery Grant program for the project Pedalling for Change </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Ian Buchanan receives funding from the Australian Research Council Discovery Grant program for the project Pedalling for Change.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Tess Lea receives funding from the Australian Research Council Discovery Grant program for the project Pedalling for Change. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Theresa Harada does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>
Where bikes are kept is a strong pointer to the place of cycling in the owner’s life. Effective active transport policy starts with understanding what stops people using their bikes instead of cars.
Glen Fuller, Associate Professor Communications and Media, University of Canberra
Gordon Waitt, Professor of Geography, University of Wollongong
Ian Buchanan, Professor of Cultural Studies, University of Wollongong
Tess Lea, Associate Professor, Gender and Cultural Studies, University of Sydney
Theresa Harada, Research Fellow at Australian Centre for Culture, Environment, Society and Space, University of Wollongong
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/109367
2019-11-08T12:15:10Z
2019-11-08T12:15:10Z
E-bikes are coming to federally owned trails: 4 questions answered
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/300171/original/file-20191104-88419-12w9343.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">A cyclist in San Bernadino National Forest, where e-bikes were previously banned.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="http://www.apimages.com/metadata/Index/National-Parks-Electric-Bikes/23d97e5746254348ab41885329b0d12c/26/0">AP/Brian Melley</a></span></figcaption></figure><p><em>Editor’s note: In August, Interior Secretary David Bernhardt <a href="https://www.doi.gov/sites/doi.gov/files/elips/documents/so_3376_-_increasing_recreational_opportunities_through_the_use_of_electric_bikes_-508_0.pdf">announced an order</a> stating that electric bicycles will be allowed on all trails on federally owned land where normal bikes can ride. The move has led to some <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/paloma/the-energy-202/2019/10/16/the-energy-202-trump-administration-wants-to-open-up-more-public-trails-to-e-bikes-no-one-knows-exactly-what-that-means/5da6244c88e0fa3155a71155/">confusion and controversy</a>, as states and municipalities sort out how to comply with the order.</em></p>
<p><em>Parts of the <a href="https://www.bicycleretailer.com/industry-news/2019/08/30/policy-change-paving-way-e-bikes-national-parks#.XcBVDkVKhaE">bike industry</a> and the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1207/ebikepolicy.htm">National Park Service</a> have argued that the move will make public lands accessible to more people. Others are concerned the arrival of e-bikes on federal trails will <a href="https://www.wilderness.org/articles/media-resources/letter-outdoor-groups-opposes-allowing-e-bikes-non-motorized-trails-public-lands">lead to broader use of motorized vehicles</a>.</em></p>
<p><em>John Freemuth, a researcher on public lands policy at Boise State University, weighs in on the rollout of the policy and how it might affect public lands like national parks.</em> </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0aHWC9JneTw?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
</figure>
<h2>1. Why do e-bikes on trails in federal lands raise concern?</h2>
<p>There’s nothing to stop people with those bikes from heading off the trails into areas that are sensitive. I’m not saying even two percent of those folks would do that. But it doesn’t take very many people to harm resources and get in all sorts of trouble. </p>
<p>Also, it’s clear that the secretary has given park superintendents some discretion about where to allow these bikes and where not to allow them. So there’s still a lot of ambiguity in the policy, which I think is concerning. </p>
<h2>2. Why would e-bikes cause more problems than normal bikes?</h2>
<p>Because they’re so fast, you could have a collision a lot more easily than somebody on a regular bike. </p>
<p>It’s <a href="https://americanhiking.org/press-release/national-trail-and-conservation-groups-blast-new-doi-e-bike-order/">alarming people</a> because it goes against why some of these places were set aside and protected. There’s obviously a place for e-bikes in a park unit. But there are places, perhaps, where they shouldn’t be allowed because other people go to national parks for experiences that don’t include whipping around on bikes at 20 miles an hour. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/300351/original/file-20191105-88394-1o0qnlt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/300351/original/file-20191105-88394-1o0qnlt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=449&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/300351/original/file-20191105-88394-1o0qnlt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=449&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/300351/original/file-20191105-88394-1o0qnlt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=449&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/300351/original/file-20191105-88394-1o0qnlt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=565&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/300351/original/file-20191105-88394-1o0qnlt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=565&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/300351/original/file-20191105-88394-1o0qnlt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=565&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Are electric bikes too fast for the trails on federally owned land?</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="http://www.apimages.com/metadata/Index/National-Parks-Electric-Bikes/fdf65cebe245478ebebe481e2fd8b92a/15/0">AP Photo/David Sharp</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>3. What about <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/policy/upload/PM_19-01.pdf">the argument that allowing e-bikes makes these parks accessible to more people</a>?</h2>
<p>You could certainly have instances where people with an e-bike could allow someone to get a bit into the non-wilderness back country. Now, this may require the agencies to have to build different kinds of trails. And that’s always a cost, and a visitor safety issue.</p>
<p>This is public land, and there’s nothing wrong with some use. The question is, though, where is it appropriate and where is it inappropriate? That’s just the dialogue I think we all have to have with each other. </p>
<h2>4. What do you think is the best approach to regulate these bikes on public lands?</h2>
<p>I think we should go slowly. Let’s let our agencies experiment. They could try allowing e-bikes in one area for a while to see what happens. There should be places where they’re prohibited. But we should learn by doing and develop more effective policy by observation. </p>
<p>Again, the agencies do have discretion to decide what to do here. But it’s not clear from some of the policies how closely they are supposed to follow state and local rules and follow their own policies and procedures on federal lands. And their policies should come first, I would argue. So I’d urge them to go slow and begin to learn where these bikes are acceptable, and don’t cause problems, and places where they shouldn’t be allowed.</p>
<p>[ <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/us/newsletters?utm_source=TCUS&utm_medium=inline-link&utm_campaign=newsletter-text&utm_content=expertise">Expertise in your inbox. Sign up for The Conversation’s newsletter and get a digest of academic takes on today’s news, every day.</a></em> ]</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/109367/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>John Freemuth receives funding from BLM and USGS. I am a professor but work closely with the Andrus Center for Public Policy at Boise State University. </span></em></p>
The Trump administration has moved to allow electric bikes on all federally owned trails where normal bikes are allowed. A public lands scholar weighs in on the issues this could cause.
John Freemuth, Cecil D. Andrus Endowed Chair for Environment and Public Lands and University Distinguished Professor, Boise State University
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/113880
2019-04-11T21:28:29Z
2019-04-11T21:28:29Z
Better city bike maps are made by volunteers
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/266369/original/file-20190328-139377-36ocka.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">A safe, connected network of bike lanes and paths encourages cycling.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Not all bike routes are equal. Some places that are marked as bike routes on a map feel precarious when traversed on two wheels, including shoulders covered in debris and places where you can feel the wind from speeding cars. </p>
<p>North American cities are building <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01441647.2017.1340234">more bicycling routes</a>, by adding <a href="https://nacto.org/publication/urban-bikeway-design-guide/">on-street painted lanes, physically separated cycle tracks, bicycle-only or multi-use paths and local street bikeways</a>. These different kinds of routes appeal to different types of users, from the interested but concerned cyclist to the keen road rider. </p>
<p>Despite this boost in biking infrastructure, a city’s website may not immediately reflect the changes or it may lack important information that can make cycling safer or more enjoyable.</p>
<p>Web-based maps that allow people to add information about bike routes give riders detailed data about the type of route, what it might feel like to ride there (do you have to ride close to cars?) and where it can take them (for example, shopping, work or school). </p>
<p>They can also tell us which Canadian city is the most bike-friendly. </p>
<h2>Measuring bike routes</h2>
<p>We set out to assemble a dataset of bike routes in Canadian cities using their <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01441647.2015.1084067">open data websites</a>. But we found it was nearly impossible to keep it up-to-date because cities are constantly changing and the data are shared using different standards. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/266198/original/file-20190327-139352-3g2971.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/266198/original/file-20190327-139352-3g2971.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/266198/original/file-20190327-139352-3g2971.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/266198/original/file-20190327-139352-3g2971.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/266198/original/file-20190327-139352-3g2971.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/266198/original/file-20190327-139352-3g2971.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/266198/original/file-20190327-139352-3g2971.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A physically separated cycle track in Victoria, B.C.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">E. Gatti (TeamInteract.ca)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The solution was <a href="https://www.openstreetmap.org">OpenStreetMap</a>, which <a href="https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Main_Page">creates and distributes free geographic data</a>. Anyone can add data or make edits to OpenStreetMap, whether they want to build a better bike map or make a navigation app. </p>
