CYCLIZED

Melbourne Street Smarts

2011-11-22T00:21:00.000-08:00

The behaviour change program for the redevelopment of Swanston Street is underway.

Part one is the pre-opening campaign which starts the conversation among the users of the street about the pending changes to the streetscape.

To engage the street users paste ups by the artist Drab have been put up on the hoarding surrounding the tram stop at the state library.

Go along and join the conversation...#melbournestreetsmart

Melbourne's designation as a 'bike city' is a joke

2011-07-26T17:02:00.000-07:00

The recent media coverage around Melbourne's designation as only the second world bike city after Copenhagen is worrying to say the least. The worrying part is not the recognition but rather the reaction by various persons, especially in Government.

Lets get a few things straight...

The UCI (who awarded Melbourne this status) are the international SPORTS CYCLING body. This is their mission statement:

The International Cycling Union (UCI) is cycling’s International Federation recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The UCI administers and promotes the development of the eight disciplines of cycling. The UCI’s mission is to develop and promote cycling, in close collaboration with National Federations.
In particular, the UCI:
• organises the UCI World Championships and the UCI World Cups,
• collaborates with the IOC to organise the cycling events of the Olympic Games,
• sets the dates of races on the International Calendar,
• establishes the regulations for the cycling disciplines,
• develops the disciplines of cycling around the world,
• organises training programmes,
• fights against doping.

Founded originally in Paris, the word 'Cycling' was and still is used primarily for road racing. 'Bicycling' is the principle term for cycling as a form of transport.

It is not surprising to find Melbourne being acknowledged as a sport cycling city (although I suspect much of the sports cycling actually takes place outside the city). The dominate image of cycling here is that of road racing, lycra and lots and lots of gear. Sports cycling is one of a number of subcultures within the larger mass culture of cycling / bicycling. As in any culture when a subculture is dominant many problems arise, including stereotyping and stigmatisation. These social issues are clearly visible in Melbourne / Australia.

The award is for this

We should aspire to get an award for more of this

The media around the announcements sends out very confusing messages. It is dangerous in that it has been used to suggest that Melbourne is on par or even on course to becoming like Copenhagen. The truth is that they could not be further apart. I can't imagine what the likes of Seville, Paris, Portland, Tokyo, not to mention most Dutch cities are making of these stories. Cycling in Melbourne barely has a 2% share of all trips. Seville, which I visited in March for the global Velocity cycling conference, has 6.6% and a 200+ km CONNECTED network of separated cycleways.

A very clear distinction needs to be made between being cycling for sport and cycling for transport. The latter requires cycling to become a cultural norm. This can only happen when their is supportive enabling social-ecological environment for cycling. Yes there has been some improvements in infrastructure in Melbourne but the "network" remains disjointed and illegible. There is a huge disconnect between policy and actual conditions on the ground.

Consider this statement from the Cycling Embassy of Denmark:

“For half a century cycling has steered its way into the heart of Danish perception through the visual arts, poetry and language”.

Can Melbournians or any other citizens in Australian actually believe that cycling (for transport rather than sports) is part of Australian perception?

No one should be under any illusions, there is a huge challenge ahead in providing the kind of supportive environment (both physical and social) required to normalise cycling in Australian cities.

Interesting TED talk on algorithms

2011-07-26T16:22:00.000-07:00

Interesting talk but also somewhat worrying that left me with lots of questions...

Reinventing the wheel - the end of the bicycle?

2011-07-25T05:04:00.000-07:00

Last Friday evening I attended a talk at Melbourne University by Kent Larson who directs the Media Lab's Changing Places group at MIT. The lab's website summaries their purpose as follows

Changing Places Overview
We are investigating how new models for urban architecture and personal vehicles can be more responsive to the unique needs and values of individuals though the application of disentangled systems and smart customization technology. We are developing technology to understand and respond to human activity, environmental conditions, and market dynamics. We are interested in finding optimal combinations of automated systems, just-in-time information for personal control, and interfaces to persuade people to adopt sustainable behaviors.

Mr Larson was presenting on a number of projects that his team are developing, one of which is the Persuasive Electric Vehicle (PEV). A video explaining the purpose of the PEV is provided below.

What astounded me about this project is that its purpose is, at least to me, utterly unnecessary. Why are MIT, with all of their intellect and resources, wasting time and effort inventing a solution for a problem that does not exist? Why is all this effort being poured into a high tech outcome that solves nothing nor serves no one? I can see no merit in such a contraption! The bicycle, for me, is one of the most successful designs in human civilisation. It is simple, effective, efficient and elegant. It is low tech, low cost and low impact on our social-ecological environment.

One suggestion is that the PEV would serve the mobility impaired or elderly people but I is this necessary? In my wife's village in the hills Le Marche, Italy elderly people ride bicycles - see below.

It is even more pronounced in other places in Italy, such as Ferrara.

All ages enjoy the freedom of this simple human form of mobility.

In the end I am utterly disappointed that some of the world's best minds are exerting so much effort on a such a futile project.

Technology, the supposed answer to all our problems, even those that have already been solved...

Design for Active City

2011-06-29T16:57:00.000-07:00

This year's State of Design festival is running an exciting public competition for designers to come with interventions to create physical activity and active urban spaces in Melbourne.

Visit the website

THE CHALLENGE

Just 30 minutes of exercise each day can help prevent serious chronic diseases such as obesity, however over the past 50 years, there has been a huge lifestyle shift in Australia from being a highly physically active population to one that is predominately sedentary. For communities, design can play a major role in stimulating increased physical activity, either through interventions in the built environment of through the design of new systems or social programs.

THE OPPORTUNITY

The Collins Street Bridge is part of Melbourne’s premier street, linking Melbourne CBD and Southern Cross Station with Melbourne’s waterfront in Docklands. Stretching 350 metres from Spencer Street to Batman’s Hill Drive, the bridge will eventually melt into the street landscape and will look and feel like other parts of Collins Street, with buildings on both sides, continuous tree plantings and activity from pedestrians and trams. However, while development is still in progress, there are sections of the bridge that are very exposed to the elements which is affecting the pedestrian experience from Southern Cross Station into Docklands.

THE PROJECT

The Design for an Active City project is seeking implementable, site-specific proposals to improve the pedestrian experience on the northern footpath side of Collins Street Bridge as it spans Wurundjeri Way (approx 50 metres in length) and thereby increase pedestrian activity. The expected outcome is a built installation to be in place for at least three months.

Bike Futures 2011 - Call for Papers

2011-05-21T00:53:00.000-07:00

Call for papers now open

Click here for details on this years topics

Keynote Speakers

The Bike Futures 2011 Conference will feature a range of speakers with expertise in various areas of the bike planning world. The speakers will again present enlightening material over the course of the two day Conference.

We are excited to announce Gil Penalosa and Gordon Price as Keynote speakers for Bike Futures 2011.

Gil (Guillermo) Penalosa, MBA

Internationally renowned liveable city advisor and social marketing strategist, Gil Penalosa is passionate about creating cities for people. Hoping to improve the quality of life for all residents, Gil shares his knowledge and experience from around the world in the design and management of great parks, public spaces, and walking and cycling infrastructure.

