critical mass - Melbourne

Phuong L

Personally, I don't think is quite correct. Firstly, Saturday's rally was brought about by an incident which led cyclists to say "enough is enough". CM on the other hand is a regular 'rally' to protest cyclist's rights to using the road. Technically it is (or was intended to be) a coincidence where cyclists just happen to be cycling in the same direction, legally using the roads (ie cycling in one land of traffic with 2 abreast on what happens to be the whole side of one road because there are so many cyclists). Secondly, Saturday's rally was well publicised with the case and media in all four states. CM on the other hand isn't publicised and so when motorists get held up for... I don't know... 2-3 minutes (if not less), they don't quite understand why and so get upset because a bunch of cyclists are inconveniencing them.


This may be the case, but it's the best time we can make our statement. Without publicity, cycling in the middle of the night where no-one will see us or notice us will not generate much discussion whatsoever. What motorists seem to mistake is the level of delay they experience. CM Sydney is aware of peak-hour traffic and we cycle on main roads only to a certain degree and only for a short period and then turn off in order to let traffic flow again. Cars may have to wait for an extra cycle at the traffic lights, but that's all. We try to avoid cycling on bus lanes and stop for pedestrians because we value these methods of transport.


But why is it that work is held in higher regard than "leisure/persuits"? But besides that, the times chosen to conduct a ride are a convenient time for Massers. We study/work too and many finish around 5pm. Having CM start in the city at around 6pm would ensure a larger turnout because people could just go directly there after work.

Just a thought - why don't motorists drive home from work at a later time? They'll avoid peak-hour traffic and won't inconvenience any cyclists on the roads. They can do it on the last Friday of every month! That's what sharing the road is all about, isn't it? I know I try not to cycle on major roads during peak hours, so why can't motorists do the same but just for one day of every month?

rooman

The fundamental principal across all these threads, whether it relates to CM, WheelsofJustice, anything regarding forward motion, in essence, I believe, is this........

TIME,

humankind has a problem with time... when, each considers he/she is delayed....this is driven by a desire to be some where else, a desire that overrides any consideration that the other 6 Billion of us also want to be some where else too, so rather than allowing give and take, managing time so that we all can orderly and safely traverse distance over time, humankind is selfish, it inately demands the space of others to allow it to traverse distance to beat time...... got that?

There are 86,400 seconds in a day.....what is 10 or 20 of them ?, each time a pedestrian, cyclist , other motorists, wants , needs to have some of your seconds....hey people, just give them some....take that time to relax, recover, and thank your god that you still have that time to just ponder that thought....not like all those who have had their lives taken by greedy members of our species who JUST WONT SHARE TIME, because of ignorance or attitude.

We, (human kind) as a major contributor to this planet's ills are also its custodian, we can contribute to healing earth in one little way (among so many others), by sustainable transport, and we can contribute to our greater enjoyment of the time we have on this rock, by healthier persuits in our form of transport (cycling) when it is practical, desireable , or necessary....

It has become necessary, that "more people cycle more often", and any occasion to remind us all that we have 86,000 + seconds in everyday" is a bonus.

remember the next time you are driving, walking or riding, just give some time back, and coupled with also giving 1 meter of space...so consider 86,000 as a mantra to resort to...it may just save your life !!!!!!!

86,400...dig it ?

ROO

__________________


I think..that the greatest benefit to cyclists would ensue if government were to..gradually signify and produce society's view that cycling is a legitimate form of roadway transportation, open to all on an equal basis of proper skills and responsibilities that are easily attained and exercised.(John Forester)

SomeGuy

I'd be interested to know just how much slowing effect critical mass has. Being a Friday night, the traffic is already moving at a crawl in many places, to the extent that the mass will often get caught up behind other traffic.



Which is why we present them with an alternative .



Because many people on CM are in the CBD at 5:30pm because they have just finished work? That was what it originally started out as, a ride home in a group for safety.



Unduly held up? What is so undue about having to share the road with other users? You could of course state that it is Critical Mass which refuses to share, but I haven't seen any massers riding their bikes into motorists, or screaming abuse at them. Not to mention for the rest of the month we quitely hide away in our tiny little bike lanes, which does of course lessen traffic congestion. The real undue holding up, to my eyes anyway, is people driving their cars when a bike is a real and valid alternative.



No, the tunnel encourages people to drive. We don't need more road infrastructre, we need to be trying to get people <i>not</i> to drive. If all the money spent on city link had gone into encouraging people to use public transport and/or bikes (more bike routes and cheaper fares), Melbourne would be far better off. If you want to know why, take a look at cities like Sydney. There is a simply a limit to how many cars you can get in and out of a small space (CBD), and Sydney has reached that. Should we really be spending money encouraging more people to drive into the city?

smartie

The infrastructure being created in Melbourne is to move traffic around the CBD. This is where the big problem with traffic is, not into Melbourne proper. The freeways (tollways) have been created to ease congestion on other major roads. Anyone who has seen the beneficial impact on Bell St. once the Eastern Freeway was extended would have to agree. Leaving cars to have their own roadway and bikes a much improved roadway with less congestion.

