The Cycling Advocates' Network (CAN) congratulates the NZ Police for their successful campaign on lower speeds. CAN spokesperson, Anne FitzSimon, says, "Well done New Zealand, our best road safety record for a holiday weekend in one hundred years!" "CAN urges the Police to extend its successful campaign on lower speeds permanently." "New Zealand drivers have shown their support this weekend with their behaviour. Let's keep it up and keep road safety a priority. There's a clear trade off between speed and safety. We believe most New Zealanders support safer speeds and will support tougher speed enforcement." "If it makes sense for one holiday weekend, it makes sense all the time." Ms FitzSimon says, "The case for lower speeds is compelling." "Five percent tolerance for speeding, and lowering operating speeds will improve safety for all road users - not just cyclists. It aligns New...
News: June 2010
Jun
For the past three years, Bridgit Taylor has biked from Upper Hutt railway station to her job in Wellington.Growing numbers of Kiwis are choosing to take to their bikes and fight for road space with trucks, buses and cars. But as the country goes cycle crazy, commuters and hobbyists are making a concerted plea for safety to improve. Riding into Wellington on one of the capital's busiest entry roads, cyclists must dodge 15 lamp-posts and a bus stop. The route from Kaiwharawhara is described as "embarrassing" by the Cycling Advocates Network, yet it is a road that more and more commuters are opting to pedal along. Others cycling into the city from different directions face varying conditions. On Oriental Pde there is the option to share the footpath; along Adelaide Rd there is the option to share the bus lane. Along other routes, there is a...
Jun
Bespoke: The Handbuilt Bicycle displays the designs of six internationally renowned bicycle builders whose work in metal, as well as graphics and artifacts, elucidate this refined, intricate and deeply individual craft.The twenty-one handbuilt bicycles exhibited sit squarely at the intersection of design, craft, and art, and include a range of contemporary designs: fixed-gear, road racing, cyclocross, mountain, and commuter bicycles, as well as the stripped-down radonneur, designed exclusively for long-distance racing. The exhibition features bicycles by: Mike Flanigan, Alternative Needs Transportation (A.N.T); Jeff Jones, Jeff Jones Custom Bicycles; Dario Pegoretti, Pegoretti Cicli; Richard Sachs, Richard Sachs Cycles; J. Peter Weigle, J. Peter Weigle Cycles; and Sacha White, Vanilla Bicycles.More at the Museum of Arts and Design Read full article here.
Jun
As bike commuting becomes more popular, facilities where you can store your bike, extra clothes and even take a shower will become a necessity. These bike facilities could even possibly replace parking lots, which is exactly what Annie Scheel proposes with her BIKE center for Philadelphia. Scheel took home first prize in a recent competition hosted by the Delaware Valley Green Building Council with her stellar all-in-one bike facility and master plan that gives urban bikers a place of their own in the city. While the parking lot has capacity for 100 cars, the bike storage facility could hold up to 690 bikes on four levels, which if fully utilized would significantly reduce automobile congestion in the city — not to mention pollution.Read more: Philadelphia Parking Lot Transformed into Urban Cycling Oasis | Inhabitat - Green Design Will Save the World
Jun
2009: http://cyclingconf.org.nz/ Previous: http://can.org.nz/nz-cycling-conference-series
Jun
The Cycling Advocates' Network (CAN) fully supports tougher enforcement of speed limits - but wants this tough stance permanently. CAN spokesperson, Anne FitzSimon, says "If it makes sense for Queens Birthday, it makes sense all the time." National road policing manager Superintendent Paula Rose said during Queens Birthday weekend police will reduce their 10 per cent tolerance for driving over the speed limit to 5 per cent. Ms FitzSimon says "The case for lower speeds is compelling." "5% maximum tolerance for speeding offences, and lowering operating speeds will improve safety for all road users - not just cyclists." Reducing vehicle speeds has two benefits for cyclists and pedestrians. First, people struck by motor vehicles at lower speeds will be less likely to be killed or seriously injured. Second, the chances of them being struck is reduced as motorists have more chance to avoid...
Jun
Speeding motorists used to driving 10kmh over the maximum speed limit will not get away with it this weekend, as police trial a zero tolerance policy to cut road deaths. Police say New Zealand's 10 per cent tolerance zone is higher than other countries, and cutting it could help change the attitudes of motorists who claim lives. From tomorrow, extra police will be out in force for Queen's Birthday Weekend and, for the first time, motorists found to be more than 4kmh over the open road speed limit will be ticketed. The Automobile Association predicts the move will anger motorists unaware of the change, or driving with inaccurate speedometers.However, as another life was lost on our roads yesterday, national road policing manager Superintendent Paula Rose said police needed new weapons to change driver behaviour. "There can be no excuses. We are killing our people and we want...
