Ken's death followed that of two other cyclist friends: David Kenneally's massively injured body was found near his damaged bike on a quiet country road near Armidale last year and Geoff Bradbury was run down by a speeding car some years before at Heathcote.

All were experienced and safety-conscious cyclists.

Australia's world champion road cyclist, Cadel Evans, says that Australian drivers seem to be less respectful of cyclists than in any other country in which he has ridden.

Why is it that shock-jocks can, with impunity, call cyclists on public roads "cockroaches on wheels" ?

And why, in the town in which I live, can the construction of a safe main road crossing for school kids, cyclists and pedestrians, jointly designed and funded by the RMS and local council, be left incomplete due to opposition from the town's Chamber of Commerce ?

I was recently issued with a parking ticket in Bega and I would like to express my extreme disappointment considering the following factors:

Significant long day parking has been removed due to construction in Zingel Place and Gipps St, with nothing to replace it.

I was parked in the three-hour ground level area of Sapphire Marketplace from 9.30am until 1pm on a Tuesday morning.   The area I chose to park in was not full, nor was it busy.

I deliberately selected the three-hour bay knowing I would only be in Bega for a half day and employees working a full day in Bega would require the long-day parking available at the top level of the marketplace.

I am a freelance worker who usually works from home (Merimbula).  I deliberately work in Bega on a Tuesday as a means of contributing to my local community.  

I will no longer bring my custom to Bega if the result is penalty for parking and inconvenience due to lack of parking.  

As a ratepayer I remain disappointed and frustrated with the greed and lack of ingenuity shown by our local council.

Having just returned from Beorg Wic, a medieval re-enactment camp near Braidwood, I am contemplating human development and consumerism. 

We actually were not missing anything during the camp.

Rather, we immensely enjoyed the simple life as of 1000 years ago, dressed in wool, linen or silk, eating from wooden plates using hand-carved spoons and forged knives.

There were no plastic bottles, no Coke cans, no mobile phones, no laptops, only the odd photo camera and torch at night-time. 

The freshly cooked feast from natural ingredients was so tasty and filling - lots of fun without modern take-away plates or cups. 

Nobody is asking for or expecting plastic shopping bags at the market for our merchandise. 

We learnt lots of ancient craft to make useful, quality items ourselves - spinning, felting, weaving, embroidery, forging, silver casting in cuttlefish skeletons, chain maille making, spoon carving, leather work and so on.

It is always sad to return to the modern world with all the gadgets, noise, plastic, food and drinks full of  preservatives.

Benefits to living simpler include saving money and energy, reducing use and production of fossil fuels - therefore our carbon footprint – and keeping our environment cleaner. 

It would be real action against climate change to protect Australia for our children and future generations.