How to encourage more women to cycle?

I'm Lewisham and you probably know me better as Jane!
It was interesting. No one thought the hair and makeup thing was an issue, to be honest. But that could be because it's not a particular priority for the kind of folks who go to cycling meetings. Except, I have discussed this issue with lots of women in different settings, and it has never been mentioned. Like I said before, there were different barriers for different groups of women, but every female non cyclist I've ever spoken to has mentioned fear of traffic as one of the barriers. I have "bike buddied" quite a few women on their first rides to work. Quite a few of them carried on and became confident cyclists. But a few of them gave up despite the support. Every one of those women said the traffic still scared them too much. I have always tried to help people find routes that avoid busy roads and junctions but if you live south of the river and work north of it, that's not really possible. So, I'm guessing, safe, proper cycle paths would have kept those women riding.
oh hi Jane! yes, perhaps it is a bit biased talking to people who both already cycle and are active in a cycling group but it sounds like you had an interesting discussion nonetheless.

I'm less drunk now. So, my thoughts are now saying that in addition to an overall, widespread shift in attitudes to traffic, roads, and of drivers, a change in our national culture (which is what I think the Times is trying to do but I worry that it is too city-focussed, and too London-focussed) what is also important in encouraging more people to cycle, is being specific about places. It is too simplistic to say, for instance, people in Cambridge ride rusty rattlers and baker bikes, if only we had more sales of heavy old bikes, more people would cycle. Each place has a specific set of circumstances, so in my opinion, many people cycle in Cambridge because, yes everyone does it, but also you have the topography (it's flat), the historical layout of the roads (no big scary ring roads or major roads dividing the town like in some other places), the parks and commons make it pleasant, there are a lot (not enough, but a lot) of cycle stands around, but crucially, public transport is crap, driving is a complete ball-ache (one-way, tiny roads, restricted access to city centre, difficult to park), and distances covered are small (so even cycling slowly it doesn't take long, and your make-up doesn't slide off, your clothes aren't too uncomfortable etc). I would guess that the vast majority of journeys by bike are less than 3 miles. In London you might easily need to commute 10 miles to work, but in Cambridge if you were 10 miles out you'd be in a village, and most people drive in from the villages.

At first I didn't see the point of the Cycling Tzar proposal, but I'm coming around to it. What I would like to see is not so much a single person, but for cycling to be better integrated into the existing planning and implementation departments of councils - after all development plans, special business zones etc are all drawn up by groups who carry out specific analysis of their particular area. We need, in addition to the broad cultural re-orientation, specific tailored solutions for different places, based on real analysis.

I'm in the wrong thread, aren't I...

I feel so much safer as a cyclist than a pedestrian.

i'm actually a bit hesitant/nervy about crossing the road on foot when i'm not at a crossing. which will amuse those of you who have ridden with me.

in response the OP, i've no new ideas for large scale campaigns but on a personal level in conversation i always forcefully oppose the contention that cycling in london is dangerous. i won't let that remark slip by unchallenged from men or women, friends or strangers

... and did an afterworker ride (one of my popular women's rides that no women come on) to there on Tuesday...

made me :)

@ TB - I'll give your rides another go when the temp is consistently above 11 degrees and I can oversleep and get into work without any smart comments - round about late April/early May :-).

Free cake. That's what you need. Everyone likes cake.

Very good! Just posted that I'll probably have to wind down to one a week for the next couple of months anyway; got a couple of projects on at work till then which will require a lot of post 6pm evenings unfortunately.

I still stand by what I said about cake.

What cake though? Not everyone appreciates the quality of a good bit of Battenberg cake. And I prefer a hazelnut and raspberry bonded together by chocolate.

I took everyone for homemade cider (admittedly not made by me) on Thursday. That is surely better than cake.

Cider = tramp juice.

Have you read the book by Laurie Lee?

Hehe

Back to cake though.

Anyone got any good recipes for a chocolate, raspberry and hazelnut one? I can't afford the divine one at Konditor & Cook any longer, so need a good home made substitution.

Not hazelnut - can't stand the little buggers...

I have a recipe for a chocolate and raspberry cheesecake that'll make your bollocks tingle! I'll copy it and bring it tonight.

Your bollocks maybe.

Awesome.

I'll just put some raspberries on top :)

Your bollocks maybe.

I challenge anybody to not like this. It's incredible.

I wasn't questioning the quality of the cake. Just the universal ownership of bollocks and thereby the experience of them tingling. (And because I am a laaaaydeeeeee, I cannot possibly comment on a parallel cake induced sensation).
But bike riding and chocolate raspberry cheesecake is my idea of heaven.

ownership of your own body parts... interesting idea. yes, we would like more of this.

I guess I'll have to knock some up. Cake that is.

I don't know many female riders, but the ones I do know are amongst the most motivated (at everything) people I have ever met.
One girl I know, trained as a pharmacist, did a few years until became fully qualified, got bored, stuck it out for another year, has now just quit that, picked up a bike and rides/ works for sustrans. Shes an even happier and more motivated person now. No idea what made her want to do it as a career, think she was just out riding one day with a few friends and thought, yes, this is better than being locked away in the basement of a hospital with no sunlight etc.

@ TB - I'll give your rides another go when the temp is consistently above 11 degrees and I can oversleep and get into work without any smart comments - round about late April/early May :-).

This

But bike riding and chocolate raspberry cheesecake is my idea of heaven.

And very much this. Strong look.

So yeah, it would seem ladies want high quality cheesecake, bicycles and a bit of warmth/it not to be totally freezing. Not much to ask, is it?

Not hazelnut - can't stand the little buggers...

I have a recipe for a chocolate and raspberry cheesecake that'll make your bollocks tingle! I'll copy it and bring it tonight.

You should post it up here.

I will. Later. I'm in the middle of something at the moment.