tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55336909486835640372024-01-23T15:23:19.148+01:00Slow FactoryWith a holistic and rigorous focus on sustainability, Slow Factory works on integrative solutions, mainly for the urban environment.
Current themes include: Bicycles with Public Transport; Dogs on Public Transport; Re-defining pets/companion animals as "Family animals".
Also, on this Blog and other forums we take a critical approach regarding the crossroads of city life & politics, corporations/industry, language, advertising and media.Slow Factoryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12056080802746709323noreply@blogger.comBlogger132125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533690948683564037.post-4558806756622187552013-11-09T04:01:00.000+01:002015-09-19T06:38:30.734+02:00The "invisible bicycle helmet" is the ultimate example of cycling safety narcissism<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #42474a; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; text-align: justify;">My most popular blog entry is about what I call </span><b style="font-size: 15.454545021057129px; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://greenideafactory.blogspot.com/2010/09/dont-believe-hyper-illumination.html"><span style="color: #20124d;">"lux-narcissism"</span></a></b><span style="color: #42474a; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; text-align: justify;">, i.e. over-lighting a bike and its rider to the detriment of others legally-illuminated, and pedestrians. I have also written about this </span><span style="color: #20124d; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; text-align: justify;">invention from Sweden </span><span style="color: #42474a; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; text-align: justify;">and </span><b style="font-size: 15.454545021057129px; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://greenideafactory.blogspot.com/search?q=helmet"><span style="color: #20124d;">helmetism</span></a></b><span style="color: #42474a; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; text-align: justify;"> in general many times before.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 15.454545021057129px;"><span style="color: #42474a;">The </span><b><a href="http://www.alternet.org/video/could-invention-spark-global-revolution"><span style="color: #20124d;">Hövding</span></a></b><span style="color: #42474a;"> is the ultimate example of bicycle safety narcissism. Aside from the obnoxious marketing hyperbole it costs EUR 400 in the EU and 600 in the USA. IF you really think a helmet can help, then buy five 60 dollar helmets for friends and give 300 dollars to your local bicycle coalition or another org. fighting desperately to keep streets save and collisions from happening in the first place.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #42474a;">Very much related, in 2005 </span><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_helmet_laws_by_country"><span style="color: #20124d;">helmets became mandatory in Sweden for people up to their 15th birthday</span></a></b><span style="color: #42474a;"> and this has </span><b><a href="http://eriksandblom.blogspot.com/2010/05/allt-farre-barn-cyklar-till-skolan.html"><span style="color: #20124d;">not helped improve cycling modal share</span></a></b><span style="color: #42474a;">. So - at least in part - this creation is opportunist.</span></div>
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Please notice that I am not mentioning efficacy, durability, its single use function, comfort or any other technical or aesthetic issues. I also hope that my criticism would be the same for a project led by two men.</div>
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The problem is that it is simply far too expensive for most people. Their whole business plan is totally wrong -- they got money from the Swedish or regional government but also from private sources. Regarding the latter, they obviously completely screwed up and should have required a much longer period that investors were willing to wait to get paid back.</div>
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It is truly a pity because maybe this works... maybe not. People joke about the "Chinese" ripping off the design, so we'll see if the price on devices exactly like this or better comes down by a factor of five.</div>
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<span style="color: #42474a;">Again, I am against helmet requirements for any age group, helmet promotion by governments and similar from non-profits (e.g. urban cycling organizations) which do not show the real deal with helmet efficacy. Most helmet companies also use a lot of hyperbole or even insults e.g. </span><b><a href="http://greenideafactory.blogspot.com/2011/03/dont-we-want-honest-labels-on-helmets.html"><span style="color: #20124d;">"I Love my Brain"</span></a></b><span style="color: #42474a;">. </span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #20124d;">I am for infrastructure, training and enforcement that ensures that people on bikes and everyone else dwelling in, visiting or just using the street are as safe, social and have as much fun as they want.</span></b></div>
Slow Factoryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12056080802746709323noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533690948683564037.post-7424661793652133032013-05-28T18:04:00.001+02:002016-01-15T17:17:38.865+01:00Coal Bike<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>See <a href="http://www.dirtymoney.org/"><span style="color: blue;">Dirty Money</span></a>, plus pages 12 and 24 in the report at <a href="http://ran.org/coal-finance-reportcard-2013"><span style="color: blue;">this link</span></a>. Source of original image discussed <a href="http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/culture/2013/05/cover-story-urban-cycles-marcellus-hall.html"><span style="color: blue;">here</span></a>.</b></div>
Slow Factoryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12056080802746709323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533690948683564037.post-67235298576204000792013-05-22T08:53:00.000+02:002016-01-15T17:17:38.862+01:00Sub Way app goes live - Ghost stations "not a problem" says Sadik-Khan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The NYMTA and NYCDOT announced on Tuesday that the app., which provides info on where to find Sub Way, is available for download from iTunes and Google Play.</span></i><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Sub Way took a step—or rather a leap over the turnstyle —closer on Tuesday to its
Memorial Day launch with the release of the Sub Way app for iPhone
and Android devices. The free app will allow riders to locate the stations around Manhattan and central Brooklyn, providing information
about which stations can be reached from the street, and, for those riding, which stations their train will stop at. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"This
new app will help tap into everything that the city's newest
transportation system has to offer when Sub Way Stations launches next
week," Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan said in a release. "With
instant information on available trains, stations and nearby
destinations, this smart technology will bring the city within reach
with just a click. Ghost stations will be easy to identify."</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: black;">The
app, built on the Google Maps interface, doubles as a tool for
navigating the city. In the coming weeks, it will be integrated
with </span><em><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="background: transparent;">The
New York Times'</span></span></span></em><span style="color: black;"> </span><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/thescoop/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #a5342a;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">The
Scoop app</span></span></a><span style="color: black;">,
providing listings for local hotspots and upcoming events. It's
available at the iTunes store and Google Play.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black;">From</span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: black;"> </span><a href="http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20130521/TRANSPORTATION/130529968"><b><span style="color: blue;">Crain's</span></b></a></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Anti-Sub Way </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">NIMBY paramilitary patrol a ghost station.<span style="color: blue;"> <a href="http://www.helmutcaspar.de/aktuelles09/blnpdm09/gbahn.htm">Source.</a></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The<a href="http://www.citibikenyc.com/get-the-app"> <b><span style="color: blue;">Citi Bike App</span></b></a><b><span style="color: blue;"> </span></b>allows a user of the newest, most long-awaited and possibly most high profile bike share system in the Universe know where bikes are docked and ready to use, and where there are available docks to leave a bike. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In the long fine-tuning period of the late 2000-era bike share systems, e.g. in Paris, when a station at your destination was full of bikes, it became possible to find another station and not get charged for going over the 30-min "free" use allotment. I have read little of the inconvenience of this for some (i.e. having to walk twice the distance, getting somewhere late, etc... perhaps it did not happen or is a bit of an inconvenient truth. I never spent a lot of time in a city with this type of system so did not personally experience the situation.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>While waiting for their bikes, Citi Bike App users can check out interesting photos of <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.banktrack.org/show/bankprofiles/citi#tab_bankprofiles_dodgydeals"><span style="color: blue;">Canadian Tar Sands</span>.</a></span></b></span></div>
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Still, what if the last working bike is taken in between the time you check to see if one is available and similarly, what if your hoped-for slot goes to someone else's bike? This built-in inefficiency and unpredictability seems very un-New York. It is not really how the subway works, is it? </div>
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So what is happening in other cities?</div>
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This is what is happening. The app. for the <a href="http://vimeo.com/51901460"><span style="color: blue;"><b>GoBike</b></span></a> - "...Denmark's most innovative city commuter bike system..." - allows the users to reserve a bike at a particular stand and reserve a slot and time to leave the bike. See also <a href="http://politiken.dk/ibyen/nyheder/gadeplan/ECE1801315/cyklistforbund-ny-bycykel-er-et-kvantespring/"><b><span style="color: blue;">this link</span></b></a>, in Danish.</div>
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The Bixi-based system which starts in NYC in a few days has been successful in Washington D.C. and other cities, but its important support functions involving locating and checking out a bike and leaving it where you want is several years out of date. I hope that the relevant software can be updated to modern standards and a new matching app introduced before the system rolls out beyond parts of Manhattan and Brooklyn. </div>
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<i>(I am not suggesting that the Bixi-bike itself needs major modifications, but even carrying a single shopping bag with it is difficult. The handlebar tablet in GoBike seems particularly vulnerable: My team excluded something like that from our <a href="http://www.openbike.se/"><span style="color: blue;">winning bike share concept</span></a> for Denmark in 2009. </i></div>
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<i>In the near future I will probably write about the station-based vs station-less systems once we have some results from Tampa and other places where the latter are being implemented.) </i></div>
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Slow Factoryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12056080802746709323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533690948683564037.post-62443749785073150002013-05-01T22:50:00.001+02:002013-06-12T02:01:51.322+02:00Hugging Like This is Not Solidarity<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 17px;">I had some hope for Bikes Belong - <a href="http://www.peopleforbikes.org/" style="color: blue; font-weight: bold;">People for Bikes</a><span style="color: blue; font-weight: bold;"> </span>is one of their initiatives<span style="color: blue; font-weight: bold;"> -</span> when it first appeared. But now - like the <a href="http://www.bikeleague.org/"><b><span style="color: blue;">League of American Bicyclists</span></b></a> - they think that some simplistic "sharing" message made in collaboration with a big private car actor - in the latter's case the AAA and in People for Bikes's VW - will have some significant effect. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 17px;">There is a belief - an excuse for soft over hard measures - that "it is all about education" and that dangerous conditions are caused by acute (at the time of incident) dehumanization of The Other. But Bikes Belong also falls into the trap which sees drivers and riders as equals on the street.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 17px;">But the holistic sharing problem is not solved by better driving alone - and certainly not with better riding!!! It is mainly infrastructure and road design that makes real solidarity impossible*, so prioritizing separation of pathways (including intersection movements) is one of the best ways to promote real hugging (!).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">How many viewers of the Bikes Belong-People for Bikes spot will visit their website to get the <a href="http://www.peopleforbikes.org/pages/our_goals"><b><span style="color: blue;">real message</span></b></a> that the org. is trying to deliver, including good ideas such as increased financial investment in the all-important infrastructure? Perhaps the problem is not fundamental - though given this recent deceitful mobility porno in the new spot I would like to see Bikes Belong justify its partnership with Volkswagen. (Here is one of their <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgzS-JQQxBc"><b style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: blue;">recent adverts</span></b></a>, which it does not seem that Bikes Belong influenced.)
I suspect that the tail (in the form of outside consultants brought in by VW) is wagging the dog here. Bikes Belong needs to figure out how to honestly engage in communicating effective policy and ideas. Abusing the glorious embrace of humans for the benefit of a huge private urban automobile-making company does not encourage the belonging of bikes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">*Impossible? Unapproachable? Difficult? I suppose my point is that private, energy-efficient automobiles do have a role to play as a responsible part of the entire mobility mix, but mostly in a supporting role.</span></div>
Slow Factoryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12056080802746709323noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533690948683564037.post-20705701638334130452013-03-28T18:53:00.001+01:002013-04-08T23:38:00.264+02:00Oops!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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League of USAian* Cyclists announced their National Bike Month activities today. Bike Month is in May. <a href="http://www.bikeleague.org/programs/bikemonth/promo.php"><b><span style="color: blue;">Website</span></b></a> includes downloadable PDFs, including the "Bike to Work Commuter's Booklet". This is the front and back cover. Oops. Wonder if they have cancelled his membership... (Update, 8 April, the PDF with Armstrong is still available.)</div>
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Okay, okay, as you can see the pamphlet has the old logo, so they probably just forgot to check everything that was going out. I assume they will not be handing this out and that the people on the front and back of the update will not be "white" men.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">*"USAian" because <a href="http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/486658?uid=3739560&uid=2&uid=4&uid=3739256&sid=21102056422117"><b><span style="color: blue;">"American"</span></b></a> as the reserved adjective for the not eponymous country is offensive to quite a number of people hailing from the other areas between the North Pole and the Tierra Del Fuego.<br /><br />A number of years ago the organization was called the "League of American Wheelmen", so the newer name IS better.</span>Slow Factoryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12056080802746709323noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533690948683564037.post-1149532868688046712013-01-04T05:04:00.000+01:002013-01-04T15:00:18.236+01:00Robotic Bicycle Parking Tower at the Castle of the Queen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Hradec Králové means <i>Castle of the Queen</i>, so it is nice that bike in the logo is a semi- step through model.</span></div>
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Cycling for transport is popular in the Czech Republic where the conditions are right, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hradec_Kr%C3%A1lov%C3%A9"><b><span style="color: blue;">Hradec Králové</span></b> </a>in in the north-central part of the Central European country is no exception.</div>
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Often called Hradec for short, the small city of just over 90,000 claims an official 24% bicycle modal split, a bit of an exaggeration says one <a href="http://data6.superhry.cz/TSO_40e1f8z/800/016/16493-800.jpg"><b><span style="color: blue;">local expert</span></b></a> but similar to the German cycling capital of Bremen and a bit higher still than the biggest districts for biking in Berlin -- comparisons are difficult and not really necessary - continuous improvement more so - but still Hradec has about eight times as much cycling as Prague, per capita.</div>
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As I understand it, the high rate is due to several factors, including being a place where nearly everyone cycles sometimes -- meaning that they drive motor vehicles a bit more safely in relation to people on bikes.</div>
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So it is not surprising - but very encouraging - that a type of cycle parking unknown in the country has been implemented in Hradec. Similar to the well-known <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2U7W5dbrWwc"><b><span style="color: blue;">automated underground parking in Japan</span></b></a>, the system here has the bikes above ground. (So in other words the Japanese system is an <a href="http://tix.rajce.idnes.cz/Skola-17.18.a_19.5._2004#Kriviho_pupik.JPG"><b><span style="color: blue;">"innie"</span></b></a> and the Czech one an <a href="http://allwomenstalk.com/kelly-ripas-outie-goes-un-airbrushed/"><b><span style="color: blue;">"outie"</span></b></a>). The <i>kolověž </i>(bike tower) has 116 spaces and in full effect will give a bike back in about 30 seconds. For now the price is 5 Czech crowns -- about 25 US cents. There are certainly different reasons to do what is most appropriate structurally and just in terms of available space, but the new parking structure is also a positive symbol for transport cycling in a country still relatively crazy about automobiles.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Not so close -View from approximate location kolovez towards Hradec Králové main station, via Google Streetview.</span></div>
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Still, symbols for cycling are not important as what actually works well. The <i>kolověž</i><i> </i>is located a bit far by foot to the train station (though it also serves people just travelling to this central part of town) and has no provision for larger cargo bikes including long tails -- these are the real automobile replacements, and if actors in Hradec want people to take children (and a dog) to school in the morning on the way to the station they will need consider safe parking for all types of bikes. Officials and investors will build more towers if the first one proves popular, but on a per space basis does it make the most economic sense?<br />
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Dave Holladay from the CTC in the UK has some very useful comments at the end of the Bike Biz article <a href="http://www.bikebiz.com/news/read/czech-this-out-a-robot-bike-parking-tower/014158"><b><span style="color: blue;">here</span></b></a>.<br />
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In a way the <i>Hradecký</i> <i>kolověž</i> reminds me of the <a href="http://home.bikestation.com/washingtondc"><b><span style="color: blue;">Bikestation in Washington D.C.</span></b></a>. Though the latter is better equipped, both are relatively low-capacity but very visible. This is okay, but it is great compared to <a href="http://bloggewasichwill.de/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/berlin_hauptbahnhof_fahrrad.jpg"><b><span style="color: blue;">what is available at the main station in the capital of Germany</span></b></a>, where I live.</div>
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In the end a (barely) Western EU-based objective expert's feeling of encouragement or statements of "continuous improvement" in viewing this solution runs the risk of being patronizing -- just because the Czech Republic is not the most "Western", economically-developed etc. etc. does not mean it deserves anything but the best, and cities and towns in this country and other parts of Europe with less overall success in sustainable development need just as much friendly pressure and support as anywhere else. Honesty about economic capabilities is a virtue; lowering of standards is not.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Inside view. Not precisely a robotic system... but anyway the word "robot" was created by<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josef_%C4%8Capek"><b><span style="color: blue;">Jos</span></b></a></span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josef_%C4%8Capek"><b><span style="color: blue;">ef </span></b></a><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josef_%C4%8Capek"><b><span style="color: blue;">Čapek</span></b></a> from Hronov, a town near Hradec Králové. Photo from <a href="http://cykl.cz/item/unikatni-parking-na-kola-v-hradci-kralove"><b><span style="color: blue;">Cykl.cz</span></b></a>. Several You Tube videos of the system are also at this link.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">This entry comes after a nearly five month break during in which my second dog, Mara (on the right), departed this physical plane... perhaps to the </span><span style="line-height: 19px;"><i>věž duhy</i> (rainbow tower).</span></span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;"> Her brother Obi died a year ago.</span></div>
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Slow Factoryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12056080802746709323noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533690948683564037.post-67725668052692335592012-08-07T07:02:00.000+02:002012-08-07T14:37:15.598+02:00Dutch Cycling Safety: Regional Plan Association Senior Fellow gets it (mostly) wrong<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In the August 2012 <i><b><a href="http://www.governing.com/about/"><span style="color: #20124d;">Governing</span></a></b></i>, which describes itself as "... the nation's leading media platform covering politics, policy and management for state and local government leaders", <a href="http://www.rpa.org/mission.html"><b><span style="color: #20124d;">Regional Plan Association</span></b></a> Senior Fellow <a href="http://www.alexmarshall.org/index.php?pageId=49"><b><span style="color: #20124d;">Alex Marshall</span></b></a> gets it wrong about what makes cycling safe in the Netherlands (and Continental Europe).</div>
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In his <a href="http://www.governing.com/columns/eco-engines/col-bikers-walkers-need-cities-to-protect-them.html"><b><span style="color: #20124d;">story</span></b></a> in <i>Governing, </i>Marshall praises "strict liability" in the Netherlands (and elsewhere in Continental Europe), claiming that <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">"... </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">it’s not the bike lanes that keep cyclists safe..." </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">but that </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">"</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">Ultimately, if we are to be safe, we need the driver to look out for us, not for us to look out for the driver."</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Marshall gives the following description of "strict liability": </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">"</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">It means that if you, the driver, strike a pedestrian or cyclist, you are automatically at fault, even if the walker or cyclist literally jumps out in front of you. "</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Marshall thinks that "Strict liability" is a kind of Commandment - learned, or even genetic - that governs the behavior of drivers (and cyclists towards pedestrians) and that it is the primary method for keeping cyclists (and pedestrians) safe in the Netherlands. This is simply not the case, but to be fair to Marshall lots of people get this wrong (hugs). </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Fortunately, two of the three leading bloggers* of Dutch cycling education, <a href="http://www.aviewfromthecyclepath.com/"><b><span style="color: #20124d;">David Hembrow</span></b></a> and <a href="http://bicycledutch.wordpress.com/"><b><span style="color: #20124d;">Marc Wagenbuur</span></b></a>, describe the reality here in a comprehensive blogpost from the beginning of this year, <a href="http://www.aviewfromthecyclepath.com/search/label/strict%20liability">"<b><span style="color: #20124d;">Campaign for Sustainable Safety, not Strict Liability"</span></b></a><b><span style="color: #20124d;">.</span></b> I won't excerpt it so it does not get misunderstood (!), so please read it now, in its entirety.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">I agree that drivers in the USA have much less legal liability then they should, and am happy that groups like Transportation Alternatives in NYC have lately become emboldened to take on the NYPD (and Mayor Michael Bloomberg) and their inability or unwillingness to enforce <i>current laws</i> in a new <a href="http://www.transalt.org/newsroom/releases/6345"><b><span style="color: #20124d;">campaign</span><span style="color: black;"> </span></b></a>and recent<span style="color: #20124d;"> </span><a href="http://www.transalt.org/files/newsroom/reports/2012/Deadly_Driving_Unlimited_Report.pdf" style="color: #20124d; font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #20124d;">report</span></a>, but am frustrated that senior experts like Marshall believe more than anything in repercussion-based mobility safety. However, I am sure that they are willing to <b><a href="http://www.dutchcycling.nl/?page=Home"><span style="color: #20124d;">learn</span></a></b> what really works!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="280" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/rn2s6ax_7TM" width="420"></iframe></div>
