Uni Cycle Solutions

NOT SCARY AFTER ALL; is safety actually the problem?

Uni Cycle Solutions
Nov 3 · 6 min read

Despite having so many benefits, why is cycling not considered as a preferred mode of transport…?


Isn’t it obvious that cycling has numerous benefits? Physically because it improves health via physical activity? Economically because you don’t have to buy a car or fuel, or request a ride? Socially because you can move around shorter distances faster and make more connections with people within your community, and environmentally because there’s nothing like gas emission, but rather sweat and calorie emission?

Yet still, people don’t consider it as a preferred mode of transport, with only fewer institutions considering it as a legitimate mode of transportation.

I was once mocked for cycling to school, and I simply could not understand why. So I asked a friend why people would mock someone for riding a bicycle to school or anywhere instead of walking or using a vehicle. His response was that it didn’t look cool. What is cooler than cycling anyway? I wasn’t implying that using a vehicle isn't ‘cool’ either, but saying that cycling wasn't ‘cool’, was an understatement. So, I conducted soft research as to why people would mock someone for riding a bicycle and here’s what I found instead. [here]


Between April and July this year, I realized that the impact of climate change was real. The heat level as compared to previous years was unprecedented and I decided to read more about the causes of such menace. Apparently, carbon emissions from transportation services contribute a whopping 70% to the stuffy heat wave that almost suffocated me this summer.

… emissions from transportation services contribute a whopping 70% to the stuffy heat wave that almost suffocated me this summer. (IS: Europarl portal)

So I began to wonder, what if most of our short-distance trips and medium-distance trips were made via cycling. What if instead of using our cars to go to work or school, we cycle instead? What impact would that have on the environment? How much difference would it make? Physically, Socially, Economically and of course, the main reason for my research; environmentally?


HOW MUCH EMISSION CAN CYCLING ACTUALLY SAVE? Is it worth it?

According to an article by the European Cyclist Federation, driving a car contributes to about 271g of carbon emission per passenger-kilometer. When you ride a bicycle, per kilometer, it accounts for only 21g of carbon emissions per kilometer. THAT’S TEN TIMES LESS THAN A CAR.

Some may wonder, where is the emission coming from with bicycles? Well, you need enough energy to ride a bicycle and that comes from eating; and producing food, unfortunately, creates a certain amount of CO2 emissions. Better half an egg than an empty shell.

You can play a significant role in reducing the carbon emissions causing climate change just by deliberately changing your habits — not easy, but with time, dedication and conscious effort, you can.

…producing food, unfortunately, creates a certain amount of CO2 emissions. (IS: BBC News)

At Uni Cycle Solutions, we believe that one of the most sustainable modes of transport is cycling, and thus, we need to encourage people to cycle around our cities.


BUT THERE’S A PROBLEM — Or there isn't?

Without a doubt, cycling is the most sustainable mode of transport, yet people still avoid cycling? People complain about the weather. Yet very few of us actually do something to make it right. What could possibly be the reason?

According to the National Travel Survey (NTS 0313), of over-fives: · 66% cycle less than once a year, or never (equating to about 40 million people in Great Britain of 5+).

The British Social Attitudes Survey 2017 (ATT 0305) also found that of over 18-year olds: · 71% never cycle nowadays (about 36 million people of 18+)

There is a perceived danger associated with cycling on roadways with traffic flow. In as much as a cyclist could be careful, some careless drivers could just knock them down and that could be the end of the cyclist’s life. Therefore, in other to increase cycling amongst people with this perceived danger, there is the need to provide off-road bicycle bikeways and mixed-use paths, as well as protected cycling facilities that are separated from motor vehicles.

Bogota (Colombia) and Sevilla (Spain) have installed integrated networks of over 300 km of protected cycle tracks which have substantially boomed cycling in both cities. Women, children, men and people who feel vulnerable cycling on roads with no integrated network for cycling safety are more likely to pick up their bicycles or get one if provisions are made to ensure cycling safety — as has been proven.

People are more likely to pick up their bicycles or get one if provisions are made to ensure cycling safety. (IS: Shutterstock)

I was continually advised to be careful when riding my bicycle. And it won’t be surprising for a parent to completely prevent their child from cycling due to safety reasons. This could transform into a habit, subsequently making it difficult to develop the habit of riding a bike on a regular basis when they grow up.


WHAT IS THE UK DOING — Is it enough?

An article published by The Guardian explained why cycling in Cambridge, popularly known as Britain’s Cycle City — has “consistently remained a popular means of transport” with so many cycling investments growing as the years come by.

“People teach cycling to their children, who in turn cycle into adulthood. It is just a part of normal life.

Cycle use is increasing in the UK. Research suggests that the number of miles cycled in 2017 (3.27 billion) is around 29% above the figure for 1997 — some 20 years ago, but this growth is only realized in cities with investment in cycling infrastructure. Between 2016 and 2017 for instance, more people cycled in Cambridge than in any other local authority.

“With considerate drivers, dedicated bicycle parking and bike-friendly city planning, it’s no wonder cycling in Cambridge is a popular means of transport.”

Oxford, South Cambridgeshire, Hackney (London), Exeter, Cambridgeshire, Norwich, Isles of Scilly, York, Taunton Deane, and Hammersmith and Fulham (London) have seen an increase in bicycle usage over the past few years with huge credit to their investment in cycling infrastructure. How about other places like Leicester, Islington, Sheffield, and wherever you’re reading this from?

Increasing bike mode shares in large cities of Europe and the Americas, 1990–2015. Source: Transport Reviews

Undoubtedly, the UK has seen a surge in cycle usage, but the most rapid growth in cycling was seen outside of the UK — in Sevilla (Spain), Bogota (Colombia), Buenos Aires (Argentina) and Portland (Oregon) — all of which increased cycling by more than six-fold. Cycle usage in Amsterdam and Copenhagen keeps on increasing.

As part of the UK’s effort to end its contribution to global warming by 2050, it has already reduced emissions by 42%; impressive. However, it still has a long way to go if it really wants to reach its zero-emission target by 2050 — one of the most ambitious in the world.

More improvement is thus, needed in finding innovative solutions that seek to improve the lives of people and society in general. Cycling is unarguably an option.

Apart from “road safety concerns and concerns about fast traffic” being cited as common barriers to cycling, the National Travel Survey also shows that people simply have “no interest in cycling” — and that’s where needs tackling.

Uni Cycle Solutions is a platform that connects cyclists and individuals to a community that pursues sustainable transportation as a way of life, and part of our commitment is to make cycling attractive.

Get in touch with us via email at domingo@bikeep.com or read more about Uni Cycle Solutions here.

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