Bicycle Network CEO Craig Richards is in Adelaide for the Velo-City Global 2014 conference this week and reporting daily highlights here on the Ride On blog. See his summary from day two.
Adelaide’s put 400 metres of separated facilities in a city street and as always—it’s causing a bit of a stink. This morning I went to check it out on the way to the VeloCity Big Bike Ride Brekky.
It’s a ride in traffic to get there. I must say I was a bit relieved waiting at the traffic lights to enter the new lane. I was shocked back into reality when the black Commodore next to me took off in a fish-tailing burnout that narrowly missed the concrete.
The lane itself is great, plenty of width. The decision makers need to hang tough and focus on the big picture. I have no doubt their data will show only a miniscule time difference for drivers and a huge increase in the number of people moving down the road.
The Big Bike Ride Brekky brought out the usual happy bike crowd of people who were dressed to impress.
What these folks do between events is anyone’s guess.
Our Bike Futures Manager Bashful Bart couldn’t miss the chance to introduce himself to the amazing Anna Mears. I’m pleased to say she was incredibly genuine and as big a champion off the track as on it.
After a banana and bacon breakfast, Adelaide got a taste of the future as a few hundred riders took to the streets. Talkback radio was alight with complaints from motorists. Sorry folks you’d better get used to it—sooner than you think this is how it will be every day.
At one session, a speaker was a last minute scratching. No problems, our own Bashful Bart, jumped on stage, whipped out his usb and without any preparation filled the gap. That’s the Bicycle Network ‘can do’ spirit at work.
One thing is clear from this conference. The people in the room believe in bikes. They want to change the world. They also want to do it together. The big question is will change come quickly enough.
Tomorrow I’ll try and convince them to make a start by writing to Tony Abbott as part of our Please, Tony campaign. We’ll then find out whether the conference is just a dislocation of normal life or a catalyst for change.
To learn more about or join Bicycle Network’s ‘Please, Tony!’ campaign visit bicyclenetwork.com.au
One thought on “1”