2009 January » Bike Michiana Coalition

Traffic by Tom Vanderbilt

Jan 312009

Although it’s not a book about cycling per se, if you’re interested in transportation issues in general, Tom Vanderbilt’s new book Traffic: Why We Drive the Way We Do (And What it Says About Us) is a great introduction to the topic.

I just finished reading it yesterday, and it’s so good I think I might have to buy my own copy (though I rarely buy books except as gifts). It’s one of the few books both crammed with legit research but also fun to read. One time my Sara and I were so engrossed reading it on the El in Chicago that we missed our stop!

I would write a much longer review, but one of my favorite economists Edward Glaeser has already written a superb one here: (LINK).

I highly recommend it for anyone even tangentially interested in driving, traffic safety, or congestion.

Pro-SB553 Viewpoint in Today’s Tribune

Advocacy, Commentary 12 Responses »

Jan 302009

Paul Taylor, a leader in the effort to revamp Indiana’s bicycle laws, wrote a Viewpoint that was published in today’s South Bend Tribune.

In a previous post to BikeMichiana.org, Paul provided a detailed summary of the bill, complete with a government link to the actual bill and instructions for how to email your legislator. Please feel free to post comments with questions and concerns.

Massachusetts passes new bike law

Advocacy, News No Responses »

Jan 302009

Massachusetts has passed a new bike law, with a significant effort from MassBike. As we continue with the effort to clean up and modernize Indiana’s antique codes, it can be helpful and inspiring to see what other states are getting done. It took them eight years and four legislative sessions even in a left-leaning state, but they stuck with it!

Portable, Personal Bike Lane?

Gear 1 Response »

Jan 292009

The internet seems to be abuzz about a new bike lane concept called Light Lane, a trailing laser-projected image of a bicycle lane. From what I can tell, these are still in development, and I’m not aware of any imminent plans to bring them to market. In fact, so few details are available that I wonder if this is purely in the conceptual stage, and the image at right is a Photoshop markup rather than a working model.

In any event this is an interesting idea, and I look forward to seeing what comes of it. Thanks to Kyoko, Will and Jerry for bringing these to my attention!

Bike Lanes Gone Wrong

Commentary, Facilities 4 Responses »

Jan 282009

A friend recently sent me some snapshots of poorly executed bike lanes (these are alleged to be from Spain, but I haven’t verified the origin). I’ve seen some poor designs before, but these take the cake.

It appears that these lanes were actually installed around the obstacles — making it virtually impossible for them to be used. Part of me wonders if this is a hoax, but then again I could imagine a well-intentioned non-cyclist implementing these without realizing just how unusable they are. Perhaps the majority of this bike path is perfectly clear.

In any event, I think this image nicely conveys the importance of continuity and convenience in the design and implementation of effective bike routes. Personally, with lanes like this, I’d stay on the road.

See below for additional examples:

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