The Upright Biker

Conversation with Rob Forbes, founder of PUBLIC Bikes

2011-08-30T15:51:00.000-07:00

I'm starting an issues and ideas forum, called ChromiumForum. Not an online thing, but in real life.

Yep.

Rob Forbes, founder of PUBLIC Bikes and Design Within Reach, has agreed to be my first guest.

The event is scheduled for 5:30 PM on Wednesday, September 21st, at my agency's office on 440 Brannan Street.

Hope you can come. Should make for an interesting evening.

www.chromiumforum.org

Bicyclists are Not Above the Law – We're Below It

2011-08-30T15:46:00.000-07:00

Riding from North Beach to my office in SoMa a couple of weeks ago, I was doing my usual pedal-pause-and-drift through the stop signs on Mason down to the bike lane on North Point, when I heard some muffled shouting from behind me. A fellow in a non-descript sedan had rolled down his passenger-side window and was leaning toward it as he loudly and belligerently proclaimed his knowledge of the California Uniform Vehicle Code.

"You've got to STOP at the STOP SIGNS! You've GOT TO STOP AT the STOP SIGNS!" He was damn near giving himself a heart attack trying to save me from either harm or citation, but I couldn't exactly tell which of my interests he had in mind. He was also putting himself and everyone else on the road in danger by not keeping his eyes on the road and his body in the driver's seat, but that didn't seem to enter into his overwhelming concern for my adherence to the letter of the law. "You bikes aren't ABOVE THE LAW!" he blasted out the window as he roared past me toward Bay Street.

He's right, I thought, nobody's above the law, after all. But as far as bicycles are concerned, the laws about when we should stop fully, yield mostly, and where we should ride sometimes, all the time, or (in the case of most highways) none of the time, put us way below the automobile in rights and receiving our fair share of the infrastructure we all pay for through the general fund.

I do come to a full stop at red lights. I may not wait out the entire light cycle, but I stop. Mostly to see if there's a policeman in the vicinity before I proceed. But I only proceed if there is absolutely no opposing traffic within a reasonable distance of the intersection.

My rationale? Traffic lights, in addition to adding safety for motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians, are designed to regulate the flow of automobiles. The flow of bicycles does not really need much regulation at this point, so if there's no danger, off I go. Once there are so many bikes on the road that their movement needs regulation, I'll gladly stop. Did it in Amsterdam. Would do it in Copenhagen. Might even do it in Portland if asked to.

But stopping at stop signs? Now we're in different territory.

Imagine, I always say to motorists who ask me if I always stop at stop signs, if at every street the law required you to switch off the engine, get out of the car, get back in, and switch on the engine again before proceeding. They wouldn't stand for it, but that's essentially what is required of a biker if we're to follow the letter of the law.

So, to the irate motorist who yelled at me that morning I say, "Enjoy your heart attack!"

I will continue to insist that it's different with bikes.

Barcelona at the Cusp of the Car

2011-06-23T11:09:00.000-07:00

This wonderful, evocative movie really captivated me.

Take a look. People and bicycles owned the streets.

There was probably some public notice that this movie was being made, given the antics of the citizens (esp. the kids), but just look how everyone is so social and unafraid of crossing the streets!

http://www.maximizingprogress.org/2009/03/barcelona-1908-via-tram-walking-and.html

The PUBLIC Goes to the Polls

2010-11-02T15:52:00.000-07:00

Vote your own interests, not somebody else's deviously-constructed wedge issues. Mostly, just get out on your bike and vote.

My New D3...tres jolies, eh?

2010-07-29T15:20:00.000-07:00

Just stopped in to see Rob, Dan, and all the other cool folks at Public Bikes here in SF, and to pick up my nifty and delicious D3 with the Brooks saddle. The almost existentially beautiful, matching-orange rear rack is on back order, but even without that finishing touch, this ride is making me smile and turning heads as I pass.

Thanks, Public!

Now I can ride around this afternoon instead of putting in an honest day's work...

SF Parking Operators Endanger Cyclists to Make a Buck

2010-04-16T08:25:00.000-07:00

In San Francisco's South of Market District, two parking operators have brought their fight for customers out into the street – literally.

In an attempt to be the first to snag a would-be parker, the two lots under the I-80 overpass on Second Street between Harrison and Bryant have moved their signs onto the public right-of-way. Not only are the signs using public property without a permit or compensating the City, but they also deter motorists from using the metered street parking, depriving the City of revenue.

