Treadly and Me

Father and Daughter

Beautifully done.

I’m sure I saw this at the Melbourne International Animation Festival a few years ago and I’m so glad I’ve found it again now (quite by accident, honest).

Ritalin or ride a bike?

Who’d have thought that a kid just needs to expend a bit of energy before sitting down at school?

Wanda Smith rides with their son William, 7, to Highlands Grove Elementary…

The bike riding served as a way to expend some of William’s energy before the school day started. He previously attended private school and was accused of having attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

After lots of money and testing, only to find that William was “all boy,” Wanda Smith said she began walking, running and riding bikes to school with him to help burn some early-morning energy. Now he’s a straight-A student who doesn’t get in trouble.

Does that make cycling a viable alternative to Ritalin? I think the side-effects of cycling would stack-up a bit better (e.g. muscular thighs, increased cardiovascular capacity, reduced likelihood of diabetes…) [via Where The Bike Takes Me]

Click!

This one came around on the Yarra BUG newsletter: the City of Melbourne is running a photo competition for “images that represent the true character of cycling in Melbourne”. Cool.

Unintended consequences

Having dealt with unintended consequences…

For all my derision, the last thing I’d want to do is discourage someone from riding a bike. If anything, I’d like to think I poke fun at the things that are actually barriers of entry to new cyclists, and not at new cyclists themselves.

…Bike Snob NYC addresses the obstacles to cycling.

Ranting bore

Normally I wouldn’t bother responding to boring anti-cyclist rants like this one from Bristol [via London Cycling Diary], but I noticed this blog “Bristol Traffic” posted on audax-oz. No further comment required.

Imagine this road bike path with an extra lane

“The Monash Freeway is gobbling up a section of the busiest bike path in Melbourne” according to a report in the Stonnington Leader. OK, it takes a while to get things like this into the local rag:

Freeway widening and the building of wetlands near Tooronga Village will close large sections of the Gardiners Creek bike path for more than a year.

And we’re all well aware of the detours in place.

Bicycle Victoria facilities and development manager Jason den Hollander said the group was confident the Monash Alliance would re-build a superior track.

“It will be a short to medium-term pain for a long-term gain,” Mr den Hollander said.

Time will tell.

DIY

Ground Hugger—”A Recumbent Bicycle You Build From Plans”.

Security

“PlantLock frees up cluttered hallways and stairwells by offering a solid planter to lock your bike to.”

Nice idea, but I’m not entirely convinced that it’s entirely secure. Still I reckon it probably has its uses. [via metafilter]

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You only get one shot

[Video from Melbourne Cyclist]

It sounds like last weekend’s Eastlink Ride was tons o’ fun. Organisers only have one shot to get events like this right, and it sounds like it was something of a shemozzle.

Here’s another video of the ride (time lapse this time) picked up at A woman and a fixed wheel.

I share this secret

I Have a Secret:

But here’s the big secret: bike commuting is no sacrifice at all. As a matter of fact, I often feel a pang of guilt for doing it. It’s so much fun, and I derive so many benefits from it (health, wealth, serenity) that my subconscious mind assumes I must be cheating, that I must be doing something bordering on the unethical or illegal

But if having fun isn’t enough, here are 17 Reasons Why Bicycles Are the Most Popular Vehicle in the World Today.

Dave Moulton, Mythbuster

Dispelling the myth: cycling just ain’t as dangerous as people think.

Urban planning

• In SMH:

  When the Danish urban designer Thomas Ermacora sat down to study global bicycle culture, he began by making a world map of cycling capitals. Unfortunately, Australia didn’t make the grade.

  “Australia doesn’t really have a cycling city,” he says.

  According to Ermacora, whose love of bicycles began as a child, cycling cultures in cities like Copenhagen and Amsterdam are multilayered. “Even if you threw money at making cycle lanes, it wouldn’t create a bike culture on its own,” he says. It’s a holistic approach that makes the difference, starting with encouraging children to ride, providing lanes for them when they are adults and making cycling attractive, he says.

