Is it just me, or has the number of un-cyclists quadrupled since the universities started back? A rash of expensive cars driven by young men with pink polo shirts (collars turned up) is vying for road and pavement space with hoorays whose hairdos cost a lot more than the jalopies they're riding.

A few days ago, I met representatives of Emilie's Charities, a group which promotes safe cycling to young people in Oxfordshire, especially students. They were friends of Emilie Harris, the student cyclist who was killed two years ago in Cowley Road. Emilie's Charities is great news because university students are a very hard bunch to communicate with.

They explained that many students have no idea whatsoever that lights are required at night: "I thought it was OK if I stuck to the pavement" etc . . .

They want to use compulsory start-of-term lectures where the police et al give safety talks to get the safe cycling message across, and even to convince students to have cycle training. Good luck to them! The Oxford Mail letters pages often carry suggestions that cycle registration would be better than training. I disagree. Cycle registration would be just another barrier to cycling.

I am glad to hear that the Government also opposes cycle registration, albeit for a different reason. Lord Davies of Oldham said last week: "To enable the Government to administer the registration of cyclists, changes in legislation would have to be considered along with extensive changes to computer systems.

"There are more than 20 million bicycles in Great Britain - many of which change owners frequently - and one in three adults owns a bicycle. To register them would entail the establishment of a system parallel to that presently existing for motor vehicles.

"The cost of such a system would, in the Department for Transport's view, outweigh any possible benefits and so we do not propose to take this idea forward." Phew.

Sustrans is looking for new volunteer rangers for the National Cycle Network (NCN) in north Oxfordshire. If you live between Oxford and Banbury, or Oxford and Bicester, and would like to be the "eyes and ears" of the NCN routes in your area, find out more at a meeting tonight in Woodstock Town Hall from 7-9pm. If you're interested but this is too short notice, you can contact Sustrans' Jo Hamilton on 01865 205230 or jo.hamilton@sustrans.org.uk And finally, if you're worried about climate change and fancy stretching your legs, why not go on an Oxford-London cycle ride which joins the National Climate March on Saturday, November 4? The route follows NCN 5 all the way to London so it's easy and safe. The ride leaves Oxford on Friday, November 3 and arrives in London in time for a pre-march cycle rally on the Saturday.

I went last year and I can recommend it. Contact Henry Strivens on strivs@googlemail.com or 07795 423599. The National Climate March is part of a day of international climate protest before the Nairobi Climate Talks.