http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/cycling/14808.aspx

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/cycling/11598.aspx

https://web.barclayscyclehire.tfl.gov.uk/maps

http://cyclejourneyplanner.tfl.gov.uk/cycle/XSLT_TRIP_REQUEST2?language=en

http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/rough/2005/10/south_africa_th.html

A video about alternative pump methods.
Water pumps in Africa are hard to work they take a lot of effort. Heres a link to a alternative  way of generating the wheel. 


Taken from the website:

In rural villages across South Africa, some 5 million people don't have access to clean drinking water. To get a sense of the severity of the water scarcity there, you have to go back to the early 1800s when Europeans and others started colonizing the country.

Two hundred years on, after mass planting, adding to South Africa's growing population and you have a situation in which the competition for water has become fierce.

Which brings us in a roundabout way (no pun intended) to this week's Rough Cut -- reporter Amy Costello's surprisingly upbeat tale about a canny entrepreneur who decided to tackle South Africa's water woes in his own novel and enterprising way.

The women and children of the conunties used leaky and often contaminated hand-pumps to collect the water, then they carried it back through the bush in buckets weighing 40 pounds. It was exhausting and time-consuming work.

"The amount of time these women are burning up collecting water, they could be at home looking after their kids, teaching their kids, being loving mothers," Field tells Costello. He knew there had to be a better solution.

Field then teamed up with an inventor and came up with the "play pump" -- a children's merry-go-round that pumps clean, safe drinking water from a deep borehole every time the children start to spin. Soup to nuts, the whole operation takes a few hours to install and costs around $7,000. Field's idea proved so inventive, so cost-efficient and so much fun for the kids that World Bank recognized it as one of the best new grassroots ideas.

He reserves a spot for the national loveLife campaign, which helps educate children about HIV and AIDS. "We've got to get the message through to them before they become sexually active," he says. "It seems to be working."

In the film, Costello and producer/photographer Cassandra Herrman drive out to a small village where the taps have been dry for a week. There, a crew sets to work installing a play pump near a children's play area, boring 40 meters down until they hit the fresh water table below. As soon as the last colorful piece of the puzzle is in place, dozens of children show up to play -- much to Field's delight -- pumping cool, clean water to the surface as they spin.

The indefatigable entrepreneur wants to build thousands of these pumps to help water-stressed communities across South Africa, then expand to other African countries.
He says, "It would make a major difference to the children, and that's where our passion lies."

Jackie Bennion
Senior Interactive Producer

http://technabob.com/blog/2009/01/30/playpump-helps-quench-thirst/

activity . . . BIKE

http://top10hell.com/top-10-countries-with-most-bicycles-per-capita/

There are more than a billion bicycles in the world, twice as many as automobiles. In recent years bike production had climbed to over 100 million per year (compared to 50 million cars). Bicycles were introduced in the 19th century and since when have been and are employed for many uses: recreation, work, military, show, sport etc.
For these reasons in some countries bikes are especially popular. There are top 10 countries with most bicycles per capita:
10. CHINA

• People: 1,342,700,000
• Bicycles: >500,000,000
• Cyclists: >37.2%

Fact: 60 % of local cyclists in Shanghai (most populous city in China) pedal to work every day. 
The city is home to 9,430,000 million bicycles and 19,213,200 people.

http://thecityfix.com/blog/cycling-in-beijing/

9. BELGIUM

• People: 10,827,519
• Bicycles: 5,200,000
• Cyclists: ~48%

In Belgium 8% of all trips are made by bike. The average distance cycled per person per day is 0.9 km. 
Cycling is a national sport for the Belgians. 
Belgians are very serious about their bike. 
A real Belgian keeps an expensive, quality bike well maintained with functioning breaks and inflated tires and usually wears a helmet and a bright yellow vest to make him or herself visible to car.

8.  SWITZERLAND

• People: 7,782,900
• Bycicles: 3,800,000
• Cyclists: ~48.8

In Switzerland 5% of all trips and 10% of trips to work are made by bike. 
Switzerland is a cycling country.
It is a healthy way to enjoy the nature and the hospitality of local people. The Swiss even have “Bike to Work“ campaigns when employees ride their bike to work.

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres

7. JAPAN

• People: 127,370,000
• Bicycles: 72,540,000
• Cyclists: ~56.9%

In Japan 15 % of trips to work are made by bicycle. In recent years more than 10 millions bikes are sold every year. In Japan bicycles are widely used as an alternative to motorcars. A lot of people use them to ride to the train stations. In nowadays more and more Japanese are taking up bicycling to work for health reasons and to avoid traffic jams and crowded trains. Many people don’t lock their bicycles even when they leave their bikes outside railroad stations all day or overnight.

