Cycling in Sydney Australia
Dealing with windscreen-view cycling experts
In the same issue of the North Shore Times (July 23) which reports the possible demise of the beloved Artarmon Brush Turkey is something which annoyed us even more -- the following letter from frequent correspondent, self-professed cycling expert and full-time motorist Rob Herron.
"I am pleased to report the unqualified success of the bicycle lanes laid down by Willoughby Council. After months of careful observation driving past them twice a day, six days a week, I finally spotted a cyclist using one of them and, to my great relief, and his too I suppose, nobody ran him down. So, no longer am I one of those Doubting Thomases who sees them as an inane and expensive exercise in politically [sic] correctness. I have found my own "Road to Damascus" on Sydney's leafy Lower North Shore. I am now convinced they are every bit as important to road safety as those wonderful "baby on board" signs. Rob Herron, Crows Nest."
Neil has typed the following cutting riposte and, at the risk of creating a camel, requests further suggestions and opinions on its worth.
"The Editor
"North Shore Times
"I always enjoy reading the exhaustively researched opinions of cycling experts like Rob Herron (Times, July 23). Based on "careful observation" from behind his steering wheel for a couple of moments each day and having spotted "a cyclist", he suggests, sarcastically, that painted on-road bike lanes are not "inane and expensive".
"For all their faults (e.g. putting cyclists in the car "door zone", disappearing at intersections and at other random locations), on-road bike lanes at least send a message that cyclists are legitimate road users and that other road users should expect to see them. Given the complete neglect of cyclists' needs for decades and the minimal provision for them on the roads that Rob drives, it is hardly a surprise that cyclist numbers are low but figures obtained by Willoughby Council during its bikeplan reviews indicate numbers on recognised cycle routes are increasing rapidly, year-on-year.
If Rob were to try cycling for transport, he would meet many other people using the facilities being built, notably alongside the Gore Hill Freeway and Epping Road and on routes which link to that major cycle path. Like traffic on tollways, there is a ramp-up period after cycling facilities are built. No facilities -- no cyclists, but build facilities and cyclists will come. And unlike tollways, bike facilities help to reduce traffic congestion, not increase it. Get with the program, Rob!"
So, Sydney Cyclists, any comments?
"I am pleased to report the unqualified success of the bicycle lanes laid down by Willoughby Council. After months of careful observation driving past them twice a day, six days a week, I finally spotted a cyclist using one of them and, to my great relief, and his too I suppose, nobody ran him down. So, no longer am I one of those Doubting Thomases who sees them as an inane and expensive exercise in politically [sic] correctness. I have found my own "Road to Damascus" on Sydney's leafy Lower North Shore. I am now convinced they are every bit as important to road safety as those wonderful "baby on board" signs. Rob Herron, Crows Nest."
Neil has typed the following cutting riposte and, at the risk of creating a camel, requests further suggestions and opinions on its worth.
"The Editor
"North Shore Times
"I always enjoy reading the exhaustively researched opinions of cycling experts like Rob Herron (Times, July 23). Based on "careful observation" from behind his steering wheel for a couple of moments each day and having spotted "a cyclist", he suggests, sarcastically, that painted on-road bike lanes are not "inane and expensive".
"For all their faults (e.g. putting cyclists in the car "door zone", disappearing at intersections and at other random locations), on-road bike lanes at least send a message that cyclists are legitimate road users and that other road users should expect to see them. Given the complete neglect of cyclists' needs for decades and the minimal provision for them on the roads that Rob drives, it is hardly a surprise that cyclist numbers are low but figures obtained by Willoughby Council during its bikeplan reviews indicate numbers on recognised cycle routes are increasing rapidly, year-on-year.
If Rob were to try cycling for transport, he would meet many other people using the facilities being built, notably alongside the Gore Hill Freeway and Epping Road and on routes which link to that major cycle path. Like traffic on tollways, there is a ramp-up period after cycling facilities are built. No facilities -- no cyclists, but build facilities and cyclists will come. And unlike tollways, bike facilities help to reduce traffic congestion, not increase it. Get with the program, Rob!"
So, Sydney Cyclists, any comments?
Tags: bikelanes, congestion, herron, tollways
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by KimR on -
The reply looks good, hope it gets published.
This must be Rob Herron, owner of Crows Nest Pawn Shop, email address is here http://www.pawn.com.au/index.php?p=1_3_Contact . I think I will email him and point out his extremely selective use of statisitcs, that somehow contradict the rise seen in bike usage seen by the RTA. bike shops etc.
One more business that will never get my money. So far that includes
NRMA
Daily Telegraph
Boral
Crows Nest Pawn Shop
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Permalink Reply by Drastic on -
My reply would be along the lines of
"I ride through Willoughby most days and see lots of other cyclists. For Rob Herron to only spot one cyclist in several months suggests that he is not paying much attention to other road users. Perhaps Rob can provide details of the time and location of his commute so that I can take steps to avoid him."
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Permalink Reply by Neil & Alexander on -
Yeah! We like it. Send it in: editor@northshoretimes.com.au
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Permalink Reply by Neil & Alexander on
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Oh joy! In the same issue of the North Shore Times (July 30) which reports the renewed sighting of the beloved Artarmon Brush Turkey is something which pleases us even more -- two sensible letters about cycling in answer to the tripe from Rob Herron last week.
