Comments on: The trouble with special events is that they’re special

By: Karsten Schwardt

Karsten Schwardt — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 10:58:40 +0000

Nice post. I am cycling in Auckland and councils here seem to completely ignore our plight, but for a few marginalised councillors. Every now and then they do a cycle breakfast: Get on your bike and have a coffee and a bun on Aotea Square. Similar to the one-off events in Birmingham you are describing. I’ve never been to one, I wouldn’t know why.

The new supercity (amalgamation of many councils into one) isn’t going to help matters either. It’s designed to make building more roads for more car easier. And in the middle is a big bridge across the Waitemata harbour that is exclusive to cars and condemns cyclists to infrequent ferry services.

Things are changing slowly though. I see more people smiling instead of yelling or honking. And there is a campaign to get cycle lanes on the bridge, thanks to the good people at getacross.org.nz. Check out this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXxqApsFMNI about cycle lanes on the harbour bridge.
Still a long way to go…

By: Ls

Ls — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 00:50:14 +0000

Also, Sky Ride was cool (despite reservations beforehand) but why only once a year? If Bogota, Colombia can do it every Sunday (see Ciclovia on YouTube) why can’t Birmingham? At least during the Summer months.

By: Ls

Ls — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 00:46:02 +0000

Nice post. The council DOES have the money but they are spending it on car infrastructure as they have done for the last 50 years. The solution is to reduce this by a small amount and allocate it to cycling infrastructure instead. In Copenhagen the figure is 3%. Every year.

The problem is how do we get the people running the city to understand that this is important and would make Birmingham a better place?

By: Jake Dubber

Jake Dubber — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 16:02:16 +0000

Indeed. Actually, they should invent hover cars and let the cyclists have the roads. That would be cool.