Hard News: Change for the Better
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Jason Kemp, in reply to
The colour is called Telemagenta by the company that made it. Ironically the details are in a post called Pink Frost. ( they don't once mention the Chills but...)
Pink Frost: meet the team who put the icing on the Nelson St cake -
Jason Kemp, in reply to
Really :) I think it depends on the day and the weather a bit. Sausalito is not a real ride - you should have cycled to Tiburon and caught the ferry from there. No queues.
Like anything it could be better but by an large being able to cycle or walk over a major bridge with a view is great. I have been on the Golden Gate when there was a fog and so you couldn't see much that crossing but later in the day it improved.
People complain about the stairs at one end of the Sydney Harbour bridge too but they are missing the point. Yes that part could be improved but just being able to cycle anywhere without being run over by a car is a good day. Cheer up :)
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Map at Canada St entrance for those unsure where the access point is
This from Sam >
"1. I can’t think of a single cycle project that has generated as much excitement as this..."
What I was thinking of when I said the lightpath symbolises great things for a re-imagined Auckland - becoming a world city with trains and people as well as the usual cars.
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Russell Brown, in reply to
Turning right out of Gundry is a pretty game maneuver, even in a car – I don’t usually do it, even though it’s an obvious shortcut if you’re coming up Newton to K Rd. It’s got many layers of wrong about it.
Yeah, like I said, I considered trundling along the footpath. But part of me said "hey, it's cyclist day, use the road". And it would've been fine had the car not been travelling so fast.
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Lilith __, in reply to
I saw another guy in a car do this to a person on a bike turning right into Nuffield Street in Newmarket. I was driving, and in the lane next to them. There was a red arrow and the guy in the car behind the person on the bike physically used his vehicle to push the person on the bike into the oncoming traffic. No Reason.
Surely this is assault with a weapon? Not just a traffic infringement.
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Glenn Pearce, in reply to
Righto, I'll make a point next time of going on a foggy day, skip lunch in Sausalito and make my kids ride the extra 15kms to Tiburon to avoid the Ferry queue. Sounds like a great day out :-)
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Congratulations Auckland on the cycle-path awesomeness! Let's hope these paths become standard around New Zealand. That would be amazing.
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Sam M, in reply to
Cheers! Will definitely go for an amber in that direction.
I also drive in (getting off the NW MW at Nelson St) and the traffic seems to have been a lot worse the last couple of weeks. Once the cars actually get onto Nelson St, I don't think they move any slower than they used to. Is there an extra light phasing at the end of the off-ramps now to create an opening for the bikes?
The last few times I've driven, the queue on the motorway now extends beyond the point where the Southern MW queue starts...
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It is possible to call *555 to report bad driving. Or the police if it was really bad. For someone pushing me with their car it would be the police.
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"Car drivers" (whatever that actually means) should welcome more cyclists as every cycle is one car less, so they can dash off to their next traffic jam all the quicker.
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The instances of these drivers' behaviour, which one of the previous commenters got right in terms of this being an assault, is disgusting. I believe these people are representative of the bullying selfish behaviour that has been fostered in our culture over the last twenty or so years, encouraged by the likes of Hosking, Henry, and the current government (yes I know that might be a long bow but their behaviour has been similar in their treatment of everyday citizens).
I don't really know how to change this - it's clear that these individuals really truly lack any kind of empathy, and no doubt see cyclists as some kind of "threat" to their odd vision of freedoms or rights. It's actually very sad to see this.....I've also no doubt that these people are also being squeezed, and a cyclist becomes an easy target of frustration as they have their views reinforced by exposure to the likes of Hosking etc.
I hope someone files a police complaint against the car pictured too!
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After reading this post I sought out the new path on m way home today. Magic. I will test it out in rush hour tomorrow, but reckon this will save me from the daily nightmare of all the unphased traffic lights down Queen St!
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nzlemming, in reply to
What do you do at those times?
This is the sanest argument I know for having a GoPro on top of your helmet to record the license, the action and the driver for later complaint to police. Unless complaints are made, and in quantity, leading to convictions, nothing will change.
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Only wish I could be there with my magenta wheels ...
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Wichid, in reply to
No, cycle crossings are matched to traffic movements in similar directions like other pedestrian crossings
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Some Stats, in reply to
What do you do at those times? I’m ok admitting, I was frightened of that driver.
