YarraBUG

This weeks Yarra Bicycle Users Group program is coming to you from our front room in response to the COVID-19 crisis, read more at 3CR's response to Covid-19 and you can also share a message and connect to communityOn this weeks program, Chris and Steve discuss huge increases in cycling on Melbournes shared paths during COVID-19, how most of this existing infrastructure is not fit for purpose and what steps should be taken to remedy the situation of crowded public spaces and access. (Push for major Melbourne roads to become cyclist-only thoroughfares | What do we want life in Melbourne to look like on the other side?)This weeks interview is with Dr Ben Beck, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University and President of the Australasian Injury Prevention Network (AIPN) on the immediate requirement for decision makers to create #SpaceForHealth during and post-COVID-19 crisis.As doctors, nurses, public health and transport researchers, health promotion organisa

Val and Faith take to their repective laptops for this episode of the Yarra BUG Radio Show. Val shares a particularly long and slightly grim reading before we both share our respctive bike moments. As you can imagine with #Covid19 restrictions on bike riding it's the small details that will count. We take a look at some news, including NZ to invest in widening footpaths and installing temporary cycleways to cater for ongoing distancing requirements, a bike boom in Melbourne and the Boulie tacker strikes again after an extended hiatus in Melbourne. We also take a look at the Medium article (Belgian-Dutch Study: Why in times of Covid-19 you cannot walk/run/ride close to each other (Note: the title of this article has been changed and edits have been added since it was originally published) and the wide-sweeping generalisations that were drawn from it over subsequent days. We examine the reception of the article, some subsequent responses and what can be said about the article. Here's a great interview

This weeks Yarra Bicycle Users Group program is from our front room again in response to the COVID-19 crisis, read more at 3CR's response to Covid-19. On this weeks program: Chris does a overview on Melbourne cycling news, including Yarra Bicycle Advisory committee meetings postponed until possibly June 2020, new Bennett Street Priority Crossing in Fitzroy North, provide your feedback to BikeSpot 2020 about safe/unsafe cycling locations, are Australian cities following other cities lead on creating immediate tactical cycling provision in response to Covid-19? Short answer: doesn't look like it, unlike Germany and New Zealand: Pop-up bike lanes help with coronavirus physical distancing in Germany | New Zealand First Country To Fund Pop-Up Bike Lanes, Widened Sidewalks During Lockdown and a highly contentious Medium article about physical distancing while running and cycling. (Wired:Are Running or Cycling Actually Risks for Spreading Covid-19?)The following recording

Val and Faith find themselves staying at home with the rest of Melbourne (and beyond) due to Covid-19. We share our bike moments and some news before having a think about what we can do instead of riding our bikes as much as we'd like. Val thinks it's time to work on your bike, maybe swap over your bar tape, while Faith is planning on some DIY bikepacking bags. 

This weeks Yarra Bicycle Users Group program is coming to you from our front room in response to the COVID-19 crisis, read more at 3CR's response to Covid-19. Are you a new or intending rider in Melbourne due to COVID-19 issues and unsure about what's the most suitable route to take? Philip Mallis, transport planner, map creator, former councillor and Chair of Urban Planning at Boroondara Council has offered to assist riders plan their journeys as applications such as Google maps don't prove enough detail for safe and adequate routes. Philip discusses the surge in new riders avoiding public transport, wayfinding, using Open Street Maps, OpenRouteService and his Offer of help: journey planning for your bicycle route.News and events include Two cyclists killed on Melbourne's roads on 18 March, Melbourne also requiring dedicated cycling routes during this unprecedented time, Brad Sohner's action-packed Tour de Quarantine commentary, fill in the Bicycle

Val and Faith weren't able to get into the studio today due to Covid19 restrictions. So here is a program from our summer series. It features Kat Carter, Physiotherapist from Rehub Studios and two discussions we've had with her in the past. The first is on bike fit and the second, on why it hurts when you start riding again after an extended break. 

