“…these data suggest that warning patients who are medically unfit to drive may reduce the risk of road crashes…”
— Statement by researchers at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
Here’s the news and other interesting stuff that caught our eyes this past week…
– Local Portland businessman Chris King recently visited the White House to talk about the current state of domestic manufacturing.
– The Atlantic Cities shares the story of Em Baker, who is riding across the country with two friends to bring attention to “pointless bike deaths.”
– Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood probably should go back and check his numbers after he misquoted a statistic about pedestrian injuries by blaming 80% of victims in fatal accidents involving someone walking across a street.
– Robert Marchand, a French centenarian, is the first in his age bracket to be officially recognizedby bicycling’s international governing body for riding a metric century.
– A three-foot passing law failed for the second time in California thanks to Governor Jerry Brown.
– The New York Times Sunday Review included a solid article on helmet use; after the author’s perspective on wearing one shifted significantly following a ride on Paris’ Velib bike share system.
– Bicycling for transportation is up a whopping 26% in Vancouver, BC over the last three years, compared with only a 10% increase in motor vehicle use and 6% population growth over the same period.
– Protected bike lanes appear to be gaining mainstream acceptance as one major car company now features a complete street in one of their ads.
– An interesting article from New York City which delves into the question of how better bike access relates to questions of equity and race.
– People who ride a bike for transportation in Toronto, Canada are feeling doubly-insulted by the city’s decision to use funds from the city’s budget for bicycle improvements to remove a new and well-traveled bike lane on Jarvis Street.
– It’s been a little while since we checked in with our friends in the Windy City, but it looks like Chicago is due for a number of improvements to bicycle access, including new bike share stations, bike corrals, and even a compact street sweeper to clean protected bike lanes.
– Cargo bikes are continuing to replace fossil fuel-powered delivery vehicles in major cities in Europe, creating “ever more jobs” for people “with strong cycling legs.”
– Of course riding a cargo bike might not take as much strength as you think according to this look at the physics of riding heavy bicycles, which borrows data on riding bikes from local bike shop Clever Cycles.
– Someone has once again debunked the notion that bike lanes increase costs for people driving cars by showing how encouraging bicycling for transportation benefits everyone in Vancouver, BC.
– If last week you saw the article that explains “why you hate cyclists” you might want to check out this response discussing what some feel the original article got right, and what it got wrong.
– Along with Jonathan’s look back at Critical Mass over 20 years, the San Francisco Chronicle has their own retrospective.
– Students from London’s Royal College of Art created the Velopresso, an espresso machine on a cargo trike.
– There’s a handy (and entertaining) guide on “spotting different species of bicyclists” from The Wall Street Journal which includes a nod to our hometown friends, Portland Design Works.
– Specialized has issued a recall of 12,000 men’s and women’s Globe model bicycles from 2008 and 2009 due to faulty front forks.
– Venerable news magazine The Economist is the latest to examine the drop in motor vehicle travel in industrialized countries including the United States.
– Doctors in Ontario, Canada are confronting patients who are unfit to drive due to a medical limitation. Their efforts appear to have resulted in a drop in collision rates.
– If you weren’t able to attend Interbike this year, there’s a thorough convention roundup with great pictures from The Path Less Pedaled‘s Russ Roca.
– And finally, speaking of Interbike, if you missed the new gear on display this year you can still have a look at this video showcasing the Xtracycle EdgeRunner:
— 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.