<p>We looked at OpenStreetMap data for three large cities (Vancouver, Toronto and Montréal) and three mid-sized cities (Victoria, Kelowna and Halifax) in Canada. </p>
<p>Not only did the data in OpenStreetMap agree reasonably well with the cities’ open data, in many cases it was more up-to-date. OpenStreetMap tended to include more local details such as when painted bike lanes ended and often marked the short cuts connecting suburban streets. </p>
<h2>How did OpenStreetMap measure up?</h2>
<p>Our <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/15568318.2018.1519746">analysis focused</a> on how well different types of routes were mapped. We measured cycle tracks (which physically separate bikes from motorized traffic), on-street painted bike lanes (which use painted lines to separate bikes from motorized traffic), bike paths (which are located away from streets) and local street bikeways (which include traffic-calming features and where bicycling is encouraged).</p>
<p>Painted bike lanes are the most common type of route and also the most consistently well mapped. This makes sense, because the definition of a painted bike lane may be clearest across time and place. There is also a straightforward way for volunteers to tag it on OpenStreetMap. </p>
<p>But it was harder for us to distinguish cycle tracks from on-street painted lanes or paths (bicycle-only or multi-use) using OpenStreetMap. Local street bikeways were challenging to identify because of the wide range of ways cities design these kinds of routes along residential roads. Some use traffic-calming measures such as curb extensions, traffic islands, speed humps and raised traffic crossings to slow vehicle traffic and encourage safety, or greenery, reduced speed limits and bike-friendly markings on signs and the road surface.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/266199/original/file-20190327-139356-soj1dk.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/266199/original/file-20190327-139356-soj1dk.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=267&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/266199/original/file-20190327-139356-soj1dk.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=267&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/266199/original/file-20190327-139356-soj1dk.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=267&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/266199/original/file-20190327-139356-soj1dk.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=336&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/266199/original/file-20190327-139356-soj1dk.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=336&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/266199/original/file-20190327-139356-soj1dk.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=336&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Correspondence between OpenStreetMap and Open Data for categories of bicycling infrastructure.</span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Bicycle routes that are physically separated from motor vehicles and pedestrians, like cycle tracks and bicycle-only paths, have the <a href="https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2012.300762">greatest benefits for bicycling safety</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s11116-010-9284-y">encourage bike use</a>. </p>
<p>Ease of access to bicycle routes is important to a city’s overall bicycle friendliness, but there are other important things to consider including the <a href="https://www.walkscore.com/bike-score-methodology.shtml">distance to destinations, the number, slope and length of hills, number of riders</a> and how the <a href="https://www.qut.edu.au/news?id=141968">transportation culture of a city can influence its safety</a>. </p>
<h2>Bike-friendly Canadian cities</h2>
<p>Our results showed that Montréal has the <a href="https://www.citylab.com/transportation/2017/05/is-montreal-still-north-americas-cycling-capital/527214/">greatest total distance in cycle tracks in Canada</a>. As cities continue building more bicycle routes, researchers and planners can use OpenStreetMap to measure these changes on the ground. </p>
<p>The perfect bicycle map is up-to-date, covers the entire globe and gives riders an idea of the kinds of experiences to expect on different trails, roads and paths. People cycling in cities can contribute to the high-quality geographic data needed to understand changes in bicycle friendliness. </p>
<p>But OpenStreetMap is only as good as its contributions. The exciting thing is that anyone who wants a better bike map — city planners, researchers and everyday riders — can join the bike-mapping revolution by logging in to OpenStreetMap and mapping the features that are important to bicyclists.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/113880/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Colin Ferster receives funding from the Public Health Agency of Canada.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Meghan Winters receives funding for bicycling research from the Public Health Agency of Canada, the Canadian Institutes for Health Research, the Social Science and Humanities Research Council, and local goverment and public health organizations. </span></em></p>
Volunteers can contribute data to maps that help cyclists choose their routes and let planners know how city cycling can be improved.
Colin Ferster, Post-doctoral fellow, University of Victoria
Meghan Winters, Associate Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/111713
2019-02-20T11:36:12Z
2019-02-20T11:36:12Z
Why US cities are becoming more dangerous for cyclists and pedestrians
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/259831/original/file-20190219-43255-lz5jw5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Cycling advocates set up 'ghost bikes,' like this one in Brooklyn, in memory of bikers killed in traffic.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://flic.kr/p/556oZe">Nick Gray</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>As cities strive to improve the quality of life for their residents, many are working to promote walking and biking. Such policies make sense, since they can, in the long run, lead to less traffic, cleaner air and healthier people. But the results aren’t all positive, especially in the short to medium term.</p>
<p>In Washington D.C., for example, traffic fatalities as a whole declined in 2018 compared to the year before, but the number of pedestrian and bicyclist deaths <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/pedestrians-continue-to-be-at-high-risk-on-washington-regions-roads-data-show/2019/02/09/e6a4e7a8-1f52-11e9-8b59-0a28f2191131_story.html?utm_term=.bf31bf0e0b04">increased by 20 percent</a>. Pedestrian deaths also have <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/01/nyregion/traffic-deaths-decrease-nyc.html">risen in New York</a>, and pedestrian and cycling fatalities have <a href="https://www.outsideonline.com/2313301/would-you-ride-bike-los-angeles">increased in Los Angeles</a> in the past several years.</p>
<p>Across the nation, cyclist fatalities have increased by 25 percent since 2010 and pedestrian deaths have risen by <a href="https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/facts_stats/">a staggering 45 percent</a>. More people are being killed because cities are encouraging residents to walk and bike, but their roads are still dominated by fast-moving vehicular traffic. As <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/17450100903434998">my research has shown</a>, this shifting mix can be deadly.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/259833/original/file-20190219-43264-wwnrt9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/259833/original/file-20190219-43264-wwnrt9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/259833/original/file-20190219-43264-wwnrt9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=378&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/259833/original/file-20190219-43264-wwnrt9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=378&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/259833/original/file-20190219-43264-wwnrt9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=378&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/259833/original/file-20190219-43264-wwnrt9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=475&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/259833/original/file-20190219-43264-wwnrt9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=475&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/259833/original/file-20190219-43264-wwnrt9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=475&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Cyclists walk their bikes through a downtown Los Angeles intersection on a car-free day in parts of the city, Oct. 18, 2015.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="http://www.apimages.com/metadata/Index/Car-Free-LA/215e737e5f294e0fb449f1db6350c573/9/0">AP Photo/Richard Vogel</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>The long decline in traffic fatalities</h2>
<p>From a long-term perspective, traffic fatalities in the United States <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motor_vehicle_fatality_rate_in_U.S._by_year#/media/File:US_traffic_deaths_per_VMT,_VMT,_per_capita,_and_total_annual_deaths.png">are declining</a>. In the early 1970s, almost 55,000 Americans were killed in traffic accidents yearly, including people in vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists. By 2017 that figure had fallen to around 40,000, even with an increase in the number of vehicle miles driven. </p>
<p>The overall decline is a confirmation of Smeed’s Law, named after <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/2984177?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents">R.J. Smeed</a>, a scholar at the United Kingdom’s Road Research Laboratory. Smeed found that initially, with the early introduction of motor vehicles, traffic deaths tend to rise. Around the world, almost <a href="https://www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/road_safety_status/2018/en/">1.35 million people die each year</a> in traffic accidents, but 93 percent of those fatalities occur in low- and middle- income countries where mass vehicle usage is a recent phenomenon. </p>
<p>As manufacturers produce safer vehicles, cities improve roads and drivers become more adept, fatalities <a href="http://real.mtak.hu/30558/7/is_smeeds_law_still_valid.pdf">tend to decline</a>. But Smeed’s Law only seems to hold up for people in cars – not for other road users. </p>
