1 00:00:07,133 --> 00:00:10,453 Speaker 1: You're listening to the Saturday Morning with Jack Team podcast 2 00:00:10,573 --> 00:00:13,413 Speaker 1: from News Talks a'd be you know. 3 00:00:13,533 --> 00:00:16,093 Speaker 2: I reckon that living in New Zealand is kind of 4 00:00:16,213 --> 00:00:19,813 Speaker 2: like sitting on the back seat of a bus. You 5 00:00:19,933 --> 00:00:24,893 Speaker 2: feel cool, the views great, but when the world goes 6 00:00:24,933 --> 00:00:27,613 Speaker 2: over a speed bump, we just tend to get kicked 7 00:00:27,653 --> 00:00:30,573 Speaker 2: up in the air a little bit more than everyone else. 8 00:00:31,493 --> 00:00:34,293 Speaker 2: The government says we've got more than fifty days fuel, 9 00:00:34,413 --> 00:00:37,173 Speaker 2: either in the country or in ships that are already 10 00:00:37,253 --> 00:00:40,173 Speaker 2: en route. That is that's great, isn't it. That's reassuring. 11 00:00:40,813 --> 00:00:45,053 Speaker 2: But as petrol prices have steadily climbed this week, I'm 12 00:00:45,053 --> 00:00:48,093 Speaker 2: sure I'm not the only one who's been wondering what 13 00:00:48,333 --> 00:00:51,533 Speaker 2: agency I have in this situation. I don't know about you, 14 00:00:51,613 --> 00:00:56,013 Speaker 2: but it would be really, really nice for our household 15 00:00:56,053 --> 00:00:59,493 Speaker 2: finances to be a little less dependent on the whims 16 00:00:59,613 --> 00:01:04,893 Speaker 2: and fancies of one Donald Trump. Now. I totally get 17 00:01:05,173 --> 00:01:09,133 Speaker 2: that everyone's different, Every household is different. There are different 18 00:01:09,173 --> 00:01:12,053 Speaker 2: pressures and needs, and I promise I'm not going to 19 00:01:12,133 --> 00:01:15,933 Speaker 2: lect you this morning, but can I gently suggest that 20 00:01:16,053 --> 00:01:22,013 Speaker 2: this crisis might be the perfect excuse to diversify your 21 00:01:22,293 --> 00:01:26,653 Speaker 2: household transportation. It's funny. One of the many reasons I 22 00:01:26,693 --> 00:01:29,573 Speaker 2: hear for people not wanting to cycle more is that 23 00:01:29,613 --> 00:01:33,173 Speaker 2: they have kids. But in case you've not been paying attention, 24 00:01:33,373 --> 00:01:37,653 Speaker 2: bike technology has come an awfully long way. We're no 25 00:01:37,733 --> 00:01:41,773 Speaker 2: longer in the age of crusty old ten speeds. Case 26 00:01:41,813 --> 00:01:45,533 Speaker 2: in point. Over the summer holidays, I bought a shotgun. 27 00:01:46,053 --> 00:01:51,173 Speaker 2: Not a double barrel, single gauge, etc. Shotgun. No, No. A 28 00:01:51,213 --> 00:01:55,413 Speaker 2: shotgun is a special seat which attaches to a mountain 29 00:01:55,413 --> 00:01:58,493 Speaker 2: bike in the space between the rider's chest and the handlebars. 