As Executive Director of the Canadian non-profit organisation 8-80 Cities, Gil’s tireless commitment to fostering healthy communities remains front and centre. Because of his unique blend of pragmatism and passion, Gil’s leadership and advice has been sought out by many cities and organisations around the world. A speaker in high demand, Gil has been keynote speaker and provided consultation throughout the Americas, Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand.

Gil’s presentations draw on his experience and successes in both the private and public sector. As former Commissioner of Parks, Sport and Recreation for the City of Bogotá, Colombia, Gil successfully led the design and development of over 200 parks of which Simón Bolívar, a 360 hectare park is the best known. Here they created the Summer Festival, with over 100 events in 10 days and more than 3 million people attending, making it the main recreational and cultural event in the country.

Gil’s team also initiated the “new Ciclovia”—car-free Sundays— today an internationally recognised program which sees over 1.3 million people walk, run, skate and bike along 121 kilometres of Bogotá’s city roads. Gil also works as Senior Consultant for the renowned Danish firm Gehl Architects and he serves on the Boards of Directors of Ciclovias of the Americas, and City Parks Alliance, USA.

Gil holds an MBA from UCLA’s Anderson School of Management, where he recently was selected as one of the “Most Inspirational Alumni” in the school’s history. Gil’s professional achievements have also been recognised through several awards including; the Biennale of Architecture from Parks for Life, Bogota Colombia, the medal of High Honour from the Colombian Ministry of Education and Sport, the Kirk French Spirit Award for Excellence from the City of Mississauga and the Canada and Trail Builder Award from the Ontario Trails Council, Canada.

Gordon Price

Gordon Price is the Director of The City Program at Simon Fraser University.

In 2002, he finished his sixth term as a City Councillor in Vancouver, BC. He also served on the Board of the Greater Vancouver Regional District and was appointed to the first board of the Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority (TransLink) in 1999.

Gordon is also a regular lecturer on transportation and land use for the City of Portland, Oregon and Portland State University. He has written several extensive essays on Vancouver and transportation issues - The Deceptive City and Local Politician's Guide to Urban Transportation - and has been published in numerous journals, including those of the American and Canadian Planning Associations.

In 2003, he received the Plan Canada Award for Article of the Year - "Land Use and Transportation: The View from '56" - from the Canadian Institute of Planners. In 2007, he was the winner of the “Smartie” People Award from Smart Growth B.C. In 2009 he was made an honorary member of the Planning Institute of B.C.

As the Vancouver Sun declared when Price stepped down from the City Council, “‘Councillor Bikeways’ has done more than any other elected official to shape the city and the way we use it. Active in every stage of the decade-long downtown residential housing boom that transformed this city’s core from raw idea to liveable community, Price may well be remembered by historians as the man who made high-density living Vancouver’s collective urban dream.”

He has spoken at numerous conventions and conferences in many countries, writes a monthly column for Business in Vancouver on civic issues, and conducts tours and seminars on the development of Vancouver. He also publishes an electronic magazine on urban issues, with a focus on Vancouver, called "Price Tags" - www.pricetags.ca.

In 2009, he was appointed by the Mayor of Vancouver as a member of the “Greenest City Action Team”.

He sits on the Boards of the Sightline Institute and the International Centre for Sustainable Cities. He also a member of local districts for the Urban Land Institute and Lambda Alpha.

The Bicycle is Art

2011-05-20T18:33:00.000-07:00

Enjoy...

Have a look at the website for some beautiful visual art...

Dublin's bike share scheme reaches 2 million trips

2011-05-18T15:52:00.000-07:00

Another one million journeys have been made on Dublin's cycle hire scheme - doubling the total in less than a year.

In all two million journeys have been taken on dublinbikes since the scheme was launched in September 2009. The scheme hit the one million rides mark in August 2010, but has managed to double that in just nine months.

The two million mark was reached at 2.10pm last Thursday with a seven-minute journey from Parnell Square North to Smithfield North.

Dublin's lord mayor, Gerry Breen, said: "It took 11 months to reach one million journeys and now, just nine months later, we have reached the two million mark.

"The project has re-introduced the bicycle as a form of transport in the city and has encouraged both Dubliners and visitors to get more active while supporting a green initiative."

Latest dublinbikes statistics:

Total subscriptions: 55,231
Long Term Hire subscriptions: 33,643
3 Day Ticket subscriptions: 21,588
Total number of journeys: 2,003,105
Average duration of journey : Approximately 13 minutes
% journeys which are free (30 mins): 97%
Average number of subscribers per station: 1,255
Average number of subscribers per bike: 100
Busiest usage day so far: 6,043 rentals on 15/4/2011
Bike Rotation Rate (Average No. of times a bike is rented p/day): 8.8

City of Melbourne- Planning for future growth

2011-05-15T20:14:00.000-07:00

The Melbourne City Council has recently endorsed three important strategic documents for community consultation:

Draft Transport Strategy Update 2011
Draft City North Structure Plan 2011
Draft Arden Macauly Structure Plan 2011
Whether you live, work or play in the City of Melbourne, your comments can help us shape great precincts for the next 30 years.

Consultation on the draft plans is now open online and will run until Friday, 24 June 2011.
You can view the draft Transport Strategy Update, the draft City North Structure Plan or the draft Arden Macaulay Structure Plan, upload a submission or simply comment on specific themes of the draft plans at www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/futuregrowth.

During the consultation comments are welcome and submissions can be made online, by email (to structureplans@melbourne.vic.gov.au) or by post to Strategic Planning, GPO Box 1603, Melbourne 3000.

You are also invited to attend an information session specific to your area of interest:

Transport Strategy Update
Wednesday, 25 May
5pm-7pm
Supper Room
Melbourne Town Hall
Swanston Street

City North
Thursday, 26 May
6:30 to 8pm
Carlton Football Club
Visy Park, Carlton

Arden Macaulay
Monday, 6 June
6.30 to 8pm
North Melbourne Town Hall
North Melbourne

Please register your attendance for the sessions by Friday, 20 May to structureplans@melbourne.vic.gov.au (for both draft Structure Plans) and transportstrategy@melbourne.vic.gov.au for the draft Transport Strategy session.

Once consultation closes, your comments will be considered by Council in the finalisation of the Structure Plans in late 2011.

For more information please email structureplans@melbourne.vic.gov.au

Moving Melbourne Seminar Series Video

2011-05-04T20:24:00.000-07:00

http://www.ghd.com/video/MovingMelbourne/LAUNCH.html

Introducing Bakerlite Trading Co from Port Melbourne

2011-04-27T18:47:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday while strolling around Port Melbourne with my wife and our dog Maggie I discovered a (relatively) new bike shop. I don't normally promote commercial interests but the reason that I was so taken with Bakerlite is that they exclusively sell Pashley bikes and my dream bike is the Pashley Gov'nor. For me this is one of the most beautiful designed bikes in the world.

