Pedalling for Change
Pedalling for Change: Cultural Geography for Traffic Congestion Innovation
Cycling in the news 15 Aug to 21 Aug 2020
Source: The Daily Telegraph (2020). https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/cyclists-slam-new-sydney-bike-lane-as-dangerous-pointless/news-story/fa796fe69498f5700bc326e03ef73853
Two men are wanted by police in Brisbane after a cyclist was assaulted in a suspected road rage incident in Upper Mount Gravatt. As the Courier Mail reported, the 60-year-old cyclist was riding along Logan Road in the early hours of Sunday Morning when his path was blocked by the driver of a late model Holden sedan. A passenger then got out of the vehicle and proceeded to assault the cyclist, pushing him to the ground and damaging his bicycle. The victim was taken to Princess Alexandra hospital to be treated for minor injuries.
There have been a number of cyclists injured or killed in Queensland this week.
On Monday, the Townsville Bulletin reported that a 35-year-old man had been hit by the driver of a car in the Townsville suburb of Douglas. The man sustained serious leg injuries and had to be treated at the scene before being transported to hospital. His condition was considered stable.
Three days later, a cyclist in his 50s was hit by a driver at a roundabout in Townsville. The Townsville Bulletin reported that the driver was issued with an infringement notice for failing to give way. The cyclist was taken to Townsville University Hospital with serious injuries including a possible broken shoulder.
In Brown Plains a teenager was killed trying to cycle across a busy road in Logan City, south of Brisbane. The Courier Mail reported that the 14-year-old boy was following his friend on a scooter when the incident occurred and that the view from the road was obstructed by parked cars.
On Sunday, a 55-year-old woman was killed after being hit by a driver near the rural township of Wamuran, just north of Brisbane. Police are still investigating the cause of the crash. According to the Courier Mail, the woman was riding with her 56-year-old husband who was also hit and injured. Both were taken to Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital where the woman later died from her injuries. The woman's husband is in a serious but stable condition.
In infrastructure news, Brisbane City Council has announced that some parking spaces in the Brisbane CBD will be permanently removed to make way for dedicated bicycle lanes. As the Brisbane Times reported on Tuesday, despite missing their opportunity to trial temporary bicycle lanes during the coronavirus lockdown, the city had committed to working with cycling advocacy groups to design and implement permanent cycleways. The new routes will reportedly be "fully protected with barriers" and provide a dedicated route through the city for cyclists to use.
Meanwhile in Sydney, the Daily Telegraph reported that both cyclists and pedestrians were expressing concern about a new temporary bicycle lanes installed along Fitzroy Street Lane in Surry Hills. One cyclist complained that the route was on the left side of the street, so cyclists that needed to turn right to go into the city were better off riding in traffic. The path has also created friction between cyclists and pedestrians. Painted lines designed to show where cyclists need to slow are allegedly being mistaken for pedestrian crossings, leading to people walking into the path of oncoming bikes.
Cyclists vs motorists
Cyclists vs pedestrians
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