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Pack your panniers, Robert Doyle and Duncan Gay, for a fact finding trip to Holland Pack your panniers, Robert Doyle and Duncan Gay, for a fact finding trip to the Netherlands
(4 days later)
Dear lord mayor of Melbourne, Robert Doyle and NSW minister for roads, Duncan Gay,Dear lord mayor of Melbourne, Robert Doyle and NSW minister for roads, Duncan Gay,
I’ve just arrived home from a cycling trip overseas to learn that you, Mr Doyle, are planning to ban bicycles from certain roads in Melbourne and you, Mr Gay, are suggesting that cyclists should carry identification. The NSW government is also planning to rip up the popular College Street cycleway. Both of you cite safety concerns as excuses for these draconian actions. Wow. With friends like you...I’ve just arrived home from a cycling trip overseas to learn that you, Mr Doyle, are planning to ban bicycles from certain roads in Melbourne and you, Mr Gay, are suggesting that cyclists should carry identification. The NSW government is also planning to rip up the popular College Street cycleway. Both of you cite safety concerns as excuses for these draconian actions. Wow. With friends like you...
May I humbly suggest you join me on a fact-finding trip around a country I recently cycled through? I believe politicians enjoy these sorts of excursions. We could call it, “doing a Bronwyn”.May I humbly suggest you join me on a fact-finding trip around a country I recently cycled through? I believe politicians enjoy these sorts of excursions. We could call it, “doing a Bronwyn”.
We’ll visit the Netherlands to see whether they use methods similar to yours to keep their citizens safe. Before we get there, allow me to give you some background information and perhaps answer a few questions.We’ll visit the Netherlands to see whether they use methods similar to yours to keep their citizens safe. Before we get there, allow me to give you some background information and perhaps answer a few questions.
Related: Melbourne mayor's plan to ban cyclists on three city streets 'unprecedented'Related: Melbourne mayor's plan to ban cyclists on three city streets 'unprecedented'
People assume the Netherlands was always a cycling country. It’s true that bicycles have been popular there for a long time, but in the 1960s and 70s, cycling declined because people were getting killed in road accidents. In 1973, a protest group was formed to pressure the authorities to do something about the carnage.People assume the Netherlands was always a cycling country. It’s true that bicycles have been popular there for a long time, but in the 1960s and 70s, cycling declined because people were getting killed in road accidents. In 1973, a protest group was formed to pressure the authorities to do something about the carnage.
Nowhere on their list of demands were ideas such as banning bicycles and ripping up cycling infrastructure. In fact, the exact opposite happened. Segregated cycleways were built, cycling numbers increased and have spiralled upwards ever since.Nowhere on their list of demands were ideas such as banning bicycles and ripping up cycling infrastructure. In fact, the exact opposite happened. Segregated cycleways were built, cycling numbers increased and have spiralled upwards ever since.
The number of cyclist fatalities continues to decrease, even as the number of kilometres cycled – a whopping 14.2bn kilometres in 2012 – increases. Imagine how much less chaotic Sydney’s roads would be if its citizens cycled on dedicated lanes? You’d be lauded as a visionary as you trundled through the streets on your royal blue fixie, Dunc!The number of cyclist fatalities continues to decrease, even as the number of kilometres cycled – a whopping 14.2bn kilometres in 2012 – increases. Imagine how much less chaotic Sydney’s roads would be if its citizens cycled on dedicated lanes? You’d be lauded as a visionary as you trundled through the streets on your royal blue fixie, Dunc!
Please don’t listen to the spurious arguments of how we’re different from the Netherlands. No doubt, you’ll find a selection of these furphies in the comments section below. Let me address some of them here.Please don’t listen to the spurious arguments of how we’re different from the Netherlands. No doubt, you’ll find a selection of these furphies in the comments section below. Let me address some of them here.
The Netherlands is flat, Australia’s too hillyThe Netherlands is flat, Australia’s too hilly
The headwinds in the Netherlands are far more challenging than any piddling hill. Did you see the recent Tour de France stage in Zeeland? It was pushing the riders sideways! And another thing about hills: modern bikes have gears. Not your aforementioned fixie, Dunc, but with thighs like yours, I have no doubt you’ll make it to the summit.The headwinds in the Netherlands are far more challenging than any piddling hill. Did you see the recent Tour de France stage in Zeeland? It was pushing the riders sideways! And another thing about hills: modern bikes have gears. Not your aforementioned fixie, Dunc, but with thighs like yours, I have no doubt you’ll make it to the summit.
