[sustran] fwd: IBF News 1999 no.1

Barter tkpb at barter.pc.my
Sat Mar 6 14:54:53 JST 1999


Dear sustran-discussers,

I just received this interesting electronic newsletter from the
International Bicycle Fund.  It is quite long so I will not send this on to
sustran-discuss every time.  So if you want to be put onto their list to
get future IBF news then please email the address listed at the end.

Best wishes,
Paul.


IBF NEWS 1999 no.1 (e-mail version)
(may be abridged from hard copy due to format constraints)
Hard copy US$1  (free to donors)
=============================================
The International Bicycle Fund (IBF) is a non-governmental,
nonprofit organization promoting bicycle transport, economic
development, international understanding, and safety
education.
==============================================

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
Safe Routes to School
Road Accident Deaths
Tourism in Tanzania
Upcoming Conferences
IBF Publications
Cross-Cultural Tours
Student Essay Contest


~~~~~~~~~~

Transport Activism
Bike To Work Day / Week / Month: Promoting & Encouraging
Bicycling
By David Mozer

 Of course every day is a good day for encouraging and
promoting bicycling, but often the most organized efforts
are done in conjunction with a Bike To Work Day, Bike Week
or Bike Month.  Such events happen in countries and
communities around the world, but they are not coordinated.
There is no universally recognized "bike day."  There are
some advantages and disadvantages to this.  We miss the
opportunity for coordinated publicity, but this leaves every
community of bicyclists free to do what will be most
successful in their community, when it has the greatest
chance for success.  In the end, bicycle activism is very
local.  We hope you will get involved locally. Here are some
ideas that have been employed in the past that can be
adopted and crafted to fit your local program:
* Rest Stops or Energizer Stations
Collecting some give-aways is always a good strategy for
generating additional interest in the event: beverages, food
energy bars, reflective stickers, canvas bike bags, sunblock
samples, water bottles, patch kits, safety literature, local
bike maps, etc.
* Bike Pool (s)
Announce pooling location(s) and time(s) so people can ride
to employment center(s) as a group for one day.
* Celebrity Bike to Work Ride
Invite City, County and State officials, media,
entertainment and sports celebrities to bike to work.
* Bike-Buddy Program
Sort of a mentoring program which pairs experienced bicycle
commuters with people who are just getting started.
* Bicycle Lecture Series
Fitting and Purchasing A Bike
Bicycle Safety
Bicycle Repair & Maintenance
Bike Commuting
Cycle Touring
Bicycle Travelogues
Etc.
* Newspaper Biking Column
* Bicycle Film Festivals
The same films can be shown year after year and still get a
draw.
* All Seasons Bicycle Fashion Show
Get some target group like local high school students
involved as the models.
* Curate An Exhibit of Old, New and Exotic Bikes
You might be surprised with what lurks in the garages of
your community.
* Grade School Bicycle Poster Contest
Use one of the winning posters to publicize next year's
event (it needs to be clear that all entries are the
property of the organizers.)  IBF runs a bicycle essay
contest, which you are also free to publicize (see page 4
for details).
* Commuter Race
A cyclist, transit rider and motorist, with the same origin
and destination, see who can get through rush-hour traffic
fastest.
* Bike Commuter Fair
Provide displays of commuter information, give out maps,
coordinate a "bike buddies" program.
* Organize Bike Commuter Competitions
The company or agency with the most and highest percentage
of bike commuters should at least get tons of recognition.
* Stage A Commuting Race
A bicyclist, transit user and single occupancy vehicle start
from an outlying neighborhood and head for a final
destination in the central business district at rush hour to
see who is fastest.
* Children's Bicycle Safety Class or Rodeo
* Charity Fundraising Bike Ride
These tend to have higher profiles and you can plug into the
resources of the charity organization.
* Schedule A Series of Theme Rides
Public Art; Bakeries; Moonlight or Midnight; Historic Sites;
Architectural (i.e. solar homes); New Riders Ride; Romantic
Spots For Bicyclists, etc.
* Ride with Your Elected Officials (Parade of Politicos)
Organize a fun ride for politicians, (possible on a tandem
if they aren't comfortable riding by themselves).
* Stage An Event To Highlight A High Priority Project
Ride through an important project area.  This can be done in
conjunction with the "Parade of Politicos".
* Recognition Lunch (in a visible place)
* A Bike Rally or Festival
This will likely involve a combination of several of the
above elements and might include entertainment.
* Bicycle Swap Meet
* Bike-To-Work Week Sale at Bike Shops
Suggest that they also do window displays and promote
Bike-to-Work Week to their customers.
* Collective Bike-To-Work Newspaper Ad
* Fitness Club Shower Promotion
Fitness Clubs can let non-members in from 7:00 to 9:00 AM
for showers.

Organizing A Bike to Work Week Event
1. Choose a Bike to Work Week coordinator.
2. Get a Bike to Work team together.
3. Call a meeting.
4. Decide on an event(s)/activity(s).
5. Set up a planning schedule / work plan.
6. Recruit volunteers for pre- and day-of-the-event tasks.
7. Choose a location(s).
8. Arrange for facilities.
9. Arrange for incentives.
10. Coordinate with other organizations.
11. Promote your event (at least half the work).
12. Have a fun time.

