People on bikes – again

After the local press asked about my ‘person on a bike‘ experiences last week, they put a piece in the paper.
I put a blog post together for the record – see ‘Simply Riding a Bike‘

Now the local BBC TV have (again) asked me, and some local campaign groups, about our experiences of ‘riding a bike’ in and around Leicester.

As mentioned last week: People on bikes are simply asking for drivers to look out for and have a little due care and attention for, that person on their bike.

The TV article focused on the ‘close pass’ items:

• The vulnerability of people on bikes mixing with motor vehicles needs to be recognised by authorities and drivers.
• ‘people on bikes’ mixed with motor vehicles are in a vulnerability position – this needs to be publicised, and where appropriate, people driving without due care and attention need to be prosecuted.
• West Mids. Police have been doing this and I would hope other forces will see that it’s necessary if we are to encourage more bike use.
• Almost every day I encounter at least one driver who does not give due care and attention when passing cyclists – hence a lot of my route is now off main roads.

BUT the rest of my TV interview and in my view a more important issue was along the lines of the below:

• There is a healthy, cheap, invigorating alternative to the car.
• Riding a bike is do-able –  I do it every weekday.
• There are cyclable routes, but they are not ideal – inevitably, there are places where you’ll have to mix with motor vehicles traveling at speed. But for example, over my 9-mile commute, 8 miles of this are off roads!
• Routes off the main roads are there, but design and creation of these routes need better consultation, planning, and investment. Bike routes need improvement and maintenance. Options for bikes; the value of encouraging and providing for people on bikes; needs to be embraced by authorities if we’re to encourage a broader section of people to ride bikes.

Who needs to exercise more?
Who would like to save money?
Who could do with space to clear their head?

There is a healthy, cheap, invigorating alternative to the car.

Riding a bike is do-able! I do it every weekday.