But much more egregious, in the eyes of your two-wheeled correspondent, is the danger these signs pose to bicyclists, who must ride in the traffic lane to avoid them. The second lot operator apparently feels geographically disadvantaged by his position in the relative darkness under the freeway, and so has put a flag on top of the sign. This flag is at the perfect height to catch a biker's shoulder or messenger bag, and causes bicyclists to swerve even further into the lane in avoidance of the obstacle.

Of course, given all the hazards cyclists encounter on a daily basis, these signs are, at the moment, just an annoyance. However, there will come the inevitable time when a car is exiting the lot, a biker is passing by, and a truck is in the lane. I think those of you who ride on a regular basis can envision the scenario.

eBikes: Let's Regulate Them Now

2010-02-01T12:25:00.000-08:00

From the NY Times today:

Jiang Ruming, a marketing manager, owns a van, but for many errands, he hops on a futuristic-looking contraption that lets him weave rapidly through Shanghai’s messy traffic. He rides an electric bicycle.

Half a world away, in San Francisco, the president of that city’s board of supervisors, David Chiu, uses an electric bike to get to meetings without sweating through his suit

The story goes on to note that the term "electric bike" is used somewhat loosely in China. Many of the Chinese eBikes are actually speedy, battery-powered scooters, with pedals attached as a mere technicality to get around insurance and licensing requirements. These "bikes" have become a serious problem due to the number of accidents they cause.

In my opinion, eBikes should only be called as such if they require pedaling to move, and cannot exceed the speed of a regular, unpowered bicycle. In this way, cycling can be expanded to people who might not otherwise ride out of regard for professionalism, such as Supervisor Chiu, and persons living in topographically-difficult places such as San Francisco, where the hills dissuade many people from getting out of their car and onto a bike.

All other powered "bikes" should rightly be classified as motor scooters, and regulated as such, before they cause perfectly legitimate electric-assist bicycles to be demonized or subject to motor vehicle registration, insurance, and licensing restrictions.

Beauty and the Bike

2010-01-21T15:54:00.000-08:00

An insightful film about young women and everyday bicycling, and why we choose to cycle or not. Turns out, it's a question of fashion and infrastructure, in about equal parts.

Exactly how did bicycling become unfashionable? It seems unlikely that it was a conscious effort to marginalize bikes, but rather the result of decades of misguided public policy combined with the superior marketing skills of the automobile and motorcycle industries that had this effect.

U.S. Transportation Policy Officials Return from Copenhagen with Pedals in their Eyes

2010-01-21T09:33:00.000-08:00

Emily Badger writes for Miller-McCune about how the recent trip by U.S. Transportation Research Board officials to Copenhagen has opened their eyes to the possibilities of making life better through increasing the use of bicycles

Everywhere in Copenhagen, they saw an ideal solution to the co-dependent problems of climate change, auto congestion, poor land use and public health. Everywhere, there were Danes biking. "I know it's not just because the Danes are nicer people than we are," said Mary Nichols, chairwoman of the California Air Resources Board. "They have really done things and spent money to make this happen." In the Netherlands, said an admiring Federal Transit Administration deputy administratorTherese McMillan, bikes are actually afforded the same road space as cars!

It would be easy to poke fun at these heretofore clueless "transportation" officials, but I'm actually glad that they saw the beauty and benefits of giving bikes more respect and more infrastructure investment. Perhaps we should send our local transit officials and the Board of Supervisors over for a fact-finding junket. Could be money well-spent.

Exquisitely Crafted Bicycles from Bertelli

2010-01-14T10:59:00.000-08:00

Offered without comment, except "ooooooooooo!" Bertelli Bicycles of New York.

Cycling in Inclement Weather

2010-01-13T09:00:00.000-08:00

I've been meaning to do a post on riding in inclement weather for a while. As I fiddled, Rome froze, as it were, and a lot of other people in the bike-blogosphere came up with their own really good posts, a few of which I've noted below.

What strikes me is the intrepid and inventive nature of those whose rides include snow and ice. Take a look at some of these hearty souls, from copenhagenize.com:

And for you Northern Californians, a reminder that if a little of our cold, winter rain is keeping you off the cycle, consider the intrepid nature of a Canadienne cyclist colleague, who rides in high style even when the Mercury is low.

