Cycle Stuff Direct Look at the Perceptions of Cycling

SOUTHAMPTON, England, December 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

A couple of weeks ago the National Institute for Health and Clinic Excellence (NICE) released new guidelines for local authorities who will be responsible for public health from April 2013. NICE reported that 3/4 of women and 2/3 of men do not exercise enough to stay healthy and fit and stated that cycling should be the key mode of transport for short journeys. Bicycle clothing and accessories website, Cycle Stuff Direct, are advocates of this as cycling has huge health benefits including weight loss, reducing stress and improving overall fitness.

Dereck Pickering, Operations Director, says "Not only is cycling great for overall fitness, but compared to cars being used for short journey, it saves money and is better for the environment. I'm happy that NICE are advocating cycling as there has always been, and still are, concerns about safety and negative press that put people off cycling. An example of this is the BBC's documentary about commuter cyclists that was broadcasted last week."

The documentary, "The War on Britain's Roads" showed video footage from cyclists' road bike helmets which included near misses and very angry drivers. Dramatising is what the media do but many people found this extreme. MPs and campaigners have described the documentary is "sensationalist" and "irresponsible."

Dereck says that the issues covered on the programme were over the top and not successful in illustrating the truth. He states, "Cyclists including me have had zero problems when it comes to cycling on the roads. Many drivers overtake me safely and pass without incident. It's such a shame that when something negative is said about cycling it has a huge impact on people's perception of cycling."

Dereck suggests that is doesn't need be a "war" on the roads but changes from both drivers and cyclists who feel that they don't need to obey the law and have a disregard for safety. "If we can achieve a good infrastructure for cyclists, that would be a good start. But it's also the view that some drivers have in wanting to overtake a cyclist as soon as possible, and the cyclists who don't feel the need to give way, that needs to evolve."  

Contact:

Dereck Pickering
dereckp@cyclesd.com
http://www.cyclestuffdirect.com
+44(0)2380-658-708