Aussie soap Neighbours runs guerilla bike lane plotline

Guerrilla cycling activism became a plotline in a TV soap for possibly the first time when a character in Neighbours painted a bike lane himself following a hit-and-run collision with a child cyclist.

The character Dr Karl Kennedy, a doctor played by Alan Fletcher in the long-running Aussie TV drama, Neighbours, broadcast a live video message to social media brandishing a paint brush.

In a scenario mirrored by real life in Seattle and Nottingham, the action was taken after pleas for safe cycling infrastructure was ignored by local politicians.

Kennedy said in his broadcast: “Normally I would not condone guerrilla action, but the cyclists of Erinsborough – both old and young – deserve to be safe.”

According to BikeBiz, Kennedy was petitioning fictional Erinsborough Mayor, Sonya Rebecchi about the lanes but she says councillors don’t support them.

Neighbours asked followers on social media their opinions on the bike lanes, with a mixed response.

Do you think the bike lanes are a good idea? #Neighbours @doctorkk @MattyWilson88 pic.twitter.com/zDyD0pBhxR

— Neighbours (@neighbours) 28 July 2016

Meanwhile they are trying to track down the perpetrator of the hit-and-run. 

Do you think MR-I-HATE-BIKE-LANES Clive was responsible for running over the bikes? #Neighbours @ScottDMcGregor pic.twitter.com/8v9za3h52i

— Neighbours (@neighbours) July 21, 2016

Of course, in Australia, dangerous infrastructure and bad attitudes to cycling aren't the only risks people on bikes face on the roads. 

 

Coming up on @neighbours some #ramsaystreet residents find out how dangerous suburban life can be!

A photo posted by Alan Fletcher (@fletchy1) on Aug 3, 2016 at 3:07am PDT

Needless to say, tensions are running high. 

Things are getting hot in #Erinsborough over the bike lanes! Sonya is in the firing line. @Neighbours @NeighboursTV pic.twitter.com/ilWTk8z650

— Alan Fletcher (@doctorkk) 29 July 2016