And just to remind us that some people are truly masters of the the blog, a veritable tome on riding in Winter has been published on treehugger.com

As for me, I had Roger down at 440 Brannan Studio custom design a pair of waterproof pants with wide legs and a cinch waist, so I can easily get them on over my shoes and quickly get them off when I get inside. Those, a regular old, thigh-length black raincoat, and a hat round out my rain gear. I do want to get a better hat (I'm thinking Maine Lobsterman style, so the rain runs down the back of my coat), and some rain "spats" that fit over my shoes, to keep the water draining down my waterproof pant legs from wetting my wingtips.

The pleasure of being dry on arrival cannot be understated.

For safety, I make sure that all my lights are fully charged, bright, and blinking. Even in daytime.

Blink to stay alive, people!

Should Critical Mass Disperse? Could They?

2009-12-21T15:15:00.000-08:00

After seeing Critical Mass work it's messy magic in U.S. cities in 2007, the influential folks over at copenhagenize wrote an article critical of the activist organization's fringe elements:

When Mr Motorist is stuck in traffic on the way home because of a bike protest/demonstration/celebration, he isn't going to be any closer to hopping on a bike. He will be pushed farther away from the thought than he ever was. Joe Average doesn't have much respect for this kind of activism. I wish he did, but he doesn't. He's just going to get pissed off.

While that criticism has softened a bit in the intervening years, it's clear that Critical Mass has a growing problem, much like any other political organization: the lunatic fringe defines the image, even though they don't control (or at least not fully) the actual daily business and larger stance of the group.

Now several founders of Critical Mass have launched sfcriticalmass.org, a blog dedicated to regaining control of that sullied image.

In my opinion, the ride has outlived its usefulness, and is now doing more harm than good to the cause of everyday cycling. But even if the more reasonable members of CM decided to greatly modify or even stop the event, could they?

If they tried to end the event, it is likely these aggressive, militant types would swoop in to fill the vacuum. Things could get much, much worse from there, and the damage to bicycling as a good thing for SF could be significant.

On the other hand, if they exert the control required to extinguish those elements, and keep them from continuing to hijack the celebration and ruining the image of bicycling, they are essentially extinguishing the reason for being that is CM: Freedom, fun, and a bit of anarchy. Oh, all courtesy of the bicycle.

How can this be reconciled?

SF Streets Blog Interviews Mikael Colville-Andersen

2009-12-21T10:57:00.000-08:00

In an interview with Chris Carlsson of SF StreetsBlog, Danish biking emissary Mikael Colville-Andersen once again underlines the importance of removing bicycling subcultures from leadership roles, and replacing them with real, everyday people:

The mainstreaming of cycling that we’re seeing even in America is certainly going to help. It’ll start watering down the subcultures. There’s nothing wrong with subcultures, we have them here too. But the voice that represents cycling, it needs to be more mainstream. Subcultures represents the diversity of cycling which is brilliant, but who is doing the speaking? I compare it to speed walkers, race walkers. If these are the people who are advocating pedestrianism, nobody would walk! I can’t walk like that, I’d look like an idiot. With all the clothes and everything. These people shouldn’t be advocating pedestrianism. It’s like sports cyclists and subcultures shouldn’t be the main voice advocating cycling. It should be mothers with their children, it should be grandmothers, it should be everybody on crappy old bikes, who just want to ride to the shop. That helps now that it is being mainstreamed in a lot of American cities.

What we see in Denmark is democracy. What we have had in San Francisco has been a form of biking facism, where you had to swear the oath, wear the funny uniform, and be hyper-agressive in order to be considered a "real cyclist."

Time to marginalize the maniacs.

Development Giveth, Development Taketh Away

2009-12-07T08:41:00.000-08:00

I've always been concerned with the state of mid-Market Street in San Francisco. This one-time shopper and night-life destination is now uncomfortably blighted, and sound proposals such as David Addington's special sign district, which would have allowed Times Square styled signage and advertising to attract visitors and generate revenue, have always been defeated by competing interests.

Well, now the competing interest is transit and cycling v. a big retail development. Of course the retail development would bring the shoppers, but the developers are insisting on a big parking garage in order to move forward. From SF Gate:

"We can't build this unless we have the parking," Rhoades [the developer] said.

