A blog about the world of biking and walking.
As more people want to live somewhere with better transportation choices, many communities are promoting their walkability and similar features. But every time a person moves to a “walkable” or “bikeable” neighborhood, they end up driving everywhere anyway. I think our towns are presenting us a Hobson’s choice. keep reading →
If you’ve ever wondered why our overall traffic congestion never improves, no matter how many new roads we build, then the answer is Braess’s paradox. It states that adding more roads to a network can actually slow down traffic. That may seem counter-intuitive, but we can plainly see it happen in all of our modern towns. keep reading →
For this year's Coffeeneuring Challenge, I experimented with documenting my rides on video. Here are the results. keep reading →
This is the seventh, and final, entry in my 2021 Biking for Coffee series. As part of this year’s Coffeeneuring Challenge, I’m documenting each of my rides on video to show what a typical bike commute can look like in my community. keep reading →
This is my sixth video in my Biking for Coffee series. As part of this year’s Coffeeneuring Challenge, I’m documenting each of my rides on video to show what a typical bike commute can look like in my community. keep reading →
This is my fifth video in my Biking for Coffee series. As part of this year’s Coffeeneuring Challenge, I’m documenting each of my rides on video to show what a typical bike commute can look like in my community. keep reading →
This is my fourth video in my Biking for Coffee series. As part of this year’s Coffeeneuring Challenge, I’m documenting each of my rides on video to show what a typical bike commute can look like in my community. keep reading →
This is my third video in my Biking for Coffee series. As part of this year's Coffeeneuring Challenge, I'm documenting each of my rides on video to show what a typical bike commute can look like in my community. keep reading →
This is the second video in my Biking for Coffee series. For this year's Coffeeneuring Challenge, I'm documenting each of my rides on video to show what a typical bike ride looks like in my community. keep reading →
I'm experimenting with a new project for the Coffeeneuring Challenge this year. I'll document each of my rides with a GoPro camera. The idea is to show the good, the bad, and the ugly of bike commuting, or at least of biking for coffee. People who don't bike commute often have difficulty imagining what biking is even like, which then gets reflected in our haphazard infrastructure. Hopefully, videos like this can demystify some of the bike commute experience. keep reading →
The average American is suspicious of, if not hostile to, public transportation spending. Sometimes these feelings are practical concerns based on past failures, and sometimes they're ideological. But that opposition all goes out the window once we discuss parking lots. keep reading →
Chris Arnade has been writing about America's poor communities for a while now. His book, Dignity, is was one of my favorite books in recent years. Now he's started a new blog on Substack called Intellectual Inting, where he is publishing a series of posts called "Walking America." keep reading →
Coffeeneuring is back for 2021. That's the just-for-fun challenge where you play by riding your bike to get coffee a couple of times a week for six weeks. As far as these kinds of challenges go, it's one of the most low-key and accessible. keep reading →
Biketober is an annual month-long event held in the Atlanta area every October (in case its name didn't make that clear). It's a just-for-fun competition where participants earn points for riding their bicycles. keep reading →
One big rule of bicycle etiquette is to warn other people when you approach to pass them. Most cyclists around here shout "on your left." I use a bell, since I don't like shouting at people, but either one works. This past week, I encountered another technique in the wild. keep reading →
BYCS posted an article about "the inherent resistance of cycling" by James Crossley. It summarizes how riding a bicycle goes against the grain of mainstream society, and so is an act of "resistance." keep reading →
Book bikes are a growing trend for public libraries. They allow library staff to perform bookmobile-style outreach on two, or usually three, wheels. This past August had the second annual "Book Bike Week," and interest doubled since last year. keep reading →
I recently found a research paper signal-boosted by No Tech Magazine. One of its messages is that technology-based utopias can only succeed within narrowly defined systems. keep reading →
Georgia Tech partnered with Georgia Department of Transportation to create the state's first-ever report of bicycling's economic impact. It shows that bicycles create close to $500 million in value. keep reading →
Pattie Baker, of Traveling at the Speed of Bike fame, is starting a newsletter series in September called Pedal Power with Pattie. It's designed to align with her bike classes. keep reading →
Illegal courtesies are when car drivers try to do something nice to bike riders, such as stopping to let them pass, but in doing so they are actually behaving illegally and dangerously. keep reading →
If the Bicycle Commuter Act of 2021 passes, it will provide bike commuters a benefit worth up to $81 per month. I think this is positive, yet far from what we really need. keep reading →
Disability advocates have pushed Baltimore officials to improve the conditions of their sidewalks for a while. Since city hasn't been responsive, the people are now suing. keep reading →
Our 21st century roads are far too expensive. But when we use bicycles for transportation, we save ourselves and our neighbors an enormous amount of money in road maintenance. keep reading →
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