We should take a lead from Europe

[Trevor_S]

It never ceases to impress me the way European cities embrace cycling,

Lack of urban sprawl, something we have yet to come to grips with here in Aus where we have unfortunately followed the poor American model. Lots of people aspire to a 1/4 acre block with a McMansion in the 'burbs. Bring on well designed medium density housing, with people living close to where they work.

A lack of facilities eg no place to shower and change in a hot NQ puts lots of people of cycling to work up here

With Oil getting more expensive and the price of petrol going up, we may see a change in philosophy where medium density housing and cycling becomes more ubiquitous in Cities.

 

[dcrofty]

Bit of a dig but anyway...

How cool would this be if it went ahead?
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national...ove-the-streets/2007/12/16/1197740096705.html

 

[DarrenHunt]

it would be great but think about it for just one second.

$30 million for 2km.. now wtf is the point.

these are things that sure they are kinda good but dont really make a great difference... it is all so the govt can look good for a second.

if we want cycleways throughout sydney and they are going to cost $15m a km... we're farked.

 

[Oracle]

Bit of a dig but anyway...

How cool would this be if it went ahead?
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national...ove-the-streets/2007/12/16/1197740096705.html

Hmmm, if it's anything like my daily commute, where pedestrians stagger all over the path or feel it's necessary to walk 3-4 abreast, it would drive me mad. At least on the ground you can usually pass without having to stop/slow down, whereas on a sky bridge there'd be no chance.

Also $30M seems a bit extravagent for a cycle path, just shut down an outbound (in the morning) and an inbound (in afternoon) city traffic lane. I think/hope some city motorists may take up the option of cycling once they realise it may be faster to ride than being stuck in traffic!

 

[axertes]

So I'm not the only one that is turned on by chicks on bikes?

When I was in places like Nederlands and Denmark people couldn't believe that chicks don't ride bikes. It's pretty well almost socially unacceptable here. I do live in Toowoomba though (uckyuk).

I <3 KBH

 

[wtp-addict]

It never ceases to impress me the way European cities embrace cycling, and the respect motorists and pedestrians give cyclists. Bikes are rarely locked, and cycling lanes are abundant especially in the heart of most cities. I know you all know this, just wish we could have the same respect, facilities and philosophy downunder. Just took this in Copenhagen outside a suburban Metro:

Are you talking about melbourne?

everytime i go there... all i see is bikes bikes bikes bikes

 

[Binaural]

Europe seems full of stunning girls who ride bikes (I've known a few of them). You can't ride around Amsterdam for more than a couple of minutes without seeing gorgeous, tall Dutch girls with cute accents riding everywhere on their grandma's bike. Fit girls are hot!

I agree with a few of the previous posters who've commented that the lack of bikes is directly related to sprawl. Around the area I live in Sydney (inner west) the housing density is higher and people tend to live closer to where they work, so you see heaps of riders heading to work in the mornings. When I get out into the northern suburbs, this tails off to virtually nothing, presumably because people there are wealthier on average, work office type jobs and the extra distance means showering at work.

Regarding the 30 million cycleway up from the harbour bridge - I do that run every morning, but I don't see very many others doing it. Most commuters are heading to their offices and shops in north sydney and have to go through the back streets anyway. It's pretty common for me to pass through there and and see only one or two bikes on and around that section of road. There might be more after the cycleway, but it's hard to justify it over making a series of bike lanes through the back streets (and there are some there already).

 

[Rik]

Also $30M seems a bit extravagent for a cycle path, just shut down an outbound (in the morning) and an inbound (in afternoon) city traffic lane.

In this case it makes a lot of sense, the roads off the bridge are convoluted and the cycleway is a nightmare!

It'd be nice to see as many cyclists coming in from the north as there are from the (inner) west. It's inspiring to watch the constant flow of bikes over ANZAC bridge in to the city.

 

[sean_23]

It's a good idea to connect the Gore Hill Fwy/Epping Rd cycleway to the city properly. The missing link through Lane Cove is opening early next year but there's no easy safe route up through North Sydney. And it'd be nice not to have to go down the steps at Milsons Point... all that wasted elevation!

Maybe $30M for 2kms of cycleway is a bit over the top but when was the last time a bike path was front page news? It's all good stuff and gets people thinking.

 

[Misplaced]

Need a bit of forwardthinking from employers and corporations to include showers in all their building fit outs too.

Still a dismal amount of CBD buildings with showers (and the ones that do have, have a dismal amount of showers in them)

I know that puts off a lot of us office types.

 

[dcrofty]

if we want cycleways throughout sydney and they are going to cost $15m a km... we're farked.

