to bicycling, according to one news editor.
(Photo: Will Vanlue)
Here’s the news that caught our eyes this past week…
– Another one bites the dust… After doing a little reasearch, city officials in Ottawa recently determined the cost of implementing bicycling licensing will outweigh the benefits of such a program. They concluded that implementing the program would present “limited benefits and significant challenges” while also introducing “a significant barrier to cycling.
– Commuting on a bicycle will continue to be an economic gain over driving if the price of gas stays high or continues to rise. CNN’s Fareed Zakaria explains why politics, not direct supply-and-demand, is likely to keep the price of oil high for some time to come.
– Bill Walsh, copy editor at The Washington Post, used to question the necessity of cycle tracks and other bicycle infrastructure around Washington DC. However, after buying a Capital Bikeshare membership he is riding to work 94% of the time and says the improvements for bicycles “make perfect sense.”
– Congress failed to renew a commuter tax benefit package in time and now 2.7 million people who take public transit to work will have to pay roughly $550 more in taxes each year. Now that the package has expired, the tax benefit for driving and parking your car at work is $240 while the monthly benefit for riding transit is only $125.
– Again in Washington DC, Capital Bikeshare is struggling to attract African American customers. Only about 2% of annual members (versus 50% of the District’s total population) are black. One major challenge to increasing the number of African American members is the lack of safe bicycle infrastructure connecting heavily African American neighborhoods to the city’s core.
– Actor Gene Hackman was struck by the driver of a truck late last week. Hackman was riding a bicycle in the Florida Keys when a pickup collided with him from behind, throwing him onto the shoulder of the road.
– Victoria, BC is now home to a tricycle delivery service, similar to Portland’s B-Line. Andrew Mitchell, founder of GeaZone Exo-Courier, says his company is thriving. Currently GeaZone has two pedal-powered vehicles on the road and 10 more are on order.
– Vancouver, BC is dealing with the complexities of designing a bike share system in a city under mandatory helmet restrictions. Sanitizing machines and disposable helmet liners have been proposed as ways to manage communal rental helmet hygiene. Portland’s Alta Bike Share will likely be weighing in with its own proposal to address the distribution of rental helmets in the near future.
– Portland may be getting more competition in the race to be America’s top bicycle city. Long Beach, CA is gaining attention for installing bike boulevards, protected bike lanes, and 130 miles of paths — all in the name of economic development.
– Patrick Symmes had his bike stolen in broad daylight in New York City. The incident became an obsession, driving him to understand the culture of bike thieves and share his findings in a feature story in Outside Magazine. His story even brought him to Portland where he conducted a GPS-enabled sting in front of the Central Library.
– One woman is relying on a specially constructed bicycle in her 500 mile journey across Antarctica. Fat, tubeless tires and other specialty components will help her traverse snowdrifts, rutted ice, and other hazards at the bottom of the globe.
– After reporters questioned Ron Paul’s health, the 76-year-old congressman from Texas suggested going for a bike ride to prove he’s in shape.
– In the debate surrounding parking fees it’s important to remember how much it costs to install and maintain each and every car parking space.
– Giant Bicycles has launched a campaign for “real riders” in Australia. Take a look at the video below to see exactly what they’re doing:
Did you find something interesting that should be in next week’s Monday Roundup? Drop us a line.