The week’s top bike news from around the world, brought to you every Friday.
Local news
Bikes booming in inner Sydney
According to the 2013 Australian Bicycle Council Report, 31,600 residents in the City of Sydney are getting on their bikes each week—that’s twice the national average. The inner-city has also seen a 113% increase in the number of people riding since 2010, largely thanks to substantial development of the city’s bike network.
On your best behaviour
A new guide to sharing Victoria’s roads, The Shared Roads and Paths Code of Conduct, was launched this week and includes 25 behaviours to observe in spaces where bikes mix with pedestrian and motorised traffic. The guidelines were compiled by the Amy Gillett Foundation in consultation with key transport groups and stakeholders. You can view a copy of the guidelines here.
Bike hero warned about taking law into his own hands
A man who has knowingly been buying stolen bikes off the street and returning them to their rightful owners by posting them on Gumtree is being hailed as a hero by the bike community. However, police have warned him that knowingly receiving stolen goods is technically illegal, and he should have gone straight to the police when he first suspected foul play.
International news
London car-free in 20 years?
Leading UK architect, Lord Rogers, thinks so. He believes the city will become more people and bike friendly, stating: “By the year 2033—my 100th birthday—you’re looking at a widespread ban on cars, certainly in the centre of town… Hopefully it will become a people space rather than the car space it currently is.”
Vote bike
Candidates int he New York mayoral election are vying for the bike vote, with even candidate Anthony Weiner, who had previously promised to tear out bike lanes, now offering a tax break to employers who encourage staff to ride to work and boasting of his subscription to the city’s bike share scheme.
Bikes reach for the sky
A team of engineers from Toronto University have won the Igor Sikorsky prize worth $U250,000 for building a human powered flying machine capable of rising three metres into the air. Their device was designed around a bicycle with wings spanning almost 50 metres and the team are now focusing on designing a super light weight bike capable of reaching speeds of up to 120km/h.
Health
Cause on chronic disease turned on its head
Health studies in the US are turning away from medical classifications and positioning the causes of chronic disease within the ‘built-environment’.
Video
Sydney rolls through winter
How does winter affect people’s ride to work? Rideable has put together this video of maps and stats to show how Sydneysiders roll through the cooler months.
[vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/68554982 w=500&h=281]
Rideable winter visualisation June 4th 2013 from Rideable Bike on Vimeo.
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