Parallel parking
Yessss! Who says girls can't parallel park? [twitterer]
Cyclist detector
Apparently there is now a cyclist-friendly car:
Subaru has developed new safety technology that can detect and avoid pedestrians, cyclists and other cars on the road.
And in other news, most cars have had this feature for over 100 years. It's called a careful and attentive driver. But wait…
"This doesn't replace the driver, it helps the driver if they are not paying attention," said Derek Ashby, National Manager Engineering and Technical Services for Subaru Australia.
WTF? If you're not paying attention, you shouldn't be f—ing driving! What a knob.
Speed kills, going slow less so
The day I hit a child at 20mph – and realised the speed limit must be cut
Suddenly, a few speeding points on my licence don't seem quite so innocent. If you have any, you should also feel ashamed. It is easy to exceed the speed limit and, thankfully, on this occasion, I wasn't. Nor was I fiddling with my mobile phone, sat-nav, or CD player, all of which I have done before.
Paying for the roads
Recommended read of the week: Pay to Pedal? Reflections on an economic cycle
if what a person does imposes no costs or damage on anyone, there is no good reason to charge. We charge users not because of the benefits they derive but because of the costs of providing the relevant items. As a simple first principle, the amount of payment should accord with the costs imposed, not the benefits derived.
And the same applies in the USA, where cyclists ride on roads their taxes pay for:
The amount bicyclists overpay leaps out when you look at the costs of local roads, the roads cyclists use most. Litman found that only a third of the funds for their construction and maintenance comes from vehicle user charges; local property, income and sales taxes pay the rest. Automobile user fees contribute only about 1 cent per mile toward the costs of local roads but simultaneously impose costs more than six times that amount.
Here is the Whose Roads? paper referenced in that article.
Book it
More good reading in Carlton Reid's Bike to Work Book digi-edition (May 2010), online now. [via road.cc]
Retraction
Another good read: Why I was foolish to mock police bike training.
Getting down your particulates
Toxic cities mock 'healthy' cycle riding:
Cycling to work may seem the healthy option, but a study has shown that people riding in cities inhale tens of millions of toxic nanoparticles with every breath, at least five times more than drivers or pedestrians.
I wonder how many of these particles cyclists expel again when breathing out?
Missed it again
Melburn-Roobaix was on last weekend. And I missed it. Again. Damn! Damn! Damn!
Reports from:
Tips for the road
Some really good ideas on sharing the road by Tanya Bosch. Among them:
The best advice my mother gave me was "treat everyone [as] if they are about to do something stupid". She was referring to driving a car but it applies even more to bicycle riding.
[via About the bike]
Evaluation of risk
Children's health suffering because it is 'too risky' to walk to school.
Go, Fabian, Go
Cancellara denies bike motor story, others debate the issue. Frankly, the second 'button-pushing' example is so blurry I can't see what's going on, but he does seem to have an amazing turn of speed. [thanks woowoowoo]
Love cycling in the city?
I Love Riding In the City at Urban Velo.
Bicycle innovation
Dave Moulton righly oberves that we owe a lot to the bicycle.
This is my T-shirt
ASHCAN offers the This Is My Bicycle. This Is My Gun. T-shirt. I'll put that on my wish list, if anyone's paying attention.
Check 'em out
Top 50 cycling blogs 2010. (Oo! I got an 'honourable mention'—thanks Andreas.)
Build it right and they will come
Bicycle Stations: A New Architectural Typology
With biking booming in many cities around the world, secure storage facilities are becoming essential. In the past decades cities have invested in bicycle paths as a process to increase bike commuting and reduce automobile usage, but little attention has been given to storage systems until recently. Instead of of using the typical bicycle cages and parking slabs cities are turning to a new typology of architecture which can give identity and encourage more bicycle commuters.
The hub
The Internal Gear Hub Review compares Shimano, SRAM, Sturmey Archer, Rohloff, and Fichtel & Sachs hub gears.
Hit the road
At Last - A Bike Lane That Makes Sense: "BIKE LANE WIDER THAN THE ROAD"!!!!
Biking the baby belly
Basically, when it comes to riding while pregnant, ask your doctor for permission. But if you rode your bike before, you will probably be cleared to continue doing so.
Most medical professionals say exercise is beneficial during pregnancy…The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology says healthy pregnant women should exercise at least three times a week and bicycling is one of their approved forms of exercise. The American Pregnancy Association says pregnant women should "avoid riding off the road or when the pavement is wet" because of accident risk. That's the only warning they give.
Meanwhile, in Mexico City
Mexico City offers bikes in its clean air campaign:
With its scofflaw drivers, gridlocked traffic and cobblestoned downtown, Mexico City isn't the most bicycle-friendly place. But residents are being asked to take the risk for Madre Tierra as part of a larger campaign that leaders hope will clean up this 700-year-old metropolis.
Parking
Says estuarycyclist: "Need somewhere to park your truck sir? No probs. Park it here…"
If I'm not mistaken, in the UK double yellow lines mean no parking. Hmm.
Bloggage
Bloody idiot
This guy is a bloody idiot on two counts. First, so drunk he was barely able to stand, "Everton rode on anyway, nearly hitting a child in a crosswalk before losing control of the bike and falling". Then he later tries to appeal his conviction for DUI by claiming that bicycles are not vehicles. Yes they are, deadshit. [via Chainguard]
R is the best rating
Tour by bike
Cycle-touring: a vision of post-peak holidays?
Vehicular
Interesting critique of Vehicular Cycling but seems incomplete.
By the way, what's a guaranteed way to get a stream of long, ranty comments? Bagging out the VC movement.
Street skeleton
The Soopa Scoota:
There's not much to say about this scooter in the way of specific physical details, ironically, but what we do know here is that you lie on it with your hands up by your face controlling your stylish speedfest down the hill, and that you roll so very very fast. Yay!
Lacy
Bicycle shoes lacing technique: "Lock Lace & Knot is the best method to help reduce heel slippage by creating a secure tight hold on the foot."
Style and substance
CycleStyle is "Australia's first online store purely devoted to providing stylish clothing and accessories for the urban cyclist. You won't find any scary lycra or flourescent outfits inside!"
[via Melbourne Cyclist]
It carries stuff
According to Retrovelo, their frame bag:
Who says that bicycle bags always have to look like … bicycle bags? Even 100 years ago the rock-solid frame bags for Swiss military bikes proved its worth. We picked up this idea, modified its format and usability for everyday use and designed it with RETROVELO style.
[Thanks tom]
Waxed chins, er, chains
Chain Maintenance for Clean Freaks:
Wax makes an excellent chain lube. It runs extremely clean and it seems to be good for chains.
I can vouch for that! I used to wax my chain way back in the day. Can't think why I stopped, apart from the hassle of actually applying the wax. [twitterer]
And more good stuff here
Monthly Roundup at London Cyclist.
Comments
There's something about getting into a suburu that turns the nicest person into a total menace on the road. Its not just the WRXs, its even the station wagons.
Monash Uni is meant to be building a bike station - curious to see how it comes out.