After Ride To Work Day

While the big news (and the big crowds) were down at Federation Square for Ride To Work Day, the event has triggered some great inititiatives. Here are just the few that I’ve heard about, I’m sure there were more.

Ride To Work Day, weekly edition

The Bega District News reports that a “bike bus” of about 20 riders pedalled from Tahtra to Bega on RTWD. It was so successful that the Sapphire Coast BUG is planning to make it a weekly event.

Let’s hope that idea really takes off.

Cycling School Bus

Melbourne Indymedia noted that schoolkids commuting with Moreland’s cycling school “bus” were among other cyclists at a quieter RTWD breakfast held in Coburg.

Have you noticed the terrible traffic jams that occur outside primary schools at the start and end of each work day? Yes, its mum or occasionally dad or the grandparents dropping off the kids at school in the family car. Meanwhile, the health of many children is suffering from obesity and lack of exercise.

A cycling school bus is a bloody marvellous idea!

Cardinia’s Bike Strategy

And Cr Bill Ronald, mayor of Cardinia Shire, took the opportunity to announce that a somewhat neglected bike strategy will be pulled out of “the bottom drawer”:

The mayor said the council should be doing more to encourage people to leave cars at home and get out on their bikes more often.

Cr Ronald vowed to take a lead in delivering initiatives outlined in a bike strategy prepared by council some years ago…

This is not going to just be another talkfest, he said.

We’ve already got the strategy, I want to get the local experts together to help identify which aspects of the strategy are more important than others.

Sounds good. But did he really make the announcement from the seat of a pennyfarthing?!? Not really a practical commuter vehicle, that.

Any more?

Did you hear of any other initiatives announced to coincide with Ride To Work Day?

More on related topics

• Ride to Work Day 2008
• One more bike, no fewer cars?
• Bike Power in The Big Issue
• Cycling and pedestrian job at VicRoads
• WTF? It’s RTWD!