Bikes in the Media

[RetroPilot]

I would assume that current-crop of E-Bikes are tending to be....electric jobs..

Also I'm used to vapid virtue-signalling in line with that, by today's royals..obviously Megan and Say What his name is are the standard-setters as virtue signalling hypocritical woke shockers..

[P!N20]

Cyclist hit on Mandurang road where elite rider Jason Lowndes died calls for lower speed limit

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-06/ ... /102817162

[rkelsen]

Prince Frederik takes daughter Josephine to kindergarten on his cargo bike... but how many laws would he be breaking in Princess Mary's native 'Nanny State' Australia? the Daily Mail, UK 2016

Yep. Exactly. We're way over the top with safety.

Eg: If Venice was in Australia, there'd be safety barriers everywhere and big fluoro signs warning you about the dangers of falling into canals... And the gondolas would be fitted with flashing lights and piezo beepers.

Part of changing peoples' attitudes includes making them feel like it's safe.

Another Italian example: The Milanese know exactly how to do it. They putt along at 15-20kph on upright bikes in full office attire... no helmets, not racing...

And from personal experience: About 10 years ago, when my eldest child was in prep, I picked her up from school on the tag-along. It got lots of comments, mostly positive but of course there was also, "Wouldn't wanna fall off!" Yep, you're right, genius. Do you know how bikes work?

More power to Mary & Frederik, and anyone else who takes their kids to school that way.

[warthog1]

Cyclist hit on Mandurang road where elite rider Jason Lowndes died calls for lower speed limit

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-06/ ... /102817162

I live right near there and hadn't heard about that.
I knew Jason.
They did drop the speed limit to 80, down from 100 after what happened to Jason.
It is still one of the most popular cycling routes in Bendigo as it is how you get to the region's major climb at Mt Alexander.
I don't see the speed limit coming down any further as it is a fairly major rural road.
Much of it has a shoulder but some of it does not.

[RetroPilot]

Nitto...used to be cheap but surprisingly good Japanese car tyre brand in 70s..
and a brand of plastic model planes..must mean something in Japanese, that it keeps turning up as a brand-name...

[g-boaf]

Cyclist hit on Mandurang road where elite rider Jason Lowndes died calls for lower speed limit

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-06/ ... /102817162

I live right near there and hadn't heard about that.
I knew Jason.
They did drop the speed limit to 80, down from 100 after what happened to Jason.
It is still one of the most popular cycling routes in Bendigo as it is how you get to the region's major climb at Mt Alexander.
I don't see the speed limit coming down any further as it is a fairly major rural road.
Much of it has a shoulder but some of it does not.

They could improve the shoulders (oops, I mean the car in a hurry overtaking lane).

[redsonic]

An article on ABC News about electric fatbikes sharing the paths with pedestrians. The article says it is illegal to sell ebikes capable of going over 25kph in NSW. Is this correct? I know in QLD heaps of non compliant bikes are sold quite legally for "off road use".

[familyguy]

An article on ABC News about electric fatbikes sharing the paths with pedestrians. The article says it is illegal to sell ebikes capable of going over 25kph in NSW. Is this correct? I know in QLD heaps of non compliant bikes are sold quite legally for "off road use".

Whilst a little simplified, it's not strictly untrue. You can buy them, but you can't use them in public, even off-road public areas like fire trails, etc. They can really only be used on private property, but that's always buried in the fine print and everyone assumes "oh but they sell them, it must be legal?!" Exhibit A: every 2nd comment on any social media post about NSW Police reminding people of the rules around them.

[redsonic]

The article states:

In NSW, e-bikes can only be sold legally with a maximum speed of 25 kilometres per hour and must have pedals, gears and brakes.

This is incorrect, surely? It is illegal to use but not to sell the non-compliant bikes.

[familyguy]

Yeah, the language is a bit misleading. Not illegal to sell, but certainly illegal for what is the overwhelming usage mode.

