Maybe it's a 'Hells Angels only' lane - given their rumored moves on Kings Cross in today's press. And frankly with the misdirected aggression of taxi and 4X4 drivers only a Hells Angel would dare risk riding down our new life ending bike lanes. I don't wish it to happen but someone will be horribly injured or tragically killed dodging parking cars, buses and taxis.
I called for separate safer bike lanes - but was blocked by Clover Moore. Push bikes are not road vehicles and need to be segregated from ten tonne trucks and pedestrians as they are in Denmark and Germany - pictured below - they could have done this on William Street and frankly should be designing this style of roads for all the major cycling entry points to the city.
Speaking of Denmark - bike sales are on the way up again thanks to petrol prices and not Clover Moore's road closures!!
The Copenhagen Post
Business News
20 April 2006 Bike maker riding high as oil prices soar Business is moving into high gear for one Danish bike factory, as commuters drop horsepower for pedal power in order to escape high oil prices
High oil prices are helping the nation to rediscover its love affair with the bicycle. After a slight downturn in recent years, bike makers are predicting that sales will increase as people find ways to avoid higher pump prices.
The Kildemoes Bicycle Factory, a part of the Cycleurope company, saw both its profits and earnings fall in 2005. This year was already looking much better, however.
'We have twice as many orders as last year,' said General Manager Jens Friis to financial daily Børsen. 'We've been helped along by high oil prices and people's desire to get a little more exercise. A lot of people have stopped driving to work and have bought a bike instead. So we expect to increase our sales this year.'
Last year, Kildemoes produced 110,000 bikes at its factory near the city of Odense. This year the company expects sales to increase by as much as 10 percent.
In addition to capitalising on environmental, economic and health trends, Kildemoes is also using globalisation to make sure that bike production remains in Denmark.
'Several years ago, we outsourced our production of frames and forks to China. So we can definitely keep up,' Friss said, adding that efficiency measures had made Kildemoes the most productive of Cycleurope's factories.
The Copenhagen Post
11 comments:
Councillor, wonderful to see your blog.
Firstly as with anything regarding cycling policy a mix of options is the preferred way to go, as such I agree with your calling for seperate cycling infrastructure on some parts of the roads network but defend the right of cyclists to use the proper roadways.
FYI, bicycles are legally permitted to ride on the road and are regarded a legally recognised vehicles. I for one hopes that never changes because it would be a backward step in cycling gaining acceptance amongst motorists.
Out of sight is out of mind and that outcome would help to create a dangerous culture by motorists whereby they believe the roads are for them only (pedestrians included).
I'm also having trouble understanding how illegal behaviour by motorists and motorcyclists logically leads to removing cyclists from roadways, I think you've got it backwards.
Lastly on the issue of sales, it should be noted that bicycle sales in Australia have reached epic porpotion and bicycles have outsold cars every year for the past five, I think 1.2 million was the last financial years total....look it up.
This has occured before any issues with petrol pricing arose, and has occured in the absence of any proper cycling infrastructure in Sydney.
And yes, anything you can do to turn Sydney into Copenhagen, a city where 30%+ journeys are made by bicycle and use of personal transport are discouraged, would be welcomed.
Thanks for joining the conversation BTW, it's fantastic to see at least one of our representatives engaging in true democratic discussion. Have a look at my blog and feel free to comment there at your pleasure, your views will always be welcome.
Thanks for the comments Philip.
The post on William Street bike lanes is not my first on cycling (google my blog on cycling). One of my first major 'fueds' with Clover Moore was about her opposition to separate safer bike lanes on our 'gateway' projects.
I occassionally ride to work (if not walking) and speak to commuter cyclists, courier cyclists, racing cyclists, user groups, bike NSW and the bike businesses on a very regular basis.
The City of Sydney Bicycle Steering Committee with broad representation from the above groups is largely a result of my pushing and showdown with Clover Moore early in this term. Famously she referred to cyclists as 'feral' in the debate about bike lanes. I take your point on bikes and road equity. My point is that on the major arterial routes the bike lanes should be seperate to the roadway where ever possible so as to maximise safety and encourage less confident riders out on bikes. I don't see it as out of sight (especially if we can pull cycle trips to work up from 1% to something like half of Coppenhagen's) and have been very vocal in opposing shifting bike lanes onto back streets.
Thnaks again for the comments always welcome.
regards Shayne
"And yes, anything you can do to turn Sydney into Copenhagen, a city where 30%+ journeys are made by bicycle and use of personal transport are discouraged, would be welcomed."
Yes please! First, let's bulldoze all these hills and make Sydney as bike-friendly flat as Copenhagen. Then reduce the population and area by three quarters so it's not congested like Copenhagen, and only requires similarly short trips. And can we moderate the summer temperatures like Copenhagen while we're at it so we're not soaked in sweat by the time we arrive at work. Thanks.