<p>A <a href="https://www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/road_safety_status/2018/en/">global status report</a> shows that road traffic injuries are now the single biggest cause of death for children and young adults, and that more than half of all traffic deaths are pedestrians, bicyclists and motorcyclists. In the United States, driver fatalities fell from 27,348 in 2006 to 23,611 in 2017, but <a href="https://www.iihs.org/iihs/topics/t/pedestrians-and-bicyclists/fatalityfacts/pedestrians">pedestrian and cyclist fatalities increased</a> from 5,567 to 6,760. </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vaWqbQf3ZqY?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Lower-density cities that are heavily car-dependent, such as Phoenix, tend to be more dangerous for pedestrians.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>The vehicle-centric city</h2>
<p>Modern U.S. cities are designed largely for motor vehicles. At the turn of the 20th century, people and cars shared city streets, which served as places for children to play, adults to walk and neighbors to meet. From the 1900s to the early 1930s <a href="https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/fighting-traffic">a battle was fought</a> as motor vehicles became increasingly dominant. As traffic fatalities rose, angry mobs <a href="https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan-history/2015/04/26/auto-traffic-history-detroit/26312107/">dragged reckless drivers from their cars</a>, and some cities printed “murder maps” showing where people had been killed in traffic.</p>
<p>However, automotive interests won out. From the 1950s forward, city streets lost their conviviality. Roads were engineered for fast-moving and unhindered vehicular traffic, with few pedestrian crossings or bike lanes. </p>
<p>Even today, motorists in many cities are able to turn onto streets at intersections where pedestrians are also crossing. Most pedestrians and bicyclists are killed or injured while they are <a href="https://www.bostonmagazine.com/news/2018/05/01/anita-kurmann-bicycle-crash-boston/">obeying the law</a>.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"851921674400346113"}"></div></p>
<h2>A new Wild West</h2>
<p>In the 21st century, a new city ideal has emerged of a more bike-friendly, walking-oriented city. But piecemeal implementation of bike lanes, pedestrianized zones and traffic calming measures often just adds to the confusion. </p>
<p>Many bike lanes and pedestrianized zones only extend for short distances. Most American drivers have yet to fully appreciate that urban streets are to be shared. And even in the best of times, cars and trucks are not good at sharing the road. Vehicle drivers are often <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1145/3122986.3123009">moving too fast to identify and respond</a> to pedestrians and bicyclists. Blind spots for drivers can be <a href="http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/2008/11/30/what-cyclists-need-to-know-about-trucks/">death traps for other road users</a>. </p>
<p>Then there’s the asymmetry. Drivers are operating fast-moving lethal weapons, and are encased in a protective shield. And speed literally kills. A car hitting a pedestrian at 36 to 45 mph per hour is <a href="https://one.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/research/pub/hs809012.html">four times more likely to cause death</a> than a vehicle traveling between 26 to 30 mph. </p>
<p>Adding to the dangers are <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-value-of-unplugging-in-the-age-of-distraction-43572">distracted drivers and pedestrians</a> and the introduction of <a href="https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2018/10/31/506097.htm">electric scooters</a>. Some observers also believe an epidemic of <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/freedom-learn/201401/why-is-narcissism-increasing-among-young-americans">narcissism</a> is causing <a href="https://www.psychologicalscience.org/news/motr/narcissism-is-a-driving-hazard-research-suggests.html">more aggressive driving</a>. </p>
<p>All of these factors are making walking and bicycling more dangerous. While pedestrian deaths in Norway declined by 37 percent from 2010 to 2016, in the United States they increased by 39 percent. Non-driver traffic fatalities are increasing in the United States at <a href="https://www.itf-oecd.org/sites/default/files/docs/irtad-road-safety-annual-report-2018_0.pdf">higher rates than most other wealthy nations</a>.</p>
<figure>
<iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/263377367" width="500" height="281" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen="" mozallowfullscreen="" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Large trucks turning right are particularly dangerous for cyclists.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>A better vision</h2>
<p>Vision Zero, a strategy first proposed in Sweden in 1997, imagines cities with <a href="https://visionzeronetwork.org">no traffic fatalities or serious injuries</a>. At least 18 U.S. cities and states have signed on to reach that goal by 2024, including <a href="https://www.boston.gov/transportation/vision-zero">Boston</a>, <a href="http://visionzerochicago.org">Chicago</a>, <a href="http://visionzero.lacity.org">Los Angeles</a>, <a href="https://www1.nyc.gov/site/visionzero/index.page">New York</a> and <a href="https://ddot.dc.gov/page/vision-zero-initiative">Washington D.C.</a></p>
<p>Strategies vary from one city to another. Boston, for example, has <a href="https://visionzeronetwork.org/cities-can-look-to-boston-iihs-for-inspiration-to-reduce-speed-limits/">reduced the city speed limit</a> from 30 miles per hour to 25 mph. Washington D.C. is improving 36 intersections that pose threats to pedestrians and enacting more bicycle-friendly policies. These cities still have far to go, but they are moving in the right direction.</p>
<p>There are many more options. Manufacturers can make vehicles <a href="https://www.rospa.com/rospaweb/docs/advice-services/road-safety/vehicles/pedestrian-protection.pdf">less threatening to pedestrians and bicyclists</a> by reducing the height of front bumpers. And cities can <a href="https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2018/10/26/18025000/walkable-city-walk-score-economy">make streets safer</a> with a combination of speed limit reductions, traffic calming measures, “road diets” for neighborhoods that limit traffic speed and volume, and better education for all road users. </p>
<p>Initiatives to create more pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly infrastructure should also be sensitive to <a href="https://theconversation.com/bike-friendly-cities-should-be-designed-for-everyone-not-just-for-wealthy-white-cyclists-109485">social and class differences</a> that may shape local priorities. And advocates contend that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tra.2015.04.003">shifting to autonomous vehicles</a> could make streets safer, although the <a href="https://theconversation.com/even-self-driving-cars-need-driver-education-97644">verdict is still out on this claim</a>. </p>
<p>The most radical shift will require not only re-engineering urban traffic, but also <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0631158243/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i9">reimagining our cities</a>. In my view, we need to think of them as shared spaces with slower traffic, and see neighborhood streets as places to live in and share, not just to drive through at high speed.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/111713/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>John Rennie Short does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>
US cities were designed and engineered around cars. Now some are working to increase walking and biking, but the shift isn’t easy.
John Rennie Short, Professor, School of Public Policy, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/106503
2018-12-17T21:42:49Z
2018-12-17T21:42:49Z
Build it and they will ride: Bicycle geography lessons for Toronto
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/244830/original/file-20181109-39548-165yqad.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">With more cyclists and bike-related fatalities, Toronto city council should consider public safety.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Andrew Gook/Unsplash</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>To paraphrase urbanist James Howard Kunstler, Toronto city council is <a href="https://www.ted.com/talks/james_howard_kunstler_dissects_suburbia">sleepwalking into the future</a>. While 21st century Toronto’s shift to multi-modal transportation (public transit, automobiles, feet, bicycles, motor cycles, scooters, and skateboards, among others) is already under way, council stubbornly resists its formal implementation. </p>
<p>We see the catastrophic results of city council’s inaction — negligence — every week. On Nov. 1, 2018, there were <a href="https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2018/11/02/16-pedestrians-were-struck-by-vehicles-thursday-evening.html">16 vehicle/pedestrian collisions</a>. This echoed another terrible 24-hour period in October of 2016, when <a href="https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/dangerous-roads-18-pedestrians-struck-1-killed-in-toronto-thursday-1.3125224">18 people</a> were struck by motor vehicles. And still another in 2015, with <a href="http://globalnews.ca/news/2303645/multiple-pedestriansstruck-%20prompts-warning-by-toronto-police/">15 collisions</a> in one day. </p>
<p>Fatalities have risen from an average of 47 per year (2005-12) to <a href="https://www.toronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/990f-2017-Vision-Zero-Road-Safety-Plan_June1.pdf">64 per year</a> (2013-16), a consequence of the increase in people on automobilized streets. So far in 2018, 38 cyclists and pedestrians have died on Toronto streets.</p>
<p>Part of the problem is that too many city councillors have repeatedly voted against bicyclists, bike lanes and multi-modality in general. One infamous and intractable (and now turfed) councillor said, “<a href="https://pressprogress.ca/12-times-giorgio-mammoliti-proved-hes-the-most-embarrassing-city-councillor-in-toronto/">I do not believe bicycles should be on roads at all</a>.” How odd. This is not what city councillors thought a century ago.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/250552/original/file-20181213-178552-x4qrk6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/250552/original/file-20181213-178552-x4qrk6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/250552/original/file-20181213-178552-x4qrk6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=303&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/250552/original/file-20181213-178552-x4qrk6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=303&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/250552/original/file-20181213-178552-x4qrk6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=303&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/250552/original/file-20181213-178552-x4qrk6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=381&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/250552/original/file-20181213-178552-x4qrk6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=381&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/250552/original/file-20181213-178552-x4qrk6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=381&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">An early attempt to envision multimodality, by the Toronto Civic Guild (Civic Guild Bulletin, Vol. 1 (June 1912): 10).</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Toronto Civic Guild</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>The ‘bicycle-friendly’ council</h2>