[g-boaf]

Horrific:

https://www.news.com.au/technology/onli ... 7439da9324

[uart]

Horrific:

https://www.news.com.au/technology/onli ... 7439da9324

Oh crap, that is horrific. And the psychopath at the wheel only 17 y.o too.

The only consolation for that poor cyclist's family will be that driver won't be getting off with a slap from a wet lettuce like they would in Australia. If the murder charge holds, that 17 y.o should be looking at about 20 to life.

[Retrobyte]

SMH article about Northern Beaches shared paths. Usual comments about cyclings should pay rego and ride on the roads, scaring people walking dogs etc.

https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/cou ... 5e81v.html

Councils want crackdown on speeding cyclists putting pedestrians at risk
Andrew Taylor
October 1, 2023 — 5.00am

Sydney councils are calling for a crackdown on bicycle riders using shared paths, amid concerns pedestrians are at risk from speeding cyclists and e-scooters.

Northern Beaches and Woollahra councils want a safety campaign about risks to pedestrians on shared paths, as well as a review of road rules to improve public safety and protect pedestrians, riders and motorists from e-bike accidents.

Shared paths are used by cyclists and pedestrians across Sydney, and often have 10 km/h advisory speed markings. But the speed limit for bike riders is the same as the adjoining road, which may be 50 km/h - unless the shared path has a lower speed limit.

Northern Beaches deputy mayor David Walton said he had received complaints from residents about near misses between pedestrians and bike riders on busy shared paths along the Manly beachfront.

“The main complaints are around speeding e-bikes and them not giving way to pedestrians,” he said.

The council conducted a safety audit of shared paths after Walton and fellow councillor Stuart Sprott raised concerns about risks faced by pedestrians on shared paths.

The audit found bike riders travelling at 42 km/h on the shared path along the Manly beachfront, which is higher than the speed limit on the adjoining road.

It found that 10 km/h advisory speed markings were not effective, with few cyclists noticing the markings or indicating that it caused them to ride more slowly. The audit also found a lack of helmet usage, limited knowledge of road rules among young riders and the use of e-scooters which riders mistakenly believed were legal.

The council will raise the issue of safety on shared paths at this year’s local government conference and write to Transport Minister Jo Haylen asking for a review of road rules. The council also wants the state government to provide money for safety improvements to shared paths.

Manly resident Wayne Robinson said he was forced to dodge bikes whenever he walked along the Manly beachfront with his dog.

“Every weekend I’ve had a couple where they slam on the brakes and then start abusing you,” he said.

Robinson said he would prefer bike riders were registered and used the road: “If a cyclist can ride a bike, why can’t they ride on the side of the road?”

A Transport for NSW spokeswoman said the speed limit on a shared path will be the same as an adjacent road – potentially 50 km/h in an urban area – unless a lower speed limit is signposted.

However, she pointed to research showing travel speeds on shared paths were lower than on adjacent roads, with average cycling speeds estimated to be 18 km/h to 30 km/h.

Cyclists are also obliged to obey road rules including a requirement not to ride a bicycle “negligently, or furiously, or recklessly”.

Walton wants an enforceable speed limit – 10 km/h on busy shared footpaths – and council staff given powers to confiscate illegally modified e-bikes that have had speed-limiting devices tampered with.

“I would like to see greater regulatory powers given to council rangers to enforce road rules on council shared paths and footpaths,” he said.

Concerns about the use of bikes and e-bikes on shared paths have also been raised by Woollahra Council, particularly around speeding and how police enforce road rules for legal, but unregistered, vehicles.

Woollahra councillor Harriet Price said shared pathways can be hazardous, but the vast majority of cyclists are not speed demons.

“A separated cycleway is obviously ideal – however, it’s not always feasible, economically or from a planning perspective to implement,” she said.

WalkSydney president Marc Lane said lowering speed limits on local streets to 30 km/h would have a greater impact on reducing pedestrian injuries, as they would be more comfortable for most cyclists to use rather than the footpath.