The Pashley Gov'nor

Not only have they a superb range of bicycles but they have some great gear and accessories to go with it. I should also point out that this is LYCRA-FREE ZONE. This is a bike shop for everyday people who want to ride a (very fashionable) bike and dress for their destination not their journey. You certainly won't feel like you are out your depth like so many people feel in traditional bikes shops. You will also get a wonderfully warm reception from this family-run business. Even our little dog got a greeting from the shop owners own dog - they cover off on everything :)

The growth in these types of bike shops is a real sign of the times for Melbourne/Australia. It represents the emergence (regardless of how slow) of a normalised culture of bicycling.

The Pashley Gov'nor is a cool $2200.00 but for me its worth it and I will (in the not to distance future) be buying one.

I wish Stephen and his wife the best of luck with their new business!

The Field of Dreams Mentality: Why good infrastructure is not enough to change travel behaviour

2011-04-27T16:32:00.000-07:00

The Field of Dreams Mentality_Jonathan Daly

Changing behaviour with fun - whacky ideas can work!

2011-04-27T03:49:00.000-07:00

The winning entry to Volkswagen's fun theory competition gets some Swedish treatment and produces some ice catching results...

Why make change hard when it can be fun!

Cono Sur Bicycle Wines, from Chile

2011-04-22T19:51:00.000-07:00

I found these wines yesterday...I don't know if they are good but I love the symbol and its meaning....

"The Bicycle range carries the bicycle as its main icon; it symbolizes Cono Sur’s spirit of innovation, passion, commitment and respect for the environment, as well as its persistence in always finding the latest techniques in the vineyards and winemaking, in order to take care of the land where the grapes grow"

My interview on the Blakely City Talk Blog

2011-04-19T21:35:00.000-07:00

This is the podcast of my interview with Rebecca Lehman from Blakely City Talks blog.

I spoke with Rebecca following the Australian Cycling Conference in Adelaide back in January.

Listen to the interview here

The top 10 mistakes in behaviour change

2011-04-09T23:32:00.000-07:00

I don't know if there are just 10 but I certainly agree with these ones...

Top 10 Mistakes in Behavior Change

#7 Believing that information leads to action,
This for me, is an important one because we are putting too much faith (and vast sums of money) into marketing / social marketing, hoping that by increasing awareness we will effect behaviour change. While awareness can be an important element of change, unfortunately people need more to move from awareness or even intention to action.

In my opinion, #3 provides one of the key strategies. I am a strong advocate of addressing the contextual environment we live in, both the physical and the social, to make change possible and in some cases unnoticed.

#2 is also important because many people believe that small personal changes are insignificant, especially interms of tackling climate change. However, it is worth remembering that...

Moving Melbourne Seminar with Enrique Penalosa

2011-04-09T02:09:00.000-07:00

At the start of March the company I work for (GHD) ran a series of seminars looking at the issues Melbourne will face in managing the demand for travel as the proposed population increases come online.

The series was kicked off with a seminar called "Time for change? Creating a sustainable transport city", with former Mayor of Bogota Columbia, Enrique Penelosa giving the keynote address, and I was lucky enough to get the opportunity to present with him.

Enrique was his usual passionate, inspiring and charasmatic self. If you have heard him speak before you probably know where he stands on the future of our cities and which modes will provide the sustainable and liveable future we all want (or should want).

Over the course of the two days he spent with GHD we had the opportunity to discuss many aspects of sustainable cities. We cycled around the city with some representatives from Melbourne City Council, the Department of Transport and Bicycle Victoria, stopping to discuss of the key issues facing the development of cycling. During this time Enrique made several comments which really resonated. The one that really struck a cord with me was in relation to how we deal with the removal of car parking to provide space for bicycle infrastructure, widening footpaths and public transport. We all know that there is nothing more controversial than the removal of car parking, however...

...Enrique noted

"...if you go out and buy lots of new clothes and come home to find there is no more space in your wardrobe, you don't go to your local council and demand they provide you with more storage space"

As Enrique finished...

"...your clothes, your problem!".

This is actually a quite profound statement, because for decades societies around the world have developed an attitude of self entitlement about private cars, especially the belief that it is someone else's responsibility to provide publicly owned space for private car parking. Governments around the world have, of course, responded to these demands. Take the example of the photo I took on a residential street in Collingwood, shown below.

I found this shocking! Not only have we destroyed the urban fabric of our towns and cities to provide for cars, we have also eroded the social capital of our streets. Clearly we no longer value the space where at one time children played and residents chatted with one another. These are two activities which contribute to a sense of community, something we no longer seem to value.

This photo featured in my own presentation, available below:

Fostering a culture of cycling

More PowerPoint presentations from Jonathan Daly

My talk focused on why the shift to sustainable travel behaviour is so slow. I proposed that the reason for this slow shift is caused by an overly optimistic focus on infrastructure as the panacea for all our problems. I am a strong advocate for a more holistic and systemic approach to creating less car dependent societies. My point is very simple, if our behaviour is a factor of both the physical and social environments in which we exist, then we must address both areas to change behaviour. My approach is based on environmental psychology.

Environmental psychology is an interdisciplinary field focused on the interplay between humans and their surroundings. The field defines the term environment broadly, encompassing natural environments, social settings, built environments, learning environments, and informational environments. Since its conception, the field has been committed to the development of a discipline that is both value oriented and problem oriented, prioritizing research aiming at solving complex environmental problems in the pursuit of individual well-being within a larger society. When solving problems involving human-environment interactions, whether global or local, one must have a model of human nature that predicts the environmental conditions under which humans will behave in a decent and creative manner. With such a model one can design, manage, protect and/or restore environments that enhance reasonable behavior, predict what the likely outcome will be when these conditions are not met, and diagnose problem situations. The field develops such a model of human nature while retaining a broad and inherently multidisciplinary focus.

One way of illustrating environmental psychology is the social-ecological model of physical activity, as shown below.

I call it the context model of behaviour change. Our decisions and behaviour are influenced by these four factors, which combine to create the contextual environment for our decision making and habit forming. Therefore, if you alter the context you can change behaviour.

This model also acknowledges that to foster a culture of sustainable travel, in this case cycling, we need to provide a socially and physically supportive environment. So, why are we only (to a degree at least) addressing one aspect with the hope that this will achieve our primary goals.

You might note that in the context model 'fear' appears in each of the 4 factors. Based on my experience and a large body of literature, fear is the primary barrier to getting more people cycling. Fear is an emotional state and is largely created in our social environments. For many people, especially women, children and the elderly, infrastructure (even separated cycleways or bike lanes) will not be enough for them to get on a bicycle. Why is this the case? Largely because we have created a culture of fear around riding a bicycle, to such an extent that it has become an activity which is socially disapproved of. Colleagues at work think you are mad to ride a bicycle because it is so dangerous; parents don't allow their kids to ride a bicycle because they believe it is so unsafe; and parents who do let their kids ride a bike or even those who ride with them, are considered bad parents, putting their children's lives at risk (see this recent article in the Herald Sun).

Velo-City, Sevilla, Spain 2011

2011-04-08T21:37:00.000-07:00

I've just returned from my trip to Europe.

