by Jenny MarshallCycling blogs are a growing phenomenom that arguably started with the rise of blogs such as Copenhagen Cycle Chic and Copenhagenize. For those that have not come across blogs before, blogs are a type of website where ‘bloggers' write regular articles or ‘posts' on a particular subject of interest. The strength of blogs is that they enable anybody to: voice their opinions, thoughts, and concerns; start a conversation on any particular topic; and have their posts read and commented on by anyone around the world. Whereas in the past only ‘official' channels and formal groups were the purveyors of information on a subject, the rise of blogs has meant a more democratic, balanced and ‘on-the-street' perspective can be accessed by a wide audience.Jenny Marshall was inspired by Copenhagen Cycle Chic to set up Auckland Cycle Chic in April 2009. She blogged under the pseudonym ‘...
News: February 2013
Feb
From Aideen Larkin [Aideen.Larkin@nzta.govt.nz] of NZTA:"NZTA is about to start more improvements at Ngauranga to keep traffic flowing smoothly and safely, particularly during the evening peak.Works will begin in early February and involve improvements to the State Highway 2 (SH2) northbound on-ramp at Ngauranga to improve traffic flow and safety. This is the merge point where traffic travelling from Ngauranga towards Petone merges with SH2 just north of the Ngauranga Interchange. The work is part of stage 1 of the NZTA's Ngauranga to Aotea Quay project. These works include providing additional length to two lanes, improving roadside barriers and pavement markings, and improving the merge area with SH2.The changes may appear relatively subtle but we expect them to make a noticeable improvement to how traffic flows and merges at this very busy on-ramp. The biggest difference will be for...
Feb
Better by bikeLife is better by bike, is the message at this year's annual celebration of cycling, Go By Bike Day, 13 February."Biking is booming in Wellington," says Cycle Aware Wellington spokesperson Patrick Morgan. "Since 2006 the number of people commuting by bikes has doubled."He says people are rediscovering the simplicity and convenience of getting about by bike."There's a new wave of people riding chic European-styled bikes, fixies, cargo bikes and electric-assist bikes."He says a special guest at this year's event is a city bus and driver."We'll bring a bus along to Go By Bike Day so people can try a driver's seat view, and see where the driver's blind spots are."In Wellington we have shared bus and bike lanes so CAW members are working with bus drivers to reduce friction.""Also new this year is a travelling photo booth, so get your best riding gear on,...
Feb
by Liz MikkelsonOur trip through America (San Francisco and Boston), the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany and Italy lasted three and a half months. We took bikes as an alternative to using buses and taxis to get around at each of our destinations. Being in our seventies, we knew that sightseeing would tire us out in no time if we had to walk everywhere. It quickly became clear that we would need to purchase folding bikes, as ordinary bikes could not always be accommodated on trains and buses.Facilities for bikes varied across the trains. Commuter trains had dedicated carriages, and the older trains sometimes had good spaces (for folding bikes only), such as space between seats or large baggage racks. However, sometimes the only space available was in the train corridor, or in the space by our seats. The fast trains, like TrenItalia, have large racks, but we had to be quick to...
Feb
By Alastair SmithOn the Pacific Rim there is a country where a government initiative has resulted in a network of off road cycle paths spanning the country. New Zealand's Nga Haerenga? Well maybe some time in the future, but now this describes South Korea.When you think of South Korea, you're more likely to think of hi-tech industries and the bustling Asian Tiger cities, rather than cycling facilities. So it was something of a revelation to me on a recent cycle touring trip to South Korea to discover a network of off road cycle paths spreading across the country that makes Nga Haerenga look somewhat unambitious.Initially, finding my way from central Seoul to the Han River bicycle trail, which bisects the capital city, was daunting. It involved negotiating multilane traffic, tunnels, and areas closed off by the US military. However things changed once I was on the trail: a 2m wide lane...
Feb
by Julie NorrisThe Taupo Cycling Summit is a forum initiated by the Taupo District Council and Bike Taupo. Held on 20 September, it was a chance for organisations with an interest in cycling in the Taupo district to get to know each other by explaining who they are, their current situation, potential growth opportunities, and their vision for cycling in Taupo. Representatives from the Taupo District Council, Destination Great Lake Taupo, the New Zealand Cycle Trail, Bike Taupo Advocacy Group, Department of Conservation, Contact Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge, Dirt Jump Bike Club, Bike On New Zealand Charitable Trust, and the Taupo Cycling Club spoke to those present at the Summit.Mark Gibson (Bike Taupo) spoke about the advocacy role of Bike Taupo, and also about the trail building and maintenance work carried out by the group. Bike Taupo has built and maintains 180 km of trails around...