Still feeling a smidgen nonplussed by the bike ban fiasco earlier this year? Here’s further inadvertent entertainment.
Figure 1. Great 4 Wheel deals for 2 Wheel riders
Now the best on four wheels brings Bicycle Victoria members an extra incentive to get on your bike and ride down to one of the 5 Subaru Melbourne retailers.
Yes, really.
An excellent response so far from Anna:
Dear BV,
As a member of Bicycle Victoria I was extremely disappointed to see that BV is encouraging the purchase of 4WDs through the ‘Great 4Wheel Deals for 2 Wheel Riders’ promotion. About 5 years ago I made a conscious decision to use my bicycle as my primary form of transport. I made this decision because I understood the urgent need to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and was aware that my transport choices are one area in which I have the ability to reduce my own greenhouse footprint.
I realise that I’m in a relatively privileged position in terms of my transport options – I live close to where I work, shop and socialise and have easy access to public transport when I need it. In our very car-dominant society, it is clear that not everybody can so easily make the choice to stop using private cars altogether as a form of transport; however, even those who still need a car to get around have the option of making sensible purchasing decisions about the type of car they drive.
By “sensible”, I mean small, fuel-efficient vehicles that will have the lowest possible impact on the environment and, for that matter, on other road users. Generally, 4WDs do not fit this profile.
If it’s true that about 80% of 4WDs purchased in Australia never leave the city, then it is clear that most of those people who purchase them don’t actually “need” a 4WD but buy them for other reasons. A common reason given is that people feel safer in 4WDs, yet studies have proven that not only do 4WDs have a higher potential to roll than smaller vehicles, but they are also much more likely to kill other road users when involved in accidents. As a cyclist and as such a highly vulnerable road user, this issue is very important to me.
Further, we cyclists fight a daily battle for our share of the available road space, and increasingly that road space is being disproportionately taken up by lone drivers in large 4WDs and SUVs.
I would expect Bicycle Victoria, as the peak representative cycling body in this state, to understand that these issues are important to cyclists and to conduct its promotional and other activities accordingly. At present, and not for the first time in recent months, I certainly don’t feel very represented. In the past I have valued my BV membership, however at this point I am seriously considering cancelling my membership – it doesn’t make sense to me that I would pay a yearly fee to have my interests directly contravened.
I expect that BV has been contacted by other members about this issue, and I look forward to a comprehensive response including the withdrawal of the 4WD promotion.
Regards,
Anna
Factoid: The CEO of this organisation once stood as The Greens Lord Mayoral Candidate for Melbourne City Council in 2001.
Yes, really.
