Media and transport choice

Lets start for a simple question.

How can we make people to take their bikes instead of using car for short journeys? The straightforward answer is by implementing infrastructure and facilities for cycling, which is not necessarily true since various scholars have stated that transport choice depends on several factors such as type of journey and lifestyle, just to name a few.We can also think about the fact that some people cycle in urban areas with or without the proper infrastructure, thus it is now clear that other factors such perception and attitudes are influencing people to use a bike or to drive their cars.

I consider that the car culture has a strong influence on how cycling and cyclists are perceived. If we think about the amount of advertisements dedicated to cars and how these advertisements are portraying car drivers we can have a clue about advertising influence. When comparing this advertisements with the limited and sometimes nonexistent adds for cycling is not difficult to link how the media might affect people's perception about a transport mode choice.

Lets move to a second question. Who are the cyclists presented by the media? This question lead me to make a simple google search about the images of cyclists in Copenhagen, Amsterdam, London and Mexico City. I choose these cities because the two first are considered to have a 'cycling culture' whereas the latter ones have comparatively very low levels of cycling. I was not surprised when I found that the images of cyclists in the European Cities although diverse, they were mainly all sort of 'normal' people in all type of journeys (sport, leisure and work). The images that cause me some curiosity were the images about cycling in Mexico City, because most of them were about cyclists riding their bikes naked protesting about the lack of infrastructure and facilities.

This can be a double-edged sword. On one hand, it portrays the rise of activism and advocacy for cycling; but on the other hand this can represents a poor image of cyclists and Mexico City and can lead to perceived the city as caotic.

Exploring the image of cycling in journals and tv advertising might be a good next step. Lets see what we can find.

Some details to begin with

This is my first entry on the blog and I want to say that to start with, although it might sound silly, I hesitated choosing my picture. You maybe think that this is not important, but the fact is that I follow some blogs that are written by very active cyclists and I am not. I have ride my bike in different urban environments, however, currently I am  not an active cyclist. I do not ride my bike frequently because the distance between my home and the university (which is mostly my routine) is not more than 10 minutes walking.

Although not an active cyclists I am carrying out a research about cycling and how perception and attitudes are linked to the intention to commute by bike. I believe that the study of cycling should not be limited to experienced cyclists, and in fact I strongly support that all kind of citizens (as road users) must be encourage to learn, understand, promote and criticize this sustainable mode of transport. That is the reason I choose a random picture that will not have an impact in reader's perception about my statements on cycling, which I will always try to make as objective as possible.

Regarding the title of this blog and its purpose as mentioned before, I am studying cycling in my PhD inspired by idea of a more livable city. I was born in Mexico City, which is a megacity where I have seen the negative effects from an inefficient public transport and the increase of car use and the high level of stress in the population as a result. I want to contribute to my city and to the society in general, studying the barriers for cycling in cities and what governmental interventions are the most appropriate to change peoples behaviour, attitudes and perception about cycling, because I consider that cycling is very important for the present and the future. 

I  will make some reflections about academic papers, governmental measures, public ideas, slogans, news and images about cycling which I hope would be enjoyable for the readers. Any reference, critic, comment, and contribution in general is welcome. And finally, I apologize in advance if there are some grammar mistakes since English is my second language and I am still working for improving it.

Regards,

Mag