tagged w/ Alternative Transportation
-
The T.25 will provide commuters with an energy efficient alternative to the gas-guzzling SUV. The small, fuel-efficient vehicle is inexpensive to run and easy to park. As car designers continue to develop greener technologies the options to purchase low environmental impact vehicles will increase. But what if you commute only a few miles to and from the office, do you drive a car or find an even greener alternative?
Take for example Ricardo Assis Rosa, an architect from Bath, UK who commutes the two miles to his office via kayak. Rosa says he took up kayaking one day after a friend lent him his kayak to experiment with, and he has never looked back. After years of daily commuting on a packed bus, he says his new commute makes his daily travel feel like a holiday as he paddles quietly beside the river wildlife. Rosa, an admitted adventure seeker, admits that on occasion his trip to and from work is less than ideal for the average person, with the UK’s typical rainy weather and winds making for a treacherous journey. Kayaking to work may not be for everyone, especially if you don’t live or work near water, however Ricardo has taken full advantage of the waterway that connects his backyard to his office.
As commuters continue to go green with their daily travels between home and the office, from driving electric cars to kayaking, they are ensuring they leave a smaller carbon footprint. Do you or someone you know take an alternative form of transportation to work? Tells us your stories below.
The T.25 will provide commuters with an energy efficient alternative to the... more
-
-
UK car manufacturer, Motor Development International, has made a new kind of car. Named as AirPod, this car can runs on air. Yes, on air. This car has 3 wheels, no steering wheels (just a joystick for driving), and two doors. This car is claimed to cause just a little pollution for the air, not as much as other cars. And although it runs on air, you can still drive it up to 50mph, and you will have to pay around $10,000 for this car.
http://www.boncherry.com/blog/2010/12/22/airpod-car-that-runs-on-air-video/UK car manufacturer, Motor Development International, has made a new kind of car.... more
-
-
This 7-yr-old girl is now an orphan because a truck veered into the shoulder her parents were riding tandem and killed them both. The driver is out walking free and was never ticketed or charged.
This happened near my hometown of San Antonio and although it's breaking hearts amongst locals, I wanted this situation to be known on a larger scale because I know it's not just a San Antonio or Texas issue. Cyclists are being treated no better than deer even in cities with a bike-friendly attitude. If you are a Texan, please to go to biketexas.org and sign the BikeTexas Safe Passing petition. If you are not, please do all that you can within your own community to ensure the cyclists and pedestrians have rights out there on the road and have a better chance of getting home safely.This 7-yr-old girl is now an orphan because a truck veered into the shoulder her... more
-
-
Denver is getting a bicycle-sharing program next summer.
Some 500 bikes will be available this summer at 30 to 40 stations around Denver, the city said in a news release today.
The program — dubbed Denver B-Cycle — got initial funding from a $1 million donation from the Denver 2008 Convention Host Committee.
"The positive feedback we received from the bike sharing program during the 2008 Democratic National Convention was remarkable," Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper said in a statement. "We are confident Denver B-Cycle will prove equally popular while improving our fitness levels and our environment. Our 358 miles of bike routes and trails combined with our 300 days of sunshine make Denver the perfect city in which to launch this citywide bike sharing system."
Read full article at link-Denver is getting a bicycle-sharing program next summer.
Some 500 bikes will be... more
-
-
The Scarab gets its power from one of three sources — battery, fuel cell or biofuel — so you can pick a fuel that's most readily available or most suits your needs. Such a feature could come in handy when dealing with our volatile energy market. Pick the battery option and you've got regenerative braking to help keep the battery charged.The Scarab gets its power from one of three sources — battery, fuel cell or... more
-
-
synjun
-
added this
-
4 years ago
- |
-
During a 73 minute period on 9/12/06 at one corner of Nieuw Markt (a nice open square in Amsterdam), I took the following 82 pictures of bicycles. Why? Because sitting there I noticed how remarkably different the whole Amsterdam bicycle scene was from my home, and at the same time certain very clear "Amsterdam Bicycle Trends" appeared I thought might be interesting to point out. I am from the San Francisco area, California, USA.During a 73 minute period on 9/12/06 at one corner of Nieuw Markt (a nice open square... more
-
-
Forget about trading in your SUV for a Prius, how about scrapping it altogether in place of a bike?
