Felix Acker
Research & Statistics Officer, Bicycle Victoria
- Melbourne, Australian Capital Territory
- Australia
Topics
5 Comments
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Re: Looking for Travel Behaviour Change Programs Used in Secondary Schools
2009-07-06 23:27:10 UTC
Dear Melanie,
the Ride2School program in Melbourne addresses both primary and secondary schools. Some of our initiatives such as the 500 KM Gold Medal challenge are currently exclusively directed at secondary students. Other initiatives are just currently implemented and I cannot yet comment on their effectiveness, but they are designed to address what we have found to be a major barrier: That secondary students do not consider walking or riding a bike to school as socially desirable.
For more info feel free to contact me via e-mail or phone and have a look at our website: http://www.bv.com.au/ride2school/
Best from Melbourne,
Felix
Felix Acker
Research & Statistics Officer
Bicycle Victoria
Australia -
Research on Bicycle Lights Use
2009-04-29 23:38:26 UTC
Dear All,
Have any of you come across any research or data on the proportion of cyclists or specific cyclist populations that do not use front-,back-, or either light during night time riding? Further, does anyone know of an investigation into the reasons of why people are riding without lights?
Best from Melbourne,
Felix Acker
Felix Acker
Research & Statistics Officer
Bicycle Victoria
Australia -
Re: Idling Research
2009-02-19 13:48:33 UTC
Dear George,
thank you for the material. If I read it correctly, then the only study that looked at emissions during idling verus hotsoak is the Canadian one you attached. Looking at their data and plotting this as a curvilinear regression, it appears to me that for periods of 10 seconds or less idling is better. More importantly, though, for longer periods (up to 10 minutes of continuous idling) the amount of emissions is more or less the same (different in absolute numbers but not different enough to claim that this is a systematic difference and not just measurement error). Also, according to the other summary article you posted, switching the engine off does, in fact, cause wear on starters and other components, contrary to what is often read on anti-idling websites. The only real reason not to idle is that it uses more petrol and hence it is mainly an economic concern and secondary an environmental concern in terms of the resources required to get extra petrol from the groung into the car.
Overall, then, there is no compelling argument to be made to tell anybody not to idle, at least not in situations such as city traffic. I find this rather surprising and would hope that we can find some more research with further data.
Best from Melbourne,
Felix
Felix Acker
Research & Statistics Officer
Bicycle Victoria
Australia -
Idling Research
2009-02-17 22:47:33 UTC
Dear All,
looking through the information on idling, including many of the links that have been supplied in these forums by other members in the past, I cannot help but notice that while many sites proclaim to dispel the 'idling myths', there is virtually no (I yet have to find one) reference to primary studies. I very much would encourage members of this site to share your knowledge about studies (and the sources - the journal or the agency that published a report), which actually provide the numbers for the much-cited conclusion that idling a)wastes petrol and b) reduces the engine component longlevity. Also, Doug mentioned during a workshop I attended just yesterday that switching off the engine if the better choice if you would idle for longer than 10 seconds. Is there concrete information whether this is the case for a) all vehicle types, b) all fuel types, c) all types of weather.
It would be great if we could gather information on this and the site administrator could put these into a link compendium elsewhere on the site as data link repository for idling research.
Best from Melbourne,
Felix
Felix Acker
LaTrobe University
Australia -
Re: Myth-busting -- children influencing parents
2008-11-25 09:02:00 UTC
Hello All,
it seems to me that there are different types of operationalisation relating to this myth. Many of the examples of commentators here that cite effective and well designed programs usually involve the parents and give them at least a semi-active role (e.g. ride with their children to school on a bike, check the progress of student work, help them to do homework, etc.). I believe that the original post was directed at a different question, however: Do children influence their parents' attitude and behaviour in the absence of any involvement of the parents in the program. Are there true spill over effects in the sense that because children might tell their parents what they learned at school, parents then shift their behaviour? Has nagging an influence - if children are enthused about riding a bike to school and nag their parents for permission and resources (a new bike), does this in itself, without further reinforcement from the school or elsewhere, change attitudes? Considering the anecdotes presented by other commentators here, there seems little doubt that well targeted family involvement is beneficial in changing attitudes or behaviour of all involved (not just the children), but so far we (contributors to this listserv) have not compiled much evidence addressing the issue of pure spill overs as defined above. I am also currently searching for that type of evidence and will post if found.
Best,
Felix
Felix Acker
School of Psychological Science
La Trobe University
Ph.: 9479 1257
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