New lobby group fresh impetus for Auckland harbour bridge cycleway

-- Auckland City Councillor and cycling commentator Toni Millar likely patron

Dear Councillor

Long time cyclist and first time e-mailer, Raoul.

Firstly, happy New Year.

In writing I was hoping to appeal to your political instincts and interest in more efficient motorised travel along Auckland’s Tamaki Drive.

Last year on Campbell Live you expressed dissatisfaction with cyclist behaviour along the Waterfront and the extra time and trouble shoddy riding cost motorised road users.

Just because I’m an enthusiastic Tamaki Drive cyclist doesn’t mean I reject your concerns. Hell, everyone makes mistakes. Lord knows I’ve run my fair share of red lights and knocked down the occasional slow-walking pedestrian. Forgiveness is a great thing.

Anyway, you will be aware of the cycle lobby group Getacross, which failed to convince the Transport Agency to consider a Harbour Bridge cycleway.

But here’s a thought. In my mind, the opportunity to cycle across the Harbour Bridge is a cyclist draw card possessing attraction similar to Tamaki Drive. Both routes offer magnificent harbour views and provide cyclists with a route destination that defines their ride.

Surely, then, an Auckland Harbour Bridge cycleway will alleviate cycling congestion along Tamaki Drive. Afterall, a cyclist can’t be in two places at once.

With this in mind, I’m investigating the formation of a new lobby group (Auckland Regional Transport Authority calling Getacross a “dead horse” gives it a branding problem).

We’re still working on a name, but wondered if you’d consider being our patron. You are already part of the cycling conversation. Perhaps more importantly, becoming the figurehead of a pro-cycling group will help you to win back the goodwill of Auckland’s significant cycling community.

Please let me know.

Chopper Guard

Chopper Guard personality of the year

-- In what must be this year’s most cringe-worthy PR blunder, the unfortunately proportioned Auckland City councillor Toni Millar’s ill-advised television rant transformed her from an unknown bureaucrat into a cycling community hate figure. Nice work.

Did one of her white linen suited St Heliers neighbours put her up to it? Surely it wasn’t of her own volition. On Campbell Live she raved, blathered and jiggled, railing against cyclists’ arrogance and their menace on Tamaki Drive.

Hello. Tamaki Drive is an Auckland Mecca. Every day thousands of Aucklanders travel along it, to and from the city and between the beaches, stopping for coffee, rollerblading, kiting, watching; in their own way putting some joy into their lives. The braying masses tend to overwhelm progress as usual. Hell, sometimes it's tough even making decent progress on a bike. But most reasonable thinking people embrace the chaos, figuring that a little inconvenience is a small price to pay for a destination this good. It’s not a place or the thoroughfare for the selfish and uptight. 

Be cool. Relax. Breathe in. Breathe out.