July 29, 200928 Comments on San Francisco car fires
Somebody’s setting cars on fire in San Francisco. This morning’s San Francisco Examiner dead tree edition had this big, end-of-the-world headline on the front page: “CAR BLAZE VANDAL TERRORIZES CITY“.
Sure, it’s a big inconvenience to lose your car, and I realize some people depend on their cars for their livelihood, but are people in San Francisco really cowering in fear at the risk of losing their automobiles?
July 28, 20094 Comments on Flying Pigeon buys Campagnolo
No, not really. Or at least I don’t think so.
What’s funny is just last week I was brainstorming with some co-conspirators about our April Fool’s joke for 2010. I came up with the idea of Flying Pigeon (the old Chinese bike factory) buying a major US or European bike brand. The Chinese have lots of American dollars, and we don’t have any credit to get anything built.
In case you haven’t heard: The rumors are flying today that Campagnolo has been purchased by an Asian company. Shimano strongly denies they’re involved, while Campy remains coy. Long time bike trade journalist Carlton Reid says “zero facts as of yet.”
Update: Campy denies the rumors and advises the rest of us to return to our Mediterranean villas.
July 28, 200926 Comments on Modal Bias
Tom Vanderbilt talks about “Modal Bias,” which he describes as the phenomenon in which people who use one mode of travel don’t understand those using other modes.
Cycle Dog has been writing a series of “Why do they do that?” articles for the online Examiner in which he tries to bridge the gap by explaining to a motoring audience why cyclists do certain things.
My ancestral Choctaw great grandfather taught me never to judge another unless I’ve walked the length of a communal maize field in his Keene sandals, so I’ve decided to examine recent motorist vs cyclist incidents from the viewpoint of the motorist to gain insight and understanding.
Incident 1: Campbell, California
Motorist driving West in a white Ford, CA 5ALZ709; Campbell Avenue, 8 AM this morning, California: I need to turn right into my neighborhood on Victor Avenue. If I gun it to 50 mph in this 35 mph zone I just might be able to get in front of that bike up ahead, who is clearly visible in his bright yellow fluorescent jersey! Oh look, he’s right next to me at the intersection, but I still need to turn here. My morning donuts are calling. He won’t mind if I run him over!
The cyclist (aka me) slamming my brakes and quick turn: “Hey!” as I think not very nice thoughts about the driver (white or Hispanic female, 30ish, bleached hair, obese, too tight white capris and yellow top).
I still think that driver is an idiot and a menace.
Next case.
Incident 2: Asheville, North Carolina
Motorist Charles Diez driving on Tunnel Road: Look at that family riding their bikes along the side of the road. Don’t these idiots know that’s dangerous! Unbelievable, that maniac even has his three year old child on the bike with him! I’m going to give him a piece of my mind, pull out my gun and shoot that careless parent!
Cyclist (not me): OMG! I’m glad I’m wearing a helmet! That helmet saved my life!
I’m pretty sure motorist Charles Diez is also an idiot and a menace. Props to Skidmore.
PS: Don’t forget the contest.
July 28, 200970 Comments on WIN a free shirt
UPDATE: Contest closed. Congratulations to our two winners: Reese of San Jose and Len of San Francisco. Thank you to B Minus for providing the prizes.
Win a cute shirt like this from B Minus Design.
B Minus Design is giving away two shirts to Cyclelicious readers. YOU MUST ENTER TO WIN. USA only.
Two ways to enter:
1. Visit the B Minus Designs store and leave ONE COMMENT here telling me what your favorite t-shirt is. ONE COMMENT ONLY please — this means you, Bruce!
2. Tweet to Twitter: deleted.
TWO WINNERS will be selected sometime during the day on Wednesday, July 29 (USA Pacific Time).
Winners’ email addresses will be passed along to B Minus, otherwise your email is safe with me and Google.
July 27, 2009Leave a Comment
The presenting sponsor of the Tri-Flow Menlo Park Grand Prix has defaulted on their $5,000 sponsorship for the race (it wasn’t Tri Flow). Race organizer Lorri Lee Lown made promotion and spending decisions based on that sponsorship, including the addition of a third women’s race this year. At present, Lorri has been able to cover all expenses except one bill to the City of Menlo Park for $4,000. If Velogirls.com can’t pay this bill, Menlo Park will not grant permission to have this race again in 2010.
Please give what you can to help save this event for 2010. Lorri is good people and does an outstanding job with the Menlo Park criterium. If just 100 people pitch in $50, her debt would be covered and she’ll have a little extra to start with for next year.
July 27, 200912 Comments on $1400 per year in medical expenses for the obese
New research shows medical spending averages $1,400 more a year for an obese person than for someone who’s normal weight.
The higher expense reflects the costs of treating diabetes, heart disease and other ailments far more common for the overweight.
“Unless you address obesity, you’re never going to address rising health-care costs.”
More in the Wall Street Journal.
It just so happens that last night I read the chapter on “Health and the Bicycle” in Jeff Mape’s Pedaling Revolution. Mapes reminds us that in 1991, only four states had obesity rates higher than 15%, while in 2007 only one state — Colorado — had a rate under 20%. In 1996, the U.S. Surgeon General issued a report lamenting that our modern, car dependent society hinders any attempts to increase physical activity. Psychologists studying the issue learned that the only way to increase physical activity is to make it a part of an active lifestyle.
That’s when the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which is dedicated to improving public health, got into promoting bicycling in a big way, spending $80 million in the 90s on advocacy, research and grants to promote active transportation. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, for example, provided the early funding for the League of American Bicyclists Bicycle Friendly Community Program.
Mapes mentions Prescription for a Healthy Nation by physicians Tom Farley and Deborah Cohen, who argue that American’s fixation with the cost of our health care system obscures the real problem: that ‘health care’ rarely does little to provide real health. 40% of early deaths can be attributed to controllable factors such as smoking, alcohol use, diet, physical activity and vehicle crashes.
Cohen and Farley argue that we should stigmatize sedentary behavior in the same way anti-smoking campaigners stigmatized smoking in the 80s. “We have to put walking and cycling back into our daily lives and temper our addiction to cars,” they write. They argue for development that encourages active transportation over car use.
Props to my anonymous tipster.