An occasional update on items from the Velo-city.
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HELMETS AND THE CULTURE OF FEAR
Brebt Toderian: “The culture of fear is big business in #bikehelmets among other things, argues @copenhagenize.
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FEAR AND BLOGGING IN SAN FRANCISCO
From Chris Bruntlett:
Over the Christmas break, I had the privilege of spending a few days exploring San Francisco via bicycle and public transit, and meeting with local transportation advocates to chat about the state of cycling in the Bay Area. I just published an article for Hush Magazine on my experiences there.
From the rise and fall of Critical Mass, to the emergence new female, lifestyle-oriented bloggers, and the success of being named “America’s Most Bike-Friendly City”, even in the face of vehement opposition; the narratives and themes I saw were identical to many other North American cities I’ve cycled in.
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ISSUES IN BIKE SHARE
HUB received the academic paper – Bike Share: A Synthesis of the Literature.
The abstract contains the following: “Several consistent themes have emerged within the growing body of research on bike share programs.
- Firstly, the importance bike share members place on convenience and value for money appears paramount in their motivation to sign up and use these programs.
- Secondly, and somewhat counter intuitively, scheme members are more likely to own and use private bicycles than nonmembers.
- Thirdly, users demonstrate a greater reluctance to wear helmets than private bicycle riders and helmets have acted as a deterrent in jurisdictions in which helmets are mandatory.
- Finally, and perhaps most importantly from a sustainable transport perspective, the majority of scheme users are substituting from sustainable modes of transport rather than the car.”
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