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Monday Roundup: Traffic cams, helmets, Biketown blues, and more


Welcome to the week.

Let’s start things off with a recap of the best stories our community came across in the past seven days…

How to respond to haters: This is a must-watch video of the Mayor of Quebec masterfully responding to the disingenuous “Shouldn’t cyclists pay for the roads?” question. (X)

Say “speeeed!”: As we still process a man shooting out Portland’s automated speed cameras, officials in Washington DC are learning to love them because the cameras not only reduce speeds but the drivers who do it provide a nice stream of revenue needed for other things. (The Washington Post)

Surprising helmet advocates: My head hurts after reading this story about how Dutch officials — after decades of being the example of helmet-less cycling nirvana — are now urging folks to wear a protective head covering. (The Guardian)

More helmet love: Chef Gordon Ramsay is the latest star to crash their bike and use their large platform to tell everyone to wear a helmet in case it happens to them. (BBC)

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Justice: A prominent Los Angeles philanthropist received a sentence of 15 years to life for speeding in her SUV and killing two young boys in a hit-and-run. (NY Times)

Unsafe senator: U.S. Senator John Fetterman is a repeat offender when it comes to unsafe driving, so much so his staff won’t ride with him and they refrain from texting when they know he’s driving because they know he’ll respond. (The Washington Post)

Induced demand: New research on a bike lane in Switzerland revealed that the construction of a new bikeway led to a 20% jump in weekday traffic. (Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Studies)

Politics and polls: The people of San Francisco have spoken in a new poll about their city and have made it clear they want more carfree spaces and better transit. Please please please someone in Portland do a poll like this before November! (Streetsblog SF)

Training camp: What’s one of the fringe benefits of investing in off-road bicycling trails and being a place that embraces cycling with open arms? You get the U.S. Olympic Cycling Team to train in your city! (5 News Bentonville)

Biketown for none: The City of Portland’s latest move to reduce benefits of its Biketown For All program might save money in the short-term, but it was a very bad policy idea in the long term, says local reporter Taylor Griggs in her latest op-ed. (Portland Mercury)


Thanks to everyone who sent in links this week. The Monday Roundup is a community effort, so please feel free to send us any great stories you come across.

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