Island Life: Still not over it
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I don't want to commute over the bridge, but visit friends on Friday night. Will there be a 'ferry' when I want to return home at 2am?
The biggest failing with public transport in Auckland. You cannot use it if you want a late night in town, with the limited exception of the NiteRider buses - which, for quite a few people, aren't even close to "late" enough since the last departure is around 0300. Not to mention their status as Friday/Saturday only services. The rest of the time, if you want a bus or train after about 10 at night, forget it. It's hopeless. Meeting friends for dinner in town? Better have an early departure planned. Late meeting? Forget it (though most folks who have meetings that late get carparks anyway). Shift worker? No hope for the night shift or the late shift, maybe for the early or day shift if you're lucky.
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As the Lexus ad above shows, Cars are aspirational.
So becareful what you wish for or you might just get it, oops. -
I live in Eden Terrace and work 13km away in Takapuna. I would cycle to work in the summer if I could.
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When looking at the obesity graph you might wish to consider the cost to the community of what will amount to a great deal of early onset ill-health. It irks me somewhat that we have very accurate statistics for the community health cost of smoking; we have nothing like the same data for driving. When considering what it costs to facilitate active transport (peds/bikes/blades whatever) there is an urgent need to look at the bigger picture. How about cycling lanes and paths as a health investment ?
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How about cycling lanes and paths as a health investment ?
Indeed. There are many different areas where this could be justified. The cost benefit ratio of public investment far outstrips the return from the billions the current Government is spending on roads (and the opposition promises to spend more).
At the risk of sounding like Tom Waits there ain't much this technology isn't good for. One of the simplest and efficient technologies ever invented, it'll save you money, improve your sex life, take pounds off your waist, save the environment, bring you closer to the people. It emancipated women and improved the gene pool. Step right up.
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Magnificent, George!
You could build a whole political party on that foundation.
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. It emancipated women and improved the gene pool.
And girls look good on bicycles. All in all, a winning ideal.
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As always, Monocle is there to help.
!!! Awesome - but 600quid becomes 1,400quid when shipped here. Ouch.
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Paul, you'd be more than pleased with the Copenhagen girls on bicycles website linked upthread then!
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As will Rob if he's moved on from tramping. :)
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Right - as a cyclist for many years around ak, particularly professionally and otherwise around the cbd it's obvious this is not a city that's kind on cyclists, has never been and I despair if it's ever going to be. There's so many opportunities to do something about this, and each time they are ignored by the powers that be - if they're not going to spend the money (1 year - $45m??) on the bridge then what are they going to spend it on?? 'Cos I can't recall seeing $45m of improvements every year ever!
The future WILL NOT be more cars. Any modern city worth it's salt has a) Decent public transport and b) Ample provision for cyclists.
My experience:
Motorists - definitely aggressive, no sense of space, quite often don't see you, don't know the dimensions of their own vehicles, and definitely don't realise that you have as much right to be on the road as they do. I wouldn't be surprised if the first time they've encountered a cyclist is when they get behind the wheel. Not to mention an inordinate amount of road rage when you try and let them know someone else is on the road.
Cyclists - some okay, some need a lot of improvement, particularly around road rules (running red lights etc) and riding skills (and I include myself there). Yes there are all sorts, styles and skill levels but that shouldn't introduce snobbery or just plain ignorance (two road racers out for a sunday ride taking up an entire lane so they can chat at 20km/h). Nor should it mean that you are expected to hug the curb (try doing that alongside a 20 metre truck that's 2 feet to your right at 30 km/h), or ride close to parked cars.
So education on both parts maybe?
And btw - a helmet's saved me at least 5 times from a serious head injury. I've forgotten who wrote this:
no, helmets do not make things safer for cyclists - in every country where compulsory helmet laws have been introduced head injury rates have remained as they were or decreased slightly, while the number of kilometres cycled has dropped dramatically. And no, that broken helmet did not save your life, and you haven't been told about rotational injuries by helmet advocates either
but quite clearly you've never hit your head at speed on concrete from a bike, or gone into the side of a van at speed.
Finally, nice one Greg Wood, great post.
Ta.
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Although I haven't tried the Bullock Track.
It's a bugger. You don't get a run-up and it gets steeper just where you're losing the will.
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We're headed for your Belgian beer bar with our strangled vowels.
Ah, but without a car, how are you going to dispose of the vowels' bodies?
Got you there.
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For an alternative take on bikeriding in Auckland City, there are also these folks.
Apparently, it's so much more satisfying climbing hills with one gear when you know you'll get to skid all the way down the other side.
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But back to the Harbour Bridge: do any cyclists care to comment on my modified shuttle bus idea, posted above?
To me it's illogical to get off your bike, and get in a bus to go over the bridge.
Yes for the ferry service, you get on the ferry because your bike won't work on water.
To not use your bike but put it in a vehicle to go over a perfectly good bridge? I think when you stand back and look at it it's silly.
