Dear Adam

Proposal for ABC Health & Wellbeing to run a 'Safer Bicycle Commuter Accreditation' promotion to:

*           provide 'tangible safer commuter cycling tips' to Bicycle Commuters based on local cycling conditions

*           diversify Health & Wellbeing's scope and utility to assist people seeking a healthy lifestyle

*           enhance 702 ABC's brand name and ratings amongst cyclists generally (commuters, racers, endurance & mountain bikers) - bicycles outsell cars

As a committed road endurance cyclist, I was pleased that you zealously voiced your thoughts from 7:23am last Wed, 23 May, about a minority of commuter road cyclists who do not display an abundance of prudence by -

*        not wearing a bicycle helmet; and/or

*        not being "lit up like a Christmas tree". 

You mentioned not just the obvious negative consequences to a cyclist upon suffering a trauma accident due to being hit my a motorist, but also the strain upon the motorist who "didn't see him/her".  Another cost that you would be mindful of is the fiscal health care costs, and emotional strain, upon Emergency Wards at hospitals from the increased incidence of serious bicycle accidents due to increased road cycling.

This letter asks ABC's Health & Wellbeing division to 'take up the cudgels' laid down by you, and 'spend a penny to save a pound' -

(i)         by inviting regular bicycle commuters, hereinafter Bicycle Commuters, to complete/submit (on line on the Health & Wellbeing website) the attached DRAFT Questionnaire; and

(ii)        by rewarding say 50 Bicycle Commuters, who provide 'the most useful safer commuter cycling information' which will mitigate trauma bicycle accidents (noted in their completed Questionnaire), with a yellow fluro high-vis showerproof jacket, or alternatively a long sleeve Winter bicycle jersey, with the following printed on the left chest:

ABC 'Health & Wellbeing' Safer Bicycle Commuter Accreditation

The Health & Wellbeing website could then be embellished to provide 'tangible safer commuter cycling tips' to Bicycle Commuters based on local cycling conditions. 

Perhaps the Health & Wellbeing website could -

I.          list a map of known Blackspots in the Sydney Metropolitan Area; and

II.         provide links to 20 (or so) completed Questionnaires where the surname of those Bicycle Commuters was omitted.

Perhaps, as a consequence, our road authorities (RTA and local councils) might place dedicated 'Bicycle Blackspot Signs' at some of those identified Blackspots because there are some well known dangerous ones. 

Costs

1. Cecil Walker has Bellweather High Vis Yellow Showerproof Jackets @ $60.  Affixing the above white on blue insignia would cost approx $15 each = $75 x 55 (50 for prizes and 5 for ABC internal promotion)  = . Netti in Surrey Hills may do it cheaper =  $3,750AUD
   Cell Bikes, Stanmore, sell its Rain Jacket for $49.
   OR

2. Muggaccinos has purchased directly from in JOYRIDE SPORTSWEAR Guangdong, China, both 50 light weight Summer short sleeve jerseys and 15 windproof long sleeve cycle jerseys after receiving sponsorship from Cerebos which sells 'inter alia' Fountain sauces.  55 (50 for prizes and 5 for ABC internal promotion) Winter-warmth long sleeve cycle jerseys made with 180-200g/m2 density jersey fabric with ABC logos, and the above insignia, in a bright fluro colour, would cost less than $50 AUD per jersey, incl air freight.  = $2,750AUD
   Alternatively, 702 ABC could purchase from an Australian jersey garment maker such as Netti or Skody long sleeve Winter fabric jerseys for almost double the above cost.

The delivery cost to present the yellow fluro showerproof jackets or long sleeve jerseys to the 50 most useful Questionnaires, submitted by Bicycle Commuters, could be contained to approx $150AUD (10 freight postage x $15 each) if 702 ABC arranged for a 'presentation ceremony' at Ultimo which enthused say 40 of the 50 'winners' to travel to Ultimo to collect their prize, accepting that some may live further away.

Click on a photo of you with a few Muggaccinos' cyclists taken in 2007 when 702 ABC gave away a lot of red t-shirts for the 2007 'National Ride to Work Day'.  I do not believe that 702 ABC derived 'value for money' from that sponsorship support, albeit my red t-shirt remains in pristine condition because I hand wash it. 

