Promotion

My mother is a feisty 88-year-old who is still working to change the world. She often reminds me that Kate Sheppard was her great-aunt, so she has a proud tradition to maintain.

For the past fortnight she has regaled me with her friends' reports about the hazards of fast-travelling lycra-clad cyclists. I suspect she's hoping Cycle Action Auckland (CAN) can change their behaviour.

My mother's generation grew up in a different world. They are now confronted with lycra, traffic congestion, impatient drivers and endless talk about unhealthy lifestyles and obesity.

Initially, Bike to Work events in Victoria, British Columbia inspired only committed cyclists to ride to work. An effort to convince provincial government employees to bicycle to work by linking the message to the province's own "green" initiatives was not recruiting new cyclists to bicycle commuting.

Organizers soon realized that the event attracted committed cyclists, not the potential and non-cyclists who were their real targets.