Jun
Andrew Sullivan shows us the world's luckiest bicyclist, and writes that "it looks as if he barely notices." It's true.From Treehugger.com
Jun
In Madrid last week, up to 3,000 cyclists slowed traffic to a grind in a few of the car-clogged central arteries of the capital city, but according to this blog, riders "made friends with drivers and pedestrians." Meanwhile, In Los Angeles, a Streetsblog report and YouTube clip shows at least one bike rider during a Critical Mass last week purposefully kicked or tripped by police standing by. And then, there's San Francisco, where it all began, and where it still goes each last Friday of the month. Meanwhile, in the arguable capital of U.S. cycling, Portland, Critical Mass rides have nearly disappeared. By its advocates, Critical Mass is deemed to have played a role in giving cyclists a piece of city streets. But has it outlived its usefulness?Strength in Numbers Critical Mass has ranged from everything from initial rides of just scores of cyclists to...
Jun
Archimedes said "Give me a lever long enough and a place to stand on, and I can move the world." The modern version might be "give me gearing low enough and I can move the monsterbike." It would be the perfect thing for our teeth-rattling trenched and patched bike lanes, or for when an idiot opens a car door in front of you; just plough right through it. On the other hand, steering looks a bit dicey.It appears to come from the Netherlands, where it is nice and flat, perhaps a requirement for this bike. See video belowFrom Treehugger.com
Jun
Wanna see a slice of the glorious NYC bike month that was? There were dozens of great May events from Bike to Work Day in the Bronx to the David Bowie Dance Ride in Manhattan to Bike to School Day at MS51 in Brooklyn. Of course we couldn't get to all of them, but we managed to drop by quite a few extravaganzas. In this funky montage wrap-up you'll see many special guest stars including Hal Ruzal, Randy "The Ethicist" Cohen, Mary Beth Kelly, and Eben "Bike Snob" Weiss, just to pick out some of the dozens of faces. But none so special as an appearance by our very good purple friend - Zozo, who you'll get to see out scooting on his bike! And for heaven's sake, don't miss the "bike rockstar montage" near the end. We certainly have a lot of hip cyclists in NYC.See video at Streetfilms.org
Jun
Nearly 30 parking spaces along Masterton's busiest stretch of road are about to be rubbed out to make way for cycle lanes.The new lanes, running on both sides of the street between the town's northern and southern roundabouts, have just been signed off by the Masterton District Council. They will go in next month as part of a $200,000 Masterton cycling initiative by the New Zealand Transport Authority.Aside from the loss of spaces, medians will be readjusted in different parts of the street and the green seal near the Waingawa Bridge will also be laid in different sections.Parking spaces being culled include nine near the southern approach to the Renall St roundabout, six outside the Masterton Club, three outside Shell, seven outside Caltex, and four south of the King St intersection.While developing the proposal to install cycle lanes, NZTA consultants...
Jun
A cycling school teacher is demanding an apology from New Plymouth police after a run-in with a constable at a busy intersection.Steven Tubby claims he was assaulted and says the incident has left him questioning police procedures when it comes to handling complaints about themselves.But police say they have done everything by the book and would be prepared to look at the case again if witnesses came forward.Full article at:http://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/news/3765507/Cyclist-questions-police-processes Photo: JONATHAN CAMERON
Jun
New Plymouth's Te Rewa Rewa Bridge.The Te Rewa Rewa Bridge – an 80 m long shared pedestrian/cycle bridge over the Waiwhakaiho River – will be opened to the public from 11.30 am this Saturday.The public is welcome to come along to the ceremony, which will include a sausage sizzle and a giveaway of a limited number of souvenir drink bottles.Full press release at:http://www.newplymouthnz.com/CouncilDocuments/NewsReleases/IconicRewaRewaBridgeOpensThisWeekend.htm
Jun
This morning Greater Wellington Regional Council and CAW volunteers ran a workshop at Waterloo bus depot for Valley Flyer and Go Wellington drivers. WCC's Emma Hope came along too. We switched seats: drivers on bikes, and cyclists behind the wheel of the bus. Key lessons for bikers: - keep out of the driver's blind spot behind the bus - ride predictably. Signal, use eye contact. - if riding up the Glenmore St bus lane, pull over if there's a string of buses behind you. - keep out of Bus Only lanes such as Willis St and by the Wellington Railway Station - use lots of reflective gear and lights at night- avoid riding 2 abreast if the bus needs to get past Key lessons for drivers: - sometimes bikers need to occupy the lane for their safety e.g. Adelaide Rd - advance stop boxes, such as those in Newtown, help cyclists get through an intersection...
Jun
01/06/2010, By KIRAN CHUG - The Dominion Post Evans Bay Parade cycle laneMore cyclists have been killed on Wellington's roads than in any other region in the last five years, yet cycling advocates say the city is falling behind other centres in making the roads safer for those at risk. Figures from the Transport Ministry show the number of cyclists hit by cars and killed on New Zealand roads fluctuated between eight and 12 a year over the last five years, while 143 were seriously injured in 2009. Cycling Advocates Network's Patrick Morgan said cycling infrastructure was stuck in the 1960s and motorists' attitude to cyclists was 30 years behind the rest of the world. Wellington had a high proportion of cyclists but was well behind in programmes to improve infrastructure for cyclists. Some changes were being made, with Wellington City Council due this...