A BICYCLE IS A “ROLLING WALKING STICK”.
Automobile advocates sometimes assert that people with disabilities need to drive as an argument to negate the need for bike lanes and other infrastructure for bicycling. But for many people with strength or mobility issues, whether elderly, disabled, or dealing with injuries, riding a bike is easier than walking, and can be safer (and healthier) than driving a car, provided that the city has established the infrastructure to keep people safe on bikes. A bicycle is a “rolling walking stick”.
Laura Laker Jan. 2, 2018
‘A rolling walking stick’: why do so many disabled people cycle in Cambridge?
Riding a bike may be easier than walking for two-thirds of disabled cyclists, but they often remain invisible to society. Many don’t realise that more than a quarter of disabled commutes in this university city are made by bike.
“In the context of an ageing global population, mobility experts are increasingly seeing cycling as a way to help people with disabilities move around cities independently. A bike can act as a “rolling walking stick”; yet looking at its owner you wouldn’t know they had a disability: around 40% of disabled cyclists simply use a regular two-wheeled bike.
For two out of three disabled cyclists, riding a bike is easier than walking, easing joint strain, aiding balance and relieving breathing difficulties. According to recent research by Transport for London, 78% of disabled people are able to cycle, while 15% sometimes use a bike to get around.”
Great read-