On this weeks program Chris interviews Susanne Newton, Deputy Mayor of Darebin Council and then Renee Dikeni from Brisbane about recent incidents they encountered while riding.Susanne talks about an aggressive interaction with a driver that she recently posted about on twitter, how too many drivers are can be too quickly irritated or unaware about other road users and how rising numbers of cyclists is actually healthier for everyone using the roads.Renee Dikeni discusses a near-miss while she was riding her cargo bike with the incident captured by a drivers dashcam. She talks about riding for transport in Brisbane, riding with her children and her No Car Challenge - 1 Mum, 1 Year, No car cycling challenge to assist fundraise $20,000 for 100 bicycles for World Bicycle Relief Australia. Follow Fit Aussie Sista - 1 Year Cycling Challenge updates via her youtube channel and instagram.News includes plans for A Surge in Biking to Avoid Crowded Trains in New York, a new Yarra Counc

On this weeks program Chris discusses the City of Greater Geelong vote on 25 February to remove recently constructed separated bicycle lanes that are part of the Malop Street Green Spine project with two interviews with Dr Fiona Gray and Simon Howell from Bicycle Users Geelong.Local news includes Melbourne could become the Copenhagen of the south but what part of Melbourne, given the huge residential development in the outer suburbs.Dr Fiona Gray talks about her initial involvement with Malop Street Green Spine project, the consultation process, pop up installation, the entire plan involving six blocks of the Geelong CBD, state government funding, the project winning the Civic Landscape category of the 2019 Australian Institute of Landscape Architecture National Awards, last week's council vote and state government moving to potentially cease future council infrastructure funding. Simon Howell from Bicycle Users Geelong talks about the seperated bike lanes, it

On this weeks program Chris chats to Warwick Duncan from Rail Trails Australia about how you can support bushfire affected communities with their #Ride2Recover campaign including ‪#‎RoadTrip4Good,‬ #RollOnBack and #EmptyEsky. Railtrail news includes the upcoming opening of the Tumbarumba to Rosewood Rail Trail and Stage 1a of the Yarra Valley Trail. Take a look at rail trails around Australia and start planning your trip.News includes The Hague providing up to 1000 euros for dismantling old diesel vehicles, City of Yarra draft Brunswick Street Masterplan, City of Melbourne consultation for bike lanes on Kavanagh and Balston Streets in Southbank, A Safe Cycling Vision for Moreland, Saturday, 29 February, Coburg Library, National 'Stop Fining Healthy Transport' 2020 bike ride, Saturday, 14 March, Sydney Road Community Ride - Make it Safe, Sunday, 15 March, PARK(ing) Day Sydney Road, Saturday 21 March and the new JUMP by Uber partnership to trial M

Chris and Steve return to the 3CR studio for 2020, with the ongoing Australian bushfire crisis we discuss impacts ranging from Steves route for the Hunt 1000 back in November, Audax Alpine Classic and how bikes can help fire impacted communities such as MallacootaCycling news: Paris’s mayor has a dream of ‘the 15-minute city’, Bike riders forced onto Moreland streets for 18 months after Upfield bike path closure and Victoria will finally join other states and introduce a 10c refund on bottles and cansThis weeks interview: Phil Barton from Batlow-Tumut Rail Trail Project: we first spoke to Phil back in February last year. Batlow and surroundings were severely impacted by the Dunns Road fire in early January and no doubt many people saw Matt Robert’s horrifying photos of burnt forests, dead animals while he was driving into Batlow on 5th January plus the incredible work by local RFS to save the town.Phil discusses massive economic challenges facing the Batlow area, the need for immediate gov

In this series of summer specials, Chris catches up with Nicky Page about Step Away from the Car (broadcast on YarraBUG Radio in 2017/18) and Step Away from the Car 2.0  The 2019 series was recorded by interviewer/producers Nicky Page and Suzanne Reece at the 2019 Australian Walking and Cycling Conference in Adelaide. Nicky talks about the first Step Away From the Car series, Port Adelaide Bicycle Users Group and talking to participants at the Australian Walking and Cycling Conference1. Everyone Can Ride a Bike Right: Not everyone can instinctively learn to ride a bike. Unable to tolerate the thought that children, particularly children with additional needs, would never know the excitement and fun of cycling, former primary school teacher Lee-Anne Fleming set up Ride A Bike Right. Now she teaches children (and often their parents) how to ride.2. Out of the Gridlock: PhD candidate Nicholas Fogarty exchanged bussing for cyclin

