I am an employee of Eaton and have seen all the joy that Gary and his team bring to our residents. It has been a very worthwhile investment for us and we are all grateful! Thanks to you, Gary, and your team!
This was very timely for me. Just 4 hours after this ended I was hosting my own webinar to introduce Cycling Without Age in my community and recruiting my first group of volunteers. We are taking delivery of our first trishaw on Saturday and so far the response we've received is overwhelmingly positive. The concept is unique, but once people understand they wholeheartedly agree this is a great program. Now to translate that excitement into actual volunteers... Thanks for spreading the word about Cycling Without Age!
Amazing anecdote, beginning min 43:45. The "now I understand" discovery about the need for bike infrastructure reminds me of a parallel situation, where I discovered how poor our sidewalk infrastructure was after seeing it from the eyes of a student of mine whose sole mobility is a wheelchair. The philosophy of "it's all about relationships" is inspiring, in the context of the social isolation of car dependency.
Thanks for the observation and for watching Mark. My wife and I have really had our eyes opened by piloting a trishaw. It allows us to experience first hand every difficulty a person in a wheel chair would experience. I need to get more politicians and policy makers to take a ride with me.
I contacted the coordinator of my local chapter and will start as a volunteer pilot this spring! I'm so excited. This local chapter has evolved the program to giving rides to low income, elderly folks from immigrant communities. Some rides are for fun and some are to help people access grocery stores and other necessary local trips.
@@karlahovde Yay! This makes me so happy, and I am excited for you. Inspiring others to make a difference in the world, one community at a time is what the Active Towns Channel is all about. I'll be sure to let Gary and Ole know as well. Cheers! John 😀
In my city they ride with duo bicycles. You can ride with 2 and both pedal, but as it isn't possible, there is an option that only one pedals. Duo fietsen van Van Raam. It seems that I can't ad a link to the site with images of the bike.
Yes! I love those. I snapped a couple photos of these during my trip to The Netherlands in Nov. Yeah, you can't add that link, but I can drop a link to one that I saw: www.vanraam.com/en-gb/our-bikes/side-by-side-tandems/fun2go
@@ActiveTowns yes that is it. One one side, you can have the option to put a feet plate that you van easily remove. They also take pedal mounts with them, so they can make that your feed stay on the pedals. Next week as my frame for my quad is ready, we start with making some mounts on the bikes, so they can take their walk assistance things with them and mount a box on the back. Soon they start riding again as the weather starts to get better. They have also a bike that can hold someone in a wheelchair. Only not everyone dares to ride it. I know now why. It has a lot of flex for the person that rides it. The seat moves a lot.
@@ActiveTowns Those are the ones I'm familiar with as well :) I imagine there are advantages and disadvantages to both. Do you happen to know why Ole choose trishaws?
@@Snowshowslow Not entirely sure other than it is based on a model that is made right there in Copenhagen by Christiania Bikes www.christianiabikes.com/
Hi Rik. In Lakewood we have just created an Excel spreadsheet and dumped it into Google Sheets. It gives a real time calendar that pilots and schedulers can view and update in real time. It also tracks our complete history over 5 and 1/2 years. Barb has asked her sister, who lives in Wisconsin, to act as a full time scheduler field requests and reaching out directly to the volunteers in Littleton. Very time consuming but very effective. I know their are lots of scheduling apps available, some free and some not. It has been an active topic on the CWA Hood where chapters share info. Clearly, more than one way to skin that cat. I really like our method for its simplicity and documenting a full history.
I don't understand my feelings on this. Cycling Without Age is magnificent. But I'm finding this interview a bit boring. That's a nasty thing to say but I'm feeling it. I want to explore what it is behind my own feelings, work out what to say that would make it less... boring. CWA is fantastic and its stuff that should go across the world. It should be adopted everywhere overnight. I need to think about this a lot more.
I think a big part of it is, we have a culture which finds seniors boring. Seniors are like younger people, without the looks, the capacity younger people have and complain a lot because their body is failing. That could be superficially true but there is a lot more to seniors. I just don't meet many of them. And I live next to two very large senior centres / nursing homes. I'm thinking... boy, if my lottery ticket eventually wins... I'll try a lot of new things, get a lot more things established in Toronto. Trishaws for these centres, set up mini senior centres at one or two levels of condos, so they mix with the other residents who may have kids, etc.
