From: mpulver@research.canon.oz.au (Mark Pulver)
Subject: Re: Whats riding in sydney like?
Organization: Canon Information Systems Research Australia
Distribution: aus
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1992 23:14:06 GMT


>I and my SO are looking at moving to Sydney and we prefer to ride rather
> then bus/drive.  To be more specific, one of us is going to need to comute
>to Sydney Uni while the other will be traveling to North Ryde.
>

I`m in a similar situation, moving to Sydney about 4 months ago.   I work in
North Ryde, and my SO work in Surrey Hills.   We rent in Glebe, which is
about 1km from Sydney Uni.   We're about 3km from Surrey Hills, but with some
heavy traffic, and about 14.5km from my work. (I'm Adelaide my commute was
about 16km from the city to Technology Pk, The Levels).

My commute takes about 35 minutes +/- a couple, which is good.  It takes about
30 minutes by car in the rush hour.

I cut through a park at the top of Glebe, where cars can't go, but from that
point I'm with the traffic.   I follow Victoria Rd over Iron Cove & Gladesville
bridges, taking the Hunters Hill exit turning onto Ryde Rd, then Pitwater Rd
to North Ryde.

Gladesville Bridge is a bitch (excuse the sexist term) not because of traffic,
but it steepness.  (Who designed/approved this piece of Engineering/Civic
wankery) I ride with the traffic, forget the walk ways,  heading north
its too narraw (I rubbed a hole in a pannier when I was exporing routes), the
south bound side has no easily entry point, and you'll bound to be block by
a pedestrian, and a slow moving bike.  I find that because of the lights at the
bottom traffic crosses the bridge in waves, so by the time you hit the
top of bridge, it is usually empty, and I never had trouble crossing the
two lanes  (actually just one) to head to Ryde Rd. Coming home it is necessary
to cross two lanes (the flow from Vivtoria Rd), and this in on the up hill.
I find this a little more worrying, but not that bad.   I usually finid that
this traffic flow is zero, or a few cars, you just continue up the 3rd lane
(the middle) until the small flow passes on you left then zip over.  I find
Sydney drivers generally aware of your needs, and do offten give way to you.

My route is against the general flow of traffic, but the traffic is still
heavy. But because there are no clear way in my direction, I usually have
free use of the left lane because of park cars.


>Whats it like getting between these two by bike/bus/train?  Are there better
>suburbs in terms of access to bike routes or public transport.  What's
>it like travelling home late?  What about riding over any of the bridges?
>
bike/ferry is good. bike/bus is not possible. bike/train is also good but
costs for the bike (Unlike Melbourne off peak).

Glebe is well served by buses but not trains (alots lots of taxis). I can not
tell you much else, because Glebe the only place I really know in Sydney.

Riding at night, I don't find to be much harder than than day, but do have
good light.   I just put a good 6 volt rechargable system on my commuter, and
feel a lot safer (I might post details soon).

The Habour bridge has a good bike lane (away from traffic), but is hard to
get find sometime, but I'm getting better.

Mark @ still no car


-- 
Mark Pulver (mpulver@research.canon.oz.au)    _--_|\ 
                                             /      \
Canon Information Systems Research Australia \_.--._/
1 Thomas Holt Drive, North Ryde, N.S.W., 2113.     v 
Newsgroups: aus.bicycle