Sue Doran, Greens candidate for Coogee, asked Eastern suburbs cyclists to think about how to improve the cycling experience between the coast and the city.

"I began having these conversations because of the dual concerns constantly raised with me about traffic jams in the East and about reducing our carbon footprint. On top of that, I'd like to pursue the health and social benefits for our community with low cost outdoor activity," Ms Doran said.

"Three key concerns about cycling became clear: diversity, safety and legitimacy," Ms Doran said.

"Speaking to club cyclists, commuter cyclists, shopping basket cyclists, recreational cyclists and parents of young cyclists it became clear that there is a broad range of interests and needs."

Ms Doran found three predominant views of planning for safe cycling.

"Some felt it is safest to travel in the centre of a car lane as a car does – rather than on the edges of the road – as broken edges, grilles, grates, car doors, traffic calming devices rubbish and grit, all are hazards. Many expressed the view that green painted lanes for bikes can also be unsafe.

"Others argued that separating cyclists from motorists was the best guarantee of safety and of building numbers of cyclists by providing a network of protected bike lanes.

"A third view proposed a secondary "sloway" travel system. By earmarking slow routes using secondary streets in consultation with residents, limit the speed for all vehicles to 25k by colour coding. "Sloways" become shareways for all sorts of wheeled transport and safe for children, recreational, shopper cyclists, buggies, skaters, scooters and other slow wheels including cars travelling slowly. If these "sloways" are linked up so that kids can get to schools, people to shopping districts and to parks and beaches more people will choose to leave cars at home. New style pedestrian crossings will need to cater to slow wheeled transport as well as walkers.

Ms Doran found some interesting views and ideas for hazard reduction.

"Implement a simple system for reporting potholes and other hazards by online map pinpointing, so that repairs are quick and authorities keep safe conditions for riding and people don't revert to using their cars. Discourage the use of earphones by any type of active road user including pedestrians seems to be a good idea. The cyclists box system used in Melbourne was proposed for use at key intersections - such as Alison Rd/Anzac Pde. And a plea to change the direction of road grilles so they're at rightangles to tyres was made frequently.

"The community is awash is excellent positive ideas" Ms Doran said. "The broader community will soon accept cycling as a necessary part of road culture"

"To reinstate cycling as a legitimate form of road use - as it was until a generation ago - it was argued that cultural change is needed. In Australia we haven’t shared the road with bikes for the last generation. It was suggested that the insulation and protection offered by cars fosters a predominant focus on individual interests over social interests.

"A number of people suggested starting the change with children. Communities are much better at collectively looking after children's interests and tolerating their need to learn and to be cushioned. Encourage kids to ride to local schools; start small. Put everything in place for their safe transit. Analyse. Engage the local neighbourhood in the project. Involve the kids in the problem solving, devising safe routes and consulting. Arrange groups of children to travel together, escorted by adults at least initially, on fixed, mapped, signposted routes.

"Cyclists are doing all of us a favour: They are reducing road congestion, reducing air pollution and reducing health care needs.

"Cyclists acknowledge that like some drivers, some cyclists behave irresponsibly, negatively affecting reputation of all. But most don't. Most cyclists are also drivers. Most had stories to tell of aggression on the roads. They argue that while they're on their bikes, not in their cars, they are doing us all - and the planet - a favour.

And Sue says she hasn't stopped listening. Lots more cyclists and would-be-if-it-wasn't-so-scary-cyclists to talk to yet!

CONTACT: Sue Doran 0417-370-776
Greens candidate for Coogee
coogee@nsw.greens.org.au
http://www.facebook.com/coogeegreens
Twitter @coogeesue

"Three key concerns about cycling became clear: diversity, safety and legitimacy"