Encouraging other people to cycle

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Vorpal
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Encouraging other people to cycle

Post by Vorpal »

We usually take the tandem to Mini V's gymnastics lessons. I was chatting with another mum who said she was always late because of the traffic. She lives perhaps a half mile further from the gymnastics club than I do, so I told her that the fastest way to get there in afternoon traffic is to cycle. Today, she and her daughter turned up on their bikes. They got there the same time as we did; about 3 minutes before gymnastics was due to start.

She seemed happy with the outcome, and I was really pleased to see them on bikes, and that it worked well for them.

I wish more people were so easy to convince!
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gaz
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Re: Encouraging other people to cycle

Post by gaz »

Well done.
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Vantage
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Re: Encouraging other people to cycle

Post by Vantage »

Congrats on another couple converts :)
Cost of a new bike was the biggest obstacle in getting my partner back on a bike but she loves it. She's now saving to get some panniers and a rack so it can be used for shopping instead of the car.
I'm still working on brainwashing my kids into cycling but we're getting there slowly. The stabilisers/training wheels are the issue atm. Hate them piggin things.
Bill


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Jughead
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Re: Encouraging other people to cycle

Post by Jughead »

Lovely encouraging cycling story. Everything is alright with the world. Time for bed :D
Mark1978
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Re: Encouraging other people to cycle

Post by Mark1978 »

Yep obviously they already had bikes. Getting people to go to a shop buy a bike or several bikes. All the equipment that goes with it and then have somewhere to store it; it's a big ask
Bicycler
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Re: Encouraging other people to cycle

Post by Bicycler »

It's true that we don't feel an entitlement to occupy the road outside our houses with bike parking :wink:

Thing is that bikes are not new and they are not uncommon. Every second house will have one or more sat doing nothing in a shed or garage, so there's always someone you can borrow a bike from if you ask round. Failing that a working bike can be had for next to nothing on Ebay/gumtree/local recycling centre. Even a (non bso) new bike pretty quickly works out cheaper than public transport if replacing a journey made relatively regularly. Sadly the same isn't true of cars unless you get rid of one entirely. The additional per-mile cost is such that it would take quite a lot of mileage for the bike to pay for itself by replacing the car for individual journeys. That's something to bear in mind next time you hear complaints about the costs of motoring.

IrishBill76 wrote:I'm still working on brainwashing my kids into cycling but we're getting there slowly. The stabilisers/training wheels are the issue atm. Hate them piggin things.

I didn't realise people still used stabilisers. I had them when I was little. Then my dad decided I was too big for them and took them off. Despite repeated attempts I couldn't balance and so that was it for me and bikes for the next 5 years. I think I relied on the stabilisers too much and was lost when they were removed. I don't think they are much help.

Vorpal, well done. I hope they stick with it :)
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Si
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Re: Encouraging other people to cycle

Post by Si »

Failing that a working bike can be had for next to nothing on Ebay/gumtree/local recycling centre.


Afraid it's not that easy for many. One of the major problems with schemes that teach people to ride via bikeability courses is that the people won't practise between sessions - the reason why they won't practise is that they haven't got a bike. We try to encourage them to get bikes but often they are put off by the perceived high cost of new bikes, or their lack of confidence in buying second hand....they have no idea of the difference between a good and bad bike and no knowledge of what to look for when choosing one. If there is anything wrong with what they get then many are inclined to say 'stuff it', chuck it in the back of the shed and forget the whole thing.

Thus, locally one of the major initiatives we have is free six month hire bikes. They get advice on which bike to have, free learn to ride and maintenance classes, and are given a fully serviced (but 2nd hand) bike to use. The scheme is about to expand to make a further 5000 bikes available.
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gaz
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Re: Encouraging other people to cycle

Post by gaz »

Free bikes for the unemployed in Derby: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-de ... e-27023621

Although I suspect there are more than 50 people in need of a bicycle :( .
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StellaLdn.
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Re: Encouraging other people to cycle

Post by StellaLdn. »

First of all, Vorpal: well done! It feels great, doesn't it?

I think I've succeeded with two and a half people. They saw my enthusiasm, and how 'cheap' and fast it was, let alone the health-aspect and started to cycle themselves, enjoying it muchly. The third person is a sissy and won't cycle on London's roads, so he's not a commuter, but still cycles a lot in countryside and plans to do London to Paris in June.

Encouraging people who are already quite open to cycling is a little easier than those who play with the thought and then find excuse after excuse to not doing it. I had someone contacting me though a local forum. Someone told her about my enthusiasm and that I'd like to help people lose their fear of cycling in London. We met up and it turned out she already had a perfectly fine bike, but was scared as she fell a few times, having balance problems. I told her I was happy to take a look at the bike to check it over for safety, and that I'd gladly help her getting into cycling, but she wanted for the guys at work to have a look. Fair enough, I said, give me a shout when you're ready. She never called. I recently bumped into her and she said the guys haven't had a look yet.
Some people cannot be helped and I've given up on trying to convince those who obviously don't want to, but instead spend time on those who just need the last push. It's far more efficient than wasting time on those who aren't ready yet (or perhaps never will be). It's their loss.
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axel_knutt
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Re: Encouraging other people to cycle

Post by axel_knutt »

I wonder if the outcome would have been the same if somebody had relieved her frustration with a road widening scheme to reduce the congestion.
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ian s
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Re: Encouraging other people to cycle

Post by ian s »

As another thread on this forum shows, for many modern properties and a lot of older ones too, come to that, cycle storage is a problem. Terraced houses and flats seldom have adequate access and/or space. Whilst not too much of a challenge to the determined cyclist, such things do not help the nervous/disorganised/novice/potential cyclist, never mind the other perceived dangers/snags of cycling.
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Si
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Re: Encouraging other people to cycle

Post by Si »

ian s wrote:As another thread on this forum shows, for many modern properties and a lot of older ones too, come to that, cycle storage is a problem. Terraced houses and flats seldom have adequate access and/or space. Whilst not too much of a challenge to the determined cyclist, such things do not help the nervous/disorganised/novice/potential cyclist, never mind the other perceived dangers/snags of cycling.


Which is strange as car storage appears easy for most. I guess it's all about being comfortable with what you know and what is common practise.
Bicycler
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Re: Encouraging other people to cycle

Post by Bicycler »

Again, it's okay if it's socially acceptable to appropriate half the road/pavement outside your house in order to store your vehicle. Try installing a Sheffield stand :wink:
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mjr
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Re: Encouraging other people to cycle

Post by mjr »

Plus many flaming planning authorities will happily refuse planning permission when there is nowhere to store a car but will happily grant permission when there is nowhere to store bikes. If you aren't already doing so, the next time the planning policies for your area are revised, ask for bike parking to have at least the same status as car parking... until then, you can appeal to the National Planning Policy Framework about transport and the Public Health guidance PH8 recommendations on physical activity, but it's tough.

Anyway, that's all an aside: well done Vorpal. I did have one lady asking me about my six-speed bike as I bagged it up to board a bus by some shops in town yesterday. I think she already rode a bike (as so many people do around town) but it sounded like it might be a fairly low-geared single-speed because she was asking me a lot about the gears. I suspect she doesn't currently ride to the shops because it would take too long. It's fairly rare that any non-rider asks me about cycling... maybe I'm smiling too broadly when I ride ;-)
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