Across the Great Divide

Let's Not Take Bike Sharing Too Far.

The Minneapolis bike share system scheduled to debut in June hopes to avoid some of the pitfalls other programs around the world have faced, including thefts, vandalism and malfunctioning rental kiosks.

The Minneapolis bikes have theft-resistant nuts and bolts, which respond only to specialized wrenches, and all break [sic] cables will be encased in the metal frame of the bike. A special computer chip will be able to track bikes taken improperly from a kiosk, meaning in the rare instance of a theft, the bike can be found and returned, instead of totally replaced.

“We get to buy a tested system,” Dossett added. “It’s true that in the first three to four weeks [Montreal] had some serious problems.” He said that the main flaw was the locking system, which previously involved a plastic cassette that would fasten a bike to a kiosk. Vandals could break the plastic cassette, so BIXI engineers decided to replace the plastic with metal.

The story mentions a few design features that could deter theft, but overlooks one of the most important — the distinctive look of the bike used in the Bixi system. A would-be thief can pretty much forget reselling a bike that screams stolen goods, even without the tracking chip.

It may also help that the program is being positioned less like a commercial or government service and more like an organization. (The nonprofit Nice Ride Minnesota will run it.) When people perceive themselves to be part of a community instead of just consumers of a service, they are more likely to look out for each other and the good condition of the shared infrastructure. That tends to be true in dog parks, disc golf facilities or bike and ski trails.

Bikes and bike parts will always be comparatively easy to steal, so another step toward prevention  (besides actually locking them) is making more people aware of the signs. For example, people securing their own bike focus on the bike; thieves are mainly scanning around themselves as they fiddle with releases or locks.

Blue-eyed Ninja Joins Shiva Barbie.

A Ninja Ken has just joined the figurehead phalanx of headless Barbies I attach to my Colorado errand bike as a security feature.

Unlike the usual discards I find in the street, this action figure wrapped in black wire, electrical tape and paint bears the marks of some kid's meticulous attention.  I hope he isn't despairing over its loss.

Note the nice touches of the fingerless gloves and the back harness.

I want to meet his maker!

Minnesota's Safer Streets for Bikes and Pedestrians.

Minnesota is one of the safest states for cyclists and pedestrians according to this table [click to enlarge; full list at link]. Minnesota ranked fifth safest, with about one-fifth the rate of fatalities in overall worst Florida.

Of course, you might argue we're safest, given our frequency of cyclists and pedestrians compared to Wyoming and the other top states.

[via a link from Ed Kohler]

In Search of Completely Clean Streets.

Some Minnesota legislators are introducing a "complete streets" bill that would design and build roads "right the first time" for multiple users, instead of exclusively for moving vehicles.

Winter helps illustrate the idea that pedestrian- and bike-friendly streets also work for cars, especially when heavy snow and ice build up around the city.

It's obvious that streets without icy intersections are safer for stopping vehicles as well as for pedestrians  making their way across them. Likewise, streets cleared curb to curb create safer passing zones and bike lanes, leave better, more consistent parking zones.

It works the other way, too. If the emphasis is on clearing just enough for vehicles, cyclists must ride in the main lane or follow an unpredictable path.

On my ride downtown today, I stuck mainly to major streets and the riding was decent.

The worst spots were created by street parking that had impeded plows and by taxpayers who cleaned their own driveways by moving the snow into the streets after the plows had gone through.

In other words, wherever car owners treated the street as their exclusive domain.

Dentist Appointment in Minnesota.

This photo shows one reason I think Minnesota is great, even in the winter time. Cars are barely moving on the freeway due to snow, and here, we expect the dangerous convergence of walkers, bikes and skaters/skiers.

My dentist called to confirm an appointment for tomorrow. The caller said, "Do you plan to come despite the snow and everything?"

Absolutely, I said.

I didn't bother to say it would be on a bike.

Electric Bikes: Mopeds Ride Again.

In China, there are an estimated 120 million electric bicycles, and they are gaining traction in the U.S. and elsewhere, especially with older riders.

The New York Times detects a trend.

I see a return of the moped.

My friends and I used to laugh at kids who had these in the 1960s because we considered them underpowered. Now, I laugh because they are overpowered.

Varsity Bike & Transit is the place to look locally if you're interested in the new ones.

Hopslam on Ice.

Yes, it's still icy out, but there are still rewards for being in Minnesota in January.

Biking on the Thin Edge.

Imaginative and astounding riding on display here. I suppose also semi-irresponsible, although pedestrians mostly appear in the shots looking to make sure the cyclist who just disappeared is not dead.

Before you try this, kids, note the fat tires and lack of a seat.

[via New York Times]

Snow, Go and Almost Being Snowed.

Heading  down Franklin Avenue yesterday, I noticed that uncleared snow isn't just a problem for cyclists in the bike lanes (Franklin had nicely bikeable snow-free edges).

Parking is another matter, as the new fixtures for locking bikes disappear under the snow in the zone between sidewalk and street.

*****

Here's the perfect stocking stuffer for the active woman. It's the GoGirl female urinary device. We just gave one to friend heading off for a bike tour through India, but it's also for more mundane locales, including ice fishing, walks in the woods or music festival port-a-johns.

*****

I ran across this news report about a UC Davis study that looked at health complications related to consumption of high fructose corn syrup. If you relied on the London Times article, you'd think:

Scientists have proved for the first time that a cheap form of sugar used in thousands of food products and soft drinks can damage human metabolism and is fuelling the obesity crisis.

Beware of statements that limited studies have "proved" anything. Beware also of stories that don't link to the actual research. And beware especially of unfamiliar news sources, especially those owned by Rupert Murdoch.

So I tried to locate the study, and guess what? The news story is riddled with all kinds of errors and misstatements. Bottom line, the biggest problem is we Americans consume too much sugar.

[anti-hat tip to change.org for almost suckering me on this one]

One more Winter Biking Hazard — Theft.

A cyclist I know was riding the bus through Minneapolis a while back, with his bike on the drop-down rack. Another bike was in the front slot; his was nearest the bus.

When the bus came to a stop downtown, a man ran up and quickly snatched the other man's bike and rode off.

It's a pretty easy procedure — just lift the retaining arm so it clears the wheel, drop it down, lift the bike, run until clear of the bus and then pedal like hell.

The bike owner ran off the bus and started to take the other guy's bike so he could give chase.

What fun.