look ma, no hands, no helmet, no lights...... and no consideration for anyone or anything

In my part of Melbourne bikes have been cool for a long time. It's close to the city, it gets clogged up with car and public transport traffic, and there are lots of parks, so riding is mostly a pleasure.

Unfortunately recent years has seen the bike go beyond a useful cheap mechanical form of transport, to being a fashion statement. The funny side is, a lot of people walk their bikes around on the footpaths and never seem to ride them, particularly up and down the busy shopping strips where all of the bars and cafes are.

i used to read on the tram, but now i am so crammed in i can hardly reach my phone in my pocket

I was reading this article in The Age about public transport in Melbourne over the weekend as I thought about alternative ways to get to and from work. The public transport system is at bursting point around peak times every day. I stand at tram stops and have to let one, and sometimes up to three trams go by before there is one with room for anyone else.

I've tried cycling, but drivers in Melbourne seem to feel like they are competing with cyclists and behave very aggressively.