<p>At the beginning of the 20th century, Toronto city council embraced bicycles and their riders. City councillors worked with city engineers, bicycle clubs <a href="https://journals.lib.unb.ca/index.php/MCR/article/view/18058">and the Canadian Wheelman’s Association</a> (CWA) to pave streets with asphalt, organize cinder bicycle paths, pave and maintain the so-called “<a href="https://journals.lib.unb.ca/index.php/MCR/article/view/18058">devil strips</a>” (narrow strips of roadway between the opposite running streetcar tracks) and fix the interminable pot holes in the city’s ubiquitous <a href="https://utorontopress.com/ca/newspaper-city-1">cedar block roads</a>. Council did this to encourage bicycling in a city where “<a href="https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=qxL8FJ1GzNcC&dat=18980409&printsec=frontpage&hl=en">tides of cyclists</a>” used the streets. City councillors, many of whom were cyclists themselves, <a href="https://www.routledge.com/Cycling-and-Society/Horton-Rosen-Cox/p/book/9780754648444">passed bylaws regulating cycling in 1895</a>. These councillors appreciated that “<a href="https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=qxL8FJ1GzNcC&dat=18980420&printsec=frontpage&hl=en">the thousands of bicyclists of (the) city will hail with pleasure any move on part of the Council</a>” to make the streets accessible to them.</p>
<p>Why and how does the present city council not see the urban social geographic and economic utility of the bicycle? Likely because it needs a lesson in transportation geography — and it can’t get one soon enough. So here’s a simple, introductory concept: Build it and they will come.</p>
<h2>Traffic generation</h2>
<p>In 1900, <a href="https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015030597143;view=1up;seq=567"><em>Scribner’s</em></a> magazine published a typically dry civil engineering piece by William Barclay Parsons, the chief engineer of the New York Rapid Transit Commission. In the article, Parsons imparted this transportation planning gem:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“Whenever a new line has been built in New York, although the first effect may have been — but not always — to draw traffic from a parallel and near-by road, such withdrawal has been but temporary; and in a short time the natural growth of the city, stimulated by the new means of transportation offered, has been sufficient to provide requisite traffic for the new line and increased traffic for the old ones.” </p>
</blockquote>
<p>In other words, each time Parsons built a new subway line, he generated traffic on all the lines. </p>
<p>This observation was not exclusive to Parsons. In his well-thumbed “<a href="https://archive.org/details/streetpavements00tillgoog">Street Pavements and Paving Materials: A Manual of City Pavements</a>” — also published in 1900 — Canadian road engineer George Tillson made a similar contention. Writing about the practices and problems of road paving, he insisted that: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>“It must be remembered that when any one road is selected to be made into a thoroughfare, traffic will be immediately diverted to it and the wear of the pavement abnormally increased.” </p>
</blockquote>
<p>For Tillson, the principle was: Pave it and they will come.</p>
<p>American road-builder Robert Moses learned these same lessons through his automobility experiments in mid-20th century New York. He intuited that what Parsons was really talking about was traffic generation: the idea that a public transit line or, in his case, a highway, is constructed to increase traffic volume. </p>
<p>Every time Moses built a road or bridge, traffic invariably choked it, and he would have to build another. This was intentional and he admitted it. <a href="http://www.syracuseuniversitypress.syr.edu/fall-2006/alabaster-cities.html">As he said</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“We wouldn’t have any American economy without the automobile business. That’s literally true… this is a great industry that has to go on, and has to keep on turning out cars and trucks and buses, and there have to be places for them to run. There have to be modern roads, modern arteries. Somebody’s got to build them …” </p>
</blockquote>
<p>So Moses and his road-building acolytes did, creating the automobile economy in the process. </p>
<p>The transportation geography principle that Toronto Council must learn is this: build public transit and you will increase the demand for public transit routes and increase ridership. A public transit culture and economy will follow. </p>
<p>Choose instead to build roads, and the principle remains the same: you will increase the demand for roads, and increase drivers and driving culture, resulting in an automobile economy. </p>
<h2>It works for bicycles, too…</h2>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/250298/original/file-20181212-110243-1ncjk6m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/250298/original/file-20181212-110243-1ncjk6m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/250298/original/file-20181212-110243-1ncjk6m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=440&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/250298/original/file-20181212-110243-1ncjk6m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=440&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/250298/original/file-20181212-110243-1ncjk6m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=440&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/250298/original/file-20181212-110243-1ncjk6m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=553&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/250298/original/file-20181212-110243-1ncjk6m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=553&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/250298/original/file-20181212-110243-1ncjk6m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=553&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A cyclist rides past as workers lay down streetcar tracks at the Toronto intersection of Broadview and Queen. June 12, 1918.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/torontohistory/4660928964/in/photolist-86PhXa-86PgzD-86StGf-86SsxS-86Ss6d-86SwC7-86SpLN-86SsWQ-7WUMwC-86StCo-86StTy-86Ssab-86Pi9e-86Sua5-86PgMk-86Pgae-86Phe4-86Phqn-86Sw8h-86Pi3K-86Ph7R-86Pgm2-86St39-86Ssso-86PhjR-24ac6X2-86StNd">Arthur Goss/flickr</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>As Toronto undertook <a href="https://utorontopress.com/ca/newspaper-city-1">the arduous and contentious process of paving its streets with asphalt in the 1890s</a>, the bicycle population swelled. The CWA estimated an impressive <a href="https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=qxL8FJ1GzNcC&dat=18980505&printsec=frontpage&hl=en">30,000 bicyclists</a> in 1898, when the city’s population was about 225,000. Within a decade, <a href="https://journals.lib.unb.ca/index.php/MCR/article/view/18058">Toronto went from having virtually no asphalt in 1890 to possessing more than 25 miles of it in 1898</a>. </p>
<p>The city struggled to keep this early asphalt in reasonable condition, but not for want of <a href="https://journals.lib.unb.ca/index.php/MCR/article/view/18058">councillor support</a> or the city engineer’s scrutiny. As City Engineer Edward Keating <a href="https://books.google.ca/books?id=fts1AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA1&lpg=PA1&dq=Annual+Report+of+the+City+Engineer+of+Toronto+for+1895&source=bl&ots=EGFWh6RDru&sig=7U0jpq9Fy99vCRjn-VpBvl3IRrg&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiJj8KGvLjeAhVO3FMKHU7PDHIQ6AEwA3oECAkQAQ#v=onepag">noted in his annual report to Council in 1895</a>: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>“Having regard to the extensive use of the asphalt pavements by the numerous bicycle riders in this City, it is almost more important to keep the asphalt roadways in perfect order than any other class of pavement in order to avoid accidents, as it is almost impossible to notice holes in the surface after dark owing to the color of the material.” </p>
</blockquote>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/250306/original/file-20181212-110234-njw391.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/250306/original/file-20181212-110234-njw391.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/250306/original/file-20181212-110234-njw391.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=406&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/250306/original/file-20181212-110234-njw391.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=406&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/250306/original/file-20181212-110234-njw391.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=406&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/250306/original/file-20181212-110234-njw391.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=510&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/250306/original/file-20181212-110234-njw391.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=510&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/250306/original/file-20181212-110234-njw391.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=510&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Cyclists ride on the designated Bloor Street bike lanes in Toronto in October 2017.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="http://www.cpimages.com/fotoweb/cpimages_details.pop.fwx?position=1&archiveType=ImageFolder&sorting=ModifiedTimeAsc&search=toronto%20and%20cyclists&fileId=27F557D8E300A91FC3026216E51A2B2F622F499D5C2008D8DD0EDF364DA6E051E0339B7BFC28E93C6E1B3677D5047C096E14F5DCE16A8447C37EFD6BD6A840FD42B9785F0DAEB660F082425A18B10D912447BF796A9C67F224E40403B57A3D0F54E3C7FFA34B9A28F975D657098068ED689286EB2EBD49F9E47599DF781200FC8DAAF542411804C0623F2F2BAA7A41B74921D4D6924B0A0467523A84DCA513B0">Nathan Denette/CP</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Anyone who knows anything about the history of bicycling in Toronto can affirm that formal municipal interest in bicycling was a contributor to the broader development of the city’s early bicycle — and street — culture.</p>
<p>So we can add a third — “bicycle geography” — element to our public transit- and highway-building principles: if you build a bicycle lane, you will increase the demand for bicycles and increase the number of people who ride. The outcomes will include a bicycle economy and culture, lower carbon emissions, cleaner air, less motor vehicle traffic volume, reduced risk for commuters and safer streets for all Torontonians.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/106503/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Phillip Gordon Mackintosh has received funding from SSHRCC for part of the research used in this article. </span></em></p>
Build it and they will come: when cities plan for bike lanes, it results in more bicyclists and encourages a bicycle economy.
