Timely Cycling Initiatives:Open letter to Ms V Ciccarello MP
(from the e-mail list. you may wish to also send a similar letter to Attorney-General Michael Atkinson, who cycles to work regularly)
Dear Vini,
As a fellow cyclist and one of your constituents, I am writing about cyclists’ rights.
I would love some kind of positive initiative towards cycling in SA to emerge from the Ian Humphrey tragedy. Despicable as his behaviour clearly was, it is not entirely Mr McGee’s fault that killing a cyclist with a car and driving on is not regarded as a serious matter in SA. As you would well know, there has been a downward drift in status for cyclists so that new generations do not accept cyclists’ rights to use the road. Mr Rann and Mr Atkinson are in part responsible for allowing this legal and cultural negativity towards cycling to develop. The Government should fix the justice system, but more importantly they should act to support cyclists in tangible ways, presenting and fostering a positive attitude to cycling in the community.
It is disgraceful for example that there are virtually no safe routes to commute to school or work in Adelaide. There are no safe East-West or North-South routes across the city. That the North Tce redevelopment has no provision for cyclists exemplifies the general bad treatment of cyclists by planners, the police, rail authorities and motorists. Instead of being protected and encouraged, a culture of negativity towards cyclists exists that includes targetting them for petty infringements. Ironic indeed is the strict enforcement of such laws as those against riding on footpaths (even when we do so for safety reasons). To ride at night in SA is to invite harassment from hoons and suspicion from police.
Even if they don’t ride themselves, every South Australian relies on bicycle transport to perform important journeys for them at some stage of their lives. As there are many benefits from cycling, and Adelaide’s geography is well-suited to cycle journeys, action to ensure the continuation of safe cycling is required.
A positive message to respect bikes should be promoted by the State and the City of Adelaide in word and deed. The previous ‘Share the Road’ campaign failed to acknowledge the inequalities and vulnerabilities in the motorist-cyclist relationship. Cyclists don’t kill motorists. The current promotion of South Australia as a centre for the street-racing of passenger cars requires considerable counter-balance. We could be a ‘Bike Friendly’ community, or the ‘Petrol Head State’. I have outlined some proposals below, and I will send them to the various cycling bodies, the Premier and relevant ministers too.
Yours sincerely,
Andrew Bunney
[snip]
EVANDALE 5069
South Australia
A Positive Campaign for Cycling in Adelaide and SA
A ‘Respect Bikes’ or ‘Thumbs Up for Bikes’ (or even ‘Bikes Rule!’) campaign would promote cycling and cyclist safety. The broadest connotation of such a campaign would be to promote cycling as a desirable form of transport. It would be a timely statement of encouragement from the state to its cyclists.
‘Thumbs Up for Bikes’ (one proposed campaign slogan)
A campaign promoting a positive attitude to cycling in general could also involve popularising a new safety signal for road users; a gesture to symbolise recognition of a cyclist in traffic, the traditional’ thumbs up.’ The idea is to foster general goodwill and positive exchanges between road-users. Presumably cyclists would respond similarly to courtesies shown.
Primary Goal
Increased cyclist safety by increasing awareness and acceptance.
Methods
By Council and road signs, stickers, posters, radio and tv spots, with logo or international road symbol-style ‘bicycle and thumb’. To encourage road-users (motorists, pedestrians and other cyclists) to accept, and acknowledge, where appropriate, a cyclist’s presence in traffic. The campaign should be initiated by the SA Government and/or the City of Adelaide.
Outcomes
Improved status for cyclists. More and safer cycle journeys, with health & environmental benefits. Increased cycle awareness. Fewer cyclist injuries and deaths. Lowered levels of anxiety in traffic generally.
Secondary Effects
The ‘Thumbs Up for Bikes’ campaign promotes cycle-awareness and general goodwill, also opening up a mechanism for positive exchanges between road-users. Presumably cyclists would respond and acknowledge courtesies shown with the same gesture, and even use the ‘thumbs up’ to signal the go-ahead to other road-users in uncertain traffic situations. The broadest connotation of such a campaign is to promote cycling as a desirable form of transport. The campaign could be licensed nationally and internationally
Drawbacks of the proposed gesture:
1. Encouraging the gesture may be criticised as lessening a motorists control of the steering wheel. (But drivers frequently use indicators, change gears, smoke, adjust stereos, drink, etc. The gesture need not even involve the fingers leaving the steering wheel.)
2. It may serve to promote the ‘thumbs-down’. (But cyclists feel that such an attitude is already prevalent. It would be better to have negativity expressed in an open but relatively safe manner. Sometimes cyclists may be deserving of such a judgment, too and it may improve cyclist behaviour.)
Cycle Initiatives for the City of Adelaide and suburbs
As well as promoting cycling as a preferred transport choice, simple, cost-effective improvements to the physical environment should be made:
Suburban Bikeways
There are routes that cyclists choose to use through the suburbs to avoid main roads (eg. For the Eastern suburbs, King William St Kent Town, Beulah Rd and William St Norwood). Where appropriate, these roads should be made ‘one-way’ for cars (with car-parking only on that side of the street), and segregated two-way, ‘Bikeways’ on the other side.
Diagonal bike-paths across Parklands
Parks like Rymill Pk & West Parklands have some walking and cycling paths but no useful routes to connect cycling commuters or recreational riders to bike-routes or roads at either side, forcing cyclists to ride on busy motor vehicle routes. The addition of a small number of cheap, appropriate paths (highly obvious to anyone who cares to look) would make a substantial difference.
Dangerous intersections
Bike lanes direct cyclists to busy intersections such as Maid & Magpie Cnr or Britannia Roundabout but then offer no assistance in crossing, often squeezing vehicle traffic into two lanes creating anxiety for cyclists and motorists alike. These junctions need appropriate strategies (markings, detours, bridges, subways) for safe cycling.
City of Adelaide
Streets
The CBD is not safely accessible for cyclists. There is no safe route for cyclists to travel East-West across the city. One bikeway, presumably along either North Tce, Rundle St/Mall or Grenfell St is required. There is no safe route for cyclists to travel North-South across the city. Bikeways that run parallel to, or along some of Frome, Pulteney, King William and Morphett Streets are required.
Footpaths
Cyclists over 12 years of age should also be allowed to ‘ride with care’ on all footpaths with priority given to pedestrians. Some footpaths should be marked into separate cycling and pedestrian domains.
A City of Adelaide and Suburbs Bike Map
A map should be produced showing the new safe ‘Bikeways’ and existing safe routes such as Linear Park and seaside paths.