When you encounter dangerous aggression from cars, call the police immediately. Use *555 which is for urgent traffic issues and goes through to the central control room. In my experience, the operators there are very nice and professional. Police in the area may be alerted to the jerk and pull them over. At the very least, the incident is recorded and the stats will add up...
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Rich Lock, in reply to
Surely this is assault with a weapon? Not just a traffic infringement.
I was once crushed into the side of bus on Customs St by a young lady deliberately puliing her car over to the left as I slowly filtered through between her on my right and the bus to the left. My RH bike pedal got caught and mangled in her front-left wheel well. Fortunately I'd managed to pull my leg clear before that.
Shortly after reporting her to the police, I was told that it was essentially 'he said, she said' as I'd damaged her car and I was advised that as she'd been spoken to, I was best off dropping the matter. My confidence in the ability of the police to handle these types of incidents appropriately is not exactly sky-high.
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Ecstatic on opening night. And also beyond delighted to realise this is perfect for my work to daycare to home circuit. AND next year the Nelson St path will run right past my front door. I'm truly living the dream.
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Lilith __, in reply to
I was once crushed into the side of bus on Customs St by a young lady deliberately puliing her car over to the left as I slowly filtered through between her on my right and the bus to the left. My RH bike pedal got caught and mangled in her front-left wheel well. Fortunately I’d managed to pull my leg clear before that.
Shortly after reporting her to the police, I was told that it was essentially ‘he said, she said’ as I’d damaged her car and I was advised that as she’d been spoken to, I was best off dropping the matter. My confidence in the ability of the police to handle these types of incidents appropriately is not exactly sky-high.
So she was saying you intentionally rammed her car with your pedal, with a high likelihood of causing your own death or serious injury...? As a general rule I'd believe the person who was *not* encased in 1.5 tonnes of steel at the time.
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Russell Brown, in reply to
AND next year the Nelson St path will run right past my front door. I’m truly living the dream.
A friend has been riding to work from Morningside to Fairfax in the former Telecom building on on K Road.
She's about to take up a job at the new NZME hub. That would have been a tough ride, but the Nelson Street cycleway takes her pretty much to the door. It's like the bloody thing was built for her!
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Russell Brown, in reply to
This is the sanest argument I know for having a GoPro on top of your helmet
Come to think of it, I suppose there would be insane arguments for doing so …
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Rich Lock, in reply to
So she was saying you intentionally rammed her car with your pedal, with a high likelihood of causing your own death or serious injury...?
No, her defence was that once she'd rammed me into the bus, I'd cracked her windscreen by repeatedly pounding on it. Which I did, because I was trapped between a bus and her car, flooded with adrenaline, and wanted her to move. Which is apparently sufficient reason for the police to not want to take any further action.
ETA: I didn't realise I'd cracked her windscreen at the time, I was told this by the police later on.
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...and just to add: I'd commend and recommend anyone who has an unpleasant bike v car encounter to contact the police. Just don't expect a particualry positive reception or results unless you're prepared to push hard for it against institutional apathy.
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I’m not really sure of what it is about Auckland and the Mr Wheeler attitude towards cyclists, but it fits in well with the NIMBY concept of property rights. After riding the main roads of Osaka for over 10 years, I never experienced road rage or intimidation once, even if my approach to cycling would probably warrant me a hiding in Auckland. Took my road bike out after landing in AK 5 years ago and was harassed twice in 7 days, one time from Devonport to Takapuna and the other from Highbury to Takapuna. I gave up as it’s not worth the stress in my opinion. Better to ride in cities like Whangarei where people don't seem to care and are used to seeing the Marsden Wheelers around.
OTOH, I’ve seen some appalling etiquette among cyclists in Auckland, particularly the MAMIL weekend warriors who probably need to attend a course led by experienced cyclists who have experience riding in packs (likely to be amateur racers).
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Su Yin Khoo, in reply to
The one where the lady knocked me off by not stopping at the stop sign at intersection?
Just don’t expect a particualry positive reception [...]
The policewoman at the station was an absolute pro and lovely to deal with when I reported the crash.
[...] you’re prepared to push hard for it against institutional apathy.
But! Later on, they only slapped her with a $50 fine because "she stopped to offer you assistance". 😓
I hope to never be in a crash again but I will be engaging full Hulk mode.
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