“NZ Cycle Safety 9-Point Plan”
I want to see New Zealand’s national and local government do the following things in the next two years:
1. Run a national Share the Road promotional campaign telling motorists and cyclists how to co-exist safely on the roads.
2. Change transport planning and funding processes to make sure key problem areas or gaps for cyclists (e.g. Ngauranga to Petone cycleway, Auckland Harbour Bridge) get fixed – no more long delays or buck-passing between various organisations.
3. Spend less on road building and more on encouraging alternatives to driving: more motor vehicles on our roads only make things less safe and attractive for cycling.
4. Promote the use of lower speed zones (particularly 30km/h).
5. Change the tolerance for motor vehicle speed limit enforcement from 10km/h to a maximum of ten per cent of the posted speed limit.
6. Increase the walking and cycling budget in the National Land Transport Programme by a factor of five.
7. Change funding and audit processes to make sure that all roading projects improve the environment for cycling.
8. Change the driver licensing system and driver instruction (including bus and truck drivers) so motorists are educated about how to take care around cyclists.
9. Fund and promote nationwide roll-out of cycle skills training for children and adults

Let’s hope we can get some more too

Plug for my employer:  And check out all the action on tvnz.co.nz - 4 live streams and video highlights of NZ competitors.

 

Not sure where the statement “more trains more often” comes from – does this mean that service reliability will improve too?  Currently the southern line which I take everyday has just over a 80% statistic for being on time!  Yes, that means at least once a week both to and from work I can expect the trains I catch to be late (or even worse cancelled!). 

You can check out the delays and increase in costs for the ARTA projects and also the reliability of the Auckland Rail Service in the ARTA monthly business reports.  Will Auckland ever get a reliable and efficient rail service?

For me, a Tui billboard I made up sums it up nicely!!

Looks like we might be helping to tidy up a bit in Gizzie this year after the biggest earthquake in NZ since 1987 struck 50km NE from Gizzie luckily offshore.  Amanda’s folks said the place was a mess with all the drawers open, wall hangings fallen down, all the pantry food and plates on the floor and the office a mess with quite a few breakages. 

One ornament to miss the quake was the Christmas tree – the tree was still standing with all decorations intact and only the angel on top had fallen off….whew!

Article, photos and you tube link from the paper here…..

MERRY XMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY!!

PS – Check out Adi Dick there too for some chilled dub, typical kiwi style.

Anyway it is the year of the pig this year! The start of the New Year falls on February 18, 2007.

If you were born in 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983 or 1995 – you were born under the sign of the pig. Like the pig, you are highly regarded for your chilvary and pureness of heart, and you often make friends for life. For pigs in 2007, any recent setbacks or obstacles can be overcome so look forward to a year in which to really shine, either personally or professionally.

Famous people born in the Year Of The Pig include Lucille Ball, Humphrey Bogart, Thomas Jefferson, Ernest Hemingway, Alfred Hitchcock, Mahalia Jackson, David Letterman, and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

 

 

The trip over took four & half hours as we decided to take the car and John’s (Amanda’s dad) little boat over so ended up on the car ferry .  Well worth the expense as we had transport on and off the water.  Many a morning was spent fishing and a bit of snorkelling also.  Managed to catch lots of snapper and a few other species (trevally, etc) and ended up eating fish everyday.  Managed to fit in one dive with Aaron and ended up with a bounty of scallops which were devoured by all.  We set the cray pots a couple of times but alas the bloody eels keep eating the bait so missed out there and ran out of time for another dive to go catch some. see the photos here… (more to come later)

Beaches and scenery were amazing  (did a already say that?).  The bach was great and had all we needed (although we bought enough food, gear and alcohol over).  It is solar powered as there is no power on the island and there was enough sunshine to keep the lights on! The bach is situated on Kaitoke beach which stretches for km’s and probably the most people I ever saw on it at any one time was eight.  An ideal setting for some R&R, and the weather was kind as well (but the water cold!).

Had an afternoon driving around the island and took in one walk (see the photos) to get a view.  Parts of the roads are sealed but the corners are tight and the width narrow.  Luckily we didn’t meet too much traffic coming the other way but I’m sure John was not keen on my driving speed around some of the unsealed downhill stretches of road.

Well back in Auckland ready to go somewhere for the New Year. Any suggestions as I believe as always in NZ it is going to rain!! 

Happy New Year everybody!!

 

Can’t wait and have a Merry Xmas everybody.

 

 

PS Any ideas for NYE??