Phillip Gordon Mackintosh, Associate Professor of Geography, Brock University
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/105368
2018-11-12T19:01:40Z
2018-11-12T19:01:40Z
Kyoto on the path to becoming the Copenhagen of Asia
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/244717/original/file-20181109-116844-1yttgaf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Most of Kyoto’s narrow streets could become no-car zones.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="license">Author provided</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Against the backdrop of climate scientists <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/oct/08/global-warming-must-not-exceed-15c-warns-landmark-un-report">warning</a> that we have 12 years to cut carbon emissions to avoid disastrous climate change, Kyoto is searching for an alternative, sustainable future. The Japanese city is moving away from heavy reliance on cars and towards getting around by public transport, cycling and walking. Already, more than three-quarters of personal trips in the city are not by car.</p>
<p>With the 2010 <a href="https://www.japanfs.org/en/news/archives/news_id030287.html">Walkable Kyoto Declaration</a>, the city aimed to stop being a car-dominated society. Kyoto has an ambitious <a href="http://www.city.kyoto.lg.jp/tokei/cmsfiles/contents/0000241/241250/sintyoku.pdf">list of 94 projects</a> promoting walkability.</p>
<p>The results so far are impressive, according to <a href="http://www.city.kyoto.lg.jp/tokei/cmsfiles/contents/0000241/241250/4kaigisiryou.pdf">municipal government data</a>. Use of public transport has increased significantly. Car traffic entering the city is declining year on year, as is use of car parking. Only 9.3% of tourist movements in the city were by car compared to 21% in 2011.</p>
<p>As a result of this, emissions from transportation in 2015 were <a href="http://www.city.kyoto.lg.jp/tokei/cmsfiles/contents/0000241/241250/4kaigisiryou.pdf">20% lower than 1990</a> levels.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/244719/original/file-20181109-116838-aunjzd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/244719/original/file-20181109-116838-aunjzd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/244719/original/file-20181109-116838-aunjzd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=486&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/244719/original/file-20181109-116838-aunjzd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=486&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/244719/original/file-20181109-116838-aunjzd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=486&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/244719/original/file-20181109-116838-aunjzd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=611&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/244719/original/file-20181109-116838-aunjzd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=611&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/244719/original/file-20181109-116838-aunjzd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=611&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Survey by Kyoto municipal government of 1,000 citizens on their mode of transport for personal trips.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Kyoto municipal government</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>A city made for cycling</h2>
<p>Kyoto is determined to improve on this. The next target is to enhance opportunities for cycling.</p>
<p>Cycling is the best way to see the city. Whether you are a resident or a tourist, cycling is the secret to unlocking Kyoto’s beauty and experiencing its <a href="https://www.insidekyoto.com/kyoto-unesco-world-heritage-sites">heritage sites</a>. An increasing number of the 50 million tourists a year are choosing to rent a bike.</p>
<p>Kyoto is a compact, flat city with a grid structure. This makes it easy to cycle and navigate. Kyoto has been <a href="https://www.travel-associates.com.au/luxury-holidays-news/20150513-best-cities-to-explore-by-bike">described</a> as one of the ten best cities to explore by bike.</p>
<p>Navigating the city by bicycle is both convenient and efficient. Bicycles provide mobility that’s accessible for a wide range of demographics, from school kids to parents with their toddlers on board to over-65s taking a short trip to the local shops. </p>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/244720/original/file-20181109-116823-1wjh2x.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/244720/original/file-20181109-116823-1wjh2x.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/244720/original/file-20181109-116823-1wjh2x.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=799&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/244720/original/file-20181109-116823-1wjh2x.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=799&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/244720/original/file-20181109-116823-1wjh2x.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=799&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/244720/original/file-20181109-116823-1wjh2x.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1004&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/244720/original/file-20181109-116823-1wjh2x.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1004&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/244720/original/file-20181109-116823-1wjh2x.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1004&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Cycling through the Imperial Gardens.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>In June 2018 one of Japan’s first shared cycle schemes, <a href="https://e.kyoto-np.jp/news/20180609/3190.html">Pippa, popped up in Kyoto</a> with 100 bikes in 22 locations. There are plans to increase to 500 bikes in 50 locations by the end of the year. Proposals for shared electric bicycles would broaden the variety of users able to navigate the city by bike.</p>
<h2>Mobility policy innovation</h2>
<p>While we both have cycled extensively around Kyoto and appreciate the many wonders and delights, we are fascinated by the mobility experience for regular people living in Kyoto.</p>
<p>That is one reason we are impressed by the March 2015 New Kyoto City Bicycle Plan, which replaced a 2010 plan.</p>
<p>This new plan identifies the promotion of cycling as healthy across various realms — for the society, economy and sustainability of the city overall.</p>
<p>Cycling trends in Kyoto provide cause for optimism. It now has close to 45km of official cycleways. While not as big as European cycling cities like Copenhagen (which boasts 416km of cycleways), <a href="https://kyoto-option.com/english/map/#Original-Made-KYOTO-Cycling-Map-for-Free">Kyoto’s network</a> is relatively large for an Asian city.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/244722/original/file-20181109-116826-cdwtk2.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/244722/original/file-20181109-116826-cdwtk2.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/244722/original/file-20181109-116826-cdwtk2.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/244722/original/file-20181109-116826-cdwtk2.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/244722/original/file-20181109-116826-cdwtk2.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/244722/original/file-20181109-116826-cdwtk2.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/244722/original/file-20181109-116826-cdwtk2.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/244722/original/file-20181109-116826-cdwtk2.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Cycling through the city centre along the Kamo River.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>On-street discarding of bicycles has declined 27-fold since 2001. Bicycle parking space has increased by 65% in the same period.</p>
<p>Two in every three Kyotoites own a bicycle, compared to one in every three owning a car. Car ownership is dropping year by year.</p>
<p>More kids cycle to school in Kyoto than almost any other city in Japan (only Osaka is higher). Cycling is on the increase for people between the ages of 20 and 34, as well as those between 65 and 69.</p>
<h2>Need to educate cyclists and drivers</h2>
<p>A few obstacles still stand in the way of Kyoto achieving its sustainable mobility goals.</p>
<p>First of all, only 33% of cyclists cycle on the road. Everyone else uses the pavement, meaning neither pedestrians nor cyclists feel safe.</p>
<p>Second, cyclists across Japan are notorious for not following rules. They ignore signals, ride the opposite direction to traffic, listen to music or use their phone while cycling, cycle with a passenger on the back, cycle with an umbrella in the rain, don’t wear helmets and rarely cycle with lights at night.</p>
<figure class="align-left zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/244724/original/file-20181109-116826-1ta8uca.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/244724/original/file-20181109-116826-1ta8uca.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/244724/original/file-20181109-116826-1ta8uca.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=800&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/244724/original/file-20181109-116826-1ta8uca.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=800&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/244724/original/file-20181109-116826-1ta8uca.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=800&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/244724/original/file-20181109-116826-1ta8uca.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1005&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/244724/original/file-20181109-116826-1ta8uca.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1005&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/244724/original/file-20181109-116826-1ta8uca.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1005&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Bicycle signage on Kyoto roads is becoming ubiquitous.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>In other words, Japanese cyclists are perceived to be, at times, reckless. This explains why a third of Kyoto’s cycling policies focus on improving cyclists’ manners. It also explains why the municipality introduced a mandatory bicycle insurance scheme from April 2018. That’s something other cities could copy.</p>
<p>The Kyoto bicycle plan focuses on measures to enhance the visibility of cyclists with road markings as well as extensive educational programmes for car drivers and cyclists on road etiquette.</p>
<p>The good news is that the number of accidents involving cyclists in the city has declined by 40% since 2004 and represents 20% of all accidents. This is close to what we find in Copenhagen.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/244725/original/file-20181109-116838-mq8kq.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/244725/original/file-20181109-116838-mq8kq.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/244725/original/file-20181109-116838-mq8kq.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/244725/original/file-20181109-116838-mq8kq.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/244725/original/file-20181109-116838-mq8kq.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/244725/original/file-20181109-116838-mq8kq.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/244725/original/file-20181109-116838-mq8kq.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/244725/original/file-20181109-116838-mq8kq.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">New dedicated cycleways in Kyoto are helping to reduce accidents.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>What else can Kyoto do?</h2>
<p>A continued focus on social design and innovation is the answer to Kyoto’s mobility challenges. The city’s population is projected to shrink by 13% between 2010 and 2040 (reaching around 1.28 million). At the same time, the proportion of over-65s will increase significantly.</p>
<p>This suggests private car ownership will continue to decline, by an estimated 6-10% a year. The bicycle ownership rate is likely to increase by 7% or more each year.</p>
<p>In this context, the focus on public transport, cycling and walking makes a great deal of sense.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/244726/original/file-20181109-116850-1woyexg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/244726/original/file-20181109-116850-1woyexg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/244726/original/file-20181109-116850-1woyexg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=398&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/244726/original/file-20181109-116850-1woyexg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=398&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/244726/original/file-20181109-116850-1woyexg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=398&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/244726/original/file-20181109-116850-1woyexg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=500&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/244726/original/file-20181109-116850-1woyexg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=500&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/244726/original/file-20181109-116850-1woyexg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=500&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Kyoto could become the world’s most walkable city.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>But Kyoto could still do a lot more to reduce car traffic, especially in the city centre. Manchester in the UK provides a useful example. It recently announced plans to <a href="https://planetradio.co.uk/hits-radio/manchester/news/1-5-billion-investment-into-uk-biggest-cycle-network-right-her-in-manchester/">invest £1.5 billion (A$2.7 billion) in a 1,600km cycle network</a>.</p>
<p>Another model for Kyoto to follow is that of the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/cities/gallery/2018/jun/11/copenhagenize-case-urban-cycling-graphs">world’s most bicycle-friendly city – Copenhagen</a>.</p>
<p>Today many cities across the world are seeking to “Copenhagenize”. In the future, we want them to be able to follow Kyoto as a model of best practice for Asian city sustainability.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/105368/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>
The city where the Kyoto Protocol was signed resolved some years ago to move away from cars and towards low-emission alternatives for getting around. And it’s making real progress towards that goal.
