Encouraging cycling is more than just building infrastructure, and one way is to create events that encourage people to get on their bikes and enjoy the freedom and fun that is cycling. Around the world, many places have embraced this …
Category: Cycle-centric ideas
Bright ideas about cycling
Christchurch’s Riskiest Intersections for Cycling?
Hot on the heels of the recent cycling fatalities in Christchurch, and with the potential for massive new investment in cycleways in Christchurch, The Press has come up with an “interesting” article looking at where the “riskiest” intersections for cycling…
Bikes on Buses: Latest Stats
Some months ago we told you about how you can combine your bus and bike trips for even greater flexibility, thanks to bike racks on most Christchurch urban bus services. Bike racks have been trialled in the city since late …
Being looked after during the Rebuild
Anyone who has travelled around town lately can’t help but notice the immense amount of roadworks going on. The rebuild is in full swing, repairing pipes and roads, and that means a lot of temporary traffic management. Unfortunately that could …
Christchurch cycling – Copenhagen style
Another piece of the puzzle looks like it’s falling into place with the production of the draft Cycle Design Guide by the Christchurch City Council. This was presented to Council’s Environment & Infrastructure Committee on Thursday, who broadly endorsed it …
Is Cycling Safe?
It seems that lightning does strike twice sometimes. In just over three days, we have had two cycling fatalities in east Christchurch, first on Sunday and then today, Wednesday morning. Our deepest sympathies to the families and friends of …
Clever Cycling Stuff: Hook Turn Boxes
Here’s another nifty cycling tool that’s starting to pop up more around Christchurch: hook turn boxes. These innocuous little painted boxes at intersections help people cycling make that trickiest of manoeuvres – the right-hand turn.
So what’s a hook turn? …
More Cycling in the News
It’s been another busy week in the news for cycling stories in Christchurch and beyond. I think it’s a good sign when cycling features strongly and regularly in the media; even when not all of it is “good news”. At …
Go By Bike Day
Technically February is Bike Wise Month and this Wednesday (13th) is Go By Bike Day. You may not be aware of this because there has been pretty much zilch publicity about it in Christchurch. Contrast this with:
- Wellington, where they’ll
Handy Tips: Avoiding Dooring
There has been a flurry of interest just recently with the release of an online map showing where in NZ cyclists have suffered “dooring” crashes, i.e. they have been hit by an opening door of a parked car as they’ve …
Canterbury Active Transport Forum – 14th Feb
It’s nearly Valentines Day again, and this year we’d like it to be VELOtines Day! The next Canterbury Active Transport (CAT) Forum, hosted by Environment Canterbury, will be held on Thursday 14th February and features a couple of interesting …
The World’s Most Bicycle Friendly Cities
A closely related organisation to Cycling in Christchurch is Spokes Canterbury, who amongst other things advocate for better infrastructure to encourage more people to cycle more often. They have recently adopted a goal of making Christchurch one of the …
Are you a Cyclist or a Person?
Robert F’s recent post was a very enjoyable read. I was interested in his statement that “I am a cyclist. To define more accurately, I am not a competitive cyclist, extreme cyclist or even much of a recreational cyclist nowadays. …
It is the little things …
A guest post by Robert F
I am a cyclist. To define more accurately, I am not a competitive cyclist, extreme cyclist or even much of a recreational cyclist nowadays. Just a cyclist. I cycle because it feels physically good, …
Some Bike Ideas from Washington DC
Greetings from Washington DC! I’m attending the Transportation Research Board (TRB) Annual Meeting here this week. Actually, “meeting” is a bit of a misnomer; TRB is easily the largest transportation conference in the world, with over 11,000 delegates attending and …
Clever Cycling Stuff: Cycle Detectors
We showcase a lot of neat overseas cycling facilities here on this site, but Christchurch has actually developed some pretty world-beating stuff itself over the years. Exhibit #1: cycle detectors at signalised path crossings:
As a cyclist approaching a signalised …
National’s Transport Dystopia
Gerry Brownlee and National’s quake recovery plan for central city transportation would almost have been visionary in 1980. It relies on fossil fuel and caters to think big projects which will impoverish and fail ratepayers.
Christchurch City Council’s Share an …
100 Blog Posts: What should the next 100 cover?
On the 12th of May this year, the Cycling in Christchurch website was launched. Hard to believe that just on seven months later we have come to the 100th blog post of Cycling in Christchurch. That’s roughly one post …
Book Review: Everyday Cycling in Aotearoa New Zealand
by Alastair Smith (185pp., Awa Press, Wellington, RRP $35)
Here’s something that might be handy as a Xmas stocking-filler!
Over the years I have collected a variety of books on cycling for transport and urban cycle commuting. Invariably they …
An Awesome Bike Rack from an Awesome Team
You may recall that the wonderful folks at the Ministry of Awesome held a bike rack design competition. After many entries, short-listing, and public voting, a winner was found in Jonathan Hall’s koru-inspired design. And just the other night …