thirdcrank wrote: ↑4 Nov 2021, 11:38am
Re asking non-riders why they don't ride, we did have a version of that in a discussion here and in the media more widely about why fewer women cycle than men and IIRC answers thrown up then included things like helmets spoiling barnets.
I've mentioned before my local borough's survey of why non-riders don't ride, which found the top reasons were:
1. no interest (35%);
2. prefer to walk short distances (20%);
3= no bicycle (14%);
3= roads too busy;
5. weather offputting (12%);
6. don't know where cycle routes or parking are (8%);
7. fear of injury (3%).
Most-requested improvements: lighting (43%), routes/signs (22%), parking and road maintenance (both 12%).
I hope maybe more people are interested since the various climate and health crises have had more coverage, but I doubt the relative importance of the other aspects has changed much in the 15 years since that survey. Progress on new routes, signage, lighting, parking and information has been glacial. Road maintenance has been crap, with motorists still getting the lion's share.
In a national survey 3 years later, far more said they fear injury (39%) and there were slightly more requests for better routes (24%) and parking (14%) than we saw locally, with lighting not figuring highly. I hope the national picture has changed a bit with more cities having had less scary routes built, but I don't remember the latest non-rider surveys.