• Frankston Council is planning “a comprehensive study of traffic, parking, pedestrian, cycling and public transport issues.”
• Cyclists want better South Rd deal in Adelaide.
• Blackburn resident calls for more bicycle funding

A considerable distance from my reality

I nearly fell of my chair when I saw this thread on bikejournal.com: “Anyone Packing Heat?”

Ive been tempted a few times but havent yet. But im curious anyone packing a pistol when they ride?

I.e a 22 compact, or snub 38? anything larger is too heavy for the jersey pockets.

Who-oa! That is so far from my reality—it’s never come within 100 miles of crossing my mind. I notice the thread has been closed—I guess he copped a bit of heat about that?

Listen to the music

The Bike Speaker lets you listen to your music and still hear the sound of traffic. Oh yeah, and you can put your keys in it too. [via bikejournal.com]

Vote 1 Audax Alpine Classic

From audax-oz:

The Alpine Classic has been nominated by a member of the public as a favourite Victorian tourism experience in the RACV on-line poll. The trick is to be included amongst the top 101 attractions.

We are currently listed at 311 with 2 votes, but it’s early days, the poll is open until mid August.

If you would like to get the Alpine ahead of the Abbotsford Convent and even the “Round the Bay Ride” visit www.racv.com.au and follow the link to “Victoria 101″ and cast your vote. Unlike the Federal election you can get family & friends to vote, or you can simply not vote at all.

Bike shop attitude

Seen in a SMH article:

I researched bikes at eight shops. If you end up bewildered by the choice, don’t follow my lead and ask: “What bike would you recommend for me?” I asked it once, and the reply was: “If you don’t mind me saying, that’s a stupid question.”

Actually, I do mind you saying. No, that’s not a stupid question, it’s a perfectly reasonable one, even though the author let the salesman off the hook:

The guy was right. How would he know my needs? The bike buyer’s first job is to decide on the use - commuting, racing, off-road mountaineering, touring or recreation.

And the salesperson’s first job is to help the potential buyer decide. If someone in a bike shop spoke to me like that, they wouldn’t see any more of my money. In fact, people in bike shops have spoken to me with similar attitude, and guess what? They haven’t seen any more of my money.

DIY

• Uglify your bike: looking crappy as a security device.
  [Thanks tom]
• Build your own wooden recumbent. Whoa!

  These bikes are simple to build, ordinary hand tools are all that is required. No welding and no chopped bike parts are needed. Only a single small machining task.

• The Brass Lion-Steampunk Recumbent, including brass lamps. This has to be seen to be believed.

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I was trundling along the Yarra this morning, minding my own business, when I spied up ahead a bloke who seemed to be doing it tough: he was pushing along on a scooter. At first I thought he was on one of those dinky Razor jobs, but then I realised it was something a bit bigger. And at closer inspection his technique seemed pretty good—smooth strides with a regular hop-switch to change kicking foot, he was getting along pretty well, not doing it tough at all.

As I drew up behind him, I noticed it was no ordinary toy scooter—it was one serious sports vehicle, something a bit like this:

I dropped in beside him for a chat. I guessed he was getting his fitness up to speed for cross-country skiing but it turns out he’s a runner keeping up his training while protecting his back, and presumably his knees as well. (But he gave me points for recognising that it’s something that cross-country ski teams use to maintain fitness in the off-seasons.)

Sure, compared to a bike he wasn’t breaking any speed records but he was getting the workout that he wanted and he seemed to be enjoying himself immensely.

I don’t think I’m a convert but I still reckon that’s one cool bike—a utility cyclist might even want to grab one to use as a lightweight city bike.

More info

• Kickbike Australia is the local importer (and source of photos of hot chicks and buff blokes with tight bums, presumably sculpted by scootering)
• A detailed review and comparison
• Check out the mad descending in this race footage
• Kickbike is the “World portal for the Kickbike scooters and Kickspark sleds”
• IKSA “the world organisation for footbike (scooter)-and kicksled sport”
• Kickbike America

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We had ourselves a family day out on Sunday (fortunately, not on Eastlink) and quite by chance we found ourselves in the Carlton Gardens at the same time as the bike polo mob.

