Welcome to December!
The beginning of a new month is a good time to check the BikePortland Advocacy Calendar. Make sure to bookmark it and check back because I am always finding new events to list. If you forgot, I use this calendar for all the wonky government and advocacy meetings that you don’t see listed on the Shift Calendar (or anywhere else!).
Now let’s get you caught up on the most notable stories I came across in the past seven days. Thanks to everyone who suggested links this week.
Moral panic: About a dozen of you sent me this unfortunate article that fails to provide a clear distinction between illegal and dangerous e-motos and e-bikes while using a tragic crash to pull readers in. It’s just the latest article that carelessly blurs the line between e-motos and e-bikes and will likely result in bad laws and policies that hurt kids, scare parents, and tilt scales even further toward a car-based society. (NY Times Magazine 🔒)
E-bike/e-moto regulation: On a similar note to the item above, this piece offers a good summary of where e-bike and e-moto regulations are across the U.S. (Daily Kos)
More housing = better cycling: Turns out that ideas like inclusionary zoning actually work when they are funded like they should be. Portland’s program is finally bearing fruit after a boosted budget enticed developers to build bigger. (Sightline)
Concern trolling: Republicans in the U.S. Senate claim advanced safety features in cars should not be mandated and they cite affordability as the reason. Wonder if it has anything to do with the automobile lobby? (Wall St. Journal 🔒)
Group ride guide: Looking for comprehensive information about how to lead and participate in a quality group bike ride? Look no further that this Seattleite’s blog. (Jeremy Cole Blog)
Bike bus cover story: A local independent weekly takes a deep dive into the work of Sam “Coach” Balto and ponders the staying-power of the bike bus movement he helped spark. (Willamette Week)
How we ride: New research on bicycle trips goes beyond the work commute and takes into account how bicycle riders react to everyday journeys like running errands with multiple destinations. (Tech Xplore)
Bike for your brain: A study showed that, “even just 12 weeks of cycling can sharpen your brain, improve your focus, and enhance how well you manage distractions and control impulses.” (The Manual)
Keep riding: A wonderful opinion piece from an older woman who shares what it’s like when people assume she can’t do things (like ride with no hands) and why doing them makes her feel so good. (Boston Globe 🔒)
Keep riding, part two: As it gets colder here in Portland, remember that there’s no reason to stop riding just because it’s winter. This article from a place where snow is common offers good advice and inspiration. (Vermont Biz)
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.
