On Building Resilience in the Fog of War
“Once again, bicycles demonstrate resilience in the face of crisis and uncertainty.
Bikes support physical distance, get us outside and exercising our muscles, and help us get to essential services. And bikes do it all affordably, in a time where all of this is more challenging than ever. ”
These aren't my words. Over much of the past 4 weeks, I’ve been more focused on doing than thinking. Acting — mostly reacting — and trying to do the right thing for my family, my employer, and my community (with blurred lines between the latter two).
This is literally a time when walking and chewing gum at the same time is not only challenging, it gives one pause. This, of course, is from the perspective of privilege; isolated in the protection of a home, with family, food and work close at hand. For others, the fight against COVID-19 truly is a sort of war.
And while some of us have gotten stuck watching the world reshape itself around this crisis — with day-to-day cycling advocacy issues, priorities, and agendas temporarily melting into thin air — others have had the presence of mind to think big.
Like Erin O'Melinn, of coalition partner HUB Cycling, the author of those words at the top.
In a recent email, she reminded me that being at a loss for words (my own) is no excuse to not think big, at a time that demands big ideas.
This is no less critical a time for active transportation than any time in the past, and we can reasonably argue it is now THE most important time — to seriously focus on cycling as a transportation solution, as an outlet for physical activity, and as a salve for our emotional fatigue.
Erin plucked the ideas swirling in the air above me and put the picture together like a board puzzle for a preschooler.
"It's an opportunity," she wrote, "for mass habit change with transportation."
Of course it is. Now it's time to act like it.
Why Wait to Act?
Of course, working on mass habit change at the policy and organizing level is important, but it’s only one half of the story, and one could argue that, like so many other things right now, it’s the lesser half.
The most important changes need to happen at the individual level, as we’re reminded daily by our leaders. And developing a new habit (or cultivating an old habit, dormant from winter) isn't something you just think about, or talk about. It's something you do.
Today, each of us must relieve ourselves of the collective fantasy that we can sit and wait for life to get back to normal. We have to do something. For most, this begins with a new approach for a new normal.
It can start simply…just walk, or move about and exert yourself in some way, however you can, every day.
If you have a bike, some experience, and the will (not much—just a little is fine), even better. Get it in road-worthy condition. And then just do it. Bike your laneway, your street, the local park, to the store—for fitness and utility, it can replace your automobile. There’s truly no time like the present. Especially since the present could last a long, long time.
What about safety? On March 24, we issued a public statement about how to walk and cycle responsibly. The statement itself was the outcome of shared concern and debate amongst our Board and leadership team; not just over the material recommendation itself, but also the timing. Did we know enough yet, about the epidemiology of the coronavirus, or even the speed or trajectory of the spread of COVID-19 in BC?
We did not, and of course we remain concerned that insufficient data and a too-early pronouncement could actually endanger people.
The next few months of social distancing will be like the marshmallow test, but for the world. Don't eat the marshmallow. Exercise restraint. Stay home.
— Robin Wash Your Hands Mazumder (@RobinMazumder) April 2, 2020
Yet, we had reasons to believe that a disciplined, systematic, and science-based approach to physical distancing—and viral mitigation and suppression, as we understood both at the time and to this day—could be applied to outdoor activity. We know how important regular activity is for physical and mental health, both individually and for our entire population.
So even as we spend these early weeks monitoring and evaluating risk factors and the spread of COVID-19 — dominated by the generally accepted idea that we must all stay at home as much as possible and reasonable — we also need to maintain sufficient health to manage our lives, our families, and our communities through this crisis.
Our recommendation stands — get out and walk and bike, do so to the extent allowed by our federal and provincial governments, and local health authorities. And do it alone.
Other Implications and Considerations
The other half of the story is the policy and organizing side, and of course we have opinions here as well.
As we developed our position, related themes came up, and we’ve been monitoring the public discussions—in all media forms, from small groups to social and mainstream new media—taking place about our new lives (Occasionally we scratch our heads and wonder, “Did we curse this much in pre-COVID days?” Maybe not, and it’s probably OK.)
While there’s one central theme we can agree on—we must remain active, oxygenate, and engage with the physical world—we also want to provide, for your consideration, some other ideas related to active transportation that have come to our attention in the new, COVID-19 era:
Loss of work and social engagements have led to an increase in screen time for many, and there could be widespread negative health consequences associated with this increase in sedentary activities, especially for children and youth. Arts and crafts, cooking, playing puzzles and games, talking to friends and family, writing, and meditation are all great alternatives to screen use—it’s time for a comeback from ‘old media’, and to this end, we are working as a team to determine the feasibility and approach to re-tooling Kids on Wheels as a BCCC-guided, parent-led program for all BC communities in 2020 (stay tuned).
Despite diligence around riding alone, we still risk sharing surface contacts along the way, due to the prevalence of public or shared bike parking, at home and away. Close proximity to public space and shared surfaces simply reinforces the necessity of stricter distancing and disinfectant measures to mitigate coronavirus transmission. In plain English—keeping your bike clean makes more sense than ever, especially grips, lights, bell, helmet, lock, and anything else your hands may touch frequently. (And here’s the gold standard—helpful if you decide to migrate to in-home bike storage.) There is no scientific evidence that this will provide a particular level of protection—it just makes sense.
‘Crazy ideas' being considered today—like reallocating road space to walking, cycling, and other emerging active transportation modes—may be mainstream concepts by summer, especially if the northern hemisphere is dealing with climate disasters, alongside the pandemic.
2018 05 18 - 3720 - Bethesda - Pop-Up Separated Bike Lane. Credit thisisbossi. Photo cropped; some rights reserved under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.
Building Resilience, One Member at a Time
Whether physically, or just in our heads, it's incredibly hard to be distanced from others. And it’s only been a month.
Even as we continue to adjust, our world continues to shift — family patterns, our communal relationships, economic security, and the health and safety of entire populations.
Through it all, I want to assure you that the BC Cycling Coalition — our administration and program staff, Board and coalition partners — are still here, working for safe, equitable, and inclusive active transportation.
We continue to talk to people in cities and towns across the province about what they want to see in our legislation, policies, programs, and networks of highways, roads, bridges, and public services in order to develop world-class active transportation for all British Columbians.
From Northern BC to the Kootenays, the Cariboo-Chilcotin to Vancouver Island, and Metro Vancouver to the Fraser Valley, staying at home simply means more time for us to engage with communities to plan, promote and push for better walking and cycling.
Our Work Continues — Learn More:
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