More discouragement of cycling in Australia

[Brandane]

Recent figures in Denmark show that more accidents are caused by mobile phone users than drink drivers.

Perhaps there are more people using mobile phones whilst driving than there are drink drivers; ergo they are going to be involved in more accidents.
95% of statistics are misleading.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

https://www.theguardian.com/austral...-in-sydney-the-nsw-government-must-be-pleased

A pretty sorry state of affairs, when even Cadel Evans says he finds cycling in NSW intimidating, and cycling numbers have dropped markedly following the anti-cyclist legislation. I've said before I wish I could leave Australia, but at least I'm not living in the state of NSW.

 

[Tin Pot]

War on Drugs
War on Terror
Now...
War on Cycling

 

[Phil Fouracre]

Amazing, almost as good as the police patrol that ran over a cyclist because they wouldn't stop. What is it about Australian police? Is it too much sun?
Must admit though, when we were over there, they seemed to have some very strange laws!

 

[Shut Up Legs]

Australia (especially the State of NSW) continues to set the very worst example, despite the efforts of journalists such as this one, who has consistently advocated for more tolerance and understanding of cyclists in Australia:
http://www.executivestyle.com.au/what-does-riding-dangerously-mean-for-cyclists-gswfcp

 

[Drago]

They don't have PACE in Oz, so most people plead guilty in Court to avoid getting beaten up. I've known more than one UK bobby emigrate to join the police over there, only to come back because they couldn't get their heads round the casual and needless brutality.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

Another article about cycling discouragement in Australia. I wonder what it will take for our government to listen, though?

http://www.executivestyle.com.au/is-cycling-in-australia-really-so-bad-gt5q9w

 

[hobo]

You should see the way they treat the Aborigines

 

[simonsch]

You should see the way they treat the Aborigines

Guyanga-ndhi yawarra dhu

 

[simonsch]

There was movement at the station... actually, on Macquarie Street, where Mike Baird has resigned as Premier. This sets into motion all sorts of things likely to affect cyclists in NSW. Duncan Gay, Roads Minister, who is responsible for much of the abovesaid nonsense, is likely to be out. The new premier will almost certainly be Gladys Berejiklian, who is progressive and well respected. I understand she has been quite supportive of funding cycling infrastructure. I can't imagine that some of the stupider rules described in previous posts will be removed, but a lot of the problems have I think really been about how the police are prosecuting / interpreting them - the message being sent down from above matters a lot, and Duncan Gay was sending the message that cyclists should be pushed off the roads. So some grounds for optimism.

(I keep watch on this situation because I have several times considered moving back to Sydney - where I lived for while in the 1990s - but ruled it out largely because of the poor transport infrastructure, and more recently the attitude to cycling).

 

[MarkF]

[QUOTE 4180464, member: 259"]I will not go there on holiday because of the idiotic helmet law. My daughter will be there next year for six months, and if it was anywhere else we would have gone, but we'll meet up in Thailand or Malaysia instead.[/QUOTE]

I feel bad about my cousin from Sydney visiting me every other year for our tours, but I am not flying all the way out there to have to wear a helmet.

Fortunately, I can take or leave helmets. But I wouldnt miss a riding experience just because I had to wear a helmet.

I would. The experience would be seriously impaired for me.

 

[simonsch]

You know, the helmets is the least of the issues here. Someone got fined $475 for riding "on the road, in jeans and heels".

 

[jefmcg]

You know, the helmets is the least of the issues here. Someone got fined $475 for riding "on the road, in jeans and heels".

Link?

 

[simonsch]

Link?

Sorry, can't find it right now. It came up in my Facebook feed a few days ago.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

This goes a bit beyond "discouragement" of cycling :
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/...a/news-story/cb567a71b7bdbd71cb94912c8aadcd3d