Hi fellow cyclers,
I recently spent 7 months cycling around Europe and was blown away by the ease at which people commute on their bicycles. In many capital cities such as Amsterdam or Copenhagen, cycles are on top of the pecking order. Unfortunately, in most capital cities in Australia we are on the bottom of the pecking order. As a result, a lot of people own bikes but live in fear of taking them on the road.
A lot of money is currently being spent into creating cycling paths in our capital cities with only a limited amount of people using them. Most people I have spoken to state they would never venture onto the road with a bike because it's just too dangerous.
As a result, we'll end up with a lot of cycling paths and only a minimum amount of people using them to their full potential. Most people will still be doing the same old thing of driving to work or catching public transport whilst complaining about how they never exercise or nobody talks to them in their community.
Imagine recreating the same feel of European capital cities in Australia where pedestrians and drivers actually respect cyclists! Imagine people cycling to work without the fear of being hit by other cars and just getting out there and giving it a go. Imagine how many less cars would be on the road, how much less pollution there would be in the air, how many people would be getting fit and how many more people would actually talk to each other in our community!
I've started a community project entitled "Cycle to Work". I'm currently running it in the Strathfield community in Sydney with the intent of it building from there. On Saturday 19th September we're holding an Event Day where local cycling "leaders" take small groups of people along the cycle routes to either the CBD or Parramatta. From there the intent is that people are aware of their local cycling path and cycle to work at least once per week. The more people who do this, the more the word will spread and the more people who use the tracks. From this, more drivers will be aware of what it's like to be a cyclist and a sharing of roads will begin!
I'm requesting that anyone who wants to be a part, or knows of anyone who wants to join in to the Cycle To Work (Sydney) Facebook group and indicate how you will be contributing.
I look forward to your discussions and any hints to get this to really take off!!
I recently spent 7 months cycling around Europe and was blown away by the ease at which people commute on their bicycles. In many capital cities such as Amsterdam or Copenhagen, cycles are on top of the pecking order. Unfortunately, in most capital cities in Australia we are on the bottom of the pecking order. As a result, a lot of people own bikes but live in fear of taking them on the road.
A lot of money is currently being spent into creating cycling paths in our capital cities with only a limited amount of people using them. Most people I have spoken to state they would never venture onto the road with a bike because it's just too dangerous.
As a result, we'll end up with a lot of cycling paths and only a minimum amount of people using them to their full potential. Most people will still be doing the same old thing of driving to work or catching public transport whilst complaining about how they never exercise or nobody talks to them in their community.
Imagine recreating the same feel of European capital cities in Australia where pedestrians and drivers actually respect cyclists! Imagine people cycling to work without the fear of being hit by other cars and just getting out there and giving it a go. Imagine how many less cars would be on the road, how much less pollution there would be in the air, how many people would be getting fit and how many more people would actually talk to each other in our community!
I've started a community project entitled "Cycle to Work". I'm currently running it in the Strathfield community in Sydney with the intent of it building from there. On Saturday 19th September we're holding an Event Day where local cycling "leaders" take small groups of people along the cycle routes to either the CBD or Parramatta. From there the intent is that people are aware of their local cycling path and cycle to work at least once per week. The more people who do this, the more the word will spread and the more people who use the tracks. From this, more drivers will be aware of what it's like to be a cyclist and a sharing of roads will begin!
I'm requesting that anyone who wants to be a part, or knows of anyone who wants to join in to the Cycle To Work (Sydney) Facebook group and indicate how you will be contributing.
I look forward to your discussions and any hints to get this to really take off!!