Ever since I first head of bike polo I’ve been mildly curious, without really being motivated to give it a bash. I guess I had the impression of bikes thundering around just like the horses do in…umm…horse polo and along with mallets flailing everywhere and balls rolling around, it just seemed like an accident waiting to happen.

So, in anticipation of some serious schadenfreude, of course we sat down to watch a chukka.

It turned out to be relatively sedate, not the crash and bash that I’d imagined—the worst we saw was a bike being dropped from time to time. I guess it takes a bit of coordination to get the bike going in the right direction, at the right pace and swing the mallet accurately. It must be more about timing than raw speed and aggro. With some training and experience, I suppose it would become a quite fast-paced game but with increasing pace would come increasing skill at avoiding trouble (or increasing skill at falling off).

I’m utterly unqualified to comment, other than to say that it did look like heaps of fun. I still think it’s a crazy idea but you never know, I might just get down there and give it a go myself—the next time I get one of those mythical “spare” Sunday afternoons.

They play down by the Exhibition Building every Sunday from 1pm, and the bloke that I spoke to on the sideline said that it’s mostly scratch games at the moment but they’re trying to get an organised competition going, which would be great.

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“You bloody champion!” [1]

This old codger is getting around on a 56-year-old bike—but then he’s 92 himself.

In 2002, Mathes sent a photo of his bicycle to the Schwinn company.

“I told them, here’s a picture of my bike. It’s 50 years old and has maybe 35,000 miles on it. You can use it in your advertising no charge.

“They sent me back a pair of socks.”

[But did they use the photo?]

He says bicycling is about “the breeze in your face, the exercise, and the constant change of scenery.

“It’s the frosting on the cake. Plus it doesn’t wear out your knees and hips.”

[via RBR Newsletter]

“You bloody champion!” [2]

Riding to school since grade 4, now in year 8 and still not dead, Alex Morgan, 13, has claimed the first medal in Bicycle Victoria’s 500km gold medal challenge.

Alex registered with Bicycle Victoria on April 12 and completed the challenge on April 26. His longest ride was 88.53km around the Yarra Valley and his shortest was the 7km to school and back home.

Recommended reading and viewing

I’ve got two “…of the week” recommendations, both from Yellow Brick Road. Firstly, Adrian is doing some analysis on online comments following the recent crash in Sydney. It will be interesting to follow where that goes. Recommended (and occasionally nauseating) reading.

And then there’s Road Rage in Britain. I haven’t finished watching it myself yet, but the first few sections are pretty interesting. Recommended viewing.

Urban Planning

• Bikes ’sacrificed’ in Melbourne.
• Brisbane cyclists to benefit with network increase: “Brisbane City Council will fast-track the expansion of the city’s bikeway network and new paths after funding was quadrupled in yesterday’s budget.”
• Copenhagen-style bike lanes for Sydney—”the first of about 55 kilometres of new separated bike lanes across the council area.”
• And in Geelong “a shared walking and bicycle track across the front of [a new] 34-lot development would be funded by the developer”—all well and good, but it won’t be much use if it doesn’t connect to anything or go anywhere that anyone wants to go…

The buddy system goes online

comotivate “exists to positively change your physical and mental state by leveraging all that’s amazing about the human condition. Register your goal today, find someone with whom to comotivate and enjoy the power of collective endeavour.” Hmm, sounds like an interesting twist on social networking, especially if you’ve got a speed/distance/training target you want to hit but you don’t have a training partner.

Fold here

Retrofit Folding Handlebars reduces the width of a bike and provides a steering lock to help stop “the infuriating turning of the front wheel”. [Thanks tom]

Big deal

I know we live in a society where the arse-scratchings of every Z-list celebrity seems to be headline fodder for trash magazines and tabloids, so my overwhelming response to the news that Elle Macpherson rides her son home without a helmet was… <YAWN>. Big deal. Who cares? I’m sure she’s not the only helmet-less rider in Britain.

