Want to look hip while commuting? Well, Green Guru Gear has you covered. The environmentally-obsessed company works with used-up inner tubes (both from bikes and trucks), reclaimed billboard vinyl, rugged hemp (causes little erosion, no pesticides necessary, very renewable/sustainable crop), and recycled P.E.T. from soda and water bottles.

 

In the aftermath of the death of two cyclists in Portland, Oregon, a recent (Portland State) Vanguard article analyzes the growing tensions between cyclists and drivers. Portland, dubbed “Bike Town U.S.A.” for its system of bike paths, lanes, and cycling-friendly legislation, has seen a steady increase in the number of cyclists. According to Vanguard, “As the number of cyclists in Portland continues to shoot up, tensions with drivers are obviously at a dangerous point. It is clear that action needs to be taken for everyone's safety, and something has to be done to lower the vitriol spewed between cyclists and drivers.”

Portland officials are hoping to defuse the situation. City Commissioner Sam Adams held an emergency meeting to address bike safety. Bikeportland.org’s Jonathan Maus characterized the meeting as a “solid first step.”

Disneyland is in the process of revamping the seminal It’s a Small World ride. The Anaheim park introduced this ride, and the accompanying godawful song, to the world in 1963. At the time, the average adult males weighed about 175 pounds and women 135. In the interim, those figures have climbed by about 25 pounds.

With increasing regularity, the growing size of riders has caused the boats to bottom out and to become lodged in place. When this occurs, all of the boats behind become stuck as well until a ride monitor can extricate the overweight person from the boat and out an emergency exit. In the meantime, a gaggle of customers pile up in a section of the ride (the Scandinavian Room, typically) with annoying music bombarding them.

I just came across a handy-dandy Tips for Motorists printout (pdf) put out by the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation with the backing of the Illinois Dept. of Transportation. Although it has some useful pointers for cyclists (specifically, “where bikers should ride”), the brunt of the flyer is directed to motorists.

The concept of such a printout is great—cyclists can print it out double-sided to fit onto one page, and distribute them with a smile to offending motorists. Much of the info is right on, tells drivers what to expect from a cyclist, how to behave when riders are near, and how to avoid common accidents. Tips include how to avoid the “right hook” (where a driver passes a cyclist on the left, then turns to the right in front of the cyclist) or dooring a rider.

 

Ann Arbor, Michigan is well on the way to revamping its entire fleet of buses to hybrid models. The Ann Arbor Transportation Authority (AATA) has just introduced 15 hybrids into the fleet, giving the city the highest ratio of hybrid buses in the Midwest. Plans are to replace the entire lineup of 69 buses with hybrid models within three years.

The new buses utilize regenerative braking technology similar to hybrid automobiles like the Toyota Prius. With this system, the energy created by braking is stored as power rather than dissipated as heat and wasted. The stop-and-go nature of city buses means significant energy savings via regenerative braking. All told, the new models are 30% more fuel efficient than their conventional diesel equivalents.

 

Portland, Oregon has earned the nickname “Bike City, U.S.A.” Consistently topping Bicycle Magazines list of the best cycling cities, in Portland bike paths and lanes abound, city planners recognize the importance of designing with cyclists in mind, and the citizens have responded by bike commuting about 350% more than the national average (3.5% of all commutes are by bicycle). In keeping with the “Safety in Numbers” theory, the Census Bureau reports that drivers in Portland are more accommodating of cyclists. Portland is currently laying plans to adopt a bike rental plan similar to Paris’ overwhelmingly popular Vélib.

Cycling’s popularity in Portland has both brought bike industries to the area and spurned some homegrown efforts. As a result, the local cycling industry has swelled to include 125 bike-related businesses trafficking in everything from cycling hats made from recycled fibers to high-end niche bicycles to bike tourism.