Those f***ing bikes!

“I hate those f***ing bikes,” a random bloke recently told me after I witnessed him push one over, not far from home. It was one of those hire bikes which have become popular in most Australian cities, and in particular, in my part of Sydney.

While I’d never actually push one over myself, I get where that anger comes from.

The rise of hire bikes and the proliferation of delivery riders on both bicycles and electric or motorbikes have brought about significant shifts in our cities, and we probably haven’t arrived at the right equilibrium,

One of the things that really grinds my gears is the apparent disregard for road rules. I’ve had more close calls than I can count with cyclists speeding along footpaths or just going straight through pedestrian crossings. I’ve had a few instances where I’ve almost been knocked over because cyclists or home delivery riders have just barreled through.

It’s that feeling that riders don’t seem to have any sense of road rules or footpath rules that really gets to me, especially when you feel vulnerable, like when you’re just trying to walk down the street. And for me, as someone with a physical disability, I need to take things a little more slowly, and keep a closer eye out for what’s happening around me. When someone comes quickly in front of me, or too closeby, I run the risk of losing my balance.

Footpaths have been widened, and parking options have been limited, and that directly impacts residents and other road users. Personally, that doesn’t worry me so much, in fact, as a pedestrian I think it’s a good thing, but I can understand why some people feel the anger they do.

On a more personal level, one thing that really frustrates me is that hire bikes are often just left in the middle of footpaths, creating huge obstacles. When I was getting around in a wheelchair, these often thoughtlessly placed bikes could turn a simple trip into a frustrating ordeal.

And don’t even get me started on what they’ve done to our restaurants. Sure, when COVID first hit, those delivery riders were a lifeline, helping keep businesses open when no one could go out.

But now, as things have gone back to normal, I really hate what they’ve done to our restaurants. Places that used to be buzzing with people now often have just a handful of patrons.

It feels like the rise of delivery apps has, for some, contributed to a decline in people dining out, and it’s really changed the vibe of our local eateries. I often find myself wishing people would get up a go to their local restaurant instead of ordering take away.

I totally understand why they do, especially during winter when it’s cold. When I was largely using a wheelchair, I would often order it myself.

For the restaurants too, I’ve often found myself dining alone, and the only other people who come in are food delivery riders. Last night, while negotiating my way into the nearby Indian, a driver in a hurry came in quickly, almost knocked me over, and then left the door open, letting in the cold night air, much to the annoyance of the patrons.

I totally understand and appreciate the food delivery riders are probably being paid only a tiny salary, and their need for speed derives from the fact they need to do as many deliveries as possible to make a living. But I also wish the riders would slow down a bit and be a little less eratic when they ride and drive around my area.

Like every change, it takes time for things to settle down, and I think that’s likely what’s happening now: we haven’t quite found the new equilibrium.