Realistic cycling guide for women wanting to bike

[shootingstar]

This looks like very good information for any beginning cyclist, male or female.

The tone is very patronizing and degrading to women -- reminds me of what one saw in the 1950s. I need a "Bike buddy" on account of I'm a girl???? Sheesh.

And a huge headline announcing that women don't bike because they don't feel safe enough?

And pointing out that "high profile" women cycle?? That's supposed to be an incentive?

Ok, I didn't read the text closely.
What is wrong saying that women don't bike because they don't feel safe enough? There is a terrible reality that alot of people don't cycle because they don't feel safe...methinks alot of us have had this said to some of us personally. After all, Janette Sadik-Khan NYC Commissioner for Transportation, who was so instrumental in slapping through bike lanes in NYC, said that women are the canary species for determining the level of safe cycling infrastructure. The safer it is, the more women cyclists out in greater numbers.

It's highly noticeable to me here in Calgary, more inferior cycling infrastructure does result in far less women visibly cycling around compared to Vancovuer where there is much more traffic calming measures and better cycling infrastructure.

Men have their own high profile models...they're just called...world class racers/athletes.
Some people do get motivated by doing 'chic' things with a bunch of perceived -to -be -cool gang ie. hipsters on bike, etc.

Well, maybe it's best to send feedback to Sustrans, the organization that created the booklet.