'It takes a village to raise a child' It sure helps if the villagers bike! —@fietsprofessor
I'm so much more than sexy legs and tight buns…
Cycling Embassy of Denmark says cycling is healthier than you think:
Not only does cycling to work give you great legs. A new study shows that commuter cyclists also eat healthier, smoke and drink less, and in general feel less stressed.
Bikes not so good for your waste line
The unstable lives of bicycles:
A predictable byproduct of any 'successful' mobility system is the breakdown and destruction of once desired, fashionable, shiny, and useful objects…we document and analyze ethnographically neglected and 'half-dead' bikes in Copenhagen as we encounter them in racks, on the pavement, and when the municipality attempts to clear them out or recycle them…Where cycling is normally conceived of as a sustainable and environmentally friendly practice, this study shows that many bikes are ill treated and quickly become waste, and 'matter out place'.
#NoBoulieTacks
On Channel 9:
Blame the victim
The Hun repors that 561 jaywalkers have been fined in 19 days in Melbourne CBD crackdown:
"It is of great concern that the number of pedestrian deaths continue to go up."
During the planned police blitz, which was brought forward following Ms Edden's death, 10 cyclists and 279 motorists were also fined for breaking road rules, including 50 talking on mobile phones.
By the way, am I the only one that finds the word "jaywalker" pretty offensive?
Gateway
The Sticky Bidon reckons that cycling is a gateway drug:
Yes, this seemingly harmless gateway drug changes people. The person that you once knew has been stolen from you, wasting away to a healthy BMI and better moods. Sometimes coming home with track marks all over their legs, where, in some cases, all the hair has tragically disappeared. "I like the way it makes me feel", he says. Disgusting. Tragic. The drug has a firm grip.
That riding on the sidewalk thing
The papers are speculating that new laws will allow cyclists to legally ride on footpaths in Western Australia:
The Sunday Times can reveal the Barnett Government is working on new laws that would allow cyclists of any age to use footpaths normally reserved for pedestrians.
It must be said that there is far from universal support for the proposal. Naturally, there is pedestrian anger at the plan and also local government backlash.
So, should cycling be allowed on footpaths?
Realistically, cyclists will be waiting decades before a safe network of on-road paths is provided.
True, and we'll be waiting longer while footpaths are considered a realistic option. Or to put it another way:
It would signal that roads belong to motorists and that motorists don't have to give up anything. It sends the message that pedestrians and cyclists can fight over the scraps.
Helmets. Yes, again.
Reframing Safety: an analysis of perceptions of safety clothing:
Reported use of safety clothing was strongly associated with perceived threat from motor vehicles, but accompanied by scepticism about effectiveness. Many interviewees felt and/or exerted social pressure to wear a helmet, and, to a lesser extent, high-visibility clothing. Analysis identified a widespread dislike of safety clothing, sometimes linked to talk about cycling less because of the perceived need to wear such clothing. We found evidence of resistance to social pressure, expressed by complaining about inconvenience, discomfort (helmets), and personal appearance.
Related: this photo of mangled helmet shared more than 30 million times after cyclist walks away from crash.
Given that he's currently getting around in a wheelchair, I don't think the rider did literally "walk away" from the crash. Nevertheless, this is a much stronger argument for preventing truck-bike interactions than it is in favour of wearing helmets. Surely avoiding an impact in the first place is the best way to prevent head injury?
Speaking of which, apparently bike helmets save lives in ladder falls. [twitterer]
Put a helmet on, mate!
Look, I'm no expert in these things but it must be better to stop ladders slipping and to stop people falling from them. Surely avoiding an impact in the first place is the best way to prevent head injury?
Shut-up and build the bloody motorway
The Committee for Sydney's Tim Williams doesn't deny that he said this:
"We are in the presence of another road transport upheaval in this city," Dr Williams said, while showing a slide of the $15 billion WestConnex motorway and its proposed extensions to the north and south.
"Which, by the way, we are not seeing in any other cities in the world," he said. "And that's the issue – many other cities in the world are taking their highway capacity out and I'm just wondering, what is so different about the Australian city experience that means that they're wrong and we are right?
"We think this is a congestion-busting proposition and nowhere in Christendom does that appear to be the case – so what's going on?"
But it turns out that he didn't mean what he said about the obsession with building motorways. O-kay. I think I'll pay attention to his "unscripted speech" rather than his heavily scripted "apology".
Real utility cycling
Nepali mountain bikers ride supplies to earthquake survivors:
The mostly Nepali riders of Nepal Cyclists Ride to Rescue use dedicated cargo bikes to deliver supplies to villagers in communities destroyed by the earthquake. The hulking bicycles, made by Portal Bikes, are also being used to power water pumps and other useful machines amid the earthquake wreckage. Since the disaster hit, many area gas stations have closed, rendering the bikes invaluable.
Show your glowing scrotum
Let 'em swing
Bike Balls Bicycle Light on Kickstarter:
As cyclists who regularly ride in the city, we are vulnerable to distracted and neglectful drivers. We wanted to do something to change that and have some fun while doing so. Bike Balls are more visible and noticeable than your average bike light, making you more safe and confident as you ride through the city streets at night. It takes grit, wit, and huge balls to ride in the city so show 'em what you got!
Of course, Betty White famously didn't say, "Why do people say 'grow some balls'? Balls are weak and sensitive. If you wanna be tough, grow a vagina. Those things can take a pounding." But still, I can't wait for the glowing vagina version, for really tough cyclists.
Rejuvenating cities
The demolition of a vast motorway through the centre of South Korea's capital and the restoration of a river and park in its place proves that mega-cities can be changed for the better.
Paris seems to be getting less and less motorist-friendly by the day. Following a set of promises to slash diesel usage, extend lower speed limits and bar polluting cars from the city core, Mayor Anne Hidalgo this week announced a plan to thoroughly reclaim the quayside on the right bank of the River Seine for pedestrians.
And even Melbourne…?
Cr Wood said replacing underutilised stretches of road made sense, because these recreational spaces provided the added benefits of cooling the city, capturing storm water and helping reduce flooding.
"There's no overarching move to essentially grab and shut down roads," he said. "[But] smart cities are understanding that we can't continue to have more cars."