[B’ Spokes: This is what we are working to achieve. ;)]
Cycling in the US from a Dutch perspective [video]
NACTO Urban Street Design Guide Sets Out to Change the DNA of Our Cities
B’ Spokes: Among all the information in this article I found this worth highlighting:
Michael Kimmelman, architecture critic of the New York Times, said Sadik-Khan has been “very tactical and successful in providing people with things they then realize they want.” But before people experienced it, who would ever think to ban cars from Broadway or replace underutilized parking lots with parks? “You can show what something can be by painting it, and if it doesn’t work you can take it back,” Sadik-Khan said. “You can put it back. And I think that lowers the anxiety people feel about change. They’ll try it; if they like it great. If not, it’s paint.”
“That’s gone a long way to increase the buy-in for these different kinds of approaches,” she went on. “And then people can see it and touch it and feel it. It’s not a planning study, it’s not a computer model — and people like it.”
From the handlebars, eye-opening bike dangers captured on video
B’ Spokes: What I get from the following link is that when a city and state introduces bike lanes they really should put out a lot of PSA’s on how people are supposed to ride and drive with those things on the road. My two cents.
https://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news%2Fspecial_segments&id=9169981
Wider Highways Mean More Congested Local Streets
[B’ Spokes: I’m sharing this as MDOT widens I-95 into the city. Will that be good or bad for Baltimore? Well read the following link…]
https://streetsblog.net/2013/07/11/wider-highways-mean-more-congested-local-streets/
School Safety: Buses, Bicyclists and Pedestrians—Oh My!
In 2011, of all children between the ages of 10 and 15 who were killed in traffic crashes, one in five were pedestrians.[1] Motor vehicle crashes were the leading cause of death for children ages 11 through 14 in 2009.[2] In other words, how we drive makes a difference.
https://trafficsafetyguy.com/2013/08/26/school-safety-buses-bicyclists-and-pedestrians-oh-my/
[B’ Spokes: Some nice PSA info on this page.]
a Winter of Cyclists [Trailer]
A Winter of Cyclists, captures the inaugural Icy Bike Winter Commuting Challenge. The film follows twelve cyclist as they attempt to bicycle commute during the winter months. Watch as they challenge each other during the cold, dark and snowy Colorado winter and experience the surprising comradery that forms as nearly 200 like-minded riders from across the USA, Canada, and other countries join in the Challenge. For those who cycle in the winter now, this film is a tribute to you. And for those who are considering it , catch a memorable glimpse of what could await you.
Trailer: A Winter of Cyclists from ChainRing Films on Vimeo.
https://www.chainringfilms.com/
[B’ Spokes: We need to show this around here to show that year round commuting can be done.]
The Marginalization of Bicyclists
by Bob Shanteau, I am Traffic
How the car lane paradigm eroded our lane rights and what we can do to restore them
Not long ago I was riding in the middle of the right-hand (slow) lane on a 4-lane urban street with parallel parking and a 25 mph speed limit. I had just stopped at a 4-way stop when the young male driver of a powerful car in the left lane yelled at me, “You aint no f***ing car man, get on the sidewalk.” He then sped away, cutting it close as he changed lanes right in front of me in an attempt, I suppose, to teach me a lesson.
That guy stated in a profane way the world view of most people today: If you can’t keep up, stay out of the way. My being in the right-hand lane and therefore “in his way” violated his sense that roads in general and travel lanes in particular are only for cars, a viewpoint that I call the car lane paradigm. The car lane paradigm conflicts with the fact that in every state of the union, bicyclists have the same rights and duties as drivers of vehicles.
So which is it? Do bicyclists have the same right to use travel lanes as other drivers or not? Before lanes existed, bicyclists simply acted like other drivers. But now that travel lanes are common, most people grow up with the car lane paradigm with bicyclists relegated to the margins of the road. This article goes into the history of how the car lane paradigm came to be and what we can do about it now.
Reading this is going to take a while, so here is an outline of where we’re going:
…
https://iamtraffic.org/equality/the-marginalization-of-bicyclists/
IN-DEPTH: Trails could be hub of activities and economic growth
Multi-use trails are no longer viewed merely as recreational outlets for people who like to bike, run, walk or skate. Advocates say they spark economic development, improve people’s health, provide transportation alternatives and enhance a community’s quality of life. What’s more, for metropolitan areas that want to attract and retain talented workers, trails are “part of being a competitive city in the 21st century,” said Eric Oberg, manager of trail development for the Midwest office of the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy.
What If Someone Made a Car Ad That Reflected Reality?
If Car Commercials Were Based on Fact not Fiction – 001 from Ivan Conte on Vimeo.
Via Streets Blog
It’s no secret that car commercials are, by and large, fiction. Shiny cars roaring along empty streets devoid of traffic jams or scarring their way through impressive landscapes. Selling the dream. With the emphasis on dream.
[B’ Spokes: I love this video! Just wish it could get some air time.]