Grant will fund study of bicycles in the Netherlands
Danville native will head to Netherlands for design studies
Wednesday, May 14, 2008 - 12:45 AM
By JOHN R. CRANE
MEDIA GENERAL NEWS SERVICE
DANVILLE -- A Danville native pursuing his doctorate is heading to the Netherlands next fall to study bicycle dynamics and the relationship between bike design and handling.
Jason Moore, a doctoral candidate at the University of California at Davis, recently received a Fulbright grant from the Institute of International Education under the U.S. State Department. The 2000 Tunstall High School graduate will spend the next academic year at the Technical University of Delft.
For studying bicycle mechanics, Moore, who turns 26 this month, couldn't be traveling to a better country.
The Netherlands has the highest rate of bicycle use in the world, with more than 30 percent of local trips taken by bike, he said. The U.S. rate is less than 1 percent, Moore added.
"The Netherlands is one of the bicycle capitals of the world," he said during a phone interview from the UC-Davis campus, where he is studying to earn his doctorate in mechanical and aeronautical engineering.
His mother, Cindy Moore, said she is pleased to see her son following his passion.
"It's right up his alley, as far as what he'll be studying," she said. "I'm happy for him."
In the Netherlands, Moore will examine bicycle dynamics, their control and handling qualities, collaborating with Arend L. Schwab, a professor at the Technical University of Delft.
Moore marvels at the different cultural perspectives of bikes, especially the contrast between those of Holland and the U.S.
Americans see bicycles as toys, but the Dutch take a more utilitarian view of them, he said. They're looked at as transportation and also are used for hauling.
Infrastructure, such as bike lanes and parking facilities, is designed to accommodate bicycle use and make it safe, Moore said. But in the U.S., automobiles dominate, which makes bike-riding dangerous.
Moore would like to use his knowledge and skills as a mechanical engineer to help bring about a world where more people use bicycles. It's a cheaper and more environmentally friendly mode of transportation, he said.
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