Blog traffic spikes!

Blog stats.... specifically blog traffic stats... Some times I check them to see if anyone visits my blog... I mean anyone at all.

I'm not much into flattery or false hope or the 1,000s of other forms of self deception which comes from wanting the approval of others. I've just about trained the old Ego not to mind that I don't get too many actual readers here... but as I confessed, from time to time I do like to check if there has been any traffic. Unfortunately I'm beginning to wonder if there's any point to checking the stats on my blog. It seems each month my blogs register serious spikes in page views. 

Below are two screen shots one of weekly the other monthly page view stats. I won't embarrass myself by showing the number of views these represent, (It's not important OK!) just look at the discrepancies in volume.

Weekly stats spike on a single day

Monthly stats with spikes at around the same date across two months

 I used to get occasional spam but they dropped off when I started moderating the comments. But now I'm wondering if these are bot attacks or... something else that's weird. Definitely looks like some kind of spying behavior. What do you think?

Visual Obstrction

Recently the NT News posted a story about a boy who had reported a palm tree that makes it nearly impossible to see oncoming traffic when crossing one of our busiest roads. I recognized the crossing instantly and agree whole heartedly with his opinion of the tree as a major hazard.
I believe he requested that the palm be removed about a week ago, so far nothing has been done. So I thought I'd get some photos of the spot to try and illustrate just how dangerous this crossing is, and how easily the problem could be avoided.

The location of the palm makes it extremely difficult for drivers and path users to see each other and could result in a fatal collision.


The riders field of vision doesn't allow them to see oncoming traffic in time

As close as I dared to get to a drivers eye view of the crossing
(Notice the bike to the right of the lane)

Here is a riders eye view

You can see the cars coming but only when they are about 5 meters from the path. Cars travel at about 80 km per hour along this road and would have not chance of stopping if a bike emerged from behind the tree.

I was able to see far enough up the road to identify oncoming traffic once my front wheel was actually on the road. (It would be a bit late by then though)