Safety First: a city that understands

The TBUG Hazard Inspection Team (HIT) will keep pressing on with the task of logging Toowoomba's danger points for road users.

Of course, our HIT squad will focus on the dangers to cyclists but if the road is safer for cyclists it has to be safer for drivers too, so we all win.

In the meantime, in other cities there are planners who do try to make a real difference.

Some live here in Australia, some overseas.

Where BUG supporters find examples of forward thinking we can post links here, for all to read.

To kick this off, have a look at these links below:

This is a link to read about 'Portland Boxes' in Portland, Oregan, USA. A 'Portland Box' is a simple idea that allows space for bicycles at traffic lights, placing riders ahead of the vehicles where all can see them. This is well worth a visit and a few questions to the new TRC about trialling them here:

This is a page from the City of Portland explaining what a Portland Box is:
http://www.portlandonline.com/transportation/index.cfm?c=46717&

This is a snapshot article:
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/03/portlands_bike_boxes.php

This provides a small slide show of the development of the Portland Box:
http://bikeportland.org/2008/03/15/first-look-at-portlands-new-bike-friendly-green-space/

Please take some time to look at these pages too.

Michael Yeates is known to the people who started the T-BUG some years ago. Michael came and spoke to Toowoomba cyclists about how to organise to create a better city environment for cycling. Perhaps it's time to ask him back?

http://www.yeatesit.biz/transfiles/problem_narrow_bike_lanes.htm

http://www.yeatesit.biz/transfiles/HowTo_RoadCycling.html

http://www.yeatesit.biz/transfiles/yeates_yellow_bike.pdf

http://www.yeatesit.biz/transfiles/safecyclefinal.pdf