HEALTHY TRANSPORT HOBART

I just caught the end of the Hobart Bike Kitchens last Sunday session and saw 5 bikes head off with new owners. A very fine sight to see it was. What was even more impressive was the rigorous testing these bikes are put through before deemed roadworthy. Not only are they raced down narrow gravel paths, but put through steep grassy hill ascents and time tested against the fastest dogs in the neighbourhood. All hail to those fine souls recycling such a splendid piece of pedal powered machinery. See below for photos: Read the rest of this entry »

replace the pink with yellow (daffodils) and you have the tasmanian equivalent of this photograph

So, it’s that time of the year again. The pointy time (well, end). When healthy habits (eating 3 balanced meals and limiting chocolate and coffee to one slab (I mean piece) and litre (I mean cup) a day, sleeping enough and not taking one’s pulse rate every 10mins to see how panicky even one’s heart is becoming) head out the window. Yeah, exams. Which are actually vitally important and good things to do, ultimately uncomplicated and enjoyable in the preparation and generally ok in their outcome but that’s another conversation.

no, i don't understand the lion either. interesting 'ride your bike!' advertisment from Johnny Loco though

Thank heavens for bike riding – whooshing down Argyle Street on crisp mornings on the way to Uni (dragging myself back up it at the end of the day), flashing drivers in my shorter dresses (now that we’re past the Spring Equinox) as I hop off my bike, riding past the Domain with my backpack full of $40 worth of vitamin and mineral rich water (fruit and veggies) on my way to make nourishing dinners … and sweet-as blog and web-sites like Cycle Chic, Copenhaganize and Bicycle Philosophy to provide the welcome and necessary educational breaks from learning about ‘the benefits of sub-total thyroidectomy over complete resections’, and ‘open right hemicolectomy and ultra-low anterior resection and loop ileostomy for the treatment for caecal and rectal cancers’ … hum … too much information in that last bit? Sorry.

I went for a ride through the internet (it’s a bit windy outside), and came across these quotes, which I share with you, kind reader, now:

”Hold my bicycle while I kiss your girlfriend” (Cycle Chic blog site)

”If I can bicycle, I bicycle” (Sir David Attenborough)

”When I see an adult on a bicycle, I do not despair for the future of the human race” (H.G. Wells)

one for the romantics: ”bicycling is the nearest approximation I know to the flight of birds” (Louis J Helle Jr.)

Copenhagen in the summer (just been). Digging the chick's attire - I wonder if this was what the author of the 1895 comment would have thought of

and for the feminists: ‘The bicycle will accomplish more for women’s sensible dress than all the reform movements that have ever been waged” (Demerarest’s Family Magazine 1895)

And if you want some inspiration about what the chicest cycling attire this coming season is, check out (as Katie Liam and now I have told you all in the past):

http://www.copenhagencyclechic.com/ and

http://www.copenhagenize.com/

Love Anna.

Another month, another ride. 60 bicycle users rolled up Argyle and down Elizabeth to finish up at Rectango in Salamanca. Praise to the weather gods for a splendid evening. And praise to all road users for sharing the road in peace. Hurrah.

Read the rest of this entry »

Photo from the Mercury Newspaper

From the Mercury: http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2010/09/23/174645_tasmania-news.html

CYCLISTS are breathing a sigh of relief as a much-needed ramp promises to make the risky Tasman Bridge crossing a little easier.

Work is well under way on the shared footpath ramp, which will replace 24 steps on the city side of the bridge.

Bicycle groups have long campaigned for the ramp, which was announced by Premier David Bartlett in February last year as one of a number of improvements. Read the rest of this entry »

Old School Helmets were actually pretty cool

The law here is that cyclists must wear helmets, but in Europe it is not mandatory, and yet it’s much safer to cycle. Some say helmets make cycling more dangerous and others that they actually cause brain injury and the law should be repealed. The debate makes climate change look like a walk in the park. Reporter Wendy Carlisle.

Wendy Carlisle: If you thought climate change was divisive, then get ready for the bicycle helmet wars. It’s bitter, polarised, and not in the least bit civil.

Chris Rissel: The whole idea has become one of faith, rather more than science, to some extent.

Wendy Carlisle: Australia stands virtually alone in the world making it compulsory for cyclists to wear helmets. At stake, say those opposed to our helmet laws, is the very future of cycling as a viable mainstream transport option. Depending on who you believe, helmets either protect your head, or they’re an agent of the nanny-state and have unwittingly killed off cycling.

Sue Abbott: Helmet laws made cycling dangerous. They frightened us; they bought into this whole argument of buying armour as such, for when you do this extreme activity. It isn’t a dangerous activity, it’s an everyday activity, and I think helmet laws destroyed that. They killed off cycling.

Wendy Carlisle: Throw into this heady argument a good old scientific blue about whether helmets themselves can cause brain injuries, and you’ve got a highly emotional debate.

