Key Christmas Tip

It was a real surprise to see this post from a good friend of mine - who is a really sweet and intelligent guy.

But in the light of my last post (it's circumstance, not the person) I probably shouldn't be overly surprised.

So here's my Christmas shopping tip: Take Public Transport

At the shopping centre my friend was at, the "perfect park" is probably the one the busses get - about 5 metres from the door.

Another shopping centre near me is actually built on top of the train station. Hard to get more convenient than that.

Sometimes a bike is also helpful (if getting smaller gifts). I used to park 3 metres from the shop entrance and could ride home in less time than it took most shoppers to find a park.

So that's my tip - leave the car keys at home and enjoy the Christmas season!

Why "other drivers" are worse than us

"I can't believe what that maniac driver just did!
How do these people get a licence?"
We've no doubt heard something like that said (maybe with some beeping and finger gestures). We may have said it ourselves.

The psychological term for this is "Fundamental Attribution Error". It's where we (incorrectly) blame an outcome on the people rather than the circumstance. (Unless it's our mistake of course - than there's always another reason)

A driver who is normally good (or at least as good as us) will occasionally do something 'crazy' because of other circumstances - screaming kids in the back seat, tiredness, fatigue, thinking about other things, or running late for work.

What has this got to do with being car free? It's a safety thing. And this is probably a big part of the reason why public transport is enormously safer than driving. If the danger isn't bad drivers - but circumstances - it's about stopping bad circumstances becoming a danger.

If I'm running late for work, i'm not putting anyone at risk, because i'm not driving the train. If I'm exhausted at the end of a long work week, the biggest danger is me missing my train station after an accidental nap. (That hasn't happened yet). It would be inconvenient, but it's better than a collision with another vehicle.
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* The picture is of Switch - the book where i read about the concept of Fundamtental Attribution Error

DIY Electric

You know electric bikes are cool when people are constructing DIY versions.

I spotted this outside a local train station. Looks like the battery is attached to the seat post, with cables running down to a motor in the front wheel.

Stating the Obvious

I recently saw this graphic in a report on the environment and health. Unsurprisingly, the countries that have higher frequency of walking and cycling trips (darker line) have less obesity (coloured line).

It's not exactly a new discovery but still another good reason to choose non-car alternatives.

Ride to Work Day 2012

Yesterday was Ride to Work Day. I took this photo on a mini-break along the way. I had just ridden alongside the City Botanic Gardens, and the waterfront plaza area you can see at the base of the towers. The views, the great weather, and the early morning sunshine make it worth starting out at 6.30am.

The inspiration for going so early was that, as part of Ride to Work Day, my workplace was having a breakfast for all riders from 6.30 to 8. Clearly i wasn't there for the start, but it was definitely worth the effort.

There was a selection of cereals, sliced up fruit, yoghurts, fruit muffins, and juice boxes. Mmmmm. :)

Still Under Budget

I like to set myself goals. One little one is to keep my travel budget under $30 per week. For a car owner, that's pure fantasy - but for me it's doable.

This week was the bigger challenge, with a friend's birthday dinner at Sandgate. (For non-Brisbane readers, that's the second-to-last stop on that line.)

But i still did it! Total travel expenses for the week - $29.60 :)

PS. In another win for the budget, the restaurant meals were half price. (My friend is an accountant and has an eye for good deals).

$10 Servicing

On a continuing theme of low cost maintenance, the other week i felt that my bike brakes were wearing a bit thin. At my local bike shop, a brand new set costs just under $10 - and i can fit them myself.

Benefits of Riding to Work

This was part of my email invite to join Ride to Work day. It summarises some of the reasons i like going car free.

By the way, if you're interested, Ride to Work day this year is Wednesday 17 October.

How much is 13 minutes worth?

This advert caught my eye as i was reading an article online. It's part of the advertising for Brisbane's latest in a series of ill-advised toll road/tunnels.

If this road's main achievement is cutting 13 minutes on airport travel - is that really worth 4.8 billion dollars? If 13 minutes is so crucial, wouldn't it just be smarter to leave home 13 minutes earlier? I'm sure there are much better things to spend 4.8 billion on - such as public transport for one. That kind of money could buy more than a few buses or trains.

