Trauma and Cycling online workshop 23 March 2022 workshop official website http://www.cyclingandsociety.org/trauma-and-cycling-workshop/

1. Trauma in relation to
the vehicular-cycling
campaigner
__________
Katja Leyendecker
== Trauma and Cycling workshop ==
23 March 2022
https://katsdekker.wordpress.com/
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2. Trauma
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3. Different traumas
Gradual mistreatment / neglect
(Early) childhood trauma
Developmental trauma
Nervous system is ‘off’
More sudden
Adulthood / later in life
Often one particular event
PTSD, anxiety, flashbacks
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4. Vehicular
cycling
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5. Cycling is like driving
Just take the lane!
John Forester "Cyclists fare best when they act and
are treated as drivers of vehicles." Effective Cycling
●
Against separated cycling infrastructure
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Responsibility for safety is wholly on individual
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Presumes that all are fit (or that only the
sufficiently fit ought) to cycle
!! Close relation to conservative worldview
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6. Cycling is like driving
Getting trauma
Conservative worldview shows a sign of trauma
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Diminished compassion for others
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Having to fight for your right
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Distrust of people, other than your immediate family / tribe
Vehicular-cycling is hyper-arousal activity
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Anger-diffusing attempt through physical activity
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Arousal “management” by attack/fight
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Potentially re-traumatising as nervous system does not
“re/solve” the affect / input
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7. Re/
traumatising
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8. Passing it on, and on
Self
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Keeping cycling
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Keeping arousal state
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Starting campaigning (around cyclist identity / rights)
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Getting into tribe/identity
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Initiating newcomers to “just take the lane”
Newcomers
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Learning high-arousal techniques
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Settling into tribe/community/identity
!! All the while – trauma persists: the stress of
VC is not recognised (can not be felt by
traumatised nervous system)
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9. Getting off
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10. Getting off the vicious vehi-cycle
Vehicular cyclist to feel compassion >
cycling for all and importance of infra
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Some internal change, through self-reflection
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And, some form of external validation or
recognition may be necessary too
PS: Personally, I am yet to meet much more
often that chance combination of fortunate
events... 10 / 11

11. 11 / 11
Thanks
for your time