Gas, as we know, is virtually a luxury item these days, and even still the reality of ditching ones car is more achievable for some than for others. But excuses won’t be stopping the Tour de Fat. The Tour de Fat is a rambling carnival of two-wheel toting cyclers advocating bike-for-car swap outs accross the country this Fall.
What you’re likely to find at one of these peaceful demonstrations are bicycles of all shapes, colors, and configurations, live local bands, and hordes of cyclers who fearlessly gather by the thousands in the name of pedal power.
You can burn at least 300 calories an hour or about 25 per mile which requires a good amount of fuel in the form of food, or in this case, beer. The New Belgium Brewing Company is the primary sponsor of the Tour de Fat pumping a steady stream of fermented hops and good spirits throughout this multi-city tour.
For some essential commuter cycling tips and more on the Tour de Fat, read on.
Photo by fastboy.
Read the rest of this entry »
Forget about trading in your SUV for a Prius, how about scrapping it altogether in... more
-
-
According to a study by researchers at the University of New South Wales, the number of collisions decreases as the number of bicycles in traffic increases. It sounds like a paradox, they say, but motorists are more likely to drive carefully and respectfully when there are more cyclists on the road.
If that is the case, let's get the pedals turning!According to a study by researchers at the University of New South Wales, the number... more
-
-
ahowes
-
added this
-
4 years ago
- |
-
As a bicycler and Portlander, I can attest to the usage of these forms of infrastructure. As a leftie, I think it should be far more widespread, and be seen commonly across the country and world. With a little planning and foresight, we can have cars and bikes co-mingle, increase business to local shops, and make alternative transportation smarter and safer. As a bicycler and Portlander, I can attest to the usage of these forms of... more
-
-
Barack Obama's standing as an advocate for investment in US commuter rail looks to have gotten a boost with his selection of Joe Biden as his running mate. Whereas John McCain is the Senate's sworn enemy of Amtrak, his colleague from Delaware is known as a "Champion of the Rails." Notes Daily Kos diarist MissLaura (via George Washington University):
Biden commutes to work each day on Amtrak and has been a strong supporter of the beleaguered rail service. He is an original co-sponsor of the Amtrak Reauthorization Bill (National Defense Rail Act), S.104, introduced on January 7, 2003. Introducing an earlier version of the bill with Sen. Fritz Hollings (D-SC) on March 6, 2002, Biden stated, "For 30 years, I have witnessed Congress dangling a carrot in front of Amtrak's eyes, funding it just enough for it to limp along. And I'll tell you, this has to stop. Now is the time to commit politically and financially to a strong, safe, and efficient passenger rail system." Biden has been particularly concerned with rail passenger security, and has, in the words of communications director Norm Kurz "worked furiously" to secure funding for Amtrak to upgrade its tunnels, hire more cops and bomb-sniffing dogs, build more fences, and add lighting to terminals.
Amtrak president George Warrington presented Biden with a "Champion of the Rails" award in June 2001 and the American Passenger Rail Coalition (APRC), a national association of railroad equipment suppliers and rail businesses, presented him its "Rail Leadership Award" in March 2002.
Barack Obama's standing as an advocate for investment in US commuter rail looks... more
-
-
My personal favorite is Vittoria.
A good non-pro review of various tires that do fit and perform well for the rest of us, non lycra riders :)
-
(NY Times) Ramona Marks and Ted Liscinski, carless volunteers at a nonprofit bike repair shop in Los Angeles, the Bicycle Kitchen, tested five pairs of tires while commuting and running errands around the Southland.
The tires tested, in the order they appear (left to right) in the photo in the NY link/ above:
My personal favorite is Vittoria.
A good non-pro review of various tires that do fit... more
-
-
pretty cool. take the pedal back!
-
(China Daily) Taking inspiration from the "green" Olympics, which begin on Friday, a growing number of Beijing residents are opting for two wheels over four.