The first stop was Madrid...

...where I got to spend some time with good friends and enjoy the city. I even managed some time to see a new 'shared path' and observe the local bicycle culture. Its fair to say that Madrid has a very car-centric focus but there are people out there on bikes and many mix happily with pedestrians. I witnessed a bicyclist collide with a pedestrian on a crowded footpath. I was expecting some fiery Mediterranean exchanges but the pedestrian just helped the bicyclist to his feet and they both carried on their way.

My friends inform me that the Spanish are a very relaxed lot and it takes a lot for them to get overly bothered enough to start an argument. Clearly this is not the case in Australia where an overly rule-based society leads to much confrontation. This, I believe, is the outcome of nannyism driven by health and safety.

Of course I also spent a lot of time sampling local tapas and mahou (the local beer) around Latina and other wonderful areas of the city.

Then to Sevilla...

I got the high speed train, known as AVE, to Sevilla which was an absolute joy! More comfort than a plane, a wonderful buffet carriage with REAL food - not that crap you normally get. They even had a movie playing and music to listen to, and I got to enjoy the landscape

I won't bore you with details of the conference but there was a lot happening. With 4 sessions of presentations, workshops and roundtables all running in parallel it was a struggle to get to see everything that I wanted to and, as always, you take risks in your choices. Overall, it was a mixed bag. In my opinion the magic of conferences are the conversations that take place between the presentations and other activities. I had the pleasure of chatting to people from far and wide, including Sweden, Denmark, Germany, the UK, Japan and Spain.

The delegates

There was were some great talks, some not so great and some very interesting ones. Francesco Tonucci was inspiring in his talk about promoting cycling among children. He was truly passionate and spoke with great conviction.

Francesco Tonucci

Patrick Kayemba, an expert in non-motorised mobility projects in African countries who works for the FABIO NGO, noted that "in Africa the bicycle is life", referring to the use of the bicycle for basic survival.

Patrick Kayemba

Indeed, there was a very heavy focus on developing countries and it is interesting to consider the vastly different worlds that exist in promoting bicycling around the world. For example, in some African countries it is forbidden for women to ride bicycles at all. It is considered unbecoming, and if a husband lets his wife ride a bike he can be ostracised by his family, but of course it is the poor women who suffer most. The influence of ethnicity, religion and cultural and social norms in these environments presents serious challenges compared to what we face in developed/western cultures.

The presentation...

I was presenting at the conference on the development of a cycling behavioural change strategy for the City of Sydney.

I co-presented with the lovely Caitlin Brookes who has recently been appointed by the City of Sydney to co-ordinate the strategy.

Developing a cycling behaviou...

The bi-lingual audience posed some challenges but our translator via UN-style headphones done a amazing job. There was a fair degree of interest in the subject leading to some great conversations afterwards with delegates from Japan, Canada, the UK and Germany.

We even got an invite to present at Velo-City in Vancouver next year which was really nice.

My final point of note was the roundtable given by the Japanese delegates who took the time at the start of their session to sincerely thanks all of the nations around the world who are helping them in their time of need. I found this very touching and I felt it was brave of them to make the journey in such terrible times.

The city...

This was my first trip to Sevilla and I was really looking forward to it. The old city is really beautiful as you would expect, and a melting pot of architectural styles and influences that does not disappoint. I found the people very hospitable and always willing to help a lost tourist (me). The cathedral is something to behold as is the local food and amazing bars and eateries.

The centre of Sevilla

The conference organisers provided free use of the local bike share bikes for delegates enabling us to see the city from the saddle, a great experience!

Caitlin enjoying a helmet-less ride around Sevilla

Sevilla have a network (and I mean a network) of over 200 km of separated bike lanes - as shown below. In just 5 years they have gone from 0.2% of trips by bicycle to 6.6%.

One of the 200 kms of separated cycleways

Everyone is on bicycles, the young and the old, and not a helmet to be seen (well there are a few). Indeed, as someone who before coming to Australia rode bicycles for 30 years without one, this was a welcome break from an annoying imposition.

Health and Safety Nazis should look away now...

I was also impressed with how easily the people share the same space. Pedestrians, skaters, bicyclists, trams etc all sharing the same space without any fuss or issue. Obviously people from other cities are too dumb to coexist in the same space with a plethora of rules, signs and enforcement.

Sharing space in Sevilla

They even manage to share their personal space...

Love on a public bike in Sevilla

I know people who would have heart failure looking at this photo.

Sadly it all had to come to an end...but after a week of learning about what is happening in cycling planning and promotion around the world it was time to head back to Australia to start putting some of the learning to work...but not before a short trip home to Ireland for a good session of Guinness around Dublin's great bars!

Coming soon - an essay on creating bicycle cultures

2011-02-04T19:32:00.000-08:00

I have been presenting a lot lately on the subject of bicycle culture from the perspectives of the physical, the social and gender.

This has led me to think a lot about whether or not 'culture' can actually be created. So I've decided to write an essay on the subject and it will (fingers crossed) be finished in a week or two.

Cycling as a performance art - Danny MacAskill

2010-11-17T20:17:00.000-08:00

Melbourne Bikefest - Once Bitten Videos

2010-11-15T03:41:00.000-08:00

PART ONE

ONCE BITTEN - Part One from WHO BY FIRE on Vimeo.

PART TWO

ONCE BITTEN - Part Two from WHO BY FIRE on Vimeo.

Presentation from the Bike Futures Conference, Etihad Stadium, Melbourne, 15th October 2010

2010-10-19T19:39:00.000-07:00

Changing behaviour without changing min...

See more presentations by jonathandaly | Upload your own PowerPoint presentations

Overview

There are many approaches for creating behaviour change. Whilst none of them are perfect they are all at least useful. A case in point is ‘social marketing’. Social marketing has been widely heralded as an effective method of achieving social change in how we travel. However, effective messages are only one of a number of tools that effect the decisions we make. Social marketing relies heavily on the rational model of behaviour change, which postulates that individuals obtain the necessary information to weigh up the pros and cons of a decision and then act in their best interests. However, humans are less than rational decision makers, not least because of the influence of emotion. In addition, humans don’t react well to being told what to do or what is best for them. So, what is the alternative?

The alternative is known as the ‘context model’ of behaviour change. This model postulates that we live, work and socialise in an environment of multiple influences (e.g. culture, regulation, peers and the physical environments). The structure of these environments strongly influences our decisions and behaviour, often on a subconscious level. Therefore, by changing the context in which we make decisions, we can as a result change behaviour. Hence the approach does not attempt to direct or coerce individual behaviour but rather to influence it in a non-invasive and non-dictatorial manner.

The context model is a holistic approach to enabling change which treats the design of cycling infrastructure as an integral part of the behaviour change process and therefore views engineers/designers as key ‘change agents’. Collaboration and co-creativity are also key components of this approach, recognising the importance and value of specialists, relevant government and non-government agencies, and the community, as makers and shapers.

