Welcome to the week. Here are the most notable stories our writers and readers have come across in the past seven days…
The truth hurts: It makes me very happy to see a driver-centric outlet frame infrastructure complaints in a way that centers bad driving. (Jalopnik)
Portland and Paris: I’m scanning everything I read for lessons for Portland and this deep dive on how Paris has reduced cars in its central city — and the influence of its history and politics — offers some important ones. (Slate)
Just install the damn things, would ya;?!: While we continue to wait for the City of Portland to install long-awaited automated enforcement cameras, here’s an article that explains why traffic engineers in Canada are in love with them. (CBC)
With friends like these: Washington Democrats want to fund a highway megaproject because they say it will decrease emissions and provide jobs. Hmm, where have we heard that before? (KREM)
Driving costs: We often hear that anti-driving policies hurt the poor, but missing from that debate is just how extremely expensive cars have become in recent years. If we care about lower-income people, we need to reduce reliance on cars. (CNN)
Carmageddon: Author of a new book on the vast impact of cars on our lives says their cultural impact is on the wane and now is the time to ween American off of them. (Esquire)
Mind the gaps: A new bill introduced by U.S. House Representatives Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Jame Raskin (D-MD) would make it easier for cities and counties to get federal funding to fill bikeway network gaps. (Streetsblog USA)
Pretty please: Japan has a new national law they hope will lead to more helmet use; but enforcement will only be a warning. (Japan Today)
MAMIL study: A new bit of research found that middle-aged men who ride bikes have major benefits in terms of muscle mass and ageing; but the catch is you’ve got to get a lot of miles in. (Cycling Weekly)
Thanks to everyone who shared links this week.
In my brief reading of international and local press this AM:
The Paris Referendum to ban shared e-scooters is an interesting one for four developing reasons:
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-04-03/paris-referendum-bans-electric-scooter-rentals
Paris has about 2 million residents, while the larger region has about 12 million. So about 1/6th of the metro population. Portland CBD has about 14,000 residents, with the larger region being about 2.3 million. So about 1/200th of the metro population. Not really a fair comparison at all.
With friends like these…? Washington legislators, like those in Oregon, probably drive cars more than most people you know. The job involves frequent trips from their district to the capital. Mostly by car.
Democrats aren’t idealists, they’re politicians. People are stuffing their inbox with complaints about traffic. Unions and big construction companies both like highway projects. It’s not weird that they vote for more pavement. We’ll get more bike routes that actually connect important stuff when somebody figures out that it pays.
So how long until the law abiding citizens of Oregon start doing to speed cameras what the Brits did to them after they were introduced there….: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6jgypEsK30
More studies on middle aged men. I look forward to the day I actually get to see a headline about a study on middle aged women for a change.