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Siskiyou Velo

Southern Oregon's Premier Cycling Club

Insecurity and Bad Health Makes People Stop Cycling

by Gary Shaff on Apr, 13 2015

A project by the Danish Cyclists’ Federation and the DaneAge Association has studied the factors that make people aged 50+ stop cycling, and what can be done to make them start again.

Barriers and Potential for Taking up Cycling Again
Most common reasons to stop cycling
• I had health problems
• I started to feel insecure in traffic
Factors that can contribute to get them to take up cycling again
• Improved health conditions including physical ability
• A secure traffic environment
• If I got an electrical bicycle

Bad health and a sense of insecurity in traffic are the main contributing factors that make people stop cycling. But these same factors could get people cycling again. It seems possible to actively overcome the health part for some respondents since around 38 % of the respondents think that an electrical bicycle would get them to cycle again.

Overall, the responses show that heavy vehicles and cars with high speed create insecurity. Prioritizing green areas as well as having an infrastructure which contributes with security and comfort, like cycling paths, traffic lights, and good surfaces, is important for the elderly people.

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