The only really interesting observation in the story was that “Elle was also the only mother smiling at the pick-up zone”, but the reporter attributes that to fashion-envy rather than the more likely explanation that Macpherson wasn’t battling London traffic congestion in an over-sized agricultural vehicle.

Sounds like Audax

Whittlesea rides the cycling trend.

Urban MTB

Stuck in town, far from the hills? Build your own mountain under the freeway (well, a mountain bike trail, at least).

Photo credit: “Cycle & Sacks” by Meanest Indian on Flickr

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When it comes to wearing a helmet, I think it’s a personal choice. Even in Australia, where the law states that it’s compulsory for cyclists to wear a helmet when riding on the road, I respect each adult individual’s right to choose whether to comply or not.

However, I do get mildly irritated by fence-sitters—or should I say, handlebar-danglers—those who ride with a helmet slung over their handlebars like the can’t quite make up their mind. Or in the mistaken belief that being in possession of a helmet will exempt them from a fine, should the proud upholders of the right choose to enforce the law.

You can’t half-wear a helmet. Make a choice and have the strength of character to stick by it. Oh, sure I can see reasons why someone might carry a helmet to wear at times of perceived danger, but to then doff the helmet when that particular danger has passed just seems silly. Regardless of pace or place, if your bike is in motion there is some level of risk (true, often vanishingly small) that your head will suffer the sort of impact injury that a helmet is intended to prevent. And it’s not like modern helmets are especially heavy, hot, or uncomfortable so if a rider is carrying one, they might as well be wearing it.

The best and easiest place to carry a helmet on a bike is, oddly enough, on top of your head not swinging wildly around on the handlebars.

End rant. As you were.

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Awarded

This year’s Bicycling Achievement Awards have been announced. And the winner is…

Riding the boom

Geralidine Doogue chats about the bike boom with Peter Birtles, head honcho of Supercheap Auto in the context his company’s takeover of Goldcross Cycles. [via Farnsy’s Blog]

Putting the foot down

woowoowoo goes all ranty on petrol addicts. Bet it feels good to get that off your chest.

Well said, Dave.

I first saw the photo of the extremely nasty crash in Mexico on the web, and I was horrified. But then I saw it on the front page of the MX, and it was somehow made to seem lurid and sensationalised—I immediately imagined some bogans would see it and be pleased.

Having nothing constructive to say about it, I left it alone. Good thing too: Dave Moulton has said all that needs to be said on the topic. Thanks for that Dave.

Poseur magnet

A million dollar Olympic bicycle so specialized “no ordinary person could ride it”? What’s the chances some cashed-up overweight poseur has already contacted Koga-Miyata trying to order one? [Thanks tom]

Then again, Dave Mouton just doesn’t buy the whole story.

Hittin’ the road

Fancy a bike commute of 42 miles (or 67 km) each way? Three hours? Riding in tennis shoes? [via BV Forums]

Knox Plan

Draft Knox Bicycle Plan—submissions close 20 June.

Travel time to Fed Square

Interesting idea: how long does it take to cycle to Fed Square?

Inevitable, I suppose.

London Cycle Chic—it’s not just Copenhagen anymore…

One question: Why?

TrailCart—wouldn’t a mountain bike be easier? Eh, each to their own. [Thanks tom]

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While Bicycle Victoria still claims “more people cycling more often” as its motto (although in much smaller letters these days), Harry is prepared to bang-on about the tired old upright vs recumbent debate in a public forum:

But Bicycle Victoria chief executive Harry Barber said recumbents were too wide and too hard to pedal uphill for the typical commuter.

Too wide for what, exactly? A recumbent bicycle is no wider than an upright and a tadpole recumbent tricycle is probably about half as wide again, but what it is too wide for remains a mystery.

I doubt that Harry’s ever tried to ride a ‘bent uphill. Perhaps he hasn’t heard of this amazing invention called the derailleur gear, which has this remarkable ability to make a pedal vehicle easier to propel up hills.