6. FINLAND

• People: 5,380,200
• Bicycles: 3,250,000
• Cyclists: ~60.4%

In Finland 9% of all trips are made by bike. The average distance cycled per inhabitant per day is 0.7 km. Fins ride bicycles without reference to the age or social status, both children and grown-ups: tourists and housewives, pensioners and students. Although the cycling season in this country  traditionally starts in spring or summer, some fans of bikes is not afraid of neither the rain, nor slush, nor event winter snowstorms. The love of Fins cyclists to the bicycles can be compared with their love to dogs, or to fishing, or to sauna.

http://www.cartinafinland.fi/en/picture/23684/Bicycle.html

5. NORWAY

• People: 4,943,000
• Bicycles: 3,000,000
• Cyclists: ~60.7%

In Norway 4% of all trips are made by bike. In Norway, with a population of 4,943 million people and 3 million bicycles, 60.000 bicycles disappear each year, never to be seen by their owners again.Most bicycles are stolen from places owners assume are safe. Experienced thieves can take even locked bikes in about 10-20 seconds. On the streets, the value of a stolen bicycle is approximately 5-10% of the bicycle’s original retail value, with an inverse relationship between value and percentage worth on the street. About 10% of the stolen bicycles are exported to Russia and Eastern Europe.

4. SWEEDEN

• People: 9,418,732
• Bicycles: 6,000,000
• Cyclists: ~63.7%

In Finland 9% of all trips are made by bike. The average distance cycled per person per day is 0.7 km. For Finnish people bike is even more valuable than a TV. Often a family has a few different bicycles, depending on the number of members of a family and their age.

http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chris-roisin/2/1294502734/tpod.html

3. GERMANY

• People: 81,802,000
• Bicycles: 62,000,000
• Cyclists: ~75.8%

In the Germany 9% of all trips are made by bike. The average distance cycled per inhabitant per day is 0.9 km. Cycling is ingrained in the German culture. It is rare to find an adult German who did not grow up riding a bike and whose children, parents, and even grandparents probably still ride bikes. This fact makes drivers and pedestrians understanding and accommodating to bicycle riders.

2. DENMARK

• People: 5,560,628
• Bicycles: 4,500,000
• Cyclists: ~80.1%

In the Denmark 18% of all trips are made by bike.The average distance cycled per person is 1.6 km. Cycling is generally perceived as a healthier, cheaper, environmentally friendlier and often even quicker way to travel around towns than car or public transport and it is therefore municipal policy for the number of commuters by bike to go up to 40% by 2012 and 50% by 2015. In Copenhagen (the capital of Denmark) 37% of all citizens ride their bike on a daily basis. The local town hall even offers the visitors rental bikes for free.

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?

1. NETHERLANDS

• People: 16,652,800
• Bicycles: 16,500,000
• Cyclists: ~99.1%

In the Netherlands 27% of all trips and 25% of trips to work are made by bike. The average distance cycled per person per day is 2.5 km. Holland and bicycles go together like bread and jam. Despite the recession the cycle-happy Dutch are still spending a lot of money on their bicycles - nearly 1 billion euros’ worth a year. About 1.3 million bicycles were sold in the Netherlands in 2009, at an average price of 713 euros ($1,008) each. 
Amsterdam (the capital and largest city of the Netherlands) is one of the most bicycle-friendly large cities in the world. It has 400 km of bike lanes and nearly 40% of all commutes in Amsterdam are done on bike. 
Strangely, most cyclists don’t wear helmets. And bike theft is a big problem, with about one of five bicycles being stolen each year.

....................................................................................................................................................................

Cycling in World statistics:

BICYCLES in Africa:

http://www.bicycles-for-humanity.org/ WATCH THE LINK.

http://vimeo.com/7529081

Opinions on the activivty on Bicycle riding. . . 

"

I don't have a bike. I'd rather go in the car. I want to arrive at work warm and dry... especially when it's pouring with rain. no thank you.

"

...

Gillian Roberts

Mother. 49 years old. Nursery Teacher.

"

I think bikes are great, although I ride a lot less than I used too. 