Everyone involved in cycling planning, design and promotion are (or should be) working towards the common goal of creating a culture of cycling. However, efforts are often disjointed and there is little focus on creating a cultural change that is more accepting of cycling as a normal activity. Cultural engagement is an effective tool to overcome the conflict and resistance surrounding cycling and people who cycle.

This approach, termed ‘Cultural Acupuncture’, can be used to change negative perceptions and attitudes about cycling. The approach uses ‘cultural interventions’, which include the visual arts, music, fashion, literature, and poetry.

The approach seeks to change perceptions, alter attitudes, counter negativity, create curiosity and trigger emotion towards cycling and people who cycle. The ultimate goal is to enable people to think and talk positively (creating buzz) about cycling such that it is considered a normal activity for all journey purposes rather than a subversive activity undertaken by a minority.

The presentation proposes that by changing negative perceptions and attitudes about cycling and people who cycle will create the social foundation for a culture of cycling.

Video Clip used in "The Fun Theory Slide"

Cycling in Melbourne, 1895

2010-10-16T00:30:00.000-07:00

Mulga Bill's Bicycle

2010-10-15T18:19:00.000-07:00

Australian cycling culture captured in poetry.

‘Twas Mulga Bill, from Eaglehawk, that caught the cycling craze;
He turned away the good old horse that served him many days;
He dressed himself in cycling clothes, resplendent to be seen;
He hurried off to town and bought a shining new machine;
And as he wheeled it through the door, with air of lordly pride,
The grinning shop assistant said, “Excuse me, can you ride?”

“See here, young man,” said Mulga Bill, “from Walgett to the sea,
From Conroy’s Gap to Castlereagh, there’s none can ride like me.
I’m good all round at everything as everybody knows,
Although I’m not the one to talk – I hate a man that blows.
But riding is my special gift, my chiefest, sole delight;
Just ask a wild duck can it swim, a wildcat can it fight.
There’s nothing clothed in hair or hide, or built of flesh or steel,
There’s nothing walks or jumps, or runs, on axle, hoof, or wheel,
But what I’ll sit, while hide will hold and girths and straps are tight:
I’ll ride this here two-wheeled concern right straight away at sight.”

‘Twas Mulga Bill, from Eaglehawk, that sought his own abode,
That perched above Dead Man’s Creek, beside the mountain road.
He turned the cycle down the hill and mounted for the fray,
But ‘ere he’d gone a dozen yards it bolted clean away.
It left the track, and through the trees, just like a silver steak,
It whistled down the awful slope towards the Dead Man’s Creek.

It shaved a stump by half an inch, it dodged a big white-box:
The very wallaroos in fright went scrambling up the rocks,
The wombats hiding in their caves dug deeper underground,
As Mulga Bill, as white as chalk, sat tight to every bound.
It struck a stone and gave a spring that cleared a fallen tree,
It raced beside a precipice as close as close could be;
And then as Mulga Bill let out one last despairing shriek
It made a leap of twenty feet into the Dean Man’s Creek.

‘Twas Mulga Bill, from Eaglehawk, that slowly swam ashore:
He said, “I’ve had some narrer shaves and lively rides before;
I’ve rode a wild bull round a yard to win a five-pound bet,
But this was the most awful ride that I’ve encountered yet.
I’ll give that two-wheeled outlaw best; it’s shaken all my nerve
To feel it whistle through the air and plunge and buck and swerve.
It’s safe at rest in Dead Man’s Creek, we’ll leave it lying still;
A horse’s back is good enough henceforth for Mulga Bill.”

by "Banjo" Paterson

Nicholas Christakis: How social networks predict epidemics | Video on TED.com

2010-09-20T04:45:00.000-07:00

The power of social networks can also be harnessed to change perceptions of cycling and people who cycle.

The art of visual persuasion

2010-09-12T01:10:00.000-07:00

Combining art and cycling has the potential to elevate the image of cycling in the public consciousness. For example, artistic bike racks have the power to physically change the urban streetscape in way that can help to change the image and perception of cycling and people who cycle, particularly in the minds of those who don't. Artistic bike racks enhance the public realm and become talking points among friends, family, colleagues and so on. Captivated by the artistic quality of the bike racks, conversations about cycling then take place on a cultural level. This helps to break down stereotypes and misconceptions around cycling, removing barriers, and bringing people closer to an acceptance of cycling as a legitimate activity and potentially bringing some people closer to participation.

There are many wonderful examples of the use of artistic bikes racks, particularly from David Byrne (former lead singer of Talking Heads, now an artist and bike advocate) as shown below.

By David Byrne, on 58th Street in New York City

By David Byrne, on Bedford Street in New York City

From San Francisco, artist unknown

By Kaylan and Kyle Bancroft, located in Washington D.C.

The following video is from Street Films and is about NYC's competition for artistic bike racks.

Watch out for similar competitions in Sydney!!!

Bike racks aren't the only way art and cycling can be combined. The image below was taken on one of London's towpaths. British Waterways commissioned the 3-D drawings, which were done by Joe Hill and Max Lowry, as part of their 'Two Tings' shared path safety campaign. The campaign aimed to get cyclists to travel slower along the shared path and also to use their bells more often.

3D drawings used to raise awareness among cyclists to travel slowly on shared paths

Fun and captivating - encouraging good behaviour doesn't have to be heavy handed and confrontational

Art can be a very powerful tool in our efforts to normalise cycling and ultimately to create a widespread culture of cycling.

Move over Queen! - The Bicycle Song by Mark Ronson

2010-09-08T02:59:00.000-07:00

Mark Ronson - The Bike Song from Kairos Mosaïque on Vimeo.

Helmet law cartoons

2010-09-08T02:23:00.000-07:00

"Ok Jack I want you to go straight to kindergarden"

2010-09-08T02:17:00.000-07:00

Bicycle helmets on the 7pm project

2010-09-05T00:28:00.000-07:00

Sue Abbott from NSW explains why helmet laws should be mandatory.

7pm Project Helmet Debate from vermontcreekbed on Vimeo.

It's no surprise to me to hear an Australian (the presenter in this case) defending the laws because they undoubtably saved them (or someone they know) from brain damage several times. I am beginning to wonder why this is so common here. Are Aussies really that accident prone on bikes compared to the rest of the world?

The power of cycling...

2010-09-04T21:52:00.000-07:00

Creative approach to promoting walking

2010-09-03T18:15:00.000-07:00

From Do the green thing

We need this kind of creative thinking for the promotion of cycling.

Melbourne Bikefest - celebrating cycling culture

2010-08-29T23:09:00.001-07:00

Click here to see website

Check out this amazing new group dedicated to promoting cycling culture in Melbourne through a range of cultural events...

The sensory experience of bike riding told through art, music, story and film

2010-08-29T23:06:00.000-07:00

The school run, Japanese style

2010-08-28T15:19:00.001-07:00

Some additional bike (related) songs

2010-08-28T15:07:00.000-07:00

My interview on SBS radio

2010-08-23T01:15:00.000-07:00

This was recorded at the Danish Social Club before a live interview with Mikael Coville-Andersen.