Or perhaps we could opt for realism and acknowledge that cars are the most effective mode of transport for a large, widespread, hilly city that doesn't have the resources to build an efficient public transport system with comprehensive coverage, and take our future transport planning cues from there.
In Sydney, bicycles are only an option for those physically able to ride them, with little to carry, and who don't have to look groomed on arrival. I'm luckily one of them, but I understand it's not the case for most others.
Cheers.
Ross wrote:
Yes please! First, let's bulldoze all these hills and make Sydney as bike-friendly flat as Copenhagen (etc etc)
Hi Ross -- and while we're at it, let's make Sydney snowbound during winter or laced with canals like Amsterdam.
While the car is the only practical transport for many in Sydney, that's no reason not to build good cycle infrastructure or develop public transport, and reduce our environmentally damaging car-dependence. Of course we could do it -- how did they build the Harbour Bridge?
What have 4WDs got to do with this? Nothing at all, apart from being an easy scapegoat to trendy inner city councillors...
4WDs have nothing to do with this at all - apart from being an easy scapegoat for trendy inner city councillors...
Come and ride a bike at 530pm on weekday in the traffic lane (as per the former William Street arrangement) and note who the most agressive drivers are as they roar around you, cut in front and then attempt to squeeze you off the road as the que at the next set of lights. My experience is that the two most aggressive groups of drivers towards cyclists (in the inner city) are taxis and 4X4. As with all generalisations based on personal observation there are exceptions. No doubt Tobby you are one of them.. assuming you drive a 4x4 and not a taxi. I might add that I believe that part of the aggression towards cyclists is due to the lack of seperate bicycle lanes on our roads, to allow for the more free flow of the various traffic streams. The new bike lanes on William Street have improved the situation for both cyclists and motorists - not ideal but betetr than before.
And yes yesterday I rode William Street and a motorcyclist was using the bike lane. Shayne
I am a cyclist and a 4x4 driver!
Sydney has hills - so what? Look on the bright side - riding up them does wonderful things for your fitness. If city workers looked hard enough, most would find that there is a shower somewhere in their building that they can use to wash away the sweat after a ride to work. Hills are not an excuse for not giving it a go - although I must admit that when I first started riding to work, I almost vomited going up one nasty hill on my route. I simply changed my route to go around it.
I worry that cycle facilities seem to be designed by desk bound engineers and town planners who have not been on a bike since childhood. Many do not seem to appreciate the differences between a car and a bicycle. If we are going to get more cycle lanes, let's not get some like those shown at this website:
http://www.17beechroad.freeserve.co.uk/WarringtonCycleCampaign/facility-of-the-month/February2001.htm
It's worth having a flick through the photos that show just how badly a bunch of zero-care public sector beauracrats can mess things up.
Mrcreosote uses the condescending argument of so many on the 'environmentally-friendly' side. "Hills do wonderful things for your fitness" if you're already fit, not for those with health conditions of one form or another. How many over fifties or asthmatics do you know who can cycle from Coogee to Mosman everyday, rain, hail or shine? A majority?
But we're not talking about fitness, it's about what's most suitable for individual needs.
It's also unrealistic and generalised to assume everyone can find a shower at their workplace. Not everyone has the luxury of a public service office. For a start, neither my current nor last workplaces had shower facilities, just a loo and a kettle. And even if I had the extra time and energy to get to work, re-shower and re-dress at the same time as everyone else in the workplace, I doubt I would want to cycle an hour home in the dark in the rain after a ten hour shift, then go out for dinner and a movie. Anyway, you get my drift.
Cyclists think bicycles are the bees knees and are the answer to everything, I understand that, but then cyclists are a certain mindset. People are driving cars because it's the most effective, adaptable form of transport for them. If it's what they want then it's up to government to not make it harder for them.
Cheers!
All this worry over a little sweat. People get sweaty on public transport or sitting in a hot car but they dont think they need a shower. Just get to work a few minutes early and sit in front of a fan or A/c vent to cool down and you will be right. Or have a quick towel-off with a micro towel in the washroom.
As for the unfit not being able to ride, well they should have been riding/walking all along and they wouldnt be unfit. The health benefits for the unfit of getting active are huge, and lets think of the health of the future generations, not the past. As for going out to the movies, I'll let you off riding that day, just ride the rest. Even I take the tram if it is too wet or hot etc. I take my bike in case its better on the way home! All buses should have bike racks like they do in the US and Brisbane and ACT. No one says you have to use the bike for every trip. But weather in Sydney is 90% good. As school holidays prove, a small lessening of traffic leads to a much bigger decrease in congestion, so do your bit.
Its up to Governments to support sustainable, healthy transport options. The car based culture has got us into a mess (CO2, congestion, sprawl, obesity, you name it)and its time for a rethink, not pandering to "what people want", sooner or later you have to give them what they need.
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