Comments on: “No-one bikes into town, it’s not practical…”

By: Jo

Jo — Sun, 20 Oct 2019 00:24:51 +0000

In reply to Jo. oh and all three of us bike or scooter to work and school everyday :)

By: Jo

Jo — Sun, 20 Oct 2019 00:24:09 +0000

The quarryman’s trail opening up has been an absolute gamechanger for me in terms of biking my son (now 9) in and out of town. We bike in at least once/twice a month and usually go to the cinema, get food somewhere, go to Turanga. We definitely spend money in town as a result of the bike trails. We were also at the new market – they do need some bike parking near there. We get the groceries using a bike trailer once a fortnight too. Most of out trip 5-6km and under – we use the bikes. We’ve always only needed one car as a result and even that we could do away with if there were easier options for hiring one on the rare occasions we really need it.

By: Jan Jakob

Jan Jakob — Tue, 15 Oct 2019 23:33:28 +0000

In reply to Errol Brocklehurst. Many drivers will have no problems lethally endangering adult "cyclists" (case in point: I pointed out to a driver yesterday that could have killed me when passing me closely in a curve in which I had taken the lane for about 5 seconds due to the narrowness of the curve and to increase my visibility, and their response was that that would have served me right for impeding traffic), but they may hesitate if they think there might be a child in the trailer.

By: Errol Brocklehurst

Errol Brocklehurst — Mon, 14 Oct 2019 06:24:37 +0000

I tow a trail, over the last few years I have found towing the trailer makes you more visible to car drivers. Don’t know if it’s the size or the flag getting blown in the wind, but I still tow it. Whether shopping or just out riding I feel safe knowing I can be seen.

By: Jan Jakob

Jan Jakob — Sun, 13 Oct 2019 01:40:40 +0000

In reply to Robert. Funnily enough, there is a Briscoes within the Four Avenues, and one of the main reasons this is the store in that category that I am most likely to go to is because it is semi-easily accessible by bike.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Fri, 11 Oct 2019 10:05:11 +0000

I would count myself as a previously reluctant cyclist. I wanted to bike to places, but being in the traffic scared me considerably. Thanks to the cycle ways and my ebike, I can confidently cycle from Ferrymead to the city and back. Whilst there my partner and I will spend money on food and drink and if small purchases are made they are placed in our pannier bags. Biking has become a fun and joyous activity again and my cycling confidence is growing too, as with the ebike I know I can get quickly through intersections.

By: Alice

Alice — Fri, 11 Oct 2019 03:13:14 +0000

In reply to Rebecca Sunderland. Totally agree. Plus not owning a car is another great incentive to use your bike ;)

By: Robert

Robert — Wed, 09 Oct 2019 05:21:13 +0000

” Now if I had been checking out a new fridge or microwave I might have had to make different transport plans ”

is there anywhere within the four avenues that you can do that ?

Those days are long gone. These days it is all about checking it out online, then having it delivered. If you want to view it in person, or do the deal in person, then it is possible to get there by bike, but the majority of appliance retailers are in big box centres, most of which are pretty cycle unfriendly to get to for the average family. That is why weekend traffic is so horrendous these days. People have to drive to the Briscoes sales, which are so special they happen every weekend. Car-centric transport planning restricts the choice for leisurely weekend travel for window-shopping , browsing and purchasing.

By: Rebecca Sunderland

Rebecca Sunderland — Wed, 09 Oct 2019 05:16:10 +0000

For me just about every trip I make under 5km is by bike. And given that I work less than 5km from home that makes for 95% of my trips. It’s just so practical…door to door and I never have to worry about parking. I get so stressed if I have to take a car to town and deal with traffic.