Despite a few mispronunciations (e.g. egalitarian) and the odd bit of incoherency it wasn't too bad. Thankfully the lovely Maj kept me on the right path with some good questions...

If anyone would like me to expand on any of the comments I made do let me know.

Some Bicycle Songs

2010-08-21T21:22:00.000-07:00

Bicycle bells

2010-08-21T21:12:00.000-07:00

In my work with the City of Sydney we've been looking at the use of bicycle bells on shared paths. We carried out some social research on the issue, including some participant observation surveys on the paths and focus groups with shared path users. What is very clear is that using bells is not a social norm. Many non-cyclists react badly to the sound of bells, seeing it as an offensive gesture. As a result many cyclists don't bother using them at all.

The social research was very revealing in the attitudes and perceptions among shared path users, including:

everyone admits breaking the rules, even those that aren't sure what they are
younger people have no issue with cyclists using bells, they even suggest they use them more often
during an 8 hour survey on one path not a single incident was observed, with a variety of users co-existing happily together - perception and reality are quite far apart
anxiety appears to be the key concern due to a lack of understanding of the rules
the physical environment is critical in terms of how it communicates with path users - there is often a lack of consistency in design along the length of any one path
we found some sections of paths worked really well i.e. the design was intuitive, with no signage at all - we believe that this particular section works because it looks like a street, which we all know how to use really well - interestingly this design exists in many medieval towns and cities in Italy
many non-cyclists noted that they often encounter more conflict with other non-cyclists
cyclists were unanimous in their view that pedestrians had priority on shared paths

Bell etiquette varies across the world, from city to city. In Scandinavian countries and many other European countries, bells are only used in extreme situations. It is considered rude otherwise. In Japan belling is clearly an established social norm as you will see from this interesting video below.

Another issue regarding bells is the variety of styles and sounds, as identified by the focus group participants. Below is another video clip which illustrates the variety of bells available.

Bicycle bells can also provide amusement and there are many examples out there of bicycle bell orchestras - such as the one from Oxford (England) below.

We have almost completed the cycling behavioural change strategy for Sydney. We have made a number of recommendations to establish the use of bicycle bells in Sydney as a social norm but you will have to watch this space to find out what they are....

Dublin's cycling culture

2010-08-20T18:20:00.000-07:00

Cycle chic and bikeshare

Look away if you're a health and safety nazi

An elegant lady on a bike

So many bikes

they're everywhere...

Bikeshare in action - so easy without helmets

Nothing to do with bikes....

Bikes as Art

2010-08-20T17:54:00.000-07:00

Harvey's Point, County Donegal, Ireland

Staffolo's cycling culture

2010-08-20T17:48:00.000-07:00

The cycling culture in my wife's little village in Le Marche, Italy...

Coffee and bicycles

Tree hugger

Easy rider

The visual arts

A view from the village

Whole Earth Festival, Davis, CA

2010-08-15T18:35:00.000-07:00

Cycling in Dublin, 1961

2010-08-15T18:30:00.000-07:00

Dame Street

Dublin Cycle Chic

2010-08-15T18:26:00.000-07:00

Dublin Cycle Chic - Fashion Show from DCTV on Vimeo.

Bixi Montreal Rap...

2010-08-15T18:24:00.000-07:00

New pics...

2010-08-15T02:46:00.000-07:00

Bicycles are commonly being used to advertise shops

"Hey, no hands!"

Family transport at Richmond Market

Knitted bike racks from Hobart

Above cafe on Bridge Road

Rob loves Liz!

Hmmm...

Bike racks at Melbourne Musem

The happy cyclist

Cool!

Fun!

Style!

Extraordinary!

Bicycle tree on Little Bourke Street

Cultural acupuncture for cycling un-friendly places

2010-08-06T18:48:00.000-07:00

Changing behaviour without changing minds....

This is the title of the presentation I will be giving at the Bike Futures 2010 Conference in October. This will be an introduction to a new approach to behaviour change aimed specifically at cycling.

This approach has six key goals, they are:

change perceptions,
alter attitudes,
counter negativity,
create curiosity,
stimulate buzz, and
trigger emotion.

The approach is based on the premise that to create a culture of cycling you must change the 'system' in which an individual makes a decision. This goes beyond the provision of infrastructure by tackling the social, personal and policy factors, using 'cultural interventions'.

Changing human behaviour is a very complex task. I believe this complexity increases significantly when one attempts to change travel behaviour as there are many influences which are outside our direct control. This complexity is best understood by considering the cycling environment or system in which decisions of the individual are made - as shown in the figure below.

Infrastructure alone does not create the change we seek i.e. the normalisation of cycling and (to use Bicycle Victoria's slogan) more people cycling more often. We have made great strides in the delivery of good cycling facilities but we haven't addressed the social barriers which limit cycling participation and the social issues within cycling (i.e. the perceptions of people who don't cycle based on the current image of cycling and people who cycle).

Cultural acupuncture focuses principally on changing the context which influences our behaviour. The approach draws on a number of existing theories of change, behavioural science theory, and sociology and psychology theories and techniques.

'Cultural interventions' are developed based on a detailled analysis of the local culture including social networks. The design of the interventions takes place through a collaborative creative process which brings together a collective of actors and influencers from government, non-government, cycling planning and promotion, and importantly, a range of local artists and cultural influencers. This collective of change agents work together through a creative process to design interventions or initiatives which are relevant to the local context.

The interventions are made through art, music, fashion, film, photography, literature, poetry, the media, performance arts, special events etc. The interventions are about fun, positivity and excitement. They seek to create lots of positive 'buzz' (i.e. word of mouth), which generates conversations and discussion on a peer-to-peer level and spreads through social networks within communities. The aim to change perceptions and counter negativity whilst at the same time creating curiosity and interest in cycling. People are then 'invited' to try change from people they trust (friends, family or trusted and respected members of their community).

If you want to know more you will need to come to Bike Futures 2010.

Melbourne's Cycling Culture in Photos - 31st July & 1st August 2010

2010-07-31T01:47:00.000-07:00

Taken on Smith Street and Gertrude Street...

The fixies...

Shooting the breeze on Smith Street

Cycle Chic on Smith Street

A family enjoying the new cycleways on Albert Street

Connections through shadows...

He wasn't posing...or was he???

Beautiful bike...

Taken on Brunswick Street in Fitzroy...

From Douglas and Hope - the design is inspired by the strong bike culture in Fitzroy

Bikes in shops

Accessorised

Cycle Chic on Brunswick Street

Sub cultures compete along Brunswick Street

Bike Futures Conference 2010 and the Melbourne Cycling Festival

2010-07-26T02:33:00.000-07:00

Bicycle Victoria are running the second annual Bike Futures Conference on the 14th and 15th of October in the Etihad Stadium.

Yours truly will be there to talk about behaviour change. I am going to be taking about a new approach to behaviour change for cycling which I call "Cultural Acupuncture for Cycling Unfriendly Places".

BV have lined up two great key note speakers in Michael Jones of Alta Planning + Design and Roger Geller of the City of Portland, Oregon.

It promises to be a great event!!!

