Free bikes and cash for cyclists

The Scottish cities of Dundee and Dumfries are to get Paris-style self-service cycle points [via e.CAN 166] and some Dutch cycle commuters will get €5 per day for a week in September for riding particularly congested routes [thanks tom].

The more I ride…

The Safety-in-Numbers effect has been reported again:

Local and international research reveals that as cycling participation increases, a cyclist is far less likely to collide with a motor vehicle or suffer injury and death - and what's true for cyclists is also true for pedestrians. And it's not simply because there are fewer cars on the roads, but because motorists seem to change their behaviour and drive more safely when they see more cyclists and pedestrians around.

[Thanks Peter]

OK, that's in aggregate but there's also the personal experience side of things:

In the end, you could give me statistics out the wazoo about bike safety, but the only thing that really made a difference was getting some positive cycling experiences to overshadow the one surreal and terrifying memory of my daughter on the pavement.

So, if you want to convince someone, say — just for the sake of argument — a mother, that cycling is safe, don't tell her that only 662 people die in cycling accidents each year. She knows that those 662 people each had mothers, and the fact that they accounted for only 2% of traffic accidents is of absolutely no consolation.

No, just make it easy for mom to get out on her bike…Whatever you do, don't minimize her fears. She'll only think you couldn't possibly understand and dig her heels in even more.

It's a blessing

You should consider it a blessing when someone tells you to "Get off on the F*#king Road!"

Can you say "multi-mode transit"?

Cyclists are not welcome to park their bikes at Sydney train stations.

And I noticed this link among the comments: What should I put on the fence? Brilliant.

Dipstick of the week

Just because someone rides a bike doesn't stop them from being a complete tool, and here's proof:

He had previously been charged with drink driving

Yep, I'd guess he's a drink driver who's lost his license and has become a drink rider.

What a knob.

Will Beijing keep traffic restrictions?

According to The World

China imposed traffic restrictions for the duration of the Beijing Olympics and Paralympics to control pollution. Drivers are only allowed to use their cars every other day. It's been difficult for some. But many Beijingers like the improvements in air quality and traffic, and they'd like the restrictions to become permanent.

[via The City Fix]

Another online ride log

GasFreeCommute.com is

a community driven site dedicated to help motivate people to better health through alternative "human-powered" means of transportation. Whether it is walking, running, skating or biking that gets you to Point B from Point A

In other words it's a ride log aimed mainly at commuters.

[via Pedaling Your Way To Your New Home]


[Photo: noia amb bici by art_es_anna at Flickr]