On the the 1st of April, the RACQ announced they are going to start doing roadside assistance using bicycles
On the the 1st of April, the RACQ announced they are going to start doing roadside assistance using bicycles. No one fell for this April Fool's joke, but we all had a good laugh with the RACQ.
But since we have a lot of faith in the possibilities offered by bicycles, we never thought the idea is too ‘out there’. I mean, we have seen photos of people hauling items on bicycles that you can’t fit in most most cars, for example this fridge. With the right bicycle infrastructure and a little bit of e-assist, you can make a lot happen.
And where would you go look to see if such a seemingly wacky idea can be turned into reality? Nowhere else than the country ran on bikes, the Netherlands.
The “Algemene Nederlandse Wielrijdersbond” or “Royal Dutch Touring Club” is the dutch version of the RACQ. They announced a pilot program, using bicycles for road-side assistance.
The ANWB reckons that mechanics can get to stranded motorists in busy areas a lot faster. The solution is also more environmentally friendly. The e-bikes tows a trailer with equipment that can be used to fix basic breakdown issues. The trial starts the 8th of August and will run for 3 months. If it is successful it will be expanded to other cities.
Maybe someday, Australia will have the cycling environment to try out things like this.
Dit zijn ze de fietsende wegenwachtmonteurs pic.twitter.com/B9ErVXTW5F
— Daniel van Dam (@dvndm) August 3, 2016
Originally publication: http://nos.nl/artikel/2122908-proef-met-wegenwacht-op-de-fiets.html
