Here’s the news that caught our eye this week:
– One commentator says that fully half of the US’s climate goals for 2020 can be achieved solely through increasing active transportation.
– Transpo Sec’y Ray LaHood went on the Daily Show to plug high speed rail — but no mention of bikes.
– A blogger asks: Why is it socially acceptable to threaten the lives of people on bikes?
– A UK study has found that “risky cycling” behaviors like wearing dark clothing or running red lights is rarely to blame for crashes.
– Meanwhile, the British government is taking major steps to lower car speeds.
– Despite growing national concern about distracted driving, a major automaker is including wifi in some of its new vehicles. The cars may not be equipped for the drivers to easily make use of the service themselves, but don’t worry, there’s a DIY workaround.
– While some media outlets fawn over electric cars, those vehicles’ power continues to be generated by fossil fuels and, worse, coal.
– Is Copenhagen really a cycling utopia? Not everyone thinks so.
– In Portland, Maine, bicycle advocates want to be able to ride on a highway bridge as an alternate route to a winding, poorly-marked multi-use path.
– A man in Aloha, Oregon claimed he did not see the three children in a crosswalk who he hit and seriously injured with his car. He received a minor traffic citation.
– How do transportation and sustainability dovetail with poverty issues? Portland’s Coalition for a Livable Future wants everyone to think about that.
– In a world that’s built around cars, when you get too old to drive you are out of luck. (Unless you’re lucky enough to live in a walkable neighborhood like this one.)
– Pregnancy and driving are a dangerous combination, it turns out.
– The east coast is snowed-in — creating an impromptu car-free day for many. In more regularly snowy Calgary, Alberta, many bike commute all winter, including this guy who says “it’s not as cold as everyone might think.” Here’s how they do it.
– A proposed new bridge in Istanbul would provide another connection for the Asia and Europe halves of the city — and cause major traffic and sprawl, say opponents.
– A studio in New York will teach you to build your own bamboo bicycle.
– UPS’s bike deliveries in Portland last year went well enough that they have expanded the program to more cities.