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* The other leading Netherlands-based blogger is <a href="http://www.amsterdamize.com/"><b><span style="color: #20124d;">Marc van Woudenberg</span></b></a>, who also produced this introduction video for the <a href="http://www.dutchcycling.nl/"><b><span style="color: #20124d;">Dutch Cycling Embassy</span></b>,</a> the <span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"... <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16px;">portal to Dutch expertise on cycling".</span></span></div>Slow Factoryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12056080802746709323noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533690948683564037.post-27309680685718275892012-07-04T11:32:00.000+02:002015-09-19T06:31:32.974+02:00(Not Just) Tandems for Bike Share / “Angelica, Torera and Juan - Public bicycles in Europe, sometime in the middle of the first half of the 21 Century”<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>In Autumn 2011 I wrote a short article in conjunction with an invitation to be part of a round table discussion at <a href="http://www.fundacionecabv.org/content/3as-jornadas-de-la-bicicleta-p%C3%BAblica-abierto-el-periodo-de-inscripci%C3%B3n"><b><span style="color: black;">3as Jornadas de la Bicicleta Pública</span></b></a>, <span style="background-color: white; color: black;"><b> </b>which took place from </span><span style="background-color: white;">13-16
October 2011 in </span><span style="background-color: white;">Santander,
Cantabria, Spain.</span></i>
<i><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="background-color: white;">"</span><span style="background-color: white;">Angelica,
Torera and Juan -</span><span style="background-color: white;">Public
bicycles in Europe, sometime in the middle of the first half of the
21 Century” was published in May in Spanish as </span><b style="background-color: white;">"A</b></i><span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>ngélica, Torera y Juan. Bicicletas públicas en Europa, </i></b></span><span style="background-color: white;"><b style="font-style: italic;">en algún momento de la primera mitad del siglo XXI"</b><span style="font-style: italic;">in the book</span><b style="font-style: italic;"> </b></span><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: bold;">Balance General de </span><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: bold;">la Bicicleta Pública </span><span style="background-color: white;"><b>en España<i> </i></b><i>by <b><a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/estheranaya"><span style="color: black;">Esther Anaya</span></a> </b>and <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=41080755&locale=en_US&trk=tyah"><b><span style="color: black;">Albert Castro</span></b></a> and published by Fundación ECA - BUREAU VERITAS.</i></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><i>This Spanish-version is available at <b><span style="color: black;"><a href="http://issuu.com/fundacionecabv/docs/estudiobalancebicicletapublica">this link in ISSUU format</a>.</span></b> </i></span><span style="background-color: white;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>To introduce the English version, I thought I would sketch out an idea dealing with bike share for mobility-challenged persons, which is the focus of part of my article...</i> <span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_GPP-6qg-w59mzG5rILCHRuA66DhPyAzcfB0z9b0kXxS5Q2MLJPhqulsqKsf1whQ8KPbY3BVpSW99r8mCTrqcQI2UgsYGKoYk9TsSYGIT3wfviafeQ9KsDh8ry_sSyw__CGah21EJTv0/s1600/OpenBikeTandem_Black.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_GPP-6qg-w59mzG5rILCHRuA66DhPyAzcfB0z9b0kXxS5Q2MLJPhqulsqKsf1whQ8KPbY3BVpSW99r8mCTrqcQI2UgsYGKoYk9TsSYGIT3wfviafeQ9KsDh8ry_sSyw__CGah21EJTv0/s400/OpenBikeTandem_Black.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Version of bicycle from <a href="http://openbike.se/"><span style="color: black;">OPENbike</span> </a>I did for a presentaton in April 2010 for the <a href="http://www.obisproject.com/palio/html.run?_Instance=obis&_PageID=200&_LngID=21&_CatID=381&pic=0&_CheckSum=-147698513"><span style="color: black;">OBIS</span></a> European Bike Share Project. Slow Factory (Green Idea Factory at the time) collaborated with LOTS Design and Koucky & Partners on OPENbike, which won one of two first prizes in the Copenhagen Bike Share Design competition in 2009.</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>There are bicycle designs that allow mobility-challenged persons - those without the full use of their legs, who have problems balancing, sight or hearing issues, seizures, etc. - to participate in physical activity and social interaction or even to have independent mobility... even in the city.</b></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>It is curious that none of the bike share operations in the U.S. - or particularly those operated with public money such as Capital Bikeshare in Washington D.C. - have bicycle for mobility-challenged persons. This seems to be a violation - even an extreme one - of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Americans_with_Disabilities_Act_of_1990"><span style="color: black;">Americans with Disabilities Act</span></a>, or ADA. (Of course, a similar question is relevant for bike share in the EU, China and other places. See <a href="https://www.citycarshare.org/accessibility-and-assitance-for-members-with-disabilities/"><span style="color: black;">this link</span></a> for an example of how a carshare operator in the U.S. offers access to its members with disabilities.)</i></b></span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>For the individual with sufficient vision or hearing, a handcycle (without full use of legs) or tricycle (balance issues) might be a solution (the elderly mother of a friend of mine who has an artificial leg uses a normal pedelec/electric-assist bike). For persons who for whatever reason cannot ride alone, a tandem bicycle - for use with a friend or assistant - might be a solution*. </i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Tandems for Bike Share! </span>(Adapting Bike Share for Tandem Bicycles)</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I do not believe that there are any technical barriers (hardware, software, bicycle design) for this. However, tandems are expensive, especially if
built in small numbers. Also bike share parking might need
to be modified to allow a longer bike in any slot, and probably only
some could have this modification. Then what I would is:</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
1 - Add something to the software/user data that allows a normal
bikeshare member to use tandem bikes only if they have a
doctor-certified reason for not being able to ride their own bike
(vision-impairment, balance issues, unpredictable seizures, etc). This person would check out a bike
on their account and travel with any sighted person, and would be
liable for both (or if the bike share operator is really uptight
then this person's normal assistance person, if any, but that might
violate at least the spirit of ADA).</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
2 - There would be a limited number of these and probably adding a
reservation feature would be difficult to add to the software, so no
guarantee that one will be found. (However, the pricing plan for
these users could enable them for longer for no additional cost in
order to enable a round trip journey with a short appointment/time
spent at destination).</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
3 - If there is an over-capacity of tandems or simply a lot of them
provided, they could be available for anyone at a higher price or
the normal price if both people are users (software).</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="288" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oDpnqjUo49k" width="384"></iframe>
<br />
4 - As many vision-impaired people have guide
dogs, there is also no technical barrier to adding sidecars to a tandem.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
5 - Actually, sidecars on bikeshare for normal dogs would be fun but
these people have their own special bikes (however, the limited
cargo capacity of nearly all bike share bikes is a problem for
people who want to do anything with them besides short commutes or
very light shopping.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhezqW6GRiFc-zvuqpEiRQKT6-hVkeUZ0z2r1uN4lwAguhdsd9JAd2VPBENXl3GTBuraLJsdwmEVqlMRCY5awbBLr6coSruPu8bDXtUoa9AZ27COMVXPUOS8hmMny4oHtH2SqU7gkIbxcY/s1600/Cambio_2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhezqW6GRiFc-zvuqpEiRQKT6-hVkeUZ0z2r1uN4lwAguhdsd9JAd2VPBENXl3GTBuraLJsdwmEVqlMRCY5awbBLr6coSruPu8bDXtUoa9AZ27COMVXPUOS8hmMny4oHtH2SqU7gkIbxcY/s1600/Cambio_2.png" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Cambio (Belgium)</b></span></div>
<br />
<b>* Cargo bicycles</b> - also for carrying children - are also missing in bike share. OPENbike - the design I worked on - mentioned this and it is also included in the presentation of <b><span style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.velobility.net/fileadmin/bilder/exhibition/Velobility_Ridebox_screen.pdf"><span style="color: black;">Velobility</span></a> (PDF)</span></b>. However, the only cargo bikes I know of incorporated into existing sharing programmes are part of <i>carshare</i> schemes in <a href="http://cambio.be/cms/carsharing/nl/2/cms/stdws_info/wagenklassen.html"><b><span style="color: black;">Ghent, Belgium</span></b></a> and <a href="http://pro-rikscha.de/rikschafahren-ist-toll/nutzen-statt-besitzen/"><b><span style="color: black;">Leipzig, Germany</span></b></a> -- more should follow (I like the idea of carshare members being able to use a cargobike when a normal car is overkill for a particular journey...)</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
***</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
“<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Angelica,
Torera and Juan - </b></span><b style="background-color: white; font-size: large;">Public
bicycles in Europe, sometime in the middle of the first half of the
21 Century”</b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<b style="background-color: white; font-size: large;"><br /></b></div>
<i style="background-color: white;"><b>Foreword:</b></i><br />
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
In
this bit of speculative mobility fiction* I consider the growing
integration of the “mobile urban lifestyle” in Europe – and it
is probably carfree as well but I am not explicit it. Utopias are
fine and dystopias are somehow just as easy to describe, so I try to
mix the two – that is what life is like and will always be like for
most people. “Public bicycles” are also not an island unto
themselves and beyond integration with collective PT they are also
indivisible from the political and social reality of the now and
future worlds.
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
*
Note that some of the information in footnotes is also the result of
consultation with a fortune teller.</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Angelica
– In charge of business development at a major European public
transport operator</b></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
It
was destined to be an interesting day for Angelica, the
vice-president for business development at a European public
transport operator headquartered in Istanbul and Madrid – she was
based in the latter. But she did not know how it would turn out.</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Her
company took a risk in the solution she offered to big tender for
feeder (“first/last mile”) solutions for the regional railway in
a growing region in Central Europe , but Angelia sensed early on that
her idea was the right one:</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The
suggestion that public transport companies become complete mobility
providers was pushed by UITP starting in the 2010's<sup>1</sup>,
and while there were a few examples of this type of philosophy such
as in Bordeaux, France<sup>2</sup>,
by that time and a few more later in the strategies of PT operators,
it took some time – many years - before it was reflected in
tenders.</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
And
still, many were limited to focus only on varied collective modes,
rather than including both motorized and non-motorized individual
transport solutions.</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This
tender was a gift for a relatively radical thinker like Angelica, and
to prepare for it she did extensive research of inhabitants of the
hilly areas in the mandated catchment area of the PT hubs that were
the subject of this tender.</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
What
she found was not surprising for her at least: People wanted to have
a variety of options to and from their homes to the hub, and to also
vary them for individual journeys, in other words many loved the idea
of cycling to a station and taking a bus or taxi back. Or the
reverse, as long as the way home was on an electric bike.</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The
clincher for Angelika – what finally and absolutely convinced her –
was the EU-law which had recently come into effect that mandated a
guaranteed minimum lifespan of electric bikes – specifically, it
standardized both battery connections<sup>3</sup>
and mandated that future upgrades would be low-cost. Somewhat
ironically, this legislation was the result of an early EU-law that
banned cadmium<sup>4.</sup><sup>
</sup>This
came after lobbying from Brazil after the Brazilian Space Agency
discovered what was eventually called lunaterium
– a cheap and safe version of its toxic Terran cousin – on the
Earth's closest neighbor. The low-cost lunaterium helped expand the
pedelec market but this also meant a lot of cheap bikes were built.</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Her
solution and her company's bid was to provide pedelecs (with support
infrastructure) buses and taxis (the latter which could also be
shared). There would be three price levels (bike or bus/shared
taxi/private taxi) all of which would be tied into a smart card/NFC
device for residents of the area. As far as she knew, only her
company was proposing bicycles as part of a solution.
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Would
her company's bid be successful? She found it hard to wait for the
answer.</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Torera
– Modern young woman in the city optimized for cycling</b></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Torera
clicked on “send” in the communication application on her iPad
9... off went her dissertation “2012-2015: Spain's Slow Emergence
from Economic Disaster” to her advisor at the University. With a
touch on her screen and then a few strokes on the keyboard built into
the table at the café – it lived in a compartment which
automatically cleaned it after each use – she reserved a “Touch”
and was told it would be just outside and around the corner. She put
the iPad back in it's case and walked towards the street door of the
smart café after paying her EUR 11- bill for a coffee. Torera
visited this place often and the prices were no object, as her family
owned the company which, with EU social cohesion funding, introduced
the robotic bull and crowd-controlled android torero to Spain
starting in 2015. <sup>5</sup></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
As
she exited, she was nearly hit by a someone on a bicycle.</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Hey,
stop!” she yelled, not really loudly as the cyclist was not going
so fast – he turned around, looking a little embarrassed. “Do you
know you're not supposed to ride on the pavement here?” she asked
of him.</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“I'm
sorry,” said the man, who was looked to be from East Asia, “In
school in China,” he said in perfect Spanish, “We learned that
you people tolerate cycling on the pavement.”</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“We
used to,” answered Torera<sup>6</sup>,
“but we finally understood that it was not scalable.” She then
pointed to the bike lanes on either side of the busy street – busy
with streetcars and a few shared automobiles – it was related to
the Spanish law of 2016 which made it illegal to take pedestrian
space for cycling and to require bike lanes wide enough for cargo
bikes to pass one another. “Bikes need some space to move safely,
especially when there is a lot of them.”</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Torera
beckoned the man to come closer and stand next to her as she
activated the This is How it Was7application on her iPhone. On the
screen they saw the street scene from 2011 superimposed onto the
current one<sup>8</sup>.
Both smiled at the solutions which were successful at the time but
not good enough anymore...</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Torera
walked around the corner and saw three bikes parked on the pavement,
three “Touch-Bicis” – which most people just called “Touch”
for short. Which bike was hers? It did not matter: The system only
told her that at least one bike was available at a particular
location. If she touched her NFC mobile phone<span style="font-size: 14px;"><sup>9</sup></span> to any bike with a
green blinking light it would become hers<span style="color: black;"><sup>10</sup></span><span style="color: black;">.</span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Juan
– Mobility-impaired lawyer and tourist</b></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
He
arrived early in the morning. There it was, just as he expected, a
three-wheeled pedelec<sup>11</sup>
. Juan, a lawyer specializing in electronic privacy, moved from the
platform area of the Brussels South train station – he had just
arrived from Catalonia via Paris. Using his NFC-equipped phone he
released the lock on his bike and then placed his bag in the cargo
basket and also his crutches.. He recalls visiting the “Capital of
Europe” a few years before and having to rent a normal bike instead
of being able to use either of the city's bike share systems. This
was complicated but he could talk to the staff and get some advice on
riding around the city. The staff was also curious but respectful
about how he cycled around considering that he had muscular
dystrophy.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXZy-VfuaU_ffTbKEsKNRlw6wzXQUsO2ogFT0aBBwgFWTEZVFJv02ejxMJ6ptIyzDj26XKhnvCrnjEk1p4pwZF6eADY_4QNV26Qu_lDaE_1_bikKvZsV5RFkgzoauyUzBRjpCwR-ROeHE/s1600/image_gallery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXZy-VfuaU_ffTbKEsKNRlw6wzXQUsO2ogFT0aBBwgFWTEZVFJv02ejxMJ6ptIyzDj26XKhnvCrnjEk1p4pwZF6eADY_4QNV26Qu_lDaE_1_bikKvZsV5RFkgzoauyUzBRjpCwR-ROeHE/s400/image_gallery.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
He
took the familiar route to his hotel and locked his bike in front. He
put his bag on his back, grabbed his crutches and went into the
hotel. He bypassed the reception and went straight to his room,
opening it with his phone<sup>12</sup>.
He put down his bag and laid down on the bed for rest.</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Hmmm,
all the way to my hotel room and haven't spoked to a soul,” he
thought, before dozing off.</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
***</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
He
had no idea how to get to the European Parliament and while he could
use Google SuperEarth on his phone, he decided to do it by feel<sup>13</sup>.
He had used this system before in other cities, but as he found out
later in Brussels it did not seem as finely-tuned, e.g. in regards to
hills: It did not indicate a turn far enough in advance – this
would save both physical and mental effort if one knew they had to
turn before a big hill, or when they had to turn whilst going down
one.</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
At
the EP he met the assistant to MEP Ivana Bicicenko, with whom had an
important discussion scheduled. In
recent years more and more seamless mobility systems around Europe
had removed the possibility for anonymous use (e.g. using paper
tickets, paying the driver etc.). While this generally made things
easier and cheaper for both customers and operators, the supposedly
secure data was in a few cases “accidentally” leaked by operators
but in quite a few more was hacked, and often maliciously. MEP
Bicicenko was speaking to Juan in regards to the backlash against
“NFC-ism” as it threatened the goals for use of every type of
mobility except for walking, riding one's own bike, and private
driving of automobiles.</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><b>Afterword:</b></i></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Angelica
celebrated that night as her company won the contract, but awoke the
next morning to a surprise general strike of public transport workers
in several countries in Europe, organized via social media. While she
helped her colleagues deal with an angry public in Madrid (and
beyond), both Torera and Juan found themselves without bicycles and
tricycles, since the staff who managed the individual solutions in
Seville and Brussels were union-members, the same as their colleagues
responsible for collective ones.<sup>
14</sup></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000001; border-left: none; border-right: none; border-top: none; margin-bottom: 0in; padding: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<ol>
<li><div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Cómo
llegar a ser un proveedor de movilidad
real - Movilidad combinada: el transporte público en combinación
con otros medios de transporte, como el coche compartido, el taxi y
la bicicleta…” - UITP, Abril 2011,
<span style="color: navy;"><span lang="en-GB"><u><a href="http://www.uitp.org/mos/focus/FPComMob-es.pdf">http://www.uitp.org/mos/focus/FPComMob-es.pdf</a></u></span></span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<ol start="2">
<li><div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;">VCub
est un système de location de </span><span style="color: black;">Vélos
en libre service </span><span style="color: black;">mis
en place sur l'ensemble de la </span><span style="color: black;">communauté
urbaine de Bordeaux </span><span style="color: black;">(CUB)
depuis le</span><span style="color: black;">20
février 2010 </span><span style="color: black;">et
géré par </span><span style="color: black;">Keolis</span><span style="color: black;">.
- </span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="en-GB"><u><a href="http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/VCUB">http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/VCUB</a></u></span></span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<ol start="3">
<li><div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;">“When
one size doesn't fit all – What you need to know about e-bike
charging interfaces.” - </span><span style="color: black;"><i>Cycling
Mobility</i></span><span style="color: black;">
issue 1/2011, June 2011.</span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<ol start="4">
<li><div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Toxicity
of Cadmium –
<span style="color: navy;"><span lang="en-GB"><span style="color: black;"><a href="http://draft.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5533690948683564037#Toxicidad_del_cadmio">http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadmio#Toxicidad_del_cadmio</a>.
</span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="en-GB"><span style="color: black;">Before
lunaterium, cadmium became the subject of use restrictions that
eventually made its use in private urban automobiles very, very
expensive, one of the main reasons that private car use in EU cities
had dropped an average of 2% per year since 2012. As liquid fuel
prices also had risen significantly, private urban car use never
went back to 2011 levels.</span></span></span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<ol start="5">
<li><div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: navy;"><span style="color: black;">“<span lang="en-GB"><i>In
the year 2020, robots have replaced humans in boxing. Charlie Kenton
loses a chance to become a boxing champion when robots take over,
and he becomes a small-time promoter. When he has difficulty making
a living, he reluctantly teams up with his son Max to build a robot
that can contend for the championship.”</i></span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="en-GB"><span style="color: black;">
- synopis of the film “Real Steel”, set for release in Spain on
2 December 2011</span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="en-GB"><span style="color: red;">.
<a href="http://draft.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5533690948683564037#Synopsis">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real_Steel#Synopsis</a></span></span></span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<ol start="6">
<li><div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: navy;"><span style="color: black;">“<span lang="en-GB">Green
Idea Factory blog”, 24 March 2011.
<a href="http://greenideafactory.blogspot.com/2011/03/seville-great-is-enemy-of-good.html">http://greenideafactory.blogspot.com/2011/03/seville-great-is-enemy-of-good.html</a></span></span></span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<ol start="7">
<li><div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: navy;"><span style="color: black;">“<span lang="en-GB">Augmented
reality app reveals the world's hidden stories” - 5 August 2011,
“Springwise blog”.
<a href="http://www.springwise.com/lifestyle_leisure/tagwhat/">http://www.springwise.com/lifestyle_leisure/tagwhat/</a></span></span></span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<ol start="8">
<li><div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: navy;"><span style="color: black;">“<span lang="en-GB">Imperfection
and Flexiblity: What Seville's bicycle network can teach designers
in the United States”. - 10 May 2011, “Cycling Mobility
blog”.<a href="http://www.cyclingmobility.com/imperfection-and-flexibility-what-seville">http://www.cyclingmobility.com/imperfection-and-flexibility-what-seville</a><a href="http://www.cyclingmobility.com/imperfection-and-flexibility-what-seville%E2%80%99s-bicycle-network-can-teach-designers-in-the-united-states">’s-bicycle-network-can-teach-designers-in-the-united-states</a></span></span></span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<ol start="9">
<li><div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: navy;"><span style="color: black;">“<span lang="en-GB"><span style="font-family: 'Liberation Serif', serif;">NFC”
stands for Near Field Communication, communication technology to
wirelessly at short range and at a high frequency that enables data
exchange between devices less than 10cm apart. (Source: Wikipedia).</span></span></span></span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<ol start="10">
<li><div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;">In
the mid-2010's after the introducion of new, perfected “floating
public bicycle” systems (without fixed stands), the on-street,
location-fixed, single-company facilities of “3rd generation bike
share” were determined by EU lawmakers to be a monopolization of
public space (unlike e.g. bus stops or railway platforms, all of
which could serve different mobility providers). Bike share
operators rejected sharing the fixed stands; the result was that
fixed facilities – with the exception of locations such as railway
hubs - were made illegal in EU/EEA countries. From then on what came
to be called “individual, self-powered, optionally-motorized
public transport” or ISOPT, had to be based on “floating”
architecture.</span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<ol start="11">
<li><div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The
incorporation of handcycles into what was then called “bikeshare”
was pioneered in Gandia, Valencia in 2010. Juan's mother, an MEP
from Santander, Cantabria, initiated the legislation which led to
“full-inclusion” being mandated at the European level in <span style="color: black;">ISOPT.
</span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="en-GB"><u><a href="http://www.gandia.org/web/guest/noticias-ciudad/-/journal_content/56/14/2616956">http://www.gandia.org/web/guest/noticias-ciudad/-/journal_content/56/14/2616956</a></u></span></span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<ol start="12">
<li><div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Using
NFC-equipped phones for hotel check-in was pioneered in Sweden in
2010, and thus connected to public transport systems already taking
advantage of NFC for payment purposes.