The civic group Livable City has architectural concerns about a modern, five-story glass curtain on a street with historic columned buildings and street-level storefronts. But its main opposition is to the parking garage, which the group says would undo current efforts that have cut cars on Market to make Muni more efficient and bicycling safer.

"That isn't the location if you want car-oriented retail," said BART board member and Livable City Executive Director Tom Radulovich. "The transit and cycling impacts are going to be huge."

Of course, both sides have their points, but do we want to give up transit and cycling for all in exchange for Sears, Target, and Nordstrom Rack for the few? Certainly Market Street deserves something better.

An interesting note: My agency, The WESSLING Group, designed Livable City's logo about ten years ago (although they've changed the typography...for the worse, I'd say). Glad to see it is still relevant!

Working Off the Turkey

2009-11-30T09:47:00.000-08:00

...and the stuffing. And the pie.

Nice to be back on the bike again after a pleasant holiday break.

It's a bit belated, but I realize one of the things I'm thankful for is my bike:

It makes me happy, doesn't complain much (except for that janky 5th gear that has never worked right), gets me where I need to go quickly and easily, and is good for the planet.

Helps trim the holiday waistline, too!

The Tweed Ride Discovered

2009-11-24T09:30:00.000-08:00

OK. I'm not the sharpest tool in the box. But how could I have missed the existence of the SF Tweed Rides?

Their website: http://sftweed.com/

Thanks to Adrienne at Change Your Life. Ride a Bike for the pointer.

Needless to say, the Upright Biker is dusting off his Victorian apparel in judicious preparation for said ride.

It's Almost Winterfest in SF

2009-11-23T08:54:00.000-08:00

With Thanksgiving upon us, we can essentially kiss November goodbye and say hello to friendly December.

That also means SF Bicycle Coalition's Winterfest is just around the corner, so mark your calendars!

http://www.sfbike.org/?winterfest

Biking as Therapy

2009-11-20T05:26:00.000-08:00

Over at Change Your Life, Ride a Bike, calitexican writes about this article on the benefits of riding a bike:

the most popular article in today's new york times is their well blog's "phys ed: why exercise makes you less anxious." having personally experienced less anxiety and depression after riding around, i was rather intrigued and clicked on through to the other side.

You may wish to do the same. Like calitexican, I too have noticed that cyclists smile at one another, and at people they see and meet walking along the street. I even get to smile at motorists, who sometimes, but not often, smile back. You'll rarely notice motorists smiling at each other – usually they're honking their horns and shaking their fists...

With a Name Like Verlyn Klinkenborg, He's Got to be Upright

2009-11-20T05:20:00.000-08:00

In the New York Times, Verlyn Klinkenborg writes about biking as a regular part of everyday life here in Northern California:

few people wear helmets, and everyone is wearing ordinary clothes — none of the sleek and gaudy costumes you see on cyclists pumping through the peninsular hills and whistling down Sand Hill Road to the Caltrain station. They are themselves on wheels.

That is the essence of the Upright Biker.

Why I Wimped Out

2009-11-20T05:14:00.000-08:00

I couldn't do it. I wimped out. Instead of riding to 34th and Taraval for an event yesterday afternoon, I rode home to North Beach, got the car, and drove to my destination.

True, it would have been an hour's bike ride out to that far-flung district, with a number of significant hills in between. I might have actually been a little sweaty by the time I arrived, not the best state to be in for a business event. I could have taken the L streetcar, but talk about your hour's ride – with hundreds of your fellow H1N1 harboring citizens! Also, which MUNI station has that bike parking again, and how late are they open?

No, I reverted. I went American. I went "Rogue". I was unfaithful and I apologize.

This Type of Behavior CANNOT be Condoned

2009-11-19T09:24:00.000-08:00

The Upright Biker cannot condone behavior of this type:

However, he could spend all day watching it!

Can We Make Biking More Fun?

2009-11-19T09:01:00.000-08:00

If it works for stair-climbing, it could surely work for cycling:

How an Earthquake Promoted Cycling

2009-11-19T08:46:00.000-08:00

As I rode to work this beautiful morning, a chilly breeze in my face, the overwhelmingly pleasant nature of my commute reminded me that I was lucky, because it was not always this way.

This year is the 20th anniversary of the Loma Prieta Earthquake that struck the SF Bay Area at 5:04 PM on the 17th of October, killing scores, destroying numerous buildings, and upending the transportation infrastructure of the region.