In this series of summer specials, Chris catches up with Nicky Page about Step Away from the Car (broadcast on YarraBUG Radio in 2017/18) and Step Away from the Car 2.0  The 2019 series was recorded by interviewer/producers Nicky Page and Suzanne Reece at the 2019 Australian Walking and Cycling Conference in Adelaide. Nicky talks about her start in cycling advocacy in the early 1990s, Unley Bicycle Users Group,  longer cycling routes and differences between urban and regional councils.1. On NOT Re-inventing the Wheel: As Australia grapples with questions of how to encourage more walking and cycling, Churchill Fellow Jo Cruickshank looked to cities that have already come up with some answers. Jo is a Senior Policy Officer with the Northern Territory Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics. You can find her report at https://www.churchilltrust.com.au/fellows/detail/4218/Josephine+Cruickshank She speaks here about what she learned from European

In this series of summer specials, Chris catches up with Nicky Page about Step Away from the Car (broadcast on YarraBUG Radio in 2017/18) and Step Away from the Car 2.0  The 2019 series was recorded by interviewer/producers Nicky Page and Suzanne Reece at the 2019 Australian Walking and Cycling Conference in Adelaide. Step Away from The Car: Getting There Faster by Slowing Down: For over a century, we’ve been told that Faster Is Better, but the evidence suggests otherwise. Associate Professor Paul Tranter goes as far to as to contend that over reliance on cars steals our time, money and health. Slowing down whole cities can improve public health, drop infrastructure costs and increase our sense of community.Nicky talks about her observations of the 2019 AWC conference, cycling advocacy initiatives, the importance of community radio and how to keep Radio Adelaide on air by donating to their campaign to raise $50,000 by 10 January 2020.Donate now to keep our sister r

Faith and Val are joined in the studio by our guest Phil and we kick off the show by sharing our bike moments. We take a look at local news including the opening of the William St bike lanes in the CBD and Bike West's detailed response to the City of Maribyrnong's Draft Bicycle Strategic Plan. You can find the Draft Bicycle Strategy here, Bike West's suggested reponses to the survey here and an example email to local councillors here. Phil tells us how he came to the decision to buy an electric MTB after years of riding bike paths around Melbourne. Keen to explore further and discover new areas he soon found his old hybrid wasn't up to the task. Phil is in his seventies, and an electric MTB has given him the confidence to go further, averaging 80-100kms on most trips and giving him a much larger playground to explore. Phil carries a second battery, his tools and camera on his bicycle journeys and documents his rides, including GPX files, on his blog, eMTB Cycling Vic meaning everyone can enjoy

On this weeks program Chris welcomes long term YarraBUG Radio presenter Steve back into the studio after a lengthly break doing bicycle adventures including the 2019 Hunt 1000. Steve chats about the amazing alpine landscape, riding the trails, making his own bikepacking gear and adventures along the way.This weeks interviews are from Reclaim Our Merri Creek walk, a community event organised in response to last weeks alleged assault on the trail in Coburg. Hundreds of locals walked along the Merri Creek trail on Sunday evening in response to concerns about using public space, preventing attacks against women and reclaiming the area for everyone. Interviews included Fiona Patten, MLC for the Northern Metropolitan region and two women expressing their concerns, including dealing with ripple effects from the attack, public perception about safety, changing societal expectations rather than kneejerk law and order responses and confronting microaggressions from men while riding. Expressive Women

Val and Faith take to the studio on an unseasonably cool December morning and share our bicycle moments which involve hail and jacarandas. We take a look at a few news items including a research released by Victoria Walks which find traders in shopping strips oversestimate the number of customers that arrive by car, and the ongoing saga of doping in cycling and Russia. We then play an interview recorded with Tina McCarthy of Wheel Women about her most recent cycling trip to Japan, cycling The Golden Route, Biwaichi, the Japanese government's interest in more cyclists visiting Japan and the logistical issues still to be grappled with. We finish up with a reminder that the Road Safety Symposium is coming up in March 2020. 

On this weeks show Chris talks to Nat Bromhead from Bicycling Australia Magazine about sentencing for Jason Lowndes death in 2017, including distracted driving, what's needed to improve road user behaviour, mobile phone use, Gitta Scheenhouwers death in South Yarra, Australian states not having standardised legal responses to minimum passing laws, improving infrastructure and an apparent disconnection between sentencing and community expectations.We also chat about Commuter Cycling: will Australia embrace salary sacrifice ride to work schemes, who's possibly next in line to run the Tour Down Under, upcoming Bicycling Australia events and the next January/ February 2020 edition with three major features by women writers.Local news includes The A-Z of cycling in Melbourne that lists everything from ByK, Jetnikoff shop rides (highly recommended!), previous guests Melburn Durt and Rally for the Future of Melbourne's Transport.