The Importance of Bicycle Statistics - Interview with Rubens de Oliveira Braga
See the original story in Portuguese "A importância das estatísticas ciclísticas - Entrevista com Rubens de Oliveira Braga" at
http://www.viaciclo.org.br/portal/entrevistas/146-entrevistas/610-rubens-braga (opens in new window). Viaciclo.org.br is the Association of Bicyclists of the Greater Florianopolis area in the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil.
Rubens de Oliveira Braga, 73 years old, is a reference point amongst bike activists in Brazil. He is known not only for his experience but also his passion and dedication to the promotion of cycling as a means of transportation. He is the president of CICLOSAN (Cyclist Association of Santos and the Metropolitain Region of the Atlantic Forest Coast, headquartered in Santos, São Paulo and founded in 1997). He has distinguished himself through his work in building data about the increased use of bicycles, accidents and the changing bicycle infrastructure. Rubens is currently a member of the Advisory Board of the UCB - Brazilian Bicyclist Union.
In this interview Rubens presents his research to use as a model in other cities. Download the file "Historical Statistics of Accidents of Cyclists in Santos (1998-2009)" in the PDF version (download from 4shared - a document prepared for printing - in Portuguese but gives a good idea of ways to describe data useful in planning) and the ZIPped Excel version (download from 4shared - separate worksheets with active formulas - in Portuguese).
When did you start being a militant in favor of using the bicycle as a form of transportation?
I have been involved since 1995 when I participated in SABICI (Brazilian Society of Transit Friends of the Bicycle) meetings. SABICI is headquartered in São Vicente. The president was our colleague Günther Banthel. The motivation for all of this came from the fact that my home had four bicycles (family included spouse and four children) yet only I (of my family) used a bike on roads used by motor vehicles for lack of safety. My children were still young then (between six and twelve years old). Today we have ciclovias but my children are studying in another city and are older (between eighteen and twenty-six).
What caused your interest in statistics about bicycle use?
Initially, because I was the founder of the NGO CICLOSAN, I wanted to get to know the most critical spots for bicycle accidents to help in self-defense and accident prevention. Because of this I was curious about the statistics held by the Santos Transit Authority. Unfortunately the Transit Authority only held statistics on cyclist and pedestrian accidents and deaths. Being a retiree in the area of quality/statistical control/quality I decided to apply my expertise to the area of bicycle safety in order to collaborate with the public safety and environmental fields.
What are the benefits of statistical studies regarding bicycles?
There are many and they touch diverse areas: how the statistics relate to other studies; immediate and continuous recognition of the causes of accidents; enrichment of information generated by activities of the public sector that have to do with construction of bike paths, bike parking, educational campaigns, fines levied on cars as well as bikes; facilitation in the elaboration and presentation of talks that lead to negative and positive outcomes which are then followed by better understanding, suggestions and/or questions. Statistics are dynamic. They define priorities of what to do and can help anticipate trends in results for each year of study allowing for the reversal of negative tendencies.
What are the principle conclusions of your research?
That when new paths are installed, interconnected and in accordance with the standards contained in the Transport Ministry's Bicycle Planning Manual, they provide a significant and continuous increase of new fans to cycling by more than 50%, while reducing accidents by 80%. Unfortunately, the Ministry is only interested in our statistics. Their reports to the press show historical errors regarding the number of transportation deaths in Santos in 1998 that are three times less than those furnished to CILCOSAN by the Santos IML (Forensic Institute). This control was instituted by CICLOSAN in partnership with the IML and DEINTER-6 (Departamento de Polícia Judiciária de São Paulo [state] Interior).
What is your evaluation of the current state of Brazilian cycle-activism?
Before the founding of UCB (Brazilian Bicyclist Union) we had no notion of nation-wide interest. In my region, Praia Grande stands out with approximately 80 km of constructed bicycle paths, more than 91 km projected for 2011 and 110 km projected for 2016 according to the Metropolitan Cycling Plan, PCM (according to AGEM - the Greater Santos Metropolitan Agency). With the UCB in place, the daily exchange of emails, the summation of material in our newsletter, we are better leveraging our support, have much more useful information and are better informed. Considering the culture of varying states and metropolitan areas, it should be noted that some are more likely than others to sponsor rides, hold night rides or competition, but almost all of them anticipate ciclovias in their cities. If I'm not mistaken, the cities that stand out best are Rio de Janeiro, Curitiba, Sorocaba and Florianópolis. São Paulo, Santo Andre and São Bernardo where I often go (I have children in student housing there), all with shamefully high levels of traffic and beautifully landscaped central parks, with no ciclovia the pedestrian and bicycle traffic are minimal.
Would you like to make additional comments?
I think that it would be beneficial if everybody developed research and statistics in their own metropolitain regions in order to enrich knowledge and in order to be able to prover and enumerate benefits.
Last updated (Tuesday, November 17, 2009, 15:22)
Translated by Matthew Berigan, Nov25, 2009
Campina Grande, Paraiba, Brazil
Send mail to mberigan AT berigan.com