This is a vastly shortened version of my live interview recording of a ride w/ Pekka Tahkola in Oulu, Finland on that city’s comprehensive, cohesive, and connected off-street network of bike and pedestrian facilities that are appropriate for All Ages & Abilities.
Oulu is a city of 200,000+ residents and largely built in a sprawling suburban context and this network proves that people of all walks of life, in impressive numbers, will ride all year round when that network is safe and inviting and well maintained.
You can access the full-length interview: https://youtu.be/EPmJswNRb7s
Watch to see how they do it and pay particular attention to their approach to avoiding direct conflicts with cars completely, strategically using buffering to lessen motor vehicle noise nuisance levels, and dedication to maintenance, especially in the snowy conditions of wintertime.
Helpful Links (note that some may include affiliate links to help me support the channel):
– Pekka’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/PekkaTahkola
– Pekka on Twitter: https://twitter.com/pekkatahkola
– Velo Finland conference https://pyoraliitto.fi/en/velofinland
– Pekka’s consulting firm: https://navico.fi/en/home/
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Credits: Video, music, and audio production by John Simmerman
Resources used during the production of this video:
– My recording platform is Ecamm Live: https://bit.ly/3rwsUup
– Editing software Adobe Creative Cloud Suite: https://bit.ly/35DBDDU
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Background:
Hi Everyone! My name is John Simmerman, and I’m a health promotion and public health professional with over 30 years of experience. Over the years, my area of concentration has evolved into a specialization in how the built environment influences human behavior related to active living and especially active mobility.
Since 2010, I’ve been exploring, documenting, and profiling established, emerging, and aspiring Active Towns wherever they might be while striving to produce high-quality multimedia content to help inspire the creation of more safe and inviting, environments that promote a “Culture of Activity” for “All Ages & Abilities.”
The Active Towns Channel features my original video content and reflections, including a selection of podcast episodes and short films profiling the positive and inspiring efforts happening around the world as I am able to experience and document them.
Thanks once again for tuning in! I hope you find this content helpful and insightful.
Creative Commons License: Attributions, Non-Commercial, No Derivatives, 2022
8 Comments
Very Dutch-like cyclepaths.
I hope that is true too for all other major Finnish cities and suburbs.
At the start was the information about the induction loop and optical sensor the right way round? I'd assume soft squishy pedestrians would just fire off the optical sensor, but cycle users would fire that and their bike would also trip the induction loop. So one signal for peds and two for bike users?
Thank you John! It was such a pleasure to work with you for this video. Waiting for your visit to Oulu so you can see everything with your own eyes 🤗🚲💨
Good representation of the "bicycle super highway".
Love those underpasses, and his bicycle as well!
Here is a good one on winter cycling in Oulu
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uhx-26GfCBU&t=611s
I've cutted thousands of the lower branches of the trees next to the bike paths you see on this video. Its a neck breaking job.
Wow I really like that their contractors get paid based on their performance whichbis graded by people who actually use the paths. I wish they did that here, I mean our bike and multiuse paths get NO winter maintenance and the sidewalks are so horrible if you have any mobility issues youre stuck home all winter. Even myself with an electric fatbike I some times have an issue getting through the sidewalks, meanwhile the roads are bare or at least plowed and packed down. See my channel for examples Ive been collecting a lot of information about it as Ive discovered it violates the Canadians with Disabilities Act. Many people use scooters, wheelchairs, walkers ect to go to the store or library and they cant even get a block from home. Most use bike lanes in summer, people walking get mad at them for being on the sidewalk, either theyre too slow or too fast. In winter theyre on the roads which is even more dangerous to not just them but drivers too. Imagine seeing a mobility scooter on a slick road at night, swerving or sliding in to them or some car or post. Its horrid the conditions they make us live through if you dont or cant drive.