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The government need to get more people riding bikes. 300 miles away in Denmark people are riding bikes in their suits on their way to work, for leisure, and everyone is happy. We need to change the philosophy around road design.”
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CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Cycling News
"Chris Boardman talks road safety"
(29 posts)-
Posted 12 years ago #
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We need more high profile cycling people like Chris Boardman to say these things. Sadly, not many have actually have the time to think about where our current approach has gone wrong and why other place have so much higher rates of cycling.
Posted 12 years ago # -
I've said before, I'm not sure Boardman would have been saying things like this while competing. Chris Hoy is actually an exception in that he does a bit of promotion on this while still competing - but there is a division between sports cycling and 'normal' cycling (as any Cycle Chic representative will point out many a time ;) ).
Lambasting people for giving in to the notion that you should wear a helmet and technical clothing, then wanting sports people who wear helmets and technical clothing all the time to do 'normal' cycling promotion... Cake? Eating it?
Hoy proved his exception again at the SkyRide by wearing jeans (though there was also the obligatory helmet) and of course there was Edith Bowman in flowery print dress (and helmet sitting too far back on her head).
I still, genuinely, think that regular celebs, tv stars, movie stars, music stars, talking about road safety would have more effect on the 'general public'. Cycling stars are niche (despite this wonderful last summer of the Tour and the Olympics) and can be too easily pigeon-holed as 'cyclists', whereas other celebs are 'people'.
All in my opinion of course, and I'm certainly not unhappy at Boardman speaking out, because someone needs to, and he's getting the airtime - best capitalise while there is a bit of good feeling about cyclesport to try and filter some of that down. At the end of the day though, 3,000 people outside Parliament demanding change compared to one ex-cycle racer on the BBC Breakfast sofa filler-spot... I know which gave me goosebumps.
Posted 12 years ago # -
The real different with Chris Bordman was this:
Boardman talked about how a cultural shift is needed in the UK to turn it into a cycling nation: “The emphasis shouldn’t be just on the cyclist. We’re creating a symptom without looking at the cause. If someone gets shot on the street, the answer isn’t that everyone should wear body armour. You say – ‘hang on a minute, maybe we need to look at the reasons behind this?’.”
He is say the victim blaming doesn't work and we have to take a harm reduction approach, and that means looking at the underlying structural problems cause by 40 years of transport policy which promoted cars over people.
Posted 12 years ago # -
I agree Kim. The problem when 'normal' celebs or people think/talk about 'road safety' is often their first instincts follow an established pattern, vis:
- cyclists need to wear helmets/hi viz
- cyclists shouldn't be on busy roads
- cyclists jump red lights/wobble about in the middle of the road, etc.
- cycling is dangerous
- the road is dangerous/needs upgraded/a bypass, etc.Now some of this may be true, depending on the circumstances, but fails to address the lack of a safer alternative for many cyclists.
At least Boardman understands the real issues, and is prepared to talk about them. That is important.
Posted 12 years ago # -
"At least Boardman understands the real issues, and is prepared to talk about them."
Agreed.
When he was on Newsnight I wrote on here -
Posted 12 years ago # -
Apologies, I should have said, "I still, genuinely, think that regular celebs, tv stars, movie stars, music stars, talking about road safety in a positive manner and the same way as Boardman is talking etc etc etc"
Posted 12 years ago # -
http://www.naden.de/blog/bbvideo-bbpress-video-plugin -->
[+] Embed the video | Here" target="_blank">Video Download Get the Flash Video Posted 12 years ago # -
Above is Mr Boardman making the same points on the telly last Friday - where he gets to say his whole piece.
Eminently sensible - it's not about "cyclists" but about shaping the environment to allow people to cycle.
Posted 12 years ago # -
I was VERY impressed by Chris B on Thursday morning's news. I got the imression (which may well be wrong) that the news readers were ready for him to say the 'usual', cyclists are to blame, they must take more care, wear hi-viz & helmets etc, etc, blah, blah
But he did not - he took control of the conversation and spoke a lot of sense! (He has impressed me and more since he stopped riding professionaly).
Posted 12 years ago # -
"it's not about "cyclists" but about shaping the environment to allow people to cycle"
I think in this context "environment" needs to be a complex mix of infrastructure, possibly legislation (certainly enforcement) and (change of) 'attitudes' by (some) drivers and politicians.
