Treadly and Me

Juvenile tools

I really had to tone down my language on this posting. It’s considerably shorter now that I’ve calmed down a bit and taken out all of the F-words…

Speedlinking 30 July 2008

“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.”–Adrian, Yellow Brick Road.

“Where’s the justice?”

Why on earth would the relative of a convicted offender question the justice of a clearly lenient sentence?

Mugged for my bike

In August I made an entry called How To Steal a Bike, prompted by a couple of films on the web showing people ignoring someone stealing a bike right before their eyes. In the discussion that followed I suggested a possible approach for witnesses to a suspected bike theft: simply shouting Oi, that’s my bike might be enough to see-off a thief. However for reasons of personal safety I didn’t think this was an entirely foolproof method.

Comments on the topic went quiet until last week when Paul from Adelaide recounted his largely unsuccessful attempt to use this approach. Feeling that the story shouldn’t be hidden away in the comments, I’ve asked Paul to go back and start at the beginning for this guest entry. You may not agree with what Paul did—you may even think him reckless or that he brought a bad outcome on himself. Maybe. Regardless it stands as a warning: your bike is replaceable, your life is not.

–T&M.

They’d take a gun away…

The man who killed Tim Ledwidge was convicted and fined in the Bendigo Magistrate’s Court yesterday. Then he was allowed to drive home.

Penalties imposed on idiot who shot a cyclist

Andrew Pernell has been fined and ordered to perform community service for shooting Melinda Zygarlicki as she rode along the Merri Creek trail earlier this year.

Beattie gets heavy on hit-and-run

The Queensland government is to introduce new penalties for dangerous driving, driving while intoxicated, excessive speed, and hit-and-run.

Cyclists are NOT targets

Yesterday a Melbourne cyclist was shot in the chest in an apparently random attack. The shooter claims it was an “accidental discharge”.

Sure, mate, sure.