On two universities.
Sep. 6th, 2002 11:56 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
hnpccOne of the major differences between Monash and Melbourne Unis is the number of cyclists. Melbourne has stacks - every pole/tree/fence outside the library in particular has a bike chained to it. Monash I've seen exactly 2 people riding and 4 bikes tied up.
Part of this is location differences - Melbourne Uni is about 3km from the CBD, in a flat area with bike lanes heading pretty much in every direction. Monash is 20km from the CBD, in a hilly area with 1 pretty piss poor lane on Wellington Rd (it starts from Clayton Rd and goes to the main entrance - a grand total of about 250m) and 1 on Forster Rd which peters out when Forster Rd does. Melbourne Uni also has a lot of students living in the suburbs around it, who are too cheap to buy tram tickets and so use bikes. Monash I think has a higher proportion of students living at home, and doesn't really have any 'student' suburb near it.
Another part is parking differences - Monash has parking on campus, Melbourne you have to sell your soul and probably a major organ to get parking on campus. All the parking around Melbourne is metered and 2 hour, unless you're willing to park halfway up Royal Pde and then it's 5 hour and non-metered. You need to get there before 8am though. But for most practical purposes there is no parking at Melbourne, and there is at Monash. So people drive.
Another big difference is public transport. Melbourne is near the public transport hub. Monash isn't. Melbourne has all the trams from Swanston St going past it, and 3/4 trams from Elizabeth St going near it. It's within walking distance of one of the city loop train stations. It has two bus lines running along Grattan St. It is pretty easy to get to by public transport - and as there's bugger all cheap parking people use public transport. Monash is about 2km from Clayton Station, and has some bus lines running through it - but there are a lot that don't run frequently or finish early. It's not like being able to jump on a tram and jump off at the other end.
I miss being able to ride to work. OK, I don't miss the adrenalin rush from the trucks and the fumes, but I do miss the pumping along in the bike lane being happy bit. And I feel guilty about only having me in the car and using lots of energy to get to work. *sigh* I want Monash to have a train station. I want buses running through it. I want a light rail along Wellington Rd with a bike lane in the middle (kind of like St Georges Rd for anyone from Melb).
Still, maybe the public transport will improve. It'll have to, given that they're building over 4 major parking areas.
And maybe I can catch the train to Huntingdale and ride down North/Wellington Rd. I'll let you know.
Part of this is location differences - Melbourne Uni is about 3km from the CBD, in a flat area with bike lanes heading pretty much in every direction. Monash is 20km from the CBD, in a hilly area with 1 pretty piss poor lane on Wellington Rd (it starts from Clayton Rd and goes to the main entrance - a grand total of about 250m) and 1 on Forster Rd which peters out when Forster Rd does. Melbourne Uni also has a lot of students living in the suburbs around it, who are too cheap to buy tram tickets and so use bikes. Monash I think has a higher proportion of students living at home, and doesn't really have any 'student' suburb near it.
Another part is parking differences - Monash has parking on campus, Melbourne you have to sell your soul and probably a major organ to get parking on campus. All the parking around Melbourne is metered and 2 hour, unless you're willing to park halfway up Royal Pde and then it's 5 hour and non-metered. You need to get there before 8am though. But for most practical purposes there is no parking at Melbourne, and there is at Monash. So people drive.
Another big difference is public transport. Melbourne is near the public transport hub. Monash isn't. Melbourne has all the trams from Swanston St going past it, and 3/4 trams from Elizabeth St going near it. It's within walking distance of one of the city loop train stations. It has two bus lines running along Grattan St. It is pretty easy to get to by public transport - and as there's bugger all cheap parking people use public transport. Monash is about 2km from Clayton Station, and has some bus lines running through it - but there are a lot that don't run frequently or finish early. It's not like being able to jump on a tram and jump off at the other end.
I miss being able to ride to work. OK, I don't miss the adrenalin rush from the trucks and the fumes, but I do miss the pumping along in the bike lane being happy bit. And I feel guilty about only having me in the car and using lots of energy to get to work. *sigh* I want Monash to have a train station. I want buses running through it. I want a light rail along Wellington Rd with a bike lane in the middle (kind of like St Georges Rd for anyone from Melb).
Still, maybe the public transport will improve. It'll have to, given that they're building over 4 major parking areas.
And maybe I can catch the train to Huntingdale and ride down North/Wellington Rd. I'll let you know.
