An occasional update on items from the Velo-city.
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IT TAKES AN OUT-OF-TOWN EXPERT …
To say something like this:
Canadians are much too modest. I think they need to brag a little more, because it turns out the city of Vancouver has the highest percentage of people who bike to work of any city in North America. The city of Vancouver has the highest percentage of people who walk to work, it also has the best safety rating for walking and it has the best safety rating for cycling.
Full interview with John Pucher here.
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HOW CITIES WIN BIKE BATTLES
Because business supports them. As in New York:
Pressure for new biking facilities came also from business leaders who see better biking conditions as an asset for their companies. High-tech executives at 33 firms—including Foursquare, Meetup, and Tumblr—urged (NYC Mayor) Bloomberg to implement the bike share system “as a way to attract and retain the investment and talent for New York City to remain competitive.”
The Hearst Corporation recently announced it will pay employees’ cost to join the Citi Bikes program. “It’s a cool New York thing to do and good for fitness,” says Hearst spokesperson Lisa Bagley. “Our decision is driven by what are employees are interested in.”
More here from Nation of Change.
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BIKE PARKING: PROBLEM, SOLUTION
Problem: Not enough of it.
Car-Free Day on Denman
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Solution?
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Maybe someday.
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HOW MUCH DO HELMETS HELP?
From BMJ by way of The Dish:
People who are forced by legislation to wear a bicycle helmet … may not wear the helmet correctly, seeking only to comply with the law and avoid a fine.
Secondly, their behaviour may change as a consequence of wearing a helmet through “risk compensation,” a phenomenon [where increasing safety measures will lead people to engage in more risky behaviors]. One study — albeit with a single author and subject—suggests that drivers give larger clearance to cyclists without a helmet.
Vaughan Bell notes how, in general, safety measures may be offset by the behavioral changes they inspire:
Known as self-licensing [this effect] is where people will allow themselves to indulge in more harmful behaviour after doing something ‘good’. For example, people who take health supplements are more likely to engage in unhealthy behaviours as a result.
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