“I think that the 1880s safety bicycle, which we’re still riding today, 125 years later, is a pretty tried and tested design,” he said.

Ummm, Harry, are you aware that “recumbent designs of both prone and supine varieties can be traced back to the earliest days of the bicycle”? It would seem that the design of recumbents has been pretty well tried and tested too.

But recumbents were great for quiet country roads, and for people with back or balance problems, he said.

I don’t think it’s a newsflash that uprights go pretty well on quiet country roads too. Oh yeah, and by the look of him Jeff Nielsen has no problems with his back or balance.

Why not celebrate this bloke’s achievement? Why not acknowledge that if Tri-Sled’s sales are growing, then a growing number of people might just consider a ‘bent to be a suitable commuter vehicle? Why publicly denigrate and drag down part of his own constituency? Why, Harry? Why?

And it gets that little bit more absurd: I note that BV’s own magazine published positive reviews of a recumbent trike and a recumbent bike—as commuting vehicles—in the current issue. Something of a mixed message there?

If Harry is not prepared to advocate for all cyclists, regardless of how they sit on their machines, then perhaps he should consider a nice quiet retirement—preferably as far away from the media as possible.

Meanwhile, this latest howler will be added to the growing list of BV’s faux pas when it comes time to think about renewing our family membership…

[via audax-oz]

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Bak seat drivers

Have a look as the diagram of the fancy coupé on this page—then have another look. Despite the best efforts of Babelfish and Google, I can’t really make sense of the article but Tom assures me it’s about a bakfiets capable of carrying eight kids. One phrase I was able to pick out was “electrical auxiliary drives”—and who could blame them?

While we’re on the subject, here’s another site where I can’t understand a damn word, but these bakfietsen are pretty bloody cool.

Weight and advantage

He’s some interesting ponderings on bike weight:

James C. Martin, Ph.D., assistant professor in the department of exercise and sport science at the University of Utah provided some interesting calculations that make the cost of weight very clear.

He posited a 5 kilometer, 7% grade. That’s a good, stiff climb. The legendary Stelvio climb averages 7.5%. He further assumed a rider who can kick out 250 watts. A 160 pound rider will take 19 minutes and 21 seconds to get up the hill. Every 5 pounds added make the trip up the hill take 30 seconds longer.

That means each added pound adds 6 seconds to the time it takes to get up this hill. That is only 6 seconds on a stiff, 20 minute climb.

So, given our roughly 4-pound range from a full steel bike to a super-light carbon or aluminum bike, the time difference up this hill would be 24 seconds from best to worst.

Hmm, should I be worried about the weight of the bike I ride on my almost completely flat route to work then?

IKEA: Your new LBS?

Apparently IKEA is starting to sell bikes in the Netherlands—do they come flat-packed with an allen key and a booklet of clever assembly diagrams? But seriously, I wonder if that’s an interesting new development in bike retailing or will IKEA just be another big box outlet?

[Via: cycleicious]

And in earlier news…

I missed this one when it did the rounds the first time: Cyclists furious as council paint everything else luminous green.

Michael Duffy: WTF?

Getting peeved at cyclists keeping all the peak traffic in the lane behind them down to a crawl tells him something about the nuclear energy debate? I’m afraid the connection is lost on me. Come in logic, do you read me?

[via pedaller]

Quote of the week

By way of a counterpoint to Mr Duffy, I suggest this extended quote at Yellow Brick Road. A very apposite clip from The Chaser as well.

Free (as in beer)

Boroondara Council is offering a free community bike education course. Dates are Saturdays14, 21 and 28 June 2008 from 10am-2pm at the councill offices, 8 Inglesby Road, Camberwell.

Coverage: Learn how to choose the right type of bike, set up your bike properly, do safety checks, do minor adjustments and develop basic riding skills, learn how to clean and lube your bike, do basic bike maintenance, avoid hazards for cyclists, develop bike path trail etiquette and technique and cycle in company on a pleasant short ride off-road, learn how to repair punctures, brush up on road rules, deal with common traffic situations through techniques, make connections with cycling clubs and go on an on-road ride for coffee and cake. All this and no exam at the end.

