War in the Streets: Underdogs Strike Back
Two stories have come to light in recent days, both featuring a reversal of the typical transportation pecking order. First up, a cyclist in Toronto stood his ground against an errant SUV driver. After the motorist almost knocked down a cyclist while attempting to make an illegal right hand turn, the cyclist stood his ground and refused to yield to the SUV. The second incident happened in London, this time with the cyclist as the aggressor and an 84-year-old Baroness taking on the role of fed-up equalizer.
Nissan Exec Predicts SHIFT – Away From Cars
Tom Lane, an American who runs Nissan’s Product Strategy and Product Planning, had some surprising things to say at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show. While car manufacturers were busy wheeling out prototypes and promoting the latest-and-greatest designs against a glitzy backdrop, Lane spoke of a future world in which cars would play a lesser role.
Man-Made, Man-Powered Mobile Home Takes Portland
We know that bikes are ideal for commuting—but for camping, too? Brian Campbell, a car-free vagabond who’s pedaled across the U.S. and Mexico, built his own camping cabin and attached it to his bike. The sturdy contraption snakes behind his back wheel like a sleek Airstream trailer, and offers similar comforts. Brian has lived and traveled in his hand-made mobile home for many years and, most recently, made a pit stop in Portland.
Bike Parking Facilities Coming to Toronto and NYC
If a city wants more people to commute by bike and leave their cars at home, how about providing a secure place for them to lock up when they arrive at their destinations? Private investors in New York City and Toronto’s city government are both currently addressing that necessary bit of lacking infrastructure.
Australian Kids Chase an Enegry Breakthrough
This past November, 7,000 students from all over Victoria, Australia, flocked to Maryborough for the 18th annual RACV Energy Breakthrough. Students, teachers, parents, and local industry professionals work together to build vehicles or machines that are an “energy breakthrough.”
British Health Organization Puts Walkers and Cyclists First
Citing obesity, cancer, and heart disease rates in the sedentary, Britain’s National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (that’s “Nice” for short) has recommended that city planners and architects design exercise into towns and new buildings.
Arlington, Virginia hosted a Car-Free Diet Expo on January 29th. The event, located 2 blocks from a Metro Station, had a session that catered to the property-management and business community and another presentation for employees and residents. The mission is to get people to go car-free or to take a Car-Diet.
Poor Prosecution after Driver Kills Albuquerque Cyclist
As we reported in September, a motorist struck and killed 27 year-old James Quinn and injured his wife, Ashley, as they rode eastbound on Highway 333, a dedicated bike route east of Albuquerque, New Mexico. The District Attorney has elected not to press felony charges in the case. Charges will be limited to careless driving and failure to maintain lane. Careless driving carries a maximum penalty of $300, failure to maintain lane costs $10. Although a 90-day jail sentence can also result from a careless driving charge, Albuquerque lawyers think this eventuality unlikely.
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