One of the bright Phoenix to rise from the ashes was the complete redesign of The Embarcadero along San Francisco's waterfront. The hulking, double-deck freeway, damaged in the quake, was demolished, and the wise (they're not always this wise) people of SF determined that it should be replaced with a grand boulevard instead of simply being repaired.

That allowed for the complete rethinking of what the value of the waterfront really was, and luckily the automobile was only one of the considerations, because the pedestrian, the streetcar and the bicycle all came out winners.

The entire stretch of the Embarcadero now has striped bicycle lanes, making riding feel safe, and making motorists understand that they are not the only mode of transport with rights to the road. Especially in the Winter, when the sun is low on the horizon during commute time, limiting visibility, I'm much more comfortable riding in my own zone than I would be if I had to be riding in one of those "shared" lanes that are the current compromise between motorists and bikes on narrower streets.

Now, can we go one step further, and put the bike lane next to the sidewalk, with a physical barrier next, then parked cars, and finally the moving traffic?

When this occurs, Copenhagen will have truly arrived in San Francisco.

Your Big City Yellows are Too Short for Me

2009-11-18T09:35:00.000-08:00

There's a traffic flow issue that comes from being an Upright Biker: Yellow lights are too short.

You see, when the Upright Biker pedals along at his comfortable pace, it is possible to enter a big, wide intersection as green is turning to yellow, and have the light change to red just as the cycle is exiting the intersection and into the pedestrian crosswalk.

I ring my bell to alert persons beginning to cross, but often whatever is playing in their earphones drowns out my friendly signal.

Do you think the traffic engineers would make the yellows longer to accommodate the congenial, casual cyclist?

Me neither.

Biked to Barney's, Fast and Fashionable

2009-11-17T15:03:00.000-08:00

So, if you recall the taxi trouser trouble from this post, then you'll be heartened to know that I biked to Barney's today (as always during the work week, in my suit), and the sales guy thinks there is a chance the suit's maker, Battistoni, can make me a new pair of trousers. Imagine that...some guy in Italy is going to find the exact cloth, and cut and sew trousers, and then send them to SF where I will put them on, one leg at a time, before getting on my bike and going to work! It boggles the mind...

If you're wondering why I'm especially fond of Italian suits, it's because they match my Italian (in brand, at least) bicycle perfectly!

Here is a shot Jane Mermelstein took of me in downtown SF. Yes, the suit is Italian – Canali. Yes, I could stand to lose a few pounds and do some sit ups.

Bicycling is the Fastest Way to Get Things Done

2009-11-16T10:31:00.000-08:00

I'm always amazed at how easy it is to bike, even in hilly San Francisco, and get places easily and quickly. Especially if you've got many different stops to make, the bicycle really shows its efficiency through the time saved from not having to find parking at each different locale. Add to that the occasional discretionary reading of red light laws, and I can't imagine how people can continue to argue that cars are an efficient mode of transport in the urban environment. In the long haul, yes, I'll opt for the car. Moving those two chests of drawers yesterday? Wouldn't even think of biking.

But running a thousand little errands? The bike is a thousand times faster.

Beautiful Bicycle Goings on in South Park

2009-11-13T15:14:00.000-08:00

In South Park, San Francisco this noon, the home of the dot-com boom/bust, now the land of social media.

Could it also be turning into the hotbed of the upright biker revolution? Take a look at these nice bikes, obviously manufactured by the same person/company.

Excellent colors, workmanship, and ridden by a gaggle of happy, healthy (relative) youngsters.

Anyone got the skinny on the maker of these beautiful machines?

Tweed Rides? Count Me In, Gentlepersons!

2009-11-13T08:40:00.000-08:00

I was stunned to find this passage in a fashion article in the NY Times today:

This flamboyance is part of a curious new movement called Tweed Rides, informal gatherings of spiffily dressed ladies and gents cycling leisurely through town and disdaining finish lines. Tweed Rides began in London earlier this year and have spread this fall to Boston, San Francisco and Chicago. As the directions for this weekend’s Tweed Ride in Washington, D.C., put it: “Leave the fleece, Lycra and outer shell at home. This ride is for the dandy.”

Since I ride commute in a suit, on a bike like I like, I found this idea most agreeable: let's have a tweed ride in SF!

