RobiNZ Personal Blog

Just because you are on a crossing, keep watching…

Red lights, cars stopped, green pedestrian and cycle crossing, all good, right? No! It doesn't look so dramatic on the front camera (due to field of view). I let this run a bit longer so you can see the cars queuing across the bike lane trying to enter a gridlocked parking area. The second white one was actually trying to push into a space which wasn't there and looked mad a me for crossing their path! But the rear view better represents what happened at the crossing and how close this near hit was. Read more →

Triangle Road, Massey, Auckland Chicken Run

It is astonishing how many cars are doing a head on "’chicken run’ down Triangle Road passing stationary traffic, on the wrong side of a double yellow ‘no passing’ line, crossing a two lane bridge with no means of escape. They must have a good job to be that desperate to get there… Just to show this isn't a one-off here is a repeat performance from today. * I don't use the bike lane down there unless there is traffic approaching from behind as it is rough, has a lip to the road and often covered in road debris. Read more →

Found the perfect Bravo HGT replacement

The end of this “Long Term Test” video shows the Ferrari FF (or similar GTC4Lusso which recently replaced it) is a viable replacement for my Bravo as shares all these attributes: Italian 4 seats which fit actual people Acceptable performance Acceptable economy (given performance) Practical hatchback, fits a bike in the back! Just a matter of finding the funding… Even used still not exactly ‘affordable’… (TradeMe December 2018) Read more →

Map your aggregate Strava activity

Thanks to @AlecTang for the tip about this awesome site which maps aggregated Strava activity www.jonathanokeeffe.com/strava/map This is my most recent 100 Auckland region rides. The purple are less travelled, to yellow most travelled. Read more →

Traffic Light Thought–Spooky sights in Waikumete Cemetery

Normally a dusk dog walk in the cemetery would not worry me but I saw something rather spooky tonight. It wasn't supernatural but I did wonder what about a dozen cars cruising slowly around, seemingly following sat nav maps, was about until one went past close enough to work it out. Spooky to see, in 2018, there are still adults chasing Pokémon.. * It wasn’t at the lights but is car related so made the TLT category. Read more →

Carless One Tree Hill so nice

First cycle ride up Maungakiekie/One Tree Hill since the road was closed to cars. So nice and packed with humans and dogs enjoying the walk without traffic. Much more peaceful on the summit without the constant carpark shuffle, and for once no drones! Read more →

A Big Bike Film night lesson!

Great night last night; Big Bike Film night feature “The Moment” (at the Academy Cinema) on the birth of freeride mountain biking. Amazing riding often captured with huge (by today's stds) cine/video cameras on neck breaking helmet cams. My orignal plan to train in (so wouldn't arrive a sweaty puddle) and bike home was foiled by not feeling up to cycling thanks to an odd sinus/head cold thing I've had going on. Was mostly over it but decided to take it easy. Should have done it though, would have got home quicker! The Aotea carpark was full so I ended... Read more →

Time for that Flu jab

Good to see so many getting the influenza vaccination at work this week. I’m reminded what harm ‘a bit of flu’ can do, when passing this memorial, walking the dog in Waikumete Cemetery. Read more →

Traffic Light Thought–Commuting and The Greatest Story Ever Told…SO FAR @joerogan @LKrauss1

Traffic was lousy this morning, in part due to the wet weather, but I really didn’t care. I had downloaded Joe Rogan’s latest podcast featuring theoretical physicist Prof. Lawrence M. Krauss*. The topic was (nominally) his latest book—The Greatest Story Ever Told…SO FAR—but the discussion was wide ranging and fascinating. It went something like: Symmetry and what it means in this universe A plain language explanation of Gauge Theory Universal laws and impacts of them on our place in the universe The Higgs field and what it really means Life and evolution The evolution of religion, why it exists Progress... Read more →

Scientology and Me–Attending the Auckland Real Org opening Jan 2017

Curiosity about changes to a historic building, an interest in a ‘religion’ (cult?) and the “Oh No, Ross & Carrie” podcast led me to a rather strange place. I attended the opening of the Auckland Scientology Real Org on January 22 2017. I wrote most of this post at the time but withheld publishing to see if there was any follow up from the Scientologists. They have a reputation for their eagerness to attract new members and reluctance to losing existing ones. Well over a year later apart from one rather odd text, and me noticing them campaigning in public... Read more →