She Spoke to Jake & Dave About Bikes in Birmingham

Jake & Dave with their bicycles in Rowheath Pavilion

Tell me about your bike and where you got it?

Dave - I have a Giant bike that I purchased from Bike Pro in Kings Heath

Where has your bike taken you today?

Today our bikes have taken us from Kings Heath to Rowheath Pavilion, which I had not visited before.   It's beautiful here, very nice, so I am very pleased that we have come here today.

Why do you choose to cyle?
 Dave: I choose to cycle because it keeps me fit, saves money and is infinitely less stressful than any other way of crossing Birmingham.
Jake:  I cycle because I love to play football, and cycling every day helps to give me as much stamina as Jack Wilshere.

What is your most regular commutes each day.

Dave - I cycle from Kings Heath to Hockley where I work. This is about 7 miles 1 way.

Jake - I cycle from my house to school each day which is about 1/4 mile

Tell me something you do on your bike other than pedal.

Dave - I sing.   I tend to find myself singing songs that I don't even like.  Songs that just get stuck in your head,  then I'm totally embarrassed that I am singing.   I have recently added a song by Alanis Morissette to my "Cycling Karaoke" collection.    I have also been seen Hurst Street riding my bike and singing   "Mr Boombastic".

Jake - I Annoy my dad Dave.

Dave AKA Mr Boombastic

What is your favourite place to ride in Birmingham and the West midlands?
We  like to use the Rea Valley Route quite a lot.  Jake goes swimming in Bournville, so we often use parts of the Rea Valley route to get there.  It's a nice route to use across the year, seeing the changing seasons in Cannon Hill Park & Highbury park.

What do you think Birmingham could to to improve the cycling infrastructure to make it more user friendly for all cyclists?
It could do an awful lot.  Firstly more attention could be paid to the few Cycle Lanes that already exist.   I get frustrated on a daily basis about the stretch of road with a dedicated Cycle Lane, located as your turn right out of the bottom of Pershore Street and Hurst Street, that is used by motorists as a car park.  
Also a lot of drivers in Birmingham don't have a lot of respect for cyclists.  A lot of facilitates for cyclists is disregarded by motorists. 
The section of road that runs across the middle of Belgrave Middle Way, which is for cyclists & buses only, is routinely and casually used as a shortcut by motorists.   I know for a fact by speaking to people, particularly women, are put off from cycling because of what happens on this section of road, as they feel at risk of an accident happening, because motorists aggressively over take them on this junction, when they are not even meant to drive there.    

For those of you who are not familiar activity of motorists driving across the cycle & bus lane.   Please see the video below