Family cycling culture - could Britain be like Germany?

[plancashire]

Here in Düsseldorf I help out with an English conversation group. Quite by chance the two of my participants who turned up this week mentioned that they had often been cycling as children with the whole family. They talked about weekend outings through the woods, or a trip to a cafe with Dad. This would have been in the 1960s or 70s. Neither of them is a "cyclist"; they just ride a bike to get around. This continues: I see families out together now, including teenage girls.

I told my participants that, although I knew that my father had cycled quite a lot - he used to talk about it - he did not have a bike when I was a child and I never saw him or my mother on a bike. When I was growing up I knew only one adult who rode a bike, apart of course from the French onion man.

Could Britain ever develop a family cycling culture? How?

[Nearholmer]

It exists to some extent where I live in Milton Keynes, it being common to see parents and children cycling together for leisure in the summer, and small children to/from school. But, that’s only because we have motor-traffic free paths everywhere, so I’d suggest that might be the precondition (or, I suppose, an absolutely huge rise in motoring costs!).

[plancashire]

Thanks Nearholmer for the good news about MK. Yes, I suspect the barrier is roads full of cars and nowhere else to ride. Did all those people who cycle in MK move there because of the cycle infrastructure? I doubt it. Perhaps it shows the pent-up demand. Build it and they will use it, as happened in Sevilla.

[Nearholmer]

No, people didn’t move here for the cycling, and TBH the cycling infrastructure is underused in many parts of the city, because the roads are also very good, and because homes and workplaces are widely scattered, making ‘travel to work’ distances quite great for many people. The largest use of the infrastructure is actually by people walking (it’s dual use), and for leisure cycling, but as regards the question of families cycling together, and kids cycling to school, yes, they certainly do happen here.

I honestly think motor traffic is the big deal, because even adults who are comfortable cycling among motor traffic are wary of their kids doing the same, and TBH how much fun is a family outing, if as a parent you’re spending a good chunk of it trying to ensure that the little ones aren’t mown down by a passing car? Ex rail-trails are another place you see families cycling together, again no cars to worry about.

There is definitely latent demand, but “build it and they will come” doesn’t apply in full, because of other local factors. Some I mentioned above, but another example is where I grew up, which is in a very hilly area; you could install cycleways all over that small town, and still only fit youngsters would use them. It’s the sort of place where cycling gets down to walking pace, and it’s actually simpler to walk!

[Jdsk]

Last Saturday was the "Ride and Stride" day to raise money for historic churches. Biscuits and orange juice at each church. Lovely day out.

This year we ranged from 23 months to 73 years, with devices including child seats and tandems. Three families, but we often have more. But we didn't ride as families when we were children: we decided to do it as adults.

It's worth looking around this forum to see how much encouragement there is for family cycling. Or indeed for last Saturday's opportunity.

Jonathan

[plancashire]

Last Saturday was the "Ride and Stride" day to raise money for historic churches. Biscuits and orange juice at each church. Lovely day out.

This year we ranged from 23 months to 73 years, with devices including child seats and tandems. Three families, but we often have more. But we didn't ride as families when we were children: we decided to do it as adults.

It's worth looking around this forum to see how much encouragement there is for family cycling. Or indeed for last Saturday's opportunity.

Jonathan

Thanks. My wife and I used to do the Suffolk Historic Churches rides.

I don't doubt that there are plenty of encouraging words for family cycling in the UK. My impression is that it happens in Germany with less encouragement, unless you call decent infrastructure encouragement.

[pjclinch]

unless you call decent infrastructure encouragement.

Not only encouragement, but enablement.

Pete.

[Jdsk]

Last Saturday was the "Ride and Stride" day to raise money for historic churches. Biscuits and orange juice at each church. Lovely day out.

This year we ranged from 23 months to 73 years, with devices including child seats and tandems. Three families, but we often have more. But we didn't ride as families when we were children: we decided to do it as adults.

It's worth looking around this forum to see how much encouragement there is for family cycling. Or indeed for last Saturday's opportunity.

Thanks. My wife and I used to do the Suffolk Historic Churches rides.

I don't doubt that there are plenty of encouraging words for family cycling in the UK. My impression is that it happens in Germany with less encouragement, unless you call decent infrastructure encouragement.

My comment was about the lack of encouragement in this forum! : - (

The Ride and Stride day is an excellent opportunity for family cycling, and it wasn't mentioned....

Jonathan