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Originally posted by HiddenPaw

If you widened your narrow view point, you might actually see that cyclists who choose to make their journey without the use of the car are actually helping to make the environment a better place for you and your children to enjoy.

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Originally posted by HiddenPaw

I don't condone any cyclist who rides the footpath. What I will say, however, it is hardly surprising that some cyclists do choose the footpath given the way motorists treat them when they use the road.

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Originally posted by SteveBannister
You are perfectly right, you do make a useful contribution to the environment, I can't argue with that. As you are nearer to the road than the pedestrians, you are breathing in all our exhust fumes and making the world a better place. I spew it out and you breathe it in! Now that's what I call recycling!

Steve :D

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Originally posted by HiddenPaw
LOL...if you really believe the only people who suffer the effect of exhaust fumes are cyclists you are sadly naive :D

Come to Melbourne! Look at the layer of brown traffic smog that hangs over the city and the bay.....whether you're cycling, walking, enjoying the sunshine at the beach, sitting in your own back garden or even sitting in your car, you are breathing in polluted air.

No wonder that one in 4 kids here has asthma.

Unless you have your car vents permanently closed and are wearing breathing apparatus, you'll find you're taking in the same dirty air from traffic as someone walking outside.

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Originally posted by PeteY

On the subject of traffic....one thing that i REALLY hated about oz was the lack of provision for pedestrians in some areas. Sometimes it was a case of either driving to k-mart, or dodging cars on your way there, ala USA.

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Originally posted by jayr
This is true. When first arrived in Oz and carless, we took to walking to places. Was trying to get to a certain place a major Brisbane touristy place, we were 300M away but could find no discernible safe way of crossing the road with a pushchair as no paths at roadside and no lights for pedestrians at busy roundabout. Asked a bus driver who advsied that we wouldn't be able to cross and to get on the next bus! Now happy owner of car.

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Originally posted by Ceri
I've always wondered about this...
A lot of places here in Aus, well Brisbane anyway, do not have footpaths outside houses etc, as your probably well aware of , so you are forced to walk on peoples, houses grass.. but what if you are in a wheelchair, or you are pushing a pram.. ie you can not push over the grass and need a flat surface, You are forced to walk, wheel on the road.. What if a car hits you.. can you sue the council for not providing pavements??. You pay your rates - in my opinion they have a duty of care to maintain streets which includes providing footpaths for pedestrians.

I sometimes wonder what the hell do they do with the rates. certainly not on street lights, or pavements, or cutting the council grass bit of land.. ie one metre away from kerb side.

cheers

P.S Although not a cyclist myself.. my cousin was.. notice I said "Was". He was killed by a car ploughing into him last year (in the UK) whilst he was out cycling (it was his means of transport) . The idiot driving the car was at fault which was proven at the inquest.

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