@@dougwedel9484 Yes. Good points. And in many of our North American communities, seniors that still drive are often some of our most vocal opponents to any changes to the streetscape... mostly because the changes are frequently fear-inducing. Once they can no longer drive themselves frequently, social isolation sets in. My vision of creating Active Towns with All Ages & Abilities active mobility environments will hopefully keep them mobile longer, perhaps with e-assist bikes, then e-assist adult trikes, electric mobility devices, and finally on trishaws with volunteer pilots. Cheers! John 😀
What a great program! Kudos to all of you!
It truly is. Thank you so much for tuning in. I hope you are enjoying the Active Towns Channel. Cheers! John
Thanks so much, Matt. Much appreciated.
What a great organization. The ride my husband and I had on the tri-shaw was a lot of fun and an easy way to get around.
Yes, indeed. Cheers! John
So glad you and your husband had a fun experience, Colleen. Thanks for sharing.
I am an employee of Eaton and have seen all the joy that Gary and his team bring to our residents. It has been a very worthwhile investment for us and we are all grateful! Thanks to you, Gary, and your team!
Yay! Thanks so much for watching and for this wonderful feedback, Jeanne. Cheers! John
Thank you so much for those kind words, Jeanne. Much appreciated.
"The bicycle has something magic." Ole nailed it! So wonderful to share this with those who can't ride on their own. What an amazing initiative.
Thanks for watching. I absolutely agree with you. Ole came up with something brilliant and has touched many lives.
Totally agree, and I am delighted you enjoyed learning more about this effort. Thanks for watching. Cheers! John
This was very timely for me. Just 4 hours after this ended I was hosting my own webinar to introduce Cycling Without Age in my community and recruiting my first group of volunteers. We are taking delivery of our first trishaw on Saturday and so far the response we've received is overwhelmingly positive. The concept is unique, but once people understand they wholeheartedly agree this is a great program. Now to translate that excitement into actual volunteers... Thanks for spreading the word about Cycling Without Age!
So happy to hear this, Sandra. When the trishaw arrives it's like a special present. Best of luck to you and thanks for growing Cycling Without Age.
Yay! That's so wonder to hear, Sandra. Thanks so much for tuning in. I hope you enjoy the Active Towns Channel. Cheers! John
Amazing anecdote, beginning min 43:45. The "now I understand" discovery about the need for bike infrastructure reminds me of a parallel situation, where I discovered how poor our sidewalk infrastructure was after seeing it from the eyes of a student of mine whose sole mobility is a wheelchair. The philosophy of "it's all about relationships" is inspiring, in the context of the social isolation of car dependency.
I had a feeling you'd like this one, Mark. Cheers! John
Thanks for the observation and for watching Mark. My wife and I have really had our eyes opened by piloting a trishaw. It allows us to experience first hand every difficulty a person in a wheel chair would experience. I need to get more politicians and policy makers to take a ride with me.
Heartwarming to see these low-threshold initiatives coming up from people in their communities.
It really is quite heartwarming. Thanks so much for watching. Cheers! John
I'm so glad you tuned in and found the stories heart warming.
This was really lovely and hopeful :)
I'm glad you enjoyed it. Thanks so much for tuning in. Cheers! John
Thanks so much for tuning in.
@@garyharty1902 To be honest, I have slightly forgotten what this was about. Maybe I'll watch it again :)
Wow, now I want to see if my city has a chapter!
I think every city deserves a Chapter. Thanks so much for watching. I hope you are enjoying the Channel. Cheers! John
I contacted the coordinator of my local chapter and will start as a volunteer pilot this spring! I'm so excited. This local chapter has evolved the program to giving rides to low income, elderly folks from immigrant communities. Some rides are for fun and some are to help people access grocery stores and other necessary local trips.
