I've been reflecting on #BikingInAuckland over lockdown and into Level 1, after being away for almost a year. My experience just clearly emphasises why @AklTransport @AklCouncil need to prioritise more safe biking infrastructure... @BikeAKL
A thread 1/n

I've biked in Auckland for decades - before there was even a concept of 'bike lanes' and I consider myself lucky: I've only had a couple of minor hits, one damaging accident (road oil, no vehicle), + many many near misses and threats and aggressions from male drivers 2/n

I consider myself a pretty tough and experienced cyclist; the busy roads don't phase me; and until the infrastructure was good, I wouldn't go out of my way to bike along more 'bike friendly' (ie less traffic) routes. All this is context... 3/n

While away, I was biking a lot in London, and a bit in France, and possibly other places that I can't remember. There were moments of threat and danger in London, but mostly they came from aggresive men pedestrians, not drivers... The contrast has given me pause... 4/n

Came back to NZ for lockdown. Biking in Auckland under Level 4 was blissful. The roads felt like we belonged on them 5/n

Biking under Level 2 - similarly blissful, the roads remained as much ours as anyone else's... the traffic lights respected our presence and it stopped being a 'will I won't I?' guessing game about triggering a traffic light 6/n

Under Level 3, things started to feel more familiar, more like cycling in London had been. Needing to be alert, but just that... 7/n

Then Level 1 hit, and Auckland's traffic returned to full glory... 8/n

And I realised, before every ride (not on a dedicated bike path) my thought process is literally this:
Should I take Route X or Y?
Y!
But what if I get hit on Y route? I'll regret not taking X!
How fucked is that? 9/n

I realised today that I didn't think that in London before biking. I didn't think about possible death/damage when I left my home. And I didn't think that under Level 1, 2, or even 3. Which got me to reflecting on the embodied and psychological experience of cycling in AKL 10/n

And how I could feel the physical stress in my body of being alert and ready, and a sense of constant 'clear and present danger' being a cyclist on the roads here, a constant psychological need for hypervigilance. 11/n

I love cycling.
It's good for the planet.
And in theory it's good for my health... But reflecting on this, the stress and experience I hold when biking on Auckland roads, I think probably removes any health benefits. I may even be worse off. I certainly will be if I'm hit! 12/n

And that is why we in Auckland deserve better cycling infrastructure!
So @AklTransport @AklCouncil please prioritse cycling as you make future budgetary decisions. Thanks.
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