Yesterday was the annual sky ride in London. Each year throughout Britain streets are given over to cyclists. The aim is to get more people on bikes, one million more by 2013 is the current ambition. Hardy cyclists braved heavy rain determined to enjoy themselves despite the weather. Makes me think that extra million is rather conservative.
Monday, 5 September 2011
Sky Ride
Yesterday was the annual sky ride in London. Each year throughout Britain streets are given over to cyclists. The aim is to get more people on bikes, one million more by 2013 is the current ambition. Hardy cyclists braved heavy rain determined to enjoy themselves despite the weather. Makes me think that extra million is rather conservative.
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8 comments:
I'm lovin' the hat
Clever idea.
Cycle yes, London hmmmm not so sure about cycling there.
Were you out there on your bicycle, Mo? I would have been.
I moved to London in 1996 and commuted by tube almost everyday up until May 2007, thinking that cycling in London was an extreme sport for extreme people. Since then (precipitated by a pub conversation...) I have used a bike almost everyday, only the ice and deep snow of last winter stopping me. As long as you exercise common sense/good road sense, you'll be rewarded with a less stressful commute, reduced journey times, an elevated level of fitness (greater lung capacity, more efficient cardiovascular system, reduced body fat, toned muscles), greater mental alertness (tied in with physical fitness but possibly also as a result of having to make lots of micro-decisions about traffic instead of being passively transported underground, and being made more aware of your surroundings, e.g. the changes in the seasons and the changes in London at street level), better finances (the cost of my two bikes and all attendant clothes and equipment more than offset by the thousands of pounds saved in Oyster/travelcards), a greater appreciation of London and its geography as it is made more manageable and accessible (most of it is within a half-hour radius from my home by Clapham Common). Most of central London was built before the advent of motorised transport so there are many shortcuts only available to cyclists and London has the distinct advantage of being fairly flat: the steepest gradient in Zone 1 is probably Ludgate Hill. It makes so much sense on all sorts of levels, once you've made the transition.
Robin Hood out and about in London hey Mo, great catch!
I salute IleDuLevant but believe that more people would cycle if there were less traffic and better, wider cycle paths.
good idea - smog. ciao elisabetta
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