Local actions winner initiates bicycle competition in Bogota, Colombia

Local Actions winner Laura Daniela Gomez along with her team from Despacio created an internal competition among local bicycle representatives where they were tasked to create and implement an activity focused on cycling within their areas. Eleven teams registered for the competition, amounting to a total of twenty-eight participants. The winner received an incentive to grow the project so that members of the community are able to benefit from it.

One of the groups, the Local Bicycle Board from Suba implemented an activity in one of the most crucial neighborhoods with children aged between 5 to 15 as key participants. The activities comprised of; awareness and educational sessions on basic bicycle mechanics and traffic regulations, recreation workshops where the children took part in drawing activities, and a small recognition ceremony where the participants were given diplomas and reflective bicycle stickers. 

 

An online campaign was also launched to raise awareness on key topics identified by local bicycle representatives as a way to visualize their roles in the bicycle policy change in the city. Graphics and other social media elements were created to explain the relevance of the bicycle board and highlight messages around speeding, the importance of sustainable mobility, and the challenges that come with getting more women involved in cycling.

Through the activity, key factors were identified as to the reason behind why women feel unsafe when they cycle. The reasons include lack of opportunities to empower women, the feeling of not being safe, unsafe infrastructures, and lack of knowledge on bicycle mechanics.

To further raise awareness on the issue, Daniela and her team did an Instagram LIVE during International Youth Day with Lina Becerra, a bicycle representative, and young leaders from Colectivo UBI. The group discussed the role of young cyclists in creating public policy on sustainable mobility. 

Through their social media campaign, the team was able to engage with a number of people. They posted a question on why 30 km/h speed limits was better in cities, further asking what possible solutions could be applied to break down the barriers women face when cycling.

The best response was awarded a bicycle U-Lock. It was awarded to Local Bicycle Board of Kennedy Member, Katherine Rodriguez. 

Daniela and her team made a significant push for bicycle policies during bicycle week where they emphasized the importance of low-speed streets. They also discussed the barriers women face when taking more sustainable modes of transport, demanding action from decision-makers to address these issues.