@@karlahovde Yay! This makes me so happy, and I am excited for you. Inspiring others to make a difference in the world, one community at a time is what the Active Towns Channel is all about. I'll be sure to let Gary and Ole know as well. Cheers! John 😀
@@karlahovde That is wonderful news 😁 Which chapter have you joined? It sounds amazing.
@@karlahovde Thanks for becoming a volunteer pilot. You will enrich many lives including your own. Cheers.
In my city they ride with duo bicycles. You can ride with 2 and both pedal, but as it isn't possible, there is an option that only one pedals.
Duo fietsen van Van Raam.
It seems that I can't ad a link to the site with images of the bike.
Yes! I love those. I snapped a couple photos of these during my trip to The Netherlands in Nov. Yeah, you can't add that link, but I can drop a link to one that I saw: www.vanraam.com/en-gb/our-bikes/side-by-side-tandems/fun2go
@@ActiveTowns yes that is it. One one side, you can have the option to put a feet plate that you van easily remove. They also take pedal mounts with them, so they can make that your feed stay on the pedals.
Next week as my frame for my quad is ready, we start with making some mounts on the bikes, so they can take their walk assistance things with them and mount a box on the back.
Soon they start riding again as the weather starts to get better.
They have also a bike that can hold someone in a wheelchair. Only not everyone dares to ride it. I know now why. It has a lot of flex for the person that rides it. The seat moves a lot.
@@ActiveTowns Those are the ones I'm familiar with as well :) I imagine there are advantages and disadvantages to both. Do you happen to know why Ole choose trishaws?
@@Snowshowslow Not entirely sure other than it is based on a model that is made right there in Copenhagen by Christiania Bikes www.christianiabikes.com/
@@ActiveTowns Ah ok, it makes sense to start with a local model.
How do folks deal with scheduling rides and pilots?
I've let Gary know about your question, so I hope he'll be able to address it for you. Thanks so much for watching. Cheers! John
Hi Rik. In Lakewood we have just created an Excel spreadsheet and dumped it into Google Sheets. It gives a real time calendar that pilots and schedulers can view and update in real time. It also tracks our complete history over 5 and 1/2 years. Barb has asked her sister, who lives in Wisconsin, to act as a full time scheduler field requests and reaching out directly to the volunteers in Littleton. Very time consuming but very effective. I know their are lots of scheduling apps available, some free and some not. It has been an active topic on the CWA Hood where chapters share info. Clearly, more than one way to skin that cat. I really like our method for its simplicity and documenting a full history.
Thanks, Gary!
I don't understand my feelings on this. Cycling Without Age is magnificent. But I'm finding this interview a bit boring. That's a nasty thing to say but I'm feeling it. I want to explore what it is behind my own feelings, work out what to say that would make it less... boring. CWA is fantastic and its stuff that should go across the world. It should be adopted everywhere overnight. I need to think about this a lot more.
I think a big part of it is, we have a culture which finds seniors boring. Seniors are like younger people, without the looks, the capacity younger people have and complain a lot because their body is failing. That could be superficially true but there is a lot more to seniors. I just don't meet many of them. And I live next to two very large senior centres / nursing homes. I'm thinking... boy, if my lottery ticket eventually wins... I'll try a lot of new things, get a lot more things established in Toronto. Trishaws for these centres, set up mini senior centres at one or two levels of condos, so they mix with the other residents who may have kids, etc.
I hear ya! 🙂
@@dougwedel9484 Yes. Good points. And in many of our North American communities, seniors that still drive are often some of our most vocal opponents to any changes to the streetscape... mostly because the changes are frequently fear-inducing. Once they can no longer drive themselves frequently, social isolation sets in. My vision of creating Active Towns with All Ages & Abilities active mobility environments will hopefully keep them mobile longer, perhaps with e-assist bikes, then e-assist adult trikes, electric mobility devices, and finally on trishaws with volunteer pilots. Cheers! John 😀
@@ActiveTowns Thanks, John. You stated was I was thinking much better than I stated it.
Maybe you should give Joe biden a Ride he may change the whole of the US for you. Great video as usual
Love it! That would be a fabulous idea. 🤣
Thanks for watching. Cheers.