What would you ask the head Bicycle Coordinator of your region's Police?

[GrumpyGregry]

"One man can make a difference."

“Few will have the greatness to bend history itself, but each of us can work to change a small portion of events. It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.”

I've no doubt Sgt Arty Lavos believes in that.

But since 2009 the number of cars in Victoria has gone up by nearly 12%. Almost 4.5m of the things registered there.

There is only so much one man can do.

 

[RichK]

Australia appears to have an even more pro-car, anti cyclist bias than here as perpetuated by the media. What steps can be & are being taken to inform & educate the public (& media) to redress this balance and help make those that do want to get around by bicycle.

 

[w00hoo_kent]

I'd ask him if he felt it would be beneficial to instigate a policy that all police officers experienced time on a bicycle as part of their on going training.

 

[Pumpkin the robot]

looking at the waist lines of the police around here I think they would find it very beneficial.

 

[classic33]

“Few will have the greatness to bend history itself, but each of us can work to change a small portion of events. It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.”

I've no doubt Sgt Arty Lavos believes in that.

But since 2009 the number of cars in Victoria has gone up by nearly 12%. Almost 4.5m of the things registered there.

There is only so much one man can do.

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."

 

[Shut Up Legs]

Australia appears to have an even more pro-car, anti cyclist bias than here as perpetuated by the media. What steps can be & are being taken to inform & educate the public (& media) to redress this balance and help make those that do want to get around by bicycle.

I'd ask him if he felt it would be beneficial to instigate a policy that all police officers experienced time on a bicycle as part of their on going training.

Nice suggestions from both of you . Education is a sore point for me, too: if only more motorists were aware of cyclists' rights on the road, cycling would be a bit more pleasant. Too many people just aren't aware that cyclists can ride two abreast, and that motor vehicle registration doesn't pay for the roads, but income taxes do. They're just examples: there are numerous other misconceptions held by the general public.

 

[classic33]

Nice suggestions from both of you . Education is a sore point for me, too: if only more motorists were aware of cyclists' rights on the road, cycling would be a bit more pleasant. Too many people just aren't aware that cyclists can ride two abreast, and that motor vehicle registration doesn't pay for the roads, but income taxes do. They're just examples: there are numerous other misconceptions held by the general public.

Have a look through the myths and rebuttals thread in commuting

 

[GrumpyGregry]

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."

Easy for him to say. and Nixon was far too fond of that quote...

 

[classic33]

How'd the questioning go?