Biking around adelaide as a mean of transportation

[Guest ColinOz]

Hi, I arrived in Adelaide a few days ago, wanted to know how easy is to ride a bike to work and where can I park it, are there any special places reserved to do this?

Edited September 1, 2013 by ColinOz
typo

[Blossom]

I would never want to ride a bike around Adelaide. I have seen so many near accidents from cars not having a clue. Ever going around a bike to then turn left right past, forcing the bike to near go into the side of the car!

 

One of my friends was hit by a car at some lights probably a bit over a month ago. The driver said he didn't look! She spent five days in hospital with broken ribs, cracked teeth, black eyes...

 

Probably not so helpful for you, but please make sure you get the best helmet you can afford if you do decide to bike.

[scooterdan]

Judging from the cyclists I've seen disregarding all road rules, going through red lights, swerving around, ridding 3 & 4 abreast they should be banned from using roads!! Roads are for cars ..... Cyclists should be banned from them!!

[Guest Flo]

Roads are for cars .....

 

Ahem, no.... Roads were built originally for pedestrians and horses, so cars shouldn't be allowed either...

[NicF]

Hi, I arrived in Adelaide a few days ago, wanted to know how easy is to ride a bike to work and where can I park it, are there any special places to reserved to do this?

 

My OH rides from where we live in Rostrevor to where he works on Greenhill Road in Wayville. He tends to avoid a lot of the really busy roads as he doesn't feel too safe on them, even if they have bicycle lanes. There's a bike rack at his work that he leaves his bike at. There are some good roads for cycling on but the lanes don't always go the full length of the road so you can go part way down in relative safety and then you are right in the middle of all the traffic. I see quite a few cyclists on my way in to work in the city on the bus so he's not the only one that rides to work. If you lived near the river it would be possible to cycle all the way in to the city along the river without having to go anywhere near a road. How easy it will be for you to ride to work will depend on where you live and where you work. As for where you can park it this will also depend on where you work - we have bike racks where I work, other places may also have them.

[xzibit]

Judging from the cyclists I've seen disregarding all road rules, going through red lights, swerving around, ridding 3 & 4 abreast they should be banned from using roads!! Roads are for cars ..... Cyclists should be banned from them!!

 

Judging from all the car drivers I've seen disregarding all road rules, going through red lights, swerving around, driving in the right hand lane when it says 'keep left' should be banned from using roads!! Roads are for appropriately driven cars, bikes and horse drawn carriages .....

Poor informed people that sound like a broken record should be banned from forums.

 

By the way, what does ridding mean?

 

All in jest you understand. ;-)

[Guest Guest12727]

Hi, I arrived in Adelaide a few days ago, wanted to know how easy is to ride a bike to work and where can I park it, are there any special places reserved to do this?

 

Where do you live and where do you need to get to?

[Diane]

Cycle helmets are compulsory here, as is some sort of bell or warning device on your bike.

 

My OH cycles most days to and from work, and mainly sticks to the cycle tracks through the parks (all along the Torrens and through the city). Apart from that, he sticks to back streets as there are some horrors behind the wheel of cars in Adelaide, who don't know how to use their mirrors at all! Probably best to ask at the place you are working if there is somewhere secure to leave your bike during the day, and grab a shower when you arrive.

[scooterdan]

I don't do jest.... I keep getting told a forum is for opinions ..... That's mine! Plenty of cycle routes around that are not on roads..... Use them!

[Toni]

Depending where you end up working then riding is great. Sure there are some parts that are tricky....dangerous even.... but you can walk your bike in those areas. When I used to work just outside of the city I was able to cut through parks. I stopped riding my bike when I got run off the road and onto the footpath (ouch) by a truck when I was riding through the city to North Adelaide. I don't ride any more these days but where I work now I probably wouldn't as it is in the city but lots o people do. My workplace has a basement where staff can securely put there bikes away and they also have showers for staff. My pet hate with cyclist is when you are going for a Sunday drive in the hills where there are lots of twists and turns and hilly. It forces you to either stay behind them or take a risk and go on the other side of the road. So I think something needs to be done about that as it is quite risky for both cyclist and cars. I do agree that generally car drivers are not very cautious or considerate of cyclists. Lights on your bike and light coloured (fluorescent jackets at night) clothing is a must IMO.

