YarraBUG Chris, Faith, Val and Steve

On this weeks program Chris chats to Rik Isaksen about his journey around the cycling universe and his Battery Acid Sound System project. We chat about grassroots events, Bike Rave Melbourne, bike sound systems, audio tech, bike trailers, Dom Whiting, Carry Shit Olympics and getting started either carrying stuff and cargobikes (facebook: Melbourne Cargobikes, Cargobikes Australia)Local news includes Australia's biggest city has a car problem. What should Melbourne do to fix it? that overlooks active transport provision and potential, Future Melbourne (City of Melbourne) meeting, that includes Cycling and Micromobility Infrastructure Program (Item 6.3) on the agenda, where you can make a written submission or register to attend. Please do so by Tuesday 10am 23 April 2024 at the previous link.And not forgetting Critical Mass CBD ride this Friday 26 April 2024, meet 5.30pm for 6pm start, highlighting the good (seperated bike lanes) and bad (still to be built seperated bike lanes) cycling infrastructureProgram musicShonen Knife, Cycling is funAutechre, Bike

 Faith and Val are joined in the studio today by Nick Richardson, from Banksia Gardens Community Services to tell us all about Broady Bikes. First we all share our bike moments. and Val's leads us nicely into our first item of news about the very succesful E-bike Expo held by Bicycle Network last week.We also mention the three consultations in Merri-bek at the moment, of interest to anyone who lives, works or plays and rides through there; Harding St Bridge, O'Hea St Bike Lane Extension and Victoria Streets For People  Brunswick. Make sure you take a look!Coming up this weekend is a day for focussing on active transport in Moonee Valley Walk.Ride.Moonee Valley hosted by Moonee BUG and Moonee Valley Sustainability.Featuring:+ Towards Better Streets - panel and Q&A+ Info on infrastructure for cycling and walking+ Bike repairs advice+ Explore e-bikes and cargo bikes+ Join Moonee BUG for a group rideMeet your neighbours and people from Better Streets campaign, Streets Alive, your local Bicycle Users Group (MooneeBUG), local businesses and MVS’s Active Transport Collective.Nick tells us all about the Broady Bikes initiative at Banksia Gardens, set up to give disadvantaged youth an opportunity to practice the sorts of skills that enable holding down a job while learning how to work on and fix bicycles. Providing broader as well as mechanical skills the program also provides engagement with education services and the wider community. Repaired bicycles are sold or provided to people in the local community that can use them. If you have a good quality bicycle to donate then please contact Nick on 0418436269  or at  nick@banksiagardens.org.au. Unoftunately, many cheaper bicycles from stores such as KMART etc cannot be repaired and are not suitable for donation. 

On this weeks program Chris and Steve have a wide ranging chat with topics including Jeremy Vine's extraordinarily obvious April Fools day joke, the ridiculous over the top reaction, combined with differences between UK and France about active transport provision, (Guardian: Why has the ‘15-minute city’ taken off in Paris but become a controversial idea in the UK?) that being hostile 'culture wars' vs. a reasonable level of discussion, City Nerd: Cities Where People Travel the "Wrong Way" to Work, 15 minute cities, 20 minute neighbourhoods, what's happened in post Covid19 civil society and what this means for advocates and anyone else wanting safer streets. Local news includes E-scooter trial extended across Victoria, Walk Ride Moonee Valley meeting on 20 April, Protected bike lanes for Johnston Street petition hitting 2000 signatures and Critical Mass CBD ride coming up on Friday 26 April Program musicShonen Knife, Cycling is funBonobo, Linked

On this week show Chris chats with Ruth Jelley and Paul Baker about making things better by getting involved with local advocacy.First interview (3.04 mark) Ruth discusses South Crescent issues after a Streets Alive Darebin ride held on Saturday 23 March 2024.Second interview: (6.40 mark) Paul Baker chats about his pathway from starting off riding BMX as a kid, commuting, workplace bicycle user groups, the June 2022 'halt' of the roll out of protected cycling lanes in Melbourne, organising #comerailtrailwithme bike trail rides and getting elected to the Bicycle Network board. Follow Paul and his adventures on Melbourne Bike Paths, instagram and stravaLocal news includes Critical Mass March ride supporting Port Phillip BUG, Inkerman Street consultation, the Border Run and Bicycle Network discussion session on Wednesday 3 April for people interested in local council elections (Council elections an opportunity for better bike municipalities)Program musicShonen Knife, Cycling is funGunnar Olsen, Pedal onJohn Butler Trio, Oceanfilous feat. Klei. Bicycle

Faith and Val are joined in the studio on a warm autumn morning by Liz Fowler and Edmund West from Melbourne Bicycle Touring Club. We all share our bike moments before taking a look at some upcoming events including Critical Mass on Friday March 22nd (heading Southside with Port Phillip BUG) and a Bicycle Network event for those interested in what they can to support active transport during the upcoming Council elections. The Melbourne Bicycle Touring Club has been celebfrated its fiftieth year and Liz and Ed talk about the community that the club has built over the decades, the rides they've shared and the future of the club. We talk about the joys of bike touring, how a club like MBTC helps to make it accessible to more people and the diversity of people, and bikes, that enjoy their tours and day trips. You can find out more about the MBTC and their rides from their website. Rides are advertised and shared on Meet Up.  

On this weeks program Chris talks to Cr Sophie Wade from Yarra City Council and Julian O'Shea. Cr Sophie Wade talks about recent improvements in Yarra including 30km/h speed zones, Transport Action Plan 2023-2033, and Notice of Motion No. 5 of 2024 - Dangers of oversized vehicles (see page 61 of council meeting agenda) taking a cue from parking changes in Paris, which is the first of its kind in Australia. (The Age: Council could slug ‘truckzillas’, utes and SUVs with higher parking fees, 9 March 2024)Julian O'Shea talks about his upcoming Comedy Festival show, M is for Melbourne at DoubleTree by Hilton and his interesting honesty-based ticket prices around how you arrive at the show (ranging from $28.63 to $155.01), his Guinness World Record Attempt, transport design issues, BikeSpot project, City of Melbourne Future Streets Framework and a cheeky discount code for riders listening to this podcast.Program music:Shonen Knife, Cycling is funBonobo, Linked