Bookings: 9278 4542, while stocks last.

BikeBlog.au

blogscrement: NancyBoy is “an old cyclist talking shit”.

Chainring Transit Authority

Photo credit: I Am Not A Number! I Am A Free Woman! by Peter John Chen

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After creeping through a red light, this driver found himself between the boom gates and passing trains in High St, Glen Iris. –Stonnington Leader

Two words: You Fail.

Style or anti-style

Your call: stop trying to be cool and just ride it or bike as fashion accessory?

But is he a real ‘bentist?

Francesco Russo is going to make an attempt to break the world speed record for a human powered vehicle in the Ristretto. I’ve just a couple of observations on this:

• in the second photo: is that thing—capable of doing 92km/h—being held together with duct tape?
• and look at Russo: no woolly beard, no long socks, no sandals—what kind of recumbent rider is he?

[Thanks Tom]

Rumble, rumble

Seems like a good idea to me: Rumble edge bike lanes.

Spot the difference

bikely.com vs veloroutes.org

Mythbusters

6 Myths About Commuting By Bicycle.

Cyclisme en France

Picked up on Audax-oz, The Australian Financial Review had a short feature today on cycle touring in France, including a short spiel on the PBP.

Power to the pushie

I mentioned power-assisted bikes a few weeks ago, but I missed this one: Eric Peltzer’s DIY Project.

And then I don’t even know what to make of this clip-on electric front wheel.

Yeah, it’s rocket science…

What is it about rocket scientists? Eventually, they have to bolt one of their contraptions to a bike and jump on. Following on from this nutjob a few years ago, here’s another crazy:

Strapping even a small one of these roaring monsters to a bicycle sounds like madness, or at least an early start on an application for a Darwin award.

Personally, I think I’ll keep pedalling.

[Thanks Tom]

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As you may know the M1 (Monash Freeway) is to be widened along its length. Boroondara BUG has written to and met with the Monash Alliance (MA) about the possibility of a path from the East Malvern Station footbridge to Argyll St, immediately parallel to the M1 and on its the north side. We believe this would go a long way to providing a route for people, who currently shortcut across the golf course, from the Waverly Rail trail to the Gardiners Creek Trail and Anniversary Trail intersection. Our suggestions and a letter to MA and CC:ed to both councils are both on the BBUG web site.

Assuming the path can actually be built from an engineering point of view, as yet unconfirmed, the biggest stumbling block is Stonnington Council. They will need much encouragement to even consider this path. Therefore we are looking for as much support as we can muster to get this path built. It would cause little interference to the golf course, as the path would be built as part of the M1 sound wall alterations and East Malvern Station footbridge modifications. If this doesn’t occur now, we’ll all have to wait for the next widening—another twenty years?

Note also the M1 widening will result in detours along the Gardiners Creek Trail into 2009 as you already know.

Suggested alternative at Great Valley Rd to Burke Rd:

Heading to the CBD: Go off the path at Great Valley Rd to the right. Immediately left into Haynes Cres. At the end, turn right into Park Rd. Turn left into Howard Dawson Reserve adjacent to Violet St. Head along the path on the south side of the reserve and join back on to the Gardiners Creek path just east of Burke Rd.

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Bike + baby = fast transport

“Cycling with a baby on board is the fastest way for parents to get around the city, a Herald Sun experiment has found” via Melbourne Cyclist

“Sir Rod doesn’t want to face up to any inconvenient truths.”

Enhancements in car engine efficiency have had no real effect on fuel consumption, according to Dr Paul Mees, which kind of undermines Eddington’s arguments that reduction in greenhouse gases will come from technological advances in engine design.

Diversification

Flight Centre has gone into the bike importation business. Their previous diversification acquisitions have recorded healthy growth, so I guess they know what they’re doing—tuning in to the fact that the bike boom still has room to grow, perhaps?

[via Sydney Cyclist and e.CAN 161]

Bike tales

Where are all the bicycle novels?

