Here’s the news that caught our eye this week:
– The latest US export? The federal government’s campaign against distracted driving is being talked up internationally.
– “Entrepedalers” are finding a market niche delivering food by bicycle in San Francisco.
– Land use, walkability, and anything to reduce car dependence look like they’re set to become the next big issues in public health circles.
– Case in point: Seniors are at much greater risk than others when crossing the street. A new report outlines what we can do about it.
– Are separated bike paths really safer than riding in the street with cars? Of course they are, says a commentator in the Netherlands, where they should know.
– Carpool lane users in the Bay Area will be charged a $2.50 toll starting July first, potentially complicating the culture of casual carpooling.
– It started in San Jose and is spreading to the East Bay—the Bike Party is described as an alternative to Critical Mass, where participants let themselves be separated by red lights and regroup every few blocks at impromptu parking lot parties.
– In Bangladesh, “infoladies” with laptops travel by bicycle around rural areas helping people with their information needs.
– Check out photos and stories, ranging from the inspiring to the scandalous, from a cycling nonprofit in Lesotho.
– Bikesharing is coming to London!
– In Southeast Portland, an urban farmer runs his business by bike. Meanwhile, in Brooklyn, a community garden is in its last days.
– In Hungary, protests against a large underground parking garage slated to be built under a public square are escalating.
– A new service in Switzerland drives your luggage between hotels so that you can vacation without your car.
– A couple of new entries into the useful bicycle invention playbook: An Xtracycle canopy that can hold solar panels to charge an electric assist, and a new, multi-pedaler bike bar.
– Finally, some useful guerrilla pavement markings in New York City.
That public health article is good.
A fun project (with free stickers!) is happening to promote public health:
http://www.whatispublichealth.org/
It was worthwhile reading about the parking garage protest in Hungary, allowing for the fact that the article is dated 2006. The reasoning of the protesters as expressed in article quotes seems valid to me.
Interesting that opinion-shift on sensible transpo policy may come increasingly thru association with public health. Every issue needs a hook, and sometimes the hook is a connection with something already pervasive in the zeitgeist.
built environments are really nothing new in public health circles…locally, PSU has an entire graduate program dedicated to studying and designing built environment systems…good to see it gaining traction…
Think about the public health piece in the context of that ridiculous and intentionally inflammatory Thom Jensen video piece recently. That guy is a jack-ass, the TV equivalent of Lars Larson.
I absolutely love the idea of the Bike Party rides. All the political cache of a Critical Mass without nearly the public relations fallout. It’s got a Pedalpalooza kind of vibe about it.
Granted, San Jose, the land of strip malls has plenty of multi-acred parking lots to reassemble in – even its downtown has plenty of roomy multi-storied public parking lots. This trick would be a bit harder in tightly packed and and smaller-lotted Portland.
Does anyone else find the idea of a distracted driver publicity campaign ironic? The people who tend to be distracted won’t pay attention!