Moving Beyond the Automobile

Moving Beyond the Automobile: Biking from Streetfilms on Vimeo.

Washington Vulnerable Users Bill

Our neighbors to the west (Washington) are working on a new bill that would increase penalties for drivers who injure a vulnerable user.  Good luck to them in their attempts to protect pedestrians and bicyclists on their streets.  Hopefully, we'll see something like this come to Idaho soon.

Full story: http://www.theolympian.com/2011/02/25/1556303/senate-protects-cyclists.html

Whole Foods Bike Repair Stand

Apparently these have been installed a couple different Whole Foods stores and they have a way to hold your bike, a tire pump, and a few basic tools to help you make minor repairs to your bike.  How cool is that?

Bicycle Powered Water Purifier

Japanese firm, Nippon Basic Company, has invented a bike that also doubles up as a water purifier. The Cycloclean is equipped with a pump and hoses and requires the user to put it on a stand and pedal it for the cycle to suck up water through a series of filters. The bike can purify up to five litres of water in a minute and features puncture-free tires, making it a great mobile gadget that can be taken near any water source and produce clean, drinking water from it. Perfect for remote villages, disaster zones and bike riders.


Cycloclean is already being used in Japan and a few neighboring countries and plans to expand its production in Bangladesh that would help reduce its present cost of over $6,000.

Bike Vacation

Hit the Vacation Trail With a Bike Trip (Click the here for the complete article)

Need new vacation ideas? Try a healthy, green travel alternative to the beach by taking a bicycle tour. Customize your bike trip with options ranging from self-guided, rails-to-trails cycle routes to fully-supported, guided bike tours. You won't believe how new the world around you looks when you pedal through it. Why not try it for yourself?

Let's go for a ride!

Welcome to the town of Speedkills

Thanks to Facebook, and over 30,000 Facebook users, this town in Australia has changed it's name to Speedkills in an effort to get people to slow down on rural roads.  See the full story here:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/02/18/3142067.htm

Bicycle lights...

Interesting concept, but I'll use my hand signals for the time being




Find it at:  http://www.signobike.net/Buy_It_Today.html



These lights, however, are something I need to get ahold of.  More like my style...

Find them at: http://skully.com.tw/htm/products.php

Are you driving alone?

Some of you may remember this poster from World War II.  Although you may think it is a bit extreme, this recent article from Streetsblog indicates that some experts are applying this same reasoning to current times and terrorism. http://dc.streetsblog.org/2011/02/10/retired-military-leaders-corporate-ceos-driving-alone-aids-terrorists/

Helmet Bill Proposed

The Associated Press


BOISE - State lawmakers are considering a bill that would require children age 12 and younger to wear a helmet while riding their bicycles on Idaho roadways.

Sen. Diane Bilyeu, D-Pocatello, brought the legislation to the Senate Transportation Committee on Tuesday.

Bilyeu says the bill was prompted by eastern Idaho man, whose 8-year-old daughter was struck by a car while riding her bicycle. Bilyeu says the man approached her with the battered helmet that he believes saved his daughter's life, convincing her to introduce the legislation.

Under the bill, kids who are bicycle passengers would also have to wear a helmet.

McEuen Park Survey

In case you haven’t heard the news....McEuen Park is in the process of being redesigned. This new plan has the potential to change the face of the downtown and make it a huge draw for locals and visitors alike. The new design includes moving the parking underground, separating pedestrians from cyclists on the Centennial Trail (and separating them both from vehicular traffic), building a new accessible trail on the north side of Tubbs Hill, and much, much more. So much more in fact, that the design committee needs your help in deciding what stays and what goes (if anything). Go to http://mceuenpark.com/ and take a few minutes to fill out the online survey. The survey list each aspect of the park redesign and asks for your opinion on it. If each amenity gets enough positive votes....it will go into the final plan. If it doesn't....its out. There are many people on either side that are vocal and passionate about this project. So if you want a say in the process click on the link or let others decide for you. Have a great day!

If Pedestrians Had Clout...

Another Share the Road Video

It would be nice to have one of these made for Idaho that airs state-wide on television.  It would also be nice if the narrator sounded a little more pleasant.  Good information, though.

Quote of the Day

"Walk, do not drive, to buy your Lotto ticket. If you drive ten miles to buy a ticket then you're three times more likely to get killed in a car crash on the way than you are to win the jackpot." - Dr. Mike Orkin, Can You Win?: The Real Odds for Casino Gambling, Sports Betting, and Lotteries

Local Cyclists Ride to Raise Money for Autism

Sponsored by Laughing Dog Brewery in Sandpoint, four area cyclists are riding the Race Across American in hopes to raise $1 million to support families with autism, particularly in North Idaho.

Check out the CdA Press for the whole story: http://www.cdapress.com/news/local_news/article_d7821149-c386-554e-86da-3525167dbe5b.html

Piano Stairs

See what happens when you make walking fun?

Cycling Satire

Here is a satirical look at the frustrations of owning and operating automobiles.

Goofy Motormania

Almost too true to be funny...but I still laughed.  Disney hit the mark on this one 60 years ago and things haven't changed a bit.

Winter Warriors

The Inlander had a great article about winter bicycle commuters.  I guess I would put myself somewhere between the "Metaphysicist" and "The Bike Guru".  Although, if I lived only 2 miles or less from work, I would definitely be "Mr. Business Casual".

Read the article here: http://www.inlander.com/spokane/article-16095-winter-warriors.html

What kind of winter rider are you?

Share the Road

Hats off to Kia for this commercial.  Now, let's see the other auto manufacturers follow suit.

Pedestrian and Bicycle Infrastructure Create Jobs

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood writes this about job creation resulting from pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure projects:

This week, a coalition of bicycling advocates introduced me to a new report showing that in Baltimore, MD, pedestrian and bicycle projects created nearly twice as many jobs per dollar spent than traditional road projects.

In this case-study, "Estimating the Employment Impacts of Pedestrian, Bicycle, and Road Infrastructure," the Political Economy Research Institute compiled data provided by the city of Baltimore. They found that on-street bike lanes and pedestrian measures created more direct jobs, more indirect jobs, and more induced jobs per dollar than either road upgrades or road resurfacing.

Read the rest on his blog here: http://fastlane.dot.gov/2011/01/new-data-adds-job-creation-to-the-many-benefits-of-bicycle-infrastructure.html#tp

I wonder if that will have any impact on future transportation spending.