I don't travel into the city very often, but when i was for uni, i'd catch a train as it is a much better proposition and if i was still travelling, the train is the only way to go.

It is ludicrous to tell someone that has to travel 50+ kilometers to work each day to ride a bike. This would add approximately 4 hours+ to their day which is in my opinion unreasonable for anyone to ask. (The train still looks good). Saying that you offer a real and valid alternative is not a reason but an excuse to justify your actions as your alternative is not a practical one for the majority of people.

I may seem to be playing Devils Advocate on this issue, but people must realize there is no simple solution to the traffic problem on the road and making motorists pay for the ideals of others is not a solution. Cars are not going to go away and it is only going to get worse until drivers realize there is a better method (re. public transport) and unfortunately beating them over the head with a bike pump is not going to change their priorities.

I have not taken cycling as a valid means of transport as the idea of leaving home at 6am and getting home at 8pm is not what i'd believe to be palatable for most people. Believe it or not the public transport system in Melbourne is quite good but if a stack of money was spent on it there would only be another interset group whinging that it should be spent elsewhere.

Critical Mass have a right to ride, i just believe they should use common sense in their rides and not try to force their ideals onto people whose ideals and/or priorities differ from thos of CM.

__________________
"I'm most dangerous when i'm cornered. I fall to pieces so quickly people get hit by the shrapnel." - Zaphod Beeblebrox, Galactic President.

SomeGuy

But we aren't. What % of people have those kind of commutes every day? A large number of people drive short distances every day. These are people who could be riding bikes, but don't for whatever reason.



What's the source for your claim? Studies generally find that cycle commuting is actually faster in a large number of cases. Now all I have to do is link you to one so I don't look like a hypocrit :P.

Also while riding 100k each day is certainly a lot, I dispute that it would add 4 hours to travelling times. A fit cyclist would probably take around 2.5 hours each way. To drive or train the same distance would be take 1-2 hours, so in fact the ride would probably add 1-3 hours (I'd put money on it being closer to one), not 4.



It's interesting you say this, because I often find that I can ride places faster than I can get there by train. For example a friend of mine lives in Kallista, about 50ks from me in Brunswick. Riding from my local train station in Anstey to Belgrave station takes about 2 hours and 15 minutes. The train ride is more like 2 hours 30 minutes - and costs $7 each way.



And I could argue that we do. In the end I guess we will just have to agree to disagree .

jcjordan

I would suspect that the time to work would very much depend on the route that you were able to take.

I ride to work 2 days a week, 2 on the train and drive one. I should also point out that I leave at the same time each day, 0600.

To work is 38km and takes me about 1hr 10 min on the bike, about 1hr 30min by train and 1hr by car. The interesting part is that I ride the exact same route I drive.

Going home I am normally going to a mates place so I can extend the route so I do about 50-60km on average. The thing is that this takes me about 2hrs; because I have to climb some hills to get home (namely one big one which is 3.5km long at a average of 4%).

I will admit that flying down Cross road at 35+ km/hr and seeing the cars sitting still always makes me smile. I have even gotten abused by a wanker in his V8 monstrosity because he was going slower then me.

Now I am not really fit, but I do over 250km a week on average. Not everyone wants to do that much though.

I am a firm believer that terrain would be one of the key factors in whether people would consider using a bike to commute to work. Well I have put my 2c in.

__________________
"Pain does not last, bones heal and chicks dig scars"

Phuong L

... but it's not ludicrous to tell someone to drive a polluting, traffic-congesting motor vehicle 50+km every day? Like SomeGuy said, we're not telling them to bike 50+km to work. We're telling them to use a more sustainable method of transport, especially in the city where there is not enough room for every single person to drive a motor vehicle. In Sydney, the public transport system currently sucks and so there have been plans to building another motorway. This is not a solution. We need the government to divert the money planned to build more motorways into public transport so fewer people will feel the need to drive their cars.

Just thought I'd help back up your claim
Refer to page 9 of the draft national cycling strategy which can be downloaded at:
www.abc.dotars.gov.au/downloads/NationalCyclingStrategy_Draft_12April2005.pdf
(863kb)

"A high number of car trips in Australia's largest cities are less than 5km long. In many cases, these trips could be undertaken by bicycle - given appropriate changes in community attitudes and the travel environment.

City; Proportion of car trips below 3km; Proportion of car trips below 5km
Brisbane 37% 54%
Sydney 25% 42%
Melbourne 37% 52%"

I was cycling home yesterday (Friday) afternoon at 5:30pm and was crossing Cleveland Road in Sydney. Traffic was at an absolutely standsill with cars lined up all the way down the road. Why weren't people complaining about all the motorists congesting the whole road and slowing other motorists down? But when bicyclists do it (especially that one time each month), it's a different matter! As a minority we get picked on. People are afraid of change and don't like pointing out their own flaws.