Monday, August 24, 2009
Bike photos in the New York Times
In this Sunday's New York Times, there's a good collection of bicycle photos from Bill Cunningham for the On the Street section.Cities are being transformed into weekend playgrounds for the summer months. In Manhattan, imagine Broadway, from Central Park to Macy's being turned into a mall for pedestrians and riders. It seems like everyone, with or without a safety helmet, is on wheels. Custom tricycles and bicycles—a few carrying flowers or packages and one carrying a beloved pet, Emmett—are the new status vehicles in a city that always goes out of its way to be on the go.
Isn't it time Fairfax had a summer streets event? There's been talk of closing Maple Ave in Vienna to traffic on a summer Sunday, between East St and Lawyers Rd. Traffic could be routed onto Church St. Both Spokes, Etc. and bikes@vienna are located along that section. It's a short stretch, but it would be a start.Labels: new york times
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Dutch bikes and bike commuter benefit in NYT
The classic Dutch bicycle is featured in an article in the New York Times, Riding the It Factor. As bicycling becomes more popular in New York City and elsewhere, more people are using bicycles for transportation, without the need for special bike clothes. In the Netherlands, bikes are a regular transportation option for people, most of whom ride simple, upright bikes with fenders and chain guards that protect their clothes. The Great Downturn may have its first real status symbol. It has plenty in common with recent extravagances. Like the Range Rover or the Sub-Zero fridge, it has a solid frame designed for function. Like a Louis Vuitton trunk, it has a chic design and a patina of history stretching back to the 19th century. And like a bottle of San Pellegrino, it evokes that genteel way of life that Europeans are always going on about. This new It object is the glossy black Dutch bicycle, its design unchanged since World War II.
The second article, Biking Has Its (Tax) Benefits. Or Does It?, describes some of the problems with the Bicycle Commuter Tax Benefit. The main problem is that cyclists are not able to combine the public transit benefit with the bike benefit ($20/month), so most choose the transit benefit. In a place like New York City many cyclists combine public transportation with their bike commute. As we noted in an earlier post, Congressman Blumenauer's Multi-Modal Commuter Transit Bill will allow cyclists to use both benefits when applicable.As we mentioned earlier, Accor services "began offering a bicycle commuter check to employers only last month", although only to companies with fewer than 50 employees.
Next week, on Earth Day, the company plans to announce that it will be setting up its Commuter Check program for participating medium sized companies — those with as many as 5,000 employees.
Labels: bicycle commuter act, dutch bicycles, new york times
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Spokes; new New York Times column
Cycling is increasingly popular in New York City. Strong advocacy groups like Transportation Alternatives, Times Up!, and Auto-Free New York help raise awareness and fight for better facilities. It also helps to have a supportive Department of Transportation with specific goals: "NYC DOT is currently installing bicycle lanes as part of its 3-year 200-lane-mile commitment which started in 2006; over 80 lane-miles have been installed to date. Completion of the City's 1,800-mile bicycle master plan is scheduled by 2030."Recognizing the importance of bicycling in the city, the New York Times just started a new blog, Spokes. The first post is about getting your bike ready after for the road if it hasn't been ridden in a while. It includes a short video with some basic maintenance info.
Labels: bicycle blog, new york times, spokes