~~~~~~~~~~

Transport Engineering:
Safe Routes Get Children on to Their Bikes
By Will Bramhill

 "Safe routes to schools" is set to become a buzz-phrase in
the U.K., not just among planners but with parents, too.
 Researchers found that traffic calming not only increases
safety but also the perception of safety, so that mums and
dads allow their children more freedom - more children cycle
and walk under their own steam.
 In one study, the number of children allowed to travel
independently to school rose from 22 per cent to 33 per
cent, and the number allowed to visit local shops rose from
27 per cent to 33 per cent.
 The DoT set aside £31 million to put in more 20mph zones
and reduce child casualties. One target is the busy A27 in
Fareham, Hants, which is being narrowed to one lane each
way.
 They hope for results like in Winchester where traffic
calming cut speeds in two shortcuts near schools from 45mph
to an average of 12mph.
 The government is also to put more emphasis on drivers
responsibilities, encouraging them to be more aware of
children. The charity Sustrans believes that once the
success of its various pilot schemes is proven then there
will be a huge demand from schools nationwide for Safe
Routes.
 As a guide for parents and teachers wanting to see if their
route is suitable, Sustrans  published a 7-point checklist:
1. Safe routes should follow those used currently by pupils
as far as possible. Savings in distance and time are as
important for children as adults.
2. Reducing conflict with traffic is crucial; with traffic
calming or traffic-free routes, or a combination of the two.
3. Routes should be as wide as possible. Children prefer to
travel in company and the short times of peak school travel
means pavements and cycle lanes are likely to be crowded.
4. Measures which deter cars from using safe routes tend to
make safe routes safer and also serve to reduce school
escort trips.
5. The location and design of specific safety measures
should take into account children's and parents' fears.
6. Routes need to be continuous and extend far enough from
the school in several directions to serve the majority of
pupils.
7. Routes should be designed to permit secondary and older
primary school pupils to walk or cycle along them
unaccompanied.
 Further information:
Sustrans homepage: www.sustrans.org.uk/
[Source: The Bicycle News Agency, Editor Ernst Poulsen]

~~~~~~~~~~

Sustainable Development:
Developing Sustainable Tourism In Tanzania

One of the most exciting developments in Tanzania is the
creation of a number of community based tourism programs.
These are ideal for bicyclists - many have easy bike access.
They entice you to slow down for a couple of days and enjoy
a mix of intellectual, physical, social and spiritual
stimulation.  Information on all the programs is available
from the Tanzania Tourist Board office, Boma Road, Arusha,
tel.: 255-57-3842/3, email: ttb at yako.habari.co.tz and the
Arusha office of the Cultural Tourism Program, PO Box 10455,
Arusha.  Tel/fax: 255-57-7515, email: tourinfo at habari.co.tz.
 Here are the programs we know of: Longido (80km north of
Arusha, 30km south of Namanga), Mto Wa Mbu (80km west of
Arusha at Lake Manyara), Mulala (30km north of Arusha),
Ng'iresi (7km north of Arusha), Northern Pare Mountain
(Usangi) (65km southeast of Moshi, east of Mwanga), Southern
Pare Mountain (Manka-Mbaga, 40km east of Same), Usambara
Mountain (east of Mombo), Mkuru (55km northeast of Arusha).
Almost all offer a variety of walking tours (half-day, full
day and multi-day) to visit points of interest and to learn
about the culture and community.  Some of these tours can be
done by bike.  The Friends of Usambara, especially, are set
up to offer bike tours. And, Mkuru offers camel tours.
 The IBF has been working with the Friends of Usambara for
several years, providing training, bicycles, accessories,
tools and other assistance.

