Subscribe to RSSCall To Govt Fund Bike Safety Training
Cycling advocates today called for the funding of professional cycle training.
In an interesting take on the government announcement the driving age is being raised to 16 years, the Cycling Advocates Network’s Anne FitzSimon says one of the best ways to raise driving standards is to make cycle training widely available.
“Trained cyclists make better drivers.”
She points out that raising the driving age means more young people will be cycling. “We all win when cyclists receive proper training.” “
She says recent research published in the British Medical Journal showed that experienced cyclists, like experienced drivers, have far lower accident rates.
The group welcomes the increase in the driving age but argues that the government also needs to invest in professional cycle training to improve road safety.
NZTA had released a “commendable” set of guidelines for cycle skills training, but funding was needed for a national roll-out of training.
7 Comments
We should also get warrants for bikes,
oh and some Road user tax,
ACC
Lights on during day.
And Licenses.
….not.
I believe this kind of thing needs to be rolled out through school programmes.
But NZTA and the government should also find ways of getting businesses involved in the idea. It could be done through incentives and staff could get an afternoon off to take part in particular programmes. Not many staff would say no to that!
I agree with Anthony that this seems misguided (especially when there is so little money around now for cycling initiatives).
While CAN is citing the BMJ article in support, it actually doesn’t advocate professional training for cyclists. It does suggest that cyclists who are skillful and cautious have a safer cycling experience, and contribute to a safer road environment.
It also argues that the compulsory helmet law, for a variety of reasons, should be scrapped, so that more people will cycle, more regularly, thus acquiring better road skills and experience, etc etc.
Here’s a link:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1119263/pdf/1585.pdf
PS I didn’t want to imply that I don’t support the work of cycling advocates, who do great volunteer work in a difficult environment, but all the more reason to be strategic I think.
My class at intermediate many years ago had a bike training couple of days when we brought our bikes to school and had to ride through cone courses etc.
Thanks Susan,
I don’t mind if they do it, I just wanted to use the word ‘not’ today.
Yeah man, More bikes, do what they do in Cobohagen free bikes around the city.
In fact also, free bikes on trains.
Trains
The NZTA does have a boring ‘Cyclist skills training guide’ available:
http://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/cyclist-skills-training-guide/index.html