We also indulge in some schadenfreude at the lead item of NST's "breaking news". http://www.northshoretimes.com.au/breaking_news.html
If only more 4WDs would "break" like this!
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Permalink Reply by Kim on -
In my local newspaper ' Inner West Weekly' they had a competition between a cyclist, a car driver and a bus passenger to see who could get from Drummoyne to the city the fastest. Of course the cyclist won. Yesterday, in the letters was this contribution:
CYCLING WINNER BROKE THE LAW
Xavier Toby and his pedal cycle may have won the Iron Cove Challenge but he broke the law doing it.
Only Australian Post delivery persons and children under 12 years are permitted to ride on the footpaths with care, unless the path is declared 'shared' - as on the Iron Cove Bridge.
A police personcould have apprehended him 'between the Iron Cove Bridge and the Anzac Bridge, avoiding people at the bus stops and pedestrians unaware of cyclists'.
He should have been on the road. My bicycle is 60 years old, and I am 80, but we never used footpaths or endangered pedestrians!
Derek White
Croydon Park
Ummm, sorry Derek, but it's a 'shared' path all the way!!
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Permalink Reply by Neil & Alexander on
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Herron's at it again. In last Wednesday's North Shore Times (6 August) he reckons anyone who disagrees with him has missed his point. No doubt because his point defies logic or common sense. Get a load of this crap:
"Given the calibre and thrust of letters (Times, July 30) attacking my suggestion that the new bicycle lanes in Willoughby were an unnecessary waste of money, they only serve to convince me of the correctness of my observations. As they are clearly only there for the benefit of somewhat stupid riders and drivers, directional arrows are a must. My point, for those who missed it, was that the lanes are unnecessary and meaningless as any cyclists with half a brain would be riding in this section of the road anyway. All the lanes do is add to cyclists' already inflated sense of self-importance at significant expense to ratepayers. Rob Herron, Crows Nest."
"Cyclists' inflated sense of self-importance", Rob?
"Significant expense to ratepayers"? Somewhat less than the expenditure on roads, bridges and tunnels for your particular habit, mate.
We've already had a go at him, how about someone else take the baton, this week? It's pointless and unwinnable -- can't expect to change a dinosaur's mind -- but it's fun. editor@northshoretimes.com.au
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Permalink Reply by KimR on
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I send an email direct ot Rob. He actually said he has been cycling for nearly 60 years. So he is not anti cycing as such, but seemed to think that cyce lane markings were for sissy cyclists. He somehow linked this to 'Baby on Board' stickers. All sounded a bit whacko to me.
Do you have the replies from July 30th? I don't get that paper but would be interested to read them.
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Permalink Reply by Neil & Alexander on
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Andrew Nelson of Chatswood West wrote, under the heading "On yer bike, Mr Herron":
"It is difficult to know whether or not to respond to Rob Herron who purports to have surveyed the usage of bicycle lanes in the Willoughby Council area by driving past in his car, and found it infrequent.
"I quote from a survey of bicycle sales done in 2005.
"'Thirty per cent more adult bicycles are sold in Victoria than NSW. This is a reflection of the investment in cycling infrastructure and the level of encouragement for cycling which has been maintained in Victoria for over 20 years.'"
"Willoughby Council is doing its bit to catch up.
"All five of us in the Nelson family use the local cycle tracks, three of us cycling to work (involving up to 26km round trip) regularly.
"Contrary to Mr Herron's conclusion, the use of bicycle lanes and shared pathways in Willoughby is good, and will continue to grow quickly as people enjoy the health and cost benefits of regular cycling, and become familiar with the newly provided infrastructure.
"Get on your bike, Mr Herron."
The second letter was Neil's, already posted here.
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Permalink Reply by Neil & Alexander on
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Herron alert! He's at it again in the NST today. To respond would, no doubt, merely raise his own inflated sense of self-importance, the same inflated sense of self-importance he accuses cyclists of indulging in. Think we will anyway. It's fun!!
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Permalink Reply by Bernie on -
Hi Neil ... I dont live on the North Shore (anymore), but I've been following this thread ... do you have a link to the latest jewel of wisdom from Mr Herron ?
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Permalink Reply by Neil & Alexander on
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There's a link to the NST site earlier in this discussion but their letters pages are not up there. Here's Mr Herron's latest pearl -- remarkably similar to everything he's said every second week in the recent past:
"Carolyn New's letter (August 13) convinces me of the accuracy of my previous comments in relation to the new Willoughby Council bike lanes in stating that they do precious little for road safety but are there primarily to boost the already inflated egos of cyclists who these days tend to radiate a glow of self-importance. I have been riding pushbikes [sic] off and on the road for 50 years, but unlike many riders, I do not feel this entitles me to be short-listed for a Nobel Prize for wonderfulness."
Our response:
"Rob Herron, cyclists wanting basic, low-cost facilities that are standard in most first-world countries is not a sign of 'inflated ego'.
"Sending baseless, unsupported and nonsensical assertions to the North Shore Times every second week is."
Told you it was fun!
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