30 00:01:58,493 --> 00:02:00,693 Speaker 2: So picture someone riding a bike right, they've got their 31 00:02:00,813 --> 00:02:04,653 Speaker 2: arms outstretched. In that space between the rider's chest and 32 00:02:04,693 --> 00:02:07,813 Speaker 2: the handlebars is a little seat. The seat's got a 33 00:02:07,813 --> 00:02:10,773 Speaker 2: little harness, there are footrests and a bar to hold 34 00:02:10,813 --> 00:02:13,453 Speaker 2: on to. And let me tell you it is maybe 35 00:02:13,933 --> 00:02:18,333 Speaker 2: the most fun you can have with a one year old. Yes, 36 00:02:19,213 --> 00:02:21,493 Speaker 2: I ride with my one year old. We ride for 37 00:02:21,533 --> 00:02:24,773 Speaker 2: fun through the local parks. We visit the ducks and 38 00:02:24,813 --> 00:02:27,853 Speaker 2: the eels, or cycle alongside the tram at motat. He's 39 00:02:27,933 --> 00:02:29,533 Speaker 2: right there in front of me. I can whisper in 40 00:02:29,573 --> 00:02:32,773 Speaker 2: his ear as we pedal along. Look a dog, dog, 41 00:02:32,853 --> 00:02:37,693 Speaker 2: Can you say dog? We ride for practical computing commuting 42 00:02:37,773 --> 00:02:40,813 Speaker 2: purposes as well, So we ride down to the local library, 43 00:02:41,453 --> 00:02:43,893 Speaker 2: We go down to school to get his brother. We 44 00:02:43,973 --> 00:02:46,213 Speaker 2: ride to the supermarket for milk and a fresh crop 45 00:02:46,253 --> 00:02:51,293 Speaker 2: of bananas. My son absolutely hates wearing his son hat, 46 00:02:51,333 --> 00:02:55,133 Speaker 2: but the moment I put his helmet out of the garage, 47 00:02:55,973 --> 00:02:59,213 Speaker 2: he starts squealing with excitement, and he gladly lets me 48 00:02:59,293 --> 00:03:04,253 Speaker 2: clip it underneath his slobbery chin. Honestly, it's awesome. His 49 00:03:04,333 --> 00:03:06,773 Speaker 2: older brother's got a new bike as well. A new 50 00:03:06,773 --> 00:03:09,333 Speaker 2: one is such a you know, a new off trade 51 00:03:09,373 --> 00:03:13,373 Speaker 2: me bike, a new second hand bike. He's nine and 52 00:03:13,493 --> 00:03:15,733 Speaker 2: in his second to last year of primary school, so 53 00:03:15,773 --> 00:03:18,653 Speaker 2: I'm slowly working to teach him the road rules and 54 00:03:18,773 --> 00:03:22,573 Speaker 2: just get him comfortable. They finally finished the contentious cycle 55 00:03:22,653 --> 00:03:24,693 Speaker 2: lanes at the top of our street, which means he 56 00:03:24,813 --> 00:03:27,693 Speaker 2: now has a much safer route to ride to school 57 00:03:27,733 --> 00:03:30,733 Speaker 2: every morning, and the government's recent changes mean he can 58 00:03:30,773 --> 00:03:33,653 Speaker 2: also legally ride on the footpath. I'm not going to 59 00:03:33,653 --> 00:03:37,653 Speaker 2: pretend that it's a totally risk free exercise. It's not. 60 00:03:38,733 --> 00:03:42,293 Speaker 2: But I ride with him, and we ride carefully, and 61 00:03:42,373 --> 00:03:44,493 Speaker 2: with the cycle lanes and the footpath, I just figure 62 00:03:44,533 --> 00:03:47,213 Speaker 2: it's a really good way to build some independence and 63 00:03:47,213 --> 00:03:49,333 Speaker 2: get him ready for intermediate. I mean, there is a 64 00:03:49,373 --> 00:03:53,093 Speaker 2: reason that a few decades ago so many more kids 65 00:03:53,253 --> 00:03:57,133 Speaker 2: would ride to school. It's also just an excellent way 66 00:03:57,173 --> 00:03:59,293 Speaker 2: to avoid the traffic jam at drop off and pick 67 00:03:59,373 --> 00:04:01,933 Speaker 2: up times outside the school gate. And a couple of 68 00:04:02,013 --> 00:04:04,373 Speaker 2: days a week I take both