The 'Death Star' casts a long shadow.
“The Death Star is the code name of an unspeakably powerful and horrific weapon. A weapon capable of destroying entire planets. The Death Star is an instrument of terror, meant to cow treasonous worlds with the threat of annihilation.”
The reign of the ‘Death Star’ continues unrestrained. It remains unscathed and as deadly as ever. In some cities it is referred to as the ‘elephant in the room’ or the ‘sacred bull in the china shop‘.
It’s no surprise that cycling in Auckland has not achieved the mainstream status that exists in other civilized cities around the world. To cycle in Auckland, one needs to be a fearless road warrior. Or part hardy, part foolish. Cycling in the shadow of the ‘Death Star’. In the meanwhile, the wheeled pedestrians, the people cycling in normal clothes, sitting comfortably upright, doing short trips, will remain wedded to their cars, stuck in traffic and only able to dream about being active participants in the revolution.
They will only be tempted to come out on their bicycles when the conditions are inviting. The cycling environment and cycling culture in Auckland is impoverished. You are catching glimpses of a renaissance but at the current pace of uptake, the number of people cycling will remain in the ‘margin of error’.
So what’s needed? Less road warrior, for a start. Less tinkering around the edges. ‘The Death Star’ needs to be addressed head on. To grow cycling numbers to a significant extent, the ‘Death Star’ needs to be confronted. It is time to stop ignoring it.
Learn from the cities with successful cycling models. Build the infrastructure. But also embark on a strategic and systematic marketing strategy. Promote cycling like a wheeled pedestrian as if there is no tomorrow. Put people and their bikes ahead of motorists.
Who is prepared to take on this worthy cause? Who will take on the responsibility of bringing cycling in Auckland into the 21st Century?
Cycling. It’s as easy as walking, but faster….
