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ELOVETOHEARFROMYOU,thelettersareamongthemostkeenlyreadpartsofthemagazine.Please
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herearethoseofthewritersandwedonotvouchfortheiraccuracyoreventheirsanity!WHATSAYYOU
BAG WINNER
BEAR OF MANY TALENTS
Hi Peter “The Bear”,
Last Saturday we had a chance
meeting at Gingers Creek café and I
appreciated the friendly chat we had.
This morning I was looking at my
“200 Top Rides” atlas and I realised
that you’re the author!
It’s such a great book and map
collection I just wanted to send a
quick message saying “Thanks!”.
Thanks for putting the book50 METRES OF HAPPINESS
Dear Bear,
You know that the availability of
inner city parking for motorcycles
is one (amongst a number) of my
obsessions. Well, I have to say I was
overcome with joy when I managed
to secure a couple of hours earlier on
Friday, and on the way back home,
I saw a good 50 meters worth jam
packed with bikes of all description.
The only shade in an otherwise sunny
afternoon, was that old mate on the
Suzi couldn’t squeeze in.
A quick calculation could probably
give a 4 or 5 bike to car ratio, roughly
ÀJXULQJWKDWDERXWRGGSHRSOH
were able to park and get on with the
day compared to, perhaps, 7
or eight at the very most if they
were car spaces...
Liveable cities are about more than
just public transport and time tables.
It is about having fun as well, surely?
together. I hope you’ve done well
out of it. And thanks for the friendly
chat last weekend. It’s always good
to learn a bit more about various
bikes etc. If only we could ride
them all eh?! ;)
Kind regards,
Dave DennisThank you, Dave. I enjoyed our chat
as well. There are few things better than
sitting in the shade somewhere like Gingers
Creek, and shooting the breeze about bikes- The Bear
Although, I must say, you never see
anyone being unhappy about getting
off a crowded bus or train, especially
if one has had to share close personal
space and air with some of our more
unique members of society.
Cheers
Tim Standen
Worrigee NSWYou can actually go as high as 6 bikes to
a car, Tim, if it’s something like a 4WD.
Full credit to Sydney City Council, the Lord
Mayor, Clover Moore and City Manager
Victor Franco, who saw the sense of adding
motorcycle parking to encourage use of
bikes and scooters. They commissioned me
to prepare some recommendations and I am
still proud of the effect – The BearGETTING CULTURED
Dear Bear,
I know that you are fond of quoting
wise men and women of old. Here
is something I read
yesterday, a reminder
hat what is happening
Canberra is nothing
new under the sun. It’s
by Su Tung-P’o who
ved from
WR
“Families, when a child
s bornWant it to be intelligent.
I, through intelligence,
Having wrecked my whole life,
Only hope the baby will prove
Ignorant and stupid.
Then it will crown a tranquil life
By becoming a Cabinet Minister.
Thank you for getting me interested
in reading things like Chinese poetry.
I can’t read it in the original, but some
of the translations really rock.
Martin Mehane
Marrickville NSWSCIENCE IN THE SIZZLING
Dear Peter
<RXUUHDGHULVQRWWKHÀUVWULGHUWR
challenge the climate chamber study
(ABC Catalyst) as ‘not representing
real life riding’. It might seem weird
and possibly mad, but there was
science behind the details. We are
challenging urban myths.
The gear worn in the study is a
well-known brand, all-season suit
with the thermal liner removed. We
used this suit because it is the type
most commonly worn, particularly
by new riders. We tested various
types of riding gear on a sweating
thermal manikin and this suit had
the worst thermal management. We
used that suit for human trials in the
climate chamber to establish whether