Christchurch City Vision, Mayoral Candidate
Thankyou for taking the time to send your questionaire.If I went through and answered every questionaire that I have been sent since I confirmed myself as a candidate I wouldnt have time to sleep! However, I love that you are so passionate about this and I've clicked on some of the highlighted bits and had a look.
In principle I support what you are trying to achieve. There is a lot to be considered isnt there with people biking to work once you start thinking about it. Storage of bikes, getting the groceries on the way home (for working Mums), picking kids up from school, etc etc. All those little things that make a car so convenient in today's crazy life. I would love to bike to work but cant for a number of reasons.However I did bike out to Lincoln and back a couple of weeks ago.
I cant give you short answers to your questions. But briefly I cant see the sense in riding a bike without a helmet just like a cant see the sense in riding a horse without a helmet. (Ridden horses all my life). I did a survey the other night of cyclists and of 2 of the 5 I saw were riding in the cycle lane and the other 3 were on the footpath. I wondered about the council bothering to supply cycle lanes. Seeing as noone walks anywhere any more cyclists may as well be using the footpath but then there is the danger of getting hit by cars coming out of driveways.
Alan, to do your questionaire justice I would have to do a whole lot of thinking and I'm going to be honest with you here.My brain is full of rates, sewerage, CPW scheme, buses, crime, graffiti, and writing stuff for the next Mayoral Forum to be attended and on and on it goes! I'm certainly not saying that theres not room for utility cycling in there too but I need to process it.
I love the idea of everyone using bikes instead of cars (except for today when its freezing - do utility bikes come with heaters?) and I do want you to know that I would be supportive of some of your ideas.
Kind regards Jo Giles
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