News: December 2009

Bonnie Tu, chief financial officer of Giant, believes that more women will buy bicycles designed by women. "Did you have a chance to see them?” Bonnie Tu asks as she sweeps into the room and gestures towards a display of seven bikes of various shapes and sizes. “All designed by women for women: that’s what is going to change the way the world thinks about bicycles.” By and large, the world thinks of bikes as an exercise in machismo on wheels, from muddy mountain bikers to lycra-clad road cyclists or commuters taking their chances with the lorries and taxis that seem to claim ownership of the roads. Ms Tu has other ideas. She settles down, and prepares to explain how increasing numbers of women cyclists — particularly in Asia — are going to change the shape of urban commuting and restore the bicycle to its natural role as the mass transport of city dwellers...

I'll always remember the police that day at Wreck Beach, Vancouver's buzzing and permanent party strip for nudists. The police aren't naked; strapped up in their full security uniforms, long sleeves, visible handguns, hand-cuffs and tough shoes. But everyone else is naked. The populous, numbering in the hundreds, go along for a grand old naked pig out on sun, recreational drugs and alcohol—the sun, of course, being the only thing legal about any of it. But word spreads fast in a super-friendly place and despite the excessive illegal consumption, the contraband disappears when the police arrive and becomes utterly un-detectable. Alas for them, Vancouver's finest are limited to a wander up and down the sand, a note in their notepad and the occasional short interview with a stark-nude civilian. My host at the time pointed it out to me: two sweaty cops with their vests, gear and pens on...

Picnic for the Planet Elinor Chisholm writes: Kia ora Cycle Aware Wellington I am helping to organise the Green Party Picnic for the Planet early next year. Would CAW be interested in having a stall there? "Picnic for the Planet is the first Green Party event of each year. It is a day of festivities centred around the Co-Leaders' State of the Planet speech. The speech is an inspiring and scene-setting account of the Green Party plan for the year. The Picnics have become a landmark in the annual political calendar, with TV news coverage of the event. People from all walks of life come together for the day to celebrate the goal of living together on the planet in a sustainable way." This will be held at Frank Kitts Park on Sunday 24th January, probably from noon til 5pm. The Picnic will also include free live bands, food stalls and children's...

Another short video by Australian documentary-maker Mike Rubbo with Mikael from Copenhagenize. http://www.youtube.com/user/MikeRubbo#p/u/0/tozCu1BBaWE Looking down the list on the right side of the page you'll see some other interesting short videos in which Mike contrasts 'cycling' in western Europe with that in countries like ours. ------------------------------------------------------------- Alan Preston up in Mangawhai, Northland. NZ

Exciting news today with the Auckland City Council's support for a proposed NZ Cycle Trail project for Waiheke.   Press Statement  "Waiheke plan for PM's Cycle Trail " A major boost for cycling on Waiheke is underway with the launch today by Fullers and Cycle Action Waiheke of a 'Great Cycle Ride' trail to be submitted for inclusion in PM John Key's  NZ Cycle Trail.  The project was presented to Auckland City's Transport Committee by Fullers' CEO, Doug Hudson, Waiheke resident Michelle Boag and Cycle Action spokesperson, Barbara Cuthbert.  ' The cycle trail is a perfect fit for the island' said Barbara Cuthbert ' It will bring more cyclists to stay overnight, the right scale of investment and jobs to fit with the easy pace and engaging style of the island. I am hugely grateful to Nikki...

Rethinking Streets in Paris by Elizabeth Press on January 14, 2009 | 12,543 Plays Back in July I made a video about Paris' public bicycle system, Velib. Its success must in part be credited to the provisions made for safe cycling and the understood "street code," where users are responsible for others whose vehicles are lighter than their own. This video explores traffic calming amenities Paris has installed. For example, in several areas of Paris curbs have been removed and bikes, pedestrians, buses and taxis coexist at low speeds. On wider roads bikes share the BRT lanes with buses and taxis. Counter-flow bike lanes expand the bike network. Raised crosswalks and neckdowns slow traffic and make pedestrians more visible at intersections. Watch video here at Streetfilms.org.  

Honda to launch bicycle simulator By James Costley-White Honda have developed this bicycle simulator to teach people how to deal with traffic (Honda) Honda have developed a high-tech bicycle simulator to teach people how to stay safe in traffic. The device, which looks like something Heath Robinson might have dreamt up rather than a gleaming product of the motor industry, will go on sale in Japan in Feburary. According to Honda, it will help people "improve their ability to predict risks and increase safety awareness" by letting them experience the possible risks faced by cyclists. Users have to sit astride the built-in bike and take part in various scenarios shown on the computer screen in front of them, ranging from "going to school" to "going to the grocery store". They can check over their shoulders using secondary displays, there are speakers behind their...

Beauty and the Bike A few months back, we showed you the Beauty and the Bike trailer. Now the 55-minute documentary is finished. The film follows two groups of young women from Darlington and Bremen as they discover . An 8-minute version of Beauty and the Bike is below and you can read all about the project on the Beauty and the Bike website.