Chainlinks That CAN Do attitude CHAINLINKS 2008 Issue 4, DECEMBER 4, Issue 2008 CHAINLINKS 2008 ISSUE 4, DECEMBER NEWSLETTER OF THE CYCLING ADVOCATES NETWORK (NZ) is Health, Transport, Education, all Summer cycling: Editorial with implications for cycling. It will be interesting to see what policy National the pleasure and The government has changed, and does in fact have — we’ve heard very the parties with carefully thought out little on the campaign, and there is lit- policies on cycling and sustainable tle on their web site. possibilities of transport are now in opposition. In- stead of encouraging a governing party The world financial crisis will impact on our advocacy work too. It may cycling in NZ to implement its policy, advocates now Next issue; submit by 21 Jan. need to encourage parties to think result in more people looking for cheaper forms of transport. It may through, create and adopt some policy. Photos: Set your camera to 1024 x 768 mean less money available for changes We need to work, if we are to keep the pixels or more, and keep them at good/ to foster more people cycling safely, on gains we have made under the previ- better quality. ous government. Government MPs both local and national levels. How- who support cycling will need to be ever it could be that cycling is part of This will be the issue to pass on to your supported and encouraged. the infrastructure that the government non-cycling friends to inspire them to get plans to borrow and invest in, to tide on a bike. The good news is there are 18 cyclists us over the recession. We need to be in the government (another 16 on the in there, keeping the issues clear and Due out 16 February, in the middle of cross benches), and that Nick Smith, explicit while the thinking and deci- Bike Month. National’s strong voice for the envi- sions are being made. ronment, has that portfolio to manage. Mind you, he also has to manage the Cheer yourself up with the Cycle Climate Change portfolio, potential Friendly Awards; the full descriptions changes to the Resource Management of these inspiring projects are on the CAN: Cycling Advocates Network Act and to ACC — all likely to be time CAN website. Take this opportunity to PO Box 6491, Wellesley St, consuming; and ACT seems to have sign up on our web site (all welcome). Auckland, New Zealand. Tel 04 972 2552 exacted from National the chance to And have a read of the CAN Do ar- [email protected] review the science of the IPCC within ticles in this issue. There are lots of www.can.org.nz NZ’s select committee process. Infra- good things happening for cycling in structure, a new policy area that has New Zealand! Chainlinks implications for transport, has gone n ISSN 1175-9364 to Bill English. And of course there Miriam Richardson [email protected] Editor: Miriam Richardson cyclist. The cyclist was thrown sev- Contributions manager: Letters to the editor eral metres — landing on the road- Stephen Wood way, apparently fracturing a femur, Dear Editor; and still unconscious 20 minutes later. Next Quarterly Issue: February It is hugely mistaken to claim that Contributions by 21January In my experience of falling heavily compulsory helmets have ‘caused’ a Email content to: on the road many times I have never decline in cycling in NZ. I am sceptical [email protected] experienced whiplash neck injury from about statistical ‘evidence’, preferring Pictures: 1024 x 768 pixels preferred the weight of the helmet. personal experience. Advertising: [email protected] The period of compulsory helmet use Helmet use should not be a personal coincides with vastly cheaper cars; choice for children, or anyone using Webpage can.org.nz/chainlinks more congested roads and higher ur- publicly funded emergency services ban vehicle speeds, plus a lower drink- and medical care - at least for head The views expressed in ing age and increased drink driving. injuries. Chainlinks are not necessarily The argument that …most cycle im- Helmet advocates are no more of a those of CAN. pact accidents are with the flat road- self-selected group than helmet op- CAN receives financial support from way and helmets don’t add much ponents. protection… ignores kerbs and vehicle impacts. I was concussed but avoided Outside of CAN, the commonest serious injury when my front wheel reasons given why people seldom locked at low speed throwing me over cycle are traffic density and speed, not the handlebars, hitting and cracking wearing helmets. my helmet on the kerb. Simon Miller Cover photo: Photo from the On an earlier occasion, I was first (cycle commuter 40+ years) CANterbury ride on scene after a low speed collision CAW member ©2008 