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that the Pollies are in Welly - transit are in their pockets and the roading lobby is in their pockets. Cycling yeah right - where's the money in that! Labour health strategy is spend money on advertising (push play) rather than actually influencing key policies that would create genuine benefits. Bring on the next generation.
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A couple of years ago I was walking along a street in downtown San Francisco when a convoy of about 200 cyclists went by, bells ringing ghetto blasters roaring. Someone had built a plywood platform on the back of their bike for a huge PA system. Was very impressive. Turned out this was a regular event where cyclists take over the streets.
When it comes to making cities cyclist-friendly there is a lot going on in several cities along the west cost of the US. Maybe given their car-centric urban planning they provide more useful examples for us than old Europe?
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Turned out this was a regular event where cyclists take over the streets.
If that was Critical Mass, in several US cities they have a reputation for being jerks who put off even other cyclists.
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If that was Critical Mass, in several US cities they have a reputation for being jerks who put off even other cyclists.
I've heard similar things for a while. However, from all accounts, the Auckland Critical Mass runs (which leave from Albert Park some Fridays) are being increasingly patronised by people less obsessed with reclaiming the streets than with having a nice Friday bikeride, to the horror of the diehard organisers.
CM has a romantic ring to it in theory, but: honestly? Exactly who in a motor vehicle is won over by a crowd of cyclists crawling through the CBD, slowing everyone down? Wouldn't it be a better advertisement for cycling to have a run through town where you don't obstruct traffic and actually get somewhere?
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Ants,
The correlation between helmet wearing and safety is very strongly negative.
George,
Just had to respond to this.
Helmets do not save lives, but they do reduce head injuries. Just the other day it young fella got run over at the intersection with Victoria and Bridge streets. He was ok but had quite bad head injuries caused by his head hitting the road without a helmet on. A correctly worn helmet could have reduced this significantly. The fact that he was not using any lights after dark and going through a red light... well that's kids for ya.
Also you cannot compare The Netherlands to US as other road users respect rides way more in The Netherlands. -
If that was Critical Mass, in several US cities they have a reputation for being jerks who put off even other cyclists. ...
Exactly who in a motor vehicle is won over by a crowd of cyclists crawling through the CBD, slowing everyone down? Wouldn't it be a better advertisement for cycling to have a run through town where you don't obstruct traffic and actually get somewhere?
I hadn't seen it before so it just looked like a bit of fun. They were actually going at quite a clip, but surely it's not all about the need for speed? And if it's a regular thing it shouldn't be too hard for drivers to avoid. What it illustrated for me was that riding a bike, even on those steep streets in SF (not unlike bits of Wellington) is a perfectly acceptable option for getting around.
I don't really care whether or not a driver "converts" to cycling. At various times during the week I drive, bus, cycle, walk and walk a dog. Each mode of transport has its benefits and involves its sacrifices to other road/track users. I don't think car drivers should be given primary ownership of the CBD. Motor vehicles and pedestrians don't mix too well anyway, as we see on occasion when someone here gets clobbered by a trolley bus.
Someone above mentioned the Golden Gate Bridge being hell to cycle over. But when I went up there it didn't seem to be a problem because pedestrians and cyclists were sharing the wide footpath on the side of the bridge. Might not be super fast for cyclists, but certainly a lot more convenient than having to catch vans over the AHB.
One thing I don't think has been mentioned above but which I enjoy is that cycling is also a lot more social than being in your own car. In Wellington being a cyclist seems to give you membership in a network of people from all walks of life. A bit like being a smoker, except the risk of shortening your lifespan has a different cause.
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To not use your bike but put it in a vehicle to go over a perfectly good bridge? I think when you stand back and look at it it's silly.
Yes, yes - I get it now: it's the $40million Harbour Bridge Cycleway or nothing.
I haven't seen such dogmatic belligerence since the Unifems in the 80s. -
CM has a romantic ring to it in theory, but: honestly? Exactly who in a motor vehicle is won over by a crowd of cyclists crawling through the CBD, slowing everyone down?
Well, lots of people were won over by a crowd of trucks crawling through NZ CBDs recently ... even crawling along the motorway was heartily approved of by most, it seemed.
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John - were it the case that this was $40m here or $40m somewhere else I might have some sympathy. But it is clear that the decision appears to have been driven by a yet unpublished report(suspcious to my mind) and one of the suggested alternatives is to tar seal the road on Great Barrier Island. Place this next to lobbying for a largely decorative $50m bridge across the viaduct which will benefit businesses and tourists, then what alternatives are there. Dogmatic belligerence may well prove the last resort against blunt ignorance of some historical standing.
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Place this next to lobbying for a largely decorative $50m bridge across the viaduct which will benefit businesses and tourists...
I really don't see much cost/benefit on that one either. The bridge is ONLY for buses and pedestrians, not cars.
It could well end up being our own Bridge to Nowhere
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