Cycle Friendly Awards 2012
Pre-Nominations Announcement
Nominations to open 15 August 2011
Was there a bicycle project or initiative which impressed you over the last year? How about a group or individual who worked hard to promote cycling? Help them receive recognition by nominating them for a Cycle Friendly Award.
Nominations will be accepted for cycling projects / person carried...
The Ministry of Economic Development is planning to expand the New Zealand Cycle Trail.
It intends to add a number of back country routes to the 18 predominantly off-road trails being built.
The first expansion ride will be on State Highway 43, known as the Forgotten Highway, which runs through the King Country and Taranaki.
Ministry of Economic Development spokesperson Sarah Berry says other routes will follow.
While there's no set funding for these routes, local authorities and the Transport Agency are likely to pay for signs and minor road improvements, such as...
If you are new to cycling, bunch riding is an excellent way to get started, learn riding skills and meet other people on bikes. Generally, the route chosen will take account of the weather and road conditions. Ask at the local bike shop, as they will usually know of regular rides, or contact one of the cycling clubs and groups.
When the fun ride season gets underway, we often see a rise in bunch riding cycling crashes. Common causes include sudden braking, wheels touching and cyclists not being seen by drivers.
Here are some tips to make it through to your bunch ride...
Background: Bicycling has the potential to improve fitness, diminish obesity, and reduce noise, air
pollution, and greenhouse gases associated with travel. However, bicyclists incur a higher risk of injuries requiring hospitalization than motor vehicle occupants. Therefore, understanding ways of making bicycling safer and increasing rates of bicycling are important to improving population health. There is a growing body of research examining transportation infrastructure and the risk of injury to bicyclists.
Methods: We reviewed studies of...
by Jace Hobbs
You love to bike, always glad when you arrive home from that bike ride, but still you don't get out as much as you would think.
My theory is that it's that one big hill that you have to huff over, that one part where the wind just slows you to frustration, or that narrow patch of road that you must pedal along where the cars are just too close for comfort. How true is that for you? I've known folks that wanted a view from the house, built up a steep driveway, and positively hate having to push the bike up that hill, their hill! What if you could take that...
In spite of encouraging people to report bad driving, police have failed to keep track of the data.
Story includes comments from Atom Emet, Patrick Morgan and Kevin Hague; and video from Vexatious Litigant and Atom Emet.
http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/cyclists-claim-police-ignoring-road-safe...
What would it be like to have a "Spidey sense"? Or radar senses just like superhero Daredevil, who could acrobatically get through a small space full of traps ready to kill, in spite of the belief that he's entirely blind? As scientist Dr. Bradley Voytek of U.C. Berkeley suggests, it wouldn't be much different than the super senses you already have available, should you ever choose to develop them.
How we get the mega abilities
There are super senses that humans can acquire, according to U.C. Berkeley neuroscientist Dr. Voytek. He said humans have always had...
The Transport Agency says a programme which promotes cycling as a fun, healthy and safe way to travel will continue, despite it losing Government funding.
The agency has told Radio New Zealand News that the Ministry of Health has withdrawn about $150,000 from the Bike Wise programme, and is instead putting money into injury prevention.
Transport Agency spokesperson Andy Knackstedt says the agency will still commit $300,000 to the programme next year.
The Cycling Advocates Network says withdrawing funding is short sighted, because getting people on bikes cuts congestion...
Cycling Advocates Network (CAN) and BikeNZ have issued advice for drivers and cyclists following two crashes involving cyclists in Hamilton this afternoon, one of which was fatal.
Although the details of the crashes have not yet been released, CAN spokesperson Patrick Morgan has reiterated advice to all road users about proven ways to reduce the chances of a crash.
"We know that reducing speeds is an effective road safety measure. Safer speed limits save lives."
"It gives people more time to respond to the unexpected and avoid a crash. It also reduces the consequences if...
The draft Land Transport (Road user) Amendment Rule [2011] is available for comment.
The main proposal is to change the give-way rules at uncontrolled intersections or when opposing signals or signs are the same to simplify decision making at intersections and improve safety.
