Whitehorse Active Transport Action Group Inc.

We can all think of things we’d like to have changed.

How many New Year’s resolutions to change something – lose weight, exercise more, be nicer to the mother-in-law – have you heard people express? How long do they last? Change is not easy, even on this personal level when you are the one supposedly calling the shots.

We might want something to change, but when it’s us that needs to change, that’s not so popular.

What about when it’s something in the community where lots of people might be affected? Who will take the lead, and get things going? What is the role of volunteer community groups in leading change?

We are lucky to have a new independent newspaper in our area – EastSider News so now community groups seeking to make lives better for everyone have a chance to tell others what they are doing. EastSider News itself came about by a very small group deciding that they would help to bring about change by publishing this newspaper. They put their hands up to lead the change.

There are a many community groups, but not all are trying to change things. In fact many mainly want to make it easier, more fun, or have more engagement with like-minded people when they do whatever the group is set up to do. That might be playing cards, soccer, being wonderfully creative with wood or a thousand other things.  Many of these have excellent social side-benefits and are to be highly recommended.

Some groups want changes that will benefit everyone.  They recognise everyone in the community as a being a member of their group.

As an example, no matter your views on climate change and its causes, groups who seek to change policies of governments at all levels to mitigate and counter the effects of climate change are not acting out of self-interest.  The change they seek will benefit everyone.  Some might oppose this view because their own self-interest is being threatened, not because they think the wider community interest is being threatened. Some will perceive the change being sought to be a political one and they oppose it because it conflicts with their own political views.

WATAG (www.watag.org) seeks to share the benefits of safe and convenient walking and cycling activities for leisure and local commuting for all. Members  are strong advocates for infrastructure improvements which will be to everyone’s benefit, not just their own.

By joining a local environment group such as Lighter Footprints (lighterfootprints.org) , or an Active Transport advocacy group like WATAG, being a maintenance volunteer in your local park, or helping meals-on-wheels, you can be a contributor to change for everyone’s benefit. You can help lead the change.

Recent changes to the Local Government Act here in Victoria require local Councils to implement a Community Engagement policy by 1^st March 2021. It is regarded as very important for people in the community to be able to have a genuine say in how their community is evolving around them. And not just to have a say, but to have influence on decisions, and help make those decisions – to be a contributor to change.

So… getting involved with your Council can have a big effect.  It can lead to change.

Look out for any opportunities your Council gives to provide input.  If you see something that you think could be done better, let your Council or other authority know.  The app called Snap Send Solve  is a great way to do this.

You too can bring about changes for everyone’s benefit.

Cr. Amanda McNeil was recently elected to Whitehorse City Council. For someone who has a lifelong vision impairment, what’s truly special is Amanda’s wish to get back on a bike again, after many years, as part of her fitness campaign.

Knowing that WATAG is all about advocating to Councils and other authorities to provide infrastructure to enable people of all abilities to become more active and healthy, Amanda asked us for help. She would love to be able to ride a bike to the Council Offices, even to Council meetings, but has totally lost confidence after many years. So she asked whether we would help restore her confidence and be her ‘guide’ to ride there safely.

Whilst Amanda is vision impaired and cannot drive, she can ride a bike if accompanied by others who can ensure she is safe. Imagine the freedom this will give to her.

Bliss!

We were very happy to oblige and firstly helped her iron out the nervous ‘wobbles’ – we wanted to be sure she could remain upright! Then it was an appropriately paced and very safe ride of 3.5km so we could get that lovely smile “I DID IT” at the entrance to the Whitehorse Council offices as shown in the above photo.

Then it was a 3.5 km ride back. A more confident rider now, Amanda crossed very busy Whitehorse Rd, on her bike, at the traffic lights to enter the car park opposite with a lane to the nearby shared path. Then it was a lovely ride along the rail trail back home.

Well done Amanda. We think that 7 km is a pretty amazing “first” ride.

Let’s hope Amanda can realise her aim of riding to a Council meeting sometime soon, and convince some other Councillors to be her riding guide to get there.

Any takers?

Once upon a time I was 30. It was many years ago. If only I knew then what was ahead of me.

Many years before that, the speed at which people travelled on roads was less than 30 km/h.  Horses don’t go very fast. And the earliest cars were not much competition for the horses either.  The most popular cars for the first five years of the early 1900’s were in fact electric cars and they were capable of about 25 km/h.

If only people knew then what was ahead.

It was only ten years earlier on 17 August 1896 in the UK that Bridget Driscoll was the first person to die as a result of a petrol-engine car accident. She was in fact the first pedestrian victim of an automobile accident in the UK. And in the US it was three years later on 13 September 1899  that Henry H Bliss became the first person killed by a car. He was struck by an electric-powered taxicab while exiting the 8th Avenue trolley on West 74th Street in New York City.

Today, approximately 1.35 million people die worldwide every year as a result of road traffic crashes

When you reflect on the fact that approx. 1.34 million people have died this year due to Covid-19 it really makes you think. Covid is such a major problem, so we hope a vaccine will soon be available, and everyone will want it.

But another 1.35 million or so will die next year as a result of a road traffic crash, and the year after and so on. Where is the vaccine for that, and will we all be keen to get a shot?

Should we have lower speeds on local streets?

A recent study Understanding Pedestrian Crashes in Victoria for Victoria Walks by  Monash University Accident Research Centre says YES.

The study’s first recommendation is for reductions in speed limits, including to 30 km/h in areas of high pedestrian activity and residential streets. 
In a crash, because of their small stature, children are more likely to be struck in the head or upper body, both areas having an elevated risk of producing severe injury.
Other studies have shown conclusively that a speed of 30km/h reduces the serious trauma risk to an adult to about 20% compared to 100% at 70km/h, and the risk of death to near zero compare to near 100%.

30 km/h – not a bad vaccine with that kind of effectiveness!

Would you be happy to have a shot?

Article by Chris Trueman