<span style="color: navy;"><span lang="en-GB"><u><a href="http://www.psfk.com/2010/11/hotel-replaces-room-keys-with-mobile-phones.html">http://www.psfk.com/2010/11/hotel-replaces-room-keys-with-mobile-phones.html</a></u></span></span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<ol start="13">
<li><div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: navy;"><span style="color: black;">“<span lang="en-GB">Touch-based
directional devices let users feel directions”</span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="en-GB"><span style="color: #f36031;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, serif;">
</span></span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="en-GB"><u><a href="http://www.gizmag.com/tactile-directional-devices/16490/">http://www.gizmag.com/tactile-directional-devices/16490/</a></u></span></span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<ol start="14">
<li><div align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: navy;"><span style="color: black;">“<span lang="en-GB">Liking
Cycling and Bike Striking”, <i>Cycling Mobility</i> blog, 4 July 2011. (Unfortunately, <i>Cycling Mobility</i> magazine ceased publication at the end of 2011 and deleted their website).</span></span></span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
</div>
-Slow Factoryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12056080802746709323noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533690948683564037.post-41658071727087952702012-06-29T11:53:00.004+02:002012-06-30T05:50:07.628+02:00Is the ECF the Elite Cyclists' Federation?<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>Part Two of Two-Part Series on Velo-city Global in Vancouver. For Part One <a href="http://greenideafactory.blogspot.de/2012/06/velo-city-ecf-sells-out-to-big-helmet.html"><b><span style="color: black;">click here</span></b></a>.</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
As ECF's annual conference event enters its last day, it seems a good time to ask how "Global" the conference is every other year (the first Velo-city Global was in Copenhagen in 2010 and the next will be Adelaide in 2014), and very much related to that, how inclusive it is.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNz-rE2s84jcFwhoGJKd8QqnO8XyunZC4lFluPTVDKXcLsjc9i04sPF5uTqeIkRJhVhs3HwEDvQeg4GNRxpO_EnuLDcD7pyO5GW5OFyVnYmmcI41y_qCZlzQt5dh9GfnWcm3aXjeJEXqQ/s1600/white_guys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNz-rE2s84jcFwhoGJKd8QqnO8XyunZC4lFluPTVDKXcLsjc9i04sPF5uTqeIkRJhVhs3HwEDvQeg4GNRxpO_EnuLDcD7pyO5GW5OFyVnYmmcI41y_qCZlzQt5dh9GfnWcm3aXjeJEXqQ/s400/white_guys.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Global Diversity</b> - Men of European origin in front row in a secret bunker in Canada the day before Velo-city: Bernard Ensink (director of ECF, at far left); Alain Ayotte (CEO of PBSC, lead sponsor of Velo-city Global in Vancouver, second from left); Manfred Neun (President of the Board of ECF, fifth from left); Gregory Robertson (Mayor of Vancouver, sixth from left).<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: #fefefe; line-height: 15px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/eucyclistsfed/7450792104/in/pool-1990288@N21">Photo</a> </b>by Victoria Furuya and David Phu; Copyright European Cyclists Federation (c) 2012</span></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I very much appreciate the work of the European Cyclists' Federation, and think it's great that they have grown by leaps and bounds in programmes and staff size in the last two to three years. I have participated in two Velo-city conferences, in 2007 (Munich) and in Copenhagen - the first as a presenter - had a paper accepted for 2011 in Seville <a href="http://greenideafactory.blogspot.de/2010/09/dont-believe-hyper-illumination.html"><b><span style="color: black;">related to this</span></b></a> but was not able to attend, and have also co-organized a European project (albeit unfunded, just barely) that included the ECF. I have recently engaged the ECF in an article originally for the now defunct or suspended Cycling Mobility magazine -- this included some tough criticism which they responded to with action!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
My biggest or most chronic criticism has been about Velo-city itself. I like the programming and side events and so on. I love to see my old mostly virtual friends there. So the main issue is the high cost of registration, which seems to be based in part on an understanding that it is urban elected officials and staff that can do the most to improve bike policy.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
(Full disclosure: I have attended both events above for free as media (with press credentials), though I was otherwise self-funded and stayed in the local homes of friends).<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><i>Is the grassroots in attendance?</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The main problem with a focus on city leaders is that they tend to leave office (either voted out, or with related staff changes). In the months after Velo-city 2011 in Seville, there was an election in which the people at the top who pushed the changes - the changes that resulted in part in Velo-city being held there - were voted out. Since then, I have confirmed reports that both pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure and space is getting turned back into car parking, and also unconfirmed information that the bicycle share programme is not being maintained properly.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The biggest and baddest case comes from Bogota, where Enrique Penalosa famously created or built on a lot of improvements not just in cycling in the late 1990s, but - when comparing the situation to Sevilla, above, a friend - and expert - from the Colombian capital says:</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>"Sounds a lot like the 'post-2000 Bogotá syndrome'... We definitely need a stronger civil society to
counteract these problems!"</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The problem is the lack of focus on the grassroots. The support of normal citizens transcends elections, and election battles, and even multiple terms in office of even the best and most effective politicians. I would also define civil society in the urban cycling world as not just NGOs, but also independent activists, activist bikeshops and bloggers. The grassroots in their members or supporters.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
It is grassroots support that coalesced in the "Stop the Child Murder!" campaign in the 1970s that has created the highest-in-the-world bike modal share and great cycling conditions in the Netherlands, even as its national government has moved to the Right in recent years. Politicians there, from all parts of the political spectrum, implement continued improvements because they have to, because the citizenry supports these improvements.<br />
<br />
Certainly, representatives of cycling organizations were able to attend and present. But pre-conference publicity spoke of over 1,000 expected delegates -- the reality is about 200 less, or a bit over 800.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><b><br /></b></i><br />
<i><b>So can these people afford going to Velo-city?</b></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Let's consider costs for someone from St. Louis, Missouri to attend Velo-city Global in Vancouver. With an early discount good til 30 April - registration is CAD $995, or very nearly the same in USD. Perhaps a free home stay could be arranged, but airfare was at least USD 500. Some meals and extras are not included, so let's say this thrifty person can get away with only 200 extra. In total this is 1700 USD (paying for accommodation could bring it easily to 2000)...</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
But this is Velo-city <i>Global.</i> "Global" - to me - means people mostly from e.g. Latin America (e.g. Santiago for 1600), but also Africa (Nairobi for 2600) and Asia (New Delhi for 1600). (Cheapest round-trip flights, in USD, found on Kayak.com).</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><i>Who are these 800+ delegates?</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
A press release I received after the first day said they came from over 40 countries on six continents. In 2010 a similar line was put forth about delegates at the first Velo-city Global, but a fairly accurate count I did myself based on the list handed out to delegates showed that about only 15% of the delegates came from countries outside the EU and richer countries of the Global North.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Starting Monday of this week I repeatedly asked both the Velo-city publicist Mark Mauchline, the ECF communications manager Julian Ferguson and a member of the Board for an electronic version of the hand out, at least showing how many people came from each of those 40 countries. Well, now it is early Friday morning, and my emails, Tweets and text messages have not been returned. I expect to the get the truth eventually - e.g. when a friend who attended has a chance to scan or fax their delegate list to me - but for now I suspect that the organizers are hiding something... namely that most of the delegates are from rich countries.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><i>What are the organizers doing to ensure diversity?</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
On the ECF Forum, in early December 2011, I asked a few questions about these issues in a message entitled <a href="http://www.ecf.com/forum/velo-city-and-other-upcoming-events/"><b><span style="color: black;">"Registration Costs and Related"</span></b></a>. Richard Campbell, who took over as head of the conference in the interim, promised to respond but never did.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Related to that, I heard of no programmes which would help locals attend -- just people connected or not with local cycling groups who are not able to afford the high registration cost. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Within the main conference programme itself there were two more issues, both related to technology:</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
First of all, free WiFi is only available inside the venue to guests of the Sheraton, which is on the same site as the conference. The Sheraton is one of the most expensive hotels recommended for Velo-city delegates.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The other issue extends beyond the hotel, or, rather, does not. There is no livestream of any sort. A live webcast allows participation of some sort by people not only who cannot afford to attend, but simply do not have the time to do so. While a good livestream set-up is expensive, I am afraid to say that I think the organizers of the Velo-city series.think that it will affect the number of delegates who pay .</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><i>After conference activities...</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCEurNEb0WcpRgLrmdboMP_G1HHW0rdk6yRXod_XbWv4qzG1d12N4zEuBL-RKjnHAwad2Xq1VBPUpS9-H-mHNfqdLvGB9njUMEVnodHa02Z2I5woIlqPgPl_DshLD7iw7ATbkxQi9b5Fs/s1600/julie.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCEurNEb0WcpRgLrmdboMP_G1HHW0rdk6yRXod_XbWv4qzG1d12N4zEuBL-RKjnHAwad2Xq1VBPUpS9-H-mHNfqdLvGB9njUMEVnodHa02Z2I5woIlqPgPl_DshLD7iw7ATbkxQi9b5Fs/s400/julie.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<b style="font-size: small;">"Welcome aboard</b><span style="font-size: x-small;">, ladies and gentlemen! This is Julie, your cruise director. First of all, an extra special welcome to our guests who have been at Velo-city Global in Vancouver this week!..."</span><br />
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<b>YES, there is a <a href="http://www.velo-city2012.com/tours/post-conference-alaska-cruise"><span style="color: black;">post-conference cruise!</span></a></b> This is a week long and costs at least 1000 extra
plus possibly an extra night of accommodation. When you get to this
elite level in the cycling world how relevant are discussions? Traditionally, on the weekend after the conference there are one-day trips and longer bike tours, perhaps assisted by regional trains.</div>
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If
you are interested in the "green" benefits of cycling, consider that a cruise adds a significant environmental burden to the overall trip: </div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i>“Conference participants from Canada or the
US would more than double (if not quadruple) their total
carbon footprint for this conference trip when joining the
Alaska cruise post-conference programme, regardless of
whether they would be flying or using other modes.
However, even for participants from Europe, the cruise
share of their total carbon footprint would be
considerable (around 40%) and, in view of this being
(only) a post-programme event, quite doubtful from an
environment point-of-view. Particularly where stakeholders
in cycling often (and justifiably) boast about the good
environmental and emission record of their industry.” </i>- <a href="http://www.cstt.nl/Staff/Eke-Eijgelaar/2"><b><span style="color: black;">Eke Eijgelaar</span></b></a>, Centre for Sustainable Tourism and Transport, NHTV Breda University of Applied Sciences.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">click to enlarge</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">Reference:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">Eijgelaar, E., Thaper, C., & Peeters,
P. (2010). Antarctic cruise tourism: the paradoxes of
ambassadorship, “last chance tourism” and GHG emissions.
Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 18(3), 337–354.</span></div>
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<b><i>In conclusion:</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b><br />
The "Global" in Velo-city Global is somewhat of an exaggeration. At least for now. This is important to consider as ECF director Bernard Ensink has alluded to making the ECF a global organization.<br />
<br />
This means that Brussels is not necessarily the most logical spot for an HQ (could be Geneva, NYC - main office of UNEP and UNDP, respectively - or even Beijing for that matter. Or what about South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa?).<br />
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ECF's board is from the EU10 countries (aside from two members) -- and this reminds me that the various committees for Vancouver had no representation from the Global South.<br />
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Add to that the lack of intent for electronic distribution and an unwillingness of staff to respond to difficult issues, and I think we have an organization that is simply not mature enough to expand beyond the EU. If there are big changes in how the Velo-city Global is organized in Adelaide it will make a big difference (I am thinking of very concrete representation and participation from East Asia).<br />
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It is also not clear if a global organization for (mostly) urban cycling is really needed. Participation in such an entity requires financial resources that are simply beyond the reach of normal people who ride bikes... and their leaders. ECF seems to want to play with the big boys and girls, but that runs contrary to the philosophy of many people who are interested in a more modest lifestyle than leaders in other industries (for example the automobile industry). There is really no reason to hold the conference in a five-star venue, or to cater with excess.<br />
<br />
This does not mean that expenses should be reduced, only that money is spent more logically. I would bet that many would be happy in a less fancy location if it could mean that there would be high-quality livestream, or just lower prices in general. Many, smaller regional events are in order -- this was suggested by the expert from Colombia.<br />
<br />
Separate from the ECF Forum discussion, I wrote to both ECF and Velo-city Vancouver management and suggested some kind of sliding scale based on GDP of origin country, organizational budget and travel expense. Let's hope that idea sinks in, and see what comes out of it.<br />
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<i>Hope to see you in Vienna for Velo-city in 2012.</i></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Some more highlights of Velo-city Global in Vancouver:</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSL2RmpViucH8BqJmah9UUgnHG3I4C7hWFPE7CuHaEA6SpfF_1v5MCcnP_FaD7JQIQBGoqeASKKTfjm0ADQ6GtGLnlK2wZqZ_8JCo4DHqjY8-x8BVEh4DSnbvcp-Y7KADxOXUO5_F0ROA/s1600/british-columbia-map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSL2RmpViucH8BqJmah9UUgnHG3I4C7hWFPE7CuHaEA6SpfF_1v5MCcnP_FaD7JQIQBGoqeASKKTfjm0ADQ6GtGLnlK2wZqZ_8JCo4DHqjY8-x8BVEh4DSnbvcp-Y7KADxOXUO5_F0ROA/s320/british-columbia-map.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>In a simulation</b> for "Operation Dutch Columbia", cycle-mounted soldiers from the Netherlands attack Vancouver from three directions.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><a href="http://pic.twitter.com/BcFcdlPd">Dutch soldiers discuss tactics.</a></b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxOs546qBL3mg7Yzjbjw5FLYTTSN0DoO-Xher7ca-vLbFZHkxLitk1XJKgv30tv0Dm04UjjqmkPi5qtqTbHDaMN875Goc-KEY3W8SF2ogegWxjB7rQjalmXXBvJUzYqOrhMjlfnR_JNT4/s1600/wooden_helmets_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxOs546qBL3mg7Yzjbjw5FLYTTSN0DoO-Xher7ca-vLbFZHkxLitk1XJKgv30tv0Dm04UjjqmkPi5qtqTbHDaMN875Goc-KEY3W8SF2ogegWxjB7rQjalmXXBvJUzYqOrhMjlfnR_JNT4/s320/wooden_helmets_2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><b>Dutch soldiers and "prisoner"</b> relax prior to wargames. ECF President Neun plays himself as German mercenary with helmet. From <a href="http://pic.twitter.com/4xB8x821"><b><span style="color: black;">this source</span></b></a>.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">One last comment on helmets </span>(please see my <a href="http://greenideafactory.blogspot.de/2012/06/velo-city-ecf-sells-out-to-big-helmet.html"><span style="color: black;">last blog entry</span></a>):</b><br />
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<b>Velo-city delegates </b>who received a bicycle for use during the week had to sign a form which read:<br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>'I hereby agree that cycling is inherently a highly dangerous activity, (...) potentially leading to heavy injury or even death</i>'</span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This can be easily dismissed as a symptom of Canada/USA excessive lawyering, but the lawyers themselves feed into and thrive on the cult of cycling fear in these countries. This keeps modal share low, and helmets popular.</span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It is easy for me to say it now (not in Vancouver, and after the fact) but would have not accepted the bike if I had to sign a statement like that. Hopefully in the future - e.g. if the helmet law is not overturned in Adelaide by the time of Velo-city Global, though this in part a separate issue - delegates make the same choice if confronted with this situation.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_1wH5PMLe5zApBj0Go8Jx8WNAAKDn2lFUiMxYuMCrgHU84e3DdFb-dWKK42SdWe1B9Ql2myoh3lGMTtz-tHb7Yu_ZbnO3QE55Y1AMewsOPm-E-PaPTKpeRR6Lz86btHI5NXP8nWlT3-U/s1600/satan-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_1wH5PMLe5zApBj0Go8Jx8WNAAKDn2lFUiMxYuMCrgHU84e3DdFb-dWKK42SdWe1B9Ql2myoh3lGMTtz-tHb7Yu_ZbnO3QE55Y1AMewsOPm-E-PaPTKpeRR6Lz86btHI5NXP8nWlT3-U/s320/satan-4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="http://youtu.be/xh3iqPrrDAw" style="background-color: white;"><b><span style="color: black;">The Free Design</span></b></a><span style="background-color: white;"> - a song by Stereolab</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">..</span><span style="line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">.when the higher spheres</span><br style="line-height: 18px; text-align: left;" /><span style="line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">tell us to and not to</span><br style="line-height: 18px; text-align: left;" /><span style="line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">everyone agrees</span><br style="line-height: 18px; text-align: left;" /><span style="line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">demanding more veto</span><br style="line-height: 18px; text-align: left;" /><span style="line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">our earthly design</span><br style="line-height: 18px; text-align: left;" /><span style="line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">can we be so detached</span><br style="line-height: 18px; text-align: left;" /><span style="line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">what crushes our desire</span><br style="line-height: 18px; text-align: left;" /><span style="line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">not to be trapped?</span></i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span style="line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><br /></span></i></span></div>Slow Factoryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12056080802746709323noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533690948683564037.post-20494123028460717622012-06-12T09:52:00.000+02:002012-07-07T11:00:15.599+02:00Velo-city: ECF Sells Out to Big Helmet?!?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>Part One of a Two-Part Series on Velo-city Global in Vancouver. For Part Two <a href="http://greenideafactory.blogspot.de/2012/06/is-ecf-elite-cyclists-federation.html"><b><span style="color: black;">click here</span></b></a>.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhITIvzTzDWEGJeliidiwXwf5TADRhSJNSvdEFrR759fgg5N9B5-nEuOXuq-VgjBALTPGBlnYGzW0-4oDYkYtLHEAll4TGjHDvV3jOYuBKkBJVGqNa_EwUYTTf-HpiZoYFxy3wFyrOAuSk/s1600/Sean+van+Waes_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhITIvzTzDWEGJeliidiwXwf5TADRhSJNSvdEFrR759fgg5N9B5-nEuOXuq-VgjBALTPGBlnYGzW0-4oDYkYtLHEAll4TGjHDvV3jOYuBKkBJVGqNa_EwUYTTf-HpiZoYFxy3wFyrOAuSk/s320/Sean+van+Waes_3.jpg" width="230" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Fear comes for Free! <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/pub/sean-van-waes/17/291/43"><span style="color: black;">Sean van Waes</span></a>, the Flemish "Head Helmeteer" at <a href="http://www.velo-city2012.com/"><span style="color: black;">Velo-city</span></a> sponsor Lazer Helmets (of Belgium), used his evil lazer rays to fry the analytical parts of people's brains at ECF (and perhaps the Velo-city organizing committee). </b></span></div>
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This just in: <b>Norco Bicycles plans to "outfit every registered delegate [at <a href="http://www.velo-city2012.com/"><span style="color: black;">Velo-city Global in Vancouver</span></a>] with a new Lazer cycling helmet".</b> Norco and Lazer are "Gold Sponsors" of the conference, which starts in two weeks. Vancouver is in British Columbia, which has an <a href="http://cyclehelmets.org/1103.html"><b><span style="color: black;">all-ages mandatory helmet law.</span></b></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwz2A3s2Ezm-cn-PaUcHwYf6nmG6F4VcdAaACaP8WMA82oLV69TFuQu5W6oistY3fFiZ4Jk1WhF6jDxRnl_nV6a3kJF59OC5OCmrPqWc3kGo3HMKONP5IcpjBRIIgP0j_BTdBl0t5tlPU/s1600/press_release.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwz2A3s2Ezm-cn-PaUcHwYf6nmG6F4VcdAaACaP8WMA82oLV69TFuQu5W6oistY3fFiZ4Jk1WhF6jDxRnl_nV6a3kJF59OC5OCmrPqWc3kGo3HMKONP5IcpjBRIIgP0j_BTdBl0t5tlPU/s320/press_release.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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From the <a href="http://www.ecf.com/road-safety/helmets-and-reflective-vests/"><b><span style="color: black;">helmets page</span></b></a> of the European Cyclists' Federation (ECF):<i> "<strong style="background-color: white; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font: inherit; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">ECF are [sic] not against individuals choosing to wear helmets, however we are against mandatory helmet laws and shock-horror helmet promotions. We do this via support to our members, and also by becoming active members in a wide range of trans-national forums."</span></strong></i></div>
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<i><strong style="background-color: white; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font: inherit; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></strong></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">ECF is pro-choice on helmets, but promotes the idea - which I agree with - that helmets make cycling look more dangerous than it is, and that pushing helmets is a distraction from much more effective methods for making cycling safe. However, there is nothing in the hosting agreement for Velo-city in Vancouver - and presumably in the agreement for the next Velo-city events in Vienna (2013) and Adelaide (2014) - to prevent helmet companies from sponsoring the event.</span></span><br />