~~~~~~~~~~

Tranport Safety:
Road Accidents Outstrip War, HIV Deaths
Road accidents will kill or disable more people than war,
tuberculosis or HIV by 2020, the International Red Cross
said in its annual disaster report. Astrid Noklebye Heiberg,
president of the IFRC and Red Crescent Societies, told a
news conference in Delhi that traffic accidents caused at
least 500,000 deaths every year. Traffic accidents will
become the third largest cause of disability and premature
death after clinical depression and heart disease and way
ahead of war and HIV, which gain more attention. It is
estimated that 15 million people are injured in accidents,
mostly the poor and young. Fatality rates ranged from about
180 deaths per 10,000 vehicles annually in Ethiopia to 1.9
for Australia and Japan. Heiberg pointed out that traffic
accidents "cost the South almost as much as all the aid they
receive". The IFRC has launched several programs to reduce
the effects of accidents. Engineering - from car design to
street lights - is more effective in curbing the number of
road crashes than efforts to change driver behavior.
[Source: AFP News, June 1998].


~~~~~~~~~~

Celebrate cycling With A
1999-2010-2016
CYCLE & RECYCLE CALENDAR
US$10
Contact IBF for more details.

~~~~~~~~~~

CONFERENCES:

Velocity '99
Graz, Austria
April 13-16, 1999
For information contact:
Velo-City 99, c/o SEMACO
Ges.m.b.H, Friaulweg 7
A-8042 Graz, AUSTRIA.
Tel: 43-662-826878
Fax: 43-662-826878-4.
Email: velocity99 at semaco.co.at

Trails & Greenways
Making the Connection II:
A Trails and Greenways Revolution,
Pittsburgh PA, June 23-29, 1999.
 For  more information contact: RTC,
1100 17th St. NW, 10th Fl,
Washington DC 20036 USA
Tel: 1-202-331-9696
Fax: 1-202-331-9680
Email: rtcconf at transact.org
Internet:  http://www.railtrails.org

Velo Mondial 2000
Velo Mondial 2000,
18-22 June 2000, in Amsterdam,
hopes to: challenge planners
and policy makers with an integrated
 vision on the role of bicycling.
For information: Velo Mondiale 2000,
Postbus 2150, NL 3440 DD Woerden,
 NETHERLANDS.
Tel: 31-348-423119.
Fax: 31-348-417058.

~~~~~~~~~~

IBF PUBLICATIONS:

BICYCLING IN AFRICA
 Comprehensive how-to book if you are planning to travel to
Africa or other less developed regions.  192 pages of
information.  US$14.95. Please include postage and handling
for
mail orders (North America US$2, to other continents US$5)

BICYCLING IN AFRICA COUNTRY SUPPLEMENTS
 Supplements cover cycling season, routes, getting maps and
spare parts, accommodations in rural areas & special
comments
for cycling.
BICYCLE TOURING IN KENYA.  US$10 *
BICYCLE TOURING IN ZIMBABWE/BOTSWANA.  US$10 *
BICYCLE TOURING IN MALAWI/TANZANIA/UGANDA.  US$10 *
BICYCLE TOURING IN GHANA/TOGO/BENIN.  US$10 *
BICYCLE TOURING IN ETHIOPIA/ERITREA.  US$10 *
BICYCLE TOURING IN TUNISIA/ALGERIA. US$10 *
BICYCLE TOURING IN SENEGAL/GAMBIA/GUINEA.  US$10 *
BICYCLE TOURING IN MALI/BURKINA FASO/NIGER.  US$5 *
BICYCLE TOURING IN CAMEROON.  US$5 *

IBF TRAILER: ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS
 Plans & instructions for building an IBF Bike Trailer.
US$5.00 *
(free to development workers in "less developed countries.")

THE BICYCLIST'S DILEMMA IN AFRICAN CITIES
 Impact on individuals, society & the environment of not
accommodating & encouraging bicycle use in African cities.
26 pages US$3.00 *

TRANSPORTATION, BICYCLES AND DEVELOPMENT
IN AFRICA: PROGRESSION OR REGRESSION
 Transportation in Africa is primarily by foot.  Is
encouraging
bicycles progressive or regressive?  18 pages, US$2.00 *

TRANSPORTATION PATTERNS IN NAIROBI
 The history of transport in Nairobi that has led to traffic
jams
and filthy air.  With strategies for encouraging bikes. 17
pages,
US$2.00 *

FLYING WITH YOUR BICYCLES (1996)
 Summary of baggage regulations for bicycles on 40 major
airlines.  Hints and strategies for packing and flying with
a
bike.  US$4.00 *

SELECTING & PREPARING A BICYCLE FOR TRAVEL IN REMOTE AREAS /
ANNOTATED DETAILED PACKING LIST
A comprehensive how-to essay on special considerations.
US$4.00 *

LANGUAGE IN CROSS-CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING
 Essay on cultural bias in language.  A must for travelers
who
want to see different cultures with a clearer vision.
US$2.00 *

*  Suggested donation. On mail orders, please include
additional payment for postage & handling: North America;
US$1 for 1st item and US$0.50 for each additional. Beyond No
rth America US$2 for 1st item and US$1 for each additional.
Quantity discounts are available. Sorry no credit cards.

