Monday, June 27, 2011
How to discourage car trips
While American cities are synchronizing green lights to improve traffic flow and offering apps to help drivers find parking, many European cities are doing the opposite: creating environments openly hostile to cars. The methods vary, but the mission is clear — to make car use expensive and just plain miserable enough to tilt drivers toward more environmentally friendly modes of transportation.
Labels: europe
Monday, March 7, 2011
Standing room only at Arlington BAC-sponsored film viewing
Cycletracks, bus/bike lanes, painted bike lanes, bike boxes, bicycle-specific signals were among the facilities shown. Right on red is prohibited in some locations which helps reduce conflicts and seems to lead to better compliance by motorists and cyclists. Right on red in the U.S. has probably contributed greatly to the aggressive nature of many motorists here. We think we have a right to basically disregard traffic signals if we're turning right.
Speed limits are also much lower in most European cities. Convex mirrors (known as trixi mirrors) were used in some locations to allow motorists to see cyclists approaching on their right. These are especially useful for drivers of large vehicles that may have obstructed views. Zig-zag pavement markings similar to those on Sterling Blvd and Belmont Ridge Rd where the W&OD Trail crosses, were shown.
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| Traffic Garden in Winterthur, Switzerland |
Many of the facilities shown in the film cannot be used in the U.S. Cities for Cycling, a project of the National Association of City Transportation Officials, is hoping to change that by cataloging, promoting and implementing the world's best bicycle transportation practices in American municipalities.
Labels: arlington bicycle advisory committee, bikearlington, cities for cycling, europe
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Does Driving Cause Obesity?
That's the title of a Freakonomics article in the NY Times about a study of people who take public transit:People are significantly fatter in countries, states, and cities where car use is more common. Mass transit use, on the other hand, is correlated with lower obesity. But there has been scant evidence that public transportation actually causes widespread weight loss — until now. A study of residents in Charlotte, N.C., found that users of the city’s new light rail system were 81 percent less likely to become obese, and reduced their Body Mass Index by an average 1.18 points — the equivalent of 6.45 pounds for a person 5’5″ tall. The study appears in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
And by extension is bike commuting one remedy? That's the conclusion of a 2008 study, Walking, cycling, and obesity rates in Europe, North America, and Australia:RESULTS: Countries with the highest levels of active transportation generally had the lowest obesity rates. Europeans walked more than United States residents (382 versus 140 km per person per year) and bicycled more (188 versus 40 km per person per year) in 2000.
DISCUSSION: Walking and bicycling are far more common in European countries than in the United States, Australia, and Canada. Active transportation is inversely related to obesity in these countries. Although the results do not prove causality, they suggest that active transportation could be one of the factors that explain international differences in obesity rates.
Thanks to Hunter for pointing out the NY Times article.DISCUSSION: Walking and bicycling are far more common in European countries than in the United States, Australia, and Canada. Active transportation is inversely related to obesity in these countries. Although the results do not prove causality, they suggest that active transportation could be one of the factors that explain international differences in obesity rates.
Labels: active transportation, europe, obesity
