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Author Archives Andy Cline

People Are Dumb

Two things this morning that haven’t happened in a long time: It’s raining, and I drove a car during rush hour. I didn’t drive to work. It was another matter. But I got a good reminder why life is so much better on a bicycle or on foot: When people get behind the wheel of a [...]

Posted 01 September 2010 § ecology ‡ Comments (5) ° Tagged: , ,

Our Urban Challenge: The Euro Thing

Want to see a sneer of disgust cross the face of your average, suburban Springfieldian? Just mention anything European. I’ve been accused — in public meetings even — of wanting to force Americans to live like Europeans. And “like Europeans” is always spoken in derision by the folks who accuse me. Well, their accusations are [...]

Posted 30 August 2010 § advocacy § ecology § policy ‡ Comments (2) ° Tagged: , , , , ,

Bicycle Commuter Rates

A reader alerted me to this map showing bicycle commuter rates in the U.S. Click the image for a choice of viewing sizes. Commuting is just one aspect of utility bicycling. I wonder if there’s more data on other kinds of trips, e.g. to the store, school, etc. Technorati Tags: bicycle advocacy, bicycle commuting, bicycle [...]

Posted 27 August 2010 § advocacy § ecology ‡ Comments (4) ° Tagged: , , ,

The Thrill is Gone

I’m reading $20 Per Gallon now and will soon be comparing it to The Long Emergency in a comment/review here. While reading the $10 chapter on what changes we can expect in cars, I realized that I have fallen out of love. I really and truly no longer give a hoot about cars. Last year [...]

Posted 27 August 2010 § advocacy § ecology ‡ Comments (4) ° Tagged: ,

Utility Cycling: There’s an App for That

Disclaimer: If you’re an iPhone user of long standing, this entry may be very boring for you. But do leave a comment if you have suggestions. Thanks! I’m a fairly recent convert to the iPhone. I bought my 3GS about two weeks before the new one hit the market (which saved me $$$). The app [...]

Posted 26 August 2010 § advocacy § bicycle equipment § ecology ‡ Comments (9) ° Tagged: , , ,

Bicycling Op-Ed in the N-L Today

STAR Team chairman Bruce Adib-Yazdi wrote an op-ed for the editorial page of the Springfield News-Leader today about alternative transportation. It’s also a promo for the Ozarks New Energy Conference that will be held October 7-8 at Plaster Student Union at Missouri State University. I’ll be part of a panel discussion on alternative transportation on 7 October at 2:15 [...]

Posted 25 August 2010 § advocacy § announcement § news ‡ Comments (0) ° Tagged: , , ,

Bicycle-Truck Crash on Hwy. 160

From the Springfield News Leader: A Springfield bicyclist was seriously injured Monday after being struck while trying to cross Highway 160. Nicholas White, 32, was taken to Cox South Hospital in Springfield after the accident Monday morning, the Missouri Highway Patrol reports. The report does not include whether White was wearing a helmet. Sharon Hancock, [...]

Posted 24 August 2010 § news ‡ Comments (10) ° Tagged: ,

Full Bicycle Racks At MSU

The school year has begun at Missouri State University, and the bicycle racks are full. Here’s some helpful information about bicycling in Springfield. Students interested in talking directly with me about bicycling in Springfield are welcome to drop by my office — #384 Craig Hall. Technorati Tags: bicycle advocacy, cycling

Posted 24 August 2010 § advocacy § announcement ‡ Comments (0) ° Tagged: ,

Is Commuting Killing You?

A new Gallup study suggests that long commutes are bad for your well-being. I don’t find that surprising. What’s disappointing about the study is that it doesn’t take mode into account. I don’t think I’m going very far out on a limb to claim that long car commutes can drive you crazy — like what [...]

Posted 23 August 2010 § ecology § news ‡ Comments (2) ° Tagged: ,

Don’t Laugh, Really, Don’t…

So the Chinese are now driving more than ever. And the results are predictable. China will eventually regret its growing love of the automobile. From the story on the traffic jam: “Insufficient traffic capacity on the National Expressway 110 caused by maintenance construction since August 19 is the major cause of the congestion,” a publicity officer with [...]

Posted 23 August 2010 § ecology § news ‡ Comments (1) ° Tagged: , , ,

School Begins This Week

Starting Monday morning the streets of Springfield are going to be a lot more crowded around our universities and public schools. Wouldn’t it be nice if people who choose to drive cars marked this as the beginning of a new attitude about the streets? College student? New to Springfield? This is a great place to [...]

Posted 22 August 2010 § ecology ‡ Comments (2) ° Tagged: ,

Sign of the Times?

I got a surprise at a local grocery today: I was asked to leave my daypack in the front of the store because people, apparently using packs, have been ripping them off. I do not intend to identify the store in this post because I have not had a chance to speak with the owner [...]

Posted 21 August 2010 § ecology ‡ Comments (5) ° Tagged: , ,

Our Urban Challenge: Make It Awesome

In my last installment of this series I said we’d need to “build it first” in order to attract people downtown (and to the urban core) to shop, play, learn, and live. Today I saw something like this idea in action. We have a new downtown market at the most prominent intersection — Walnut and South [...]

Posted 21 August 2010 § advocacy § ecology § news § policy ‡ Comments (1) ° Tagged: , , , , ,

Faux Honk Report

On my way to the STAR Team meeting yesterday afternoon I noticed a distinctive car in my mirror as I was riding downtown — a Miles Electric Car owned by fellow team member Rick Scarlet. Unlike the hybrids, this is an electric-only vehicle. And it is quiet. He and I have discussed before the possibility [...]

Posted 19 August 2010 § advocacy § ecology § news ‡ Comments (3) ° Tagged: , , , , , , ,

School Kids And Barrier Streets

One of the things I liked about graduate school was using critical theory to ask uncomfortable questions about social and cultural artifacts of various sorts. Another way to put it: It was fun learning to be an intellectual pain in the ass. Allow me to demonstrate… Consider this article (part of a series) in today’s [...]

Posted 16 August 2010 § advocacy § ecology § news § policy ‡ Comments (13) ° Tagged: , , , , , , ,