Lanes:
What are the behaviors that have become part of Copenhagen's great bike lanes and cycling civility? Most cyclists, even there, were described as "anarchistic" for their running of lights and other infractions. (Sounds a little like "terroristic" to me.) But somehow the lanes and design help control behavior. This article discusses exactly how. #cyclingnerd
http://www.copenhagenize.com/2014/09/the-copenhagenize-desire-lines-analysis.html
Share:
Tampa's bike share program will be up and running soon. So as we head into fall, and then winter, and you decide to take a short trip to Florida to re-charge your seasonally affective disorderliness, you can possibly (or probably) rent a bike there.
http://www.wfla.com/story/26456796/tampas-bike-share-program-to-get-up-and-running-soon
Want to suggest locations for Orlando's bikes share docks using an app? Now you can.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/health/fitness/run-ride-work-out/os-suggest-orlando-bike-share-stations-with-app-20140905,0,6793703.post
Greenville, South Carolina's bike share program is adding locations near the zoo and libraries. That's great. Wait a second! Greenville has bike share? That's progress.
http://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/local/2014/09/05/greenville-bike-share-adds-zoo-library-locations/15118761/
And China's bike share system has hit a terrible road block, Chinese perceptions of status. Been there, done that China. Talk to you four decades from now when everyone changes their minds about cars after they get tubby and diabetic.
http://www.todayonline.com/chinaindia/china/wheels-come-chinas-bicycle-sharing-schemes
Policy and Advocacy:
The second best bicycling city is Chicago. Mayor Rahm Emanuel explains how protected bike lanes bring economic development, world peace, an end to hunger, a cure for cancer, and a Super Bowl win for the Bears. Okay, maybe he just said bike lanes bring economic development. I think he could have said that bike encourage people to cycle, which gives them better health. That would have been well within the bounds of credible predictions.
http://www.nbcchicago.com/blogs/stride/Chicago-Named-Second-Best-City-for-Cycling-274105961.html
In San Francisco, at least one writer has poked holes in the data that was used to rank cities as bike friendly. It is pretty persuasive, unless you are the sort of person who really expects to win power ball or see a unicorn on your way to work. After reading this, you probably won't care which city wins.
http://www.sfweekly.com/thesnitch/2014/09/05/san-francisco-gains-a-spot-in-the-best-cities-to-bike-list-but-does-this-list-matter
And following on the theme of questionable data in the ranking, Cincinnati was named among the top 50 cities. Go figure, or question the figures. Which ever.
http://www.wlwt.com/news/cincinnati-is-named-one-of-nations-top-50-bikefriendly-cities/27927042#!bSTVmy
If Mayor Bill Di Blasio is more focused on police stop and frisk policies than on bike lanes, that may be okay, according to a Streetsblog post by the former NYDOT head. That is because the City Council in NYC "gets it." Bikelash is over, and the momentum is in favor of increased cycling.
http://www.streetsblog.org/2014/09/05/one-city-by-bike-getting-it-done-or-why-the-bikelash-is-behind-us/
As the numbers of bikes on the roads increases, should the number of parking spots in a city remain the same or decrease?
Well, despite growing numbers of bikes, the parking spots are still there, taking up, well, space.
http://dandyhorsemagazine.com/blog/2014/09/10/racknroll-bike-parking-in-toronto-not-keeping-pace/
Stuff:
If you like your stuff, you need to make sure you can help the police correctly identify your stuff if they find it. Bicycling magazine reviews "The Hub." It was born of the merger between the National Bike Registry and Bike Index. You can access it on Twitter @IsItStolen. #bikeindex
http://blogs.bicycling.com/blogs/thehub/the-best-new-tool-in-the-fight-against-bike-theft?cid=socBL_20140906_31078756
E-bikes:
An electric bike lithium battery caused a serious house fire in Oregon after it exploded. This was the fifth time this month that a lithium battery caused a fire in Portland. Read the charging instructions and consider charging these away from flammables, at least until industries experts figure out why this has been happening. And no, this is not evidence of God's revenge on e-bicyclists, if you are a purist.
http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2014/09/exploding_battery_on_electric.html
Actress Edie Falco's electric bike was stolen this week for the fourth time after she forgot to lock it. It is not yet legal to ride e-bikes in NYC, but no one can stop you from owning one, or, apparently, from stealing one.
http://pagesix.com/2014/09/05/sopranos-star-edie-falcos-bike-was-stolen-for-the-fourth-time/
Random Notes:
Cyclists in Denver are becoming sartorialists on two wheels. They are getting rid of spandex in favor of more fashionable cycle wear. Now this is important. Who doesn't want a chic orange shift dress to wear while riding to work? Okay perhaps someone who does not look good in orange. But certainly no one else.
http://www.denverpost.com/lifestyles/ci_26462138/spokes-appeal
You can now use this website to map your cycling route across the entire continent of Europe.
http://www.eurovelo.com/en
In Memoriam:
Virginia Gaddis was bicycling advocate who lived on Capitol Hill in DC. She was a bike person decades before it became hipster cool. Although she had lived a long life, her health failed in recent years, but she was delighted to see the introduction of bike lanes and bike share before she passed away. So light a candle for Ginny. May she rest in peace.
So if I see you in the bike lane, let's be smug.
Elisa P.
No comments:
Post a Comment