1 Less Car - who we are

1 less car started up last year with the help of the Bright Kidz Cooperative in Kettering, who supplied us with the High Visibility gear. We now get our jackets directly made from the Queen Eleanor Co-operative factory. We’ve got kids, and we want to do something positive and useful to get more people to start getting out–playing, walking, cycling, hanging around, and making our communities safer by just more people being out on the street looking out for each other. Our kids can’t get to school, or to the park on their own, not because we’re worried about “stranger danger” but because they have to cross the roads and they're just too dangerous. And even kids with bikes can’t cycle on the roads because most of the time it’s not safe. It’s adults and our mad car-culture that are stopping our kids from doing what most of us did when we were younger –basically being able to get around ourselves, without having to be escorted or driven somewhere. Research shows that busy roads split communities and make people alienated and fearful. We don’t think we can wait for politicians to change things, we have to do it ourselves, and start reclaiming our streets from cars. 1 less car is a small contribution to this.

Click here for our links page, where you can find out about lots of positive things people are doing about walking and cycling.

Bright Kidz is a social enterprise and common ownership cooperative.

Click here for more about them

The best review of our jackets so far.....

1 Less Car High Viz Gear.
As reviewed by London Cyclist, Magazine of the London Cycling campaign
June 2008

Any vest that makes you more visible is a good thing. However, the vests made by 1 Less Car deserve a special mention. 1 Less Car vests are made in the UK, so they haven’t already travelled round the world before you get them. And they’re made by a workers’ co-operative, not a sweatshop. Even the packaging is well thought-out: a minimum amount of cardboard protects the product in transit and looks great. It can go straight into your recycling bin/bag when you’ve unwrapped the vest.

The 1 Less Car logo on the back of each vest is memorable. The majority of car drivers will only see your back, as they overtake you, or (more likely) you overtake them, so you might as well use it to get the pro-cycling message across.

As well as being available in ubiquitous flouro yellow, you can stand out from the crowd in fluorescent pink, orange, green or red... The Velcro grips properly and there’s enough of it, which makes a change from more basic high-viz vests.

To conclude, this is ethical High Viz at its best. Sweatshop-free manufacturing, a pro-cycling message and 5 crazy colours. What more could you possibly want? If you’re going to buy reflective gear, give your money to these people.

Waltham Forest Bike Recycle Centre

1 less car gives a donation of 50p for every jacket sold, to our local Bike Recycle Centre We use the Centre ourselves and we think they're worth supporting because they're doing such a good thing. They train voilunteers to do up old bikes so that they can be used again. They are based at the Council Transport Depot, South Access Road (continuation of Markhouse Avenue off Markhouse Road), Walthamstow and can be contacted on 07948060 473. Or you can contact Christopher Rigby (Christopher.rigby1@ntlworld)

Recycling opening times

You are welcome to volunteer to recycle bikes on: Fridays 10am-4pm and Saturdays 10am-3pm – training is offered throughout day long session. Free tea, coffee and biscuits for volunteers. Please stop at security for directions within the site.

Bike maintenance workshops

You can attend these sessions to learn how to work on your own bike with the assistance of a bike mechanic. The workshop is open every Saturday 10am-3pm (except the first Saturday of the month)

Waltham Forest London Cycling Campaign branch run a workshop on the second Saturday of each month 10am-12noon

The Bike Recycle Centre also runs the afternoon workshop session on the second Saturday of the month from 1-3pm. A suggested donation for tool use is £3.
Bike sales
Recycled bikes will be available for members of the public on the first Saturday of each month between 1- 3pm, for a donation starting from £45. Children's bikes are also available.
Unwanted bikes?
If you have a bike you would like to donate please bring it to the workshop. Unfortunately they don't have the resources to collect bikes. (Ask at security for directions to the workshop.) Any bikes donated are gratefully received.

Contact Us -1 less car

You can email 1lesscar at

info@1lesscar.org.uk

1lesscar
c/o The Hornbeam Environmental Centre, Walthamstow
458 Hoe St
London

E17 9AH

"I thought of that while riding my bike."
Albert Einstein, on the theory of relativity

Our view on the Ministry of Justice's

misuse of High Visibilty jackets..

The use of High Viz as a chain-gang type uniform for offenders is, according to the Probation Officer’s union, Napa, already putting offenders at risk. The whole concept of public shaming and humiliation by the State panders to the worst aspects of prejudice, division and general distrust. This is the very fear we need to challenge if we are to get more people out and about on our streets to make them safer.

1 Less Car believe that if more of us are out and about, cycling and walking, or just being around, it’ll make our communities friendlier places.

Encouraging mistrust and fear

High Viz should used for safety not to encourage stigmatisation, mistrust and fear.

Those of us who promote “High Viz” as a safe, bright and positive thing to wear –especially for children -will now have a far more difficult job. As promoters of ethically-produced High Visibility gear, as a way of encouraging safe cycling and walking, we object to this dangerous Government stunt.

Subvert it!

So we feel we need to subvert things a bit: We’ve got a new 1lesscar line of Orange High Visibilty jackets with a range of messages on the back. If lots of us start wearing them when we’re out and about, hopefully it’ll show solidarity with those unfortunate enough to be taking part in community payback.- and it’ll go a little way to undermining this ludicrous scheme.

There are many projects that actually help young people that are in difficulty, rather than humiating them and putting them in danger. So all the profits from this range of jackets will go to one of the bike recycle projects we have contact with, that trains and supports young offenders in a positive way.

We now have a range of 3 designs available:

Payback Jacket NO 1 - Jack Straw War criminal

community fightback

JACK STRAW. WAR CRIMINAL.LIAR.

JAIL HIM NOW

PROPERTY OF MINISTRY OF inJUSTICE

politicians are the real criminals

While there are plenty of politicians who are guilty of waging war in the name of peace, Jack Straw stands out as pretty much guilty. As Foreign Secretary in 2003, he was one of the main instigators of the attack on Iraq, and was complicit in the lies that the Government told justify their attack. This has resulted in the deaths 1 million Iraqis so far, and Oxfam estimate the displacement of millions of others. It’s difficult to think of what level of community payback Jack Straw could do to compensate for his crimes, but it doesn’t do any harm reminding ourselves of what he has done.

Payback Jacket No.2 CAPITALISM THE REAL CRIME

COMMUNITY FIGHTBACK

WAR, POVERTY, EXPLOITATION

CAPITALISM IS THE REAL CRIME

PROPERTY OF MINISTRY OF INJUSTICE

POLITICIANS ARE THE REAL CRIMINALS

Payback Jacket No.3 CAPITALISM

COMMUNITY FIGHTBACK

WAR, POVERTY, EXPLOITATION

CAPITALISM IS THE REAL CRIME

PROPERTY OF MINISTRY OF INJUSTICE

POLITICIANS ARE THE REAL CRIMINALS

You can get one by clicking on the button below and paying by pay pal or by sending us a cheque.

Community Payback Jacket- £10

The jackets cost £10, and we won’t make any money out of them. And if you’ve got any more ideas for messages we can put on the back, feel free to send us some suggestions