Mikael Colville-Andersen - TEDx Copenhagen: "Mikael Colville-Andersen
Why We Shouldn’t Bike with a Helmet"
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Catherine Deveny (CatherineDeveny) on Twitter
"H. G. Wells declared bikes a cure for melancholy. 'When I see an adult on a bicycle, I do not despair for the future of the human race.'"
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Two Successful Cycle Hire Schemes (And One Failure) | This Big City
Two Successful Cycle Hire Schemes (And One Failure) | This Big City
So what went wrong in Melbourne? Due to its compact city centre, Melbourne Bike Share is small compared to international equivalents, coming in at around 600 bikes and 50 docking stations. But with a population of 4 million in the greater Melbourne area, the potential for a large user base still exists. However, the scheme has only been able to manage an average of 183 trips per day – a truly embarrassing figure compared to those of Montréal and London.
The reason for the scheme’s lack of success is as clear as the tyres of its unused bicycles are clean – mandatory cycle helmet laws. In Australia, anyone caught riding a bicycle without a helmet can be fined. Refuse to pay those fines and you can be sent to jail. In London and Montréal, any adult pedestrian can casually hire a bike. In Melbourne, you have to have a bicycle helmet with you at the time. There is no opportunity for unplanned bicycle use. The city may have a population of 4 million, but only a fraction can realistically use its cycle hire scheme.
So what went wrong in Melbourne? Due to its compact city centre, Melbourne Bike Share is small compared to international equivalents, coming in at around 600 bikes and 50 docking stations. But with a population of 4 million in the greater Melbourne area, the potential for a large user base still exists. However, the scheme has only been able to manage an average of 183 trips per day – a truly embarrassing figure compared to those of Montréal and London.
The reason for the scheme’s lack of success is as clear as the tyres of its unused bicycles are clean – mandatory cycle helmet laws. In Australia, anyone caught riding a bicycle without a helmet can be fined. Refuse to pay those fines and you can be sent to jail. In London and Montréal, any adult pedestrian can casually hire a bike. In Melbourne, you have to have a bicycle helmet with you at the time. There is no opportunity for unplanned bicycle use. The city may have a population of 4 million, but only a fraction can realistically use its cycle hire scheme.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Trisled: Records
Trisled: Records: "Trisled's passion for speed is not just a sales pitch. In the past decade, we've put our designs to the test by attempting a range of national and international HPV speed records. Below are a few of our past projects and achievements which have wet our appetite for going fast!"
Friday, June 24, 2011
YouTube - Bicycle Rush Hour Utrecht (Netherlands) III
YouTube - Bicycle Rush Hour Utrecht (Netherlands) III:
"Morning rush hour in the 4th largest city in the Netherlands. Streets look like this when 33% of ALL trips are made by bicycle!
This is an ordinary Wednesday morning in April 2010 at around 8.30 am. Original time was 8 minutes that were compressed into 2 minutes, so everything is 4 times faster than in reality. The sound is original.
This is one of the busiest junctions in Utrecht a city with a population of 300,000. No less than 22,000 bicycles and 2,500 buses pass here every day. And yet Google Street View missed it. Because private motorized traffic is restricted here."
"Morning rush hour in the 4th largest city in the Netherlands. Streets look like this when 33% of ALL trips are made by bicycle!
This is an ordinary Wednesday morning in April 2010 at around 8.30 am. Original time was 8 minutes that were compressed into 2 minutes, so everything is 4 times faster than in reality. The sound is original.
This is one of the busiest junctions in Utrecht a city with a population of 300,000. No less than 22,000 bicycles and 2,500 buses pass here every day. And yet Google Street View missed it. Because private motorized traffic is restricted here."
Bikeleague.org Blog » Blog Archive » Ridership up, crashes down: “Safety in Numbers” in Minneapolis
Bikeleague.org Blog » Blog Archive » Ridership up, crashes down: “Safety in Numbers” in Minneapolis: "Ridership up, crashes down: “Safety in Numbers” in Minneapolis
The average annual number of bicycle/motor vehicle crashes in Minneapolis between 1993 and 1999 was 334. Since 2000, the number has dropped 20 percent to 269.
Why? Are fewer people in Minneapolis riding these days? No.
In fact, according to the US Census and American Community Survey data, the number of Minneapolitans regularly biking to work more than doubled between 1990 and 2008 (3,000 to 8,000). This increase is supported by the city’s counts, which show a 174 percent increase in bicyclists in downtown Minneapolis between 2003 and 2008."
The average annual number of bicycle/motor vehicle crashes in Minneapolis between 1993 and 1999 was 334. Since 2000, the number has dropped 20 percent to 269.
Why? Are fewer people in Minneapolis riding these days? No.
In fact, according to the US Census and American Community Survey data, the number of Minneapolitans regularly biking to work more than doubled between 1990 and 2008 (3,000 to 8,000). This increase is supported by the city’s counts, which show a 174 percent increase in bicyclists in downtown Minneapolis between 2003 and 2008."
