Disabled cyclists in London

[roshi chris]

Hello all

Background - I have been advised to specifically consider the 'large number of disabled cyclists in London' in the design of a new development I am working on.

Question - Does anyone have any experience of a disabled cyclists particular needs/ requirements, and/or does anyone know of any disabled cycling organisations in London I could approach?

Thanks in advance

 

[Arch]

Hello all

Background - I have been advised to specifically consider the 'large number of disabled cyclists in London' in the design of a new development I am working on.

Question - Does anyone have any experience of a disabled cyclists particular needs/ requirements, and/or does anyone know of any disabled cycling organisations in London I could approach?

Thanks in advance

Not in any professional capacity, but I think my prime consideration would be the siting of bike racks - they need to be conveniently placed - with regard to a building entrance for example. Many of the cyclists I know who have some sort of disability find it much easier to cycle than to walk, so it's a pain if they have to park the bike and then walk a long way. Also, it may be necessary to allow more space for bike racks - it might be harder for someone with physical limitations to squeeze a bike into a narrow rack or retrieve it from a crowded one. Not sure about handcyclists and whether they tend to be wheelchair users as well, I suspect so, in which case they may not be commuting (unless they can carry their chair with them). But if they use sticks or crutches for walking, then again, space to get out of the cycle might be important.

 

[sheddy]

Some stick users who have walking or balance problems use the upright Trike to get around on. I guess you need to consider that their parking spaces should be flat and sited away from cobbles, kerbs and traffic.

 

[mickle]

Roger Hilldodger of this parish (and Leicester) is an expert in the field of Special needs cycling. As is Jim McGurn, a director of the company I work for in York; Company of cyclists. Although not experts in the provision of Diffabled cycle parking specifically and neither based in London, they may be able to advise.



Spoke to Jim, aside from the obvious issues like wider parking bays to suit spacial needs cycles and some kind of roof as many have large/fabric seats he doesn't much to say on the subject. We would be interested to know more about your conclusions though.

 

[jonesy]

Lots of useful links and references off this website:
http://www.cyclingforall.org/

 

[sheddy]

Shame that site needs some serious updating. I know one of the bike shops has been closed at least 2 years

 

[spen666]

...the 'large number of disabled cyclists in London' ...

I would have to say that I have never seen a physically disabled cyclist in London. [Plenty of mentally challenged ones though- usually riding without lights/reflective gear @ night & crossing red lights etc].

This doesn't mean there aren't any- they could have adapted themselves to cycling with their disability

I could just be unobservant of disabled cyclists

Disabled cyclists may feel unable to commute to work on main roads

 

[bof]

It seems obvious but have you tried the London Cycling Campaign - they may well be able to help and help you with non-disabled cycling provision too.

 

[simon l& and a half]

http://www.lcc.org.uk/index.asp?PageID=793

should help

 

[domtyler]

I would have to say that I have never seen a physically disabled cyclist in London. [Plenty of mentally challenged ones though- usually riding without lights/reflective gear @ night & crossing red lights etc].

This doesn't mean there aren't any- they could have adapted themselves to cycling with their disability

I could just be unobservant of disabled cyclists

Disabled cyclists may feel unable to commute to work on main roads

Likewise, I can honestly say I have never seen a noticeably disabled cyclist in London. Or indeed heard of one or anything about cycling for the disabled. Until now I did not even consider that there were any disabled cyclists.

 

[Hilldodger]

Depends how you define disabled. Being disabled does not just mean having an obvious physical disability and the worst thing any organisation can do is simply supply a couple of handcycles and a couple of trikes and call themselves a special needs project.

We have people and families coming to us from all of the UK to try and find the correct bke and we often build or adapt bikes to suit them.

We even do special needs cycle training and the CTC are looking at making this an addition to the current syllabus.

 

[Blonde]

I have seen a cyclist with one leg. He didn't use a prosthetic one. I don't know how he got on and off. I don't even know if he would consider himself to be disabled or not - since he appeared to be riding a non-adapted 'normal' upright bicycle. He was cool - and fast! In response to some of the other posters - you cant always see a disability. It might be something like hearing or balance which is effected and those are not things that are always immediately apparent to a casual observer.

 

[Arch]

Likewise, I can honestly say I have never seen a noticeably disabled cyclist in London. Or indeed heard of one or anything about cycling for the disabled. Until now I did not even consider that there were any disabled cyclists.

Youth Hostelling a couple of years ago, I arrived in a village at the same time as another chap on a tourer and we cycled to the hostel together. It wasn't until we got off and went in that it was apparent that he had difficulty walking. Similarly, I know people with gammy legs who show no sign while on the bike, but can't walk far at all. the Bike can be a very good way of overcoming a disability, with no adaptations (or no adaptations noticable to a casual glance).

 

[Pete]

Youth Hostelling a couple of years ago, I arrived in a village at the same time as another chap on a tourer and we cycled to the hostel together. It wasn't until we got off and went in that it was apparent that he had difficulty walking. Similarly, I know people with gammy legs who show no sign while on the bike, but can't walk far at all. the Bike can be a very good way of overcoming a disability, with no adaptations (or no adaptations noticable to a casual glance).

I remember something similar, from when I was a kid (1950s). In those days, every street, every school, every kids club, had its own 'polio-kid', leg in a caliper, hobbling around, unable to join in games, all that sort of thing. We indeed had one in our road, lad a bit older than me, name of John, always in a caliper. One day I was astonished to see John pedalling furiously along the street, no sign of any disability whatsoever. This was at the time when I was just making the wobbly progression from three wheels to two, so I was pretty mad that he was ahead of me!

 

[punkypossum]

There is always Bobby McMullen...