Here’s the top news and other cool stuff that caught our eyes this past week…
– Sightline takes a look at why women don’t ride bikes to work more often and finds the reasons are more complex – and sometimes simpler – than many people think.
– Already a common sight in Copenhagen, an electronic bicycle counter is coming to Seattle (and Portland too! stay tuned!).
– The relationship between bicycling and traditionally car-centric Los Angeles is changing and has improved enough to catch the attention of The New York Times.
– There’s been another instance of road rage between a person driving a car and a person riding a bike on “the Wiggle” in San Francisco.
– Also in San Francisco, a local attorney has been arrested in connection with a fatal collision between someone driving a black Mercedes-Benz and a person on a bike.
– Not only is the bicycle the most efficient form of transportation, it could also become a great platform for new technologies, allowing us to better understand ourselves and our urban landscapes.
– Northeastern University Professor Peter Furth returned from a sabbatical in the Netherlands and recently spoke about his experience at Portland State University. His conclusion: “vehicular cycling” is “just nutty” and on the other hand, separated infrastructure for bicycles is a simple, effective solution.
– Although weather and climate can be barriers to bicycling, it turns out rain isn’t as big of a deterrent to riding a bike as you’d probably think.
– One unlucky couple in Pennsylvania lives in a home that’s been smashed by someone driving a car three times in the last six months and now they want the local government to install a “heavy duty” boulder to prevent future collisions.
– Health officials in developing countries are finding injuries from motor vehicle collisions are much harder to treat when you don’t have access to quality medical medical.
– Portland author and activist Elly Blue thinks we might be able to use the strategy popularized in the movie Moneyball to get more people out on their bicycles.
– Another car manufacturer, Audi, has released their very own electric bicycle and theirs comes with 26-inch mountain bikes tires.
– The Oregonian thinks bikes are to blame for potholes but Eugene’s Register Guard is more than aware of the “myriad benefits” of bicycling.
– Green bike boxes are common in both Portland and Seattle, but one poll finds about half the people who drive in Washington and a quarter of people in Portland don’t know how to correctly approach the devices.
– Scientists are hoping people on foot and on bikes are in a unique position to help count roadkill to help them understand how to reduce collisions between cars and wildlife.
– Thinking of buying a cargo bike? Check out this thorough review of a Bullitt by Josh Volk of Slow Hand Farms.
– People on bikes are often chastised for breaking the law while at the same time many people treat car traffic as an immovable, flowing force and it might happen simply because bicycling puts a human face on transportation.
– Looking to the Netherlands as an example, providing comprehensive safety education could help defuse aggression between people in cars and people on bikes.
– If the return of rain to Portland has you down, just remember: riding a bike can help you keep smiling.
– In a moment of nearly instant-Karma, a bike thief crashed as he tried to ride away from a shop on a stolen bike.
– If you don’t think we can successfully launch a comprehensive road safety program in the United States, check out this “experiment” by National Physical Education Teacher of the Year, Cindy Ferek of Turner Ashby High School:
– And finally, if you’re not familiar with “track cycling” and its impact on bicycling culture, have a look at this documentary by LA based Director, Chicktop.
— Did you find something interesting that should be in next week’s Monday Roundup? Drop us a line. For more great links from around the web, follow us on Twitter @BikePortland.