City councillor Emily Kerr has written a second article for Cyclox on how cycling can benefit older people.
Last week, I shared stories of older Oxford cyclists, and this week I’m focusing on two older people who have great ideas on improving access to cycles and mobility scooters.
Alec, 94, switched to an ebike five years ago. He cycles for transport everywhere within Oxford’s ring-road, and goes out on country cycle rides with his daughter and her husband – both in their seventies.
“I go out cycling every day, unless it’s absolutely terrible weather. Cycling is… well it’s my liberty. I would say it’s almost my life now.
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“My legs aren’t terribly strong any more, and I can’t walk very well. But I can cycle just fine.”
Alec cycles to visit friends, the GP, the hospital, shopping and events he thinks looks interesting – in fact he cycles pretty much everywhere within the ring-road and feels quite comfortable on the roads. But that’s not true for everyone.“I speak to a lot of older people about cycling and the number one thing they want is safe, secluded cycleways – so it’s easy to get about. Lots of people want to get cycling again, to get fit, lose weight, and get about the city easily. But many older people don’t know how to start again or how to make the bike stuck in the back of their garage roadworthy.”Alec thinks there should be help […]
Continue reading the original article at: www.oxfordmail.co.uk