Brendan Barrett, Specially Appointed Professor, Center for the Study of Co*Design, Osaka University
Larissa Hjorth, Professor of Mobile Media and Games, RMIT University
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/101064
2018-09-06T17:41:28Z
2018-09-06T17:41:28Z
Designing greener streets starts with finding room for bicycles and trees
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/235074/original/file-20180905-45166-90yvl7.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Street in Hangzhou, China, with trees separating a cycle track from road traffic and from the sidewalk.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Xu Wen</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">CC BY-ND</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>City streets and sidewalks in the United States have been engineered for decades to keep vehicle occupants and pedestrians safe. If streets include trees at all, they might be planted in small sidewalk pits, where, if constrained and with little water, they live only <a href="http://www.myminnesotawoods.umn.edu/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/Street-Tree-Manual.REVISED_20082.pdf">three to 10 years on average</a>. Until recently, U.S. streets have also lacked cycle tracks – paths exclusively for bicycles between the road and the sidewalk, protected from cars by some type of barrier. </p>
<p>Today there is <a href="https://www.curbed.com/2017/4/18/15333796/best-cities-bike-commute-us-cycling">growing support for bicycling</a> in many U.S. cities for both commuting and recreation. Research is also showing that <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-more-cities-need-to-add-up-the-economic-value-of-trees-57928">urban trees provide many benefits</a>, from absorbing air pollutants to cooling neighborhoods. As an academic who has <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=o8dc4GsAAAAJ&hl=en">focused on the bicycle for 37 years</a>, I am interested in helping planners integrate cycle tracks and trees into busy streets.</p>
<p>Street design in the United States has been guided for decades by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, whose <a href="http://www.pedbikeinfo.org/pdf/Webinar_PBIC_LC_081012_AASHTO_1.pdf">guidelines for developing bicycle facilities</a> long excluded cycle tracks. Now the <a href="https://nacto.org/publication/urban-bikeway-design-guide/">National Association of City Transportation Officials</a>, the <a href="https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/bicycle_pedestrian/publications/separated_bikelane_pdg/page00.cfm">Federal Highway Administration</a> and the <a href="http://www.tooledesign.com/sites/default/files/2018%20AASHTO%20Bike%20Guide%20Preview_Fields_Onta_small.pdf">American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials</a> have produced guidelines that support cycle tracks. But even these updated references do not specify how and where to plant trees in relation to cycle tracks and sidewalks. </p>
<p>In a study <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2018.06.024">newly published in the journal Cities</a> and spotlighted in a <a href="https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/multimedia-article/bike-infrastructure-climate-change">podcast</a> from the <a href="https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/">Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health</a>, I worked with colleagues from the University of Sao Paulo to learn whether pedestrians and bicyclists on five cycle tracks in the Boston area liked having trees, where they preferred the trees to be placed and whether they thought the trees provided any benefits. We found that they liked having trees, preferably between the cycle track and the street. Such additions could greatly improve street environments for all users.</p>
<figure>
<iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/230636028" width="500" height="281" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen="" mozallowfullscreen="" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Unprotected bike lanes, the norm in many U.S. cities, do not keep cars out of bikers’ way.</movie
Separating pedestrians and cyclists from cars
To assess views about cycle tracks and trees, we showed 836 pedestrians and bicyclists on five existing cycle tracks photomontages of the area they were using and asked them to rank whether they liked the images or not. The images included configurations such as a row of trees separating the cycle track from the street or trees in planters extending into the street between parked cars. We also asked how effectively they thought the trees a) blocked perceptions of traffic; b) lessened perceptions of pollution exposure; and c) made pedestrians and bicyclists feel cooler.
Respondents strongly preferred photomontages that included trees. The most popular options were to have trees and bushes, or just trees, between the cycle track and the street. This is different from current U.S. cycle tracks, which typically are separated from moving cars by white plastic delineator posts, low concrete islands or a row of parallel parked cars.
Though perception is not reality, respondents also stated that having trees and bushes between the cycle track and the street was the option that best blocked their view of traffic, lessened their feeling of being exposed to pollution and made them feel cooler.
Photomontage of Western Avenue in Allston, Massachusetts, with trees separating the cycle track from the street and curb separating cycle track from sidewalk.
Anne Lusk, CC BY-ND
Factoring in climate change
Many city leaders are looking for ways to combat climate change, such as reducing the number of cars on the road. These goals should be factored into cycle track design. For example, highway engineers should ensure that cycle tracks are wide enough for bicyclists to travel with enough width to pass, including wide cargo bikes, bikes carrying children or newer three-wheeled electric bikes used by seniors.
Climate change is increasing stress on street trees, but better street design can help trees flourish. Planting trees in continuous earth strips, instead of isolated wells in the sidewalk, would enable their roots to trade nutrients, improving the trees’ chances of reaching maturity and ability to cool the street.
Drought weakens trees and makes them more likely to lose limbs or be uprooted. Street drainage systems could be redesigned to direct water to trees’ root systems. Hollow sidewalk benches could store water routed down from rooftops. If these benches had removable caps, public works departments could add antibacterial or anti-mosquito agents to the water. Gray water could also be piped to underground holding tanks to replenish water supplies for trees.
Thinking more broadly about street design
The central argument against adding cycle tracks with trees to urban streets asserts that cities need this space for parallel-parked cars. But cars do not have to be stored on the side of the road. They also can be stored vertically – for example, in garages, or stacked in mechanical racks on urban lots.
Parking garages could increase occupancy by selling deeded parking spaces to residents who live nearby. Those spaces could provide car owners with a benefit the street lacks: outlets for charging electric vehicles, which rarely are available to people who rent apartments.
Bus rapid transit proponents might suggest that the best use of street width is dedicated bus lanes, not cycle tracks or street trees. But all of these options can coexist. For example, a design could feature a sidewalk, then a cycle track, then street trees planted between the cycle track and the bus lane and in island bus stops. The trees would reduce heat island effects from the expansive hardscape of the bus lane, and bus riders would have a better view.
More urban trees could lead to more tree limbs knocking down power lines during storms. The ultimate solution to this problem could be burying power lines to protect them from high winds and ice storms. This costs money, but earlier solutions included only the conduit for the buried power lines. When digging trenches to bury power lines, a parallel trench could be dug to bury pipes that would supply water and nutrients to the trees. The trees would then grow to maturity, cooling the city and reducing the need for air conditioning.
Urban trees provide benefits that help offset their maintenance costs.
City of Norcross, Georgia
Climate street guidelines for US cities
To steer U.S. cities toward this kind of greener streetscape, urban scholars and planning experts need to develop what I call climate street guidelines. Such standards would offer design guidance that focuses on providing physiological and psychological benefits to all street users.
Developers in the United States have been coaxed into green thinking through tax credits, expedited review and permitting, design/height bonuses, fee reductions and waivers, revolving loan funds and the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design rating system. It is time to put equal effort into designing green streets for bicyclists, pedestrians, bus riders and residents who live on transit routes, as well as for drivers.</span></figcaption>
</figure><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/101064/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Anne Lusk received funding from Helen and William Mazer Foundation to conduct this research. </span></em></p>
Many US cities are investing in bike infrastructure and shade trees. Properly located, these additions can make streets cooler, cleaner and safer for all users – even those who drive.
Anne Lusk, Research Scientist, Harvard University
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/101298
2018-09-06T10:44:39Z
2018-09-06T10:44:39Z
Politicians, lies and election legitimacy – it’s an old story
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/235042/original/file-20180905-45172-1u66h3v.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Lies can help a political campaign be successful.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>If you lose an election to an opponent because an interest group runs ads based on false information against you, is the election result legitimate? </p>
<p>The 2016 presidential election featured a <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/02/16/us/politics/russia-propaganda-election-2016.html">Russian troll farm</a> that used fake social media accounts to try to turn voters against Hillary Clinton in key swing states. </p>
<p>Politicians and experts from both sides of the partisan divide have <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/did-russia-affect-the-2016-election-its-now-undeniable/">argued over how many votes</a> the Russian <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2018-07-24/russian-meddling-helped-trump-win-in-2016">campaign changed</a>, but there is little doubt it had some effect. </p>
<p>Some have <a href="http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-heffernan-trump-illegitimate-20180728-story.html">even raised the question</a>: If the election was decided by the influence of such lies, should the <a href="https://www.usnews.com/opinion/thomas-jefferson-street/articles/2018-01-02/keep-questioning-donald-trumps-legitimacy-due-to-russian-interference">result be invalidated</a>? </p>
<p><a href="https://www.history.northwestern.edu/people/graduate-students/gideon-cohn-postar.html">I’m a scholar</a> of 19th-century American history and politics. Whether an election should be overturned because of the lies of a third-party group may seem like a very contemporary and topical issue, but in my research I have found that 2016 was not the first time the question arose. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/235050/original/file-20180905-45139-fjndai.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/235050/original/file-20180905-45139-fjndai.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=349&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/235050/original/file-20180905-45139-fjndai.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=349&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/235050/original/file-20180905-45139-fjndai.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=349&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/235050/original/file-20180905-45139-fjndai.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=439&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/235050/original/file-20180905-45139-fjndai.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=439&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/235050/original/file-20180905-45139-fjndai.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=439&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A 19th-century campaign controversy involved New York cyclists.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Ephemeral New York</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Mudslinging from the outset</h2>