Birthday Express

This week i enjoyed a friend's birthday dinner. I also enjoyed the trip there. For a 19km journey (including through the city in peak hour) it took just 26 minutes on the express train. Friends (including the guest of honour) spent as long as that stuck in traffic.

For the record it also results in about 1/9th of the greenhouse emissions according to the Queensland Rail Emissions Calculator.

Record Low Price

For those who read last week's post about 5 days of free travel, no i did not set a new record for number of free trips in a week.

But i did set a new record for economy. The entire week's travel totalled $27.56 (for 18 journeys) which is quite a bargain compared to the 3-figure weekly cost of car travel.
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ps. of course, the maximum i pay per week is 9 x $3.58 = $32.22, but when some of the 9 paid trips are off-peak or 1-zoners, that amount goes down.

Lunchtime Conversation

Today I had a celebratory lunch with colleagues to mark the completion of a recent project. During the talking the subject of travel came up.

While some were talking about places for "cheap" parking ($10 per day) and others mentioned getting $75 parking fines for leaving their car somewhere too long, i mentioned that i was already on free travel for the rest of the week.

People were impressed (and slightly awestruck). I explained that along with my daily commute, i had attended a lunchtime seminar on Monday, and visited a friend in hospital on Tuesday, and so Wednesday morning 8am was my last paid trip for the week.

Even the bus fare to the lunch was free. As will every other fare for the remaining 4 and a half days this week.

Stay tuned - i may set a new personal record :)

Paid for 9, Got 10 free

This is the ad for the new '9 trips then free' deal. On the flyers (they were handing them out at train stations) it says "What a break" under the picture - which i guess explains the billiard balls.

Speaking of which, i set a new personal record for free trips last week. My 9th trip was Thursday morning. Then for free i travelled...

Thursday 3 more trips, Friday 3 trips, Saturday 0 trips, Sunday 4 trips.

All up, i paid for 9 and got 10 free. A new personal record - and quite good value.

A pleasant exchange with an elderly man

I did a quick jog tonight - to catch the 5:19 train. Catching my breath in an almost empty carriage, an elderly man asked me if this train stops at Albion. Between catching my breath, and the station announcer on the loudspeaker it was hard to hear his gentle voice.

"I beg your pardon." i said

"Albion station?" he asked again.

"No, that's the other way." i informed him

"Isn't this platform 4?" he said, puzzled.

"No, It's platform 3. Platform 4 is just there." i said, pointing the way.

"Oh, thank you very much." he said, and made his way quickly off the train. Well, quickly for an older man. ;)

I felt good about it. I saved the man some confusion and probably half an hour of being lost (had he stayed on board). It was another one of those pleasant little stranger-exchanges that i enjoy on the public tansport network. :)

Buy 10 Get 8 Free

I've mentioned before about the Free Travel policy in Brisbane (well actually, across the South East Queensland network).

Last week I counted that i got 8 free journeys, after paying for my first 10. That's some kind of bargain for people who support public transport.

The news get's even better. Starting from next week, the number of paid journeys reduces to 9.

It's quite possible that some weeks i might get more free travel than paid travel. That's like getting 50% off.

Free Travel

One of the great things about public transport this year has been the new "10 journeys, then travel free" offer. And this week i've taken great advantage of it.

As the name suggests, only the first 10 journeys in a week are paid for. This week (as well as going to work) i made trips out on Monday and Tuesday nights. So leaving work on Wednesday was my 10th trip.

Today i had free travel. Same goes for Friday. And anywhere i want to go this weekend.

The other great thing about it is that it caps my travel costs. I live in zone 2 of the public transport network (a $3.58 fare during peak time) so the maximum i ever pay in a week is about 35 bucks. Obviously this compares very favourably with the costs of running a car.

Panic stations

Today at my work there was a helpful email advising employees of the closing down of a nearby car-parking facility. In the minutes afterwards i heard at least 3 fairly alarmed conversations of car-commuters unsure of their future plans. While having sympathy, i do find it a little amusing.

"Independence" is one of the things people tell me is an advantage of car driving. But in reality, travelling by car just means being dependent on a range of different things. Parking is just one of many.

