By Sarah Bennett
OPINION: Talk about right time, right place. Former prime minister John Key is at a job summit early in 2009 when an attendee bends his ear about the potential of recreational cycle trails.
Nek minnit, there's $50 million government bucks in the bank to build...
Cyclists need proper bike lanes, not slogans
National's proposal to fine cyclists who don't use bike lanes is a misguided and unworkable plan, say cycling advocates.
“This is a dumb idea,” said Patrick Morgan, from the Cycling Action Network
“It would needlessly stir conflict and hostility.”
It's a solution looking for a problem.
Why?
The best way to get people to use bike lanes is to build proper protected bike lanes. Too many bike lanes in New Zealand are low-quality.
“Paint is not protection.”
Pedestrians don't want...
Coming back to Wellington from London, Jane Dawson was “shocked by the state of the biking infrastructure and bad drivers.” Instead of giving up, she instead decided to work with decision makers to improve her city.
That was a long time ago. In recent years she has worked with Cycle Wellington, and the Cycling Action Network (CAN) to make things better.
...
The freedom, low environmental impact, and beautiful scenery along the waterfront are what drives Newtown resident Nicole Gaston to not drive everywhere. For years she has biked around Wellington and often commutes to work at the National Library.
Nicole sees the growing need for mixed-use roadways.
“So many design elements of roads disadvantage cyclists and make it unnecessarily difficult to ride a bike for no reason other than lack of thought.”
By Matt Lorah
When asking Jordan Roy why he biked to work and for fun on the weekends he responded…
“Since I was a child and my parents put me on a bike, my eyes lit up!”
After 37 years of biking around Wellington, Charles Dawson of Crofton Downs has experienced first hand all of the benefits that come with his choice form of transportation. His favourite things include: hills for exercise, the lovely Skyline, Makara Peak and other trails, the slowly increasing number of bike lanes and a supportive biking culture. In New Zealand it's great we have a flourishing network of regional trails, which my family have specifically travelled to for holidays.”
Commuting to work as an educator...
Nicole Page is a member of the women only biking group Revolve.
Biking on both roads and trails with all levels and abilities, Nicole loves the fact that “biking gets you outside and gives you all the exercise you need.”
Shredding for four years now, Tom Cappleman works for the nonprofit WORD, which is all about encouraging kids to mountain bike.
Tom has previously worked as a mechanic and bike shop manager.
“I like achieving goals that are based around fun, and seeing the kids do the same.”
...
Mark Lerwill is a member of USO, a bike riding group named after the Samoan word that translates as brother. Mark is one of the first members of USO, started by his brother-in-law in 2011 to promote and encourage Pacifika health.
Mark loves biking in Wellington, and says that the friends you meet and getting into the great outdoors are the biggest additions to his life...
Amy Barnett is a veteran when it comes to bicycle commuting. She is accustomed to biking in cities such as London and Berlin, but the biking here in Wellington, she says “is not as scary, it’s just not as enjoyable”.
This artist and government strategist likes the passive exercise and the...
I cycled 11,000km around Aotearoa and learned the following bonus safety tips
by Dunc Wilson
It's one of the most talked about issues of cycling: how safe is that bike person over there on the road? Almost universally, the conversation comes from the perspective of preventing the cyclist from being hit by the car. When, really, it...
Sometimes sharing a great experience with others is better than doing it yourself. But what if you could do both?
Jimmy Green makes his living sharing both the city of Wellington and the joys of biking with tourists at his job with Switched On Bikes. As a bike tour guide he is proud of Wellington’...
Michael Petta was busy fixing his derailleur after buying a used bike off of Facebook when I caught up with him at the Mechanical Tempest community bike workshop..
He enjoys biking recreationally both on the trail and the road as long as there is great scenery, which “here in Wellington is...
For the last year Justine Hall has accompanied her two children every morning to school. The twist? Everyone is on a bike!
Justine, who works for the Wellington City Council, believes that biking is “good for my children’s health, and their confidence. My aim is for them to be comfortable to ride...
“Cyclists just tend to be good people,” says Phoebe Balle.
In her work with Workshops For Accessible Cycle Care (WACC), Phoebe has led bike servicing and repair courses. Through the Pedal Ready programme she has instructed young people on how to bike safely and competently.
Jamie Hoare has always wanted to be a business owner. Earlier this year he combined his passions for cycling and business ownership, and he now co-owns NoCar Cargo, a bike courier business.
I caught up with Jamie at The Mechanical Tempest, a community-run free bike repair workshop, while he...
A recent newcomer to Wellington from the UK, Tamsin White rides from Newtown to Thorndon on her commute to work.
“I like the lower number of cars and the dedication to improving biking infrastructure in the area,” she says.
...
Wellingtonian Mike Trudgen followed his passion, and with hard work and determination has made his small business a full time job. He now owns and operates the Stealth brand of bags, panniers, and other bike storage options.
He enjoys his daily commute to the city from Highbury and loves the...
Six paid bike-related jobs in the last five years? Sounds about right for Thorndon resident Christian Williams.
Christian loves bumping into people around town and casual chats at the lights.
Currently, as a cycle...
After biking for 30 years around Wellington, Ngaio resident Jonathan Kennett has seen infrastructure and safety improve. On his daily commute to work as a writer he says he feels alive and invigorated during and after the ride.
“I ride daily and have not had a crash since being doored while...