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<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1-0BxAF9xdGVYy-YSHKL0eJB_Jtp_jrUZ5WEn6c9JGuvaJpZYTv8ulEb9Z5qhr6Yk5iMe7ImBEIs_spXA8mSG6NaIBMNAlrSuKDcU-4kXYF8WGqxXBvHTpHHFJcsh7hO-u88d0tVQk7g/s400/ECF_board_helmeted.jpg" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>The Board of ECF. I have questions for them.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">So let's consider "shock-horror helmet promotions"...</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">From the press release above:<i> "</i></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><i>In
the spirit of the Velo-city 2012 program theme, 'Essential Elements -
Increasing Cycling and Safety,' Norco's contribution will allow
delegates to rest assured while exploring Vancouver on their
complimentary conference bicycles. Norco and Lazer have delegates
covered - literally."</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: 11pt;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'times new roman', times; font-size: small;"><i>"Essential"? "Rest assured"? "Covered"?</i> Hmm... strong and manipulative but not quite "horror". But consider some examples from Lazer's <b><a href="http://www.lazersport.com/index.php?option=com_jreviews&Itemid=180&ml=1"><span style="color: black;">testimonials page</span></a>:</b> </span></div>
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<span class="fn" style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">"I am confident the helmet saved my life, or at least saved me from having extreme brain damage."</span></i></span></h1>
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<span class="fn" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"I was hit by a car going 55 mph while I was riding my bicycle. story made short I went to the hospital and suffered a concussion and severe lacerations and road burn. I was wearing a Lazer 02 helmet at the time, and it saved my life."</span></i></span></span><br />
<span class="fn" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">"You saved my brother's life."</i></span></i></span></span></div>
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<i><span class="fn" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;"><span class="fn"><i><br /></i></span></span></span></i></div>
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<i><span class="fn" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA2Y81fOxXcIYY86HdwW_-tQ-a6jK_1MbNcYuCeaB219c85x6Z60t59LgUml9uVqd_8k-TZLklj8PnYOFRCAjKNQM-Tjuzzt_Mdz2sb0YeSWb2WBFmYsXls2hNRQ9iY84VcEdb0I9BbV4/s1600/Van_gogh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA2Y81fOxXcIYY86HdwW_-tQ-a6jK_1MbNcYuCeaB219c85x6Z60t59LgUml9uVqd_8k-TZLklj8PnYOFRCAjKNQM-Tjuzzt_Mdz2sb0YeSWb2WBFmYsXls2hNRQ9iY84VcEdb0I9BbV4/s320/Van_gogh.jpg" width="225" /></a></span></span></i></div>
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<span class="fn"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;"><span class="fn"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Yes, </b><a href="http://www.belgianheadcase.com/?p=784"><b><span style="color: black;">Lazer put a helmet on Vincent van Gogh</span></b></a><b>. He is from Zundert, about 35km from Mr. van Waes's hometown of Antwerp, Belgium. But Zundert is in the Netherlands. Lazer put a helmet on a Dutchman. In an advertisement. </b><span style="font-weight: bold;">No Dutch artist wearing normal clothes on a city bike has ever worn a helmet.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="fn">Are we at the level of "shock-horror" yet? Well, let's see some of the other Velo-city sponsors:</span></div>
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<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.momentummag-digital.com/momentummag/20120506#pg1"><b><span style="color: black;">Momentum magazine</span></b></a>, one of the two "Media Sponsors", has in its June 2012 digital edition, adverts from three of the major helmet manufacturers (including Lazer), and in another in a seemingly endless series of helmet-buying guides, the introduction says a "helmets [...] can be invaluable additions to your everyday repertoire." The Lazer stuff is much worse, but still, this is not language that the ECF should be associated with. The magazine has dozens of helmeted and an equal number of unhelmeted heads, so the imagery is not that big a problem (though <a href="http://greenideafactory.blogspot.de/2012/03/when-two-heads-are-better-than-one-gets.html"><span style="color: black;"><b>they've done worse in the past</b></span></a>).</li>
<li>"Contributing Sponsor" The Canadian Automobile Association, or CAA, has a <a href="http://bikesafety.caa.ca/cyclists/bicycle-equipment/index.php"><b><span style="color: black;">bike safety page</span></b></a> on its national website. This includes an explanation of <a href="http://bikesafety.caa.ca/cyclists/bicycle-equipment/choosing-a-helmet.php#why-is-it-important"><b><span style="color: black;">"Why it is Important"</span></b></a> (to wear a helmet), but this uses the <a href="http://cyclehelmets.org/1131.html"><b><span style="color: black;">repeatedly discredited and unproven magic 85% figure</span></b></a> about helmet efficacy. They also imply that cycling is as dangerous as lacrosse or hockey, and not just that...</li>
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<i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTYqFfa1a66QHd4teTXXczfpy82eaLgnElMHT52GGx0PRlWdIe6gpH2KfKmcfo8nrIX85pCQwU8GNCgaTh22opbAi_LtjMm4kcwmA5sXnImPIngw50gjaq8nq4Y7YD8fKRiVxDfhLc2Do/s1600/CAA.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTYqFfa1a66QHd4teTXXczfpy82eaLgnElMHT52GGx0PRlWdIe6gpH2KfKmcfo8nrIX85pCQwU8GNCgaTh22opbAi_LtjMm4kcwmA5sXnImPIngw50gjaq8nq4Y7YD8fKRiVxDfhLc2Do/s640/CAA.png" width="640" /></a></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Sigh.</b></span></div>
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Do we have aggregate "shock-horror" yet? Maybe not, but please consider the following...</div>
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A few weeks ago I learnt that Velo-city organizers were trying to find a pro-helmet person for a debate planned for the conference. As far as I know they did not find anyone. None of the politicians in the all-ages mandatory helmet British Columbia, none of the sponsors... apparently not even the helmet company is willing to defend their product.</div>
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But they are distributing at least 1,000 free helmets (this is the figure repeatedly mentioned as the number of delegates for the conference). What is the purpose of this? Nearly everyone who is attending this conference has a helmet if they want one (i.e. it is not an issue of financing as many will be spending upwards of 2,000 CAD for registration, accommodation and transport.). Should people have extra helmets? Should they give a helmet to a friend (are they sure they will get the right size?). I am not sure of the financial arrangements (it sort of sounds like Norco is buying these helmets from Lazer at cost, so perhaps at least 25,000 to 35,000 CAD for this.)</div>
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Lazer and Norco are probably thinking that some people will not bring their own helmets (and of course many delegates do not own helmets). They know that there is that mandatory helmet law, and probably many are wondering if it will be enforced. (I started a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/No-mandatory-bike-helmets-at-Velo-city-Global-2012-in-Vancouver/165806686776077"><b><span style="color: black;">Facebook Page</span></b></a> in order to promote a protest...).</div>
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<i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8CzBznsVCMbG3xBg-AniHyZknU0UAxnPeamr06LZvJGSIvcjoabpcgKURthVE_60LHMCmSXgmIu3uWP7D62epUJBVRkZnQXhFTIUQlFHmuMnptXSFdVNu76Kad89sR21IHq50W5nCI24/s1600/451.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8CzBznsVCMbG3xBg-AniHyZknU0UAxnPeamr06LZvJGSIvcjoabpcgKURthVE_60LHMCmSXgmIu3uWP7D62epUJBVRkZnQXhFTIUQlFHmuMnptXSFdVNu76Kad89sR21IHq50W5nCI24/s320/451.png" width="320" /></a></i></div>
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I won't be going, and I also wonder what will happen. Will many simply decline the free helmet? Is that enough of a statement? (<b><span style="color: black;"><a href="http://youtu.be/ghANkWNG-r4">What is the ignition temperature of a helmet?</a>)</span></b> I don't think so, and to get back to my main point, I think that ECF as the owner of the Velo-city Series has been painfully sloppy about this whole issue, and I do think that all the examples I give do add up to "shock-horror". </div>
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On the other hand, via email some time back I mentioned to a current ECF board member that it was clear to me that part of the reason Vancouver was selected was due to a desire to disrupt the helmet law in B.C.. He did not deny this... he did not say anything. I would like to be optimistic but given the way everything has been handled I am not sure I should be.</div>
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<span style="color: black;">The operator and supplier of the new bike share system in Vancouver <a href="http://metronews.ca/news/vancouver/261550/two-companies-recommended-for-vancouvers-public-bike-share-program/"><b><span style="color: black;">was just announced</span></b></a></span>. <b>Vancouver won’t pursue a helmet law exemption.</b> As nearly everyone reading this knows, the bike share system in Melbourne, Australia - run by Alta Bike Share - has been a disaster due to mandatory helmet laws there.</div>
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<i>*****</i></div>
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<i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR07Mp9kQlMrG9J5a0QZ2icdEDNQaSur0edpTrTx1g-ViqLeelK1zpIzi7-BbJ49ziTAhs8Tgp5s32IQPcxqqqG4kUi1Vgl4gMttqY6GivA70I6HAHibQRGdSt8ULS4_RCA9KLm-o7EU0/s1600/Sean+van+Waes_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR07Mp9kQlMrG9J5a0QZ2icdEDNQaSur0edpTrTx1g-ViqLeelK1zpIzi7-BbJ49ziTAhs8Tgp5s32IQPcxqqqG4kUi1Vgl4gMttqY6GivA70I6HAHibQRGdSt8ULS4_RCA9KLm-o7EU0/s320/Sean+van+Waes_2.jpg" width="225" /></a></i></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-size: x-small;"><b>"<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:The_Mouth_of_Sauron.jpg">My masters, Fear, Greed and Opportunism, bid thee welcome.</a>"</b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b>*****</b></div>
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<b>For previous entries on the topic of helmets, <span style="color: black;"><a href="http://greenideafactory.blogspot.de/search?q=helmet"><span style="color: black;">see here</span>.</a></span></b></div>
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</i>Slow Factoryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12056080802746709323noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533690948683564037.post-86223736291247306642012-04-08T05:27:00.001+02:002012-04-08T05:35:09.316+02:00Slow Transition to "Slow Factory"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhchI7i-egla0Vj6GVzqgTiDmnG4xGDSVRjMNAPz_L1hSh-aSETttD3dfcMvheRjh9V5Nm2d3_cgH3SqqbRgwLPmo8v18PKnADeMPbUhcJRQZLa5mqN9MA7iUhGBU5Vn1vJqqgHVbRB-aA/s1600/speedometer_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhchI7i-egla0Vj6GVzqgTiDmnG4xGDSVRjMNAPz_L1hSh-aSETttD3dfcMvheRjh9V5Nm2d3_cgH3SqqbRgwLPmo8v18PKnADeMPbUhcJRQZLa5mqN9MA7iUhGBU5Vn1vJqqgHVbRB-aA/s320/speedometer_2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
The transition from <b>Green Idea Factory</b> to <b>Slow Factory</b> has taken some time... in part because my main activities and even the core from which they originate always seems to be in flux. So, coming up with a new name/moniker/brand is difficult.<br />
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Case in point is the new logo, above - and yes, the transition was also slowed because I did not have an alternative to the Green Idea Factory logo.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixasFSXemr7IC1XeZNRXBhvO-KlB7-kp9K7HpjaxIcYEin-gdAFpamgBk0IqtnRYx009_utZtXguxJ-_f1eB7dPv3xtmMdouqWxNsPwX0PopkDKbbKSA7fFmtEdkACEoyTYCGwvCe2JNE/s1600/GIF+logo+newest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixasFSXemr7IC1XeZNRXBhvO-KlB7-kp9K7HpjaxIcYEin-gdAFpamgBk0IqtnRYx009_utZtXguxJ-_f1eB7dPv3xtmMdouqWxNsPwX0PopkDKbbKSA7fFmtEdkACEoyTYCGwvCe2JNE/s320/GIF+logo+newest.jpg" width="122" /></a></div>
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I am preserving "Factory", which has in part a musical origin: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Factory_Records"><b><span style="color: black;">Factory Records</span></b></a>, home of Joy Division and New Order, and that is based in part on Andy Warhol's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Factory"><b><span style="color: black;">Factory</span></b></a>, in a way the first home of the Velvet Underground. And in relation to this what's really cool or slightly humorous - just found this out - is that my paternal grandmother is from the closest town just down the hill from the village where the Warholas lived in Eastern Slovakia. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj54X7ZdIa126OxfmFN-Eo0pKUlItPiY_TmvzhQ1MwsXdE9Vy7cXV5T7aS1PGFwlHK7KP9Z4h0Jv7GLsl4oXAYv3UoBTK6c1rmL1UfI27rRMKKKsD2GEXpnvWg5Iy0rJpb0jHg5LhBYPfc/s1600/Warhol_to_rose.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj54X7ZdIa126OxfmFN-Eo0pKUlItPiY_TmvzhQ1MwsXdE9Vy7cXV5T7aS1PGFwlHK7KP9Z4h0Jv7GLsl4oXAYv3UoBTK6c1rmL1UfI27rRMKKKsD2GEXpnvWg5Iy0rJpb0jHg5LhBYPfc/s320/Warhol_to_rose.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Miková to Medzilaborce, about 14km (a nice bike ride...)</b></span></div>
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The first version of the new Slow Factory logo was the same except it had all the numbers up to 100 (This was never a real speedometer... just something stylized I found on the web and am using legally). It is ambiguous in regards to miles or kilometres.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiy-qn0E4I_5jmU71Yu83FIhqm37IUW1-xHa9iCISnHs_fcxM0qCYymp99k3jwqxnDd4f2dVI8OXQZOEMxf1yyiWyWzjBJaTQebZ5loLtHDAe0NgoE7LP6WKMOgNk2_QfCl7EpWavAREc/s1600/speedometer_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiy-qn0E4I_5jmU71Yu83FIhqm37IUW1-xHa9iCISnHs_fcxM0qCYymp99k3jwqxnDd4f2dVI8OXQZOEMxf1yyiWyWzjBJaTQebZ5loLtHDAe0NgoE7LP6WKMOgNk2_QfCl7EpWavAREc/s200/speedometer_1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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The needle was in the same place, too, but I did not consider this to be an infographic or any kind of instruction, or to be absolutely literal about what informs my work.</div>
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But the needle is at about what could be 12mph, which is a nice pace for city cycling.</div>
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I sent this first version to my informal advisory board (located in Bogota, Brussels and San Francisco) and they suggested three similar things: </div>
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1 - <i>"You should put a limit near the 20-30 mark
and the rest have it somehow erased or blurred, non?" </i>(from Bogota, where they use km/h*);</div>
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2 - <i>"Confused: why isn't the top speed a low number?" </i>(San Francisco);</div>
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3 - <i>"Meaning, you can go up to 100 when you want to?" </i>(Brussels).</div>
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*I started with the metric system when I lived in Prague, where "km/h" means <span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"<span class="hps" style="background-color: whitesmoke; text-align: -webkit-auto;">kilometrů</span><span style="background-color: whitesmoke; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> </span><span class="hps" style="background-color: whitesmoke; text-align: -webkit-auto;">za hodinu</span></span>" (kilometres per hour).</div>
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I explained my intentions in general but also specifically:</div>
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<i>"Mein Gott! Everyone wants this to be an info graphic! It's just a
logo. Lots of good things go faster than 12mph!<br />
<br />
There is a simplistic obsession with 20mph/30km/h speed limits, also
in Germany. On neighbourhood streets it is still too fast. They are
not respected here in many places, both from the design and user
angles. So I don't want the logo to just be about that."</i></div>
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.... and also to at least double 100(km/h) as 200 is the normal top speed of trains inside Switzerland. Going above this speed might seem logical for long distances - or be competitive with flying - but all it does is induce more mobility. It also requires much more expensive trains and infrastructure. </div>
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The real speed solution which is reasonable for the majority of people is... elusive. But also in the city what's most important is not having to slow down. Having to then speed up increase noise and tailpipe emissions (motorized vehicles) or exertion (cycling). Walking is all about stopping and starting but it's nice to not have to stop at all (in much of Manhattan above Houston you can easily figure out how long it takes to get somewhere if you know your walking speed, because the grid in consistent).</div>
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So... maybe I want a logo - or infographic - which promotes the idea of traffic signals creating a kind of universal <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_wave"><b><span style="color: black;">green wave</span></b></a> on arterial streets, where pedestrians walk at 4mph and cyclists at three times that pace (12mph), taxis and carshare at 24mph and trams (or buses) somehow never have to stop at crossroads (only to pick up and drop off people)...</div>
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But - again - perhaps I don't have to be so literal and the second version of the new logo at the top already says that, more or less, in both km/h and mph.</div>Slow Factoryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12056080802746709323noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533690948683564037.post-82898677206991468412012-04-08T03:19:00.000+02:002012-04-08T03:19:40.174+02:00Bike Future (Dot) Org?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
"<b>A Unified Bicycling Movement [?]</b></div>
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Leadership teams representing the Alliance for Biking & Walking, Bikes Belong, and the League of American Bicyclists agreed in principle on February 14, 2012, to support the unification of all three organizations to more effectively advance bicycling in the United States.</div>
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The consensus goal is to speed progress in creating a bicycle-friendly America, where bicycling is a viable transportation- and recreation choice for everyone and more people bike more often. This proposed unification would combine the significant resources of the three groups into one effective, powerful organization with a clear, integrated structure and a single voice..."</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAiofY7hVV51S7JYUw_Vn6vTPEQROoUxJm9za9kJLP2yDtYqNXIawr-uJOUafQnTqXMWyfhQwU1HTGKWowqvwIrupd5TzUnM5c8iAlG2mFoE3WIz8npBE7uqQaXK6COV8tOU2D-nE66bM/s1600/bikefuture.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAiofY7hVV51S7JYUw_Vn6vTPEQROoUxJm9za9kJLP2yDtYqNXIawr-uJOUafQnTqXMWyfhQwU1HTGKWowqvwIrupd5TzUnM5c8iAlG2mFoE3WIz8npBE7uqQaXK6COV8tOU2D-nE66bM/s400/bikefuture.png" width="380" /></a></div>
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<i><b>To see/take the full survey above, and the full introduction, <span style="color: #444444;"><a href="http://bikefuture.org/">see this link</a>.</span></b></i><br />
<i><b><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></b></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>Slow Factoryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12056080802746709323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533690948683564037.post-63461672048677173452012-03-02T20:58:00.001+01:002012-03-07T01:24:20.128+01:00When "two heads are better than one" gets misinterpreted as "increasing the size of your head by 100% makes you safe".<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl-lMDNL_Cirbs10amFypbBT0B_0ljkSjsEj9jOPWAmXpw4RMyUxgckqgQPQrKxcTWX1uUE_pUJJcqpwULFfD4QeIB7_vOiTq6Cl_MDzSiOHJROIvNEe-yLWUrie68qYpnF0wxyMIim5E/s1600/baby.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl-lMDNL_Cirbs10amFypbBT0B_0ljkSjsEj9jOPWAmXpw4RMyUxgckqgQPQrKxcTWX1uUE_pUJJcqpwULFfD4QeIB7_vOiTq6Cl_MDzSiOHJROIvNEe-yLWUrie68qYpnF0wxyMIim5E/s400/baby.png" width="225" /></a></div>
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From <b><a href="http://www.momentummag-digital.com/momentummag/20120304#pg1"><span style="color: blue;">Momentum Magazine no. 55</span></a></b></div>
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<b>See also <a href="http://greenideafactory.blogspot.com/search?q=helmet"><span style="color: blue;">these related entries on helmets</span></a> on this blog and please "Like" <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/No-mandatory-bike-helmets-at-Velo-city-Global-2012-in-Vancouver/165806686776077"><span style="color: blue;">No Mandatory Helmets at Velo-city Global 2012 in Vancouver</span> </a>on Facebook.</b></div>
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<b><a href="http://taza-and-husband.blogspot.com/2012/03/momentum-magazine.html"><span style="color: blue;">Wow, mom seems to be proud of this.</span></a></b></div>
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<b>***</b></div>
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<b><i>Also, can someone please provide a good link about how extreme mass, surface area and leverage etc. with helmets causes neck injuries and other problems?</i></b></div>
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<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
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<b><i>***</i></b></div>
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<b>All things in balance, I suppose... this issue has a great helmet-free photo inside, which the first place winner in the Biking category in the <a href="http://www.momentummag-digital.com/momentummag/20120304#pg64"><span style="color: blue;">Alliance for Biking & Walking's photo contest</span></a>: </b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMDOUF8X4PxFXTMsnWtaP2SRDDNvTMCYRrpOIFF4rv4_Y1O_rKtfpFRvr2HRIymqsxRRCQketuthPI14j_cK85vvkDO72S4hJpIIyqZIIU727gc9vBrsTUd2i7QSCNj4qiGAmJghJHmdg/s1600/contest.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMDOUF8X4PxFXTMsnWtaP2SRDDNvTMCYRrpOIFF4rv4_Y1O_rKtfpFRvr2HRIymqsxRRCQketuthPI14j_cK85vvkDO72S4hJpIIyqZIIU727gc9vBrsTUd2i7QSCNj4qiGAmJghJHmdg/s320/contest.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>Slow Factoryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12056080802746709323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533690948683564037.post-31753355841941742132012-02-04T09:48:00.002+01:002012-02-04T10:34:22.230+01:00What the mayor doesn't always tell you about bike modal share - UITP and ECF go for higher modal shares, separately<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Part Four of this Series, which started with a feature in <a href="http://www.cyclingmobility.com/cycling-into-the-great-unknown/"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Cycling Mobility no. 4</span></b></a>. For Part One - which gives an overview - click <a href="http://greenideafactory.blogspot.com/2011/12/what-mayor-doesnt-always-tell-you-about_16.html" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">here</span></a>.<b> </b>For Part Two -<b> </b>about immigrant-focused cycle training - click <a href="http://greenideafactory.blogspot.com/2011/12/what-mayor-doesnt-always-tell-you-about_22.html"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">here</span></b></a>. For Part Three - about "Pure" and "Real" bike modal shares, click <b><a href="http://greenideafactory.blogspot.com/2011/12/what-mayor-doesnt-always-tell-you-about_26.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">here</span></a></b>.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV7tS5WHVIQxTknldQqYNGNncSkZ44uHR8I3hpCZEg762p_Mab5uXxysPk0_Ri3jy1ZLHYXkE1HwwPR4gPFoIkbA8x9gctuBWDVQCLBLGQumxXUEG7-cw1Dh8_0o03CL4JSFZUgUko5Sw/s1600/Flausch_portrait.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV7tS5WHVIQxTknldQqYNGNncSkZ44uHR8I3hpCZEg762p_Mab5uXxysPk0_Ri3jy1ZLHYXkE1HwwPR4gPFoIkbA8x9gctuBWDVQCLBLGQumxXUEG7-cw1Dh8_0o03CL4JSFZUgUko5Sw/s320/Flausch_portrait.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: x-small;">Alain Flausch became the new Secretary General of UITP on 1 January. During the ten years he was the head of STIB/MVIB (the PT operator in Brussels) ridership increased by about 100%.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span></div>
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In
May 2009 at its Velo-city conference in Brussels, the <a href="http://www.ecf.com/"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">European Cyclists' Federation (ECF)</span></b></a>, presented the <a href="http://www.ecf.com/4023_1"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">“Charter of Brussels”</span></b></a>.
Signatories – local authorities – of the Charter would, among
other targets, pledge to increase cycling modal share to at least 15%
by 2020, and beyond that if that figure was already achieved.
