Here’s this week’s wrap-up of cycling related news.
Cycling safety on Shadow Minister for Active Transport Jo Haylen’s agenda in Newcastle city centre. This article from the Newcastle Herald calls for better cycling infrastructure in Newcastle’s CBD. The Facebook post asks if Newcastle needs more dedicated cycleways. Many Facebook users responded with ‘yes!’ However, many still took the opportunity to criticise cyclists.
The 10 busiest cycling routes in Melbourne. This article from the Herald Sun reports that there has been a large increase in cyclists on busy arterial roads around Melbourne. At the time of writing, there were no comments on the Facebook post.
Newcastle triathlete becomes victim of hit-and-run in Spain. This story from the Newcastle Herald reports a triathlete being injured by an ‘erratic’ driver. Facebook comments are overwhelmingly sympathetic towards the cyclist, wishing him a speedy recovery.
Creative solutions needed to bust congestion. This story isn’t directly about cycling, but argues that congestion in Sydney will only worsen and that we will need increasingly creative solutions to address the problem. The article points out that in the inner city, 69 per cent of trips involve active transport such as cycling or walking. Many comments on the Facebook post call for more freeways to be built.
Only two cyclists fined for speeding on pedestrian crossings. This article from the Canberra Times highlights that only a very small number of cyclists have been fined for breaking new rules allowing cyclists to ride slowly over pedestrian crossings. Still, many comments in the Facebook thread are highly critical of cyclists.
What are the road rules for cyclists in Canberra? This article from the Canberra Times points out that relations between cyclists and motorists in Canberra are often ‘vexed’, and provides an explainer of the relevant road rules. The Facebook comments are conflicted.
Enforce cycling laws, or don’t bother with them. Another article this week from the Canberra Times argues that we need to ensure that cycling laws are enforced to protect cyclists, which may in turn encourage more people to cycle.
Man killed while riding e-scooter on French motorway. Not specifically about cycling, however the Facebook comment thread in response to this story from the Guardian UK about the increasing popularity of e-scooters in Europe, echoes much of the victim blaming that is typically directed towards cyclists. A significant portion of the comments were highly critical of the victim, suggesting that it was almost entirely his fault.
Pedalling for Change 