This of course is part of the Melbourne Cycling Festival which kicks off on the 13th October with Ride to Work Day.

Keep an eye on BV's website for more details...

Documenting Melbourne's Cycling Culture

2010-07-26T02:18:00.000-07:00

Inspired by Velo - Bicycle Culture and Design and Bicycle Mania Holland I am embarking on a personal project to document Melbourne's cycling culture - the good, the bad and the ugly.

Pages from both books

I believe there is a renaissance in cycling in Melbourne or perhaps the beginning of its first real cycling culture. Although still dominated by too much yellow (high viz) there are signs of cycle chic and many sub cultures appearing. Have you noticed how many shop window displays use bicycles?

For the next few months I will be out snapping everything that moves on a bike, every piece of bicycle related art, every bicycle event. If you know of anything happening which would worth including or if you have any ideas you would like to offer please let me know.

I hope to turn this into a book so if you know any publishers who might be interested - please let me know about that too :)

A week of talks

2010-07-25T04:44:00.000-07:00

"The future of personal emotional mobility" by Chris Bangle
My first week back in Melbourne after our holiday in Europe was filled with events. On Tuesday the 24th I attended a talk at the State of Design Festival called "The future of personal emotional mobility", which was given by Chris Bangle the former of head of design at BMW. The 'emotional' part of the title was actually added at the talk itself.

Chris Bangle, former Head of Design at BMW

The title and the description suggested (at least to me) that the (so called) most important car designer of our generation was going to talk about sustainable mobility but it turned out to be a 'love in' for car enthusiasts. I felt cheated somehow. I'd just paid $50 for this. The talk started with pictures of his country house in Italy which he was restoring including his enormous wine cellar, and a giant slab of marble which he got for a leaving present from BMW - oh Chris, you are amazing and how I which I could be like you (****!). That said, in fairness to Chris he is an engaging public speaker

When the talk got started it focused a lot on the materials used for the skin or body of cars and he promoted his prototype "Gina" (have a look on youtube if you are really interested) which uses a cloth for the body of the car (a BMW). Apparently this is what makes it emotional - the sounds of the crumpling cloth as you open the doors, the suggestiveness as you unzip the bonnet to reveal her twin engines (ok, I made the last bit up) - what utter drivel!!!

Redemption came at the end though during the (extremely short) Q&A session, when a gentlemen asked Chris to imagine a world without cars. Chris, as you would expect, couldn't imagine such as thing. Why? Well, according to Chris, people will always want to set their own pace and this can only be achieved in a car! It was the moment when I realised that the car industry is truly on its knees and a future of sustainable travel is on the way. I was unable to respond on this due to the short Q&A but I so desperately wanted to ask him how do you set your own pace in a car when our urban environments are gridlocked - see the picture below Chris!

Set your own pace in this Chris - your choices are slow, very slow and dead still!

Not to mention that the average speed of bicycles now exceeds motorised traffic in most cities around the world. I will come back to this talk later when discussing Mikael Coville-Andersen's talk on the Saturday - he was also there and had a few things to say too!

FACCI Tour de France luncheon
On Friday I attended two events. First up was a French Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FACCI) "Tour de France luncheon"at the rather grand (if not vulgar and pretentious) Palladium in the Crown Casino. This was a work related event with FACCI celebrating the Tour de France, and why not. The food was amazing and the entertainment was good too. One of the partners of the event was the Hanover Welfare Services charity who are running a fund raising event called Ride for Home -

"This traffic free experience, held during the morning of 14 November, allows cyclists to ride non-stop using both EastLink carriageways from Ringwood to Frankston and back - including the Melba and Mullum Mullum tunnels. Two categories will safely cater for both skilled and recreational cyclists. Safety is our priority. Challenge riders will enjoy a 75 km course; professionally timed with an ability based structured start. Corporate team and individual riders are welcome. Skill and speed criteria apply.Recreational riders will enjoy a 35 km cycling experience. Individuals, couples, teams, friends and families are all welcome."

I don't want to appear too critical of a charity but it is not surprising to find that the event if primarily set up for the sports cycling community rather than the general public. Yes, I know they're there but its really an after thought in my opinion. Why can't these events be just for families and normal people in normal clothes. This might seem petty but the theme of the event contributes to the domination of sub cultures in cycling in Australia which is hugely detrimental for the promotion of cycling for the wider community. Regardless, I wish them every success with what is a hugely important issue which they are raising funds for.
Cycle Chic interview with Mikael Coville-Andersen
After this it was onto the Danish Social Club for a Cycle Chic talk with Mikael Coville-Andersen (The Danish Ambassador for Cycling). This was my first time at this venue and it is well worth checking out (I have just become a member). They have a fantastic restaurant and bar, and of course lots of cool Danish furniture. Plus, the staff are simply wonderful, friendly, and helpful!

The Cycle Chic talk at the Danish Club with Mikael in action

The event was well attended by lots of people who cycled there in normal clothes, including suits and high heels (although not necessarily together), there was even a guy dressed as a tiger who rightly won a bottle of Carlsberg.

I had the pleasure of meeting Mike Rubbo of Situp Cycle who is also a film maker and was there filming the interview. I also meet another true gent called Nicholas Dow of City Cyclist. Both blogs are well worth following. Other interesting guests included Unity Finesmith of Auckland Cycle Chic. We had a lovely time discussing cycling promotion, helmet laws and other interesting topics around cycling.

The highlight for me was an interview I did with SBS radio on the event and cycling promotion and cultire, although I am not sure if or when it will make the cut.

"Four Goals for Promoting Urban Cycling" by Mikael Coville-Andersen
Then to Saturday and Mikael Coville-Andersen's "Four Goals for Promoting Urban Cycling"at the wonderful BMW Edge venue in Fed Square. Although the name sucks the venue, in my opinion is fantastic!

BMW Edge at Federation Square

The event was preceded by a helmet protest bike ride from Carlton to Fed Square, at which a number of the protestors got tickets from the police for using the bikeshare bikes without helmets. Well done to all the brave souls for taking part. The protest followed an article in the age newspaper on the problem helmets laws will cause for Melbourne's bikeshare scheme. Mike Rubbo has proposed that bikeshare users be exempt from the law and he appears to have strong support in the public - in a poll conducted by the Age newspaper 71% of almost 14,000 voters supported the proposal.

Onto the event....

I had been looking forward to this immensely and wasn't disappointed. First up was the valet parking which had to be moved indoors due to some rain but the result was clearly better. All riders got the chance to write a few words about their bike and attach it for others to read.

Valet Parking at BMW Edge

Of course there were also some amazing bikes and riders too!

Beautiful Design

Melbourne Cycle Chic - if you hadn't guessed, that's a helmet!

The Wonderfully inventive!

The New SUV

Mikael's talk was both interesting and funny. It focused on what he calls the four goals of cycling promotion:

A2B - ism - which is essentially about planning the cycling network so that it creates convenient routes for people who want to cycle rather than demoting them to back streets.
Using basic marketing techniques to sell cycling - playing the car industry at their own game.
Stop ignoring the bull - the bull being the car!
Re-democratisation - we had cultures of cycling long before we had cultures of car use.