Difficult, but I'm glad Mr. Boardman is one of those 'pushing the agenda'.
Even taking the most extreme cynical view - (which I'm not) - that he's just doing it to sell his own bike brand, he's saying the right things - and not just once.
Posted 12 years ago # -
What you need is more people with a vested interest in selling bicycle related products and services realising that they could cash in big time if 10 times or 100 times as many people cycled. Then they could get together, work, lobby and invest to shape government policy. It worked for the car and oil industries.
Posted 12 years ago # -
He's taken the right line of argument to convince the public as well.
As long as discussion centres around "cyclists" everyone who doesn't cycle thinks that they're being asked to spend a load of money on a bunch of flourescent, helmet-wearing, vociferous weirdos. When you frame the argument about making towns pleasant places to live, work, play then people who don't cycle see what's in it for them.
Posted 12 years ago # -
@instography - that's exactly what's happening at a European level - ECF just announced a big chunk of funding from Giant. They're trying to get 10% of European transport budgets to be spent on infrastructure for cycling. Quite a lot of the cycling advocacy in America comes from bike firms too, I believe that's what's behind the steady stream of US politicians visiting Copenhagen and Amsterdam, getting their minds blown, and going home to see how they can achieve something similar (as happened in Chicago)
In the UK there's BikeBiz but I'm not sure what it's funding levels are or what its activities are in comparison
Posted 12 years ago # -
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When you frame the argument about making towns pleasant places to live, work, play then people who don't cycle see what's in it for them.
"
YESWhich is why it's so disappointing in Edinburgh that things seem to be moving OK for 'cycling' and then there comes 'reduced parking charges'.
Hard to discern any coherent transport and 'liveable city' policies.
Posted 12 years ago # -
as @chdot has pointed out, I meant Bikehub not BikeBiz
Posted 12 years ago # -
I think chris boardman's analysis is good. I like his bikes and I admire how he managed to place them all over the TdF not this year but the year before. I think he is shrewd
Posted 12 years ago # -
Posted 12 years ago #
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@Chdot "Which is why it's so disappointing in Edinburgh that things seem to be moving OK for 'cycling' and then there comes 'reduced parking charges'. "
Don't forget there was a change of administration in between, we are in need to politicians with vision, but sadly these are few far between...
We have to keep the bottom up pressure from the grass roots.
Posted 12 years ago # -
The transcript is a bit mince, but when you listen to the accompanying video clip.....very impressive. He really argues the case well.
Posted 12 years ago # -
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APPCG (@allpartycycling)
25/10/2012 09:09
The Olympic gold medallist and Tour de France finisher, Chris Boardman pic.twitter.com/gFbypl9q"
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APPCG (@allpartycycling)
25/10/2012 09:11
Boardman is talking about how we need a culture change. He asks “What would make me want to ride a bike on a regular basis?”"
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APPCG (@allpartycycling)
25/10/2012 09:12
Boardman: “Stop talking about hi-viz and helmets”"
Posted 12 years ago # -
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Kaya Burgess (Times) (@kayaburgess)
08/11/2012 17:53
Tune into BBC Breakfast at 7.40am to see the very insightful @Chris_Boardman and road design expert @Phil_PJA talk #cyclesafe. Great combo."
Posted 12 years ago # -
Posted 12 years ago #
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You have to love how they show video clips of huge multilane roads and have so much difficulty trying to figure out how cyclists could possibly fit into such a "narrow" space. Make the pavements narrower is the obvious option! Other than that, good interview.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Yeah but, is it really legal for cyclists to ride two abreast?
Duh.
Is that the best Twitter could manage? I suppose it was quite early in the morning...
Posted 12 years ago # -
[+] Embed the video | Video Download Get the Flash Video Boardman talking sense again. Sounds like he has been tasked with promoting a better street environment for cycling.
Posted 11 years ago # -
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Chris Boardman (@Chris_Boardman)
04/12/2012 12:48
Here's an idea, I'd like to make a program on what cycling CAN be in this country, any takers...? #challenge @allpartycycling @IanAustinMP"
Posted 11 years ago # -
Let's get him on Leith Walk - would be a nice case study for him...
Posted 11 years ago #
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