[sustran] Fw: [sustran] Cycling in Pune and Mumbai

[kisan mehta]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: kisan mehta 
To: sustran-discuss ; tk at thomaskrag.com ; intlbike at ibike.org 
Cc: hjk at rincon.netSujitPatwardhan ; vishweshwar raste ; saksena 
Sent: Sunday, October 14, 2001 4:44 PM
Subject: [sustran] Cycling in Pune and Mumbai 



----- Original Message ----- 
From: kisan mehta 
To: Harshad Kamdar ; hjk at rincon.net  sutran-discuss at jca.ax.apc.org
Cc: sujit Patwardhan ; Vishweshwar raste Aaplepune saksena6 at bom8.vsnl.net.com 
Sent: Sunday, October 14, 2001 12:05 PM
Subject: Re: [sustran] Sv: [sustran] Research on education and development of sustainable transport


Dear Harshadbhai,   Sustranfriends, Pune friends,

Harshad Kamdar's email on the fate of cycling is well understood.  You know the predicament of the pedestrians in our cities, towns and our villages.  Motor car has penetrated into the most interior private areas creating horrors for residents.  In Mumbai, pavements are  being cut down drastically and whatever is left is used by motorists for parking.  The motorist feels that he has the licence to park on pavements and private compounds. 
 
The government supports motorists, by allowing import of cars, more cars and 
luxury cars at public coast.  I recollect having read about 3 years ago that for enabling import of Mercedes, the public exchequer lost Rs 70 billion.  Not to be 
out done, the BMW imports will cost Rs 20.17 billion. Import of reconditioned 
Cadillac each costing at Rs 7 million  is being actively considered.  (Cadillac 
makers came to the conclusion that poor Indians cannot buy  new ones at estimated 
CIF cost  of Rs 14 million. (what a poor reflection on our Ambanis, Premji etc 
amongst the world's richest) 

For the same poor motorists, we spend our money even at the time of breaking down 
of state economy for flyovers and bringing intensive congestion.
 
Mumbai (population12 million) has no chance for extending facilities to cyclists.
With motor car taking over the entire road network, we do not wish to espose
cyclists to sure accident hazard.  About 30% of Copenhagen in the most 
congested interior is car free, first for pedestrians and then toi cyclists. Danes 
love to cycle so the authorities extend all support cyclists. And what do we do 
in our country?
 
But Pune (population 2 million) must be saved.  Our friends Sujit Patwardhan (sujit at vsnl.com) Shekhar Raste (vmraste at hotmail.com  and 
aaplepune at hotmail.com), Vijay Paranjpe (do not know his email but easily 
accessible through Sujit ) and scores of Aaple Pune volunteers are doing 
everything to improve traffic in Pune.    Shekhar was on a five day long fast from 
Mahatma Gandhi's birthday (2nd October) to focus on the seriousness of the 
traffic problem.   Why don't you ask our friends in Pune to talk to Sujit. Shekhar 
and Vijaybhai?  Do let me know if we can be of any further use.  Aaple Pune (our 
Pune) must be saved.  Best wishes        
 
Kisan Mehta  kisansbc at vsnl.com
Priya Salvi  priya_salvi at yahoo.com

----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Harshad Kamdar 
  To: Kisan Mehta (E-mail) 
  Cc: Sirish Kamdar (E-mail) ; Rita & Trilok Kamdar (E-mail) 
  Sent: Thursday, October 11, 2001 7:20 PM
  Subject: FW: [sustran] Sv: [sustran] Research on education and development of sustainable transport


  Dear Kisanbhai, Sirish & Trilok,

  Pune was known as a city of cycles and each household had many bi-cycles. I remember as a child I always wondered  at Dhoti clad cyclists (Also wearing a jacket & hat in winter). Today we are civilized and Pune has scooters. It is unsafe for students to ride can this be changed ?

  I extract below Abstract of the website and you can have the whole book if you desire. Can we get some ideas for Pune and our other cities? Do you think the Mayors of smaller cities and towns be intrested in providing safe cycle tracks? Sirish & Trilok can you also contribute some ideas from Pune?
  Kanu

  A very comprehensive document on cycling in developed countries was prepared last year by the Danish Road Directorate by a researcher named Soren Underlien Jensen, now working at the Danish Transport Research Institute.

