(Photo © J. Maus)
Here’s the news that caught our eyes this past week…
– The City Council in Toronto continues to remove bicycle lanes even though the lanes have no apparent adverse impact on auto traffic.
– Elsewhere in Toronto, a journalist who recently scolded people on bikes for their bad behavior agreed to go on a bike ride with the Director of the Toronto Cyclists Union. The ride through downtown gave him a better appreciation for the challenges faced by people on bikes, and it also helped him realize that riding a bike is fun and exhilarating.
(Screenshot from BlogTO)
– Federal tax incentives for public transit will revert back to its pre-Stimulus-funded amount of $125 (from $230) while bicycle riders will remain eligible for a mere $20 per month at the start of 2012. At the same time, the incentive for parking a car will be go up by $10 to $240 a month — higher than any other transportation mode.
– According to one urban planner, there are ninteen types of buildings that helped spur the economic recession in the United States, and all nineteen are centered heavily around automobile access. He also points out that he cities fairing the best are focusing on developments designed for bicycles and pedestrians.
– Some citizens with mobility limitations are raising concerns about a new buffered bike lane in Golden Gate Park. While the SF Bike Coalition says similar facilities have been built in Portland without problems, meetings between disabled advocates and bike planners have taken place and similar concerns have been raised here.
– ABC News highlights an increased effort by Portland Police to recover stolen possessions on Craigslist.
– Moscow has installed its first bike lane but it’s far from adequate. Barricades, storm grates, and parked cars frequently block the bright-green bikeway, forcing people on bicycles out of the bike lane and into other traffic.
– Officials in Chicago are placing mannequins around the city to representing pedestrian deaths as part of a campaign to improve safety and reduce vehicle-pedestrian and vehicle-bicycle collisions.
– Jamie Bianchini is running a Kickstarter campaign to raise money for a 12-episode video series on his ride from South Africa to Morocco. On his “Peace Pedaler” missions, he rides a tandem and invites people to hop on the back.
– You may have heard about the sperm bike in Copenhagen. Now Seattle has one too (and it was built by Portland-based Splendid Cycles).
– NY Times columnist Bruce Weber reflects on the completion of his cross-country bike ride, including fond memories of cities in Oregon.
– An 18-year-old riding a fixed gear bike was run over and killed by a firetruck on a stretch of road in front of a hospital in Florida. Authorities said in the news that his bike didn’t have a brake.
– One psychologist at the University of Reading in the UK explains why humans might not be ready to travel at the ever-increasing freeway speeds.
– Mexico City is seeing an increase in the number of people on bicycles after the city has stepped up efforts to make the city safer and more accessible.
– Finally, local cargo bike builders Metrofiets mocked up a cargo-themed version of the sharrow.
Did you find something interesting that should be in next week’s Monday Roundup? Drop us a line.