Bicycle NSW chief executive Peter McLean said shared paths posed safety risks to pedestrians and cyclists, but “we’re all at a much, much higher risk on our roads and the heightening road toll is a perfect example of this.

“We really need to focus on where the risk is and that is undeniably on our roads, but we all seem to accept this risk and multiple people dying every week as a social norm,” he said.

[find_bruce]

Talk about keeping active: Police arrest 73yo accused of being SA's 'bicycle bandit' after 20-year investigation into bank robberies

[P!N20]

The Rise of the 'Bike Bus' Movement:

https://www.distilled.earth/p/the-rise- ... s-movement

[g-boaf]

The Rise of the 'Bike Bus' Movement:

https://www.distilled.earth/p/the-rise- ... s-movement

Note for others before clicking: It's in the USA. In case you were expecting some miracle here in our Australian cities, save you the disappointment.

[familyguy]

https://twitter.com/NorthantsPolice/sta ... 7637185686

[bychosis]

Thanks mr cooper. I’ve looked after this bike and it was like new until you chucked it away and scratched it all up.

[redsonic]

Article about Australian female veterans planning a tribute ride to honour war hero Nancy Wake


ABC News

Nancy Wake famously cycled 500km in 72 hours, bluffing her way through Nazi checkpoints, to deliver a message in WWII


Wikipedia:

The bicycle ride. During the flight from the Germans, Rake, the radio operator, had left his radio and codes behind and the SOE team needed to be in contact with London. The nearest SOE radio and operator were in Châteauroux, Wake said she borrowed a bicycle and rode it to Châteauroux, found a radio near there, updated London on the situation, and then bicycled back to Saint-Santin, traveling 500 kilometres (310 mi) in 72 hours. Fortunately for her, there were few Germans in the areas through which she bicycled.

[Imwit]

Article about Australian female veterans planning a tribute ride to honour war hero Nancy Wake


ABC News

Nancy Wake famously cycled 500km in 72 hours, bluffing her way through Nazi checkpoints, to deliver a message in WWII


Wikipedia:

The bicycle ride. During the flight from the Germans, Rake, the radio operator, had left his radio and codes behind and the SOE team needed to be in contact with London. The nearest SOE radio and operator were in Châteauroux, Wake said she borrowed a bicycle and rode it to Châteauroux, found a radio near there, updated London on the situation, and then bicycled back to Saint-Santin, traveling 500 kilometres (310 mi) in 72 hours. Fortunately for her, there were few Germans in the areas through which she bicycled.

That’s a pretty cool story. Thanks for posting

[Retrobyte]

Today's SMH. She's not even a journalist - she is a corporate spin doctor who worked on PWC's damage control campaign, and also for Ben Roberts-Thompson during his trial

[Howzat]

Call 136 666 to cancel your subscription. Tell them Sue Cato sent you.

[redsonic]

Read the article (thanks Retrobyte for the photo), and she has a point. Where pedestrians and cyclists are mixing, there is no excuse for cyclists who want to bully their way through at speed. I think we are going to have more and more conversations about shared infrastructure as electric mobility devices become more popular. Until fit for purpose infrastructure is built, we cyclists have to take care around pedestrians. They are just people out enjoying shared public spaces. No one deserves to feel bullied or endangered out there. Cyclists, of all people, know what that feels like.

[Howzat]

Her point is cyclists are the problem.

Which cyclists? A bunch of imaginary bad cyclists.

It’s well-tried rhetorical ploy “It’s not that I don’t like [insert group here], it’s just the bad ones”.

She’s not advocating for better infrastructure either. The article she had a “visceral response” to did that.

[brumby33]

Horrific:

https://www.news.com.au/technology/onli ... 7439da9324

Oh crap, that is horrific. And the psychopath at the wheel only 17 y.o too.

The only consolation for that poor cyclist's family will be that driver won't be getting off with a slap from a wet lettuce like they would in Australia. If the murder charge holds, that 17 y.o should be looking at about 20 to life.

No mention of the passenger who is just as guilty and should also be facing a murder charge for egging him on. Bastards!!