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In
June 2009 the <a href="http://uitp.org/"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">International Union of Public Transport (UITP</span></b>)</a>
initiated its <a href="http://www.ptx2uitp.org/content/ptx2-project"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">“PTx2”</span></b></a> strategy which aims to double public
transport (PT) share worldwide by 2025. Rather than have individual
signatories of a pledge, which with UITP – much larger than ECF but
still its European-level counterpart – would be public transport
operators or local authority members, it is focused instead on
recognizing the efforts of its members in increase their share of
local mobility.</div>
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In
their documents for their individual initiatives, ECF and UITP –
the latter has a very extensive explanation of how, for example, how
“<span style="color: black;">keeping
the share of walking and cycling at a stable level would allow us to
decouple</span><span style="color: #0054a7;">
</span><span style="color: black;">the
growth of mobility in urban areas from the growth of its societal and
environmental costs”</span>
- recognize that, respectively, PT and cycling are complementary
transport modes. However, the ECF policy person with whom I spoke had
never heard of PTx2 and it was not clear to me if their counterpart
at UITP had heard of the Charter. This was revealed to me when I
asked if increasing cycling at the expense of public transport or
vice-versa was still a success. Both spokespeople answered in the
negative, but only in the general sense: These strategies were
created independently and my sense was that these people had never
met anyone in an official capacity from the other org. (Their current
offices in Brussels are 15-20min. or so apart by bike or PT).</div>
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When
asked if a better goal than individual organization targets might be
to instead commit reduce private urban automobile transport by 50% -
a round number, perhaps a marketable one – by the most appropriate
means, both spokespeople seemed to agree; the ECF spokesperson also
appreciated my suggestion that they should work together in a more
concrete way.</div>
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At
the very end of discussions with both spokespeople I received a press
release about the new Cycling Industry Club initiative of ECF aimed
at uniting the bicycle manufacturing industry and non-profit
organizations, similar to <a href="http://www.bikesbelong.org/"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Bikes Belong</span></b></a> in the USA. The press release
spoke of a goal of “tripling the number of cyclists in Europe by
2020”. I was then put in the awkward position of telling the
spokesperson at ECF about something they had never heard of initiated
by a colleague of theirs, and despite a specific request by press
time (in autumn 2011) it was not explained to me how this fit into the Charter of
Brussels or if it, in fact, made it partially obsolete.</div>
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It
is perhaps obvious that easy to remember figures and terms such as
“15%”, “doubling” and “tripling” are, indeed, for
marketing purposes, but it seems clear that a common goal from public
transport and cycling plus walking or telecommuting actors would make
more sense -- this would be best achieved by more joint strategizing
and activities of the involved organizations.<br />
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<i>As it has been a few months since I did these interviews I am happy to amend this article in order to reflect any changes related to the discussion. </i></div>
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<br /></div>Slow Factoryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12056080802746709323noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533690948683564037.post-83006423217695583272012-01-04T21:45:00.000+01:002012-01-05T00:36:25.916+01:00First Bike Corral in NYC!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx8WYNuuUs2c5-PyUVsAyhF2dQRXSYTqR_KfGs4ZTF6OAWfm8lvHlfbh1fmxOzaCP3UzYPGWaoN9fP0PiyL7iYpPWSMLVb90FGQmBVlh7tsVMB7fK9RxFUMH2ceYNsrzdWgR74PmcKRIw/s1600/corral.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx8WYNuuUs2c5-PyUVsAyhF2dQRXSYTqR_KfGs4ZTF6OAWfm8lvHlfbh1fmxOzaCP3UzYPGWaoN9fP0PiyL7iYpPWSMLVb90FGQmBVlh7tsVMB7fK9RxFUMH2ceYNsrzdWgR74PmcKRIw/s400/corral.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Just uploaded to Streetfilms, a <a href="http://www.streetfilms.org/making-streets-safer-with-on-street-bike-parking/"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">short piece </span></b></a>on the first <a href="http://bit.ly/yF3hbV"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">"bike corral"</span></b></a> - NYC DOT calls them "Street Racks" - in NYC (Brooklyn). This is definitely a step in the right direction. Better for small shops and all street users... bonus points for not improving things for cyclists at the expense of pedestrians.</span></div>
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<b>Questions!</b></div>
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* Is this intended to be overnight, i.e. instead of carrying a bike upstairs in a walk-up apt., or just short-term parking?</div>
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* Even with a good lock - no, the best lock - do people feel their bike is safe at a rack like this all day long - i.e. if it is parking at a subway station - and even overnight, e.g. if they go out after work and have a spontaneous "sleepover" in Manhattan? </div>
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* Does it fit cargo bikes, without inconveniencing/disrespecting users of normal bikes?</div>
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* The block association supported it, does the CB (Community Board) have to approve it?</div>
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* How is cleaning handled? (Normally a street cleaning truck comes by...)</div>
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* Will it remain free of snow in the winter?</div>
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* Any ADA issues? Is there sensory info on the sidewalk which lets people know it - and not a parked car - is in this location?</div>
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The bike parking seems necessary in any case, but the initial impetus seems to have been a bad marriage of two too-fast streets. Neighbourhood streets like this one, even if they have a sort of semi-arterial use, are narrow and encourage perpendicular movement: The NYC speed limit of 30mph is simply too fast for this location (I would bet the vehicles that flipped over as we can see in the video were going faster...). This street definitely needs a 20mph limit. The bikelane seems kind of marginal in relation to anti-dooring properties, and I am assuming that a NYC-style 20mph street - as is being experimented with in at least one other part of the city - will have no soft(paint) demarcation of space.</div>
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This is a good solution, and it would be great to know more about how it fits into the overall strategy for parking AND traffic calming/safety. Not sure if speed-issues were discussed but left out of the edit, but I've noticed that before, e.g. in discussion about bike lanes in San Francisco on Streetsblog SF. </div>
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The parklets and this parking were mentioned by Ms Harris-Hernandez as being innovative, but not sure they are as they have been done already in Portland and San Francisco. But that does not matter! Copying or replicating existing best practice is great on its own!<br />
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<a href="http://www.bakfiets-en-meer.nl/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/fietshangar-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="245" src="http://www.bakfiets-en-meer.nl/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/fietshangar-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I have inquired with Transportation Alternatives about parking secure enough for overnight use and expensive cargo bikes, and hope NYC DOT gets something going in that direction. The <a href="http://www.bakfiets-en-meer.nl/2009/12/17/de-fietshangar-bike-hangar/"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">solutions already exist</span></b></a> -- they just need to be introduced, discussed, approved, purchased and bolted down to the street.</div>
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<br /></div>Slow Factoryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12056080802746709323noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533690948683564037.post-33884108359546853642011-12-26T18:26:00.002+01:002012-02-04T10:37:46.089+01:00What the mayor doesn't always tell you about bike modal share - Pure & Real Bike Modal Shares<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Part Three of this Series. <b>Please first read Part One - originally published in slightly different form in <a href="http://www.cyclingmobility.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Cycling Mobility</span></a> issue no. 4 - which gives an overview and the context for the focus for this entry - click <a href="http://greenideafactory.blogspot.com/2011/12/what-mayor-doesnt-always-tell-you-about_16.html" style="color: blue;">here</a><span style="color: blue;">. </span></b>For Part Two, focused on cycle training of immigrants to the Netherlands, click <a href="http://greenideafactory.blogspot.com/2011/12/what-mayor-doesnt-always-tell-you-about_22.html"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">here</span></b></a>. For Part Four, about how UITP and the ECF are aiming to improve modal share, click<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> <a href="http://greenideafactory.blogspot.com/2012/02/what-mayor-doesnt-always-tell-you-about.html">here</a></span></b>.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWHsStxJQqECtvsH9bQv8T8HgksrspcdtJUxTaiUb5Myep-Hp9IEGG4KKlbhj8B7VqGXTKdYWqd-ReLzUKtROlaEnSrCkUy580xhkWD144RhRBjrYNjfOWlFh_YKGxJV02N6bM12_stdc/s1600/central-meetbike-partneri-uherske-hradiste-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWHsStxJQqECtvsH9bQv8T8HgksrspcdtJUxTaiUb5Myep-Hp9IEGG4KKlbhj8B7VqGXTKdYWqd-ReLzUKtROlaEnSrCkUy580xhkWD144RhRBjrYNjfOWlFh_YKGxJV02N6bM12_stdc/s400/central-meetbike-partneri-uherske-hradiste-5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b> Don't take it out on pedestrians, or blame the cyclists who have to use it.</b> A street in the Moravian town of <span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial;">Uherské Hradiště personifies the "Hey, Get Outta My Way!" Malus. Photo: www.cyklostrategie.cz</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Bitstream Charter', serif;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Bitstream Charter', serif;"><b>Since bike mode share percentages do not tell the whole story about who, how and where people are cycling, I propose the concept of:</b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Bitstream Charter', serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></i></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: 'Bitstream Charter', serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Pure
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">B</span>ike <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">M</span>odal <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">S</span>hare</i></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: 'Bitstream Charter', serif;"> </span></span></span></b></div>
<b><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: 'Bitstream Charter', serif;"><br /></span></span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">It means that:<span id="goog_1964933853"></span><span id="goog_1964933854"></span><a href="http://draft.blogger.com/"></a></span></span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">1
- All citizens – between the ages of <a href="http://www.8-80cities.org/8-80_Rule.html"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">8 and 80</span></b></a> (inclusive), without
regards to gender, gender-preference, national, religious, political,
cultural or ethnic self-identification, able to use some form of a
human-powered (motor-assist) wheeled vehicle generally understood to
be a bicycle or variant thereof, and within the municipal boundaries
– cycle at exactly the same rate...so a 50% rate of cycling as a
primary means of travel is exactly that and impurities are subject to
the <b style="color: black;">Who is Not Cycling Malus</b>, and;</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">2
– All cycling is done within the law </span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: 'Bitstream Charter', serif;"><i>and
</i></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">according
to custom agreed by 2/3 of municipal subjects and transgressions are
subject to the <b><a href="http://muenchenierung.blogspot.com/2011/09/to-whom-streets-should-really-belong.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Anti-Solidarity Malus</span></a></b>, and;</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">3
– All cycling is done on infrastructure which was not previously
used by pedestrians or not unreasonably taken from exclusive
pedestrian use and violations are subject to the <b>"Hey, Get Outta My Way" Malus.</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Bitstream Charter', serif;"><b><br /></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Bitstream Charter', serif;"><b>Here is how it works:</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Bitstream Charter', serif;"><b>+ Measure bike share in the simplest way, i.e. only gross counting, e.g. with bike counters in major cycling corridors. The result is the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">base bike modal share</span>.</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Bitstream Charter', serif;"><b>+ As much as possible, record who is cycling (see 1, above), how they are cycling (2) and where they are cycling (3).</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Bitstream Charter', serif;"><b>- Subtract the second from the first, separately for each three catergories. The results are the<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"> bike modal share subtotals</span>.</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Bitstream Charter', serif;"><b>/ Average the combination of all three. The result is the </b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Bitstream Charter', serif;"><b><br /></b></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Bitstream Charter', serif;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Real </span>Bike Modal Share.</span></i></b></span></div>
</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">Real bike modal share in its worse form should – to be fair – never be
worse than half the official rate.</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">Here
is an example methodology for point no. 2: </span></span>
</div>
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<span style="color: black;">“<span style="font-family: 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">Anti-solidarity
malus points” (“Douchebag demerits” in American English/for
the US environment) are recorded for illegal activities/</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: 'Bitstream Charter', serif;"><span lang="en-GB">behaviour</span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">
going against custom and awarded to the mayor or city council,
whichever is more appropriate, and it is with these awards that they
must adjust </span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: 'Bitstream Charter', serif;"><span lang="en-GB">e.g.</span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">
results of primitive modal share rates recorded nearly blind </span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: 'Bitstream Charter', serif;"><span lang="en-GB">e.g.</span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">
only at the district or citywide level.</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">This
anti-solidarity malus can be recorded roughly, for example by
counting cyclists at any time of day and then subtracting one from
the total based on any observed violation of law and custom. It can
also be recorded more precisely, but noting the specific violations –
some – e.g. riding without lights at night and scaring pedestrians
will receive more malus points than others, e.g. riding on the
pavement (sidewalk) on the way from the street to a front door or
bike parking for a distance longer than provided by the closest open
street-pavement transition point.</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">Citing
or fining these cyclists is the job of law enforcement and is
separate from malus counting. The point of the malus counting is to
punish the local government and to keep them honest.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: 'Bitstream Charter', serif;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: 'Bitstream Charter', serif;">***</span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: 'Bitstream Charter', serif;"><br /></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: 'Bitstream Charter', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><b>In the coming days I will continue the series to further detail my arguments in Part One. Please join, follow or otherwise watch this space.... and have a safe and truly representative holiday!</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Bitstream Charter', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div>Slow Factoryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12056080802746709323noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533690948683564037.post-45452880426301494572011-12-22T22:31:00.000+01:002011-12-30T12:13:17.262+01:00What the mayor doesn't always tell you about bike modal share - Immigrant-focused cycle training?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Part Two of this Series. For Part One - which gives an overview and the context for the focus on training people of immigrant-background - click <a href="http://greenideafactory.blogspot.com/2011/12/what-mayor-doesnt-always-tell-you-about_16.html" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">here</span></a>.<b> </b>For Part Three - about "Pure and Real" bike modal shares, click <b><a href="http://greenideafactory.blogspot.com/2011/12/what-mayor-doesnt-always-tell-you-about_26.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">here</span></a></b>.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlaMBtRC61BfB-OVZVPVkwiF9xrgwrhFHcpk5M5Vk38bHU0XvK7NoivmAHCEtTAfoyXnGcielN1Mc3dn6z-1x_ctKm4TVBPXLC4AzCkGGVcx1Pkk0e8JnlyJYkk-8bwbDqm7Ap5W1_IRQ/s1600/dhkl-fietsles007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlaMBtRC61BfB-OVZVPVkwiF9xrgwrhFHcpk5M5Vk38bHU0XvK7NoivmAHCEtTAfoyXnGcielN1Mc3dn6z-1x_ctKm4TVBPXLC4AzCkGGVcx1Pkk0e8JnlyJYkk-8bwbDqm7Ap5W1_IRQ/s400/dhkl-fietsles007.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Cultural and societal empowerment via bike. "L" is for learner... and laughter: Meryem Mouncif, from Morocco, apparently enjoys a cycle-training course given by the<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> <a href="http://www.cbvtilburg.nl/actueel.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Centrum Buitenlandse Vrouwen</span></a></span> (Centre for Foreign Women) in Tilburg, the Netherlands.</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">“Unfortunately
there are not really municipalities or politicians that want to 'go'
for this topic. It has not been so in the past, and not now either,”
says Angela van der Kloof, </span><span style="color: black;">a
sustainable mobility consultant working at Mobycon in the Netherlands.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black;">The
vast majority of training happens informally, like in many other
places – well, where parents bother - typically where parents
teach their kids. Children receive traffic theory classes in their
schools starting from age 6, and many take an on-street test by age
10 or 11.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black;">Angela
continues: “Formal cycle training in NL has focused on women who
were not born in the Netherlands. In the 1970s, women - mostly from
the Mediterranean-area - were able to join their husbands who had
emigrated for work. They had instruction in language, sewing,
knitting and handicrafts, and then started to ask for cycling
instruction. The formal training began in the 1980s, organised at
first in a grassroots way by volunteers.” </span>
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black;">These
days there is cycle training for children and also elders who have
cycled their whole life and might need to be advised on things such
as the advantage of lowering a seat, or – for men – using a
low-step over bike, or a side mirror if they are unable to
comfortably turn their head.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black;">“After
about 30 years of small scale or grass roots cycle training
initiatives, hardly any municipality takes it seriously,”, says
Angela. “Sometimes there is a sentence in a cycling policy
document, but these years it has become more popular to either ignore
specific needs of immigrants or other less powerful target groups, or
ridicule them.”</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black;">She
continues: “There are some exceptions. In my hometown of Tilburg [a
city of just over 200,000 persons in the southern Dutch province of
Noord Brabant] people who were not born in the Netherlands have been
incorporated into the cycleplan as a specific target group.</span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-style: normal;">
</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-style: normal;">As
a member of the Tilburg </span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Fietsforum,
which is </span></span><span style="color: black;">an
NGO that advises the municipality on cycling issues, I contributed to
</span><span style="color: black;">this
cycleplan.</span><span style="color: red;"><i>
</i></span>
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black;">“So
in Tilburg it has been pretty well arranged for quite a lot of years
now. At the same time, last year the city council asked themselves
how effective cycletraining and swimming lessons were for the
integration and emancipation process of immigrant women. Another
consultancy did a study and they found that the courses were very
effective. So there was no basis to stop the subsidy. But each time,
in every city, the people need to fight for it.</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black;">“What
I mean is, that local politicians tend to look at the personal
benefits for the participants of the courses only. And not look at
the societal benefits in the short and long term: more health, less
pollution, congestion. They just do not see why the </span><span style="color: black;">municipality
should bother and subsidize this or stimulate it otherwise.”</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black;">In
2008 and 2009 Angela was involved in supporting the setting up of a
central cycle training point in Amsterdam. The project has since been
stopped and the policymakers and politicians decided to focus on
cycle training for children in general, not for specific target
groups. </span>
</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSEwuK5X9UIjYbpUCUrWuiM-2HwOeHUQvr0Xdd6aPju0t6BWomF3Lr0FxEGCMGQZZFkqFnJLcSpMOijmiWu91kKsA2e8rf42gIu8ZX-Zz2zA4f42U4CXyVTaOb0-LoFik04jRjz6Vj9eA/s1600/dhkl-fietsles013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSEwuK5X9UIjYbpUCUrWuiM-2HwOeHUQvr0Xdd6aPju0t6BWomF3Lr0FxEGCMGQZZFkqFnJLcSpMOijmiWu91kKsA2e8rf42gIu8ZX-Zz2zA4f42U4CXyVTaOb0-LoFik04jRjz6Vj9eA/s320/dhkl-fietsles013.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black;">“<span style="font-style: normal;">The
official version for the halt of the programme is that it is hard to
reach women with educational programs and it is more easy </span></span><span style="color: black;">to
reach the children through the schools, said Angela, “The reality
is that there are waiting lists for the adult cycle training (some
men have also expressed their need for cycle training) and schools
are overwhelmed with educational programs and topics. Practical cycle
training is often not a priority at schools and it is not easy to
organise. It is not a good idea to train children in schools and not
train the parents. Cycle training only makes sense if you have the
possibility to cycle outside the school and children need their
parents or other experienced cyclists to guide them in traffic. It is
impossible to organise and finance enough on-road training for
children in schools. It is much more efficient, effective and
empowering to train the parents to cycle and give them tools to train
their children themselves. The basic rules in traffic are being
taught at school and of course they should keep on doing this</span><span style="color: black;">!”</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black;">So
has the focus on non-Netherlands born people increased their levels
of cycling compared to other transport means closer to the Dutch
average?</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black;">“Well,
on a national level we have some information on how much these groups
are cycling,” concludes Angela, “but, in regards to
a balancing of mode share, very, very little research has been done
on the topic and I think all of it is qualitative.”</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnfbrvbrhvJTrdx2OO-4RD5veKxllE2UtK-mdYTU3-QRUHNRujckZUZ9ccj6S8Z3EezqV47pNlfuqoDBUkSPCKDgmIECxgCYfdS59gyrPXTdG5tgsuF8HuAC7timHKtcvHPC6Xkl31zTk/s1600/Angela.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnfbrvbrhvJTrdx2OO-4RD5veKxllE2UtK-mdYTU3-QRUHNRujckZUZ9ccj6S8Z3EezqV47pNlfuqoDBUkSPCKDgmIECxgCYfdS59gyrPXTdG5tgsuF8HuAC7timHKtcvHPC6Xkl31zTk/s320/Angela.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Angela van der Kloof</span></b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black;"><b>Further
resources and links:</b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.velo-city2009.com/assets/files/paper-van-der-Kloof-sub3.2.pdf"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><b>Bicycle training for adults in the Netherlands. Good practices and methods</b> (PDF)</span></a></li>
<li><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.steunpuntfiets.nl/English.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><span lang="en-GB"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b>Landelijk Steunpunt Fiet </b></span></span></span><span lang="en-GB"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">(Dutch National Cycle Training Expertise Centre)</span></span></span><span lang="en-GB"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b> </b></span></span></span></span></a></span></b></span></li>
<li><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span lang="en-GB"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://fietsvriendinnen.nl/"><span style="font-style: normal;"><b>Fietsvriendinnen</b></span><span style="font-style: normal;"> (Cycling Girlfriends)</span></a></span></b></span></span></span></span></b></span></li>
<li><span style="text-decoration: none;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span lang="en-GB"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="color: blue; text-decoration: none;"><b><a href="http://www.nationaler-radverkehrsplan.de/praxisbeispiele/anzeige.phtml?id=2145">Mothers Learn to Cycle (Germany)</a></b></span></span></span></span></b></span></li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
***</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">In the coming days I will continue the series to further detail my arguments in Part </span><a href="http://greenideafactory.blogspot.com/2011/12/what-mayor-doesnt-always-tell-you-about_16.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">One</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">. For Part Three click </span><a href="http://greenideafactory.blogspot.com/2011/12/what-mayor-doesnt-always-tell-you-about_26.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">here</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">. Please join, follow or otherwise watch this space.... and have a safe and truly representative holiday!</span></b></span></div>
</div>Slow Factoryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12056080802746709323noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533690948683564037.post-80065854482563279862011-12-16T06:10:00.000+01:002011-12-28T11:46:47.301+01:00What the mayor doesn't always tell you about bike modal share<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">Part One of this Series. For Part Two - going beyond what was published in Cycling Mobility - focused on cycle training of immigrants to the Netherlands, click </span><b style="text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; text-decoration: none;"><a href="http://greenideafactory.blogspot.com/2011/12/what-mayor-doesnt-always-tell-you-about_22.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">here</span></a>.</span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><b style="text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; text-decoration: none;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<i>Intro: For the fourth (and sadly, final) issue of <a href="http://www.cyclingmobility.com/"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Cycling Mobility</span></b></a>, which has just hit the street, I wrote a long blog-style article which was edited down considerably into an opinion piece. This follows immediately below, though the version in the magazine is somewhat longer. It was originally titled by the editors as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" which I objected to as it had both nothing to do with gays and lesbians serving in the U.S. military -- and as some kind of word play it also did not describe accurately what this whole thing is about...</i><br />
<i>The whole thing starts with the opinion - part I - and follows with four parts originally intended to be sidebars/boxouts with the original text. In part I have added some clarifications or emphasized certain things [in brackets] based on the original text. - Todd Edelman, Slow Factory.</i><br />
<i><br /></i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUabTr06oUMaNQZkUy5NAedRDnVe2YfGtULdNT-ZkpxpMPSm0XtSOtP3_NDTFOqozA4k_JjrvQDKlOiFabrmeSLQOzE5bT7MgNxwNfxfnbVxxtRof_oq7xYxbTRLUE3ZA8TElfeuPGmjI/s1600/Protektor_0.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUabTr06oUMaNQZkUy5NAedRDnVe2YfGtULdNT-ZkpxpMPSm0XtSOtP3_NDTFOqozA4k_JjrvQDKlOiFabrmeSLQOzE5bT7MgNxwNfxfnbVxxtRof_oq7xYxbTRLUE3ZA8TElfeuPGmjI/s320/Protektor_0.png" width="480" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Reality...</span></b></i></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br />
<span style="color: black;">As
I walked in Copenhagen one night in December 2009, I joked with my
companions that portraying it as a leading cycling city was so
important to the mayor that he would pay cyclists to ride around so
there were always bicycles on the streets [or even show a live CCTV video with computer-generated cyclists added]. </span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black;">Neither
Copenhagen nor Amsterdam need to exaggerate how many people cycle
there, or the percentage of cyclists as part of overall traffic.
