This is a kinda funky idea..
Public Bikes claims that it’s not a bike company, but is a “more livable cities” company. Founder Rob Forbes launched Public Bikes in New York at ICFF with a big public ride from Javits Center in midtown to the Tretorn store in SOHO. Forbes calls his bikes “supremely practical objects” but they are also very beautiful.
via Public Bikes Launches in New York with Style : TreeHugger
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The following video, after the jump, offers a look into a beautiful fantasy land called Utrecht, Holland, where transit is clean, efficient, and safe. Translation: Everyone rides bikes and uses public transit.
via What Rush Hour Could Look Like: The Glorious Bike Traffic of Utrecht, Holland – GOOD Blog – GOOD.
Another story calling for bikes to be rego’d. I personally think it’s a stupid idea, and get the impression the author isnt that enthusiastic about it either.
Have a read anyway..
A common comment that I hear from motorists is that cyclists should pay for rego. The argument goes like this, “Cyclists use the roads therefore they should pay to use them”.It is usually in the form of a rant from some angry driver yelling out their car window or obnoxious media personality. It sounds simple enough, but not only is this argument flawed in its logic, it's also a simple fact that the money from rego goes towards insurance and administration rather than construction and maintenance of roads. Roads are not a a user pays system. If you pay taxes, you pay for the roads. If you’re a motorist who argues for a user pays system for roads, you should be careful what you wish for. You could end up paying much more than you already do.
via Why Cyclists Should Pay For Rego.
Bill Kaloudis reckons he has spent up to $10,000 building the lightest of his five bicycles, a 7.5-kilogram mountain bike.
“Weight is evil,” he says. “It works against you. It’s like loading up a hot-air balloon, it doesn’t want to take off.”
Kaloudis’s quest for a light bike began six years ago when he decided to become competitive in mountain biking. He regularly monitors bike forums such as weightweenies.starbike.com for information and weighs parts at home to create spreadsheets of technical data to ensure his bike is both featherlight and strong.
via Quest for the world’s lightest bike.
A group representing Sydney cyclists says improved infrastructure on the city’s motorways could have saved the life of a Wollongong cyclist who was hit by a truck on Saturday.
David Williams, 37, died after a truck crashed into him and three other riders who were cycling on the M4's breakdown lane near Penrith.
Workcover is investigating whether driver fatigue was a factor in the incident.
Andrew Dodds from Bike Sydney says the installation of a protective barrier could have saved the man's life.
“The RTA has some great guidelines on cycling and what to build and they’re guidelines only so there’s no mandatory thing about it,” he said.
“So they recommend that if the traffic’s over something like $70,000 or $80,000 dollars and you have a certain number of cars – which obviously freeways would have – there should be a proper separated barrier there for cyclists.”
via Group calls for motorway barrier after cyclist killed – ABC Illawarra NSW – Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
Mr Williams died instantly of massive injuries.
Twenty-year-old Monique De Abreu, of Edensor Park, suffered head injuries and a broken arm and was yesterday in a serious condition in Nepean Hospital.
Her brother Robert De Abreu, 27, a former student of Mr Williams, suffered a fractured vertebra and internal injuries and was in a satisfactory condition.
Matthew La Motta, 24, from Bossley Park, suffered a broken arm and abrasions and was also in a satisfactory condition.
After the truck hit the cycling group, Mr Williams was dragged beneath the truck for 100m, police said.
The vehicle continued west down the highway for another 900m, allegedly weaving and smashing into crash barriers and taking a piece out of a light pole.
via M4 tragedy: devastated brother mourns Woonona cyclist David Williams – Local News – News – General – Illawarra Mercury.
Police are appealing for witnesses to a crash in which a 37-year-old Woonona cyclist was killed in western Sydney on Saturday.
via Woonona cyclist killed on M4 – Local News – News – General – Illawarra Mercury.
How long are cyclists going to continue to get mowed down by moron drivers!
I am lost for words!
Fatigue may have caused a truck driver to veer into the breakdown lane and mow down a group of cyclists, killing one, on the M4 in Sydney’s west.
Police said a group of four cyclists were riding in the breakdown lane of the M4 near the Northern Road overpass at South Penrith when they were struck by a B-double truck about 7.40am today.
A male cyclist died and the three others sustained serious injuries. The injured were taken to Nepean Hospital.
Cyclists mowed down by truck.