It costs too muchIt costs too much
Actually, cycling infrastructure costs much less than building roads for vehicles. And as we’ve seen with the College Street cycleway you plan to demolish, they carry as many commuters as the adjacent traffic lanes and take up less space. Room for both cars and bikes!Actually, cycling infrastructure costs much less than building roads for vehicles. And as we’ve seen with the College Street cycleway you plan to demolish, they carry as many commuters as the adjacent traffic lanes and take up less space. Room for both cars and bikes!
We can also visit a few wind farms while we’re there.We can also visit a few wind farms while we’re there.
Our distances are too greatOur distances are too great
There’s ample evidence that the average car trip in Australia is less than five kilometres – going to the shops, picking up the children from school, driving to the train station. These are the very trips that could be easily done on a bicycle. Heck, we wouldn’t need to pick up our children from school if they had a proper cycleway. In the Netherlands, no self-respecting child would allow their parents to pick them up. These kids are on their bikes, without helmets (that’s another story), laughing and talking with friends. They’re being kids, not chaperoned royalty. It’s a sight to behold.There’s ample evidence that the average car trip in Australia is less than five kilometres – going to the shops, picking up the children from school, driving to the train station. These are the very trips that could be easily done on a bicycle. Heck, we wouldn’t need to pick up our children from school if they had a proper cycleway. In the Netherlands, no self-respecting child would allow their parents to pick them up. These kids are on their bikes, without helmets (that’s another story), laughing and talking with friends. They’re being kids, not chaperoned royalty. It’s a sight to behold.
What about the weather!What about the weather!
The Dutch have a saying that translates roughly as, “You are not made of sugar.” Australia is blessed with the best weather in the world and yet we spend much of our day stuck in a traffic jam with the windows raised and the air-conditioner on high. It can’t be good for our health. And I reckon we could all use a little exercise.The Dutch have a saying that translates roughly as, “You are not made of sugar.” Australia is blessed with the best weather in the world and yet we spend much of our day stuck in a traffic jam with the windows raised and the air-conditioner on high. It can’t be good for our health. And I reckon we could all use a little exercise.
Banning bicyclesBanning bicycles
I left the best for last, Mr Doyle. On my recent bicycle trip, I was surprised to learn that banning does occur. Except it’s not bicycles that are uninvited on city streets, it’s cars. Imagine that!I left the best for last, Mr Doyle. On my recent bicycle trip, I was surprised to learn that banning does occur. Except it’s not bicycles that are uninvited on city streets, it’s cars. Imagine that!
I had the pleasure of working in Groningen, a lovely city in the north where a whopping 57% of journeys are made by bicycle. I cycled to work through a city centre where cars, while not strictly banned, are filtered out. This is a very Dutch way of saying you can drive through the city centre but you’ll be overrun by bicycles and we’ve designed the streets so big objects will run into bollards that bikes can easily manoeuvre around. Or to use your own quote Mr Doyle, cars are banned “for their own safety.”I had the pleasure of working in Groningen, a lovely city in the north where a whopping 57% of journeys are made by bicycle. I cycled to work through a city centre where cars, while not strictly banned, are filtered out. This is a very Dutch way of saying you can drive through the city centre but you’ll be overrun by bicycles and we’ve designed the streets so big objects will run into bollards that bikes can easily manoeuvre around. Or to use your own quote Mr Doyle, cars are banned “for their own safety.”
My panniers are packed and my passport is in order. I await your RSVP on the journey of a lifetime, gentlemen. We can also visit a few wind farms while we’re there. Those silly Dutch people seem to have a different view of them as well.My panniers are packed and my passport is in order. I await your RSVP on the journey of a lifetime, gentlemen. We can also visit a few wind farms while we’re there. Those silly Dutch people seem to have a different view of them as well.
Bicycles and windmills – ancient inventions to power our future.Bicycles and windmills – ancient inventions to power our future.