These figures are in hundreds of blogs every month and increasingly
in mainstream media. </span>
<br />
<span style="color: black;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF-AgQcisg9V2BZkBlPGegXMkXG-tKd9ojgkRnSApAnL66NWCfoa7IlBpdHam7qEpZcQ5dit11XLtraaX7rNSnUSYWUzx2vptuhfL6w6s-roWP33PlKA9tQ5kAc8KU3UIK7a7QwOozf2s/s1600/protektor.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF-AgQcisg9V2BZkBlPGegXMkXG-tKd9ojgkRnSApAnL66NWCfoa7IlBpdHam7qEpZcQ5dit11XLtraaX7rNSnUSYWUzx2vptuhfL6w6s-roWP33PlKA9tQ5kAc8KU3UIK7a7QwOozf2s/s320/protektor.png" width="480" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><i>...or illusion? Frame grabs from <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">"Protektor"</span>(Czech Republic, 2009)</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div>
But
as more people get on bikes in any given city, is it enough to simply
publicise cycling’s share of journeys? I would argue that it isn’t.
Instead, it is increasingly important to analyse how these figures
are arrived at and what they tell us about cycling. It is more than a
simple percentage: publicising cycling’s modal share should reflect
design conditions, participants [e.g. ethnicity, ethnic origin, income level, gender...] and cyclist behaviour.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black;">There
are great infrastructure designs — the best are usually found in
the Netherlands — and there is a lot of rubbish, and that includes
high-density areas where cyclists are added to pedestrian space. Such
shared use is normally the result of weakness; politicians are
reluctant to take space from cars (either travelling or parked) due
to pressure from motorists and the motoring lobby. </span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black;">I moved to Berlin
in 2008, and my own street is a great example of how cyclists and
pedestrians have been marginalised. Urbanstaße, in the district of
Kreuzberg, was planned in the late 19</span><span style="color: black;"><sup>th</sup></span><span style="color: black;">
century. In its early configuration, a tram ran along the centre of
the street and wide outside lanes were shared by horse-drawn
vehicles, cyclists and a few motor vehicles. Not many cars were
parked on the street.</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black;"><b>Until roughly mid-20th century:</b> <i>Facade – garden – footway (sidewalk) – trees/planter –
multi-use street lane – double-tracked, centre-running trams
[streetcars] – multi-use street lane – trees/planter – footway
– garden – facade</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black;"><b>Today:</b> <i>Facade – footway – bike path – trees/planter – car
storage – motor-vehicle lane – motor-vehicle lane – narrow
centre divider – motor-vehicle lane – motor-vehicle lane – car
storage – trees/planter- bike path – footway – facade</i></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black;">By
the early 1960s the layout had changed, and it is still like this
today. Cyclists are now in the former pedestrian space and the
pedestrians are in the former garden area. The pedestrian and bike
areas are at the same level, so cyclists who need more space (for
instance to pass each other) ride in the pedestrian space. In recent
years cycling has increased significantly and this has put riders
perilously close to facades and doorways. Many riders go the wrong
way, and it seems most are unaware they are breaking the law. If
challenged, they say that “others do it” as a way of justifying
their own actions.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black;">This
is the worst of Berlin’s cycling mobility — it is at the expense
of pedestrians and other cyclists. The best way to describe it is
“cycle-colonisation”. In terms of infrastructure, the current
situation is a layout created over time and without much thought
towards anything but improving the flow of motor traffic. It
encourages and facilitates bad cycling behaviour. Bike trips in such
locations are low in quality and dangerous — or often simply
annoying for pedestrians. </span><span style="font-size: small;">S</span>uch<span style="color: black;">
car-friendly/people-ignorant street designs have led to an explosion
in the number of bike salmon, the term coined by NYC Bike Snob to
describe people who ride illegally against traffic. As the cycling
renaissance gathers pace, it is important to remember that one-way
streets created for cars, such as the main routes in Berlin on either
side of wide and fast streets, will suffer from an increasing number
of wrong-way cyclists. </span>
<br />
<span style="color: black;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFvaAkOe-FeIxij_kBs6l1s41HmxYzrqgLrU7jY7TcYR07eBklkhP6MrtcGELluwynyNBOQRCr2MyG6wqzRlciI6ooLtVrCXB7hWiIdwxh_xHKVW1zFU9dCaxgKNyt9v_thcajBufkmwk/s1600/comparisons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="768" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFvaAkOe-FeIxij_kBs6l1s41HmxYzrqgLrU7jY7TcYR07eBklkhP6MrtcGELluwynyNBOQRCr2MyG6wqzRlciI6ooLtVrCXB7hWiIdwxh_xHKVW1zFU9dCaxgKNyt9v_thcajBufkmwk/s640/comparisons.jpg" width="369" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Some examples of how authorities see who is actually cycling - From top to bottom: <a href="http://www.nationaler-radverkehrsplan.de/en/transferstelle/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Berlin</span></a> results strongly hints at ethnic origin and income level (e.g. central districts are wealthier); Bogota chart is nearly explicit about income level (e.g. Zona Chapinero is the Colombian capital's most exclusive district); <a href="http://www.fietsersbond.nl/over-fiets/fietsen-cijfers"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Netherlands</span></a> info is quite specific about ethnicity of both parents ("Autochtoten" means both or only parent born in NL). All three ignore gender (though other research from these authorities does not).</b></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black;"><b>So
who is cycling and who isn’t?</b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
Cycling
accounts for about 15% of journeys in Berlin, but that varies<span style="color: black;">
considerably by district, and is often dependent on residents’
income or ethnic or national background.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black;">Let's
look at two districts. Broadly speaking, Mitte is gentrified with
middle- and upper-class people of European origin. Neukölln is more
varied and is home to a high number of people of Turkish descent,
among others. It is middle- to working-class, except in the south,
outside the S-bahn ring road.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
Neuk<span style="color: black;">ö</span>lln
has a 12% cycling modal share, but just who is cycling? Is it men,
women or children, the better-off, those on average incomes or the
poor? In the northern part of this district, there are a<span style="color: black;">
high number of bike-happy newcomers from Europe and Canada/USA who
probably make up a sizeable proportion of the 12%. </span>
<br />
<span style="color: black;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black;">We
need to know what lies behind the figures. Is it Neukölln’s
terrible cycling infrastructure, or the social status that some
residents attach to car ownership? All of this needs to be taken into
account when quantifying bike use.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2mw8MZMLBAZOpjn7U5jRlUV2cAo56i_ktlFn_LQcwPe5kWN5zdNYq-g73jQ8Z05hqWFnLQFygh-5gjNp-oBKChnEX_mshl23DUJe7vJghNJOCbDtWwPgIk1oqo_B5jSMJnPTtX2z4zUE/s1600/Hater_1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2mw8MZMLBAZOpjn7U5jRlUV2cAo56i_ktlFn_LQcwPe5kWN5zdNYq-g73jQ8Z05hqWFnLQFygh-5gjNp-oBKChnEX_mshl23DUJe7vJghNJOCbDtWwPgIk1oqo_B5jSMJnPTtX2z4zUE/s320/Hater_1" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: x-small;"><b>Dr. Jekyll? ...</b></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<b>Who is
paying the penalty?</b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black;">I
spent weeks looking for a flat in Berlin before I moved here. It was
wonderful and initially liberating to be in a city with a fair number
of cyclists. I was generally on a bike myself — but that meant I
missed something significant. It was only when I was settled into my
new home and brought my old and frail dogs from Prague that I started
walking a lot. </span>
<br />
<span style="color: black;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black;">Once
on two feet rather than two wheels, I began to notice cyclists riding
without lights, not using a bell, going too fast or going the wrong
way. My impression is that Berlin is worse for this than other north
European cities. Even when I was walking the dogs in the right place
on the footway, I felt that we were threatened by cyclists. Walking
Prague with its low number of bikes felt safer than doing so in
cycle-happy Berlin.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black;">We’re
probably all familiar with poor behaviour by cyclists, but these
people were misbehaving for four reasons, all of which which feed on
the other: </span>
</div>
<ul>
<li><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black;">
Bad infrastructure — as described</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black;">
Antisocial behaviour — some cyclists and pedestrians
react badly because they are at the bottom of the pile due to poor
street design. It is also a reflection of Berlin itself: people here
respond in different ways to the freedoms they enjoy when compared
with the social disciplines expected elsewhere. </span>
</div>
</li>
<li><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black;">
Sharp sticks but soft carrots — cyclists who
misbehave can be fined, but enforcement is patchy. Most of the time
these riders are ignored by the police, and other street users
rarely speak out. There is no encouragement to behave better. </span>
</div>
</li>
<li><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black;">
Lack of training — few Germans over the age of 50
have had any cycle training in school. Likewise, many immigrants
have little experience of cycling in cities.</span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black;">The
four points combine to affect other street users, including other
cyclists. In my view such poor quality cycling should not be counted
or represented in in any publicised figure for cycling’s modal
share. </span>
<br />
<span style="color: black;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Pu737bcFyF88iFJgrVbeb7zllsaRDdceVWxUifZyLzky15xqqPzbjOtCAgutuBRaVH7L45_IV273HkcmkdzKo5FKuwgMfPkG3JLtXCXKcwDkDhxVM-hoqbSLkOlN2sekp6D-QsrUVS0/s1600/Hater_2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Pu737bcFyF88iFJgrVbeb7zllsaRDdceVWxUifZyLzky15xqqPzbjOtCAgutuBRaVH7L45_IV273HkcmkdzKo5FKuwgMfPkG3JLtXCXKcwDkDhxVM-hoqbSLkOlN2sekp6D-QsrUVS0/s320/Hater_2" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">... and Mr. Hyde? Grabs from a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLR3YA3DX90"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">promotion video</span></a> for "<i>Neber der Spur. Das Fahrradhasserbuch</i>" ("Off the Track. The Cycle Hater's Book", published in Germany in early 2011)</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-size: 15px;"> </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">, which suggests that normal, peaceful people become aggressive when they get on a bike.</span></b></div>
<span style="color: black;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
So what
about your city? <span style="color: black;">Most
people will not know how many people ride bikes. It probably only
matters to politicians at election time. On a personal level, what
counts is that you and your friends can cycle.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black;">Any
number for modal share is, therefore, abstract. Not all cities count
cyclists in the same way, even if they use the same mechanism.
Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Berlin, Waco — they are not on a racetrack
in adjoining lanes. </span>
<br />
<span style="color: black;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black;">The
numbers are bandied about by mayors and city councils and their
representatives. They use it for marketing. And experts pass the
figures on. </span>
<br />
<span style="color: black;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black;">Please
don’t get me wrong — Berlin does have a few great examples of
cycling infrastructure and education. Any hope of building on that
is, however, dashed by the public’s collective reaction to bad
cycling, usually expressed in the media. This backlash is too much
for politicians to address within a term or even three. </span>
<br />
<span style="color: black;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
But then
w<span style="color: black;">hy should cyclists expect
more? Germany is addicted to the car, though some deny it. Nearly
every cyclist stopped by police can point to a nearby driver doing
something worse [if just because of physics]. Our politicians need to work with city dwellers to
end the domination of the car and car culture. We have to remember
that many of today's drivers are tomorrow’s well-behaved cyclists,
and work out a way to manage that change. This is not some romantic
ideal, but a realistic view forged in the heat of the debate over the
energy shortages to come. </span>
<br />
<span style="color: black;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black;">We
need to be equipped to face the new reality — which will be with us
not too many years hence. To prepare for this there needs to be
significant investment in infrastructure and education, starting
immediately.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgei0QbWYoFkbqf8m6RA20Vn7IGNGCSzeJgfIvfFamUQScU-FlDbBnlQvJLbTWX18DPExX2IfsI8dJU3ZQUe32O9dluQyCRCeM3hDfiTr0pyBQTEBduKLpDqbLpxYCQv4pkFlZ5J8r7jDQ/s1600/Kampf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgei0QbWYoFkbqf8m6RA20Vn7IGNGCSzeJgfIvfFamUQScU-FlDbBnlQvJLbTWX18DPExX2IfsI8dJU3ZQUe32O9dluQyCRCeM3hDfiTr0pyBQTEBduKLpDqbLpxYCQv4pkFlZ5J8r7jDQ/s320/Kampf.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Berlin, summer 2011 - Sign reads "Fight the Aggressive Cyclists. Consideration Takes Priority on All Our Paths" <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/steffenz/5930446359/in/photostream/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Photo</span></a> by Steffen Zahn.</span></b></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">*****</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>For Part Two in this series, click <a href="http://greenideafactory.blogspot.com/2011/12/what-mayor-doesnt-always-tell-you-about_22.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">here</span></a>. </b><br />
<b><br /></b><br />
<b>In the coming days I will upload the intended boxouts/sidebars which further detail my arguments herein. Please join, follow or otherwise watch this space.... and have a safe and truly representative holiday!</b></div>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"> </span>
</div>Slow Factoryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12056080802746709323noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533690948683564037.post-46805915281947524192011-12-01T09:34:00.001+01:002011-12-28T23:18:00.169+01:00NYC: Haiku Hi-viz! Commissioners' Conflicting Missions?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Pk4-uk0V1zgf3Z8yjLbJ8kbs2uSFvzcOT6HWClVOshgeZ6dMWevdZCfBcxQlIoJ3K9q8rDi8UAicf-y6caWFbBZ9u-tlTRYqJmy29-uNJZRKTTKrTpJqvxCfgQEkEhhHNYOA3NcYYAc/s1600/pedestrian_flickr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Pk4-uk0V1zgf3Z8yjLbJ8kbs2uSFvzcOT6HWClVOshgeZ6dMWevdZCfBcxQlIoJ3K9q8rDi8UAicf-y6caWFbBZ9u-tlTRYqJmy29-uNJZRKTTKrTpJqvxCfgQEkEhhHNYOA3NcYYAc/s320/pedestrian_flickr.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Old skool messaging...?</b> The well-known(?) signage in Queens, NYC, by NYCDOT, 2007. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/joeshlabotnik/488140467/"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Photo</span></b> </a>by Joe Shlabotnik.</span></div>
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Foreword: <i>I lived in NYC from late 1996 until early 2000.</i> </div>
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<i>Since Occupy Wall Street began, I was curious to see if any organizations, publications or blogs etc in NYC or abroad focused on sustainable mobility and better streets, or at least the major ones, would show support or even comment on, amongst other things, the actions of New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg. The lack of mobility choices of many of the 99% is clearly connected with the policies of the 1%, and, after all, what good is a public space if you get attacked by the state for being in it?</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<i><b><a href="http://times-up.org/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Time's Up!</span></a> </b>in NYC did respond, as did J. H. Crawford of Carfree.com (the latter with a video "Occupy All Streets!" linked below). But as far as I can tell no other groups etc. did (tell me if I missed something). </i></div>
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<i>What is keeping these organizations quiet? I knew that - just to name one example - in 2009 the </i><b style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/news/story.jhtml?id=274400004"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Bloomberg Foundation donated 125 million dollars</span></a> </b><i>to a coalition including</i><b style="font-style: italic;"> <a href="http://www.embarq.org/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">EMBARQ</span></a></b><i>, and that within a year EMBARQ praised Bloomberg policy in a </i><a href="http://www.embarq.org/en/video/cities-focus-new-york-city" style="font-style: italic;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">video</span></b> </a><i>without mentioning this funding (and in the meantime a </i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><a href="http://draft.blogger.com/goog_1340697937"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span id="goog_1340697913"></span><span id="goog_1340697923"></span>deputy mayor of Bloomberg had been appointed to simultaneously head his charity</span></b><b style="font-style: italic;"><span id="goog_1340697924"></span></b></a></span><i><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/01/nyregion/01harris.html"><span id="goog_1340697914"></span> </a>(!).... and that, generally speaking, sustainable mobility professionals working in NGOs find it personally prudent to separate a friendly issue from a sticky one. At least a couple people told me privately to do this in my related blog comments, Tweeting and so on.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizWc9HWJ1DDU22NAl6QfAqiVxshtvlWrX72LLd1Ciq2KPM5TmoQ5xfhW7l8jE5ODEbtfA6kd6wFBVxjPUV1oXl4b8q0ar3P5V1pX47Q2DI0ZL9YktAxCDSNY-3hKaNx7RvxGyNsedtyTA/s1600/Skype.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="126" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizWc9HWJ1DDU22NAl6QfAqiVxshtvlWrX72LLd1Ciq2KPM5TmoQ5xfhW7l8jE5ODEbtfA6kd6wFBVxjPUV1oXl4b8q0ar3P5V1pX47Q2DI0ZL9YktAxCDSNY-3hKaNx7RvxGyNsedtyTA/s320/Skype.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>BUT I don't roll like that. For me it's about solidarity <b>and</b> sustainability. And I don't want to single out Bloomberg: As I write this the Portland police are evicting Occupy Portland - wonder how this affects the street cred - or whatever - of the mayor of that city famous for cycling (in the USA context.)</i></div>
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<i>Recently in my gentrifying neighbourhood in Berlin, I complained to a friend and neighbour - he is about 50 and has been active in local politics at a grassroots level and has lived in the same co-op since the 1980's - about all the anti-social cycling that happens in the somewhat traffic-calmed neighbourhood. He passively encourages it, and does not mind if the restored cobblestone pavements (sidewalks) are covered with trash.</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<i>He said "We made this neighbourhood so nice that we can't afford to stay in it."</i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
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<i>***</i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Gritting and gnashing my teeth as I leave aside gentrification (!), the <a href="http://www.nyclu.org/issues/racial-justice/stop-and-frisk-practices"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">"stop & frisk"</span></b></a> policy of the New York City Police Department, <a href="http://www.shelterreform.org/aboutus.html"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">lack of city support for animal shelters</span></b></a>, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWhmuUUeZKU">s<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">upport of the abusive carriage horse industry</span></b></a>, and, connected with Occupy Wall Street, the <a href="http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2011/11/2011111681642279467.html"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">destruction of a library</span></b></a> in public space, <a href="http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/11/15/reporters-say-police-denied-access-to-protest-site/"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">arrest and harassment of journalists</span></b></a> and <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZ05rWx1pig" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">pepper spraying of peaceful protesters </span></a><b>-- </b>all of<b> </b></span>which NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg is ultimately responsible for, I, like many, appreciate what the <a href="http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/home/home.shtml"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">NYC Department of Transportation</span></b></a> (NYCDOT) has recently done for surface transportation safety in NYC, as part of the goals of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlanNYC"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">PlanNYC</span></b></a>, created by the Bloomberg administration.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFjarYCFzc_T4Aki1V6cDn1YKmoYs-vRBTMZMPU09VZIh1030yRUG6erHY2ZgvSpDQ2iay-xzFdr1pEZWBagWaWayHc5wGhQSMtohFoSZt9zNOXorH3eDr9lVjoj-hJ2fIRmBbixRSIbE/s1600/Bloomberg_in_black.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFjarYCFzc_T4Aki1V6cDn1YKmoYs-vRBTMZMPU09VZIh1030yRUG6erHY2ZgvSpDQ2iay-xzFdr1pEZWBagWaWayHc5wGhQSMtohFoSZt9zNOXorH3eDr9lVjoj-hJ2fIRmBbixRSIbE/s320/Bloomberg_in_black.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Mike Bloomberg and his partner <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iNw-lgA9DQ"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Diana Taylor</span></b></a>, out for the evening, dressed in black. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/the-20-wealthiest-american-founders-2010-9?op=1"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Photo</span></b></a> from <i>Business Insider</i>.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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Separated bike paths, bike parking, bike share (depending on its yet un-named sponsor) ... good stuff. Bloomberg's "lieutenant" in charge of this, the NYC Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan, is popular for good reason. Her personal style is well known, too. She dresses in black,<i> like the night</i>, when riding a bike.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixiPN9sAhTqSvHPAM7K92fyWB1u3yKtZRZ7jZgI_eo0fmUpdZQtFoUtTOqLtDe70n-1Bx9t49mwrkjyuj7ieIa5qJTdcLkZGwZOOyaXkoVlRe_82NhtKTdHrDH8wMCPXWeDrGbj42hKck/s1600/JSK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixiPN9sAhTqSvHPAM7K92fyWB1u3yKtZRZ7jZgI_eo0fmUpdZQtFoUtTOqLtDe70n-1Bx9t49mwrkjyuj7ieIa5qJTdcLkZGwZOOyaXkoVlRe_82NhtKTdHrDH8wMCPXWeDrGbj42hKck/s320/JSK.jpg" width="193" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Curious if Sadik-Khan wants a <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chris531/5940622966/in/pool-472296@N25"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">bike with a proper, full chaincase</span></b></a> so she doesn't have to keep on begging people for extra rubber bands. <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/04/25/nyregion/spokes.html"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Photo</span></b></a> by Fred R. Conrad/NY Times.