Can Cycling Connect Communities?

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5 Responses

  1. Les says:

    I love reading your blogs Diana – you have so many interesting points to make and you make them in a fun and inspiring way – go you!!!

  2. Lizzie says:

    Totally agree with everything you say!! We live in a tiny village in Oxfordshire (originally husband worked on farm, then made redundant, still live in farm accommodation, so we’re not one of the rich ones!) and most people here just go in and out in their cars/enormous 4 x 4s. There are many people who live just yards away who I have never set eyes on, because they never WALK out of their houses (let alone cycle!). Every house has at least two cars, many have several.

    When I cycle into town 4 miles away, like you I can stop and chat, or just wave. And it’s not only on the journey there when I have that connection with people, as my cycling has given rise to conversations with people in town as well. When I have to drive in, in husband’s car, for whatever reason, I just don’t feel the same connection that I do when I cycle. I have become far more aware of what’s going on in my locality since I started cycling regularly 6 years ago.

    I’d love to see that film, but I see that it’s only got one other screening in the UK, and that’s in London, too far for me.

  3. Emma says:

    Nice post – good observations! The connection to the community is one of the things I love about being on a bike. Not cycling related but your post made me think of a time a few years ago when the main roads and most side roads around where we lived were cut off by snow. That meant you had to walk, ski or sledge to get anywhere, so there were people everywhere, many pulling sledges full of groceries or firewood, and lots of “hellos” and opportunities to chat and help each other. Then the snow cleared and it was back to the cars and hardly anyone walking anywhere again. I thought it was sad that people went back to their old ways so quickly especially when some, like my neighbour, actually commented how nice it was and how it didn’t take her much longer to get to work – but still chose to drive instead of walk every day! People are strange.

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