Whatever, last night, about 6.30, at a well lit round-about intersection near Williamstown, a car from my left, who should have given way to me, decided not to. I make it a rule to establish eye contact with cars in that situation, and no question he saw me. I've got good lights, reflective thingeys on my ankles, I'm wearing regulation fluro. He saw me, but I think he thought, "I'm big, you are little, get out of my way", and drove straight through. The adrenaline surge got me the rest of the way home, and hey, I managed to get out of the way. I try to avoid the cyclist paranoia about cars, but sometimes ....
Makes you think. A friend has recently returned from Finland, and has been telling me about the wonders of Finnish bike paths - wide, clearly marked, lots of them, and as a result lots of people use them. From the
| FINNISH ROAD ADMINISTRATION site you can get an idea of what they are doing: |
Some 4,945 kilometres of cycling lanes and pedestrian ways have been constructed along highways and the network has in recent years expanded by about 100-200 kilometres annually.
Special attention is paid to the quality of these lanes to ensure maximum riding comfort and to make cycling more attractive. Finland has a total of 16,000 kilometres of bicycle and pedestrian ways.
Cycling is an important means of transport both in terms of mobility and exercise; consequently, cycling lanes are termed the country's most important venue for physical exercise. In addition, biking is heavily endorsed in the Ministry's programme on cycling 2001, setting the goal of doubling bicycle traffic by the year 2020.
Hard not to contrast that with the piece in The Age on Saturday:
"Despite evidence that cycling was a far cheaper and faster alternative, the State Government's investment in transport infrastructure was still skewed towards the provision of roads and public transport.
The Department of Infrastructure spent more than $450 million on public transport franchises in 2004-05 and $289 million on arterial road networks. Less than $10 million was committed to bike routes. As a result, Melbourne has about 30,000 kilometres of roads, 380 kilometres of train line, 500 kilometres of tram tracks and only 1500 kilometres of bike paths."
Election coming up - I wonder if there is a Fedral bike infrastructure funding scheme coming from any of the major parties? Instead of throwing money at filters that don't work, and advertisements that just waste our tax dollars, treat us like idiots and annoy the heck out of everyone, why not do something useful?
4 comments:
The state govt killed off a Melb City Council plan for Copenhagen style bike lanes down St Kilda Rd. At least the council is plugging ahead with a new plan for South Melb.
- Tony
Nice one Gary.
Australia is a long way from being able to make the kind of claims made there by Finland. Of course, a situation like that doesn't come about without conscious political commitment to make it so. I don't think we yet have that level of political will in Spring Street--and it's unlikely until the Minister for Roads considers himself more than the Minister for Cars.
Small moves in Canberra, with an announcement by the Health Minister of a "$30,000 grant for the Cycling Promotion Fund to investigate how people can be encouraged to make the switch from four wheels to two". It's a start, I suppose.
On the election front, CPF has the vote4cycling.com.au web site with plenty of resources.
I think bike lanes and bike paths are part of the solution, but they aren't the only answer. Somewhere, sometime every cyclist has to deal with other traffic as part of the general traffic flow--cyclists need the skills to do ride well in traffic and the drivers of other vehicles must know that cyclists should be given the same respect as everyone else.
Sadly, the might-is-right attitude you experienced at the roundabout is all to common.
Thanks for the CPF link - some mighty good stuff in there.
Stating the obvious, we won't get the political will in Spring street till we get the groundswell of support for cycling infrastructure. Maybe a few people of vision in Spring street would help it along.
The Victorian Department of Health has been very positively backing cycling initiatives. I clearly recall Bronwyn Pike riding over my foot on a Great Vic Bike Ride, and their Ride to Work T shirts last year were great - I'm wearing one right now in fact. Unfortunately, the awareness doesn't seem to have percolated across to Department of Infrastructure, or manifested itself in any reordering of priorities in those infrastructure dollars.
Well, in the forthcoming state byelection brought on by the unexpected resignation of my local member, I will have a choice between someone who turned down the mayoral car in favour of the mayoral bicycle - or some celebrity candidate chosen by the ALP if they can find one to accept the role. I guess I know who I'm going to be voting for.
Gary
Gary, good to hear your thoughts on "might is right" and infrastructure shortcomings. Last week I attended a Victorian Safe Communities forum at Yarra Town hall and heard a lot of talk at local government level about needed changes. The Local Government Association carried a motion at their recent Fed Conference to urge for Fed funds for bicycling facilities for Local Government in the election campaign. The CPF web site mentioned by "treadly and me" above is spot on to expand on that. There are a lot of initiatives afoot, but for many of us its too little too late or falling on deaf ears too often. Over the years successive State governments have been slowly "educated" to improve cycling facilities, cycling supportive legislation or at least recognise the immense benefits to society from utility and recreational cycling, only to lose government or to run in to the wall of the pro car , pro motor vehicle infrastructure lobby that is deeply routed in the Sate Public service and the influence of industry. So it is a continuing and often delicate balance between co-operation and preventing alienation. CPF is working hard, the BFA is working hard at a federal level and so are the local Bicycle User Groups across the country. Bike Buses will be of great influence in years to come and so will the efforts of yourself, "treadly and me" and even, I hope Wheels of Justice movement. ( www.woj.com.au ). A lot has to be done, but in my personal view we will only achieve sanity on the road when driver laibility changes to deliver a Prima Facie liability on any driver to prove he was NOT in the wrong in any collision with a bicyclist or pedestrian. That is why Holland, Belgium and Denmark have a better on road attitude, it is not about bike paths it is about consequences.
Ride safe, be visible, predictable & legal
Rob (aka Rooman)
www.robbieroo.blogspot.com
Post a Comment