Estimates put the number of bicycles zipping around the capital at the end of 2007 at about 8 million - a figure most believe has grown to more than 10 million by now, including hybrids powered by rechargeable batteries.
An ordinary bike costs about 300 yuan in China and such models abound at neighborhood supermarkets.
At the Carrefour outlet in Zhongguancun, also known as China's "silicon village", Lao Pan and his small sales team are busy leading customers through row upon row of shiny new bikes. Summer is usually the peak sales season, but the showroom is particularly busy this year.
Founded in 2005, Bicycle Rental now has about 70 outlets in Beijing proffering a fleet of 7,000 bikes. It runs a shop near every major subway station, bus stop and famous tourist site. Customers can return the bike at any one of the company's outlets irrespective of from where it was rented.
In anticipation of the influx of foreign visitors expected to descend on the city for the Games, the company is running a bilingual hotline for customers who don't speak Chinese.pretty cool. take the pedal back!
-
(China Daily) Taking inspiration from the... more
-
-
A year after the introduction of the sturdy gray bicycles known as Vélib’s, they are being used all over Paris. The bikes are cheap to rent because they are subsidized by advertising, and other major cities, including American ones, are exploring similar projects.A year after the introduction of the sturdy gray bicycles known as... more
-
-
bshipp
-
added this
-
4 years ago
- |
-
Glad to see NY is looking into embracing bikes as opposed to restricting them.
Interesting article... we'll see how far it goes...
Seems to be that Bloomberg is changing his stance on two wheelers.. Let's hope it's true.
Ride on!
NEW YORK - Call it the Great Bike Way.
New York City plans to turn a swath of Broadway in midtown Manhattan into a bike lane and public esplanade _ leaving two fewer lanes for vehicles on the busy thoroughfare.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Friday that the plan will benefit the environment as well as people's health.
The Broadway plan will "give us a lot more room to walk on the streets and to get people ... out of their cars and walking, which is good for their health and also good for the environment," Bloomberg said on his weekly radio show.
The area, called Broadway Boulevard, will run from 42nd Street eight blocks south to the busy shopping district of Herald Square, which includes Macy's department store. The esplanade will be flanked by a pedestrian walkway with cafe tables and umbrellas, separated from vehicular traffic by planters filled with flowers.
The area's Fashion Center Business Improvement District is working with the city's Department of Transportation to create the street plazas, at a cost of $700,000. Jan Gehl, an urban designer based in Copenhagen, was hired as a consultant.
Work already is under way. The esplanade is to open in mid-August, with newly painted pavement and plastic traffic barriers popping up on the street.
The project is in line with Bloomberg's vision of reducing New York's traffic and pollution by encouraging bike riding and other alternatives to cars.
City transportation officials also are exploring other possibilities _ from banning cars on Park Avenue on three Saturdays in August to a bicycle-sharing program. Glad to see NY is looking into embracing bikes as opposed to restricting them.... more
-
-
BRECKENRIDGE, Colo. ― Riding a bike as part of the job has become standard for some workers in Colorado mountain communities like Breckenridge. It is all part of an effort by towns and counties in the high country to save money on gas and conserve.
The building inspectors in Breckenridge are now riding city owned bikes to job sites.
"So we're doing it to save fuel for sure, but the broader footprint is obviously the carbon footprint of the town," said Glen Morgan of the Breckenridge Building Department.
Construction workers are often caught off guard when the inspectors pedal up to a building in progress.
Breckenridge bought a total of six bikes for its employees to use for business errands and meetings. Frisco also has four bikes that employees can check out.
"I love them," said one woman. "They are so great. We take them out every time we have a meeting in town."
The town's police chief has a new hybrid to save on fuel as well.
Back in Breckenridge, there is contest that encourages employees to walk, bike or use public transportation to get to work.
The public works department in Silverthorne sent out a notice to employees asking them to cut back on unnecessary driving and pair up for jobs if possible.
Click above link for video :
Ride on!BRECKENRIDGE, Colo. ― Riding a bike as part of the job has become standard for some... more
-
-
Fourteen legs are better than two...
