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SMH Article: Sydney: the city that hates bikes
A U.S.A. academic was stunned by his experience, observes that "Sydney
is one of the developed world's most hostile cities for cycling". Article is in the URL http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/sydney-the...-20100312-q45h. html I was surprised that it was *worse* that Texas and the south-east states of U.S.A. -- K.A. Moylan Canberra, Australia Ski Club: http://www.cccsc.asn.au kamoylan at ozemail dot com dot au |
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SMH Article: Sydney: the city that hates bikes
K.A. Moylan wrote:
A U.S.A. academic was stunned by his experience, observes that "Sydney is one of the developed world's most hostile cities for cycling". Article is in the URL http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/sydney-the...-20100312-q45h. html I was surprised that it was *worse* that Texas and the south-east states of U.S.A. Further on in the same edition is an article quoting Geoff Brabham on how appalling Sydney drivers are Nothing to do with cyclists). I think that is the crux of the matter, the are crap, rude ,selfish drivers. -- Remove norubbish to reply |
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SMH Article: Sydney: the city that hates bikes
In aus.bicycle on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 07:25:41 +1100
Jack Russell wrote: Further on in the same edition is an article quoting Geoff Brabham on how appalling Sydney drivers are Nothing to do with cyclists). I think that is the crux of the matter, the are crap, rude ,selfish drivers. Weird in a way... the very first time I drove in Sydney I was stunned at how polite the drivers were! If I put my indicator on to change lanes, people gave way to let me in, never seen that in the other cities I drove in. Zebee |
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SMH Article: Sydney: the city that hates bikes
Zebee Johnstone wrote:
In aus.bicycle on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 07:25:41 +1100 Jack Russell wrote: Further on in the same edition is an article quoting Geoff Brabham on how appalling Sydney drivers are Nothing to do with cyclists). I think that is the crux of the matter, the are crap, rude ,selfish drivers. Weird in a way... the very first time I drove in Sydney I was stunned at how polite the drivers were! If I put my indicator on to change lanes, people gave way to let me in, never seen that in the other cities I drove in. Zebee Funny that because my experience is the exact opposite and it is the example I always use of how bad Sydney drivers are!!! -- Remove norubbish to reply |
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SMH Article: Sydney: the city that hates bikes
K.A. Moylan wrote:
A U.S.A. academic was stunned by his experience, observes that "Sydney is one of the developed world's most hostile cities for cycling". Article is in the URL http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/sydney-the...-20100312-q45h. html I was surprised that it was *worse* that Texas and the south-east states of U.S.A. I couldn't say if Sydney was any beter or worse than any other city simply cos I have never ridden anywhere else. The way I see it is that given the total number of motor vehicles which go past me as I am riding versus the number of negative sentiments expressed by drivers that go past me, my personal experiences have largely been good with a few minor exceptions. Like all statistical claims, I am a bit wary of that academic's sample population including my own included |
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SMH Article: Sydney: the city that hates bikes
In aus.bicycle on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 11:27:34 +1100
Jack Russell wrote: Zebee Johnstone wrote: In aus.bicycle on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 07:25:41 +1100 Jack Russell wrote: Further on in the same edition is an article quoting Geoff Brabham on how appalling Sydney drivers are Nothing to do with cyclists). I think that is the crux of the matter, the are crap, rude ,selfish drivers. Weird in a way... the very first time I drove in Sydney I was stunned at how polite the drivers were! If I put my indicator on to change lanes, people gave way to let me in, never seen that in the other cities I drove in. Zebee Funny that because my experience is the exact opposite and it is the example I always use of how bad Sydney drivers are!!! I see it all the time on my commute. I suspect it is because a Sydney driver will indicate and go, so if you don't give way you get hit... but they do give way. I do see people hesitating, you don't get a huge time window to make your changes so if you dither they will give up and think you don't want to change lanes. Zebee |
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SMH Article: Sydney: the city that hates bikes
"K.A. Moylan" wrote in message ... A U.S.A. academic was stunned by his experience, observes that "Sydney is one of the developed world's most hostile cities for cycling". Article is in the URL http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/sydney-the...-20100312-q45h. html Gee, that is a hard one. Sounds awfully subjective and therefore open to all sorts of biases. I would like to see what objective criteria you would use to decide if Sydney drivers are more hostile than drivers elsewhere. And then what scientific method would you use? |
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SMH Article: Sydney: the city that hates bikes
Zebee Johnstone wrote:
In aus.bicycle on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 07:25:41 +1100 Weird in a way... the very first time I drove in Sydney I was stunned at how polite the drivers were! If I put my indicator on to change lanes, people gave way to let me in, never seen that in the other cities I drove in. Zebee I have to agree Zebee. I've done three Audax rides and various other activities down in Sydney in recent months. The drivers were splendid. I think I had two pinheads use their horns in 800km, all the other drivers were amazingly polite, skilled and intelligent. Definitely not what I was told to expect. Peter |
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SMH Article: Sydney: the city that hates bikes
"Zebee Johnstone" wrote in message ... In aus.bicycle on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 07:25:41 +1100 Jack Russell wrote: Further on in the same edition is an article quoting Geoff Brabham on how appalling Sydney drivers are Nothing to do with cyclists). I think that is the crux of the matter, the are crap, rude ,selfish drivers. Weird in a way... the very first time I drove in Sydney I was stunned at how polite the drivers were! If I put my indicator on to change lanes, people gave way to let me in, never seen that in the other cities I drove in. Zebee Commuters and peak hour drivers seem to be more polite. The traffic is so clogged in sydney at these times, that drivers seem to be resigned to the fact that they are going to be slowed down anyway. At weekends and other times when the hoons and yahoos are about, it is a different story. |
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SMH Article: Sydney: the city that hates bikes
Jack Russell wrote:
Zebee Johnstone wrote: In aus.bicycle on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 07:25:41 +1100 Jack Russell wrote: Further on in the same edition is an article quoting Geoff Brabham on how appalling Sydney drivers are Nothing to do with cyclists). I think that is the crux of the matter, the are crap, rude ,selfish drivers. Weird in a way... the very first time I drove in Sydney I was stunned at how polite the drivers were! If I put my indicator on to change lanes, people gave way to let me in, never seen that in the other cities I drove in. Zebee Funny that because my experience is the exact opposite and it is the example I always use of how bad Sydney drivers are!!! Sydney drivers are as polite and accommodating as they need to be, and not one iota more. They have evolved into a compliant yet malevolent herd. But I feel sorry for some of them. It's like a kind of Locked In Syndrome, not entirely their own choice. Locked In the steel cage, and locked in the traffic lanes, between the car in front and the bus behind, fantasising about Kakadu panoramas or rally car leaps. The promises of manufacturer advertising, and state government indolence limit their alternatives and vision. The default is to trust RTA plans. That should be enough of a threat to evoke better solutions, but sadly it hasn't ever happened in Sydney. In a sense I don't care much, because I'm not locked into the lanes and the cages. 30 minutes walk to an office on the harbour and back is just fine. Can be done without even one traffic light. Cycling is an option, but 3K isn't long enough. OTOH, I'd like the drivers to wake up and get a personality beyond grumpiness. Something they may well have when they recover from their commute. My pedestrian adventures include observing faces of drivers. And occasionally, very occasionally, I see a smile. Tomasso. |
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