[Guest ColinOz]

Where do you live and where do you need to get to?

Living in Broadview, don't need to go to any specific place, just wanted to read some local opinions about how safe was to do it

[xzibit]

I don't do jest.... I keep getting told a forum is for opinions ..... That's mine! Plenty of cycle routes around that are not on roads..... Use them!

 

I had a wonderful ride into work on the bike this morning. Whizzing past the stationary cars stuck in traffic, burning calories, increasing my fitness level, enjoying the beautiful spring morning. I did use a cycle path for 1.2km of my 16km journey as it's the only one going in my direction.

 

Wonderful day to be a cyclist Daniel, truly a wonderful day.

[Guest Rich&Susie]

To be perfectly honest, i wouldn't want to be a cyclist on some of the main arterial roads. Where i work we get so many complaints regarding the quality of cycle lanes. There's just not enough infrastructure in place. There is a decent cycle route planner website though which be help (hope i'm ok posting the link) called Cycle Instead. http://maps.sa.gov.au/cycleinstead/ If the link doesn't work, just punch in 'Cycle Instead' into Google. It will come up with routes based on your start/finish points based on which is quickest, which one maximises paths and which has least traffic.

Many tourist or information centres have free cycle maps which we have found really useful.

More and more companies nowadays are providing facilities for cyclists who want to cycle into work. Maybe check with yours to see what they've got (showers/lockup facilities).

If my memory serves my right, in Broadview you're not too far from the Torrens Linear Park? That's great to cycle along, and the bacon and egg rolls that you get from the Elder Park cafe make the ride all the more worthwhile!! :-)

[spanners]

Hi Colin

 

 

Colin - I ride loads but wouldn't dream of riding around Adelaide unless almost all my journey was on remote cycle paths (ie not just a painted line on the main road). SA driving standards are not good. For roads that are almost devoid of traffic (despite what the locals say about the 'horrendous' traffic jams) drivers have no problem in killing themselves and others at an alarming rate. Views like Scooterdan's prevail unfortunately. Being wiped out by a car door also seems common place. And then theres the trucks.

 

If you can find a route through parks or tracks the biking would be a great way to commute. As mentioned you have to wear a helmet. You can get cycling info from the Bike SA website

Edited September 2, 2013 by Blossom
Removal of content breaking forum rules

[Guest BurgessFamily]

They should spend more money on cycle lanes so safety is guaranteed. They could fund this by forcing any bike used on them to be registered for a small fee annually. Would be a great idea and get more people on bikes (as long as motorbikes didn't use the paths).

[spanners]

Bike registration has always been a contentious issue for cyclists. I think it would be a good thing as it would make bikes trackable both for theft and traffic violations but above all it would stop views like "well cyclists don't even pay for the roads". I can't think of many things worse than eating a MacDonald's burger but I have to pay taxes to get the council to pick up the wrappers and hospitals to treat all the fatties having heart attacks.

[Keith & Linda]

I had a wonderful ride into work on the bike this morning. Whizzing past the stationary cars stuck in traffic, burning calories, increasing my fitness level, enjoying the beautiful spring morning. I did use a cycle path for 1.2km of my 16km journey as it's the only one going in my direction.

 

Wonderful day to be a cyclist Daniel, truly a wonderful day.

 

Similar to me, caught in no traffic, whizzing past cyclists, not worn out when I got to work, start burning off calories also increasing my fitness, working outside on this beautiful spring day!. everybody's life choices are different but similar! dosn't mean either is right or wrong, better or not.

At the weekend I was walking along a shared footpath, cyclists doing a hell of a speed, no bell warnings especially when coming from behind, where ever we go, how ever we do it, there will always be some form of conflict and disagreements, such is life!