<p>In 1894, on the Lower East Side of New York, a congressional election between two famous men took a crazy turn because of bicycles in Central Park. </p>
<p>The election in the <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=gKs_AAAAYAAJ&pg=PA171&lpg=PA171&dq=Robert+A.+Chesebrough+New+York+congress&source=bl&ots=nPjZOV6Emx&sig=AnOYxoRAIzRpLvkhY5XHMpDFNzc&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjF44LMwu7NAhVJ52MKHQRhC8IQ6AEIOzAH#v=onepage&q=Robert%20A.%20Chesebrough%20New%20York%20congress&f=false">12th District of New York</a> pitted Republican Robert Augustus Chesebrough, the wealthy <a href="http://www.vaseline.us/article/vaseline-history.html">inventor of Vaseline</a>, against equally wealthy Democrat <a href="http://www.boweryboyshistory.com/2009/01/know-your-mayors-george-b-mcclellan-jr.html">George Brinton McClellan Jr.</a>, the son of the <a href="https://www.history.com/topics/american-civil-war/george-b-mcclellan">Civil War general</a> and failed presidential candidate. </p>
<p>Throughout most of the campaign, Chesebrough thought he would have the upper hand by focusing on two issues: corruption and the economy. Helpfully, McClellan was a proud member <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Tammany-Hall">of Tammany Hall</a>, the New York Democratic organization renowned for political corruption. </p>
<p>Even better, from Chesebrough’s perspective, the <a href="https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/united-states-and-canada/us-history/panic-1893">national economy was in freefall</a>. Since the Democrats were in charge in Washington, they owned the blame for it.</p>
<p>Understandably, McClellan did not want to discuss the national economy or his Tammany ties, so he sought desperately to change the story.</p>
<p>McClellan tried to paint his opponent as member of the out-of-touch elite while emphasizing his own patriotism. Most of his campaign literature emphasized his own personal integrity and his “honored name” in a shameless and seemingly successful attempt to woo the veteran vote. <a href="https://cdn.theconversation.com/static_files/files/262/sons_of_great_sires.pdf?1536082438">A Washington Post article</a> after the election claimed that if not for McClellan’s famous last name, critical votes from members of the Grand Army of the Republic, the largest Union Army veterans organization in the country, “would otherwise have been cast in the Republican fold.” </p>
<p>But as election day grew closer, McClellan and his advisers knew they were still behind.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/235052/original/file-20180905-45158-1icy72p.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/235052/original/file-20180905-45158-1icy72p.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=480&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/235052/original/file-20180905-45158-1icy72p.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=480&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/235052/original/file-20180905-45158-1icy72p.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=480&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/235052/original/file-20180905-45158-1icy72p.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=603&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/235052/original/file-20180905-45158-1icy72p.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=603&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/235052/original/file-20180905-45158-1icy72p.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=603&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Candidates McClellan, left, and Chesebrough.</span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>‘Wheelmen’ join the fight</h2>
<p>Two days before the election, thousands of copies of a cheaply printed pamphlet flooded the Lower East Side of Manhattan. </p>
<p>The pamphlet was issued by the Committee on Political Action of the Metropolitan Association of Cycling Clubs. It claimed that eight years before, Chesebrough had opposed allowing bicycles and tricycles to use the streets and paths of Central Park. The <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=MApSHOQuJWYC&pg=PA56&lpg=PA56&dq=all+wheelmen+to+both+work+and+vote+against+Chesebrough.&source=bl&ots=OMDk3ie3_4&sig=L5FkoAvWBytAOXfE9HRo0udxMyQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjgzNLS6aHdAhWFTd8KHQshARIQ6AEwAXoECAkQAQ#v=onepage&q=all%20wheelmen%20to%20both%20work%20and%20vote%20against%20Chesebrough.&f=false">pamphlet called upon</a> “all wheelmen to both work and vote against” Chesebrough.</p>
<p>The invention and popularization of the safety bicycle and pneumatic tires had produced what bicycle historians termed <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.0022-3840.1974.0704_838.x">a bicycle boom</a> in the early 1890s. By 1895, over 100,000 people had joined the <a href="https://www.bikeleague.org/content/mission-and-history">League of American Wheelmen</a>. Bicycle advocates became involved in social and political issues ranging from gender propriety to the morality of biking on the Sabbath. </p>
<p>Their focus at the time of the Chesebrough-McClellan fight, however, was good roads. Bicycle manufacturers and enthusiasts extensively petitioned and lobbied state and federal legislatures in <a href="https://www.houstonchronicle.com/local/gray-matters/article/How-cyclists-can-reclaim-their-space-on-American-9191131.php">support of better infrastructure</a> for bicycles. </p>
<p>Eight years earlier, opposing bike access to certain roads would have been no scandal at all. But in the midst of the bike boom of the 1890s, <a href="https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300120479/bicycle-history">it was a potent charge</a> against Chesebrough. </p>
<p>Chesebrough knew that bicyclists were “<a href="https://cdn.theconversation.com/static_files/files/261/odds_and_ends.pdf?1536082438">opposed to the election</a> to public office of all persons who object to the free use by their machines of public streets and places.” </p>
<p>The attack was expertly timed. Because it was distributed so close to the election, Chesebrough had no time to effectively rebut the accusation. He dashed off a response to the friendly New York Tribune, denying the charge and claiming that the “political committees of the said associated clubs, if they are in earnest, <a href="https://cdn.theconversation.com/static_files/files/259/chesebrough_opposes.pdf?1536082438">have been greatly deceived</a>.” </p>
<h2>Pamphlet does the job</h2>
<p>Chesebrough’s denial was published the day of the election, but it was too late. McClellan won, <a href="https://archive.org/stream/unitedstatesred00murl/unitedstatesred00murl_djvu.txt">10,933 to 9,592</a>. </p>
<p>In its sudden appearance, the bicycle ad differed from the contemporary Russian disinformation campaign. <a href="https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/how-much-did-russian-interference-affect-the-2016-election/">The Russian trolls’ interference</a> was spread over years and was carefully concealed. </p>
<p>This made it difficult to determine the Russians’ effect in terms of votes. As political analyst <a href="https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/how-much-did-russian-interference-affect-the-2016-election/">Nate Silver wrote</a>, “If it’s hard to prove anything about Russian interference, it’s equally hard to disprove anything.” </p>
<p>Chesebrough, however, was certain that the bicycle ad caused his defeat. He knew that the militant cyclists of New York were one-issue voters, and what’s more the charge was false. As far as he could remember <a href="https://cdn.theconversation.com/static_files/files/260/NYT_chese_and_mac.pdf?1536082438">he had never opposed</a> bicycles in any way. </p>
<p>Chesebrough decided to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1894/12/23/archives/to-contest-mclellans-seat-robert-a-chesebrough-who-was-defeated-for.html">contest the election</a>. He brought his case to the <a href="https://constitutioncenter.org/interactive-constitution/articles/article-i#section-5">House Committee on Elections</a>, joining <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=wuYTAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA29&lpg=PA29&dq=mcclellan+chesebrough&source=bl&ots=NpV8R6P2iY&sig=EsNfDo0nH2O3zrdIUL_rZa2x98s&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiX6o6vnZXdAhWX94MKHRj9AzQQ6AEwA3oECAcQAQ#v=onepage&q&f=false">37 other election cases</a> alleging bribery, intimidation, fraud and every sort of shenanigan in between. </p>
<p>He met with the leaders of the Cycling Clubs, who admitted they had signed and distributed the ad “upon the statements and request of others.” But they refused to disclose who those others were. </p>
<p>Unable to prove his opponent colluded with the wheelmen, Chesebrough asserted that McClellan’s campaign had probably “instigated” its publishing. McClellan, he said, was responsible for the lies in the ad and thus the votes cast by the misled bicycle enthusiasts should be put in Chesebrough’s column.</p>
<h2>A novel claim</h2>
<p>Chesebrough was demanding something quite extraordinary: that Congress assess the accuracy and impact of campaign ads and reapportion votes after the fact to the wronged candidates.</p>
<p>The New York Times, which had supported McClellan in the campaign, dismissed the “novelty” of Chesebrough’s claim that he deserved to win because “a campaign publication used against him was effective.” </p>
<p>Chesebrough never got a chance to make his case before Congress. A few weeks after the election, McClellan – while still denying involvement in the ad – announced that he possessed a copy of an anti-bicycle petition that Chesebrough had signed eight years before. </p>
<p>Somewhat rashly, the Vaseline magnate publicly announced that if McClellan could “show me without delay my name subscribed to that petition… I will at once withdraw from the contest.” </p>
<p><a href="https://cdn.theconversation.com/static_files/files/264/Chesebrough_v._McClellan.pdf?1536088551">McClellan was happy to oblige</a>. And though Chesebrough claimed he had no memory of signing it, he could not deny that the heavily creased paper bore his signature. </p>
<p>Chesebrough’s withdrawal meant that the House did not have to face the question of whether lies uttered by a political opponent provided a basis to overturn an election. </p>
<p>As a historian of politics, I suspect that politicians have told lies to win elections for as long as there have been politicians and elections. Over the decades, the legality of false speech in campaigns has been <a href="https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2151618">debated</a>. Laws have been passed criminalizing <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/do-candidates-have-a-constitutional-right-to-lie/2012/10/05/1bb9fa8e-0ef5-11e2-a310-2363842b7057_story.html?utm_term=.1e7d5cedaa72">lies in political campaigns</a>; many of those laws have been struck down as violations of free speech. </p>
<p>And while Donald Trump’s election may seem to U.S. voters to present unprecedented questions of legitimacy, such questions were first asked more than a century ago, in an election that turned on bicycles.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/101298/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Gideon Cohn-Postar is a PhD candidate in American History at Northwestern University. He has received funding from the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History and the Mellon Foundation. He is a member of the Democratic Party.</span></em></p>
While Donald Trump’s election may seem to US voters to present unprecedented questions of legitimacy, such questions were first asked more than a century ago, in an election that turned on bicycles.
