ONE: BIKES MOVE IN A DIFFERENT WAY THAN OTHER VEHICLES

A talk by ‘Dutch Cycling Professor’ Marco te Brommelstroet (University of Amsterdam): Junctions in Dutch cities flow busily with hundreds of other cyclists and pedestrians. The Professor graphically showed how Dutch cyclists negotiate their way through these seemingly lawless spaces. They use eye-contact, small gestures and body language to claim or yield right-of way, slowing, speeding or turning slightly to let each other pass smoothly (continues below).

The lesson was that the approach we take to controlling car traffic -a ‘machine-based’ system with simplified rules, signals and signs is better replaced, when we’re managing cyclists, with a ‘human-based’ approach which allows ambiguity, rapid decision-making, and flow. It’s similar to the way a flock of birds or shoal of fish can turn and wheel gracefully and safely (only in two dimensions for cyclists of course) and the goal is to enable cyclists to ride in the enjoyable ‘flow’ zone between boredom and risk. Professor te Brommelstroet was also involved in making the eye-opening documentary, ‘Why We Cycle’ which is well worth a watch; here’s a precursor video on YouTube. Key is that speeds are low so any potential collision has minimal risk.

TWO: CYCLING CONTRIBUTES TO HAPPINESS

It’s no joke!  Cyclists know the pleasures of free-wheeling down a hill, getting to work with a healthy glow or clearing a grumpy head by going on an energetic ride. Hard to put quantities or costs on, but very important! We had two great talks about how cycling contributes to National Happiness (continues below).

• The keynote address came from Leo Bormans, author of the World Book of Happiness, who described how cycling contributes to personal happiness. Improving balance, increasing trust, the feeling of freedom, independence of transport, improved social connectedness, not to mention better health were all factors that made a convincing argument to present to your local Council or transport forum in favour of provisions for cycling.
• Thinley Namgyel, Chief Environment Officer in the Royal Bhutanese Government explained how cycling contributes to the Gross National Happiness of that Himalayan country. Members of the Royal Family of Bhutan are regularly seen using a mountain bike