So the Scots Parliament floats the idea of a cycling road tax, and it's rejected, or only voted for by 2% (presumably car Nazi climate deniers) during consultation. I expect the idea was proposed by the car industry, lobbying to save their bacon, or trying to appease the popular, but fictitious idea that cycling is more popular that driving. Which it isn't, despite the volume of media hoo-ha...
The car industry has brought pressure on itself, and all of us who buy into the car dream have helped. Having ignored the signs for years, it's now completely out of step. Looking to punish cyclists who represent what motorists really yearn for - freedom. Freedom, read it F-R-E-E-D-O-M. I don't have to describe the boredom of motoring, I own a car, I partake in the ritual boredom of it.
Please stop thinking of cyclists as the enemy, the enemy are all those who wish to maintain the carbon quo.
Cycle crazy 5 year old, Patrick Kiehlmann (picutred right) completed the Pedal for Scotland 2008 on Sunday 14th September. It was really encouraging to hear the support for Patrick by all who passed him, and by those he passed, on the 55 mile Cycling Scotland bike ride from Glasgow to Edinburgh. The Pedal for Scotland bike ride has plenty of refreshment stops along the way with open play areas, so it's really easy to pace yourself, and arrange to meet your mates along the way.
"Cycling is fun, great for children's health and everyone's environment. Many more children will be cycling with Patrick to and from St. Matthews Primary School as part of our daily "cycle train". Pedal for Scotland is in it's 10th year and there are already more families at Patrick's school who have asked to join in next year, the more the merrier." Mark Kiehlmann, Sustrans Volunteer Ranger.
"Both myself and the event organiser Ian Aitken met Mark and Patrick after the event and were stunned to discover that Patrick had completed the whole ride on his own. We see a lot of young children on tandems with their parents, but as far as I know there has never been anyone else as young as Patrick to complete the ride completely independently. To top it off, Mark showed us home video footage of Patrick on the last few miles of the route, where I myself was feeling ready to drop, and Patrick was still speeding along at twice the pace of everyone else. It really was quite inspirational and I'd like to offer congratulations on behalf of Pedal for Scotland to our youngest and most enthusiastic rider. Patrick's achievement really does show that more or less anyone can take part in Pedal for Scotland." Andrew Pankhurst, PR & Marketing Officer, Cycling Scotland, organisers of Pedal for Scotland.
Patrick started cycling just over a year ago, going to and from his preschool with his mate on their Islabikes. This summer we decided to try and cycle around Cumbrae for an afternoon. We were astonished when he had finished in just an hour. So we took a trip along the Fourth and Clyde Canal from Bishopbriggs to Auchinstarry Basin and back, then Patrick asked if we could go to the Falkirk Wheel. I knew then that it was very likely that he would be able to make the trip to Edinburgh on the Pedal for Scotland, celebrating cycling with over 5,000 others.
Above: Footage of Patrick on the home stretch of the ride, clearly loving it and going like a miniature steam-train
Patrick loves to cycle everyday to school in Bishopbriggs. We are working with the school, East Dunbartonshire Council and Sustrans to ensure that Patrick, and every other child, can continue to cycle on a safe route to school, away from the high pollution levels on the Kirkintilloch Road.
Meet an acquaintance of mine from Glasgow, Scotland- Hugh Spicer and visit his blog at hugh's scottish cycling trips . Check out his cycling adventure through pictures especially those spectacular sceneries of the beautiful Ecosse... a heaven for on & off-road cycling!
This fun-loving guy is also a mountaineer and an amateur photographer who love Isle of Arran, CalMac Ferry (sorry, mate!) & birds....and in fact, some of the photos are so good that it got published in the BBC website few months back!
I really envy hugh & his buddies who got to spend much of their time cycling around scotland which i rated as one of the most beautiful country in the world- for cycling, of course!
So the Scots Parliament floats the idea of a cycling road tax, and it's rejected, or only voted for by 2% (presumably car Nazi climate deniers) during consultation. I expect the idea was proposed by the car industry, lobbying to save their bacon, or trying to appease the popular, but fictitious idea that cycling is more popular that driving. Which it isn't, despite the volume of media hoo-ha...