I first started the cycle as a adult when I was about 20, I was training for a peddlecar team. Peddlecar races took place over 24 hrs in bolton parks, there where a number or organised groups from Bolton that used to race around a track / path in a pedel kart. The winning team was the group who traveled the furtherest in the 24hrs race time. We came second on a couple of occasions, and once our kart broke, they always used to break and parts used to fall off. In most races teams would crash their vehiciles because they lost concentration.
When I started working for the fireservice I had plenty of lessure time, and with some friends from work we used to go on trips away on  our bicycles. We would fill a truck full of luggage and kit, drive it around the country and cycled over 100 miles a day on racing bikes. 
As we all got older, it became harder to continue to cycle so intense.
 I asked my friend Paul if he would want to go on less strenous cycling trips.

Now i don't cycle much because I can't cycle to work as I may need to take all my eqiupment to another firestation. I don't cycle that much in my spare time because I don't have much.

I'd recommend a bike to anyone. It's a great way to exercise for the body and the mind.

"

...

Alan Firth

Family Friend. 48 years old. Firefighter.

"

I have a biycle. When I have the time I enjoy it and I know I should do it for the exercise. I wish I did have more time, but at the moment my time is stretched enough as it is.

"

...

Naomi Roberts

Sister. 22 years old. Film/Media Studies Graduate.

"

I enjoy cycling, although I only started reciently. I bought a brompton bike to travel to and from work because I could fold it up and get on a bus, if the weather was bad. I enjoyed it so much that I bought a more regular bike (boardman). I use my bike to get to work, I dont use it for recreation. My travel to work everday is a 40mile round trip, to Warrington. 
Recently I took part in a charity cycle dressed as Robin.   
This week I arranged the charity bike ride from Southport to Bolton for ISHY appeal. 
I enjoy cycling and wish I would have started earlier. 

"

...

Andy Roberts.
Uncle. 47 years old. Handy man.

"

I had a bike as a kid, I stopped cycling because I learnt how to drive. I don't like cyclists, they hog the rode, and delay me getting to my destination. 

"

...

Neighbour. 45 years old.

"

I used to cycle to work everday, which was a 1/3 of a mile. When we went on holiday in our Camper Van as a family, we all used to take our bicycles. It was something we did as a family, lesure and pleasure cycling. We're old now, we don't cycle very much. 
We think all these young kids should have a bicycle like we did, they should play like we did and get some exercise instead of playing inside on computers.

"

...

Alice and Fred Roberts
Grandma and Grandpa. Retired.

bike . . . activity

Interview with PAUL ROBERTS . . . 

Why is a bicycle good?
. . . because it's a cheap green way to get around. and I can get to work quicker on a bike than in a car.


When did you first own a bike?
When I was about 7 years old, I used to play on my kiddies bike around the streets near home. Everyone in my area would play out with friends of a similar age.


Why did you stop riding a bike?
Bike became uncool at about 18 / 19. I got my first car, a triumph toledo, dark green.


Why start riding your bike again?
A friend got me interessted. We started going out riding together. Alan said 'do you fancy going for a bike ride', so we went off road biking and I enjoyed it. We went to the gravel pits in Darcey Leaver.
and then one thing lead to another.


How much do you cycle on a day to day basis?
I don't cycle very much at the moment because I've been moved work places. Now I cycle about 9 mile a day, about 6 months ago I traveled 16 mles a day to and from work.


When did you start going to cycling holidays?
About ten years ago. I did it because I thought it would be good fun to have a night away. Me and my firned Alan first went to Arnside, we stayed in a youth hostel. We cycled up there stayed for the night, went for a drink, had food and cycled back on a different route.


We both enjoyed it. It keeps us fit. and it's a nice mini holiday.


How often do you go?
twice a year.


Where have you been?
Not in a particular order we have been to Arnside, Malham, Whitby, Scarborough, Hexham, Berwick, Carlisle, Rhyl, Barmouth, Car to Kingslin-Lowestoft.




How many miles do you do per trip?
It depends on how many days we go away for.
This last time we went away for 6 days, we averagd about 50 miles a day.


When we first started we were doing about 70 miles a day, but now we're older we do less.


Some of our trips are circle whch means driving somewhere others we leave home and cycle back, or get the train home and cycle back.


why do you like it?
It keeps me fit.
I like being in the open air.
I see a lot more in the countryside on a bike than any other way. I like going away to the coutryside because there is always something to see, all the nature is beautiful.


Would you ever consider giving up your bike?
No, not unless my health was suffering. Infact now, it makes my health better.


Would you say that a bike it good?
Yes, and I think everyone should ride a bike.
It's character building.

sketchbook . . . object

Sketchbooks . . . 
Sketchbooks are the start of my creativity and they are the beginning of my fun.