m-bike.org

Category: General bike news

  • World Car Free Day

    carfree day logom-bike hasn’t stepped on the car-only soap box. Cars have a transportation role in many peoples’ lives. Often, today’s built environment and lack of reliable public transportation options make cars a near necessity, as do some jobs. That’s being realistic.

    That certainly doesn’t mean that people in some locations with the right job can’t live car-free.

    However, m-bike does have a car-lite agenda. We need to build communities that support transportation choices beyond just cars.

    That said, last Tuesday, September 22nd was World Car Free Day. Based on their web site, the group behind the event doesn’t seem to clear on whether they want a car-free day or a car-free year.

    Every September 22, people from around the world get together in the streets, intersections, and neighbourhood blocks to remind the world that we don’t have to accept our car-dominated society.

    But we do not want just one day of celebration and then a return to “normal” life. When people get out of their cars, they should stay out of their cars. It is up to us, it is up to our cities, and our governments to help create permanent change to benefit pedestrians, cyclists, and other people who do not drive cars.

    Either way, my car stayed in the driveway on Tuesday as it does most days.

    World Car Free Day did get a response from Detroit News Auto Columnist Manny Lopez. The title of that opinion piece: “Car-free crusade is absurd.”

    Being an auto columnist, you’d expect Lopez to resist the notion of going car free. But rather than make a moderate, well-reasoned pitch, he brings in more absurdity, including this:

    “There is no betterment of mankind by government policies trying to get people out of cars,” says Sam Kazman, general counsel of the non-partisan Competitive Enterprise Institute, which is opposed to the anti-car group’s crusade. “I’m not even that sure it’s a fine and dandy notion (to be car-free).”

    Ah, the betterment is well-documented. People become more healthy when they can choose active transportation options, including public transit.

    “A fine and dandy notion?” Who grew up watching too much of Mr. Rogers?

    The real absurdity lives at the extremes.

    Yes, living car-free in Metro Detroit is a challenge. But continuing to foster car-only communities given what we know about our health and environment?

    That is absurd.

  • SEMCOG starts MI Bike Match service

    MI Ride shareSEMCOG recently launched a new MiBikematch service and the Free Press has an article it.

    MiBikematch, a service to match up bike riders who would be more comfortable taking the trip with another rider, has been launched, the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments said Wednesday.

    Users register there, entering their starting point, destination, days they ride and their work hours. That information is compared to other users for potential matches. Participants may contact potential riding companions through e-mail or the Web site. The service is free, SEMCOG spokeswoman Iris Steinberg said.

    The program is part of an effort by state and local agencies to encourage folks to think beyond driving to ease congestion and improve air quality in a state among the tops in the nation in the percentage of drivers commuting alone by car.

    Note that after signing up, you can select how you prefer to commute: by bike, car pool, van pool, or some combination of those.

    It’s apparent that in order to make this service a success, we need a lot of bike commuters signing up.

    $5 per gallon of gas would hurt the program either.

  • Ferndale Police look to nab bicycle thieves

    Both the Free Press and Daily Tribune are reporting on Ferndale Police efforts to catch bicycle thieves.

    According to the Tribune:

    Police have taken nearly 20 reports of stolen bicycles in the past six weeks. However, many such thefts aren’t reported and police believe the actual number of bike thefts in Ferndale is much higher.

    “Basically they are stealing bikes to sell them for quick money,” Wilson said. “The suspects are a combination of adults who might have drug habits to support, and kids.”

    One of their responses is to leave an unlocked bike under police surveillance. If someone takes the bicycle, the police can catch the thief. According to the Tribune it took 2 hours before the decoy was stolen by Browner, which doesn’t sound all that efficient.

    Perhaps a better solution is finding where these stolen bikes are going and being re-sold to consumers. If there was less of market for stolen bikes, fewer might get taken.

    Years ago the Royal Oak Police did just that and shutdown a bicycle shop on Eleven Mile Road that was selling stolen bikes.

  • Two Trail Conferences for October

    The 2009 Oakland County Trail Summit: By Land, By Water is scheduled for October 8th at the Proud Lake State Recreation Area near Milford.

    The details and agenda are on the registration page. Note that this event is limited to 150 registrants.

    Later in the month (October 25th through the 28th) is the Mid-America Trails and Greenways Conference in Kalamazoo.

    There is less than two weeks left to get the early registration price.

    Here are some additional conference details from Nancy Krupiarz, executive director for the Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance:

    The 4th Mid American Trails & Greenways creates an excellent opportunity for all those involved in trails and greenways to share our experiences learn from each other and continue connecting our trails and greenways.

    Sponsored by eight Mid America states of Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Indiana, Michigan, and Kentucky, and supported by a host of national, state, regional and local trail agencies and organizations, the conference will feature interactive educational sessions and exciting mobile workshops bringing together the best presenters from Mid America and the nation. An update on the state of trails and greenways in Mid America will be followed by informative sessions that will look at all aspects of trail and greenway development and operations.

    An exhibit area with more than forty exhibitors displaying their products and services will be a part of this event!

    In my job at MTGA, I’ll be presenting on our trail and greenway efforts in Detroit.

    After the conference, we’re looking at meeting in Detroit to discuss a new Adventure Cycling bike route we are developing. It will be a spur off of their existing Underground Railroad route and will extend from Ohio, through Detroit, into Windsor, and over to Toronto. We’ll also be discussing the U.S. Bicycle Route System and how it might be routed through Detroit.

  • Oakland University starts a bike sharing program

    Oakland University bike rack locationsMetromode media has an article discussing Oakland University’s new bike sharing program for students and staff.

    Oakland University plans to start two new alternative transportation programs this fall: a bike-share and van-shuttle programs. These environmentally friendly services will be available to all university patrons for free.

    The bike-share program is a student-led initiative that will depend on the honor system. It will feature 30 bicycles for on-campus use only at 30 different bike racks across the campus. The bikes will be stored in the winter term.

    Another seven bike racks will be added to campus to facilitate the program. Student and university officials are also working on plans to make the commuter campus more bike-friendly by adding bike lanes and trails throughout the campus.

    The university’s web site describes more about how it works.

    Oakland University will provide this campus service at no cost to users. Using an honor system, the program offers the campus community 30 bikes and 30 designated bike rack stations. Students, faculty and staff will have access to the bikes from bike rack stations located throughout campus, ride and return the bikes to another bike rack. The bikes will be restricted to on-campus use.

    Bikes will be provided from March to late October. Based on winter weather conditions the program may end sooner.

    This is certainly a much welcomed endeavor. And Oakland University’s road network certainly could use bike lanes and improved non-motorized connections with the surround community.

    Thanks to Jon Levin for passing along this information.