The above suggested 'Safer Bicycle Commuter Accreditation' promotion would -

(a)        reduce attendance at Emergency Wards by Bicycle Commuters sharing the trauma mitigation knowledge of other Bicycle Commuters which could be accessible on ABC's Health & Wellbeing web pages - which would also add tangible value to Health & Wellbeing; and

(b)        assist the University of New South Wales' Safer Cycling Study by learning from the completed Questionnaires, submitted by committed, seasoned Bicycle Commuters.

I have administered an endurance road cycling group, Muggaccinos.com for 16 years.  I am not a Bicycle Commuter, but several cyclists who ride with Muggaccinos.com are Bicycle Commuters.  On 1st May, one of Muggs riders, David aka MountainGoat, was hit by a motorist at a roundabout whilst commuting home from work after dark.  When I emailed details of David's accident (broken wrist, cuts and bruises, damaged bike) to other bicycle commuters amongst Muggaccinos I was surprised to learn that -

A.         roundabouts are often a known Blackspot for Bicycle Commuters; and

B.         Bicycle Commuters who ride before, or after, daylight have to be 'lit up like a three dimensional Christmas tree'.

One of Muggs regular Bicycle Commuters, Scott aka PatternMaker, responded that he and his bicycle display eight different light beams from all sides, as well as wearing velcro-affixed fluro reflectors.  When Scott commutes, he and his bike have:

     Two powerful twin Ayup lights (four lights) up front.

     One 1 watt red light on his saddle bag.

     One LED on his helmet.

     Two LEDs on the bottom of his seat stay.

     Two fluro yellow ankle straps made by Madison with Velcro straps.

The University of New South Wales is currently conducting a Safer Cycling Study headed-up by Dr Ros Poulos from the School of Public Health and Community Medicine.  Dr. Poulos research has a focus on injury prevention and safety policy.  The Safer Cycling Study hopes to learn about -

i)         when, where and why people cycle, and

ii)        the risks, hazards, near misses and crashes that people experience while cycling.

I believe that you could receive a minimum of 300 completed Questionnaires, and perhaps a lot more.  As the Attachment notes, I am on the BNSW Bicycle User Group Committee, as well as the three person risk management committee.  I would beseech other BUGs to encourage their Bicycle Commuters to submit a completed Questionnaire on-line.  My Muggaccinos ride group would submit at least 10 completed Questionnaires.  I know Mike O'Reilly, a Vice President Masters at Cycling NSW, who would encourage its members who are Bicycle Commuters to submit a completed Questionnaire.  Mike has been a Bicycle Commuter for over 30 years.  Sydney Cyclist is another source to generate submitted Questionnaires.

I think that item 3 in the DRAFT Questionnaire may encourage ride clubs and ride groups to encourage max Bicycle Commuters to submit more Questionnaires, especially if there was a webpage which listed the number of submitted Questionnaires by each ride club or ride group.

Separately, I have had my share of nasty bicycle bingles and I broke helmets in two of them.  Hence, I always wear a helmet.  Should you wish to derive maximum benefit from the callers that you spoke to on Wed 23rd May, then you could invite the Bicycle Commuter that you interviewed who said that he is all in favour of bike lights, but argued against wearing a helmet, to accompany you to chat with a neurosurgeon at say Westmead Hospital who has evidenced the cranial injuries from some bad bicycle trauma accidents, together with another Bicycle Commuter that you interviewed who spent four weeks in Westmead Hospital after shattering his helmet, but not his Noggin.  The purpose of such a meeting would be to change the belief of the first Bicycle Commuter that you interviewed.  I suspect that he would then be prepared to acknowledge his change of mind on-air.  All that I can assume is that the first Bicycle Commuter has never whacked his head on the roadway in a trauma accident.  It is a 'no brainer' for anyone who has 'come off a bike badly' that a helmet will reduce cranial injuries. 

Being an ABC Tragic, and cognisant of it's Health & Wellbeing web pages, I believe that you are uniquely positioned to go beyond the scope of the omnipresent radio announcer who vociferously articulates something that matters to him, by implementing a follow-up strategy which will mitigate his concern. 

Yours sincerely   

Phil Johnston
Ride Organiser and President Muggaccinos Bicycle User Group

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