Which is more popular: Bike-riding or football?

We've now passed half a million bikes on my favourite bike counter (it's the only one I know of).

Here's photo from Friday night. There were a few passers-by who had been to the football. It got me wondering. Which is more popular bike-riding or football?

So I looked up the stats. the stadium just around the corner from this bike counter is primarily for the Brisbane Broncos. According to wikipedia the total homegame crowds this season is 131,756. Add in Friday night's crowd and it's about 160,000.

With the bike counter at 521,000 it seems that bikeriding is more than 3 times as popular. And that's just on this one little piece of the bikeway network.

It's interesting that we spend so much on stadiums and so little on bikeways.

Previous posts about the counter:
250,000 people on bikes
How many bicycles?

The day I got a death threat at work

I am fortunate. Part of my job is to promote sustainability and environmentally friendly activities. In a team meeting I mentioned the worldwide activity known as PARKing Day.

PARKing Day is one day a year where community groups and others temporarily transform a metered car space into an alternate use. Sometimes it's a mini-park, with fake grass and deck chairs. Sometimes it's a mini coffee shop. I've even seen a mini-golf set-up and an op-shop for second-hand clothing. It's a great way to highlight how much of our city is consumed by parking and how many other things could be done with that space if we were less car dependent. The activity is legal, paid for and has local council approval.

In the meeting I gave the op-shop example. A colleague said that if she saw an op-shop in a car parking space, she'd drive over the shop and anyone in it. As a supporter of the event and possible attendee I tried to look for other ways to take this - other than as a threat on my life.

My colleague is not evil. As far as I know, she doesn't generally threaten to kill people. But that's part of the effect of spending time behind the wheel. When I had a car, driving in traffic could often make me quite agitated and sometimes aggressive towards other drivers. This was part of the reason I gave up driving.

If something turns you into an aggressive and hostile person, the sensible thing is to give up that thing. I choose my character, my faith and my humanity over having a car. Clearly not everyone is in a position to make that choice, so we get situations like this.

It seems when a person spends enough time behind the wheel, they view the car almost as an extension of theirself. They see a parking space as some sort of birthright that the rest of the world owes them. Wherever they go, even in the busy areas, they have an expectation that room must be made for them and for their two tonnes of metal.

Is this why we sometimes talk about car "addiction"? People acting like desperate drug addicts when they don't get their fix. Unable to imagine an existence without the thing they crave.

As humans we generally say that we love other people - or at least like them enough not to kill them. It seems that driving a car takes us far away from that ideal.

The Secret of Happiness

I've just read an article on Enrique Peñalosa, the former mayor of Bogotá, Colombia. "We might not be able to fix the economy. But we can design the city to give people dignity, to make them feel rich. The city can make them happier."

One experiment was to have a day of a total car ban. The 'car free' day was the first day in 4 years that nobody was killed in traffic. Hospital admissions were down, smog thinned, and people were feeling more optimistic about life. All from just one day without cars.

Why does better city design, and fewer cars, give such a boost to our happiness? The article had some stats on that - and it seems that we've over-valued the role of money in happiness.

• The British got 40% richer from 1993 to 2012, but the rate of psychiatric disorders and neuroses grew.
• Londoners are among the least happy people in the UK, despite the city being the richest region in the UK.
• The more connected we are, the less likely we are to experience heart attacks, strokes, cancer and depression. Connected people sleep better at night. They live longer. They consistently report being happier.
• People who endure more than a 45-minute commute were 40% more likely to divorce.
• People who live in car‑dependent neighbourhoods are much less trusting of other people.
• Longer commutes mean lower life-satisfaction. A person with a one-hour commute has to be paid 40% more money to be as satisfied with life as someone who walks to the office. For a single person, exchanging a long commute for a short walk to work has the same effect on happiness as finding a new love.

So why is driving so bad? So bad that being freed from it is the equivalent of falling in love - or getting a 40% pay rise?

"Driving in traffic is harrowing for both brain and body. The blood of people who drive in cities is a stew of stress hormones. The worse the traffic, the more your system is flooded with adrenaline and cortisol, the fight-or-flight juices that, in the short-term, get your heart pumping faster, dilate your air passages and help sharpen your alertness, but in the long-term can make you ill. Brain researchers found that peak-hour travellers suffered worse stress than fighter pilots or riot police facing mobs of angry protesters."

Apparently, it's the mobility of walking, running or riding that makes commuting enjoyable.

"We were born to move. Immobility is to the human body what rust is to the classic car. Stop moving long enough, and your muscles will atrophy. Bones will weaken. Blood will clot. You will find it harder to concentrate and solve problems. Immobility is not merely a state closer to death: it hastens it."

