Check out this video of rush hour times from Utrecht, Netherlands. Could you imagine what it would be like if all of these people were in single-occupancy vehicles like we are in the US?!
Help fight congestion and traffic by riding a bike or walking! May 17 – 21 is Bike to School and Work Week in SLO County! With tons of local coffee shops offering free cup of coffee when you show your helmet, for more details check out Rideshare’s website.
This past Thursday was the first Kidical Mass of the season, complete with a sunshine theme, we were able to ride with about 80 people through downtown San Luis Obispo, and safely teach kids how to ride! The next Kidical Mass is set for June 3rd with the theme being BUGS, meet at Mitchell Park at 5:30 before the ride, come say hi to the next generation of cyclists!
A few images from the ride are shown below, with more on our Flickr page:
This is a great video illustrating how easy bike sharing is, and how Denver, CO has become one of the recent US cities to install such systems. Anyone can get a bike for any purpose, a great way to reduce congestion and encourage active living.
Recently, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced a ‘sea change’ in transportation policy: making bicycling as important as driving. LaHood’s statement is representative of what the American people want; alternatives to car transportation and a sustainable future.
But many communities want the opportunity on the weekends and during the week to have the chance to bike to work, to bike to the store, to spend time with their family on a bike. So, this is not just Ray LaHood’s agenda, this is the American agenda that the American people want for alternatives to the automobile.
What’s happened around America is people are buying bikes and they’re using them for recreational purposes on the weekend and there’s no better family way for people to spend a weekend than riding their bikes on these biking trails.
-Ray LaHood, Transportation Secretary
In his interview on NPR’s All Things Considered last week, LaHood spoke of the initial investment we made in our advanced highway system over 50 years ago, and how if the same energy was put towards any other mode of transit, we would be connected in a variety of ways. Shifting attention towards alternative forms of transit can help provide options for everyone.
With an increase in bicycle transportation, we can see a decrease in the number of cars on the road, thus alleviated congestion along crowded vehicular corridors, providing a win-win for both modes of transportation. Less than 10% of the country uses bicycles as a primary mode of transit, but as we increase bicycle facilities, these numbers will continue to rise.
We know that 90 percent of the people aren’t going to be cycling to work, but that opportunity and that option and that kind of alternative is something we think people want.
-Ray LaHood, Transportation Secretary
The mentality of “if you build it they will come” can be directly applied to the future of bicycle infrastructure throughout our country. Here at the Coalition, we are working to make projects like this a reality in SLO County, join in our efforts by becoming a member of the Coalition or volunteering for our events throughout the year.
An image showing the same number of people in single occupancy vehicles, a bus and bicycles. Look how much less space the bicycles take than the cars!
the brand, puma, famous for simple sportswear products, has release a new concept bicycle in europe. the glow bike is a folding glow in the dark bicycle! staying true to the brand with ultra simple style and function, the glow bike would turn anyone’s head if you rode past on it.
an innovative technology on the bike is the integrated locking system: the “wire lock“. when locking the bike, take the wire with you, if stolen and ridden without the lock, the bicycle will simply collapse and not work. the idea of removing a certain part of the bicycle to make it useless is genius, and adds to the wonderful design by the puma team. no word yet on US availability or cost, let us know if you hear anything!
111 year old footage of women riding bicycles around a series of slalom obstacles. Their precise navigation with the long white skirts is impressive, hard to imagine they didn’t get stuck in the chain all the time! Enjoy:
People for Bikes is a national organization, “dedicated to channeling that passion to improve the future of bicycling.”
“Simply put, we believe that life is far more enjoyable when it’s experienced on two wheels. We believe that by coming together, we can make our world a better place to ride.”
This video they released captures the wonderful feeling you get when you ride a bicycle. Why do YOU ride?
Copenhagen has always been a famous city for bicycling, no matter what the weather is, there are always people out on their bikes getting around the city. The city is full of cyclists who have their own unique ways of waiting at a red light:
Some cyclists will be able to rest even more comfortably at lights now, thanks to low-tech additions by the City of Copenhagen. These rails are simple solutions for making stopping at red lights more smooth, and act as an effective way to make bicyclists seen at busy intersections.
The bottom portion of the rail reads “Hi Cyclist! Rest your foot here… and thanks for cycling in the city.” a nice reminder to encourage cycling for everyone. Kudos to Copenhagen on offering uniquely simple and detailed bicycle facility for its residents.