It will be interesting tomorrow to see if people are late for work, after spending time (and petrol) hunting out a parking place and walking from that place; or whether they just leave home earlier to allow for that - which is also ironic for the people who say they drive because it's "quicker". (More on that another time)

Path Peace (x2)

Travelling side-by-side along the bikepath, my fellow rider and i realised someone right behind us. Oops, we were blocking the way. I went ahead, so he could pass us.

"Thanks mate!" he cheerfully said, disappearing into the distance.

"No worries" i assured him (though i'm not sure if my voice carried to him).

It was a pleasant and polite exchange, which i was regaling to my fellow rider - whilst making the point that interaction on pathways is the opposite of the irritated honking and road rage that goes along with cars.

As we (I) talked, the bikeway and pedestrian path merged into one (with sides marked for walkers and riders). A couple with a pram were approaching us, but the man pushing the pram was distracted by the scenery and didn't realise he was on the rider side, until he saw us.

"Sorry mate" he offered, while skillfully manouvering himself and the pram back to walker territory.

"No problems" i replied (he'd done so with plenty of time to spare).

"OK, point proven." was the comment from my fellow rider (as if i'd organised the pram guy merely to prove me earlier point). Though she also added that part of the difference is that cars have the "potential to kill someone". That kind makes people more on edge.

I guess she's right. It's also another good reason not to be part of that scene.
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ps. "path peace" is my term for the opposite of road rage.

The Pain of the Pump

A friend sent me this cartoon, illustrating the financial pain of having a big car:

Whilst the hybrid owner is quite happy, the person with no car would be whistling even more :)

Little Old Ladies

As part of the railway upgrade, this weekend my local train was replaced by a "Rail-bus" which takes passengers through the suburbs normally covered by the train.

No worries for me, but this evening as it stopped in my suburb, i was about to head home, when i realised the only other passenger getting off at this stop was a little old lady (who lives on the other side of the tracks) and was not sure where she was (especially at night).

I took my chance to be Mr Citizen and guide her to the station - where she was relieved (and thankful) to be in familiar surroundings.

ps. this may sound like a negative story, but i look at it in a positive light. Public transport has vibe of community support. People who are lost when driving a car either keep driving round in circles until they start to run out of fuel, or pull over to the side of the road while the other cars speed by. On the buses, your fellow traveller is your friend.

Cleaner, Greener, Smarter

One of the parties in the upcoming state election had this great animation on their website.


I think it's a great example of how the non-car option can be better in so many ways.

"A train every 10 minutes transports the same number of people as a freeway. Cleaner. Greener. Smarter."

Missing it already

I've just finished my first full week at my new job. When changes happen, there are new exciting things, but also old things we miss. One of the things i miss is the afternoon bike ride home.

I would go along the Bicentennial Bikeway, in the pleasant afternoon shade. I'd enjoy the activity of joggers and bike riders alongside the nature of the trees and the river. Depending on the time i left work, there might also be the bonus of a sunset over the river. Great times!

But i'm sure there'll also be great things about catching the train to my new job. On my first day, i disembarked at the station and asked where the ticket machine was. My fellow traveller pointed it out, and also gave me directions from the station to my new workplace. Ok, i kinda new that already - but it was still very friendly of the guy to do that for me. :)

Pram / Bike

Perhaps i watched too much 'Transformers' as a kid, but i really enjoy inventions like this. It seems like a great idea for parents of young ones, who also like to ride.


I was mostly impressed by how it can change from one mode to the other. Here's the video, showing how it's a 20-second changeover.

Driving for Exercise?

I cracked a smile when i saw this posted on facebook.


I've always found it a little odd how some people drive cars practically everywhere they go - including to the gym to get 'exercise'. It seems rather inefficient in time and money. Surely the occasional use of more active transport might fix both issues.

Anyway, glad to see others also perplexed by this.

View From The Ferry

Last week, i wrote about the convenient citycycle bikes for people catching the ferry from the Toowong terminal. For the benefit of my long-distance readers, here's a video of the ferry ride into the city / southbank.



Brisbane City Council website has a collection of these videos. They're obviously sped up for our viewing convenience, but they show how enjoyable a public transport can be.

Ferry Merry Christmas

Another Christmas present to the cycling and public transport community is the new CityCycle stop. Locals will recognise the background as the walkway to the Toowong ferry terminal.


This means a city cycle membership now also gives Toowong residents easy access to and from the ferry - one of the more scenic forms of public transport.