  The document has numerous references to other literature and exists in English, titled "Collection of Cycle Concepts".

  It can be ordered for free at boghandel at vd.dk or achieved electronically at http://www.vd.dk/wimpdoc.asp?page=document&objno=17291 .

  ABSTRACT
  Promotion of more and safer bicycle traffic produces healthier road users and helps to create better towns. Collection of Cycle Concepts presents some ideas on how to increase the use of bicycles and how to prevent bicycle accidents.

  The growth in car traffic is creating environmental problems and congestion. Compared to other countries in Europe traffic problems in Denmark are still modest. An important explanation for this is the development in the course of the last century of a robust bicycle culture. Today, one trip out of five in Denmark is by bicycle.

  The future role of the bicycle must also be strong in order to create a sustainable society. It is important to develop and infrastructure that permits the optimal exploitation of the bicycle's qualities and possibilities.

  A larger share of the short trips in towns can take placy by bicycle. The car is often indispensable on longer trips. The bicycle can not be alone. Intermodality is important. The right balance of good roads and paths for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists can create better towns without losing the interaction between modes of transport.

  The bicycle can more often be used as feeder traffic for coach, bus, train and plane on longer trips. This calls for safe an functional access roads and terminals with good possibilities for interchanges.

  Not only road administrations, but also companies, institutions, schools associations ets, must contribute to changing our attitudes to transport and making it more acceptable to cycle. The individual advantages are big. Half an hour's cycling daily increases our mean life expectancy by 1-2 years and gives better quality of life, both physically and mentally.

  There are many measures that can be taken to improve cyclist safety. In spite of this, the accident risk for Danish cyclists has not changed over the past 25 years. It is necessary to approach the problem more systematically and introduce proposed solutions and places and among target groups where they will have the greatest impact.

  The main challenge is promoting more and safer bicycle traffic is the need to implement a wide range of measures simultaneously. I therefore invite the reader to consider the many ideas contained in Collection of Cycle Concepts - and be inspired of those ideas, which apply to local conditions.

  Henning Christiansen
  Director General of the Road Directorate

  Publisher:
  Road Directorate
  Niels Juels Gade 13
  DK-1059 Copenhagen K
  Denmark
  Tel.: +45 33 93 33 38
  vd at vd.dk


  -----Original Message-----
  From: owner-sustran-discuss at jca.ax.apc.org [mailto:owner-sustran-discuss at jca.ax.apc.org]On Behalf Of Thomas Krag
  Sent: Thursday, October 11, 2001 15:23
  To: sustran-discuss at jca.ax.apc.org
  Subject: [sustran] Sv: [sustran] Research on education and development of sustainable transport


  A very comprehensive document on cycling in developed countries was prepared last year by the Danish Road Directorate by a researcher named Soren Underlien Jensen, now working at the Danish Transport Research Institute.

  The document has numerous references to other literature and exists in English, titled "Collection of Cycle Concepts".

  It can be ordered for free at boghandel at vd.dk or achieved electronically at http://www.vd.dk/wimpdoc.asp?page=document&objno=17291 .

  Best regards

  Thomas Krag
   .
  --

  Thomas Krag
  Wilhelm Marstrands Gade 11 - DK-2100 Kobenhavn O
  tel +45 35 42 86 24, mobil +45 27 11 86 24
  www.thomaskrag.com, email tk at thomaskrag.com
  -----Oprindelig meddelelse-----
  Fra: David Mozer <intlbike at ibike.org>
  Til: sustran-discuss at jca.ax.apc.org <sustran-discuss at jca.ax.apc.org>
  Dato: 11. oktober 2001 08:24
  Emne: [sustran] Research on education and development of sustainable transport


  >We, the International Bicycle Fund, received the following enquiry.  If you
  >have produced or know of research on this topic please send information to
  >Richard.
  >
  >Comments: I am a masters degree student who is studying sociak research and
  >would like to complete my dissertation around education and development of
  >sustainable transport, with particular reference to the use of the bicycle.
  >Would you be able to point me in the direction of any previous or current
  >research papers around this topic. I would greatly appreciate any contact
  >addresses of organizations concerned with sustainable teansport issues both
  >in developed and developing countries.
  >
  >UserName: Richard Rothwell
  >
  >UserEmail: rich_charlott50 at hotmail.com
  >
  >


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