My impressions of Canberra - from a cycling POV

[Geoff Lock[_2_]]

For all it's shortcomings, eg WHERE ARE THE FRIGGING PUBS AT 2300 ON A
SUNDAY NIGHT ??!!! :), Canberra does seem to have, at least, one
redeeming feature. :)

From a cyclist point of view, Canberra is a joy to ride in - seriously!
The roads are wide, the cyclist lanes are pretty good and getting from
one place to the next by bike is quite good.

I was mostly hanging around the city centre and the Parliament and I had
no problems shuttling between the two areas.

There seemed to be a lot more people using their bikes in Canberra but
this is probably due to the relatively higher concentration of riders in
a smaller area. Riders appeared to be from a wide cross-section -
serious riders with 10(?) or 11(?)-speed carbon bikes, normally dressed
folks going to the office, to ferals like me :)

Canberran cyclists also seemed so civic minded(?) in that the bike racks
were fully utilised and seeing a bike chained to a road sign or against
a tree seemed out of place.

One of the nicest things about Canberran cyclists is that, virtually,
every cyclist seemed so friendly. A friendly smile is always returned, a
nod of the head is always reciprocated, and a g'day is always
acknowledged - surprisingly, I did not find any exceptions! (No, I did
not try that "friendly Canberran cyclist" with every Canberran cyclist I
met on me bike or when I was on foot nor did I chase every cyclist I saw
to test out my hypothesis, so I hope you understand my statement was
merely in the course of conversation and friendly banter :)) My most
shocking experience was being overtaken by a fully decked out cyclist on
his carbon bike coming down Commonwealth Avenue and as he passed me, he
called out a big warm friendly "Good morning"! I could only managed a
choked "g'day" in astonishment! Would have probably fallen off me bike
if I didn't have a stronger constitution than most!! Stupidly, I tried
to chase him down but I gave up real soon as he was just too fast.

So, here's to youse cyclists from Canberra! I was the fellow with the
yellow vest on me backpack and wearing the camo poncho on a black taped
road bike. On yer :)

[BT Humble[_3_]]

Geoff Lock wrote:
>
> For all it's shortcomings, eg WHERE ARE THE FRIGGING PUBS AT 2300 ON A
> SUNDAY NIGHT ??!!! :), Canberra does seem to have, at least, one
> redeeming feature. :)

For the first few years of its existence there were NO pubs in Canberra.

> From a cyclist point of view, Canberra is a joy to ride in - seriously!
> The roads are wide, the cyclist lanes are pretty good and getting from
> one place to the next by bike is quite good.
>
> I was mostly hanging around the city centre and the Parliament and I had
> no problems shuttling between the two areas.
>
> There seemed to be a lot more people using their bikes in Canberra but
> this is probably due to the relatively higher concentration of riders in
> a smaller area. Riders appeared to be from a wide cross-section -
> serious riders with 10(?) or 11(?)-speed carbon bikes, normally dressed
> folks going to the office, to ferals like me :)

There is a heavy concentration of students in that area (the ANU is
nearby).

> Canberran cyclists also seemed so civic minded(?) in that the bike racks
> were fully utilised and seeing a bike chained to a road sign or against
> a tree seemed out of place.

We're all kept in line by the AFP. :-)

> One of the nicest things about Canberran cyclists is that, virtually,
> every cyclist seemed so friendly. A friendly smile is always returned, a
> nod of the head is always reciprocated, and a g'day is always
> acknowledged - surprisingly, I did not find any exceptions!

There's one guy who I met every morning and evening on my commute for 3
years who did not ONCE return my hello! Harrumph! >:-|

> So, here's to youse cyclists from Canberra! I was the fellow with the
> yellow vest on me backpack and wearing the camo poncho on a black taped
> road bike. On yer :)

Glad to hear that you had a positive experience. What did you think of
all the architecture?


BTH
[1] http://fat.ly/uq761

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Posted at www.usenet.com.au

[Geoff Lock[_2_]]

On 22/03/2011 6:38 PM, BT Humble wrote:
> Geoff Lock wrote:
>>
>> For all it's shortcomings, eg WHERE ARE THE FRIGGING PUBS AT 2300 ON A
>> SUNDAY NIGHT ??!!! :), Canberra does seem to have, at least, one
>> redeeming feature. :)
>
> For the first few years of its existence there were NO pubs in Canberra.

You're kidding, right? But then seeing how the place is at 2300 on a
Sunday night, I am inclined to believe you :)

>> There seemed to be a lot more people using their bikes in Canberra but
>> this is probably due to the relatively higher concentration of riders in
>> a smaller area. Riders appeared to be from a wide cross-section -
>> serious riders with 10(?) or 11(?)-speed carbon bikes, normally dressed
>> folks going to the office, to ferals like me :)
>
> There is a heavy concentration of students in that area (the ANU is
> nearby).

