Australian Cycling Forums - Bicycles Network Australia

Just the last in a long line of similar articles but still worth noting.

Australia spends $714 per person on roads every year – but just 90 cents goes to walking, wheeling and cycling
The Conversation
Published: February 3, 2025 12.00pm AEDT
Matthew Mclaughlin, The University of Western Australia, Grant Ennis, Monash University, Peter McCue, UNSW Sydney

If more people ride bicycles then it might change. But more people instead drive cars.

The quickest solution that requires no construction of infrastructure is better enforcement of laws (or creation of new ones) that makes riding conditions much safer on the road.

But that won't happen, because even bicycle riders won't support such laws. Either because they don't like the impacts it might have on their driving a motor vehicle, or it might impact the anti-MHL argument. One or the other anyway. Additionally, some cyclists on this forum call for registration of riders:

https://www.bicycles.net.au/forums/view ... 5#p1492311

The idea was shot down -and reasonably in the linked post.

Even laws to stop promotion of violence/hatred against cyclists will get shot down by cyclists "because free speech"!!! Or they'll whine that it is socialist!

So that's it, not happening. Things will remain as they are.

I saw a post in a Facebook cycling group on the weekend where someone was complaining that the new inner west greenway shared path should be separated instead of shared, saying that if the Netherlands can do it, why can't Sydney. Shared paths are a great start, but given Sydney's topographics I think duplicating every shared path is a pipedream. Yes, probably too much money is going into roads instead of cycling infrastructure, but there is also a heck of a lot of money going into metro lines and light rail, which in the long term is also a good thing if it reduces the volume of cars on the roads.

Retrobyte wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 04, 2025 9:01 am

I saw a post in a Facebook cycling group on the weekend where someone was complaining that the new inner west greenway shared path should be separated instead of shared, saying that if the Netherlands can do it, why can't Sydney. Shared paths are a great start, but given Sydney's topographics I think duplicating every shared path is a pipedream. Yes, probably too much money is going into roads instead of cycling infrastructure, but there is also a heck of a lot of money going into metro lines and light rail, which in the long term is also a good thing if it reduces the volume of cars on the roads.

Just having a shared path is a start, the alternative is usually.... NOTHING!

Amazing with the new M12 motorway project we get a connected cycleway with lights along it (sections already built). It could have been so easily nothing at all and the existing M7 path in the nearby area ripped up and not replaced. Fortunately that didn't happen and a new path to replace what will go is being constructed.

g-boaf wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 04, 2025 8:34 am

If more people ride bicycles then it might change. But more people instead drive cars.

The quickest solution that requires no construction of infrastructure is better enforcement of laws (or creation of new ones) that makes riding conditions much safer on the road.

But that won't happen, because even bicycle riders won't support such laws. Either because they don't like the impacts it might have on their driving a motor vehicle, or it might impact the anti-MHL argument. One or the other anyway. Additionally, some cyclists on this forum call for registration of riders:

https://www.bicycles.net.au/forums/view ... 5#p1492311

The idea was shot down -and reasonably in the linked post.

Even laws to stop promotion of violence/hatred against cyclists will get shot down by cyclists "because free speech"!!! Or they'll whine that it is socialist!

So that's it, not happening. Things will remain as they are.

I don't see too many advocating rider registration and it is quickly pointed out as a baseless idea when it is. I think Vosadrian was a bit unfairly portrayed in that link.
The lack of support on a cycling forum for infrastructure spending isn't the problem. Lack of electoral pressure is. There simply isn't enough of us to make a difference in any election.
Higher density living in inner city areas is one area that may change simply due to congestion. Realistically that is about it imo unfortunately.
It aint ever changing where I live. I detest congestion and crowding so there will never be any meaningful change in funding where I choose to live in my lifetime unfortunately

warthog1 wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 04, 2025 11:26 am

The lack of support on a cycling forum for infrastructure spending isn't the problem. Lack of electoral pressure is. There simply isn't enough of us to make a difference in any election.
Higher density living in inner city areas is one area that may change simply due to congestion. Realistically that is about it imo unfortunately.