~~~~~~~~~~

IBF NEWS BACK ISSUES
US$1 each. Older issues also available.

IBF News '91/2: Tips on Responsible Travel.
IBF News '93/1: Trans: Who Pays? / Sustainable Tourism.
US$1.00
IBF News '93/2: Sustainable Access. US$1.00
IBF News '94/1: Least Cost Planning. US$1.00
IBF News '94/2: Land Use Planning. US$1.00
IBF News '95/1: Multi-mode Level-of-Service. US$1.00
IBF News '95/2: Promoting Bicycle Tourism. US$1.00
IBF News '96/1: Bicycling In India And Eritrea. US$1.00
IBF News '96/2: Free bike programs / Social attitudes.
US$1.00
IBF News '97/1: 15 Myths On Bicycling in Africa. US$1.00
IBF News '97/2: Bike decline in Asia / Bike history. US$1.00

~~~~~~~~~~~

CROSS-CULTURAL BICYCLE TOURS
These programs provide an opportunity for Westerners to
learn more about the world at a person-to-person level not
usually available to tourists. Itineraries highlight the
cultural, historical, economic and physical diversity of the
area. A portion of the fee is US tax-deductible to the
extent allowable by law.
If you have any questions please write, email, or call. Or
visit the web site at www.ibike.org

Cuba: Hosted Study Program
     Pinar del Rio - December to March
East Africa: Anthropology to Zoology
     Uganda: Pearl of Africa - January (late)
     Tanzania: Surf to Summit - February (early)
Tunisia Odyssey
     Ethnic South: Eden to Oasis - April (early)
     Enchanting North: History & Culture - April (late)
Southern Africa Sojourn
     South Africa: Zululand - June (late)
     Zimbabwe: Mashonaland (east) - July (late)
     Zimbabwe: Matabeleland (west) - July & Aug. (early)
     Malawi: Land & Lake (south) - August (late)
     Malawi: Tumbukaland (north) - September (early)
Abyssinian Adventure
     Eritrea/Ethiopia: Style & Stelae - October (early)
     Ethiopia: Imperial Highlands - October (late)
West Africa People to People
     Mali/Burkina: Timbuktu, Dogon - Nov. & Dec. (late)
     Cultural Diversity of the Coast - November (early)
Cameroon: Country of Contrast
     West - December (early)
     North - December (late)

~~~~~~~~~~

ANNUAL STUDENT BICYCLE ESSAY CONTEST
 SUBJECT:  Your essay may be on any aspect of bicycling
(history, touring, racing, commuting, role in society,
etc.).
 ENTRY:  Essays should be in English, legible and 2-3 pages.
Entrants should base their paper on interviews, research,
and/or personal opinion.  Include you name, address,
telephone number (if possible), age on the day that its
mailed, grade, name of your school, school address and your
teacher's name.  All essays become the property of the
International Bicycle Fund.
 ENTRY CATEGORIES AND FIRST PRIZE AWARD:
A) Age 8 and under, US$20 (up to half of entry may be
illustration)
B) Age 9-12, US$30
C) Age 13-16, US$50
Open to girls & boys of all countries. You need not be a
bicyclist.
 DEADLINE:  Must be postmarked by 1 May and arrive no later
that 15 May, each year.
 SEND ENTRIES TO: International Bicycle Fund

============================================================
Editor: David Mozer,   Copy Editor: Patricia Lee
IBF News is published semiannually by the International
Bicycle Fund, 4887 Columbia Drive South., Seattle, WA
98108‚1919 USA.
Tel & Fax: 1‚206‚767-0848
Email: ibike at ibike.org.
Internet: http://www.ibike.org

Coverage of an event does not constitute an endorsement by
IBF. Material in IBF News, developed may be reproduced in
whole or in part, provided prominent credit is given to the
author and source.  Please send a copy to IBF.



More information about the Sustran-discuss mailing list