Yeah but this one is a bit different in that its elevated and therefore costs a lot more than usual. Most Cycleways aren't going to cost anywhere near that.

I was just happy to see people talking about improving cycling infrastructure, especially in that area as, as some have pointed out, is a bit of a shambles for bikes

 

[Ty]

The first time i was Amsterdam i thought I'd landed in another world, besides the obvious Amsterdam stuff (clog and windmills of course), the amount of bikes and the integration of bikes into people regular life just amazed me.

and while we do have problems with urban sprawl here in Australia, that doesn't mean a decent public transport network can't be built up that integrates light rail, buses cars and cycling.

here a few pics to stir some ideas

Bike only ferry service.
Secure bike lockers at train stations so you can ride your "nice bike" to work (about AUD$30 a month with a electronic key card), although most people just use the regular open bike park) also showers and small lockers available.
Traffic lights to allow cyclists some chance on the road.
Rural cycleways (obligatory windmill and dyke in this one)

 

[Rik]

Does she know you talk about her like that behind her back?

 

[Ty]

Does she know you talk about her like that behind her back?

yeah i thought about that as i typed it. better than "obligatory cow" though

 

[Oracle]

yeah i thought about that as i typed it. better than "obligatory cow" though

haha!

I must say (from what I've read/seen on the box) the Netherlands certainly appear to have their cycling infrastructure well sorted. And for a country as rich as ours, we'd certainly be able to emulate them if the population really wanted too... although I won't hold my breath

 

[Ty]

one of the best ideas that i saw but i didn't get a chance to snap a picture of was a rubbish bin that was like a fish landing net, maybe 4-5 feet in diameter, and it was angled with the opening towards the cyclist (against the direction of travel (most bike lanes are broken up into left and right like a proper road)) so it was really easy to throw/place your rubbish in the bin without slowing down.

and just to demonstrate how much cycling influences the culture (in Germany this time)
pre mixed Shandie's, about 3.5%, pretty damn tasty mid ride.

 

[DarrenHunt]

Yeah but this one is a bit different in that its elevated and therefore costs a lot more than usual. Most Cycleways aren't going to cost anywhere near that.

I was just happy to see people talking about improving cycling infrastructure, especially in that area as, as some have pointed out, is a bit of a shambles for bikes

it obvious why it costs more... but why does it need to be raised like that?

i think some things like this is what makes sydney a beautiful city... for a cycle path it looks great.

however they're missing the point with the whole "getting people to cycle"

just like the info in the paper a few weekends ago where the mayor of sydney hired a fella to propose a redesign of the city... sure thats good and well but i'm guessing that process cost several million $ of which none has gone to anything you and i couldn't have figured out in 5 minutes with a pencil and napkin.

 

[dcrofty]

it obvious why it costs more... but why does it need to be raised like that?

From the article
The council hopes that by bypassing North Sydney's hilly streets, traffic congestion and car pollution, many more people will walk or ride to work.

however they're missing the point with the whole "getting people to cycle"

How?

just like the info in the paper a few weekends ago where the mayor of sydney hired a fella to propose a redesign of the city... sure thats good and well but i'm guessing that process cost several million $ of which none has gone to anything you and i couldn't have figured out in 5 minutes with a pencil and napkin.

I'll guarantee it cost nowhere near that amount. And I'm not an Urban planner so my napkin skills are somewhat lacking

 

[Some Guy]

Bike only ferry service.
Secure bike lockers at train stations so you can ride your "nice bike" to work (about AUD$30 a month with a electronic key card), although most people just use the regular open bike park) also showers and small lockers available.
Traffic lights to allow cyclists some chance on the road.
Rural cycleways (obligatory windmill and dyke in this one)

Funny, we have all of those in Victoria too. Although I will say we don't have as many as we should. And the bike ferry no longer runs on weekdays.

 

[DarrenHunt]

I'm not trying to dispute that its a good thing... its just that its too extravegant(sp) to start... why start with a raised $15m a km path, when you can start on street level.. then when thats built up go to fancy paths.

From the article
The council hopes that by bypassing North Sydney's hilly streets, traffic congestion and car pollution, many more people will walk or ride to work.

How do people get to the start of north sydney though... thats what i find silly.

How?

like i said above... most people wont live within a stone throw of the start of this cycleway... so for it to become usefull they must put in other cycleways up the highway, through lane cove (on the agenda), off to mosman etc.

I'll guarantee it cost nowhere near that amount. And I'm not an Urban planner so my knapkin skills are somewhat lacking

from a perspective of working in an engineering environment... it woulda cost 100x as much as you think.