Hysterical moments in bicycle design

I want to see someone take that rowing bike up Mt Buffalo in January… [via LigfietsPlaza]

Tell 'im 'e's dreamin'

The Dreams on Wheels Exhibition is coming to Melbourne. Must mark diary.

Bike as weapon?

According to the policeman's report, this is a cyclist "using [his bike] as a weapon to run down the officer":

What the hell? I'm neither here nor there on Critical Mass, but that is just a stupid and thuggish way for a police officer to behave—even in the face of extreme provocation, which seems unlikely here. What an idiot. Excessive and pointless violence aside, did he really think that he wouldn't get caught on camera doing something like that at such an event?

For his trouble, the cycist was "charged with attempted assault, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct and spent 26 hours in a police lockup".

Where do all the stolen bikes go?

An interview with a stolen bike dealer, the backstory to the bike-stealing bike shop owner in Toronto, that I mentioned a few weeks ago. Hmmm, illuminating. [via MetaFilter]

Ride a mile (or ten) in my saddle

Yellow Brick Road has another thoughtful article, this one on the topic of cycling and urban planning, a key message being that educators and students of urban planning should jump on their bikes and ride:

By riding through the urban environment, planners can come to experience the city in new and exciting ways that reveal the potential of bicycles to facilitate mobility needs. By gaining a more grounded understanding of cycling, planners can begin to understand the many physical and cultural barriers that prohibit cycling as a more sustainable transport practice.

But sadly in our culture cycling remains a marginalised (even deviant) activity:

Within societies of mass automobility, bicycles are often regarded as a children's toy, a middle-class sports fad, or a form of transport for those who are too poor to drive. Within less that three generations, cultures of everyday or utility cycling disappeared. Those who continued to cycle are often regarded with suspicion.

A little 'academic' in tone, but quite readable and interesting as always—Adrian gets the recommended read of the week nomination (again).

Slow news day

A 30 km/h speed limit for Melbourne?

Melbourne City Council will today launch the final report of its Future Melbourne Plan, which is expected to scale back initial recommendations for a new city congestion toll, in favour of better public transport. With a strong focus on environmental ideas and liveability, the final report is believed to advocate a 30 km/h limit to reduce the number of pedestrians hit by vehicles each year, from 230, including six deaths, to zero.

DIY bike rack

BikeHacks.com calls this home-build rear rack spectacular, I'd say "pragmatic" or "sensible" but I like it just the same. In fact, I've even considered the plastic box myself on occasion.

Have trailer, will travel

Trailer hire scheme in Canberra::

the Jamison arm of the organisation plans to hire out bicycle cargo trailers and children's trailers to local residents for three to 12 months after which they will be sold for reduced prices…

The bicycle-towed trailers will have odometers attached so the organisation will be able to measure how much carbon dioxide emission they have saved.

Comments

flipsockgrrl

At the Canberra hotel I stayed in recently, the 'guest information pack' on the writing desk (in my room) included a blurb about a bike hire service -- just phone reception and voila, a local company delivers your preferred combination of adult and kids' bikes to the door, with hire fees charged to your hotel bill. Kewl :-)

eccles

30km/hr??? For gods sake. Even the 40km hr zones offend me. Teach your children to pay some attention and take some responsibility for their actions. Yes, its tragic when something accidental happens and people end out on the road by accident, but life is not safe.

Last time I looked, there were these big black areas for cars and white concretey areas for pedestrians. Its really kind of easy to keep the two of them apart.