Gaz Sanvicens between a turning car and helmetless This correspondence is now closed. ISSN 1175-9364 2 Chainlinks 4 2008 Chainlinks 4 2008 3 CANDo bike loan and airport pickup service Highlights this issue Steven Muir Catching up from last issue we have Airport pickup by cycle, bike loans for commuting and n Election results and their implications for cycling p4. field trips, and for the 2-day Little River Rail Trail after the n Winners of the Gemini Cycle CAN Do. Steven Muir demon- Friendly Awards p12 strates how you CAN DO in Reports back from CAN Do in Christchurch. Christchurch In October 2008, 56 cycling enthusi- n Bike pickup from the airport asts gathered for the Cycling Advo- p3 cates Network CANDo conference in Three bikes being collected by bike n The organisers’ view p9 Christchurch, which included some trailer using a bent threaded rod n The Aucklanders’ report p8 field trips by bike. Steven Muir coor- bracket to secure the front forks. dinated the bike loan to enable those n Getting people loan bikes for without bikes to participate in field The airport pickup the rides p3 trips, commute around the city and go The next piece of action happened on n Technology helps with the on the Little River Rail trail two-day the way to the digital strategy hackfest numb bum on the Little River excursion that followed the confer- on Friday morning with the meeting after CAN Do ride p9 ence. Steven also offered an airport starting at 9am. There were three peo- Getting inspired: pickup service using his tandem and ple arriving on the 9.25am flight from bike trailers that he produces himself. Wellington, two of whom (Thomas n The Digital Strategy p15 n There were eighteen people expressing and Pete) were concerned that they Sustrans: getting people out interest in a bike loan and so the first were running late and so turned down of cars in the UK p5 task was to locate suitable bikes, which the offer of a bike pickup and opted for a taxi. Nathaniel, on the other hand, Find out what’s been happening wasn’t too hard. Two local Spokes in New Zealand (p7), in local members were away for the weekend accepted the ride into town on the two were tandem, with luggage in one groups (p16), in the government and were happy to loan their fami- (p4), overseas (p6), and on the lies’ three bikes. Steven and his of Steven’s trailers. All pas- concerned sengers emerged from the web: virtual bikes for sale (p19). neighbour Nigel made up the n rest of the numbers from their that they were airport terminal about the extensive collections of bikes. running late so same time, and Steven and Nathaniel waved to the Contents turned down the others as they set off into 2 Editorial Getting the bikes bike pickup a slight head wind along 3 CAN Do bike loan and airport the relatively uncongested, The first problem was how to shuttle 60 km/hr Memorial Ave route into the transport the bikes to Steven’s house, 4 Government news Central City, expecting to be overtak- to be later handed out to delegates, 5 Sustrans en by the taxi at any moment. preferably without using a car. Steven 6 International snippets managed to do this by mounting the Twenty-four minutes (approx. 11 km) 7 New Zealand roundup three bikes on his large size trailer, later the tandem pulled in to the 8 Aucklanders at CAN Do bolting the front forks to three sets Twisted Hop café/bar where the dig- 9 Yes we CAN! of bent, threaded rod. Being the first ital strategy meeting was being held, 9 To Little River and back and time that Steven had carried more and were pleasantly surprised to see no numb bum than one bike on a trailer, it took about they had made it there first, beat- twenty minutes of fiddling around, continues p 8e 11 Marketplace removing front wheels, getting them Nathaniel and Steve about to leave the 12 Cycle Friendly Awards mounted securely, as well as locating airport on the ‘Clean Green Limousine’ 12 CAN news and profile as many lights and locks to accompany featuring one of Steven’s own trailers. 13 New staff for CAN them as possible. The setup worked 13 Farewell to retiring CAN Chair extremely well and Steven took them 14 CAN updates 7 km or so back to his house without 15 The Digital Strategy too much effort, though the pace was a bit on the slow side to avoid any po- 16 Regional groups tential accidents with the valuable and 17 Join CAN somewhat top-heavy cargo. 19 2009 Dates 19 On the web 2 Chainlinks 4 2008 Chainlinks 4 2008 3 ards joined us to give NZTA’s response identify some people who can help to Government news on our request for greater considera- stimulate and moderate discussions in tion of cyclists in driver instruction, various areas.