In aus.bicycle on Fri, 30 Jun 2006 10:56:05 +1000
Peter Signorini <
[email protected]> wrote:
>
> "Zebee Johnstone" wrote:
>
>> The difficulty with using OH&S experience is that it is all based on
>> preventing problems by preventing the dangerous activity. It should
>> be clear to everyone that the obvious way to prevent cycling injuries
>> is to prevent cycling.
>
> Taking your OH&S parrallel to this extreme, the way to prevent workplace
> injuries is to prevent work. Hmmm, but we don't do that.
No, but I don't think the parallel is exact.
We do prevent working in ways we consider have too high a chance of
injuries.
What's the goal of cycling? If it is to get from point A to point B
then there are 'safer' ways.
>> designed armour on knees and elbows, articulated plastic ankle
>> protection, armoured gloves. Fullface helmets.
>
> Maybe I could do with this kit in the classroom 
Hey, you are supposed to throw chalk at them, not the other way round!
>> Alternatively, get bikes off the road altogether. Don't mix people
>> and cars.
>
> Not achieveable in any city in Australia. Even in Canberra you still would
> need to ride on the road, cross roads, and interact with cars
This is still assuming bicycles are equipment to use. IN their
current form.
>
>> Of course if there's a funding crunch... Then as is shown
>> in writing in Sydney, if there's a tradeoff between car convenience
>> and bike safety, bikes lose.
>
> That's what we need to work against.
Agreed. What's needed?
The main one, the big one, is buy in from as many people as possible
that bikes as they are currently used are legitimate road users.
not path users, not racetrack users, but on all roads.
And that they have equal rights to cars.
No idea how to do that... Because it's such a huge change in the
culture.
Need more influential lobby groups. Employers? How to get BCA to see
cycling employees as a benefit not a cost? Doctors? How to get
doctors to prescribe cycling to their patients, how to get them to
focus on the health benefits not the potential for trauma? (bet that
has to do with power cliques in various medical groups...)
Family First? Lobby them about the family benefits. Get the ALP on
board too, part of a comprehensive family and employee package.
Economists? THere's a lot of noise when local car manufacturers have
problems, can we get noise about health, about the negative effects of
salary sacrificing cars? Who are the economists who get invited as
speakers to the movers and shakers and how can they be got at?
Zebee