</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Last Tuesday NYCDOT introduced a new traffic safety awareness campaign. <a href="http://safestreetsfund.org.previewc40.carrierzone.com/510/curbside-haiku/"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">"Curbside Haiku"</span></b></a> is meant to "... <span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;">d</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">raw attention to the critical importance of shared responsibility among pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists in keeping New York City’s streets safe."</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaSonK4LOHyshHCdiaJlBbAZZHYMGbJLL4kyVwzdM__P0MsMW_Knn5U_h0Nk4SnvD7ucAVdC3A0_ylAw9L4_W5LVKFzJq-y3GIzGiYoPG8c06mE34TL3ZZzCDIE_9wzvzeaCnGL1EFmVw/s1600/Walks_in_beauty.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaSonK4LOHyshHCdiaJlBbAZZHYMGbJLL4kyVwzdM__P0MsMW_Knn5U_h0Nk4SnvD7ucAVdC3A0_ylAw9L4_W5LVKFzJq-y3GIzGiYoPG8c06mE34TL3ZZzCDIE_9wzvzeaCnGL1EFmVw/s320/Walks_in_beauty.png" width="256" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small; line-height: 16px;"><b>New skool messaging?</b></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">One of the signs - also a woman in black! The signs are small. Very small, so that they won't distract drivers, <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/transportation-chief-janette-sadik-khan-city-haiku-boost-street-safety-article-1.984327"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">says</span></b></a> Sadik-Khan in the <i>NY Daily News </i>(but then how does the "shared responsibility" of motorists get "attention"?).</span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">Indeed, why is the campaign focused on blaming the victims? It might be because the budget - sourced from drunk-driving fines - was so small that larger driver-focused signs were impossible budget-wise. It could be because this was not very long in planning, and the connection was simply a 2010 <i>New Yorker</i> mention of the artist John Morse's<a href="http://www.stardogstudio.com/roadside_haiku.html"> <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">earlier haiku work in Atlanta</span></b></a>. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">Why is the campaign biased towards owners of smart phones which can read the QR codes? Half of the images will be presented with a QR code only, but <a href="http://ask.metafilter.com/191344/How-many-smartphone-users-are-there-in-New-York-City"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">perhaps only 1/3 of people</span></b></a> walking and cycling in NYC have smart phones.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">And now a few more of the signs:</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><i>It is not clear if the intention is driver vs. pedestrian here, but if it is, comparing the aggression of a driver and a pedestrian is an absurd non-starter. An aggressive pedestrian might push and shove on the sidewalk, but what can they do (compared) to a driver, let alone a car? An "aggressive pedestrian" is most likely to be injured themselves, or possibly make a cyclist fall, but no chance of doing the same kind of damage as a driver.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">The blame the victim thing seems to be artist Morse's thing. In the anti-Sadik-Khan <i>New York Post</i> he says "... think about the fragility of your body. You're just a human. You're nothing against these cars. Poetry underscores the harshness of this reality. That's why it has this power." </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">This is strange because the NYCDOT seems to recognize this. It is why separated bike paths - the best insurance against cyclist injury and death in a city (and world) where most people are still not prepared to stay or be <a href="http://vimeo.com/32922989"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">carfree</span></b></a> - are being built in NYC. This makes me think that NYCDOT is confused about how it wants to handle this "power". </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><i>Well, Ms. Sadik-Khan, if the bike lane is this dangerous why is it not a separated bike path?</i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">You may have noticed the partners of NYCDOT in "Streetside Haiku". The <b><a href="http://safestreetsfund.org/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Safe Streets Fund</span> </a></b>includes both the Toyota Foundation and the American Automobile Association of NY. While these groups have every right to be involved with driver behaviour, I am not surprised that they support this partial pedestrian and cyclist victim-blaming action. They also support the NYCDOT's free helmet programme, which uses statistics on helmet safety - e.g. <a href="http://safestreetsfund.org/program-areas/bicycle-safety/"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">"Wearing a [...] helmet reduces the risk of serious head injuries by 80%..."</span></b></a> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">which <a href="http://draft.blogger.com/"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span id="goog_1340697974"></span>I believe are quite exaggerated</span></b></a>, and then tosses out hyperbole like "...helmets are a good idea for cyclists of all ages..." while - I am sure - never telling parents something like what is in the <a href="http://greenideafactory.blogspot.com/2011/03/dont-we-want-honest-labels-on-helmets.html"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">proposed label at the bottom of this advert</span></b></a>.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">Confusion <i>within</i> NYCDOT communications, while possibly <a href="http://www.streetsblog.org/2011/04/21/dont-be-a-jerk-the-wrong-message-at-the-wrong-time/"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">chronic</span></b></a>, is perhaps nothing compared to how its gains in subjective (real) and objective safety are at least partly offset by the dangerously passive behaviour in regards to safety by the NYPD. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUqee2LZBmCpvBhyj_az5XXo_HQGXTH_s0omhW65Dzw16sI4X3biWyReS8c3z31OAIGydLK7yxstAQqzrMHoTKAiNKWfbe8aumvKHRvQfbkwSAQ8V98N1An_hfvH_FTlSWWftJKx7L6ls/s1600/Streetsblog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUqee2LZBmCpvBhyj_az5XXo_HQGXTH_s0omhW65Dzw16sI4X3biWyReS8c3z31OAIGydLK7yxstAQqzrMHoTKAiNKWfbe8aumvKHRvQfbkwSAQ8V98N1An_hfvH_FTlSWWftJKx7L6ls/s320/Streetsblog.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">The situation is now being investigated by <a href="http://transalt.org/newsroom/releases/5533"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Transportation Alternatives</span></b></a> (TA). On Tuesday it "... delivered over 2,500 citizen letters to NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly demanding that the NYPD crack down on dangerous driving, and announced a comprehensive probe into how the department handles traffic crash investigations." The press conference video is <a href="http://www.streetsblog.org/2011/11/30/transportation-alternatives-launches-probe-into-nypd-crash-investigations/"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">here</span></b></a>.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">Stop & frisk is also, obviously, anti-freedom, so it works against the freedom increased by public squares and bicycle infrastructure. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFr3492hOzveCLE3cYr1LBuVyv7O7Cn6LSKc403_UJAj0rBsCdkd_PcxF8dQC8JVpKjsPy8ltHhY7zxj_ji4smMvQ4D9tqo8MDNiHq85wgx4T_12myCSZPvjeORUoWKy6Y-nz_Wf-VqjM/s1600/raymond-kelly-nypd+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFr3492hOzveCLE3cYr1LBuVyv7O7Cn6LSKc403_UJAj0rBsCdkd_PcxF8dQC8JVpKjsPy8ltHhY7zxj_ji4smMvQ4D9tqo8MDNiHq85wgx4T_12myCSZPvjeORUoWKy6Y-nz_Wf-VqjM/s1600/raymond-kelly-nypd+1.png" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Another Bloomberg "lieutenant", Ray Kelly, in black! He is also <a href="http://www.alternet.org/newsandviews/article/741641/student_protester_surprises_nypd_commissioner_with_police_brutality_slideshow"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">quite popular</span></b></a>. <a href="http://www.politickerny.com/2011/11/30/mayor-bloomberg-i-have-my-own-army-11-30-11/"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Some say</span></b></a> he is a kind of general to Bloomberg's commander-in-chief. <a href="http://broodingcynyx.blogspot.com/2009/11/9-11-terrorists-will-finally-face.html"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Photo</span></b></a> from <i>Brooding Cynyx</i>.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">The <i>NY Daily News </i><a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/transportation-chief-janette-sadik-khan-city-haiku-boost-street-safety-article-1.984327"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">story</span></b></a> mentioned above reported that TA responded to the NYCDOT haiku action with:</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><i>Safe street designs. check,</i></span></span></div>
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<i>But where is the enforcement?</i></div>
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<i>It's your turn, police.</i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">In the same vein, <a href="http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/11/29/seventeen-syllable-safety-warning-signs/"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">coverage</span></b></a> in <i>The New York Time</i>s "City Room" blog<i style="font-weight: bold;">,</i> comments were - by request - in the form of haiku. The most popular, by Steve in Brooklyn:</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><i>Drivers kill and maim</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><i>Hundreds die every year</i></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><i>Police ticket bikes</i></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><i>***</i></span></span></div>
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As you can see above Bloomberg (and his partner) plus his two commissioners most directly responsible for safety of NYC's surface transportation wear black often and very likely at night. They - like anyone - should feel free to do so. NYC - and all - drivers following <a href="http://www.good.is/post/slow-zones-hinder-cars-help-everyone-else/"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">reasonable speed limits</span></b></a> should be able to see them. If they cannot see them, it is because they are driving too fast (and that the street might have too fast a speed limit or other designs which prioritize motorized traffic flow over everything else).</div>
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To be fair to the artist Mr. Morse (and NYCDOT), they did do one image and haiku I really like. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9xDNLa6hfzwb21BpqDjpo4FDo2Lpy46xwrxBpRvR7wFMsrSEH0W7NihSAhM6ng0NHEbJmwVY8cRsYKuyTwfU2V2ONhdDuje81ahg5piHcoWSHH6mzS7bXmoM2psEYIcrvXKEZu8smJSw/s1600/imagine.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9xDNLa6hfzwb21BpqDjpo4FDo2Lpy46xwrxBpRvR7wFMsrSEH0W7NihSAhM6ng0NHEbJmwVY8cRsYKuyTwfU2V2ONhdDuje81ahg5piHcoWSHH6mzS7bXmoM2psEYIcrvXKEZu8smJSw/s320/imagine.png" width="257" /></a></div>Slow Factoryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12056080802746709323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533690948683564037.post-37417083618228759812011-10-31T15:36:00.000+01:002012-01-08T22:31:49.026+01:00Everyone is wearing a helmet, even if they aren't! Two Contests from Nutcase Helmets!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwb03FqWeccrYpHj0t12jqOHwWOph46feJ-8bFQmHEF35UrjvpnhBdCQcsRasuiBB86k8V_AxKWxb5Qb5eL3mSFts7NE9v8Q6U8TWIN6knbgrFs4WgrOwbsjRnR4XZEGks2c48kb274z4/s1600/Nutcase_Helmets_Street_Vanilla_Sky_72_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwb03FqWeccrYpHj0t12jqOHwWOph46feJ-8bFQmHEF35UrjvpnhBdCQcsRasuiBB86k8V_AxKWxb5Qb5eL3mSFts7NE9v8Q6U8TWIN6knbgrFs4WgrOwbsjRnR4XZEGks2c48kb274z4/s320/Nutcase_Helmets_Street_Vanilla_Sky_72_1.jpg" width="290" /></a></div>
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To celebrate the <a href="http://bikeportland.org/2011/10/28/bta-releases-helmet-policy-survey-results-61225"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">change in position on mandatory helmet laws</span></b></a> from <b><a href="http://btaoregon.org/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Bicycle Transportation Alliance</span></a> </b>(BTA), in Oregon, USA, <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cjb22222222/3618581043/"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Nutcase Helmets</span></b></a> is holding two contests! </div>
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As the BTA will start to phase out photos of riders not wearing helmets in all publicity materials. BTA Executive Director <a href="http://seeker401.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/mac-ad-1984.jpg"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Rob Sadowsky</span></b></a> said <a href="http://blog.oregonlive.com/commuting/2011/10/portlands_bicycle_transportati.html"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">"We've traditionally showcased people with and without helmets. In the future, it will only be riders with helmets."</span></b></a></div>
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<b>PHOTOGRAPHY CONTEST</b></div>
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People should send in a digital photo of themselves wearing a Nutcase Helmet. There
have to be other - and only - helmeted cyclists in the photo. Whoever
has the most helmeted cyclists in a photo wins the contest, and for
every photo we receive with more than 10 helmeted cyclists Nutcase will give BTA
100 dollars. Also, it is okay to use <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMqS-_Ulzo4ScQt9iNrJbvUDfKJfpDUfQwNdryueOA5cA1R339q913gh31OnQrSp4Db3RhubzkSzzKSNaIK29mnzMZXgCnjXsND61bgDv_yRzCVG3Pc3UlHqzAxEVGoqywOb-aQ5ODKUO1/s1600/photoshopRous2a+-+Kopie.jpg"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Photoshop</span></a>*</span></b>.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><b>*<a href="http://www.copenhagenize.com/2010/03/good-news-from-over-there.html">http://www.copenhagenize.com/2010/03/good-news-from-over-there.html</a></b></span></div>
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<b>SLOGAN CONTEST</b></div>
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This requires a bit of explanation: Scientific research provided the impetus for Nutcase's well-known slogan <a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/4b/Hitler%27sbrain.jpg"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">"I Love My Brain"</span></b></a>. We found out that people - not just cyclists - who do not wear helmets are self-hating, and that their most vicious malice is reserved for their "grey matter". This slogan has served us well by creating divisiveness among lovers and friends -- and we are proud that the magazines we place advertising in and retail outlets which sell our product don't seem to notice that! But we think it may be time for a new slogan to put on our helmets. </div>
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There will be two categories: Short slogans and long slogans. Short slogans have to be six words or less. The long ones will not be on the helmets themselves; they will be represented by/linked from a QR code that will be on the outside of every Nutcase Helmet starting in 2012. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsMyZD31ESNZgB70oScQC9ouMvHvvOXnz7RbRomtPKuBMKrphM3PkMNUscJa__3DhiF0x4xUWmlvbdHTi2b6Dae3opHQHHPvTl0PuAan_aFi24onWkG2rnrZ45GXvK6V_etxHL5Je-4Bs/s1600/Nutcase_Helmets_Street_Vanilla_Sky_72_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsMyZD31ESNZgB70oScQC9ouMvHvvOXnz7RbRomtPKuBMKrphM3PkMNUscJa__3DhiF0x4xUWmlvbdHTi2b6Dae3opHQHHPvTl0PuAan_aFi24onWkG2rnrZ45GXvK6V_etxHL5Je-4Bs/s200/Nutcase_Helmets_Street_Vanilla_Sky_72_2.jpg" width="181" /></a></div>
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<i>Here are some examples of slogans created by our staff:</i></div>
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<b>Short slogans: </b></div>
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"Helmet-Wearers Think"</div>
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"Real Cyclists Wear Helmets"</div>
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"This Is Not Amsterdam"</div>
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"I Am Scared Of Spiders"</div>
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<b>Long slogans:</b></div>
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"In the Netherlands, nearly 100% of cyclists killed on the roads aren't wearing helmets!"</div>
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"In modern professional cycle racing, nearly 100% of cyclists killed are wearing helmets."</div>
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<b>Rejected slogans </b>(staff-members were terminated<b>, <a href="http://greenideafactory.blogspot.com/2011/03/dont-we-want-honest-labels-on-helmets.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">also for other activities</span></a>):</b></div>
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<a href="http://cyclehelmets.org/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><b>"Think Rationally About Risk"</b></span></a></div>
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"I Love My Driving Helmet"**</div>
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<a href="http://hembrow.blogspot.com/search/label/helmets"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><b>"Safety Through Infrastructure, Not Armour."</b></span></a></div>
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"Proud Victim of Fear Mongering." </div>
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See the <b><a href="http://cache0.bigcartel.com/product_images/30453687/DSC00005.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Nutcase Helmets</span></a> </b>website for more info.</div>
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<a href="http://www.copenhagenize.com/2009/05/motoring-helmets-for-real-high-risk.html"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-size: x-small;">** Driving is safe</span></b></a></div>
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<a href="http://greenideafactory.blogspot.com/search?q=helmet"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Slow Factory</span></b></a> is a proud partner of this initiative for safety and hopes to see you in <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/No-mandatory-bike-helmets-at-Velo-city-Global-2012-in-Vancouver/165806686776077"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Vancouver for Velo-city in 2012!</span></b></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-size: x-small;"><b><br /></b></span></div>Slow Factoryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12056080802746709323noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533690948683564037.post-73194862690466641072011-08-01T19:05:00.005+02:002011-08-02T05:10:58.828+02:00How Do We Please the "American" God of Bike Helmet Compulsion?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv5MyWaSM3DYv6HHdBeeT6JhzuN8gHKROwuqW6jzO97hNFZHIMwvO2K1bgvHKteTHKUZF-2rhrxu9WMxbUBzsjYSPdvVF9HdpRbcgxNS8RMO2pQzXwGtJRt0C3IiIZFDG4ilEd0LGW9Zo/s1600/capital.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv5MyWaSM3DYv6HHdBeeT6JhzuN8gHKROwuqW6jzO97hNFZHIMwvO2K1bgvHKteTHKUZF-2rhrxu9WMxbUBzsjYSPdvVF9HdpRbcgxNS8RMO2pQzXwGtJRt0C3IiIZFDG4ilEd0LGW9Zo/s320/capital.png" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">From <a href="http://capitalbikeshare.com/"><b>Capital Bikeshare</b></a> in Washington D.C. Helmet imagery everywhere is bad enough, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">but showing bad fitting is pathetic (and I told them directly and indirectly many times about this photo).</span></div>
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You would think that they (Alta Bicycle Share, various govt. officials with the honourable and good intentions of implementing bike share, etc.) would have learned (a lesson in/their lesson in) <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/helmet-law-makes-nonsense-of-bike-hire-scheme-20100722-10my2.html"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Melbourne</span></b></a>.</div>
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<a href="https://capitalbikeshare.com/signup"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Capital Bikeshare</span></b></a> in Washington D.C. is bad enough, seemingly not strictly requiring helmets but limiting liability of the operator if injuries are incurred by helmet-less users (helmets are not required under D.C. law for people old enough to use the bikes) See Section 26 of User Agreement in the previous link and their <a href="http://capitalbikeshare.com/safety" style="color: #444444; font-weight: bold;">Safety Page.</a><b style="color: #444444;"> </b>(This programme is partly funded by taxpayers; one wonders why people who ride collective public transport in D.C. do not have to sign a safety pledge about e.g. proper foot attire.)</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>Sadly, with the new bike share system in another USA right-coast <a href="http://www.wbur.org/2011/07/29/hubway-bike-share-boston">city</a> which opened last week, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><a href="http://www.thehubway.com/faq#_Do_I_have">it gets worse.</a></span></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span">NYC's bike share operator may be decided <a href="http://transportationnation.org/2011/07/11/new-york-expected-to-select-bike-share-vendor-by-next-month/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><b>this month</b></span></a>. Whoever the winner, given the high amount of helmet-wearing there, endorsement of helmets by Janette Sadik-Khan and <a href="http://bikingrules.org/rules/streetcode"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><b>Transportation Alternatives</b></span></a>, and general victory of the "Everything is Good" Committee, I would not be surprised if the rules there also mandate helmets.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/No-mandatory-bike-helmets-at-Velo-city-Global-2012-in-Vancouver/165806686776077"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Draw a Line in the (left-coast Canadian) Sand against Helmetism</span></b></a> at Velo-city Global 2012 in Vancouver!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span"><i>Update - 9:44pm: @BrooklynSpoke Tweeted earlier this evening: "I don't think they will enforce helmet use. Seems like a way for Hubway to cover itself against litigious Americans." - </i>This is clearly the case, but - as I mentioned above - why does collective PT not have the same conditions, and how about just using the pavement (sidewalk)? Compulsion is compulsion.</span></div>
Slow Factoryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12056080802746709323noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533690948683564037.post-60296932106190220432011-07-30T14:28:00.004+02:002011-07-30T14:30:06.632+02:00When someone yells at you from their car...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiAJKof0FC53Ow_0vHYbQ5JKum_AERuZzpB2ichEeuGsieo2zBfaL4Q_glWQkm5kcntsFNyo_vXtlNH7szU2fNbeE1mQBkC6Qnsa8sM6ZMuSZWfyL1h5dDK-I-Va5BnBkqKjFDtG_ydCA/s1600/254368_10150218309101545_540186544_7373671_2975729_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiAJKof0FC53Ow_0vHYbQ5JKum_AERuZzpB2ichEeuGsieo2zBfaL4Q_glWQkm5kcntsFNyo_vXtlNH7szU2fNbeE1mQBkC6Qnsa8sM6ZMuSZWfyL1h5dDK-I-Va5BnBkqKjFDtG_ydCA/s320/254368_10150218309101545_540186544_7373671_2975729_n.jpg" width="285" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">from <a href="http://www.notquitewrong.com/rosscottinc/">System Comic</a>.</span></div>
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This post inspired by <a href="http://www.bakfiets-en-meer.nl/2011/07/11/road-rage-in-holland"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">"Road Rage in Holland?"</span></b></a> on Workcycles's Bakfiets-en-Meer blog.</div>
