“A whole new sense of freedom”

I had the great pleasure of meeting the delightful Joanna Robertson today. She was training on her handcycle at Duthie Park.

Joanna is a local athlete who uses her handcycle to compete in sporting events like the London marathon. She’s currently training for the Edinburgh and Manchester 10k marathons. Normally she gets around by wheelchair because of a spinal injury but having a handcycle as a mobility aid has given her “A whole new sense of freedom”.

I asked Joanna what the biggest issues are for her cycling in Aberdeen? Without hesitation she replied with potholes. Potholes are especially problematic for people with disabilities as it’s not easy to stand up when going over the bump, making it even more jarring. Another issue is tree roots.

Joanna sticks mostly to off-road paths like Deeside Way and the beach because being so low to the ground, as is often the case for people using handcycles, she’s particularly vulnerable to much larger vehicles who are less likely to see her. This is another very good reason why Aberdeen needs a network of segregated cycle paths.

If you’d like to learn more about Joanna and follow her sporting journey then visit her Facebook page – Joanna Robertson T54 WC.