Bicycles
Cycling in Spring
Spring is coming quickly, and many states are already starting to see spring weather. With the weather improving, it means that cyclists are back on the roads in many places. Keeping that in mind, here are some advisories for getting back on the road again after a long winter. First: make sure that […]
Bike ambulances deliver healthcare in rural Africa
In rural or inaccessible areas, bicycle ambulances aren’t just practical, they can also be life-saving… and perhaps even economy-boosting. As Co.Exist reports, organizations such as FABIO (First African Bicycle Information Organisation) in Uganda, and CA Bikes, in three East African countries, are providing bike ambulances (and in some cases, other non-motorized transport for a variety […]
Bikes’ image problem in low-income communities
Most urbanites are familiar with the stereotypical bike commuter: white, wealthy, yuppie. Yet, as the Atlantic’s CityLab blog reports, there are significant reasons underlying the unfortunate (yet often true) stereotype — and three lessons for working towards making cycling a viable, reliable option for diverse, low-income communities. First, the positive news: U.S. Census Bureau data […]
Is it better to wear a helmet or bike with a pack?
While it may seem to be a question out of the “Would you rather…?” game, it’s a query that poses important safety implications: Is it more dangerous to bike helmetless in a city packed with cyclists, or to ride, donning a helmet, as a single cyclist on a lonely route? Bikers and safety advocates have […]
Self-driving cars benefit bikers, too
Self-driving cars don’t just merely make drivers’ lives easier — they may also save cyclists’ lives. Robot-driven cars don’t make the dangerous, poor and potentially fatal choices human drivers do, reports FastCompany. Plus, a self-driving car won’t develop road rage, either — an important and even life-saving benefit for the cyclist recipients of driverly anger. […]
Universities lead the way on public transport
A recent study by the US PIRG Education Fund and Frontier Group reveals that the steps universities are taking to encourage students and staff to use eco-friendly modes of transport are paying off: fewer students are bringing cars with them to campus. University of Missouri Kansas City In 2011, UMKC’s students faced constant parking supply […]
4-mile, £220m bike path proposed for London
Out of the birthplace of “Stairway to Heaven” comes another fantastical transport idea: a bike-way that soars above the city of London. Renowned British architect Norman Foster – designer of London’s upturned-blimp-shaped Gherkin – recently released a proposal to construct new, three-story-high bicycle routes above existing rail lines throughout the city, according to the Daily Mail. The […]
How do Americans get around? Not by driving
A new study by U.S. PIRG and the Frontier Group has found that in 99 out of the country’s top 100 regions, fewer people commuted to work in a private vehicle in 2010, as compared to 2000. These regions contain over half the US population, and are key to the US economy. More people are […]
Bike registration mooted in Georgia
Biking is becoming more prevalent — and, as some are arguing, more of a problem — in Georgia. In response to driver complaints against the influx in drivers on northern Georgia’s mountainous roads, House Bill 689 would require cyclists to purchase and display on their license a new bike registration, costing $15 annually or $48 […]
New York traffic speeds up – despite bike lanes
In New York City’s most traffic-burdened hub, the past is picking up, according to a recent Department of Transportation study and GPS-obtained taxi data, which states that average taxi speeds in Manhattan’s central business district have jumped from 8.9 mph in 2011 to 9.3 mph in 2012. There’s also been a nearly 7% increase in […]