Got an Urban Infrastructure Issue? Make the Bureaucrat Work!
The problem of inadequate infrastructure is not unique to the United States. Nor is the scourge of political dysfunction that leaves commuters stranded waiting for the next bus, pedestrians sprinting across eight lanes of traffic, and motorists stuck in gridlock.
August 7, 2012
Rental Helmets, Coming Soon to a Bike-Share Station Near You
With the rising popularity of bike-share systems around the world, one inevitable issue is the availability of helmets. This is particularly true in the United States, where a bare-headed cyclist is considered a daredevil miscreant who’s practically begging for trouble.
February 29, 2012
Ad Nauseam Double Feature: Why Is the Auto Industry Now Advertising Bikes?
A couple of car-related ads in heavy NFL rotation caught my attention mostly for their emphasis, intended or not, on car-free transportation.
November 3, 2011
Behind the Scenes of a Presidential Bike Ride
This week marked the 109th anniversary of the first presidential motorcade, starring Theodore Roosevelt. If you've ever wondered why TR's successors so rarely ditch their limos in favor of human-powered transport, read on. Staged photo op or no, it seems being elected president is a great way to spoil a family outing.
August 25, 2011
The Transit Hierarchy of Needs
When I find myself complaining about city subway or bus service —
while waiting too long for the bus or watching helplessly from one train
as the one I need to transfer to leaves the station — I try to keep in
mind that, maybe above all else, the relative ease of car-free mobility
is the reason I live in New York. Jarrett Walker of Human
Transit might say that, by having the choice to make my home in
such a place, I have reached the self-actualization level on the Transit
Hierarchy of Needs.
May 25, 2010
Miami DWI Death Galvanizes Cyclists in South Florida
The horrific death of a 44-year-old resident of South Miami has enraged
cyclists across South Florida, igniting a debate over street safety in
a region historically dominated by devil-may-care drivers.
January 28, 2010
Cellular Industry Gives Big Tobacco a Run for Its Money
Concerns
arose not long after it hit the market. External studies seemed to
confirm what industry insiders feared: The product could pose a public
health risk. But as sales soared, whistleblowers who didn't leave their
jobs were forced to keep quiet. Companies maintained a posture of
denial as a mountain of damning evidence, some of it from their own
investigations, kept growing. Bowing to pressure, some consented to
warning labels and other notices, but still insisted that claims of
product-related injuries and deaths remained unproven.
December 8, 2009