Cycling Rules

If you're looking to check up the Queensland rules of the road (as they relate to riding your bicycle) i found them here.

Letterbox Chat

Arriving home today, i was checking my letterbox when a local jogger bails me up to talk electric bikes. Apparently it was the first time he had been able to catch-up to someone riding one, to have a chat.

He is interested in getting one, and was after the perspective of someone who had ridden one a bit.

I think i was able to help him out, explaining how it took the yucky sweatyness out of riding (which is especially handy when commuting in summer). Probably what had most effect was that i was standing there, having just ridden 6-7kms on a humid 27 degree day, wearing trousers and two layers of shirts - and i wasn't yucky, nor particularly out-of-breath.

Yay for electric bikes!

Damp But Happy

To say there was a bit of rain around Brisbane today would be very much the understatement. The slippery roads caused an accident or two, which apparently was the cause of the city wide gridlock.


As i rode home, I didn't know the cause of the gridlock, but was feeling more than a bit pleased with myself as i cruised past kilometres of stationary traffic. (I try not to be smug, but it's really difficult ;)

About 20 minutes of riding and i was home. Sure, i was a bit damp (there were still showers about) but 5 minutes after getting home i was warm and dry. Meanwhile those poor motorists are probably still out there, watching their fuel tank slowly empty itself.

ps. i'll have to remember this story the next time someone tells me that driving a car is gives them 'freedom' and 'independence'. :)

CityCycle Map

The CityCycle scheme is now up and running here in Brisbane. One of the online features is a map of the stations.


Ok, it's not as colourful and high-tech as the London one - but it does the job.

In-Transit Entertainment

On my ride home, i go along the river. Today, in a space between a small factory and the riverside pathway, was a man playing the saxophone.

A nice place for him to practice. A nice experience to hear a little bit of music along the ride.

Great Unexpected Company

Gorgeous afternoon today as i rode home. So i was taking in the view of the city and the river (bathed in afternoon sunlight) as i moseyed over the new bridge. As i trundled up to the apex of the bridge, who should cruise along next to me but my friend Joe.

I'd seen Joe only once in the past few weeks, so it was good chance to have a bit of a chin-wag as we both enjoyed a pleasant ride home.

So Many Electric Bikes

It's a fairly short ride to my work, but today i saw two electric bikes on the ride in, and another on the ride home. They are certainly getting popular.

Drivers See Only What They Expect

Among other things, this demonstration about intuition explains how motorists brains work ... or more precisely how they don't work (properly).

More Convenient Parking

This example of ultra-convenient parking is at the State Library of Queensland.


I was there for a film screening - and the entrance was about 15m from here.

Taking Care of Everyone

Saw this great piece of infrastructure on the Pedbiketrans blog. Hope to see more like it in 'real life' :)

City Trip - Part 2

On the way home from the social function, i was making my way along the bikeway, when i see a couple of ladies leaning over the railing. I stopped to see what was going on.

Turns out they we feeding a few possums who make their home in the trees next to the bikeway. Of course, with the construction of the new traffic bridge and overpass, the bikeway has been moved and the area of trees by the riverside has been reduced.

Anyhow, it turns out that these ladies pop by every now and then (for about the last 12 months) to give the possums some food. Apart from helping out the possums as they raise their young, it is also an enjoyable activity for the ladies. One told me that at the end of a bad day at work, feeding the possums gives her a great feeling.

It was great to meet these people (and their possum friends) and it's just another one of those things i would have missed if i was speeding by in a car.

City Trip - Part 1

I try to be somewhat humble. I may not be doing too well, but i try.

However, as i was riding into the city late this afternoon (about 5.30) for a social function, i couldn't help but feel a bit smug - as i rode along the riverside bikeway at about 2-3 times the speed of the inbound car traffic. I'm no a super-athlete, and my bike is not the best, but i could still easily outpace the tuesday afternoon crawl.

RACQ

When i saw these status posts on my facebook, i did feel sympathy for my friend.


But i was also reminded that having a car is not necessarily all it's cracked up to be.