Welcome to the week. Here are the most noteworthy items we came across in the past seven days.
Bike parking advocacy: NYC-based nonprofit Transportation Alternatives has issued a scathing report on bike parking that takes NYC DOT to task for not having nearly enough of it.
Of wine and gravel roads: Peloton Magazine has discovered how Willamette Valley towns like Newberg and McMinnville are excellent, winery-infused gravel road riding paradises.
How Paris did it: This NY Times opinion piece on how Paris has become a great cycling city is very inspiring and points to the importance of strong political leadership in moving the needle.
Clip it on and go: How about an electric-assist device you can carry around with you and just attach to your bike whenever you want it?
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Insurrection and car culture: “The astounding images [of Trump supporters parking all over the National Mall] depict a collective act that is simultaneously wholly un-American and yet completely in line with the psychology of this country as it relates to car ownership, personal freedom, and tendencies toward authoritarianism,” says the Verge in this look at ‘petro-masculinity.’
Parking wars: A massive (and quite troubling from a climate change and human life perspective) rise in the number of cars on the road in New York City since the pandemic hit has led to “parking Hunger Games” due to a lack of space to store them all.
No sympathy for car owners: And to put a fine point on the above story, Vice reporter Aaron Gordon says, “Owning a car in the city should suck.”
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Gas-guzzlers: Massachusetts is first state to follow California’s lead and plan a ban on gas-powered cars that will begin in 2035.
Car safety ratings: We’ve all heard about the deadly scourge of oversized trucks and SUVs, now here’s an article with a clear plan for how the Biden administration can actually do something about it.
The latest in distracted driving: On a related note to the item above, Mercedes Benz is eager to unveil a new, 56-inch “hyperscreen” display in one of its models.
NTSB on bikes: WashCycle has a summary of the new bicycle safety report published by the National Transportation Safety Board — the first such report in 47 years. Among its findings was a recommendation that all states make helmets mandatory for all ages of riders.
— Jonathan Maus: (503) 706-8804, @jonathan_maus on Twitter and jonathan@bikeportland.org
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