As the most energy-efficient means of transport available to us, bringing a newly renewed promise of freedom with its low-cost, zero-emissions economy, the bicycle is surely ripe for some literary reinvigoration too. But where to look?

[via BV Forums]

Skills training

CycloSportif Victoria is running a CycleSkill Program, starting on 1 June:

The aim of the four week SkillCycle Program is to teach cyclists a range of cycling skills ranging from basic safety through to correct riding techniques. The course is hands-on with a riding coach, designed to teach good cycling habits, enhancing knowledge, skills and ability.

Meanwhile, across the ditch Land Transport NZ has developed A guide for the set-up and delivery of cyclist training in New Zealand. [via e.CAN 161]

Car registration pays for [a bit of] the roads

I love it when Surly Dave gets mad—it makes him that much more eloquent.

Ride of Silence

The Melbourne Ride of Silence is starting at Fed Square on 24 May. Ride of Silence events are being held in several locations across Australia.

bikeblog.au

Its not the Destanation its the Journey

Marx Garage

[Image: Bici a Lucca by Perrimoon at Flickr]

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Although there is plenty I could say, I have very little to add to what I’ve already said on the topic of the hit-and-run maniac in Sydney.

1800-JASON

But I’d just like to add my few cents worth on the laughable explanation “Jason” offered on talkback radio last week:

1. If his engine misfired/stalled as he claims, he would have been in the middle lane, as he accelerated “to kick it back a gear”. When you have engine trouble, your first instinct is not to veer into another lane or to brake heavily—how much more dangerous is it for you if you become stranded across two lanes? No, when your engine fails you coast as far as you can and pull in safely.

2. He claims to have been stationary for “a good 20 seconds” before the first bike hit him. If that’s the case, there is absolutely no way that he had just overtaken the group as he described. Measure it for yourself: 20 seconds is a long time. The cyclists claim to have been travelling at 60 km/h, not unreasonable for an elite pack but let’s be conservative and say they were doing 40 km/h: in 20 seconds they would have travelled well in excess of 200 metres—that just does not fit with Jason’s claim that he was accelerating to get past the cyclists when his car stalled. Even if he had been several car lengths in front, the whole pack would have still be well past him in 20 seconds.

3. It might be possible to argue that being in genuine fear of your personal safety may be legitimate grounds for leaving the scene of a collision, but being distrustful or intimidated by the police is nonsense. Why didn’t he call the police? And for that matter, why didn’t he call an ambulance?

4. At no point does Jason express any concern or remorse over the injuries to the other road users, but we hear several times that there is no significant damage to his car. Such nice priorities aside, this lack of concern doesn’t reasonably fit with someone who has innocently and accidentally caused injury. I’d suggest that it does, however, fit with someone who has deliberately tried to maim other people and is doing a bad job of covering his tracks.

5. The statement that the driver in front was “more interested in what was going on around him than doing the speed limit” speaks volumes. Every driver should be more interested in what’s going on around them than doggedly doing the speed limit—if conditions dictate slowing down then so be it. If Jason was able to be concerned about travelling at or near the speed limit, how does that jell with claims made elsewhere (e.g. by NSW Roads Minister Roozendaal) that the pack was out riding in heavy peak hour traffic? Clearly they were not.

OK, that’s all pretty speculative but then I understand that civil actions are settled on the balance of probabilities not beyond a reasonable doubt. Better get a lawyer, Jason. And if your brief thought it was a good idea for you to go on radio, start looking for a good lawyer.

Blog commentary

Many of the responses to this crazy incident in the newspaper trollfests and from various talking heads have been unintentionally comic (and therefore rather tragic), but I’ll leave discussion of that topic to other bloggers who sum it up better than I could; among them (in no particular order):

• pedaller, and again, and again
• giant chimney
• cfsmtb
• Surly Dave
• Cycling the Yellow Brick Road
• Dave Moulton

Laugh

Oh yeah, and I fell off my chair laughing when I saw that Alan Odds had been quoted by The Age. Keep up the good work, that man.

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