“MEET THE PEOPLE OUTSIDE YOUR CAR”

MEDIA RELEASE
Active Transport Campaign Launch

“MEET THE PEOPLE OUTSIDE YOUR CAR”
(Please find high resolution images of the participants at following link: http://www.yousendit.com/download/bHlCUXVncG9JMHRMWEE9PQ)

11am, Friday 16th September 2011
Mawson Place Pavilion, (Cnr Argyle/Davey St Hobart) Campaign launch for www.whyride.com.au including a METRO BUS featuring Hobart identities who will be available for media interview.

Hobart’s motorists will come face to face with twelve new bike riders over the next few months but they won’t want to mess with them. Not only will they be riding everyday but they’ll also be on the back and sides of 20 tonne busses. Never fear, there wont be any tight lycra or road rage.

Bicycle Tasmania today launched a campaign showcasing everyday people who ride, walk and catch public transport on busses across Tasmania in a bid to improve relations between all road users.

The ‘Why Ride’ competition invites people who ride, walk or catch the bus to get creative about the reasons why they chose to leave their car behind and send in a photo to the website. Prizes include a $1,000 Greencard recharge, $1,000 from BiKE RiDE and $1,000 from the Jolly Swagman Outdoor Store along with sponsorship from the Tasmanian State Government and City Councils around the state.

President of Bicycle Tasmania, Jeff Dunn, announcing the launch today said:

“The ads went up on the busses this week and already hundreds of Tasmanians have shared why they chose to ride, stride or bus at www.whyride.com.au”.
“I invite everyone in Tasmania to enter this competition if they have ever ridden a bike, walked or caught the bus and thought of a good reason for why they did it”.
“Its fantastic that the wisdom that is being shared by the people who are riding, walking and bussing is born out by research”
“ For example: Brendan, from New Town told us that: “I ride because it’s the quickest way to get to work and my bike is a portable gym”.

“Motorists typically underestimate the costs and overestimate the speeds of their travel” said Mr Dunn.

In his recent published article, The Urban Speed Paradox: time pressure, cars and health, Dr Paul Tranter, Associate Professor in Geography at the Australian Defence Force Academy, found that once the costs of working to pay for a car are factored in, the effective speed of a motorist in an Australian city is less than someone who rides, walks or catches the bus.

The ‘Why Ride’ campaign includes bus advertising, social media, a website with the profiles of riders, walkers and public transport users. Campaign organizers will be promoting the campaign across Tasmania with people on streets and in busses recruiting people to the competition.

Chair of the Tasmanian Bicycle Council, Liam Correy said: “Through the ‘Why Ride’ campaign we are showing Tasmanian’s that active transport options are part of the solution to living a healthy, wealthier and more enjoyable life”.

“The campaign will improve relationships between all road users by reinforcing the message that agro between road users is unjustified and sharing the road is possible given improving attitudes. Local and State Government must meet their end of the bargain by improving facilities for cycling, walking and public transport”.

“Bike riders, walkers and bus passengers are asking for the same standard of comfort and amenity for their transport choices as motorists. Persia, Judith and Andrew all want to keep riding to work, reducing congestion, saving money and having fun. Its everyone’s job to be courteous on the road”.
Liam Correy, Chair Tasmanian Bicycle Council