[Matc]

Not to mention solving the health issues hitting the developed world. The UK is now meant to be the most overweight nation in Europe. We have such a culture here of not walking. People will get in the car for a few minutes instead of walking a mile.

[housefinch]

I hope this link works.
This is a short example of a cycle street in Vancouver Canada, it has a convenient button designed for cyclists, ie the button faces the street at the curb, it activates a traffic signal ($60,000) to stop motorists. It is a quite side street well signed that runs parallel to a major commuting corridor. Vancouver has lots of such examples.

For WestCoasters here its the intersection of Adanac & Commercial recorded on Dec 8 '06 at 6:30pm. Everyone is polite. I've sexed it up abit Hollywood North Style. Its about 40secs long.

Video of because the nite cycles - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

o7O

[Dreamweaverr]

I thought all of you might like to see this link. I have personal pics of this too but have to get a new scanner to get them in here. The Netherlands is very public transportation friendly and very geared towards cyclists and bromfiets (motor bikes). Some areas have their own two lane bike paths,. I remember one in a suburb of The Hague called Wassenaar that ran alongside the regular road and looked like a little highway for cyclists. Even when I was small I thought that was really cool. Their motorists are taught to have respect for the cyclists and there are laws to protect both the cyclists and the drivers.There are signs that give the cyclists the right of way too along with pedestrians.

The link is to one of the Delft (yes where the pottery is made), train stations. They have not only parking for automobiles but large areas where you can park bicycles. It is quite amazing to see the masses of parked bicycles . One shot I have shows a whole side area full of bikes, its own parking lot. Many people ride around on old clunkers which work just fine and aren't as likely to get stolen.

Google Image Result for http://nolantravels3.home.att.net/ampic25.jpg

[housefinch]

I stumbled across this YouTube PSA and wanted to share it with this community. It gets a 10 out of 10 from me.

YouTube - Bicycle Boulevards

Any one else know of similar media?

o7O

[housefinch]

More bicycle options...

YouTube - Dutch Quest For Practical Bicycles

I like the Dutch options. But in fact this is the way I've gone.

BOB Trailers and Strollers

o7O

[housefinch]

Another example of a friendly cycling society

YouTube - Amsterdam: The Bicycling Capitol of Europe

o7O

[housefinch]

Thought I'd try to share this link

Australians embrace pedal power

By Phil Mercer
BBC News, Sydney



Sales of bicycles have doubled in Australia since 1998


Australia's love affair with the bicycle just keeps getting stronger.
Sales of new bikes are at record levels, and Australians now buy more bikes every year than new cars.
A desire to stay healthy along with concern about the environment and rising petrol costs are driving this pedal-pushing revolution.
"Parents are increasingly aware of the epidemic of obesity among children," said Ian Christie from Australia's Cycling Promotion Fund, which represents Australia's bicycle industry.
The nation's waistlines are bulging as never before.
A quarter of Australian children are overweight or obese. Within a couple of decades that figure could reach a whopping 50%.
Diet and exercise are key factors and youngsters are being urged to saddle up.
"Cycling gets kids fit, cuts traffic on our roads and reduces global warming," Ian Christie told the BBC. "Everyone's a winner."
Cycling groups want many more school children to ride to school.

I've had a fair few problems with traffic. You can guarantee every time you go for a cycle there's going to be a close call of some sort


Jason Hill
Cyclist


Those that currently do are very much in the minority, about 5%, despite most children living within a kilometre of the school gates.
Campaigners want that proportion to swell to 80% - up to where it was in the 1970s.
Climate change
Sam Powrie from the Bicycle Institute of South Australia, a long-standing advocacy organisation, believes that a new bike age is rapidly approaching.
"The Australian public has been profoundly influenced by the whole climate change debate," Mr Powrie explained from his office in Adelaide.
"The whole oil depletion phenomena is scaring the living daylights out of many Australians and they're desperately seeking more sustainable ways to live and the bicycle is a very obvious solution," he said.
A record 1.3 million cycles were sold in Australia last year and sales have almost doubled since 1998.
Jason Hill, a 31-year-old IT worker, bought his mountain bike a few months ago.
He described riding on Sydney's busy and often unforgiving streets as "a bit nerve-wracking."
"I've had a fair few problems with traffic," he said.
"You can guarantee every time you go for a cycle there's going to be a close call of some sort."
Road rage is a very big issue.
One Sydney driver said cyclists "were like rats" who had no place on the roads.
Battleground
As far as the law is concerned bike riders have as much right to be on the streets as motorists.
Some Lycra-clad cyclists have been accused of being arrogant and aggressive.
Activists ride naked to raise awareness of cyclists' vulnerability


"I think both sides think they own the road," said Jason Hill. "Everyone needs to relax a little."
He is not wrong. Australia's roads can be battlegrounds between those on two and four wheels.
In Adelaide, Sam Powrie said cyclists had been pelted with stale sandwiches and eggs.
One unprovoked attack last year left a close friend disabled.
"A very large lump of wood was thrown at him very forcefully at close range from a passing car by a group of young people," recounted Mr Powrie.
"He careened into a parked car. He had multiple upper body fractures, a major neck and head injuries and the disabling results of that continue with him today."
"It was a deliberate attempt to kill or maim," he said.
Highlighting the vulnerability of cyclists as well as environmental issues are key concerns for groups of nude activists.
In March, campaigners in Australia will join others in New Zealand and South America for a unique day of action.
"We're taking all our clothes off to say we're defenceless against vehicles that will hit us," said Marte Kinder, the coordinator of Australia's World Naked Bike Ride.
"Clothes aren't going to save our lives. We might as well be naked." "When we ride without our clothes on we get respect," he said defiantly.

o7O

[workinman]

i wish i lived somewhere were biking was more practical. i love riding. go mountain biking atleast once every other week.. to bad i have to load up my bike in the car and drive to the trails!

[horselover]

Yeah, that certainly is a disadvantage.

We have bike paths in the city, although they're usually filled with rollerbladers and people walking or jogging. Makes it hard to ride sometimes.

[burntsunshine]

That is awesome. Now if only I was half decent at managing a bike, and there was somewhere I could ride it without breaking ten laws and not running over pedestrians! I wouldn't trust myself, driving a car out here is scary enough.

--burntsunshine