at St Andrew’s Church Hall (Roundhay Room) Shaftsbury Avenue

David Hall, Regional Director of SUSTRANS will be speaking at 8pm on:

“How SUSTRANS can be relevant to Roundhay”, including the latest on the proposed cycleway from Harewood to Temple Newsam.

The meeting with David Hall will be preceeded by a REAP Open Meeting from 7.15pm to 7.45pm to give the chance for a very brief update on REAP activity and plans in another busy year.

Come and join REAP for the evening – see http://www.reap-leeds.org.uk

http://www.northernrail.org/pdfs/press/Cyclepoint_Brochure.pdf

Another mindless maniac joins the attack of the killer 'iPod zombie' cyclists.

Beware! There seems to be a new type of cyclist out there – not the Lycra lout but the iPod zombie. I must declare an interest as a keen cyclist, pedestrian, train passenger, driver and, indeed, iPod user. However, like drinking and driving, I don’t think iPods and cycling mix. On my bike, audible warnings are just as important as visual ones. Even if you can see what is in front of you, you have to hear what is behind you as you move out to avoid potholes or raised manhole covers.

Your personal stereo gives you personal music which may affect the way you ride. Research shows that loud, fast music can raise blood pressure and adrenaline, which might just tempt you to take chances.

I suppose most people see zombies as creatures staggering steadily forward towards their goal, undeterred and unharmed by all that is being used to try to stop them. But this new breed of zombie evolving on the roads of Britain is finding its way into road casualty reports.

With earphones firmly in, cyclists lose vital clues to what is going on around them. Those who have been brought up as part of the Walkmanor iPod generation are absorbed in their music zone at home, on the bus or train, and even at work. People with hearing difficulties tend to compensate for their lack of hearing on the road – iPod zombies don’t.
It isn’t just the lack of hearing. People go into their own private cocoon and their thoughts wander. They do things they wouldn’t normally do outside the cocoon.

The government THINK! campaign has warned of the dangers of pedestrians texting. The time has come for a campaign aimed at iPod users on the road.

Other common zombies are those who pace back and forth as they talk on mobile phones. In the office this is just a nuisance, but on the motorway hard shoulder this kind of sensory oblivion is downright dangerous with juggernauts driving by.

With 820 cyclists killed or seriously injured in the three months to June – a 19% rise on the same period last year – we need to do all we can to make cycling safer.

“Are you a zombie?” is a question for all who cycle, walk or drive.

[Article and photo: Graham Turner/Guardian 30 Nov 2009]

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Becky says, “As part of this course I am undertaking a dissertation looking at cycling issues in the Leeds area. This will then help to develop future initiatives and campaigns aimed at reducing casualties amongst this vulnerable road user group.

“In order to find out about the opinions and perspectives of cyclists, I have designed short a questionnaire and would appreciate it if you could take a few moments to complete it.

“The surveys are really designed to be completed by people who cycle in the Leeds district, but everyone’s opinion is important, so even if you don’t tend to travel in Leeds, please still complete a survey, making a note of where your journeys are usually made.

“All completed questionnaires will be dealt with in the strictest confidence and the data you send will remain completely anonymous so please be honest – your opinions and feedback are very important!”

Please download a copy of the questionnaire here and return it when completed to Rebecca.prosser_@_leeds.gov.uk (remove the underscores) or by fax to 0113 247 6386.

BBC News 29 October 2009

Andrew Stubbs, 41, of Bicester, Oxfordshire, was sentenced at Leeds Crown Court for knocking over Anthony Spink in Wakefield, West Yorkshire.

He had dumped 41-year-old Mr Spink’s bicycle to cover up the crash, which happened in July 2007.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE