News: February 2012

 And with even The Guardian recommending people sign up to The Times' #cyclesafe campaign, it's clear we've crossed the rubicon.To cross the rubicon is to pass the point of no return. And given there were 77 MPs jostling to say (mostly) kind words about cycling in a packed Westminster Hall during today's three hour Backbench Business Committee debate it was apparent that cycling - thanks to extensive coverage in The Times - is now on the political radar.The Guardian's James Randerson today said people should sign up to The Times' campaign, particularly "because it comes from the Times."He wrote: "The paper's readership is naturally closer to Jeremy Clarkson than [the Green Party's] Caroline Lucas, so the policy changes that the campaign is demanding are likely to have traction with sections of the public and politicians who would otherwise...

Designboom shows this bike shelf from Chris Brigham, a graphic designer gone 3D and now making furniture under the name Knife and Saw. . Living in San Francisco and visiting friends in New York, he "noticed that there is a void when it comes to elegant bike management." He's right; this would be perfect for LifeEdited.Bikes always get in the way - either in the hall, or leaning up against a bookshelf or something. So, I decided to design something to fix that problem. Until I think of a better name, I am calling it the Bike Shelf.Made from solid wood (in this case, Walnut) and suspended by a steel square rod mount, this shelf can hold both your bike, as well as anything else you want on it quite easily. If you want to just showcase your bike, that's fine, but if you want to utilize the space for books, flowers, bike accessories, etc., that's what it's there for.From Treehugger.com

New Zealand's best cycling projects, campaigns and champions were announced at the 2 Walk and Cycle Conference in Hastings today. The finalists were applauded for their contributions to making cycling a fun, safe everyday activity for all New Zealanders. The Department of Conservation and NZTA banded together to provide world class cycling and walking paths between Fox and Franz Josef glaciers. The success of this effort along with the techniques learned hold promise for better access to all of New Zealand's Parks. Hastings' iWay Share the Road campaign reminded us to share the road safely and courteously. Many cyclists also drive cars; they are teachers in our schools, fire fighters, police, labourers and even mayors. We all get ahead when we all get along. Auckland's cyclists led the way with their stunning Harbour Bridge Project. Government's original reservations were overcome by...

It would be some small comfort to those who mourn Jane Bishop to know that her death spurred some action on making city streets safer for cyclists. Bishop died in November 2010 after falling under a truck on Tamaki Dr after her cycle struck Glenn Becker, who had just opened his car door. Becker was acquitted this week of a charge of careless use of a motor vehicle causing death, a verdict that seemed consistent with the evidence. As the tireless spokeswoman for the Cycle Action lobby group, Barbara Cuthbert, remarked, he was "the fall guy" for an inadequate piece of roading, as surely as Jane Bishop was the victim. Not all drivers are as blameless; as the city's intrepid cycling community will ruefully attest, door are flung open in their paths every day. With a little luck, the wide coverage of this incident and its legal aftermath will make all drivers look out for cyclists...

NZTA has recently undertaken a study on viable options for providing active transport access to Hamilton gardens. The best of these options is an underpass from Grey street, but it costs 500k more than the NZTA's cheapest option on Sillary StreetThe Hamilton gardens are the best asset of the City, but extremely difficult to access on foot or by bicycle.CAW are proposing that a Trust be set up to help secure the difference in funding, and to enable NZTA & HCC to support and promote this vital piece of infrastructure without the rate payer being directly impacted as with the V8's, Claudelands, & the Velodrome. We are not proposing to make money but to significantly improve Hamilton City for its residents.Our desire is to see a best rather than cheapest solution. By best we don't me massive and fancy but effective, safe and well utilised.To date we have worked with NZTA, HCC,...

REG:Cyclists have bled us white, the bastards. They don’t pay road tax, they run red lights. And what have they ever given us in return?XERXES:Pneumatic tyres.REG: What?XERXES: Pneumatic tyres.REG: Oh. Yeah, yeah. They did give us that. Uh, that’s true. Yeah.COMMANDO #3: And ball bearings.REG: Yeah. All right. I’ll grant you pneumatic tyres and ball bearings are two things that the cyclists have done.MATTHIAS: And the roads.REG: Well, yeah. Obviously the roads. I mean, the roads go without saying, don’t they? But apart frompneumatic tyres, ball bearings, and the roads…COMMANDO: Lightweight steel tubing.XERXES: Chain driven differential gears.COMMANDOS: Huh?...