The Holy Grail of bicycle advocacy is numbers of kiesters in saddles on two wheels on the road. Some advocates are willing to do almost anything to increase participation — including putting novices in danger. There’s a “but”: It appears rather clear that the more people who ride bicycles in a given area the safer [...]
As a rhetoric scholar I love to write “rhetoric of” missives that over-promise what’s likely to be understood I went downtown this morning and found this bicycle parked at Walnut and South. There’s a perfectly good (and new!), 12-bike corral just across the street to the left. Hmmmmmm… Other things I noticed: 1. Downtown looked [...]
During our STAR Team visit to Columbia we got to see how PedNet operates and get an overview of its programming. We came away with many great ideas. You can check the PedNet website for details. The STAR Team members who participated in the field trip met for lunch yesterday to discuss what we saw [...]
Five members of the STAR Team of Ozarks Greenways toured the bicycle/pedestrian facilities in Columbia, Mo. on June 23-24. Columbia has earned a silver level Bicycle Friendly Community award from the League of American Bicyclists. GetAbout Columbia is the city program primarily responsible for the infrastructure. From its website: In 2006, Columbia, Missouri was selected [...]
I began my career out of college as a news photographer. I carried a camera 24/7 and was always ready. Those days are gone. I have my iPhone, but getting it ready for photography eats up precious seconds. So I can’t show two of the coolest things I saw this morning: two men, in business [...]
Today’s head-scratcher: From London to D.C., Bike-Sharing Is Safer Than Riding Your Own Bike. Hmmmm… what’s up with that? Here’s some speculation: For now, we can only speculate as to the reasons for this phenomenon. Streetsblog spoke with two experts on road safety, Professors Norman Garrick of the University of Connecticut and Ian Walker of [...]
OK, actually a reason that’s not talked about enough… So, what can bicycling do for us and our towns and cities? The usual reasons to ride a bicycle include: health, wealth, relieve traffic congestion, and (add two or three things you think of most). Kasey Klimes, wrting for This Big City, says the following is [...]
Nothing like the opening of Springfield’s first brewery to bring out the bicyclists. Mother’s Brewing Company held a grand-opening party on the large open lot next to the brewery at Walnut and Grant. In addition to beer, the event included food and music. Despite a cold, blustery day, the place was packed. Check out the [...]
Three scenes from today: 1. As I approached the 4-way stop at Walnut and South this morning, a cyclist passed me on the right and proceeded through the stop. I was positioned in the center of a narrow lane with parked cars along the road. The bicyclist is a guy I’ve seen before. From his [...]
Except that it’s not. Bicycling is really quite safe. But our culture has accepted a mythology of danger and fear. It is this mythology that I believe convinces Americans they need special facilities to ride their bicycles safely. I have stated many times on Carbon Trace that I admire the Dutch system. That system, as [...]
Maybe the people who are concerned with such things have already thought of the potential evident in the following picture: That’s Patton Alley in front of the Patton Alley Pub. The streetscaping project created a nice, wide sidewalk. Two things I’d like to see here: Two or three bicycle u-racks placed the proper distance from [...]
It’s now official: Sometime before the middle of May the city will build a bicycle corral at the corner of Walnut and South in downtown Springfield, according to David Hutchison, city traffic engineer. The corral will separately park 12 bicycles and 5 motorcycles. It will be located in the current loading zone on the north [...]
Make plans now to commute by means other than an automobile the week of 16-20 May. It’s cool to do it for a week. It’s truly epic to keep it up — maybe not everyday, but maybe one or two days per week. Ease your way in. Pretty soon you’ll be selling a car and [...]
I enjoy urban art. Here’s what’s been showing up in downtown Springfield lately — the tape men (made with colored masking tape): Technorati Tags: bicycle culture, cycling
Campus security at MSU tagged bicycles today to identify abandoned ones. I was on my way to a meeting, so I didn’t have time to chat with the officer. I assume it works this way: 1. Tag every bicycle. 2. A few weeks from now, remove the ones still parked and tagged. Technorati Tags: bicycle [...]