Gideon Cohn-Postar, Graduate Student in History, Northwestern University
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/92178
2018-06-11T04:40:26Z
2018-06-11T04:40:26Z
We can design better intersections that are safer for all users
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/221300/original/file-20180601-69511-1r0hldw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">When cars, trucks, bikes and pedestrians come together at an intersection, design makes the difference between collisions and safety.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://pxhere.com/en/photo/919042">pxhere</a></span></figcaption></figure><p><em>This is the sixth article in our series, <a href="https://theconversation.com/au/topics/moving-the-masses-54500">Moving the Masses</a>, about managing the flow of crowds of individuals, be they drivers or pedestrians, shoppers or commuters, birds or ants.</em></p>
<hr>
<p>A major issue for road safety is collisions at intersections between vehicles and vulnerable road users such as <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-01-25/every-road-death-in-australia-since-1989/9353794">cyclists, motorcyclists and pedestrians</a>. </p>
<p>In such collisions, often the driver is momentarily unaware of either the vulnerable road user or of their planned path through the intersection. While many factors can cause this lack of “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Situation_awareness">situation awareness</a>”, the design of the intersection is critical. With numbers of vulnerable road users increasing, how intersections are designed requires urgent attention.</p>
<h2>The status quo</h2>
<p>If you look at the intersections in your local area, many appear to have been designed primarily with drivers and efficiency in mind. The designs show little consideration of the needs of vulnerable road users. Typically, we see high speed limits, no dedicated bicycle lanes through the intersection, no filtering lanes for motorcyclists, and short crossing times for pedestrians. </p>
<p>This can make it difficult for vulnerable road users to pass through safely. And critically, the lack of overt protection for these vulnerable users also reduces drivers’ expectation of encountering them. This can lead to something that we call a “looked-but-failed-to-see error”: drivers are not aware of vulnerable road users even though they may have looked at them (this phenomenon is explained <a href="http://acrs.org.au/files/arsrpe/RS060062.pdf">here</a>).</p>
<p>In response to these problems, we recently completed <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00140139.2014.945491">research</a> using a series of on-road studies to understand:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>how different road users interact at intersections</p></li>
<li><p>what they need to know to support safe interactions. </p></li>
</ol>
<p>Our next step involved using a sociotechnical systems-based design process to create new intersection design concepts. A sociotechnical system is any system in which humans and technology interact for a purposeful reason. Our aim was to develop a series of new intersection designs that better support the “situation awareness requirements” of all users. </p>
<h2>Understanding the diversity of users</h2>
<p>The most important finding from our on-road studies was that different road users experience the same intersection situations differently. Critically, these differences can create conflicts. </p>
<p>For example, drivers tend to be concerned with what is ahead of them, and specifically the status of the traffic lights. In contrast, cyclists and motorcyclists are concerned with working out a safe path and then filtering safely through the traffic. Thus, drivers who are not expecting them are often not aware of them or of what they might do next. </p>
<p>A key implication of our findings was that intersections should be designed to cater for the diverse situation awareness needs of all road users. The environment should facilitate safe interactions by ensuring that all road users are aware of each other and understand each others’ likely behaviours.</p>
<p>Based on this, we set about designing a series of new intersections using a sociotechnical systems design approach. Among other things this approach aims to create systems that have adaptive capacity and can cope with a diverse set of end user needs. </p>
<p>To achieve this, it proposes several core values, including that:</p>
<ul>
<li>humans should be treated as assets rather than unpredictable and error-prone</li>
<li>technology should be used as a tool to assist and not replace humans</li>
<li>design should consider the specific needs and preferences of different users. </li>
</ul>
<h2>Designs for better intersections</h2>
<p>We used these values as part of a participatory process to create three intersection design concepts. The design brief was to replace one of the intersections from the on-road studies (see below). </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/208829/original/file-20180304-65529-128eptt.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/208829/original/file-20180304-65529-128eptt.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/208829/original/file-20180304-65529-128eptt.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=359&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/208829/original/file-20180304-65529-128eptt.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=359&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/208829/original/file-20180304-65529-128eptt.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=359&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/208829/original/file-20180304-65529-128eptt.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=451&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/208829/original/file-20180304-65529-128eptt.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=451&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/208829/original/file-20180304-65529-128eptt.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=451&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Figure 1. Bird’s-eye view (above) and first-person view (below) of the intersection to be replaced with new design, Map data ©2012 Google.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/208830/original/file-20180304-65507-1c8ysvm.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/208830/original/file-20180304-65507-1c8ysvm.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/208830/original/file-20180304-65507-1c8ysvm.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=341&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/208830/original/file-20180304-65507-1c8ysvm.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=341&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/208830/original/file-20180304-65507-1c8ysvm.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=341&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/208830/original/file-20180304-65507-1c8ysvm.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=428&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/208830/original/file-20180304-65507-1c8ysvm.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=428&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/208830/original/file-20180304-65507-1c8ysvm.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=428&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>When we evaluated the designs with drivers, cyclists, motorcyclists and pedestrians, two of the designs performed best against key criteria: alignment with sociotechnical systems values, attainment of key intersection functions (such as to minimise collisions, maximise efficiency, maximise compliance, optimise flexibility), and user preferences. </p>
<p>The first design is known as the “turning team” design. It works on the premise that different road users could work effectively as a team when proceeding through the intersection. To do this the design aims to make drivers explicitly aware of other forms of road user (to connect the team) and provides each with a clear and dedicated path through the intersection. </p>
<p>Like all good teams whose members function based on different roles, the design aims to clear cyclists from the intersection before allowing motorised traffic to enter. Other features include a pedestrian crossing path wide enough to accommodate cyclists who are not comfortable with using the road, motorcyclist filtering lanes, and phasing of traffic lights based on road user type and direction of travel.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/222295/original/file-20180608-137309-rgm9un.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/222295/original/file-20180608-137309-rgm9un.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/222295/original/file-20180608-137309-rgm9un.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=1066&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/222295/original/file-20180608-137309-rgm9un.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=1066&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/222295/original/file-20180608-137309-rgm9un.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=1066&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/222295/original/file-20180608-137309-rgm9un.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1340&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/222295/original/file-20180608-137309-rgm9un.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1340&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/222295/original/file-20180608-137309-rgm9un.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1340&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"></span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">CC BY-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The second design is the “circular” concept. It explicitly separates motorised and non-motorised traffic. A circular pathway around the intersection is provided for pedestrians and cyclists to use. This pathway links with cycle lanes running down the centre of the road, separated by a kerb from the roadway. </p>
<p>On the roadway, this design provides a separate bus lane and a motorcycle zone at the front of the intersection to encourage motorcyclists to filter to the front. Finally, the design incorporates signs warning motorists to be on the lookout for cyclists and for motorcyclists filtering through the traffic from behind.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/222305/original/file-20180608-137315-1oxah81.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/222305/original/file-20180608-137315-1oxah81.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/222305/original/file-20180608-137315-1oxah81.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=1044&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/222305/original/file-20180608-137315-1oxah81.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=1044&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/222305/original/file-20180608-137315-1oxah81.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=1044&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/222305/original/file-20180608-137315-1oxah81.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1312&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/222305/original/file-20180608-137315-1oxah81.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1312&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/222305/original/file-20180608-137315-1oxah81.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1312&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"></span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">CC BY-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>The way forward for intersection design?</h2>
<p>The road transport systems of the future will be markedly different to those of today. Intersections will become intelligent, with the capacity to “talk” with vehicles, and driverless vehicles will negotiate intersections for us. </p>
<p>This is a long way off, however. In the shorter term, intersections will likely comprise a complex mix of standard vehicles, driverless vehicles and partially automated vehicles, as well as cyclists, motorcyclists, pedestrians, and perhaps new forms of vulnerable road user. Without change, intersections will continue to kill and injure at an unacceptable rate.</p>
<p>Our research provides important messages for how the intersections of the future should be designed. Designers should equally consider the needs of all users, rather than considering drivers first and the rest afterwards. Critically, this should extend to driverless vehicles and automated systems. What, for example, are the situation awareness needs of a fully driverless vehicle when negotiating an intersection? How can intersection design support these needs as well as those of human users?</p>
<p>Designers should not fall into the trap of assuming that all road users require the same information when negotiating intersections. While separating them physically, the intersection of the future should aim to connect its users cognitively.</p>
<hr>
<p><em>We would like to acknowledge our colleagues and collaborators who have contributed to this research, including Professor Mike Lenne, Associate Professor Guy Walker, Professor Neville Stanton, Dr Natassia Goode, Dr Nick Stevens and Dr Ashleigh Filtness.</em></p>
<p><em>You can find other articles in the series <a href="https://theconversation.com/au/topics/moving-the-masses-54500">here</a>.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/92178/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Paul Salmon receives funding from the Australian Research Council.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Gemma Read receives funding from the Australian Research Council.</span></em></p>
Collisions at intersections between motor vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians cause many deaths and injuries. Design that considers how each group approaches intersections improves everyone’s safety.
Paul Salmon, Professor of Human Factors, University of the Sunshine Coast
Gemma Read, Research Fellow in Human Factors & Sociotechnical Systems, University of the Sunshine Coast
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.