cycling

A Balham biker has gone into the cycling community’s record books by becoming the rider of the one millionth Barclays cycle hire journey.

And as a special thank you, the banking giant awarded 37-year-old Rupert Parson and three friends annual membership of the scheme for five years - as well as a cycling makeover at Bobbins Bicycles in Islington.

Mr Parson said: “It was a complete surprise, and I have to say that I thought it might be a practical joke when first took the phone call.

Communal bike hire is great - but do we have to help advertise a bank? James May's not so sure.

This column, as I've tried to make perfectly clear in the past, is pro-bicycle and pro-cycling. I love a bicycle and I haven't been without at least one since I was three years old.

That's why I don't like being lectured about cycling by sanctimonious reformers who bought one last week and imagine the rest of us haven't discovered them yet.

FixMyStreet.org.nz is a New Zealand/Aotearoa version of FixMyStreet.com. It's a citizen-initiated web service to collect issues relating to the built environment and route them to the appropriate council. Issues might include glass on roads, potholes, lighting, parking on cycleways, problem intersections, etc.

Two years ago I wrote For Bicylists, There is Safety in Numbers noting the work of Chris Rissel, who said "It appears that motorists adjust their behaviour in the presence of increasing numbers of people bicycling because they expect or experience more people cycling."

Cycling is the simplest, most natural means of transport, after walking. So natural and useful in fact that many cities often forget to take it into account. This brochure is intended to consider and return to the advantages of bicycle traffic and to back up arguments with analyses and facts.

Insta-Park!

Our friend Clarence at StreetFilms sent us his latest cinematic masterpiece (I suck at keeping expectations low, don't I?). It's about a section of street in Jackson Heights, in Queens, that was closed to cars for the "time-to-play-outside" months and converted into a much-needed park/public space. As you can see in the video, it was a resounding success! It's a good model to follow for other cities.

The days are progressively getting shorter, and so more and more cyclists will be biking in light conditions that definitely aren't optimal. Most cyclists are good about trying to wear clothing and accessories that are highly reflective and easy to see in the dark, but according to a new peer-reviewed study (page 56), cyclists might not actually be as visible as they think they are, which can increase danger.

Here's the abstract of the paper:

The nation's transport ministers have acknowledged there's been a lack of investment when it comes to encouraging people to get out of their cars and onto their bicycles.

Federal and state transport ministers on Friday signed off on the third National Cycling Strategy, which aims to double the number of people cycling during the next five years.

The strategy acknowledges that while there have been many initiatives to get more people riding in the past 10 years cycling had not been supported by a high level of investment.

Cycle Action Auckland have launched their new site at caa.org.nz

Upcoming events include the AGM and a presentation by Ludo Campbell-Reid on urban design for a Super City. Tonight (Thursday Sep 30th) 6.30pm. See website for more details