About us

Why are we organised?

For many people, even for active pedestrians, it is not at all obvious what an organisation for pedestrian matters should be good for. Walking is such a normal and everyday activity that it is unnecessary to join an association to do it. You don’t join an association to breathe, so why should anyone join an association to walk?

Certainly, the average walker is not better off when he or she is member of a pedestrian association. It is unlikely that an association can offer any personal advantages for individual walkers. Car driver and bicycle associations can offer advantageous insurance and travel arrangements, information on cars or bicycle and driving tours, and these associations can take advantage of the fact that many people have a very close relationship with their vehicle or that lifestyle. A pedestrian generally does not need any service or help. A pedestrian association is a cultural association, which offers the same advantages to everybody, members and non-members.
Basically, there are two ways to work: Either a pedestrian association can try to fight against obstacles: lazy government officials who neglect the duty to enforce the laws in favour of pedestrians or thoughtless planners who have only the drivers in mind – but the main thing a pedestrian organisation can do - is to motivate politicians and planners to think in terms the walkability in their community and carry these decisions out in all their planning decisions. Of course the latter is much more efficient in the long run. Transport funding programs should always include an obligation to provide for adequate walking facilities, because it will be nearly be impossible to add them later and after everything is built.

Local Level

Individual pedestrians who claim their rights usually have to criticize a lot of small and seemingly unimportant things: garbage bags, dog excrements and cars parked “temporarily” on the sidewalks, long waiting times at traffic lights, detours, etc.. The local policeman may consider people who complain about such things as intolerant and stubborn sorts. But as soon as a number of persons form a pedestrian association, collect the incidents and present the cause of the pedestrian as what it is, a public interest - the situation may change. This criticizing association is an association of voters, and the policeman has to fulfil a public service. In each city the reasons for having a pedestrian association may be different, but it is clear, one is much more effective as part of an association than to be just a bunch of individuals if complaints have to be made – and if they should have consequences.

National Level

National associations can do much more than pointing out local obstacles, they can work towards a better legal framework for pedestrians; they can influence the thinking of planners, of safety officials, the press, and the public in general. A delegate of a pedestrian association may become a member of a policy making commission or of a jury that judges on projects. Often the point of view of persons in charge of taking the position of the pedestrian (including the handicapped, the elderly and the children) possesses an important expertise in solving traffic problems, and is recognised as such. A national pedestrian association has the ability to raise the awareness in all fields of interest to the individual walker: safety, security, comfort, health and respect.

International Pedestrian Organisations

Europe
In Europe, one of the main reasons to form a special regional Pedestrian organisation is the fact that rules, regulations and projects have to be negociated with the European Union. This is the main reason for existence of the Federation of European Pedestrian Associations (FEPA). All members are associations.
For questions write to: Ternece Bendixson (t.bendixson@pobox.com) Secretary of FEPA.

Worldwide
On an international level, we may go about criticising the Governments here and there, but we are more efficient, if we can intervene in the right places. There are international structures with different commissions which produce rules and standards for nearly everything, particularly everything relevant for road safety. If we manage to sit in the right places, we may influence the attitudes of governments towards the pedestrian cause - even if the steps forward are only small.