Comments on: The optical illusion behind “I never see any cyclists”

By: Keith

Keith — Wed, 24 Jan 2018 00:45:36 +0000

In reply to Rex. Probably a better comparison would be I don't see anyone walking on the footpath so we shouldn't spend money on them.

By: Lennyboy

Lennyboy — Tue, 05 Dec 2017 01:18:45 +0000

The last two days were a neat illustration of the difference between peak hour and inter-peak numbers. Yesterday I rode to work at about 8.30am, lovely sunny day, and counted 31 people by the time I got to work. Today I didn’t leave until after 9am, another lovely sunny day,… and counted 9 people. So the grumblers who complain that they never see anyone biking while they’re driving around in the middle of the day are probably partly right (and the remaining riders they just didn’t notice…).

By: Robert

Robert — Mon, 27 Nov 2017 00:41:54 +0000

In reply to Brian. Just happened to be on the bike yesterday on Rutland Street. A dull morning, with a cool wind although not too unpleasant, and thought of this post. From the Reserve down to St Albans Street there were 4 bikes on the cycleway vs 7 moving vehicles onthe road lane. If you count those parked there were more still more of each but cars really outnumbered bikes then.

By: Criggie

Criggie — Sun, 26 Nov 2017 22:39:04 +0000

In reply to Criggie.

Same again on Sunday around 10AM – I saw 3 bikes total in 7km between home and the foot of Dyers Pass Road, then counted over 200 before I hit Sumner two hours and 25km later.

Upshot – there’s a heap more recreational cycling that is separate from normalised commuting cycling. I did not separately count MTBs from road bikes.

Next week I’ll try commuting to work the long way and keep a better tally.

By: Robert

Robert — Mon, 20 Nov 2017 06:04:08 +0000

This could be the start of something…. 5 bike count volunteers already . Recruit a few more, co-ordinate a date and time period. Violá , the first ever Christchurch massed bike count event.

By: Criggie

Criggie — Mon, 20 Nov 2017 02:49:35 +0000

In reply to Hazel.

Agreed – I’m house shopping at the moment and apparently Rolleston and Lincoln are “a quick 12-15 minutes to town” which would be 16 3/4 minutes at open road speeds all the way, and no car will do 100 down Blenheim Road !

By: Criggie

Criggie — Mon, 20 Nov 2017 01:24:23 +0000

Saturday morning – 16 bikes in the first 8 km from home to Cup up dyers.
Then total swelled to 55 bikes in 21km (to the Rhodes Fountain)
I lost count at 75 bikes going downhill into Gebbes Pass at around 25 km mark (passed multiple bunches coming uphill)
By the time I hit Port Levy it would have been over a hundred bikes, that’s excluding doubleups.

Admittedly this was sport and exercise rather than commuting. I’ve tried the look-around, but Bealey Ave is a high-pressure space that demands full attention, with no time for idle bike-gazing.

By: Wayne Phillips

Wayne Phillips — Wed, 15 Nov 2017 23:37:12 +0000

Some datapoints if of interest
I come in to the Bridge of Remembrance, cruising down the Northern Line from Blighs Road.

Tuesday I saw 43 cyclists, Wednesday 51, this morning 40. I was fairly beady-eyed, looking into the distance as we crossed the park. Lots of school kids on scooters too.
Normally around 20-30 on the rail route, with another 20ish in the few blocks past Christs’ to the hospital.

By: Meg C

Meg C — Tue, 14 Nov 2017 19:37:21 +0000

I count cyclists, too but not school students on bikes (15 this morning). Its my way of turning stopping at red lights into a positive because you get to have more opportunity to see crosswise cycle traffic. I used to keep data but gave that up but after 10 years of doing this there has been a steady increase, esp in styley bikes and people in ordinary clothes. Like Nigel I used to think I was the only person cycling but that was before I actually started looking for them. But like Hazel, I suspect many commuter cyclists just do it for their work/school commute- to shows and evening outings and so on its back to travelling by car because that is socially acceptable and “normal” . I have to go to a funeral this afternoon and will turn up on my bike. Too bad if people think that’s weird. I think its weird that people would choose to drive, frankly.

By: Hazel

Hazel — Tue, 14 Nov 2017 15:28:46 +0000

I see very few cyclists on my 10 – 15 minute cycle to work – usually 4 – 6, only about 1 other female on average & not many schoolkids. Despite this cycleways are a better & much more sustainable use of public money than building roads as they reduce congestion & pollution & are gradually encouraging more people to travel by healthy means of transport – the wider corridors are more pleasant for walkers too, & are making the city a more liveable city. The new signalled crossings – e.g. on Lincoln Rd – are helpful in making tricky crossings easier. Not investing in cycleways is nonsensical, but it would be better if Christchurch had also invested in rail access to the central city. There still needs to be a big shift in mindset about cycling. I don’t have a car & don’t see the need of having one, but most people in Christchurch don’t use bikes as their prime means of transport – cycling is seen as recreational, not as a serious means of getting from A to B. On several occasions I’ve attended events at the Horncastle Arena or at the Court Theatre when hundreds of people have attended, but mine has been the only bike parked outside. Some work colleagues won’t entertain the idea of going to the new cinema complex when it opens in Colombo St next September because of the cost of parking – why, when the bus interchange is directly opposite it (which also has good bike storage facility) & when they own bikes?! There’s a similarly negative attitude towards public transport – basically because driving & car ownership are projected as the norm. When will people like real estate agents start advertising houses by their distance from the CBD in km (not travel – i.e. car driving time), or by their proximity to bus stops / routes or cycleways? When they do so that will indicate an acceptance of cycling & of public transport.