A 21-year-old cyclist was taken to hospital last Friday after being hit by a driver at a busy intersection in Sydney’s north-west. The Daily Telegraph reported on Monday that the man’s injuries were so severe he had to be put in an induced coma after being transported to Westmead Hospital. Emergency services had to land a medical response helicopter on Windsor road in an effort to save the man’s life.
Another major collision occurred east of Melbourne on Tuesday when a 15-year-old rider was hit by two drivers on the Mt Dandenong Tourist Road. According to The Herald Sun, police told reporters the rider had cut behind a van doing a U-turn when he was hit and thrown over one vehicle, then hit by a second after falling onto the road. The teenager was taken by helicopter to the Royal Children’s Hospital where he remains in serious condition.
In Sydney, a cyclist has vented his frustration with local cycling infrastructure after colliding with a power pole placed in the middle of a bike path. As reported on news.com.au, the cyclist claims he sustained cuts and bruises as well as a potential cracked rib after colliding with the pole while riding near the Anzac Bridge. As the Daily Mail reported, poles or obstacles built into bike lanes have been the subject of discussion on social media for some time.
Three-years on from the death of ultramarathon rider Mike Hall, one of his racing competitors Heath Ryan has released a book criticising the police investigation and coronial inquiry into the incident. According to ABC News, Ryan claims police overlooked evidence, compromised the investigation, and failed to provide accurate details of the incident to the ACT Coroner’s Court. Among other findings, Ryan argues ACT Policing “had already made a decision not to charge” the driver of the vehicle when they broke the chain of evidence and returned one of Hall’s riding bags to a friend. Ryan believes that statements made by police were inconsistent with GPS data from Hall’s bike, and that police incorrectly calculated the speed the driver had been travelling at the time of the collision.
In infrastructure news, Brisbane City Council has approved a plan to install separated bike lanes on three streets in the CBD. As The Brisbane Times reported on Tuesday, the temporary lanes would be installed on Elizabeth, Edward and Albert streets for a 12-month trial. However, the opposition criticised the move saying that the council had “missed the lockdown boat” and that the installation would cause significant delays to traffic in the city. The Courier Mail reported the project would cause “mass disruption” and the removal of “71 car parks, 12 motorcycle parks and one disability parking space”.
In Sydney, a Glebe residents group continues to vocally oppose the popular Bridge Road temporary cycleway, claiming that residents could no longer provide access to tradespeople visiting their properties. Speaking with 2GB’s Ben Fordham, a spokesperson argued residents would have to pay for a $1750 council permit to have furniture delivered to their homes. Furthermore, Fordham alleged two cyclists had already been “flattened” riding on the lane and that it was “only a matter of time until someone is killed there”.
Pedalling for Change 