LOOK … New York City Bicycle Safety Coalition
Aushiker | June 25, 2009 9:36 pm
This bicycle safety coalition cyclist safety video says it all. We all need to remember to LOOK. Please share this message with all your friends, family and colleagues.
Archive for the 'Commuting and Recreational' category
3 Feet Campaign … Worth a Shot in Western Australia?
Aushiker | June 12, 2009 12:03 pm
Road.cc recently blogged on the arrival of the US originated campaign, “3 Feet Please” in the United Kingdom and I was curious about whether such a campaign would work here. Would we need a metric jersey for example or would we understand what three feet means?
Joe Mizereck who is behind the “3 Feet Please” campaign states that
It’s my hope that this “3 Feet Please” jersey will remind drivers across the world to share the roads that belong to all of us and to give us at least 3 feet clearance as they pass. This will make our riding safer and far more enjoyable. But most importantly, it will reduce the numbers of cyclists who are injured or worse killed.
The jersey can be brought from 3feetplease.com for ~US$60.00 plus postage and it can be purchased without the “Its The Law” slogan on the front if you so wish as its not a specific legal requirement in Western Australia to maintain a specified distance. However, road safety material does suggest a minimum gap of 1 metre and there are laws against negligent driving.
So would you wear one of these jerseys? Do you think it is a worthwhile campaign? Other thoughts on it? Please do leave a comment below.
Share with care.
Thanks to the efforts of Rolandp at the Australian Cycling Forums, there is now a Google map of the Perth Bicycle Network grants for 2008-2009. That is Rolandp’s map shows us where the grant monies have been allocated and what projects have been completed.
If you have information on any of the projects, i.e., its status, please add the details to the thread at Australian Cycling Forums. This way Rolandp can use your contributions to update the map.
To get more information on a particular area, just click on an icon for a dialogue box to open.
View DPI Grants 2008/09 in a larger map
Federal Parliament Committee Encourages Development of Cycle Friendly Communities
Aushiker | June 3, 2009 9:35 pm
The Commonwealth Parliament’s House of Representative’s Health Committee has via its report on obesity in Australia called for better urban design of our cities and suburbs to encourage people to be active and a greater focus on teaching children the importance of healthy eating and exercise.
The Committee’s full report, titled, Weighing it up: Obesity in Australia can be downloaded by clicking here.
The Committee’s press release announcing the report is reproduced below with my emphasis.
Better urban design of our cities and suburbs to encourage people to be active and a greater focus on teaching children the importance of healthy eating and exercise are key recommendations of the House of Representative’s Health Committee’s report Weighing it up released last night.
The Committee has called for national urban planning guidelines that encourage bicycle and pedestrian friendly communities and more facilities for physical activity. The Committee would also like more support for school and community programs that teach children and adults to grow, prepare and eat fresh fruit and vegetables as an alternative to high fat, high sugar and high salt foods.
These are two of 20 recommendations made by the Committee in order to help counter the growing numbers of overweight and obese people in Australia. Latest figures indicate that over half of the adults in Australia are overweight or obese.
“This has significant health and economic implications for the country,” said Committee Chair Mr Steve Georganas MP (Member for Hindmarsh). “Evidence to the Committee suggests that obesity cost the Australian economy over $8 billion in 2008. This includes the costs to the health system as a result of rising rates of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and the complications associated with surgery and other interventions.”
Mr Georganas stressed that the Committee wanted to send a positive message about tackling the problem. “There are terrific programs and projects, encouraging people to eat more nutritious food and to do more exercise. Councils are putting in walking trails and facilities, school programs are making it easier for children to walk to school and community groups are setting up exercise sessions for all ages,” Mr Georganas said.
Other recommendations by the Committee include:
- the food industry and government jointly develop guidelines to reformulate food (lowering sugar, salt and fats in processed food) and develop consistent nutritional advice on food labels;
- governments gather more detailed information on the weight of Australians and their levels of physical activity;
- developing better public health campaigns about obesity and the benefits of healthy lifestyles;
- continued support for the Federal Government’s Active After School Communities Program;
- the Treasurer to consider tax incentives to improve the affordability of fresh healthy food and access to physical activity;
- better regulation of weight loss products and programs; and
- establishment of a registry of bariatric surgery (various surgical procedures to assist in weight loss).
Of course this is just a committee report and committee reports often get buried, but at least it is a start and we have discussion on the topic of obesity and exercise including cycling and walking infrastructure. That has to be a good thing, no?
Fat May on the Bike
Aushiker | June 1, 2009 8:52 pmMay 2009 has come to an end and I would thought I would reflect back on the month in terms of my cycling. A last minute decision tonight, so not sure how much I will remember of the month. First some statistics, hey I am an accounting lecturer so this stuff works for me. Thanks to BikeJournal.com and ProLog Cycling for assisting me in gathering all this stuff. Oh the summary of my numbers for 2009 can be found here.
On to May, I rode 1,610 kilometres which is 38% more than I did in May 2008 and I am averaging 380 kilometres a week. On the downside I was a fraction slower … blaming the Surly for that one. Also I started the month weighing in at 92 kg and ended it feeling very fat at 92.8 kg. Interesting but, my average weight over the month was 92.43 kg compared to 93.33 in April. I really need to get myself focused on reducing my weight this year. Well there is June …
Other highlights/downs from the month:
- Completed a 100 km UAF 100 group ride with Audax Western Australia;
- Completed a 100 km ride with some time in the hills again with Audax Western Australia. My second only hills ride and I am starting to like them hills;
- Experienced my first assault whilst riding a bike, in fact my first real assault;
- Changed my standard route to Joondalup to now riding along West Coast Highway and Marmion Avenue both ways. It works okay in the morning most days but I am not so sure about the return ride. Traffic is not so friendly.
- Not enjoying the headwinds albeit lighter in the mornings and afternoons … maybe those summer southerlies weren’t so bad after all;
- Feeling fat fat at imes this month, even though I did get down to 91.10 kg I just lost it and now back at 92.8 kg. I really need to get this weight loss happening thing, for my physical health, my mental health and to just improve my riding experience;
- Ranked 77th in the world at BikeJournal.com and 4th in the Bicycles Network Australia Club at BikeJournal.com.