Anybody with me? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

Bicycles are Not Dangerous--Playing the Lottery Is

2009-11-12T16:03:00.000-08:00

I came across this statistic on bicycle injuries and the need for helmets, from a random link I found that brought me to the site of one Brian F. Schreuers:

...before even factoring in anything else, the fatality rate for each mile on a bicycle is the same as each mile on foot. And the injury rates are stunningly low either way: four injuries per million miles versus 15. Fifteen injuries per MILLION miles on a bicycle!

His statistics, while not exactly the most up-to-date, come from the CDC and its tracking of how our various modes of transport potentially contribute to our demise.

I think it's safe to say we're safe to say we're safe on a bike. With or without a helmet.

SoMa to Downtown is a Nice, Quick Ride on a Bike

2009-11-11T15:34:00.000-08:00

I had a meeting today with a very nice attorney (they do exist. plenty of them, actually) to discuss my agency's international marketing business. I was wearing my suit, as always, and left my office about ten minutes before the meeting, making it from Brannan Street to California and Kearny with time to spare.

On my way, I saw two people I knew, and was able to wave, say hello, and ring my bell as I passed them.

Lots of pretty girls smiled as I passed, as I have to admit seeing a guy my age in a suit on a bike is a bit amusing in a country where so few "just bike."

No sweat on my brow upon arrival. No cab fare. No yucky MUNI bus. Feeling quite fine, thank you very much.

Taxis: A Menace to Bicycles and Trousers

2009-11-09T08:25:00.000-08:00

Anecdotally, taxi cab drivers appear to have the least patience for bicycles on the road of all vehicles, and demonstrate (at least toward me), some of the most aggressive and dangerous actions to display their impatience.

Now, what are the true stats on taxi/bicycle collisions? I was able to find a very old statistic on the SFMTA site showing all bicycle accidents in San Francisco, which was heartening in that the number of cyclists involved in crashes is dropping despite the overall number of riders increasing dramatically. I was able to track down the statistic for such accidents in New York, through a lawyer's website, but am still looking to find the stats for SF. In NY, 282 bicyclists were injured in a recent 12 month period.

None killed, which is good but not surprising, since bicycling is not nearly as dangerous as the helmet and auto manufacturers would like us to think it is. In that same period in NY, 538 pedestrians were injured and four of them killed.

As for the trousers part of this post, when I had to hop into a cab the other day on my way back from a meeting, a piece of metal protruding from behind the back seat ripped my favorite suit pants and left me with a dark bruise the size of an old silver dollar on my left bum-cheek.

Proof positive of the dangers of riding in a taxicab...I'll keep working on the danger of riding on the same streets as them.

The Lucky Ones Got to Ride All Night

2009-11-05T14:24:00.000-08:00

Over at the blog Change Your Life – Ride a Bike they've got some good commentary and photos of/from Mikael Colville-Anderson, cycling advocate from Copenhangenize Consulting, who visited SF last week.

The luckiest folks were the ones who got to ride with him in the outrageous, Halloween-tinged Critical Mass that night, one of the few special nights I think is appropriate for an event such as CM.

Me? I was in doing homework with the kids.

Cycling Superstitions

2009-11-04T08:37:00.000-08:00

I'm an ex-Catholic. But the superstitious nature of that religion is infused into me like curry on a white shirt (which I always seem to find myself wearing whenever a dish of curry is set down before me).

It's understandable, then, that I have a lot of funny little cycling superstitions that I follow on a regular basis. The most prevalent of these is the "Lucky Water Pipe Cover."

The Lucky Water Pipe Cover is about six inches diameter, and is a common site on the streets of San Francisco. They lie about 20 feet from the curb, and actually cover a valve that can be used to turn off water from the main to an entire section of a neighborhood.

That in an of itself is not particular interesting. But what my LWPC does is delightful. It clangs twice, like a trolley car bell, when I run over it. To get the clearest sound, you have to hit it just right with the front tire. Not straight down the middle, not too close to the edge...just about 2/3 of the way over.

When I get it right, I feel like it's going to be a lucky day. When I miss, or just coax a dull clank...the entire day's work could be in jeopardy.

The Horn is _not_ Helpful

2009-11-03T08:26:00.000-08:00

Why is it that some auto drivers insist on tapping (or sometimes leaning on) their horn as they come up behind me, as I pedal so benignly along.

Do they think I'm going to suddenly veer wildly from my straight and narrow path of the last ten blocks and into their lane?