Other proposals in the amendment Rule will either:
be necessary as a consequence of changing the give-way rulesalign road user requirements with other legislation, orstrengthen and clarify provisions on existing road user requirements.Apply bus signal provisions to riders of motorcycles, mopeds and cycles...Wellington City Council are getting a shipment of the new style sump gratings (the ones with a wavy grid, rather than parallel bars that act as an instant bike stand). They'd like suggestions of where to put them. Simplest thing is to email cycling@wcc.govt.nz with the details of your (un)favourite grate location. I'd suggest telling them:
The nearest street intersection (e.g. Bunny/Featherston)The distance from the intersection.The street the grating is actually onThe side of the street (e.g. north)
** under construction **
Children love biking but need more places to ride. This guide aims to help you get a bike track in your local park. Good for adults too!
1. Commit to making it happen.
Ask your friends for support. Form a small team and set yourself a target.
2. Talk to your local council and biking groups
It helps having a champion on the council. Staff at the parks or recreation department should be able to help.
3. Plan
Write a plan with the objective, budget, a timeline, and who does what.
4. Fundraise
for both money...
Cycling Advocates Network (CAN) and BikeNZ welcome the Coroner's inquest into eight recent cycling deaths.
CAN spokesperson, Patrick Morgan said cycling is a wonderful sport and way to get from A to B,
but we need to do much more to make it safer.
"The Coroner's inquest is an opportunity for a major re-think on road safety."
"We expect the 1.5 million New Zealanders who ride bikes to take a close interest."
The inquest will examine whether there were any patterns in relation to the deaths and if possible law changes were needed.
Bike NZ Chair Richard...
Cycling deaths Inquest announced
Waikato Coroner Gordon Matenga will travel to four separate regions throughout the country to hear evidence relating to nine cycling deaths to try and identify any common trends or information that could prevent a re-occurrence of such tragedies.
The first hearing will be held in Palmerston North on 21 July, followed by Hamilton on 25 August and subsequent hearings in Auckland and Wellington.
Coroner Matenga said travelling to different regions will mean family members and witnesses can attend the Inquest relevant to them...
The popularity of the Otago Central Rail Trail shows no signs of waning, despite anecdotal reports of demand dropping or levelling off during the past season.
More than 120 people attended the first workshop on the future of the trail, held at Omakau on Friday, and were told user numbers had increased for the past two years.
The 150km walking and cycling trail from Clyde to Middlemarch is maintained and developed by the Department of Conservation and the Otago Central Rail Trail Trust.
Doc Central Otago manager Mike Tubbs said electronic counters along the trail recorded...
Since 2008, Hikurangi, alongside many other organisations and individuals, has been working for a national network of cycleways. We are convinced of the benefits it can bring to the people, environment and economy of New Zealand. We were excited when the Government announced investment in developing cycleways around the country, but there is still so much more to be done to realise the true potential of a national network.
Sustained support is needed to ensure the national network can grow and thrive. Communities need help to get behind their local cycleway and promote and use it...
How to be a bike friendly business
Some of these ideas are aimed at customers, others at staff.
NZ case study 1: The Tai Tapu Store provides a pump and offers bike tubes (see above pic). It's on the way to the Little River Rail Trail and is a popular destination for day riders from Chch.
NZ case study 2: Moore Wilsons on College St, Wellington provides great bike parking and a drinking fountain
For a cafe or retail business, the basics are to:provide secure, convenient bike parking.tool kit and spare parts availableelectric bike...Over the last four years, New York City has seen a transportation renaissance on its streets, striking a better balance by providing more space for walking, biking, and transit.
As with any departure from the status quo, it can take a while for everyone to grow accustomed to the changes. So Streetfilms decided to look at three of NYC’s most recent re-designs — Columbus Avenue, First and Second Avenues, and Prospect Park West — and show how pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers benefit from safer, calmer streets. We talked to transportation engineers with decades of experience,...
The first two sections of the new shared pathway through Tawa for cyclists and pedestrians - totalling just under one kilometre - has been finished and is already proving popular.
More details
Being Cycle Aware
A half-day workshop for bus drivers and bikers, New Plymouth, 27 April 2011
Workshop Evaluation Report
4 bus drivers and 7 bikers attended.
Feedback from 8 participants was collected.
Summary of Feedback
Participant were asked 5 questions.
1. How often do you cycle?: regularly (3 or more times/week) / occasionally / never
Most (6) cycled regularly, 1 occasionally and 1 never.
2. What did you find most valuable in the workshop?
Making everyone more aware of each other on the road, especially different...