Cyclists report feeling "connected to the world around them" in a way that's not possible in a sealed vehicle. Their journeys are "sensual and kinesthetic".

So how did Bogotá's experiment go?

It made life better for almost everyone. Commuting times fell by a fifth. The streets were calmer. The accident rate halved, as did the murder rate, even as the country as a whole got more violent. There was better air quality. Bogotáns got healthier. The city experienced a spike in feelings of optimism. People believed that life was good and getting better.

To find out more, read the article, or get the book it comes from - "Happy City: Transforming Our Lives Through Urban Design" by Charles Montgomery.

Billy Slater for Bikes

Rugby league star Billy Slater (Melbourne and Austalian fullback) promoting Ride to Work day (and Australian Bananas).

Good Mood Guaranteed

I'd imagine there would be plenty of people jealous of the Germans who came up with this idea.


"A good mood is always guaranteed" claims the Bierbike website. I reckon riding a bike usually brings on a good mood by itself. Perhaps the activity of pedalling, while enjoying a relaxed drink with some friends adds to the joy.

PS. I'm assuming the driver isn't partaking in the beverages ;)

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!

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. :)

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.

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. :)

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.
------
ps. "path peace" is my term for the opposite of road rage.

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.

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. :)

Mr Expert

I'm not sure why, but for some reason being on a bicycle seems to give a person a huge amount of credibility regarding local area knowledge.

I've written before about being approached by people not familiar to the local area. But the other day a European-sounding guy walked straight past 3 other people to ask me for directions - while i was standing with my bike waiting to cross an intersection.

Don't get me wrong, helping people out during my journey is a buzz (especially when a stranger picks me out as the most likely to be of help). But i still wonder why owning a bicycle brings with it such an amount of street-cred. Any thoughts?

New Bikeway Section

Can't believe i haven't posted this pic already. Took it the first time i rode along the newly completed section of Brisbane's Bicentennial Bikeway. It wasn't quite the first day of operation, but it was close. I like that there's a dad-and-daughter combination trying it out :)


There are still renovations on the final stretch (to the city) but it's uninterrupted travel all the way through to the Go-Between Bridge - which is also currently the scenic detour for city-bound riders.

Oh, and the metal thing in the bottom left corner is a drink fountain. Very handy to have these at regular intervals, for a refreshing rest and a drink :)

Bikes Are Art

Artists in Toronto are using discarded bikes as outdoor art. With a small garden on each one, they are colourful, and reflect a "spirit of regeneration and community".


For more pics and backstory, click the picture. :)

Boost The Local Economy

The people at GOOD analysed the numbers and put together a great graphic illustrating how much of our car costs leak out of the local economy (illustrated in red).


Furthermore, they worked out that if a city could reduce its number of cars by 15,000 it would boost the local economy by over 127 million dollars. Sounds good to me!

Night-time Riding

I can't believe it took me so long to discover the joy of riding at night (ie. to get bike lights). This evening i rode into the city for a 6pm function, with food and drink (which replenished me nicely).

A shorter ride into West End for 7.30pm was even more enjoyable as traffic had died down by then. And by 9.30ish (i'm guessing) i barely encountered a car on the ride back to the bikeway.

Two things i've learnt:
1. Riding is even more fun with a friend
2. A scarf is a great addition when riding in winter at night.
(fortunately, i did not have to learn that the hard way)
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ps. parking update...
City: 30 seconds from front door
West End: 5-10 seconds from front door

The Bicycle City

This the trailer for the upcoming documentary movie The Bicycle City.



It's the story of Rivas, Nicaragua - and the incredible transformation of that poor town as a result of donated bicycles. "Pedals for Progress" has brought 60,000 people out of poverty merely by giving out some bikes.

So Perfect

It's always fun to see someone excited about riding a bike. It's a simple pleasure, that's often hard to describe.


These are some of Hayley's thoughts...

Today, I rode my bike to and from work. It was perfect! I can't wait to start only riding my bike places.

I can't believe how happy this bike has made me. I can't wait to buy more bikes and ride them everywhere. It's annoying how much I talk about it, but I just can't express it enough.

On my way home I ran into my friend Duane... It was the perfect afternoon to ride along side with one of my best friends. We even made plans to ride to and from work together on Thursday. CAN'T WAIT.

Social Barriers

Was just reading Clay Shirky's book Here Comes Everybody. Mostly, it has nothing to do with cars, but part of one chapter talked about the barriers to people interacting socially. I liked the quote

...much of the time spent doing errands or ferrying children from hither to yon is spent in a car. In a pedestrian setting, running into someone is a good thing; in a car, not so much.

He went on to point out that the highly enclosed nature of the travel reduces the likelihood of social encounters.

As i've said before, being car-free is good for the ol' social life.