Assuming the Worst « Helmet Freedom
Assuming the Worst « Helmet Freedom: "Yesterday, Queensland’s Courier Mail / Sunday Mail published an article on a recent report, produced by CARRS-Q & commissioned by the Queensland Government, on helmet use and the mandatory helmet law in Queensland:
“QUEENSLAND’S tough bicycle helmet laws are here to stay after a report found any relaxation could increase head injury rates by 50 per cent.
The Sunday Mail can reveal the State Government secretly commissioned a $34,000 study into potentially scrapping compulsory helmet laws ahead of the roll-out of Brisbane’s controversial CityCycle scheme and the release of a report questioning the effectiveness of helmets in preventing injury.”
Incidentally, it was the hard work of one of Brisbane’s most proactive Bicycle User Groups (BUG) that actually forced its release, not the paper’s.
While we have previously written about the CARRS-Q report here, it is worth addressing some of the points raised in the Sunday Mail article."
“QUEENSLAND’S tough bicycle helmet laws are here to stay after a report found any relaxation could increase head injury rates by 50 per cent.
The Sunday Mail can reveal the State Government secretly commissioned a $34,000 study into potentially scrapping compulsory helmet laws ahead of the roll-out of Brisbane’s controversial CityCycle scheme and the release of a report questioning the effectiveness of helmets in preventing injury.”
Incidentally, it was the hard work of one of Brisbane’s most proactive Bicycle User Groups (BUG) that actually forced its release, not the paper’s.
While we have previously written about the CARRS-Q report here, it is worth addressing some of the points raised in the Sunday Mail article."
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Laser-made bike lane could save lives
Laser-made bike lane could save lives: "A safety device that projects a bright green laser image of a bike on to the road ahead – alerting motorists to its presence – could be a life saver.
Developed by Emily Brooke, a student at the University of Brighton in England, the invention has won her a place at Babson College in Massachusetts in the US, on an entrepreneurship programme, the university said."
Developed by Emily Brooke, a student at the University of Brighton in England, the invention has won her a place at Babson College in Massachusetts in the US, on an entrepreneurship programme, the university said."
Monday, June 13, 2011
New Inventors: Cruzbike
New Inventors: Cruzbike: "Cruzbike
A recumbent bike with a front wheel drive system that replicates the rear wheel drive system of a regular bike to retain the same efficiencies, while the rider’s weight is nevertheless properly supported. Higher off the ground than most recumbents so less chance of getting run over.
About the Inventor
John Tolhurst of Perth WA
B.Arts Anthropology/Visual Arts, 1984
B.Sc Architecture/Technology, 1986
As a student John’s passion was for architecture and the arts. He was inspired by Buckminster Fuller’s Synergetics and moved by Hassan Fathy’s Architecture for the Poor."
A recumbent bike with a front wheel drive system that replicates the rear wheel drive system of a regular bike to retain the same efficiencies, while the rider’s weight is nevertheless properly supported. Higher off the ground than most recumbents so less chance of getting run over.
About the Inventor
John Tolhurst of Perth WA
B.Arts Anthropology/Visual Arts, 1984
B.Sc Architecture/Technology, 1986
As a student John’s passion was for architecture and the arts. He was inspired by Buckminster Fuller’s Synergetics and moved by Hassan Fathy’s Architecture for the Poor."
The Bicycle Revolution:::West End:::About us
The Bicycle Revolution:::West End:::About us: "What we do
The Bicycle Revolution is dedicated to providing quality custom built recycled and refurbished bicycles for any occasion, from the daily commute to the leisurely weekender.
How we do it
All our bikes start from hand piquality steel frames. They are then professionally sandblasted and powercoated by 'Lewis and Sons Powder-Coating'. Finally they are hand finished and assembled by our qualyfied mechanics and all to your own specification, assuring thet you'll have a truly one of a kind ride."
The Bicycle Revolution is dedicated to providing quality custom built recycled and refurbished bicycles for any occasion, from the daily commute to the leisurely weekender.
How we do it
All our bikes start from hand piquality steel frames. They are then professionally sandblasted and powercoated by 'Lewis and Sons Powder-Coating'. Finally they are hand finished and assembled by our qualyfied mechanics and all to your own specification, assuring thet you'll have a truly one of a kind ride."
New Inventors: COSMOS Bicycle
New Inventors: COSMOS Bicycle: "The COSMOS uses a ‘planetary’ drivetrain (or gear system, or sprocket system). For the purposes of clarity we’ll call them sprockets and hope to reduce the confusion (not to zero confusion – there will be some confusion about this invention – guaranteed).
The pedals in the COSMOS drive a small planetary ‘18’-size sprocket that revolve around an 18 ‘sun’ sprocket . The largest sprocket is a 150, and is attached to and driven directly by the ‘sun’ sprocket.
This ‘150’ is a huge sprocket – you’d never see one on a track simply because you’d never get the thing moving. But with the COSMOS system, it is no harder to pedal than a regular high gear on a racer."
The pedals in the COSMOS drive a small planetary ‘18’-size sprocket that revolve around an 18 ‘sun’ sprocket . The largest sprocket is a 150, and is attached to and driven directly by the ‘sun’ sprocket.
This ‘150’ is a huge sprocket – you’d never see one on a track simply because you’d never get the thing moving. But with the COSMOS system, it is no harder to pedal than a regular high gear on a racer."
