Active Transportation (AT) is by all accounts a remedy for our modern ailments. So why isn't everyone doing it?
The answer is multi-layered. Studies have shown that most people don't enjoy their single person/single car mode of transportation. In fact, up to 53% would travel to and from work using their own steam if they felt supported. That support includes safe bicycle lanes, showers and secure bike storage at their workplace, and financial incentives for choosing not to use their vehicle.
There are definite barriers within our society that keep AT out of the mainstream. They can be summarized into four main categories.
Physical Barriers include infrastructure issues (lack of bicycle lanes and paved shoulders), city planning and design issues (more functional mixed-use communities are needed to decrease the use of cars), and maintenance and safety of existing paths/lanes for cyclists and walkers. Click here for more information on physical barriers.
Knowledge Barriers mean a lack of knowledge or skills that prevent an individual from choosing AT. This could include not knowing about the existence of AT options, not being made aware of supports in the workplace, or not having any previous experience with protective gear and appropriate AT clothing. Click here for more information on knowledge barriers.
Social Barriers include parental fears for the safety of their children when walking to school, hostile attitudes to AT users, and the continuing high degree of culturally-reinforced dependency on the automobile. Click here for more information on social barriers.
Economic and Institutional Barriers include both hidden and visible subsidies that favour the use of cars (i.e., free car parking but no bike parking), inequitable public financing of transportation systems, and continuing public confusion over the legal rights and responsibilities of cyclists, inline skaters, and pedestrians. Click here for more information on economic and institutional barriers.