Au contraire mon ami (my best Allaphilipe in a 2nd rate team voice) the numbers are rising greatly. But as Boaf says, too much fragmentation in the community. I've said it before, I'll say it again. Embrace our wayward lazy e-thing fellow travelers. USE those numbers to call for change. It won't be a great leap to go from the Gov turning a blind eye to youngsters on them to the numbers going ape and then having to be accommodated. Ridiculous that they aren't being used to further the good fight.

But like, you know....e-things are eeeeeeeeeeeeeeevvvvvviiiiiiiiiiiiiiiil

fat and old wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 04, 2025 2:58 pm

warthog1 wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 04, 2025 11:26 am

The lack of support on a cycling forum for infrastructure spending isn't the problem. Lack of electoral pressure is. There simply isn't enough of us to make a difference in any election.
Higher density living in inner city areas is one area that may change simply due to congestion. Realistically that is about it imo unfortunately.

Au contraire mon ami (my best Allaphilipe in a 2nd rate team voice) the numbers are rising greatly. But as Boaf says, too much fragmentation in the community. I've said it before, I'll say it again. Embrace our wayward lazy e-thing fellow travelers. USE those numbers to call for change. It won't be a great leap to go from the Gov turning a blind eye to youngsters on them to the numbers going ape and then having to be accommodated. Ridiculous that they aren't being used to further the good fight.

But like, you know....e-things are eeeeeeeeeeeeeeevvvvvviiiiiiiiiiiiiiiil

I see it as more likely they will be enforced for legality when more people start getting injured.

That is a positive way to look at it though. Yes more numbers and more so in inner city areas I imagine. Melbourne has however banned those hire e scooter things I believe.

Here’s a way to make a small difference in terms of securing a little bit of additional funding for bicycle infrastructure : sign the petition !
(If you have not already done so)

https://me.getup.org.au/petitions/suppo ... c4e2e296b1

This is not just a floozy tokenistic project.
It’s in a part of Australia with a large and growing population and an easy day trip (car or public transport) from Brisbane and the Gold Coast.
The proposed Trail would link the already competed Murwillumbah Railtrail -24 km- with the already completed Lismore to Cassino Railtrail- 31 km.
The Murwillumbah Railtrail is wildly popular both with locals and visitors. It serves a huge community need as a place for relatively safe exercise and recreation by cyclists and pedestrians etc.
the Lismore to Cassino Railtrail is only recently opened and will likely become almost as well patronised also

When you experience the Trail - either the Murwillumbah section or the Lismore section- it’s staggering how often you meet people who ask when the trails are going to be linked by a middle section through Byron Shire. (Approx 60 km)
Visitors look stunned when you explain how it is all dependent on political and funding grant complexities which are moving at a glacial pace.

Bear in mind that a continuous Trail from Murwillumbah to Cassino via Bilinudgel, Mullumbimby, Bangalow/Byron Bay, Lismore etc would constitute an epic Trail that would rival the best in Australia and in the world.
The potential benefits to the community are enormous, and the derelict Railway corridor is just sitting there begging to be reinvented to once more serve people’s needs

g-boaf wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 04, 2025 8:34 am

If more people ride bicycles then it might change. But more people instead drive cars.

This is the great injustice of it all. They prefer to drive because there's so much over-investment in driving. This locks in motoring as a cheap, convenient and safe transport mode. That guarantees patronage. Then that justifies even more investment. The whole thing is rigged. People know it too - that's instinctively why they oppose building cycling infrastructure. It's not just fear of taking space from motorists - they get that biased investment is necessary to preserve their privilege.

It's a prison of motorists' own creation. I used to drive to work, once. When I started riding and commuting (again), I remembered how much better it was. Now, I'd been a cyclist and at that point was returning after a break. So it's not the same. But they just don't understand - they think cycling is unavailable to them and for 'other people'.

People prefer to drive because they are lazy and it is the accepted norm. It's hardly cheap, inconvenient in peak hour, and of questionably safety! Which are some of the reasons to ride.

I'd argue it's cheap. How much is a trip to the shops 1km away? 50c in petrol? The fixed costs of insurance, depreciation don't come into the marginal decision to drive to the shops.

Yes sorry forgot to add people are stupid.

It's an important point

One good thing here in Radelaide, is that there are some tram overpasses being installed to remove 3 road crossings (and it's one way to work that I use), and in the $200M allocated for the work, there is full shared lanes that are part of the design, so happy with that.