Hoping that someday the drivers license test has a question like this:

When approaching a bicycle from behind, you should:
a) Blow your horn as a signal to warn the cyclist of the deadly nature of your vehicle.
b) Blow a blood vessel in your brain because of all the stress and carbon monoxide associated with automobiles.
c) Blow a gasket in your engine that costs $1800 to repair, more than triple the cost of owning a bicycle for one hundred years.
d) Blow off this driving test completely and get yourself a bike already.

The answer, of course, is d).

Blink to Stay Alive

2009-11-02T21:06:00.000-08:00

Daylight is no longer being saved. And, perhaps, fewer lives with it.

Today was the first day of the year ridden in "Pacific Standard Time," which means that my kids noticed it was light when they got up, and I noticed it was dark when I got on my bike to go home.

There's always something unsettling about this first "regular" ride in the dark. I have my lights, front and back, but I've always thought they were somewhat insufficient, given the increased danger of riding at night. There was a light that came out last year, that blinks a lot like a police car's light, with two low blinks and then one bright one, and I've been meaning to find out who manufactures that light ever since...haven't gotten around to it...but mostly I envy the lights on electric bikes such as the EV1, that are as bright as any automobile's.

My current Cat Eye, the latest model, blinks nice and bright, but the quick-release connector failed a couple of months ago, and I'm more than a little annoyed...as the last model's quick-connector failed, as well. I think I'll glue this one in place and just make sure I can remove the rechargeable batteries as needed. Still, the lighting is deficient on bikes, in general, even though it is so vital.

Anyone have suggestions as to the best lights out there? I'd be interested to know.

Paris in the Fall

2009-10-31T06:30:00.000-07:00

I ran across an article by Steven Erlanger and Maia de la Baume about the Parisian Velib rental bike system in the NYTimes Global Edition:

It is commonplace now to see the bikes at docking stations in Paris with flat tires, punctured wheels or missing baskets. Some Vélib’s have been found hanging from lampposts, dumped in the Seine, used on the streets of Bucharest or resting in shipping containers on their way to North Africa. Some are simply appropriated and repainted.

Finding a decent one is now something of an urban treasure hunt. Géraldine Bernard, 31, of Paris rides a Vélib’ to work every day but admits having difficulties lately finding functioning bikes.

“It’s a very clever initiative to improve people’s lives, but it’s not a complete success,” she said.
“For a regular user like me, it generates a lot of frustration,” she said. “It’s a reflection of the violence of our society and it’s outrageous: the Vélib’ is a public good but there is no civic feeling related to it.”

Too bad vandals and thieves are having their way with these bikes. Those of us who love bikes probably find the idea of cycle destruction downright repugnant. But wouldn't it be a better solution to have 24-hour shops that rent plain old bikes that cost $500 to replace, rather than the $3500 Velib?

Lessons from Copenhagen

2009-10-30T14:15:00.000-07:00

Just came back from a noontime session at SPUR called "Bike Like the Danes."

Interesting and informative, with the basic takeaways from the presenter, Mikael Colville-Andersen, that if we want people in the US to really start to ride their bikes, we're going to have to take a consumer marketing approach to bicycling: fun, easy, affordable, saves time, makes you healthy, and is very, very sexy; The sports or recreational approach to bicycle marketing is counterproductive; The automobile is a bully in our society, and needs to be dealt with.

It was a good presentation, and perhaps if I can get him to lend me a copy, I will post it here. In the meantime, visit his website at copenhagenize.eu.

The Left Turn at Jackson

2009-10-29T20:46:00.000-07:00

I try to vary my route to work whenever possible. The straight shot is up Columbus, traversing Chinatown on Stockton, through the tunnel (always a bit of a fright), past Union Square, and across Market into SoMa. Not a bad ride at all, given that people from all over the world pay thousands of dollars to fly here and do the same thing.

But it's my understanding that when you go the same way every day, you eventually cease to see where you're going--it's all on autopilot. Apparently, varying your route allows you to remain open to new possibilities, because the mind has to pay attention to where you're going. There's a section about this in the book The Luck Factor by Richard Wiseman. It's a light read, but there are a few good words to live by there.

Today I turned left off of Columbus and onto Jackson, through the Barbary Coast. Coming out onto the Embarcadero, I was indeed greeted with one of those sites you rarely see in a lifetime: the Bay Bridge, closed for emergency repairs, was completely empty of all traffic.

Nice day to be on a bike.