Planning for Active Transport

Posted on November 16, 2018 by WATAG

Safer and more vital cities.

Register now for a meeting on Tuesday 20th November,  to discuss how YOUR city can be safer and more vital. See below for details.

A recent post advised of the new book Building the Cycling City by Chris & Melissa Bruntlett from Modacity.com9781610918794

This book should be compulsory reading for all Australian urban planners and city councillors. It’s about much more than just cycling – it’s about how the Dutch blueprint for Active Transport infrastructure to build urban vitality, CAN be translated and used in car-clogged US and Australian cites too.

The authors were the keynote speakers at the recent Australian Walking and Cycling Conference in Bendigo.

Chris & Melissa are giving a presentation and launching their book in Melbourne. If you have anything to do with planning for a safe and vital city, register now to attend.

When:  6:00pm, Tuesday 20 November

Where: Bicycle Network Melbourne HQ, Level 4, 246 Bourke Street, Melbourne, 3000

Register Here

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Free choice advocated

Posted on October 31, 2018 by WATAG

Bicycle Network wants a change to Australia’s helmet laws

In all Australian states and territories (excluding Northern Territory), it is currently mandatory for people to wear a helmet whenever and wherever they ride a bike.

Bicycle Network is recommending that mandatory bicycle helmet laws be relaxed with a five-year trial permitting people older than 17 to choose whether they wear a helmet when riding on footpaths or off-road cycle paths.

The full report with the recommendations, together with the study data can be read here.

Posted in Active transport, Cycling, Disability, Hazards, Health, Safety | Leave a comment

More people driving change

Posted on October 29, 2018 by WATAG

Build it and they’ll come

“Traffic models predict more driving, you build more roads & more people drive. But would they have driven more without the new roads?” – @BrentToderian

Posted in Active transport, Motor cars, trucks | Leave a comment

Riding Safely

Posted on October 28, 2018 by WATAG

You can help by being proactive about safety on a bike.

Lights and hi visibility clothing.

Research has shown a whopping 270% increase in driver recognition of a cyclist with a flashing rear light compared to without, while another study revealed a 33% decrease in accidents for cyclists equipped with daytime running lights.

Check out this report on a series of experiments to better understand how bicyclists can better be seen by drivers both during daytime and nighttime via the use of lights and high-visibility apparel.

Helmets

Bicycle Network has conducted a study to review their policy regarding mandatory helmet laws in Australia and had an article about this in the latest In The Loop online magazine. They will announce their policy on 31st October.

Researchers at University of NSW have also very recently completed the following academic study Bicycle Helmets: Systematic Reviews on Legislation, Effects of Legislation on Cycling Exposure, and Risk Compensation.

Its quite a long paper of 130 pages, but the findings are summarised in the 3½ page  Executive Summary. It’s worth reading.

 

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Walking with Wheels

Posted on October 26, 2018 by WATAG

Can the Dutch Strategy for Cycling Work in North America?

dqzzsuwuuaa9wb4“Rather than view cyclists as little cars, we should view them as pedestrians with wheels. Then cycling no longer becomes about fitness or speed—it just becomes a slightly faster way of walking, albeit with wheels.”

Chris & Melissa Bruntlett @Modacitylife – Keynote speakers at Australian Walking and Cycling Conference, Bendigo and authors of “Building the Cycling City“.

Click here for the answer to the above question, and replace “America” with “Australia”.

 

Posted in Active transport, Cycling, Health, Motor cars, trucks, Public transport, Sustainable development, Walking | Leave a comment