| Forum Home | ||||
| PC World Chat | ||||
| Thread ID: 100045 | 2009-05-24 03:31:00 | Auckland Harbour Bridge - protest ride/walk today | johcar (6283) | PC World Chat |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 776389 | 2009-05-24 03:31:00 | I was one of the thousands who crossed the bridge today (I crossed on my bike). Apologies to anyone held up in the north-bound traffic. If the Transport Agency had the sense to let the protesters use the clip-on lanes, there wouldn't have been any drama at all. But they decided to try to make the protesters look like the bad guys. But it was pretty impressive to see so many people wanting to walk or ride the bridge. Had to listen to the usual bullshit speeches by grand-standing (in the main) politicians, for about 40 minutes, while a very cool southerly was blowing over us. Then CAA suggested we move towards the gate on Curran Street on-ramp so that Wayne McDonald (Transport Agency) could see we were serious and could assent to the crossing. The CAA asked that the protesters NOT "storm the barriers" and to please respect the Police line. But apparently feelings were running high (all the equipment and vehicles were there to facilitate a crossing anyway) and the assent was not forthcoming. So some of the protesters slipped through and then it was all on. However then the Transport Agency moved onto the north-bound clip-ons with a truck, effectively blocking it and forcing all the protesters/novelty-seekers into the two centre lanes - and blocking motorised vehicular traffic completely. Idiots! I believe the Transport Agency's reasoning will be something along the lines of: "the resonance of all those walkers' steps would make the clip-ons wobble and become unsafe". Then why were the Hikoi allowed to cross on foot (we all know the answer to THAT one!), and why is the Auckland Marathon allowed to use it every year (because they PAY for the 'privilege')? If it's that unsafe, why are vehicles still allowed to use the clip-ons? At least the Police took a common sense approach... It's a nice riding surface and not too hard a gradient (no more than 7%). Nothing like a bit of civil disobedience on a Sunday morning!!! |
johcar (6283) | ||
| 776390 | 2009-05-24 05:49:00 | I was one of the thousands who crossed the bridge today (I crossed on my bike). Where you one of the first ones who made a break past the police??? Heh!, or where you a good man & waiting in till the people got moving? You photo might be in the media :) ;) NZ Herald article on it: www.nzherald.co.nz (with photos and Video from the crossing) 3 News Video: www.3news.co.nz 3 News article www.3news.co.nz Nothing like a bit of civil disobedience on a Sunday morning!!! Heh heh :D :D If you don’t mind me asking How did you find out about this mornings crossing? |
stu161204 (123) | ||
| 776391 | 2009-05-24 06:12:00 | Another reason to believe there is something badly wrong with some people who reside in Auckland. | Sweep (90) | ||
| 776392 | 2009-05-24 06:37:00 | What a lost golden opportunity for the police to get some tasering practise in. ;) | R2x1 (4628) | ||
| 776393 | 2009-05-24 06:41:00 | Or even some moving target practice with Glock 9mms, actually anyone know how much to lead a cyclist before you fire is it like leading about 4 beaks worth ducks in flight with a shottie? The again some clown of a cop fired 8 shots at a dog and missed. As far as civil disobedience goes it is pretty low on the scale, good on the people who had the nuts to do it |
prefect (6291) | ||
| 776394 | 2009-05-24 06:54:00 | Perhaps the Police were saving the glocks for tomorrow when another bunch of people get together in a futile effort to protest. | Sweep (90) | ||
| 776395 | 2009-05-24 07:09:00 | Where you one of the first ones who made a break past the police??? Heh!, or where you a good man & waiting in till the people got moving? You photo might be in the media :) ;) NZ Herald article on it: www.nzherald.co.nz (with photos and Video from the crossing) 3 News Video: www.3news.co.nz 3 News article www.3news.co.nz Heh heh :D If you don’t mind me asking How did you find out about this mornings crossing? I was a 'relatively' good lad and waited. But I know a few of the guys in the breakaway bunch who came on at Fanshawe Street... One of them is claiming the title: " World Record Holder, Auckland Harbour Bridge Centre Span Challenge", for being the first on a bike across the centre span in the last 50 years... :D I'm not in any of the photos in any of those links, as far as I'm aware, but there are a few of our group caught in some shots (you can't miss them: bright orange jerseys with a white horizontal stripe at chest height). The crossing has been publicised fairly heavily for the last couple of months, mostly through biking groups like ours ("Pickled Pedallers") via email to subscribers of the Cycle Action Auckland email and our website - and by word of mouth. Pretty cool to be able to stop and enjoy the view from the top!! :banana @ prefect: lead is variable, since cyclists tend not to travel at a constant speed (as ducks tend to), especially with lots of pedestrians in the way. Lead required today for most riders would have been almost zero... |
johcar (6283) | ||
| 776396 | 2009-05-24 07:17:00 | I too, have walked across the Auckland Harbour Bridge.... 50 years ago on this month. Only 4 lanes then and it swayed like hell in the very strong wind blowing that day. Question: Was I a "Greenie" ahead of my time? Along with thousands of others! :clap:clap Ken |
kenj (9738) | ||
| 776397 | 2009-05-25 04:15:00 | Good question kenj. I was in my mid-twenties when I walked the bridge in 1959, and apart from the novelty could see no good purpose to it. Still, I suppose nowadays the lunatic fringe (stirred up by the usual rabble rousers) have to find something to do. The other idiots marching today are fighting a losing battle as well. Today's NZ Herald poll shows 82% of respondents do not want reserved Maori seats on the new Auckland council. |
rodb (1561) | ||
| 776398 | 2009-05-25 04:20:00 | It certainly seems very few people wish to manually cross the bridge apart from the novelty value of doing so or when indulging in a ridicules protest action, It seems to be they would be better off having an nominated half day a year where people could walk across. And they should be locking up people who enter the traffic flow of the Motorway system. |
Metla (12) | ||
| 1 2 3 4 | |||||