Cyclists urging N.L. riders to share hazards and accidents with database

Cyclists take note:there's an app out there designed to make riding a little more safe, and a group in St. John's is working on collecting more data about cycling in Newfoundland and Labrador.

BikeMaps.org is a database ofinformation about cycling accidents, close calls, and traffic hazards all around the world. The site also runs as an apponiPhone and Android phones, andcontains safety information uploaded by cyclists.

The programwas designed a couple of years ago in British Columbia and is starting to catch on around the world. The local group is trying to boost the level of interest in this province.

"There are lots of apps out there, andunless people have heard about itand unless you really try to promote it your app is not necessarily going to get more usage than, you know, any other kind of generic app," said the group's Daniel Fuller.

Fuller, along with some people from Safety NL and the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary,appliedto receive funding from BikeMaps.org to help promote the app in the province.

"I think everyone is really interested in improving the quantity and the quality of the data we can have around cycling," saidFuller. He said the data can help make cyclists aware of high traffic areas.

Powerful tool

The app is easy to use, and it takes only a minute to upload and share an experience to the site. Cyclists areable to log a variety of situations on the site, including bike thefts, collisions and near-accidents. The more data that's on the site, the better for everyone who's cycling.

"It's locally contributed data, and it's the actual people who are on the road cycling, reportingwhat's happened to them and what they're experiencing. Andthat's a powerful tool."

Fuller saidthe data from the site is also important for urban planning to help design new cycling infrastructure.

"The bike maps data can help identify locations that are particularly dangerous.It can also help identify locations that are particularly safe."

Fuller saidhis group will be out to cycling events over the summer andwill also target community events that are not tied to the sport in hopes of reaching out to casual cyclists too.

"For your average person who maybe cycles once a month, or goes on a ride along a trail somewhere, we want those people to be contributing data as much as your spandex-clad cyclistwho's out there really regularly," he said. "We're trying to get a picture for what cycling is like for all kinds of different cyclists."