Infront of a packed house Mikael made a number of useful observations, including how Copenhageners see the bicycle as an efficient mode to get around on rather than something to save the planet with. He noted that Copenhageners are very clear on the health and environmental benefits of cycling and don't feel they need to be reminded. Focusing on the efficiency of cycling is certainly a key message for cycling promotion, especially with the average speed of bicycles now faster than motorised traffic in many cities, not to mention the flexibility and the zero parking costs.

Mikael, who also attended Chris Bangle's talk on Tuesday, made a humorous point about Chris' use of the term "personal emotional mobility" for cars. He noted that it was a term more suited to cycling and that we should start using it for cycling i.e "take it back!".

Helmets laws also got a mention. It is fair to say that Mikael is not a fan and for good reason. He noted that good ideas tended to travel fast and the fact that only Australia has a helmet law is testimony to how good an idea it really is. He mentioned that in discussions around the world on helmet laws Australia is highlighted as the prime example of how big a failure they are. A humorous moment at this point was when he showed the picture below of helmets (designed in Australia) which were made for car drivers but, shock horror, never took off.

Made in Australia - the Davies Craig Motoring Helmet

Although Mikael had us laughing on a good few occasions he was outdone by the boy Felix (Mikael's son), who popped out in the middle of the discussion section and then reappeared with the biggest ice-cream cone you can imagine, right in the middle of a very serious debate.

Overall I thought Mikael made many excellant points on promoting cycling. If there was one thing I would take issue with is that perhaps he sometimes made it sound too easy. Whilst I agree that some things are a no brainer in cycling promotion, behaviour change is a complex area which is far from easy. That said he had only 40 mins to talk which is hardly enough time to get into the thick of it.

The discussion that followed included a number of experts from cycling advocacy, policy, planning and architecture and urban design. In my humble opinion it was a bit dry and the theme of cycling promotion got a bit lost in all the infrastructure talk and (sorry) general blabbering that took place. I would have liked to have heard less from the policy people and more from Mikael and the architect (sorry, I can't remember his name), who made some interesting comments.

The highlight of discussion section was probably the debate on helmet laws, which has already been covered in this post. There were some awful remarks by government representatives. The worst for me was the suggestion that maybe Melbourne will be the first place where a bikeshare scheme will succeed with helmet laws - why would you want that? This is definitely an issue which needs a national debate.

Overall, it was an excellant event. Another triumph for what has been an excellant State of Design Festival!

Why are the Australian media so anti-cycling and anti-cyclist?

2010-07-06T05:05:00.000-07:00

I am constantly amazed at the negative attitude of many media commentators in Australia towards cycling and cyclists. Three recent examples highlight this negativity. The first concerns an article in The Age in Melbourne on new cycle lanes on Albert Street. I am immediately struck by the lack of knowledge displayed by Clay Lucas. They are not Copenhagen-style bike lanes!!! They look nothing like them but this phrase keeps popping up in the media in Australia. The original design was for separated bike lanes but this was opposed by the Master Builders Association and the resulting design was the compromise - so, if according to the Masters Builders Association "...the reality is they will create congestion … and be dangerous,'' then they have helped make it so.

The second example comes from Sydney, and shock jock Alan Jones' vicious attack on Mayor Clover Moore's investment in cycleways. Jones attacks a democratically elected public servant in the most vindictive manner - but who elected Jones? This is trash talk radio designed to create antagonism and hatred towards elected officials and cycling and cyclists.

The third example is also from Sydney and a follow on from the Alan Jones attack. This time its from journalist Miranda Devine, and another attack on Sydney's new cycleways. This is probably one of the most poorly informed articles I have ever read. What qualifies this person to comment on cycling planning and design? It is trash journalism!! Gutter level journalism which belongs in a rag mag. Ms Devine has a history of this rubbish too - more trash journalism! Roads belong to cars - are you serious - the Romans built roads for horses and carts not cars, and bicycles used them before cars arrived on the scene!

The problem with the media is that we allow individuals, with no expertise in urban environments and culture, to communicate with the wider public and, sadly, influence their thoughts.

All of the articles I read lack an understanding of the bigger picture. They fail miserably to appreciate that investing in a cycling friendly city is about investing in a cleaner, healthier, and more liveable environment for everyone. The oft commented references to the loss of business and risk of business closures resulting from the installation of cycleways is extremely overstated and without foundation. Several studies from around the world are proving that cycling infrastructure is good for business.

I believe these articles portray a lack of professional integrity. These people, and there are others, choose the easiest path to generate interest in what they have to say i.e. by being controversial and/or being negative. Negativity sells and it doesn't really matter who the target is. It is easy to attack cycling because it requires a culture change to become normalised in our society. This means the majority are participants in the behaviour we need to change. Most people are more comfortable siding with the majority (safety in numbers) and taking the generalist view on all things in life.

It is sad that our media cannot do better...

The dangers of cycling sub cultures

2010-06-22T04:43:00.000-07:00

Since arriving in Australia I have been struck by the prominence of particular sub cultures in cycling, specifically those who are into racing, wearing all the gear and setting speed records on our roads and indeed off road. It was only after being here for a while that I realised that Aussies are truly a competitive nation of people e.g. in my team at work we have an 'off' for everything - bake offs, jump offs, sprint offs...you name it! So its really no surprise to find that the nation love to compete in cycling too!

Don't get me wrong, everyone who cycles, regardless of which sub culture they belong to are legitimate. But the Lance Armstrongs, along with bike couriers and other sub cultures in cycling, are more likely to be the ones who behave less well on the road which we have to share with other road users e.g. running red lights and speeding on shared paths (no offence intended but I have witnessed it all over the world). Its the average Joe cyclist who then seems to suffer, getting branded by association i.e. all cyclists are considered rule breakers, which creates animosity with other road users.

This strikes me as a problem or barrier to the creation of a mass culture of cycling, where cycling would be mainstreamed and therefore normal. The problem, as I see it, is that the sub cultures within cycling dominate the bigger picture! Its like the tail wagging the dog.

The dangers of sub cultures in cycling

This issue seems more pronounced in Sydney - recently branded "the city who hates bikes". In my work with the City of Sydney I have spent some time there and I have seen, read and heard the animosity towards cycling and people who cycle e.g. the vindictive attack on Mayor Clover Moore by Alan Jones (Link). I wonder how much this is related to the dominance of sub cultures? I strongly believe that we need to bring normal people, on normal bikes who cycle in a civilised manner to the fore. We need to change the perception of cycling by making it sexy, fun and exciting through art, fashion, music, literature, film etc Sydney are making a start with events like the Tweed Cycle on June 27th.

Of course the infrastructure is important but we need to address the social barriers too.

I should also say that I don't see sub cultures purely as a problem. The emergence of the fixies gives me hope that there is a way to use sub cultures to our advantage. I think they are helping to create an image shift, making cycling attractive and cool by combining fashion and trendy bikes. I am hoping that there is a way to turn the other sub cultures to our advantage also.