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Title:

Safe and Normal: Social Influences on Formation of Attitudes Toward Bicycling

Accession Number:

01365441

Record Type:

Component

Abstract:

Many daily trips in the U.S. are less than two miles, but even in communities with extensive bike infrastructure, most of these short-distance trips are accomplished by automobile. Previous research has shown that cognitive and attitudinal factors affect transportation mode choice, even when infrastructure enables bicycling as a feasible transportation option. This study uses qualitative methods to explore the connection between social influences over the life-course and current attitudes and behaviors toward bicycling as a step toward understanding how attitudes towards bicycling are formed. Fifty-four residents of Davis, California, between the ages of 25 and 65 responded to a self-administered questionnaire and open-ended interview questions about their experiences with bicycling throughout their life. Frequent mentions were made of both positive and negative bicycling-related experiences that involved interactions with peers, family and the wider community. The authors analyzed the relationship between the quality and quantity of these experience types and the respondents’ reported attitudes and behaviors in relation to bicycling. The participants were sorted into groups based on liking of biking, frequency of biking, and identification as a bicyclist. The mentions of positive and negative peer, family and community influences from the participants’ interviews were compared across groups and quotes from interview transcripts were used to provide depth and explanation. Results suggest that respondents’ perceptions of whether bicycling is safe and normal are particularly correlated with their bicycling-related attitudes and behaviors.

Monograph Accession #:

01362476

Report/Paper Numbers:

12-3824

Language:

English

Corporate Authors:

Transportation Research Board

500 Fifth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001 United States

Authors:

Gordon, Elizabeth
Handy, Susan

Pagination:

17p

Publication Date:

2012

Conference:

Transportation Research Board 91st Annual Meeting

Location: Washington DC, United States
Date: 2012-1-22 to 2012-1-26
Sponsors: Transportation Research Board

Media Type:

Digital/other

Features:

Figures; References; Tables

Geographic Terms:

Davis (California)

Subject Areas:

Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Planning and Forecasting; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning

Source Data:

Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting 2012 Paper #12-3824

Files:

TRIS, TRB

Created Date:

Feb 8 2012 5:19PM