Bill Curnow: There’s an advertisement in which they tell people to strap it on your brain, that’s the helmet, strap it on your brain. And they say that people increase their chances of escaping serious injury or death if they wear a helmet.

Wendy Carlisle: You say that’s wrong?

Bill Curnow: Yes, it’s never been shown that wearing a helmet had saved a single life, I’d say.

http://www.abc.net.au/rn/backgroundbriefing/stories/2010/3011382.htm

Posted for the love of a good debate by Liam.C

ARTICLE FROM THE MERCURY NEWSPAPER September 20th 2010

MORE than 50 significant safety and design flaws have been found in a controversial cycleway proposal for Sandy Bay, according to a secret report leaked to theMercury.

The Hobart City Council plan to build a cycle and walkway along Sandy Bay Rd was reviewed last month by international engineering consultancy company GHD and Road Safety Audits Pty Ltd.

The council hopes allocating cycle lanes on the road as well as on footpaths along the route will turn the area into a cycling mecca.

The council proposes shared routes on widened footpaths and a two-way on-road cycle path along the eastern side of Sandy Bay Rd.

The proposal includes the installation of additional roundabouts, speed-limit reductions and removal of some on-street parking.

But the report, commissioned by a group of concerned residents, found it would have severe implications for parking and traffic flow as well as for the safety of users including young children from the Sandy Bay Infant School. Read the rest of this entry »

My bikes had been flat tyre free for so long that I’d started intentionally forgetting my puncture repair gear and pump just because I could get away with it. Unfortunately I was riding through Hobart on a Saturday night and scored a nice broken glass bottle on the Argyle St Bike lanes. It was 11 at night and I had no phone, no money and wanted to get home to bed. So all I had to do was wheel my bike a few minutes to the Franklin Square Bus Mall lock it to a nice secret bike rack and jump on the bus home. Easy. The next morning I connected up the bike trailer to my other bike and collected the flat tyre bike from town as part of my morning errands. My new ‘Scraper Bike’ inspired spoke colours certainly got some looks.

Posted for the love of bikes on bike trailers by Liam.C

Back in 2009, Healthy Transport Hobart members Liam and Katie submitted some ideas and wishes to the Sullivans Cove Waterfront Authority Consulation around managing Franklin Wharf as a shared space. Our main aim was to make sure the voices of bicycle users in this ‘very dodgy’ area where heard. By the recent developments at the Mures and Fish Punts entrance it looks like some of our wishes have been granted. A slip lane has been created so cars don’t have to speed through the corner and plenty of space has been created for pedestrians and bicycle users. Hurrah! Read the rest of this entry »

Every day I climb out my window and perch on my roof three stories high. I sit and observe life unfold on the streets below me. My house is on what I would describe as a ‘bike boulevard’. It lies between two bustling streets lined with cafe’s, restaurants, bars, boutiques, art galleries, book stores and other small businesses which attract thousands of typical Melbournites on a daily basis, at all hours of the day. My street is a prime thoroughfare for bikers and pedestrians to zip from Smith to Brunswick St without the hassle of main roads, red lights and piles of traffic. The narrow, tree filled lanes really are bike friendly and the graffitied alleys that link the larger streets are quite spectacular.

My favourite pass time is to woof whistle hot (or not so hot) people as they stride, ride, jog, skate or stumble by below. Most don’t think to ‘look up’ to discover the cheeky whistling source and I think it’s a glorious way to build self-esteem in those passing through. It just never gets boring. I’ve taken a few sly photos…better ones to come once my photography skills improve! Read the rest of this entry »

cycle ways - for safer travel

I was in Sydney recently and struck by the number (on every single flag pole in the centre of the city) of hot pink 2+m length flags heralding the perks of bike lanes throughout the city. The flags have slogans like ‘Cycle lanes: get home faster’, ‘Cycle lanes: improve road safety’ & ‘cycling: increases health and fitness’

I am jealous of the Sydney Mayor’s forward thinking and sensible attitude towards city bikes lanes. I hope our council in Hobart takes into account the existence of such promotion and implementation of bike lanes, which really do what the two snaps here detail, in considering the (now infamous) Sandy Bay road cycle lanes. Read the rest of this entry »

Rumours have it that a certain bunch of medical students took out first place with their health promotion presentation on riding ones bike. It didn’t all come down to this little video some claimed but it certainly helped. Now, here at Healthy Transport Hobart HQ we care about health. And according to a big fat wad of research and modelling thats been done, if we care about health then we have to care about climate change. But thats not why people ride bikes in Copenhagen, its because its quick, easy, and healthy. So heres to more supportive environments for creating a climate suitable for riding ones bike. The happier and healthier we are whenever this world turns into a furnace the better. See below for a smart little video on such subjects and the website of the legends putting in the hard yards locally in Hobart to fight the good fight.

http://sites.google.com/site/climatecodegreen2010/home

Posted for the love of medical students by Liam.C