a public bike-share system, and it
comes with these cool illustrations.
Here’s the news that caught our eye this week:
– The outcome of this year’s particularly dramatic Tour de France was decided by a mere 39 seconds. Meanwhile, Bend Oregon’s very own Chris Horner had a stellar ride, finishing in the top 10 as the highest placing American. Read his final Tour diary entry here.
– In other news, RAGBRAI, the “oldest, longest, and largest bicycle tour in the world” is now underway. In Iowa.
– The federal government may have completely failed to produce a climate bill; but this industry-focused analysis of the “big comeback” of bicycling highlights the mode’s transformative potential for a struggling environment and economy.
– A Portlander takes a bicycle ride around New York City and finds the experience and extreme departure from the calm bike paths back home.
– In Brooklyn, a police officer has been charged after hitting a person on a bicycle with his police car, handing the bleeding man a tissue, and driving off. The incident was captured on videotape.
– The Economist takes a look at bike-sharing schemes, highlighting the new one in Mexico City. The latest such system, in London, launches this week.
– The mayor of Los Angeles broke his elbow in a bike crash (he was right hooked), and has since been talking up his city’s potential for bicycling.
– Organizers of a Christian music festival in Colorado found themselves under media scrutiny when they banned bicycling and walking to the event. (They say they will reconsider the policy for next year.)
– Stepping far beyond the bicycle bubble for a moment: CNBC has released their 2010 Top States for Business rankings. The top three in the transportation category are Texas, Georgia, and Ohio. Criteria include highway quality and the ease of shipping goods by air, land and water.
– Istanbul is under threat of losing its World Heritage Site status, a potential sanction in part for forging ahead with a major new freeway bridge between its Asia and Europe sides.
– Dan Savage himself deigns to weigh in on Seattle’s bicycle-streetcar tracks conflict.
– Slow day at work? Browse these beautiful photos of people on bicycles around the world. Or check out this photo gallery of all the unwieldy loads one Xtracycle owner has proudly hauled on their longtailed steed.
– Saving the best for last, a video: Danish architect Jan Gehl describes his first long distance bicycle ride, when at age 6, he and his family fled German occupation.
My First Ride: Jan Gehl from hyumaf on Vimeo.