Cycle stories from the baby boom generation

Life course perspective4 of 22Life course as inter-relatedtrajectoriesHuman agencyInterdependent life coursesSocio-historically embeddedTimingLife long development

5 of 22Hypotheses around physical activity and the life course• Age-related-decline paradigm• Context-and-cohort-change paradigm4000035000300002500020000 vehicles1500010000500001950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010Source: Department for Transport: Transport Statistics

7 of 22Research questions– How does cycling develop (continuity andchange) over the life course of individuals?• What shape do individuals‟ cycling trajectories take?• Are there common trajectories?• How do people narrate their cycling history?• Do people have/construct cycling identities?– How do the cycling trajectories of baby-boomparents compare with their parents/children?

8 of 22MethodNarrative-biographical interviews2 stage interviewLife gridstructuredinterviewcycling timelinedeveloped/timefor reflectionSemistructuredinterviewlife grid + interview narrativenarrative + explanatoryquestions„lived life‟„told story‟

9 of 22

12 of 22Mary• Retired hospital technician• Left school at 15/16• Married, 2 adult children• Inner suburbs of Bristol• Started driving in her 30s• Swims, plays badminton, gardens

Stop-start cycling history13 of 22cycled for paperround and toschoolRemembers herfather got aboutby bikeCycled to work andshops after childrenstarted schoolCycled Bristol-to-Bath path withfriendsBike unused in shed–would like to cyclebut doubts herfitness andcompetence to dealwith the roads.Doesn‟t want tocycle aloneCould envisagecycling for leisure

Walking history14 of 22Walked to schoolWalking and bus toworkWalking children toschoolCar towards end ofworking careerWalking for pleasure

15 of 22Mary• “after talking to you last week it made me realise what amajor step that was, getting my licence, in changingwalking and cycling, you lead a busier life that makes thecar necessary, I should have made more effort to walkand cycle but didn‟t sadly...”• “thinking back now, that was the other reason for gettingthe car, it was supporting my mother”• “I think there‟s been only one time I‟ve been cycling withhim[husband]you know and we were talking about thisthis morning because I said about you coming and he toldme he used to, quite a bit, before we married, which Ididn‟t know so I don‟t know what the reason is ”

16 of 22Sandra• Fulltime nursery assistant• Went to college until 18• Married, mother, grandmother• Got licence in her 40s but has never driven• Walks to work, to the shops and for leisure• gardens

Discontinued cycling history17 of 22Scooter and thentwo-wheelerNo more cyclingNo cyclingDoesn‟t envisagecycling again

Walking history18 of 22No family car,walking mostplacesoccasionally busWalking withfriendsWalking and bus toworkWalking children toschoolWalking the dogGets a licence in 40sbut never drivesContinues to walk toworkWalking for pleasure

19 of 22Sandra• “scooting that was our thing, we used to scooteverywhere and then later it was our bikes, we used to goto Grandad‟s allotment on them...”• “no, that was it then...cycling over ”• “ we used to belong to the youth club and quite oftenwe‟d just take ourselves off through Eastville Park,through Snuff Mills and on to Frenchay, course it wasbefore they built the M32 then”• “I‟m not very healthy me [ha ha] very lazy, not one ofthose doing exercise, oh dear”• “oh yeah we‟ve got plans, I just think we don‟t want tojust stop and .. Vegetate.. I don‟t think you should dothat”

20 of 22Early thoughts on W&C histories• Cycling histories so far discontinued or stop-start• Walking histories more consistent or gradual• Gendered– For women caring duties, later acquisition of license and car• 3-part narrative freedom of childhood; pressure ofadulthood; expectation of recovering lost freedom inretirement– Is this a more general life history narrative?

What sort of knowledge do life21 of 22history interviews generate?• Reflections on the past, made in the present with an eyeon the future• Past walking and cycling behaviour recollected through a„lens‟ of time and memory• What relationship with reality?

22 of 22Early thoughts on method• To what extent is the W&C history constructed in theinterview and to what extent does the participants have apre-existing W&C story?– Participants weave a W&C history around a more general lifestory structure or identity• Participants ability to recall- key methodological challenge• My influence on the process– eliciting health or environmentally conscious narratives– Age dynamic between interviewee and myself