-
-
After lagging behind Europe for years, US cities are finally becoming bike-friendly.
-
-
lecoke
-
added this
-
4 years ago
- |
-
The bike-minded folks in San Francisco are spearheading an effort to get Congress to approve more transportation funds for bicycling! They have a new campaign: Gas Free Fridays. Starting this Friday, July 4, "declare your independence" from oil!
This campaign is also an important opportunity to call on your representatives in Washington D.C. to encourage them to support bicycling as transportation by approving direct and better federal assistance to our nation's 20 most populous cities, so that cities can continue to establish safe bicycle networks, bike to transit facilities and public bicycle-share programs.
At the website you can find a sample letter to send to your elected representatives.
You can become one of the growing number of Americans doing your part to lessen our nation's overdependence on oil.
Half of all driving trips in our country are under two miles in length and could easily be done on a bicycle. Americans deserve affordable transportation options and there has never been a better time to support bicycling and a greener future.
The bike-minded folks in San Francisco are spearheading an effort to get Congress to... more
-
-
Considering that SF is 7x7, I never take for granted how close it is to get everywhere, even if it means showing off my super calves (ahem-) after those lovely hills. Happy biking to all! Although MUNI is okay in the city in comparison to other big metropolitan areas (soCal), once you get in the habit of riding and street route savvy, there is no comparison with the bus/metro system.
* * Share your commute distance, walking, daily riding, or weekend rides. (Mine is a daily pedaling session of approx. 8.5mi. round trip)**
-
"You get a completely different impression of San Francisco on a bike," he said, "It's one of the best biking cities. There is nowhere you can't get to on a bike."
- -click on link for full article- -
In May, Blake Altshuler, 29, got rid of his car and joined the growing numbers of people who ride their bicycles to work. Mainly, he said, it was because of rising gas prices. His friend Dolly Totes, 25, who has been commuting by bike since she sold her car two years ago, said, "I couldn't afford it. I needed to pay my rent." It was partly gas and insurance, she said, but also all the parking tickets she kept amassing.
If you are already biking or walking to work - or are contemplating doing so - you aren't alone. According to a 2007 analysis by the U.S. Census Bureau, among large cities, San Francisco has the fifth-highest number of bike commuters and the third-highest number of people who walk to work. Also telling is that there were twice as many bikes as cars on Market Street during the morning commute on Bike to Work Day in June, a nearly 30 percent increase over last year, according to the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency.
Cheryl Brinkman also became an almost daily bike commuter in the past year. She lives in the lower Haight and commutes 2 miles to her job as a product manager at McKesson Corp., in the Financial District. About her wardrobe, Brinkman said, "I've altered it for the better and only one thing that I don't wear now that I bike so much is long full skirts."
Helmet hair
On the days she rides her bike, Brinkman tucks her skirt into a band of elastic that she wraps around one thigh, a homemade garter belt solution, as it were. And, she said, "I always have a small binder clip in my handbag, as well, to keep wrap skirts or dresses closed while pedaling."
She brings her purse but eschews wearing a helmet - not because she fears having dreaded "helmet hair" upon arriving at her destination, but because she believes it gives her an advantage on the road.
Those who bicycle say they get benefits beyond just buffeting their budgets from gasoline prices.
"It's the fastest way to get to work. Compared to Muni, it takes half the time," said Tumlin. "I bike because I can change my route and stop off and run errands and see people along the way. It is great exercise and I find a significant difference in my productivity when I bike to work. I am smarter when I bike. I'm more patient when I bike."
"You get a completely different impression of San Francisco on a bike," he said, "It's one of the best biking cities. There is nowhere you can't get to on a bike."Considering that SF is 7x7, I never take for granted how close it is to get... more
-
-
Last Sunday, part of Pedalpalooza, Portland closed down six miles of streets in the city for their Ciclovia-style experiment. The event was a total success, and showed Portland's commitment to embracing bike culture and encouraging people to get on their bicycles. Last Sunday, part of Pedalpalooza, Portland closed down six miles of streets in the... more
-