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Student-designed bicycle device designed to save lives
Student-designed bicycle device designed to save lives:
"Many people are afraid of riding their bicycles on busy roads full of motorized vehicles, and it's easy to understand why. Not only are bikes slower and offer less protection than cars, but they can also be more difficult for drivers to notice. A device invented by a British design student, however, could help level the playing field a little. It's called BLAZE, and it alerts drivers to the presence of a cyclist by projecting a laser image onto the road in front of the bicycle.
'Eighty per cent of cycle accidents occur when bicycles travel straight ahead and a vehicle maneuvers into them,' said Emily Brooke, a final-year Product Design student at the University of Brighton. 'The most common contributory factor is 'failed to look properly' on the part of a vehicle driver. The evidence shows the bike simply is not seen on city streets.'
She designed BLAZE in order to get those cyclists seen. The device mounts on the handlebars of a bicycle (or a motorcycle or scooter), from where it shoots a bright green sharrow (shared lane) symbol onto the road, several feet ahead of the cyclist. That symbol is visible even in daylight, and can be made to flash on and off."
"Many people are afraid of riding their bicycles on busy roads full of motorized vehicles, and it's easy to understand why. Not only are bikes slower and offer less protection than cars, but they can also be more difficult for drivers to notice. A device invented by a British design student, however, could help level the playing field a little. It's called BLAZE, and it alerts drivers to the presence of a cyclist by projecting a laser image onto the road in front of the bicycle.
'Eighty per cent of cycle accidents occur when bicycles travel straight ahead and a vehicle maneuvers into them,' said Emily Brooke, a final-year Product Design student at the University of Brighton. 'The most common contributory factor is 'failed to look properly' on the part of a vehicle driver. The evidence shows the bike simply is not seen on city streets.'
She designed BLAZE in order to get those cyclists seen. The device mounts on the handlebars of a bicycle (or a motorcycle or scooter), from where it shoots a bright green sharrow (shared lane) symbol onto the road, several feet ahead of the cyclist. That symbol is visible even in daylight, and can be made to flash on and off."
Biggest loser: tradie style - Health - News - Melbourne Leader
Biggest loser: tradie style - Health - News - Melbourne Leader:
"STU-E Corkran couldn’t have been happier for his tradie mates to call him a loser.
Mr Corkran, 45, lost 21kg, to edge out seven other tradies and earn the title of the Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union’s biggest loser.
In the final weigh-in at a construction site at RMIT University today, Corkran tipped the scales at 93kg - a shade of his former 114kg frame.
For his weight turnaround, Mr Corkran won a trophy, a $5000 travel voucher, and the right to brag about wearing lycra.
“I’ve been riding the pushbike into work as part of my training and I’ve worn the lycra into construction sites,” he said."
"STU-E Corkran couldn’t have been happier for his tradie mates to call him a loser.
Mr Corkran, 45, lost 21kg, to edge out seven other tradies and earn the title of the Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union’s biggest loser.
In the final weigh-in at a construction site at RMIT University today, Corkran tipped the scales at 93kg - a shade of his former 114kg frame.
For his weight turnaround, Mr Corkran won a trophy, a $5000 travel voucher, and the right to brag about wearing lycra.
“I’ve been riding the pushbike into work as part of my training and I’ve worn the lycra into construction sites,” he said."
Friday, June 10, 2011
Filmmaker fined for not riding in bike-lane - Yahoo!7
Filmmaker fined for not riding in bike-lane - Yahoo!7
"New York-based filmmaker Casey Neistat, who became famous around the world thanks to his 2003 three-minute film iPod’s Dirty Secret, has released a very funny short movie of him getting a $50 fine for not riding in the bike-lane."
"In the movie, Neistat tries to explain to the policeman who stopped him that sometimes the bike-lane is not the safest place to be, to which the officer replies: “It doesn’t matter.” "...
Thursday, June 2, 2011
City West Cycle Link: a once in a lifetime opportunity ACT NOW : BIKESydney
City West Cycle Link: a once in a lifetime opportunity ACT NOW : BIKESydney:
"Despite strong support from all local councils and cycling groups throughout 2010, the CWCL was ruled “out of scope” for the Inner West Light Rail Project (The GreenWay) by the previous state government. Construction of the CWCL within the Lilyfield Rail Cutting must be completed before the commissioning of the Light Rail (likely, second half of 2012) after which, it will be difficult to justify service disruptions.
The time to demand the CWCL is NOW! Today."
The time to demand the CWCL is NOW! Today."
Dad's home-built trike helps son recover from brain injury
Dad's home-built trike helps son recover from brain injury: "'The overall goal is to have Rob be able to ride his own bike,' said Dave. 'Rob's therapists have all noticed improvement in the strength of his legs, his endurance, and the improved reflex in his legs when he is 'walking.' Besides working on the brain and physical therapy, we're hoping being outside and together as a family will help Rob work on social connections and motivation for therapies. We're also hoping the cardio workout will help Rob practice taking deeper breaths and make his speech more audible. We've seen improvements in all of these areas since he started biking.'"
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