Yesterday, October 12, Australia held an annual ‘Ride to Work Day’. The initiative, organised by Bicycle Network Victoria, saw a big
turnout across the country, with Fairfax media reporting an estimated 150,000
participants nationally (of which 40,000 in Victoria).
An estimated 3.6 million Australians already ride
their bikes at least once a week, with 1.1 million of those in Victoria, making
it the country’s biggest state in terms of hitting the pedals.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported on October 1 that
while Victoria is embracing riding, NSW lags behind as the state with the
lowest rate of cycling. The Australian Bicycle Council survey found in a
typical week around 18 per cent of Australians ride a bike, with about 3.6
million riding for leisure or sport while 1.2 million people make at least one
transport journey.
The rapidly growing use of bicycles on the streets of
our cities, due in part to increased infrastructure, is not all smooth sailing,
however. The timelapse video below was captured at Australia’s busiest bicycle
intersection, on the corner of Melbourne’s Flinders and Swanson Streets, and
highlights just how many road rules are regularly broken by cars and bicycles
alike.
