"If you're not linking origins and destinations, it's not going to work."

Bikeable City from Knight Foundation on Vimeo.

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#quaxing

@ByTheMotorway defined an odd neologism the other day:

Quax, [verb; past: quaxed, present: quaxing] — to shop, in the western world, by means of walking, cycling or public transit. #quaxing

So where did that one come from? New Zealand. In 'honour' of Auckland Councillor Dick Quax. He sounds like a real visionary.

Councillor Quax may want to consider the art of carrying things by bike:

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Not driving, texting

ABC News reports that distracted drivers who cause a fatal accident could go to jail under proposed new WA law. [thanks @billcawte and @BicycleAdagio]

More LifePaint ranting

Here's some more good ranting on Volvo's publicity stunt, meanwhile Bikeyface proposes an alternative product.

Speed

States are raising their speed limits. They should do the opposite.

Blowing in the wind

The Windbell Bicycle Bell, it's a wind-powered bicycle bell that's always making noise. [twitterer]

I'll have one if it makes a comical farting sound.

Facilities

Sydney offices pump millions into upgrading cycling facilities. Hmm, nice to have if you've got it but seems a bit over-priced and over-spec'd to me (not unlike some of the bikes ridden to those offices, perhaps?)

Sploosh

The recent floods in NSW did stuff like this:

Don't drive through floodwaters!

It's on a much smaller scale, but this is why I'm very, very nervous about splooshing through road puddles on rainy days—for this sort of reason.

On the other hand, this is an altogether cooler way to handle a water hazard. [Hey, it's an alternative—I'm not saying it's a viable alternative.]

Related, Michael O'Reilly does a good job of discussing the pros and cons of cycling in the rain.

Watch out for those potholes

Speaking of potholes, in Britain (of course) a street artist going by the handle Wanksy is painting penises on potholes so the council has to take action.

You had one job…

Some bike paths really need redesigning

Build it and they will come

On BBC Radio 4 Costing the Earth, Cycle City:

The bulldozers have already begun work on London's 'cycle superhighways' or 'Crossrail for bikes'. Cycling enthusiasts have declared these segregated lanes to be the infrastructure which London needs to make cycling much more appealing for all.

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Related, the Committee for Sydney's Tim Williams slams road building plans for city and just $50 a head will make Melbourne a better city for cyclists.

Build shit and they will run [the red lights]

Red light runners around school worrying . [twitterer]

Basically, it's an obscenity when kids need to wave an orange flag to cross a road safely at a traffic light.

Contra-banned?

The Herald Sun says plans for two-way bike lanes down one-way street 'draconian' to locals but gets thumbs up from cyclists:

Residents of Tyler St, Preston, claimed Darebin Council's proposal to build the "contraflow" bike lane along part of the road between High St and Plenty Rd was made without community consultation and could lead to a fatal accident.

Tyler St resident Janette Parker said she was concerned the installation of the lane would end in tragedy, with buses and schoolchildren frequently using the street.

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Plastic hat

Montreal chooses not to force helmets on cyclists:

When Bixi was first introduced in the city, there was some criticism of the fact the public bike sharing program didn't come with helmets, meaning people who take a Bixi for a short ride will get used to riding without helmets.

Hmm, short rides without a helmet. I'm failing to see the problem here.

"…the city chooses to sensitize cyclists rather than take a repressive approach by forcing them to wear them at the risk of a penalty."

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Meanwhile the study that spurred bike helmet fetish was repudiated by its own authors.

Lack of insight

road.cc reported that Britain's roads are "increasingly lawless territory":

Half of motorists admit breaking the law while driving, according to a new survey from Brake

Presumably the other half break the law and don't admit it or are just plain clueless.

I love this bit:

More than half of motorists aged 17-24 – so those with least experience of driving, and also an age group more likely than others to be involved in road traffic collisions – believe they are much safer than other drivers, with 58 per cent agreeing.

Their confidence does not fill me with confidence.

Same idiot, two videos

[via reddit]

Share the road

A video from the Queensland Police Service:

"Be patient, take it easy and chill" was the message the Queensland Police Service and State Government extended to cyclists and motorists at the Ride to Work Day event this morning.

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Strict liability

Strict liability in cycling laws to ready the roads for environmentally friendly commuting. [PDF] [twitterer]

Old but still good

Is an old bike really a museum piece?

Classic bikes are interesting, because the engine – the human body – has not changed over the last half-century. Modern materials may reduce the weight by a few percent (when you look at the entire system of bike-and-rider), but the things that really matter haven't changed much over the years. The bikes that worked so well back then still work well now, and the "hottest" trend of the moment – wide, supple tires – is only a re-discovery of what these riders already knew more than half a century ago.

Interesting thoughts, and some cool photos.

Mixed message

Dubai wants people to ride their bikes, just not on the road. [twitterer]