Communicating risk in outdoor recreation.

We’ve got a favor to ask if you’ve got a few minutes spare. SingletrAction has been asked If we could help Paddy Harrop with his Masters Degree in public communication.

Paddy Asks:
My masters degree project is focussing on the use of signage to communicate risk to mountain bikers. If you can spare ten minutes to complete this survey I would really appreciate your help.

Thanks
Paddy

Communicating risk in outdoor recreation.

How is signage used to meet the risk communication needs of land managers and mountain bikers in the UK?

Short Introductory Note
As somebody who walks, climbs, skis and mountain bikes and is involved in managing access I am interested in the use of signage to help provide visitors with information.  Part of this interest is a linked to a concern about a proliferation of signage and the danger that this can urbanise the outdoors but also lead to less clarity about the choices individuals can make about their own safety.  Does signage really help the visitor or is it there to serve the needs of the land manager?

The focus of this study is the way in which signage is used to communicate risk between mountain bikers and land managers.  I am looking for ideas from as wide a range of people as possible through some face to face interviews and also an on line questionnaire athttps://www.surveymonkey.com/s/riskmtb.  I am also planning to assess trail signage, with the permission of the relevant landowners.

As things progress there will be more information on my web pages (and I will also publish the final study there http://www.paddyharrop.com/communicating-risk-ma-project.html).

This project is an academic study of how signage is used by landowners and mountain bikers to communicate risk.  It is part of my MA in Public Communication at Leeds Trinity University College (www.leedstrinity.ac.uk)an independent study and has not been commissioned by the Forestry Commission or any other organisation.  The project will be completed for assessment by the end of January 2012.

 

The Study Aims and Objectives

The aim of this project is to assess how on site signage meets the risk communication needs of landowners and mountain bikers in a two-way model of communication.

  1. To gain understanding of the needs of land managers and mountain bikers using signage as a communication channel for conveying messages about perceived risk.
  2. To assess the presence of risk messages in signage at UK mountain biking trail centres against the perceived needs of land managers and mountain bikers
  3. To evaluate the way in which risk messages are presented through text and visual representation.
  4. To identify what, if any, two-way communication takes place in the creation and use of risk messages in signage between land managers and mountain bikers.
  5. To make recommendations on how signage could be improved to better meet the risk communication needs of land managers and mountain bikers.

Paddy Harrop
www.paddy.harrop.com

paddy.harrop@btinternet.com