Welcome to Monday.
I regret not being in the office on Friday after dropping the Oregon bike tax bomb. I was on the road covering a bike ride in McMinnville. As such, I wasn’t able to respond to all your comments, requests and tweets as I would have liked. Sorry!
So let’s re-engage shall we? To start things off let’s review some of the best things we came across on the web last week…
We need better bike laws: While Oregon decided to tax bikes, advocates in Delaware helped pass a “bicycle friendly” set of laws that includes a safer passing measure, a provision that allows bicycle users to yield at stops signs, and more.
Artcrank turns 10!: Remember that cool bike-themed poster show that came to Portland a few times? Artcrank is celebrating a decade of success.
Family biking info: When you starting biking with kids, the more information and tips you have the better. Check out the new Family Biking Guide from the SF Bicycle Coalition.
Fatal crash on rural Oregon road: 32-year-old Seattle resident Katie Jenks died as a result of what appears to be a non-auto related crash while biking outside of Bend last week.
Transit idea con: That crazy Chinese-born transit idea of a bus that would straddle auto traffic turned out to be a scam.
Just ride bikes: The world keeps trying to come up with ideas for fast, eco-friendly, efficient urban travel — and the simple bicycle keeps coming out on top.
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Better buses in SF too: Is it just me or does it appear that forward-thinking cities are competing on better bus service these days? Check out San Francisco’s progress.
Going beyond modal silos: This excellent rumination on mobility freedom from Tony Dutzik of Frontier Group speaks to breaking artificial divisions and looking for common ground while also acknowledging the impacts our mobility decisions have on others.
No more gas in France: By 2040 France hopes to ban gas-powered vehicles.
Cars as weapons: People have been killing other people with their cars for over a century now; but it took the threat from terrorists doing it in order for cities to get serious about protecting citizens from the threat.
Working, even with helmets: As Vancouver’s “Mobi” bike share system turns one year old it appears to be doing O.K. despite operating with a mandatory helmet law that many said would lead to its demise.
The air we breathe: The New York Times shares insights into research that shows separated bikeways allow bicycle users to breathe fewer toxic auto emissions — something Portland researchers have also uncovered. And yes, the benefits of cycling outweigh the risks.
Insert loved one here: A creative advocacy campaign from Great Britain encourages people to “insert a loved one” into sketchy street scenarios as a way to create urgency for better bikeways.
Thank to all the newsmakers and to everyone who sent in suggestions.
— Jonathan Maus: (503) 706-8804, @jonathan_maus on Twitter and jonathan@bikeportland.org
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