Here’s the news that caught our eye this week. Lots of good stuff here:
– Officials in Amsterdam are promoting and building infrastructure for a boom in electric cars, and encountering difficulties matching that goal with the city’s extremely high bike ridership.
– Meanwhile, a look at how the energy and carbon numbers would work out if Seattle switched entirely to electric cars shows that it’s hardly the silver bullet solution many hope, and no alternative to finding ways to eliminate dependence on cars.
– Milwaukee, Wisconsin will soon allow people on bikes to ride two abreast and require people in cars to check before opening their doors, but will ban what the bill refers to as “fancy” or “acrobatic” riding on city streets. The city’s little-enforced mandatory bike registration law is also set to be repealed; registration will become a voluntary amenity.
– These reactions to new 20mph speed limits on the UK’s residential streets take the cake for car-headedness.
– Two men who were stopped by a police officer while enjoying an impromptu, nude midsummer night’s ride in New Zealand were not cited for their lack of clothing but did receive stern warnings for disobeying the country’s mandatory, all ages helmet law.
– A keen legal examination shows that the recent backlash against bicycling in Philadelphia may be motivated more by bias than facts or common sense.
– Chris Carlsson, one of the founders of Critical Mass, reflects on the movement’s history and future, and announces the launch of a new blog about San Francisco Critical Mass.
– A traveler’s account, with pictures, of the current state of (re-)emerging bicycle culture in Bangalore, India.
– Did you know that oil is currently being extracted from the ground below urban areas in the US? Here’s a look inside that process in an unlikely place — Beverly Hills.
– It’s not just when you’re riding your bike that cars are a problem, as this photo series (and cost analysis) of mangled bike parking staples shows.
– A cafe in Oakland has gone the extra mile for bike parking, giving up prime seating space for these sweet indoor racks.
– The mayor of San Francisco has announced that the city will have nine Sunday Streets ciclovia events in 2010. The mayor of LA is reportedly becoming more interested in bringing the event to his city.
– One avenue out of LA’s budget crisis has been proven: increasing red light camera fines has doubled revenue.
– Anyone who is involved in transportation and livability issues, from planners to activists, should be “culturally competent,” says this commentator.
– Have you ever wondered who or what is behind the ferocious anti-bicycling sentiments expressed out there on the anonymous internet? You’ll never read angry blog comments in the same way again after reading this jaw dropping account of the unmasking of an anti-livable streets blog.
– Videos of the week — a unicycle with two riders doesn’t quite make it across the parking lot; and in a more practical vein, check out this wheelchair bike spotted in the Netherlands.