Share:
The trend continues. Now DC bike share workers are following New York in requesting to be part of a union. Before bike share workers could finish petitioning for collective bargain, Washington's Capitol Bike Share's company, Alta agreed to the unionization. Pretty crunchy, Oregon-based Alta. You should care because bike share re-balancers work until after midnight re-balancing bikes to distribute them around to docks so they are ready for you in the morning. They push the bikes up and roll them down ramps in the back of the trucks that are get slippery during the rain. The trucks are not well-lighted in the back, which is dangerous. And if you want cycling to be considered a form of transportation, remember many transportation workers are unionized. Let's hope they keep their demand reasonable to everyone feels kindly toward them years from now.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/storyline/wp/2014/10/24/d-c-bikeshare-workers-look-to-unionize-and-build-a-nationwide-bikeshare-powerhouse/
Alta, that crunchy company, may have had little to lose by agreeing to collective bargaining by Capitol Bike Share workers. Rumor was afoot is that Alta was being sold to REQX Ventures and Equinox. Yup, the gym company. Then it happened. Boom. Just like that. That means Boston, DC's and Chicago's share programs are in the hands of a large investment firm. How this will affect shares remains to be seen. #altabike #REQX
http://bostinno.streetwise.co/2014/10/27/hubway-boston-sold-alta-bike-share-to-related-cos/
http://www.bizjournals.com/chicago/news/2014/10/27/duly-noted-divvy-chicagos-bike-share-has-a-new.html
http://inthecapital.streetwise.co/2014/10/27/inthecapital-beat-1027-livingsocial-numbers-hot-goss-dc-firms-writing-checks/
Belfast Northern Ireland may make you think of the IRA, or sops, or Loyalist/Orange tensions. But now you can think of it as another city with bike share. In 2015, Belfast will be getting its own version of Boris Bikes. #belfastbikeshare
http://road.cc/content/news/133828-belfast-get-boris-bikes’-spring
Are you a little tech-y? A little nerdy? Wonder which app uses which API to predict bike share dock flow? Me too. Here's one. #geeksonbicycles
http://www.programmableweb.com/news/today-apis-qucit-offers-predictive-bikeshare-availability-api/brief/2014/10/23
Lanes:
London may someday get a bridge across the Thames for cyclists and those other people. What are they called again? Pedestrians? Mayor Boris Johnson did something an American politician would have trouble doing. He listened to a politician from the other party and invited her to share her cycling bridge vision. Wow. This image appeared in the Guardian Newspaper. #borisjohnson #borisbike #bikebridge
http://road.cc/content/news/133819-mayor-london-open-canary-wharf-cycle-bridge-–-asks-whether-it’s-sort-curly-wurly
http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2014/jun/24/garden-bridge-london-thomas-heatherwick-joanna-lumley
Policy and Advocacy:
Millennials don't want to drive and, according to Fast Co., they are not likely to take it up anytime soon. Their use of technology to locate bikes in share docks or the next subway train attract millennials to urban areas and walkable, bike-able communities. #hopeforthefuture
http://www.fastcoexist.com/3037378/millennials-dont-drive-and-here-why-they-arent-likely-to-start-anytime-soon
Ford Motor Company makes cars. Right? And now they have entered a licensing agreement with Pedego, an electric bike company. Hey, what's going on up there in Detroit? First certain car makers added employee bike sharing. Then Shinola starts making cool bikes in the middle of the Motor City. Now Ford is going to put its name on an electric bike, a souped-up Mustang of a bike too. What's next?
http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-hy-ford-pedego-electric-bike-20141023-story.html
Mayoral candidates in Washington, DC are answering transit questions about cycling. It used be the case that they only answered transit questions about subway, bus and taxi service #evolution
http://greatergreaterwashington.org/post/24633/david-catania-on-metro-economic-development-streetcars-bike-lanes-building-heights-and-much-more/
Had you reached the point where you would rather hear dishes hit a tile floor than read anything else on the subject of banning cyclists from the sidewalk? Me too. But if you don't mind yet another opinion piece on the subject, here it the latest form Washingtonian Magazine's Blog. Are you also the type that does not mind political attack ads? Yikes. #cyclinglaws
http://www.washingtonian.com/blogs/capitalcomment/local-news/should-cyclists-be-allowed-to-ride-on-dc-sidewalks.php
Safety:
The rates of bike accidents that result in fatalities are up slightly. Why? Well it depends on who you ask. Most folks analyzing the problem agree on two factors in this up tic; alcohol and helmet use. I think the fact that more people are cycling to bars is a good thing. It means that they are not in 3000 pound cars. Helmet use should still depend on where you are cycling and how much liquor you have had to drink I think. I could draft that legislation. Seriously. #bicyclehelmets #sopsonbikes #drinkingandriding
http://wamu.org/news/14/10/27/are_the_roads_becoming_more_dangerous_for_bike_riders
Random notes:
American boxing icon Mohamed Ali may have taken up the sport after his bicycle was stolen. I can understand his rage. But if someone took my Pashley, I would hesitate to turn to boxing since it would ruin my manicure. Plus, his ability to channel his anger was far higher than mine. I could not become motivated the to become world's greatest boxer. And like many women, I would not look good with a pugilist's nose.
http://capovelo.com/community/topic/2324-muhammad-ali-became-a-boxer-because-his-bicycle-was-stolen/
http://www.ali.com/legend_boxer_main.php
This drone video of bikes on a path is freakishly mesmerizing.
http://vimeo.com/106894206
Have you ever noticed how hip Mrs. Gulch's bike was? And a fixy at that. A smile, a different nose and she might have been less bitter. This character always lacked verisimilitude to me. How could she be so grumpy and ride her bike. #flawsinozscript
Halloween:
Moonlight bicycle rides are a great way to celebrate Halloween and burn calories. And you won't have to recall the parade of horribles your parents claimed would happen if you ate anything that was not in a sealed wrapper. #razorblades #ratsinHersheybars
http://www.foxcitiescycling.org/events/halloween-moonlight-ride/
So if I see you in the bike lane, and I think you are wearing a costume but I cannot be sure and do not want to offend, let's be smug.
Elisa P.
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