Slow Factoryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12056080802746709323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533690948683564037.post-61896203475187022422011-07-14T10:48:00.008+02:002011-07-14T12:04:57.602+02:00Carmageddon!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX1Mn27JHxIDQyAKVM3jIpOM2KZVNUw4Ia0E2dl1K53c5X51iK-LzvN-UMkuSOniMmEGTMqOcGDdfK5V4nSIs5VBN2YcURdKcL_RxqyewdN0B7iJr4ZUJ_O2oyWcnr4Ec-75sBT-HVqjU/s1600/COV_EarthquakeMoviePosterIm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX1Mn27JHxIDQyAKVM3jIpOM2KZVNUw4Ia0E2dl1K53c5X51iK-LzvN-UMkuSOniMmEGTMqOcGDdfK5V4nSIs5VBN2YcURdKcL_RxqyewdN0B7iJr4ZUJ_O2oyWcnr4Ec-75sBT-HVqjU/s320/COV_EarthquakeMoviePosterIm.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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In <i><a href="http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles del Río de Porciúncula</span></b></a> </i>this upcoming weekend is something filling the brains of USA drivers (and their dependants) - with the possible exception of some New Yorkers and San Franciscans - with total horror but which I hope is making many others around the world laugh out loud: Carmageddon!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyB7PCKzpCxfaZ583Ax2cJ-VQuve08JgQI2XITxTzg8A4_wTggbzaNaxrey8ET8z-eaJ5wY3o3qRye7bDUvTLTuW0VEJAmGwv0ro_0_vOTylyzvMrMin3muica3DaH8gXsuH3HTbPVHXI/s1600/CityHallWoW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyB7PCKzpCxfaZ583Ax2cJ-VQuve08JgQI2XITxTzg8A4_wTggbzaNaxrey8ET8z-eaJ5wY3o3qRye7bDUvTLTuW0VEJAmGwv0ro_0_vOTylyzvMrMin3muica3DaH8gXsuH3HTbPVHXI/s1600/CityHallWoW.jpg" /></a></div>
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A three-day closure of an important rubber-tyred road vehicle link in Los Angeles. Sigh. I am from the West San Fernando Valley (what was once Owensmouth, then Canoga Park and now West Hills) and from before birth until around age 17 was driven over the hill - along with my older brother - between the Valley and West L.A. thousands of times.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc6_tmmbH713Hgs6pTUwyVgieOk3uqYME0rCub2apYQ6aT0T-uaKMKJz5o2b5DtXn1lmvFUIGjsBrNEyDiYJHgJ3h6nH9PiliEUY6zmB0Vg2VXtIRw3oYcpsIwqfmQ2r9_ghrQhHk4V50/s1600/EarthquakePosterW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc6_tmmbH713Hgs6pTUwyVgieOk3uqYME0rCub2apYQ6aT0T-uaKMKJz5o2b5DtXn1lmvFUIGjsBrNEyDiYJHgJ3h6nH9PiliEUY6zmB0Vg2VXtIRw3oYcpsIwqfmQ2r9_ghrQhHk4V50/s1600/EarthquakePosterW.jpg" /></a></div>
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First from my house to the maternal grandparents or the paternal grandma, then also to my dad's after the divorce, then - after a move - from my dad's to where my mom later moved closer to the Sepulveda Pass, which is what the San Diego "Freeway" - or 405 - goes through between these two main parts of L.A..</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2XWt7gK5d_c1q8bZOijWPVloZatHiz6ub8Mkzt2umKo0FkQM5srhXL9CZC8o_V5556x6wG2lLpZIgv0geAFL31v4Ot0h5JkPRYuAfQsvcunr_yherlMdrFAXcXCZ0NyTCjLfZGj1L1ng/s1600/World-Invasion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2XWt7gK5d_c1q8bZOijWPVloZatHiz6ub8Mkzt2umKo0FkQM5srhXL9CZC8o_V5556x6wG2lLpZIgv0geAFL31v4Ot0h5JkPRYuAfQsvcunr_yherlMdrFAXcXCZ0NyTCjLfZGj1L1ng/s320/World-Invasion.jpg" width="263" /></a></div>
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This was the real horror. Back and forth. Back and forth. Back and forth. My mother would come pick us up or my dad would drop us off almost every weekend. This is not quality time. Sitting. Sitting. Sitting. Stuck in traffic. Ugly. Ugliness. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRNJPucfRkBdqkIguCydSFZixu2K0iOCjr3Cv_nkU48jqThg_eEhIGzN-k1e4sxTSeKLTXPHmOTdFVqV1hfE9WjoUi50ITgPUXV3ypQAQ7jX9goSLd9ASf7VtBVhRymy9QYtUfz5VrbR4/s1600/1941.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRNJPucfRkBdqkIguCydSFZixu2K0iOCjr3Cv_nkU48jqThg_eEhIGzN-k1e4sxTSeKLTXPHmOTdFVqV1hfE9WjoUi50ITgPUXV3ypQAQ7jX9goSLd9ASf7VtBVhRymy9QYtUfz5VrbR4/s320/1941.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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How nice it would have been to go by public transportation. If I remember correctly, my father told me remembers seeing a L.A. streetcar arrive from the Valley with snow on its roof in the pre-Freeway days, must have in the late 1940's.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4HjUdXp1JJujvtvc0mmw5L7HoraYGeeFcLee0OnR3zxV9mrxqwjFJdnp2YN_FEOm_dZMMKV1iBMTIj7TLMiqucmKzrm0pnkK2KiJ9L6ylTpft20z0yXg5KHnkk4PYlfp4jtV3NBdfpYs/s1600/SBB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4HjUdXp1JJujvtvc0mmw5L7HoraYGeeFcLee0OnR3zxV9mrxqwjFJdnp2YN_FEOm_dZMMKV1iBMTIj7TLMiqucmKzrm0pnkK2KiJ9L6ylTpft20z0yXg5KHnkk4PYlfp4jtV3NBdfpYs/s320/SBB.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">http://sbb.filepool.ch</span></div>
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Yes... wonderful to do something a bit more constructive than sit strapped up over the years on the red vinyl seats of my mom's Volvo, the gray fabric seats of my father's Volvo, the synthetic something or other seats of my mom's Oldsmobile, and some VW's, a Ford, a Chevy plus whatever my grandfather drove.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIYFQfGdsOP96XhCuDIn9u2RFR9VYoIQ_NaAD94x_imh999osePUg8rDyeQdYdfUlQpf96-HyrF2IA1K1AEHAmkq68MZmcVVWVrQIV6tstR0ns-aoGSzZQU7U1-G_Pnt3Jv-AG64EAqDw/s1600/family_coach_SBB_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIYFQfGdsOP96XhCuDIn9u2RFR9VYoIQ_NaAD94x_imh999osePUg8rDyeQdYdfUlQpf96-HyrF2IA1K1AEHAmkq68MZmcVVWVrQIV6tstR0ns-aoGSzZQU7U1-G_Pnt3Jv-AG64EAqDw/s320/family_coach_SBB_2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">http://sbb.filepool.ch</span></div>
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The great news is that after this final stage of construction the new regional railway vehicles over the Pass will have playrooms for children, similar to above. </div>
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And then I woke up to <a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/local/carmageddon/"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">reality</span></b></a>.</div>
Slow Factoryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12056080802746709323noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533690948683564037.post-46989464538223621852011-06-19T17:08:00.008+02:002011-06-22T22:47:54.203+02:00SkirtGate & What happens at a Cycle Chic Bloggers' Conference?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifb5fVkv_lnCV1ljJ2v1CeOuDvLWwfS7jf4xxQs2I-dWA1I7irdvvETFI7etIIHpV2qvu8Z-VvNLqKWlI6ieO_-sdCoXM_L1YijTenchhl8xMTepMbXR72CFs89JyX5bbBBEGJEur0Rc8/s1600/Cycle_Chic_Logos_1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifb5fVkv_lnCV1ljJ2v1CeOuDvLWwfS7jf4xxQs2I-dWA1I7irdvvETFI7etIIHpV2qvu8Z-VvNLqKWlI6ieO_-sdCoXM_L1YijTenchhl8xMTepMbXR72CFs89JyX5bbBBEGJEur0Rc8/s1600/Cycle_Chic_Logos_1.png" /></a></div>
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Last things first. <a href="http://www.facebook.com/notes/mikael-colville-andersen/cycle-chic-bloggers-conference/217667904934791"><b><span style="color: #444444;">This guy</span></b></a> seemed to have written that it was invite-only, but that was probably just cheekiness and then I DID receive a Facebook invite from a <a href="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=838489195"><b><span style="color: #444444;">Catalonian</span></b></a>. I did not go and am wondering what happened. We should know soon enough through the regular channels but here are my guesses:</div>
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* Building on their <a href="http://www.copenhagencyclechic.com/2008/04/cycle-chic-manifesto.html"><b><span style="color: #444444;">Manifesto</span></b></a>, deciding punishments for activities such as illegal use of the trademarked Cycle Chic name and typeface;<br />
* Teaching newbie <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gdy_hrMOf6A"><b><span style="color: #444444;">Cycle Chiclets</span></b></a> and the male version, <a href="http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/6483/deltaa.jpg"><b><span style="color: #444444;">Chucklets</span></b></a>, about why identifying as a "cyclist" is a no-no but proclaiming that one is a "citizen cyclist" should be encouraged;<br />
* Deciding on the minimum-quality body suitable for pixelation;<br />
* Establishing rules on only photographing women on bikes from behind.<br />
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I am sure the story of Jasmijn Rijcken - the<b> <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/bike-blog/2011/jun/15/cycling-skirt-motoring-hazard"><span style="color: #444444;">short-skirted Dutch woman on a bike stopped by a cop in NYC</span></a></b> - came up repeatedly. As various people from this non-sub-culture proclaimed this</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq47M-cgN0osj7vz3gT42hlLPoRIKa48UUrP2lUuBKdMT2QawGJExBv0Y8vP0qsQ9pfdoh2eISHaAbDMr-yGRezBiEfjyQsg9PfUIXNaaI32UH4D7pthQi5CHAdE9EhnDNd7-brpl8bqQ/s1600/Puritan.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="124" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq47M-cgN0osj7vz3gT42hlLPoRIKa48UUrP2lUuBKdMT2QawGJExBv0Y8vP0qsQ9pfdoh2eISHaAbDMr-yGRezBiEfjyQsg9PfUIXNaaI32UH4D7pthQi5CHAdE9EhnDNd7-brpl8bqQ/s320/Puritan.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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"Puritanism", and, more specifically....<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4rCXnJp861pPcpfC4o1u4A723tnu7Tv3_6DZQ6xX2s0p6x8XRmHXDO2wRuHIUZlcfKoiBZo0UYGltXrybucIQlsDaaTxZQE529Xz7mpPXGmX6-LyBdkpn9LgaN6TrsBGctw84LSk_ci0/s1600/Taliban.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4rCXnJp861pPcpfC4o1u4A723tnu7Tv3_6DZQ6xX2s0p6x8XRmHXDO2wRuHIUZlcfKoiBZo0UYGltXrybucIQlsDaaTxZQE529Xz7mpPXGmX6-LyBdkpn9LgaN6TrsBGctw84LSk_ci0/s1600/Taliban.png" /></a></div>
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... called the cop <a href="http://www.copenhagencyclechic.com/2011/06/short-skirts-on-bicycles-protest-in-new.html"><b><span style="color: #444444;">"Taliban-esque"</span></b></a>, I would guess that they are planning a short-skirt flash mob Citizen Cyclist tour in villages in the mountains of Afghanistan and Pakistan. Or indeed in <a href="http://www.streetsblog.org/2011/06/10/saudi-arabia-on-the-hudson-nypd-officer-stopped-cyclist-for-wearing-skirt/comment-page-1/"><span style="color: #444444;"><b>Saudi Arabia</b></span></a>. I wish them luck with that.</div>
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But seriously....<br />
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In a follow-up to the Streetsblog entry mentioning Saudi Arabia, there is a discussion of this was a hoax or not -- some kind of viral marketing. In this <a href="http://www.streetsblog.org/2011/06/14/a-long-explanation-of-why-the-biking-while-sexy-story-is-no-hoax/"><b><span style="color: #444444;">entry</span></b></a> Noah Kazis concludes that there is not, but others - sorry, no reference for it - think it is. Perhaps the truth lies somewhere in between: Rijcken was cycling innocently as pictured, did get harassed by some primitive, sexist police officer and then only later on did she and colleagues decide to make the most out of it.</div>
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There are plenty of difficult barriers for women to do any kind of cycling, and fashion - whether individual, or branded, globalized and trademarked - should not be another one. Cycle Chic (TM) and cycle chic are both great and fun, but my suggestion for the people involved in e.g. a <a href="http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=178399668883814"><span style="color: #444444;"><b>related solidarity ride</b></span></a> is to not just look in the mirror, but consider more good ways to use their wheeled, sartorial power to re-clothe the actual city streets in a fashion that directly addresses the needs of all women, or everyone.</div>
Slow Factoryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12056080802746709323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533690948683564037.post-9865574114643082422011-05-11T23:39:00.001+02:002011-05-14T08:18:31.676+02:00The Ultimate Bike Helmet-related Letter to the Editor<div align="justify"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGGlwys_-gCI2bc_iywncHhlamBC-GVlgQZOjJh4osJMDYl01OMPqSyhlZGZpKb5FUZAL18MjbelJzefxI9d2xIkkzQ6nKUQIe9S9KTsSo3vtYD4vKIf8mfANaxVbphmzD-BorWmSLI0s/s1600/HelmetdebateMomentum.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGGlwys_-gCI2bc_iywncHhlamBC-GVlgQZOjJh4osJMDYl01OMPqSyhlZGZpKb5FUZAL18MjbelJzefxI9d2xIkkzQ6nKUQIe9S9KTsSo3vtYD4vKIf8mfANaxVbphmzD-BorWmSLI0s/s320/HelmetdebateMomentum.png" width="352" /></a></div><br /><i>OK, just kidding (sort of). The </i><b><i><a href="http://www.momentum-digitalmag.com/"><span style="color:#444444;">May/June 2011 Momentum</span></a></i></b><span style="color:#444444;"><b><i> </i></b></span><i>magazine features "The Helmet Debate" by Elly Blue (four pages long), as well as two bike helmet buying guides, a separate short helmet review, a full-page helmet ad, a contest with a helmet as a prize, lots of nice photos of both helmeted and unhelmeted cyclists and also several letters regarding helmets, which were submitted in response to a request in the March/April issue. They printed/posted a short letter of mine. Following is the longer version from which it was excerpted (I sent it at the end of March and tonight I added some additional paragraphs).</i><br /><br />Dear Editor,</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">Very detailed information related to your question of mandatory cycling helmets has been done by the <a href="http://cyclehelmets.org/"><span style="color:#444444;"><b>Bicycle Helmet Research Foundation</b></span></a><http: org="">. Beyond that, I am quite interested in the imagery of helmetism, i.e. how promotion and compulsion of cycling helmets are, perhaps, closer cousins then we think:<br /></http:><br /><http: org="">To start, nearly all urban cycling promotion organizations suggest that helmets are safer and implying or explicitly state that you are smart to wear one. This includes both the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition and Transportation Alternatives (NYC), the latter with their <a href="http://bikingrules.org/rules/streetcode"><b><span style="color:#444444;">Biking Rules</span></b></a> <http: org="" rules="" streetcode="">project, which irritatingly conflates their recommendations of helmets with laws for cycling. An exception is C.I.C.L.E, from Los Angeles, which had what I would call a</http:></http:><b><span style="color:#444444;"><http: org=""><http: org="" rules="" streetcode=""> </http:></http:></span></b><b><http: org=""><http: org="" rules="" streetcode=""><a href="http://www.cicle.org/bike_now/helmets.php"><span style="color:#444444;">very pro-choice helmets page</span></a></http:></http:></b><http: org=""><http: org="" rules="" streetcode=""><http: bike_now="" php="" org="">, with simple, objective information and links (including to the Bicycle Helmet Research Foundation).</http:></http:></http:> (Just added: That link is dead now, the C.I.C.L.E. website is in the midst of a re-design and the only new helmet link is typical of most other bike orgs. Will update if it changes back. Sigh).<br /><br /><http: org=""><http: org="" rules="" streetcode=""><http: bike_now="" php="" org="">Consider that most of the other local organization's publications and websites have helmet imagery which might support the view of the organization which created the page but often does not reflect the real helmet-wearing rate in their area and this is worse if the photos are more general, i.e. of how cycling looks in the city they work in.<br /></http:></http:></http:><br /><http: org=""><http: org="" rules="" streetcode=""><http: bike_now="" php="" org="">I believe a good solution for that would be to determine roughly what helmet-wearing rates are and pick and commission photos of helmeted and unhelmeted cyclists to accurately reflect that.<br /></http:></http:></http:><br /><http: org=""><http: org="" rules="" streetcode=""><http: bike_now="" php="" org="">Beyond that, cyclist pictograms in e.g. bike lanes in USA cities without mandatory helmet laws have helmets! As an illustration of a consistent approach to compulsion via promotional bombardment: <a href="http://db.tt/f5itkWm"><span style="color:#444444;"><b>Washington D.C.'s Capital Bikeshare website</b></span></a> has a cyclist with a poorly-adjusted <http: tt="" f5itkwm="">and thus useless helmet. And <a href="http://db.tt/psIKrpe"><b><span style="color:#444444;">this</span></b></a> <http: 4783638="" jpg="" com="" u="">from the company which runs that scheme. And that company's <a href="http://www.altaplanning.com/mia+birk.aspx"><b><span style="color:#444444;">president</span></b></a><http: aspx="" com="">. (I like much of what Alta does but just want to make a point about how helmet promotion can be both directly and indirectly connected with various initiatives.)</http:></http:></http:></http:></http:></http:><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNeTNKdxOxQ5JMZCRz5ywNUc6aDY82oV2_cQJHOPc9B19U4bn0paOKRWcj75k4gUDKYHDyxN2IVhgIB_5NQmcPIr_dkmYl4bVQsHoSffLrYusBA6NfosmNgPB0-dnr6OPKrENlHsZBJ-g/s1600/Toronto.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNeTNKdxOxQ5JMZCRz5ywNUc6aDY82oV2_cQJHOPc9B19U4bn0paOKRWcj75k4gUDKYHDyxN2IVhgIB_5NQmcPIr_dkmYl4bVQsHoSffLrYusBA6NfosmNgPB0-dnr6OPKrENlHsZBJ-g/s320/Toronto.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><div align="center"><http: org=""><http: org="" rules="" streetcode=""><http: bike_now="" php="" org=""><http: tt="" f5itkwm=""><http: 4783638="" jpg="" com="" u=""><http: aspx="" com=""><i>Added tonight:</i> Capital Bikeshare sounds successful from all reports I have seen, however I am curious if all members have read the fine print in the <a href="https://capitalbikeshare.com/signup"><span style="color:#333333;"><strong>contract</strong></span></a>, which requires them to sign a safety pledge (i.e. to agree to abide by recommendations on the safety page of the website, which of course includes wearing a helmet.) In addition, the contract says that Alta Bikeshare is "...not liable for any claim including those that arise from or relate to [...] failure to wear a bicycle helmet while using a Capital Bikeshare bicycle...". </http:></http:></http:></http:></http:></http:></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><http: org=""><http: org="" rules="" streetcode=""><http: bike_now="" php="" org=""><http: tt="" f5itkwm=""><http: 4783638="" jpg="" com="" u=""><http: aspx="" com="">What I find most troubling with all this is that while Washington D.C.'s helmet law only applies to children under age 16, users of Capital Bikeshare have to be 16 or over. The system is funded in part by taxpayers through Federal and local funds and because of this and also its design function it's a form of public transport. So while the D.C. government does not require helmet-wearing for people eligible to use Capital Bikeshare users via its democratically-created laws, it does require it via membership contracts for this system which it supports financially. </http:></http:></http:></http:></http:></http:></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><http: org=""><http: org="" rules="" streetcode=""><http: bike_now="" php="" org=""><http: tt="" f5itkwm=""><http: 4783638="" jpg="" com="" u=""><http: aspx="" com="">Perhaps someone with better legal knowledge can enlighten me about why there is not something peculiar about this.</http:></http:></http:></http:></http:></http:></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><http: org=""><http: org="" rules="" streetcode=""><http: bike_now="" php="" org=""><http: tt="" f5itkwm=""><http: 4783638="" jpg="" com="" u=""><http: aspx="" com="">On the other hand, B-Cycle - and I mention them because at this moment they and Alta Bikeshare are finalists in getting the NYC bike share gig - makes no mention of helmets in their <a href="https://denver.bcycle.com/joinnow.aspx"><b><span style="color:#444444;">membership</span></b></a> page (at least in this one for Denver -- there is no statewide helmet law in Colorado for anyone). But to be fair to Alta, I assume there are other contracts in the USA which are similar to theirs, though I do know they will be doing something similar with their <a href="http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2011/04/21/boston_set_to_launch_bike_share_program/?page=full"><b><span style="color:#444444;">new operation in Boston</span></b></a>.</http:></http:></http:></http:></http:></http:><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsI6iWMlrbWPVIllBw42c3sGHuFUVDJ-MLjvUjTW4VaYTDRPns6UcSdA8_Fri9oDF0RvZ5J5Na-J9T2ayTB8GMFgXDxQm_tGSG1J-K9y0kAjP7N8z4ucmkxNomdVjvRRTkidMaGDgqBzY/s1600/badcyclistnohelmet.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsI6iWMlrbWPVIllBw42c3sGHuFUVDJ-MLjvUjTW4VaYTDRPns6UcSdA8_Fri9oDF0RvZ5J5Na-J9T2ayTB8GMFgXDxQm_tGSG1J-K9y0kAjP7N8z4ucmkxNomdVjvRRTkidMaGDgqBzY/s1600/badcyclistnohelmet.png" /></a></div></div><br /><http: org=""><http: org="" rules="" streetcode=""><http: bike_now="" php="" org=""><http: tt="" f5itkwm=""><http: 4783638="" jpg="" com="" u=""><http: aspx="" com="">At some point formal helmet compulsion becomes unnecessary when there is a never-ending barage of helmet imagery. (I am arguing that it does not matter if an org. which strongly promotes helmets say that they are also against laws to mandate it.) If people only see helmeted cyclists, they might not even ask if it is required to wear them or not. They will just assume so. I know that recently in NYC a police officer gave a ticket to an adult cyclist for not wearing a helmet, when actually there is no requirement to wear one, unless the cyclist is doing commercial activity. That is how crazy this gets. It might also be useful to compare how even a majority of opinions against mandatory cycling helmets in response to your query can compete against not just helmet company advertisements in Momentum, but all the other likely ads which have helmeted cyclists in them.<br /></http:></http:></http:></http:></http:></http:><br /><http: org=""><http: org="" rules="" streetcode=""><http: bike_now="" php="" org=""><http: tt="" f5itkwm=""><http: 4783638="" jpg="" com="" u=""><http: aspx="" com="">Finally, consider something else: If a serving politician promoted driving helmets they would be voted out of office (If they were running for election they would never win). Another: This is an issue of personal freedom, since helmet wearing - or not - only affects its user, and parents should be able to decide this for their children for the same reason. And one more: Required labels inside helmets do not clearly state under what kinds of crashes are simulated in helmet testing and their marketing is even less precise. I have a <a href="http://greenideafactory.blogspot.com/2011/03/dont-we-want-honest-labels-on-helmets.html"><span style="color:#444444;"><b>suggestion</b></span></a> f<http: 03="" 2011="" html="" com="">or this.<br /></http:></http:></http:></http:></http:></http:></http:><br /><http: org=""><http: org="" rules="" streetcode=""><http: bike_now="" php="" org=""><http: tt="" f5itkwm=""><http: 4783638="" jpg="" com="" u=""><http: aspx="" com=""><http: 03="" 2011="" html="" com="">My accepted abstract for the last Velo-city in Seville, Spain, <a href="http://db.tt/QzJ2XkA"><span style="color:#444444;"><b>"Helmetism & Hyper-illumination"</b></span></a> <http: tt="" qzj2xka="">provides further information and references. I have a </http:></http:></http:></http:></http:></http:></http:></http:><b><http: org=""><http: org="" rules="" streetcode=""><http: bike_now="" php="" org=""><http: tt="" f5itkwm=""><http: 4783638="" jpg="" com="" u=""><http: aspx="" com=""><http: 03="" 2011="" html="" com=""><http: tt="" qzj2xka=""><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/No-mandatory-bike-helmets-at-Velo-city-Global-2012-in-Vancouver/165806686776077?ref=ts"><span style="color:#444444;">Facebook Page</span></a></http:></http:></http:></http:></http:></http:></http:></http:></b><span style="color:#444444;"><b><http: org=""><http: org="" rules="" streetcode=""><http: bike_now="" php="" org=""><http: tt="" f5itkwm=""><http: 4783638="" jpg="" com="" u=""><http: aspx="" com=""><http: 03="" 2011="" html="" com=""><http: tt="" qzj2xka=""> </http:></http:></http:></http:></http:></http:></http:></http:></b></span><http: org=""><http: org="" rules="" streetcode=""><http: bike_now="" php="" org=""><http: tt="" f5itkwm=""><http: 4783638="" jpg="" com="" u=""><http: aspx="" com=""><http: 03="" 2011="" html="" com=""><http: tt="" qzj2xka=""><https: ref="ts" vancouver="" pages="" com="">on the subject focused on Velo-city in Vancouver next year.<br /><br />Kind regards,<br />Todd Edelman<br />Green Idea Factory <http: eu=""><br />Berlin, Germany<br /></http:></https:></http:></http:></http:></http:></http:></http:></http:></http:></div>Slow Factoryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12056080802746709323noreply@blogger.com8