free bicycles for all

[AndrewJ]

In Melbourne we recently had a "free public transport" campaign by The
Age newspaper. But of course here public transport runs on <brown
coal>. World's second worst fuel? Even worse than black coal? Way worse
than petrol?

Making public transport free would just encourage people to live
further out, and waste more fuel, pollute more.

Why not free bicycles?

Or, at the very least, some tax exemptions for bicycles? Where I work
(RMIT) I can salary sacrifice a metallic mobile coffin, but I can't
salary sacrifice a bicycle. Meanwhile University prattles on about
"sustainability". What a bunch of ******s.

End of rant. So where's my free Trek 520 ?

[cfsmtb]

AndrewJ Wrote:
> In Melbourne we recently had a "free public transport" campaign by The
> Age newspaper. But of course here public transport runs on <brown
> coal>.

Correction, it's Lignite. According to Bikesoiler, it's old koorie word
meaning bugger all energy density.

Back to The Age free PT campaign, the word is that they'll be running
with this up to the next Vic state election. Shall be interesting to
observe.

BTW - I think a free custom Llewellyn is bit of a ask. And Darrell
would probably agree that's a little rich.


--
cfsmtb

[Resound]

cfsmtb Wrote:
> BTW - I think a free custom Llewellyn is bit of a ask. And Darrell would
> probably agree that's a little rich.

But I'll take it as a fixie...that'll save heaps on the gruppo. Imagine
a city full of fixie riders...everyone massively thewed and hobbling
around on blown out knees.


--
Resound

[bear]

AndrewJ wrote:
> Meanwhile University prattles on about
> "sustainability". What a bunch of ******s.

We have a local "sustainable living centre"
OOOOOhhh GREAT!, NOT.
To attend any of the real activities you either have to grind uphill
beside a continuous 4 lane string of crawling cagers during peak hour,
or join the cagers.

Thankfully they have now replaced the roundabout just outside it with
lights.

[Euan]

AndrewJ wrote:
> In Melbourne we recently had a "free public transport" campaign by The
> Age newspaper. But of course here public transport runs on <brown
> coal>. World's second worst fuel? Even worse than black coal? Way worse
> than petrol?
>
> Making public transport free would just encourage people to live
> further out, and waste more fuel, pollute more.
>
> Why not free bicycles?

Given that bicycles outsell cars year after year I don't think that
availability of bicycles is the issue.

Reducing exaggerated perception of the risks of cycling and people not
being so lazy are more significant factors IMO.
--
Cheers | ~~ __@
Euan | ~~ _-\<,
Melbourne, Australia | ~ (*)/ (*)

[rooman]

cfsmtb Wrote:
> Correction, it's Lignite. According to Bikesoiler, it's old koorie word
> meaning bugger all energy density.
>
> Back to The Age free PT campaign, the word is that they'll be running
> with this up to the next Vic state election. Shall be interesting to
> observe.
>
> BTW - I think a free custom Llewellyn is bit of a ask. And Darrell
> would probably agree that's a little rich.
one can only ask...!! :)

check out 'www.bicycling.com' (http://www.bicycling.com) ( the US one)
over the last 3 years they have had a BikeTown Project and given away
hundreds of bikes to folk all over the country in selected cities and
towns and changed the lives of so many for the better because of it...

got plenty of hard copy guff on their projects if anyone wants to work
up a template for the "PubBike", "OzBike", "OckerBike" Projects coming
to a main drag near you... gimme a hoy...happy to pass on...


--
rooman