Over the next couple of months, we will highlight girls and women who cycle in St Andrews. #AndSheCycles aims to address the barriers faced by teenage girls and young women when cycling. The campaign is inclusive of trans and intersex women and girls, as well as non-binary and gender fluid people who are comfortable in a space that centres the experience of girls and women.
We want to build a welcoming cycling community in St Andrews, where girls and women can ride freely and feel confident and empowered as they explore the town. By listening to the challenges girls and women face, we can create programs that help them overcome them.
We also invite girls and women to share their stories as part of this campaign.
This month, we’re featuring two inspiring students and cyclists: Karen, who is on the right in the photo, and Matylda, whose bike is on the left.
We asked them a few questions and are excited to share their answers with you.
1. What’s the best thing about cycling?
Matylda says:
The best thing about cycling is the freedom it gives you and the feeling of wind in your hair. You can get everywhere easily and fast. It’s also a great way to clear your head. Cycling makes getting from place to place very efficient and makes you independent from the bus schedule and of course is much more enjoyable.
Karen says:
Cycling engages both my body and my mind, which makes the experience especially enjoyable! For me, cycling is a unique experience from any mode of transportation such as walking, driving, taking the bus, etc. It also saves more time than walking, and it is more convenient than taking public transportation.
2. Are there any particular things that enable/motivate you to cycle to work or classes?
Matylda says:
Having safe bike lanes and secure bike parking is really motivating. And, of course, good weather helps as well… 🙂
Karen says:
The break from my sedentary routine really motivates me to cycle to other places. Even walking feels mundane despite its similar opportunity to get out of my room. Being able to cycle to places takes away my excuse of thinking that it takes too long to walk to classes. It gives me so much happiness!
3. Do you ever experience intimidating behaviour or unwanted attention when cycling?
Matylda says:
I have not really experienced many intimidating situations. I always try to use a cycling path to avoid close contact with the road traffic. Cars passing too closely and heavy traffic can definitely make cycling feel less safe and more stressful.
4. What’s on your mind when you are cycling?
Karen says:
When I cycle, my concern is if I’m doing everything right and if I’m following the rules. But when there aren’t a lot of cars on the road, I enjoy the scenery and the streets a lot.
Matylda says:
It’s a good time to clear my mind, stop thinking about what I still have to do. I just enjoy being outside watching the views as I pass by, and switching off for a bit.
We would love to feature you! If you’re interested, please email us.