of the boys down 69 00:04:04,453 --> 00:04:07,653 Speaker 2: to the local pump track as the nine year old 70 00:04:07,733 --> 00:04:11,573 Speaker 2: burns off a bit of gas, which, speaking of, my 71 00:04:11,693 --> 00:04:15,133 Speaker 2: wife and I aren't burning when we commute to work. 72 00:04:16,013 --> 00:04:20,053 Speaker 2: I ride a fantastic light, fast gravel bike on a 73 00:04:20,053 --> 00:04:22,773 Speaker 2: busy morning in Auckland traffic I'm in the office, I 74 00:04:22,813 --> 00:04:26,733 Speaker 2: reckon twice to maybe three times as fast as I 75 00:04:26,733 --> 00:04:30,133 Speaker 2: would be if I decided to drive. Honestly, nothing makes 76 00:04:30,213 --> 00:04:33,213 Speaker 2: me lose my mind like sitting in traffic. It makes 77 00:04:33,253 --> 00:04:37,133 Speaker 2: me crazy just sitting there crawling along. So I'm in 78 00:04:37,173 --> 00:04:39,893 Speaker 2: a much much better headspace when I ride to work, 79 00:04:40,173 --> 00:04:45,373 Speaker 2: and I'm saving twenty dollars a day on parking. My 80 00:04:45,413 --> 00:04:47,933 Speaker 2: wife rides an e bike. If you haven't had a 81 00:04:47,973 --> 00:04:50,853 Speaker 2: good hoon on an e bike, honestly, you don't know 82 00:04:50,853 --> 00:04:54,573 Speaker 2: what you're missing. They're amazing for transporting a human being 83 00:04:54,573 --> 00:04:56,613 Speaker 2: from A to B. They reckon that e bikes are 84 00:04:56,733 --> 00:05:02,773 Speaker 2: the most efficient powered transport ever invented by miles. Hills 85 00:05:02,773 --> 00:05:05,453 Speaker 2: are a breeze, Straits are a breeze. Everything's a breeze. 86 00:05:05,533 --> 00:05:08,773 Speaker 2: It's an unmitting a joy that opens up cycling to 87 00:05:08,893 --> 00:05:13,813 Speaker 2: so many more people. Again, I am not insisting that 88 00:05:13,893 --> 00:05:17,613 Speaker 2: cycling is perfect for everyone or for every household. It 89 00:05:17,653 --> 00:05:21,293 Speaker 2: might not suit you. It's certainly not perfect for every journey, 90 00:05:21,653 --> 00:05:24,173 Speaker 2: of course not. But I am suggesting that there are 91 00:05:24,213 --> 00:05:28,613 Speaker 2: many of us who who might be pleasantly surprised at 92 00:05:28,653 --> 00:05:31,373 Speaker 2: the upsides of saddling up. And I just think there 93 00:05:31,413 --> 00:05:34,333 Speaker 2: are many, many more of us who, if we were 94 00:05:34,373 --> 00:05:38,533 Speaker 2: totally honest, could probably be riding at least some of 95 00:05:38,573 --> 00:05:42,133 Speaker 2: the journeys that we currently choose to drive instead. And honestly, 96 00:05:42,213 --> 00:05:45,093 Speaker 2: maybe this situation is the little push you need. So, 97 00:05:46,013 --> 00:05:50,413 Speaker 2: whether you have an ebike or not, cycling is obviously 98 00:05:50,733 --> 00:05:54,813 Speaker 2: a lot cheaper than sitting in traffic. But trust me, 99 00:05:55,613 --> 00:05:59,413 Speaker 2: it is way way way more fun too. 100 00:06:00,213 --> 00:06:03,293 Speaker 1: For more from Saturday Morning with Jack Tame, listen live 101 00:06:03,413 --> 00:06:06,173 Speaker 1: to news talks he'd be from nine am Saturday, or 102 00:06:06,413 --> 00:06:08,133 Speaker 1: all of the podcast on iHeartRadio.