Now, I’ll drop in your blog. By the way to you know the blog, View from the Cycle path? David Hembrown moved from GB to Holland for the riding, and does not regret it at all. Mike

Cheers, Mike

I think we have some big problems with developing a cycle culture in the UK. Most UK cyclists are fetishists who hate the idea of cycle paths, normal bikes and normal clothes. However the biggest obstacle is the car lobby and the terrible dangerous driving, something that has got a lot worse in my 30 years on a bike… I spend a lot of time getting wound up by these things, so I really like the gentle and relaxed style of your films, it is very calming after the daily commute.

Your telling of Sue’s tale was great, I only wish common sense could prevail and your countries laws could be reversed.

Best
Nipper

Thanks for the link on my comments page (apologies I’m not very technology savvy so I haven’t figured out how to put a contact me on my blog yet – only just managed to add comments the other week!).

An interesting film and congratulations on getting an interview with the man himself. I can see the challenge of getting cycle chic to take off in Australia is a big undertaking. However, having only just ditched my own helmet recently, I can say on the plus side that the current fashion for straight hair means helmet hair isn’t too much of an issue. Now perms and curls – well that’s more of a challenge…

I found this video really interesting because it brings me back to where I started.

I grew up in France, near Paris. Lots of people, especially kids, were using bicycle as a daily form of transport. You would cycle to school, to the shops, to your friends place, or wherever you needed to go. You never worried about safety. Car drivers were very respectful of bicycles. Accidents were very rare. Cycling was simply normal. There was bicycle parking everywhere.

When I came to Australia, it was very different. There were few bicycles. Cars did not respect bicycles much, cycling seemed “dangerous”. You were supposed to wear a clumsy hat called a helmet, although it provides minimal protection.

The helmet law only result was to discourage people from cycling. That made cyclists an even smaller minority of road users that car drivers feel increasingly comfortable to be aggressive towards. It has made the situation worse. Cycling is no safer, and the real source of the problem, motorists attitudes, has been exacerbated.

Most people don’t even consider using a bicycle for short trips anymore. I know of some older people who keep complaining about various illnesses and health problems. If only they would cycle for short trips, many of those problems would go away. They would be a lot healthier & happier as a result.

As a society, we are shooting ourselves in the foot by discouraging cycling in Australia.