[sustran] Re: Will you let your children cycle to school ? I won't

[chuwa]

Thanks to all who share their views. I am frustrated and am a bit  shocked to see how cities are developing in the same way in terms of  automotive against human powered transport.
  
 I believe the  energy goes into automotive transport yield 1% transport value and 99%  pollution (air, noise, danger) while cycling yield 20% transport value  and 80 % fitness for the rider. 
  http://jz88.com/jz88-blog/?p=4
  
  This argument is valid for me but obviously not for the majority. I  have friends who earn much less and able to justify to use half of  their income for buying a small car in Singapore. The "status symbol"  and perceived utility factors are the driving force behind. 
  
  I wish more high profile persona will help to raise the status of  cyclist and pedestrian. I also wish more government agencies will see  the connection between transport planning and the consequences in  population health and living environment.
  
 Practically, I  don't want my children to risk their life nor want to block them from  developing a life long skill in cycling, they need a solution now. I  will bring them out cycling on pavement and safer streets, highlight to  them the potential danger in common places. Bit by bit, to built up  their competent level and confident.
  
  Chu Wa
  

chuwa <chuwasg at yahoo.com> wrote:  - primary school pupils want to cycle to school on their own but parents' concerns are stopping them.
  
  - 90% of youngsters have bikes and more than 30% of them would like to cycle to school, only 1% actually do
  
  - parents  who drive their children to school risk creating a habit of dependency  that undermines children's confidence and self-reliance
  
  - It's  a great shame children are being denied the opportunity to experience  this (cyling) independence because parents are worried about their  safety on the roads
  
  All above  remarks from THE HERALD (UK) can be applied to Singapore directly. I am  just wondering how many cities (developing or not) are facing similar  problems?
  
  Chu Wa
  Commuter cyclist
  Father of two
  
  
  
  The full news:   http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/news/display.var.1247222.0.0.php
  
  
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