Some say vehicular cycling – i.e. riding your bike as if you were driving a car – is going out of style as cities start building off-road cycleways and protected bike lanes. And it’s true that better bike infrastructure is attracting many who would never have dreamed of riding on the road. One third of those using London’s new bike facilities are newbies – which matches the numbers for our own Grafton Gully cycleway.
But we all know it takes time (plus serious budget, popular goodwill, and strong political commitment) to make a city fully bike-friendly for every journey. So, in the meantime, thousands of Aucklanders on bikes are out there every day amongst traffic – because it’s the only way to get where they’re going on two wheels.
Lephi Peneha (31), a health and safety rep, is one of them. He rides a bike to work because he doesn’t drive – and because he values the exercise (hills don’t scare him!). Lephi shares his experiences as a new Auckland cyclist with us, for a reminder of what it’s like out there…
I was born in Invercargill, and I have been cycling for 9 years. I never had the opportunity to learn how to drive, as lessons were too expensive and there’s a lack of ‘free’ training available. (There are free bike lessons out there though, and I’m thinking about going along to the free bike lessons every month at the Cloud, because I might learn something new, you never know.)
I’ve lived in Auckland for about 9 months. When I first arrived, I found work through the AWF temp agency. For 7-8 months, I would bike to wherever they put me: on the waterfront in a construction environment; in Eden Terrace at the office; and now I work at Auckland Hospital, in grounds maintenance. I’m the health and safety rep for my crew, whom I look after in terms of health and safety. It’s less physical than my other jobs, so the bike commute is part of keeping myself fit.
Cycling in Auckland is very different from Invercargill and Hamilton. There’s more support and tips available in Auckland than any other place I’ve cycled. However, Auckland presents its own challenges with motorists, pedestrians and other cyclists. So, here are some tips for you that I have learnt along the way.
I think every cyclist has encountered near misses, and some of us feel anger retaliation towards motorists. One really good experience I had was cycling home from work through Karangahape Road to Jervois Rd during the 5pm peak hour traffic with another cyclist – we’d never met before, but we teamed up together for safety and moral support reasons.
My work experience comprises physical/ manual laboring, and as a Health and Safety Rep, my job is to ensure everyone keeps safe, and to listen and liaise with any safety concerns that arise. In my field, personal protective equipment (PPE) suited to the job is required to be worn before undertaking any work – and as a cyclist, wearing the correct PPE applies to the conditions.
- I learnt from doing road works that wearing a long sleeve hi-vis top increases your chances of being visible to motorists. Reflective strips are even better, especially at night. I wear the jacket I got for road work, which makes me visible day and night.
- I bought my hi-vis backpack (with reflective strips) online from a traffic management gear shop. Really cheap, and beneficial.
- I also learnt that spending a little bit more on a 20-lumen light is better than buying a cheap one.
- During the cold winter periods, wearing gloves helps keeps hands warm. Having worked in construction labouring has its advantages, including inheriting a wardrobe full of safety gloves.
- Lastly, any events that feature Bike Auckland [ed: or Auckland Transport’s Cycling team], you’re bound to score some free stuff, so keep an eye on this website and Bike Auckland’s Facebook page for any updates.
Okay, you’ve got all your PPE, good. Now, wherever you lock your bike, unless you have access to secure bike parking facilities at your workplace, always remember to take your lights with you – there are sticky fingers who doesn’t give a toss about your safety, whether it’s bored kids, a cyclist earning below a living wage, or kleptomaniacs. And it’s a hassle biking to/from work without safety lights.
Enough talk about PPE and fashion – let’s talk about commuting amongst Auckland city traffic. My commute, from Herne Bay to Auckland Hospital, doesn’t really include any proper bike lanes. But it’s not too bad because I start at 6am when there’s hardly any traffic (5.45 is when the traffic really starts up, with all the tradies driving to work).
I finish at 2.30, and hit the gym after work. I try and get my workout done before 4, because that’s when the traffic starts back up and gives me no choice but to fight with it. Sometimes, on the way home, I take the quiet pathway alongside the motorway (along St Mary’s Bay, behind the sound wall). But usually it’s just me amongst a lot of traffic. My advice here is:
Think like a car
Act like a car
Cycle like a Car
….You’ll be right!
Think, act, cycle like a cyclist, you’re bound for a near miss or worse.
To me, this means try to blend in as a car, rather than zipping in and out like butterflies – because drivers don’t see fast butterflies speeding past, especially when the cars are turning.
Most importantly, have the utmost respect for buses because they run on a schedule and delays do annoy bus commuters.
Alternatively, there are back roads around the inner city suburbs, so try to figure out which road has less traffic and take the path of least (car) resistance, even if that means you find yourself facing uphill. To be honest, I don’t mind the hills. Being a Les Mills member, you just have to roll with it. It’s torture going up College Hill, but I do it on purpose on my way home every Friday because it’s a last burst of exercise before the weekend. On the weekend I don’t really like to touch my bike, I’d mostly rather just walk.
One day I’ll get some proper driving lessons. In the meantime, I’m currently getting my ticket to drive a cherry picker and scissor lift, for work purposes, and I will say that cycling in Auckland definitely enhances your road sense.
Well, this concludes my tips of the cycling trade. One last thought: cycling in the rain or wind isn’t that bad, and there’s no such thing as being stuck in traffic and searching for car parks – yet it’s still the perfect excuse if you are late for work.
Happy safe cycling!
— Lephi Peneha
PS It has come to my attention that people might be trying to catch rare Pokémon while driving or biking. My recommendation is, don’t catch Pokémon while biking – in fact, never have the app running while biking… 
