Stephan Walter commutes 14km by bike from Hughes to Dickson every morning, and is looking forward to celebrating National Ride2Work Day 2016 tomorrow.
“I started riding in 2007 and have not stopped, even managing Canberra’s cold winters. It has improved my life.”
Using a combination of streets and shared paths, the ride takes him 40 minutes.
“Canberra’s shared path network – in my case around the lake and Sullivans Creek – is a joy to ride,” Mr Walter says. ”
I ride the best paths in the best city.
“I enjoy the shared paths as they are located mainly in beautiful open spaces. I am willing to trade directness for quiet beauty and a safe journey.
“If I’m running late I can use the on-road lanes and save myself ten minutes, but I don’t enjoy the traffic noise and the necessary stopping at traffic lights.”
The State of Australian Cities 2014-2015 report indicates that commuter cycling rates have steadily increased in the ACT region.
Credit must also go to those commuters who choose to ride a bike to work, with the ACT having one of the highest rates of cycling in Australia.
Stephan says riding makes him feel fit, healthy and ready for work.
“When I ride I obtain a level of mindfulness that a Buddhist monk on a stressful day can’t achieve.”
In examining active travel, the State of Australian Cities report shows that walking and cycling provides cities with a range of benefits.
“Active travel offers a number of benefits to cities, especially by reducing demand on other congested modes of transport. It also offers health benefits to those people who opt to walk or cycle, reduces greenhouse gas emissions and provides more human-scale activity on city streets.”
National Ride2Work Day 2016
National Ride2Work Day is the largest celebration of commuter riding in Australia, aiming to bring together the commuter cycling community in order to celebrate the benefits of riding to work.
The main objective of the day is to celebrate the idea of riding to work and encourage more Australians to ride to on a regular basis. It is a pat on the back to all those commuter cyclists who participate in active travel regularly, and aims to encourage people who have never ridden to work before to give it a go. So if you ride to work, why not suggest to your work mates that they try it too?
“I love participating in Ride to Work Day,” says Stephan, “and I particularly enjoy the breakfasts.”
There are two main Ride2Work Breakfasts in Canberra this year, in Civic and Kingston. Details below.
Feel free to mention any other Ride2Work celebrations in the comments.
Date: Wednesday, October 12, 2016
Locations:
City – Veteran’s Park, on the corner of Mort and Bunda Streets in Civic (with guest speaker Olympian Sue Powell)
Kingston – Eastlake Football Club, Oxley Street, Kingston
Time: 7am to 9am
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