China’s car dream sours - turning in BMWs for bicycles.
Great piece by the Financial Times.
Posts tagged bikes.
Mind-boggling map of Bike Sharing programs around the world. Click the pins to open a box describing each program (I clicked one, top right for you to see an example).
China has over 50 bike share programs! Density in Europe is astounding, way more programs than I expected. And bike shares in the US is booming. Africa has a long way to go. This is all to say that bike share programs will challenge car manufacturers for years to come.
Via Sharable.net.
USA Today: LeBron James Is Weird ›
Great catch by bike-transportation tumblrer CityMaus on how USA Today weirdly focused on how a good celebrities should act, rather than a celebrity’s good acts.
USA Today has reported that LeBron James rides his bicycle to and from his basketball games. This article made the headlines on the USA Today website because of how abnormal it is in America for a rich and famous basketball star to use a bicycle for transportation.
Instead of explaining the real reasons LeBron rides his bicycle to games, the article highlights how unusual LeBron is. It sounds patronizing and almost seems to be mocking James:
LeBron James, environment MVP.
The Miami Heat star reduces his carbon footprint the same way a 12-year-old might, by riding his bicycle to basketball games. The 6-9, 250-pound three-time NBA MVP has been doing this for a while now, taking advantage of South Florida’s warm climes (sic). But that still doesn’t make it any less unusual.
“He’s a different animal,” teammate Dwyane Wade told Fox Sports’ Chris Tomasson on Tuesday. “He’s a different beast. What can you say?”
LeBron probably rides his bicycle to games because he likely gets there faster than he would if he were stuck in traffic. It’s probably more therapeutic for him than being stressed out behind the wheel, and it probably clears his mind and relaxes him before and after his basketball games.
But the USA Today article didn’t acknowledge these benefits. Instead, James is an outcast. He’s doing something that only a 12-year-old would do.
I don’t fault the USA Today reporter for his portrayal of James. He was probably trying to be playful rather than patronizing. But the portrayal of James as an outcast only further reinforces the belief that bicycles aren’t truly a viable mode of transportation. This perception is systemic in our society because we have become so dependent on motor vehicles.
Perhaps 20 years from now an article entitled “NBA Player Drives Car To Games” will make headlines because it will be so abnormal and old-fashioned to drive an automobile to the game.
theurbancountry, 19.12.12.
Invisible Bike Helmet kinda just blew my mind. (via VHX)
Whoa. Mind blown. Also, great quote: “Cars are so yesterday, bikes are the future.”
Sweet rack.
“Betty Biker bought some butter, But she said the butter’s bitter.
If I put it in my batter, It will make my batter bitter.
But a bit of better butter…Will make it better!”
![kateoplis:
“Copenhagen, a city of 1.2 million people [the bicycle-friendliest place on the planet], saves $357 million a year on health costs because something like 80 percent of its population commutes by bicycle, even in winter. That’s $300 per person per year.
Clearly, the reason the new Danish minister of the interior said she’d ‘rather invest in cycle tracks than freeways,’ is that only one of those has a positive return.” [photo: Ben]
From Copenhagen’s biannual Bicycle Account | Grist](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m1yycymnbm1qzprlbo1_r1_500.png)
“Copenhagen, a city of 1.2 million people [the bicycle-friendliest place on the planet], saves $357 million a year on health costs because something like 80 percent of its population commutes by bicycle, even in winter. That’s $300 per person per year.
Clearly, the reason the new Danish minister of the interior said she’d ‘rather invest in cycle tracks than freeways,’ is that only one of those has a positive return.” [photo: Ben]
From Copenhagen’s biannual Bicycle Account | Grist
A Lithuanian mayor is sticker-bombing New York with message of bike lane respect, what’s not to love?
What an interesting invention. Works like a ski lift, but for bicyclists.
Father and son on bicycle use Trampe bicycle lift in Trondheim, Norway
by yvdlind via arkanciscan
(via thesustainablelife)
My Thoughts On the Bike Share Program
Some lovely white whine from elizabethanne:
Great. More assholes on bikes not obeying the traffic laws.
I say, flood her tumblr/ask with peppy kindness and love.
You can prevent this by writing your representative. Here is evidence that writing works. And, the format I use is HERE. It takes less time to write a note to your rep than it does to make a tumblr post. You can do it!
Eric Cantor hates people who ride bikes, apparently
The government spends billions on cars each year. That takes many forms, including interstate highways and subsidies to oil and gas companies. You’d think House Majority Leader Eric Cantor would be happy with people being willing to ride bikes a little more often. But nooooooo — this jerk wants to ditch bikeshare programs. As part of his YouCut program, he made one of the three options municipal bikeshares. These programs are popular in their communities — you should see how many people ride them in DC — and discourage people from driving cars, which in the long run is cheaper and better for the environment. Watch your back, Cantor: Some angry cyclist might try to hit you with a Schwinn. (photo via MedillDC on Flickr) source
A New Breed of Lawyers Focuses on Bicyclists’ Rights
Sweet little NYTimes piece on biking and confusing, even arbitrary enforcement laws: “Many cyclists are confused about their rights, which is where the new breed of bike lawyers comes in. One common question: are cyclists required to ride in a bike lane if one is available?”
Climate Adaptation
by Michael Cote
I want to punch climate change in the face.
A blog about the interactions between the built environment, people, and nature.
I'm a climate change consultant specializing in climate adaptation, environmental law, and urban planning based in the U.S. In addition to traveling and hiking, I research, publish, and lecture on how cities can adapt to climate change.
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