y o u b i k e l o n d o n; Anne from Finsbury Park

Name / age?
Anne, I'm 30
Where do you live / ride to?
I live in Finsbury Park and I ride all round London; a bit of commuting and a bit for fun but in fact I live so close to home I'm able to walk when I'm going to the office - it's nice!


What do you ride?
I ride a Trek hybrid, her name is Daisy
It's pretty!
I know right?
And TWO bottle cages?!
Ah ha, yes, that's because I cycled from London to Paris last summer for the awesome homeless people's theatre company, Cardboard Citizens.  It was an amazing experience that really got me into long distance cycling and hopefully this summer I'll be doing a 9 day trip across Poland for The Alina Foundation, which was set up by a friend.
Excellent, that sounds really exciting, and its great that such an adventure could be for cool charities too.  How often do you ride, on a day to day basis?
Now more than before, I'm taking a bit of a winter hibernation at the moment, so it's just once or twice a week at the moment I guess.
Helmet or no helmet?
Tonight I've no helmet, but that is only because it is so cold I put on a big hat, but usually I wear a helmet.
What's your primary reason for cycling in London?
I have two primary reasons; because it is better for the environment, and because it is better for my health too.
What's your least favourite aspect of cycling?
If there are loads of white vans and mini-cabs cutting me off that's never any fun...
What's your most favourite aspect of cycling?
Being able to get anywhere in town faster than the cars, it feels fantastic.
When you're riding, what do you never leave the house without?
My phone, and if it is night I have my lights.
How many locks do you carry and have you ever had a bicycle stolen?
I carry one lock and I have not had a bicycle stolen, but I lived with someone who had their bicycle stolen from right outside our house, overnight.  He was really pissed off and annoyed, but fortunately he had it insured.
What advice would you give to an aspiring cyclist thinking of riding in London for the first time?
Don't be afraid, actually just be confident and you'll be really happy with the results.  Don't be afraid, you can do it!
Lastly, if you were Mayor for the day what would you do to improve the lot of the London cyclist?
That's a good question... Perhaps, maybe, I'd just close off more streets to motor traffic.  Not just creating the Cycle Superhighways but actually building cycle-friendly roads and ensuring cyclist rights are more widely known so that there is not such an antagonistic view that we sometimes have between drivers and cyclists.


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