"Rub and Jostle"

-- or -- How Traffic Affects Neighborhoods and Social Interaction.

Two films -- 41 years apart -- that identify the same problem with contemporary streets:  cars.  In the earlier film, the solutions of Ulrich Franzen are campy, adorable, unfeasible, and stink of Robert Moses.  In the modern film, Donald Appleyard has taken what Jane Jacobs served up 40-odd years ago and made it sexy and sensible.  Both are worth a view.  Enjoy.


Revisiting Donald Appleyard's Livable Streets from Streetfilms on Vimeo.

Great Short Film on Highway Removal

From Streetfilms:

Wait, I'm loving this HUMMER?

I still think that the coolest overlooked option to inject cash and interest back into Detroit's manufacturing base would be to make any auto industry bail-out money contingent on rapid total transition to either a wind turbine company, or a photo-voltaic producer . . . but perhaps there's dollahs in bikes too . . .

As recently reported in the London Evening Standard, European automobile manufacturers are
sensing that trend is favoring livable cities, walking and biking, and ditching dirty transportation options to the obscurity of the century in which they were born . . . and these automakers are BUILDING BIKES!  From TransportMichigan:  more . . .

New news is good news for NYC streets or Get those SUVs out of here

Left turns, male drivers, and darkest mid-winter are the most dangerous for pedestrians in NYC, but our city is getting MUCH safer for those of us who don't choose to tackle the grid in a car.  Pedestrian deaths down a shocking 20% since 2001, and a promise from transportation czar (yes) Janette Sadik-Kahn to remove even more parking in favor of bike lanes and broader visibility.  A breakdown of serious accidents (and another reason to implement congestion pricing):

• 79% involved private passenger cars 
• (huge fucking numbers gap here)
• 13% taxis or livery cars
• 4% trucks
• 3% buses

The last three on the list would not be subject to congestion pricing . . . not forced to pay to drive onto Manhattan, and doesn't it follow logically that we would reduce pedestrian death while raising millions and cleaning the city's air?  God, I wish it would happen.  Full Report HERE.

This just in: Driving is not exercise.

In what can only be described as a jaw-droppingly disappointing recent study, experts have found that the more dependent on the automobile you are, the greater the likelihood that you're a fatty.  Huh!  What's next?  Butter is delicious?  This is madness, and can most assuredly be linked to the failed policies of the First Lady, Michelle Obama.  I can't take it, I'd go water my plants, but I'm sure some expert will tell me that that will help them grow.  HERE's the original story from Streetsblog.  Bike lanes, anyone?

Gas(p)

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Americans Spend More on Driving than Healthcare, Education and FOOD.

The healthy and wealthy bike, the poorest spend 1/3 of their income on TRANSPORTATION . . . mostly on cars.  From The League of American Bicyclists:

More and VIDEO after the jump!