I noticed the ANU showing up on my Nokia maps but being pressed for
time, I could not drop in to have a look. Similarly, I rode past the
casino when I was wandering around lost but didn't go in either cos I
simply didn't have the time. Maybe next time.

>> Canberran cyclists also seemed so civic minded(?) in that the bike racks
>> were fully utilised and seeing a bike chained to a road sign or against
>> a tree seemed out of place.
>
> We're all kept in line by the AFP. :-)

You are not wrong there, mate - even if none of them pulled me over. In
my first hour in Canberra, I reckon I saw at least 6 cop cars either go
past me in the same direction or in the opposite direction on the other
side of the road. This was around midnight Sunday, mind you.

The next day, I simply lost count of the number of cop cars I saw on
Commonwealth Avenue and its surrounds.

Am I wrong in assuming there are two types of police in Canberra? AFP
and another mob ?

>> One of the nicest things about Canberran cyclists is that, virtually,
>> every cyclist seemed so friendly. A friendly smile is always returned, a
>> nod of the head is always reciprocated, and a g'day is always
>> acknowledged - surprisingly, I did not find any exceptions!
>
> There's one guy who I met every morning and evening on my commute for 3
> years who did not ONCE return my hello! Harrumph!>:-|

Hm, must have been one of those cyclists I didn't chase down to test out
my "friendly Canberran cyclist" hypothesis :)

>> So, here's to youse cyclists from Canberra! I was the fellow with the
>> yellow vest on me backpack and wearing the camo poncho on a black taped
>> road bike. On yer :)
>
> Glad to hear that you had a positive experience. What did you think of
> all the architecture?

Oh, all those box-like structures are considered architecture? :) Sorry,
I didn't realise that :)

On a more serious note, I did think the new Parliament House looked very
impressive from the outside. I know, I know. I probably have very poor
taste. :)

To be honest, I did find the Aboriginal tent embassy, now upgraded to a
shed, to be a very refreshing contrast - complete with the washing
hanging on the line :) Now THAT is something no capital city on this
planet has :)

In perspective, I do understand that Canberra, as a city, is not very
old and was built from the ground up - much like Brasilia. Planned
cities tend not to have that same "je ne sais quoi" as, say, London, or
Vienna, or Paris, or even Sydney.

Maybe in their early days, older cities were probably also considered
pretty ****ty by their inhabitants, who knows? :) I am no city planner :)

[John[_24_]]

On 2011-03-22, BT Humble m.au> wrote:
> Geoff Lock wrote:
>>
>> For all it's shortcomings, eg WHERE ARE THE FRIGGING PUBS AT 2300 ON A
>> SUNDAY NIGHT ??!!! :), Canberra does seem to have, at least, one
>> redeeming feature. :)
>
> For the first few years of its existence there were NO pubs in Canberra.

Must have been hard on the journalists.

--
John
"Bother," said the Borg, "We've assimilated Pooh."

[BT Humble[_3_]]

Geoff Lock wrote:
>
> On 22/03/2011 6:38 PM, BT Humble wrote:
> > Geoff Lock wrote:
> >>
> >> For all it's shortcomings, eg WHERE ARE THE FRIGGING PUBS AT 2300 ON A
> >> SUNDAY NIGHT ??!!! :), Canberra does seem to have, at least, one
> >> redeeming feature. :)
> >
> > For the first few years of its existence there were NO pubs in Canberra.
>
> You're kidding, right? But then seeing how the place is at 2300 on a
> Sunday night, I am inclined to believe you :)

I never kid, ma'am.

> ...Similarly, I rode past the
> casino when I was wandering around lost but didn't go in either cos I
> simply didn't have the time. Maybe next time.

Probably just as well, you would have been quickly cleaned up for your
ready cash, spare change, life savings, bicycle, firstborn, kidneys...

> > We're all kept in line by the AFP. :-)
>
> You are not wrong there, mate - even if none of them pulled me over. In
> my first hour in Canberra, I reckon I saw at least 6 cop cars either go
> past me in the same direction or in the opposite direction on the other
> side of the road. This was around midnight Sunday, mind you.
>
> The next day, I simply lost count of the number of cop cars I saw on
> Commonwealth Avenue and its surrounds.
>
> Am I wrong in assuming there are two types of police in Canberra? AFP
> and another mob ?

There's another quasi-police force who are responsible for some of the
security in and around Parliament House - their vehicles are a lot more
"police-like" than that of the average rent-a-cop agency:

http://www.aph.gov.au/visitors/parliamentsecurity.htm

> > Glad to hear that you had a positive experience. What did you think of
> > all the architecture?
>
> Oh, all those box-like structures are considered architecture? :) Sorry,
> I didn't realise that :)

Sorry, it's an old joke between my wife and myself:

"Welcome to Canberra - look at all that architecture!"


BTH

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