 

As an aside, Scooterdan is a good wind-up merchant and some people cannot work that out, but he is not abusive, abrupt maybe, and for other posters to be abusive because they do not like his opinions is totally uncalled for, I do note that those abusive postings have now been removed, thankyou moderators (so you do come in useful sometimes:notworthy:)

[xzibit]

At the weekend I was walking along a shared footpath, cyclists doing a hell of a speed, no bell warnings especially when coming from behind, where ever we go, how ever we do it, there will always be some form of conflict and disagreements, such is life!

 

As an aside, Scooterdan is a good wind-up merchant and some people cannot work that out, but he is not abusive, abrupt maybe, and for other posters to be abusive because they do not like his opinions is totally uncalled for, I do note that those abusive postings have now been removed, thankyou moderators (so you do come in useful sometimes:notworthy:)

 

Cyclists on the pavement are dangerous.

 

Dan winding people up?? He'd never do that!!

[scooterdan]

Me...... wind up....never!!

[Keith & Linda]

Me...... wind up....never!!

 

Dan, you could get a top job at timex:wink:

[Diane]

They should spend more money on cycle lanes so safety is guaranteed. They could fund this by forcing any bike used on them to be registered for a small fee annually. Would be a great idea and get more people on bikes (as long as motorbikes didn't use the paths).

 

I think most cyclists also have a car (apart from the really keen ones - or ones who have lost their license for some reason) - my OH pays an annual registration for his car, and most days uses his bike instead, so the car sits at home doing nothing! I don't think making cyclists pay again would be the solution. He already pays for use of the roads through his car tax, and use of the cycle paths through his rates.

[Guest Nixipixi82]

Cycling is a great way of getting round. You see more things as you go, you get exercise and fresh air, and you feel great when you get to where ever it is you're going. I cycle all over London, and did in Devon/ Cornwall too. There are some idiotic cyclist and drivers about, but drivers always seem to think cyclists have no right on the road, so will literally try to kill you, and some cyclists think they are in the tour de france! (All the gear and no freakin idea!)

 

I would definitely recommend cycling a long a river (as suggested previously), i cycle along the canal everyday and have seen the chicks break out of eggs and grow through out the summer, i have seen some amazing scenes of nature (seagulls attacking moor hens (maybe that wasn't great but a scene i would never have seen driving), warblington catch an eel, etc). A great way to start/ end the day

Edited September 2, 2013 by Nixipixi82
Dodgy keyboard

[Guest Guest12727]

Creating safer cycling in Adelaide.

 

http://indaily.com.au/news/2013/09/03/frome-st-to-lose-lane-under-bikeway-planskeway/

[sidestep]

A few hostile and in one case downright idiotic view of cyclists. Never mind, there's always one (sadly).

 

Out of interest just how much exactly would people think a cyclist should pay in rego if one were to be introduced? Lets see some numbers.

[Keith & Linda]

A few hostile and in one case downright idiotic view of cyclists. Never mind, there's always one (sadly).

 

Out of interest just how much exactly would people think a cyclist should pay in rego if one were to be introduced? Lets see some numbers.

 

Very interesting sidestep good way of keeping the hostilities up!

Lets see now mmmmmmmmmmm Bikes use the same roads as other vehicles, use the same signage and line marking too! but bikes do also get extra things provided, they get extra signage and line markings just for them, special crossing points at intersections, some even light controlled, they get cycle ways which other vehicles cannot use, they can even get free parking facilities! so in essence they actually get more provided for them then the general road user, so should they contribute? well read on, some might say bikes do not cause as much wear and tear to the roads as compared to trucks and cars and rightly so, but then, cars do not cause wear and tear to cycle ways do they? some might say the help by there being feer cars on the roads, but it is the tax paying cars that helped pay for the roads that the bikes are using for free! So should they contribute? too damn right they should, but do not think I am anti bike, because I am not so read on, Contributing towards the general costs means that there will be more money to spend on giving cyclists even more and safer facilities, yes?

The problem will always be HOW? and HOW MUCH?, how can you charge little 7yr old Johnny? or the weekend social rider? and the like, thats where it gets too complicated for me and obviously for councils and governments too! so how about we do not bother at all, and accept that at least somethings in life are free (well not really free is it?) and it then becomes an individuals choice as to whether they wish to take advantage or not.

Cheers Keith