May 19, 20142 Comments on Elevation profile on Google bike directions
Check it out: Google Maps has added an elevation profile to their bicycle directions. The directions also tell you how much elevation you’ll gain and lose on the selected route.
My bike directions map mashup does the same thing, except it doesn’t work anymore. It looks like the Mapquest part of it is completely broken now. Oh well.
H/T to Revolights on Twitter.
May 4, 2014Leave a Comment
Long time politician, avid cyclist and bike advocate Jim Oberstar passed in his sleep early Saturday morning, May 3, 2014. He was 79 years old.
From my friend and long time bike advocate Buzz Feldman of Longmont, Colorado.
The American cycling community lost a long time friend and the greatest advocate for improving bicycling in the country. Among his other many accomplishments, James Oberstar was the creator of the national Safe Routes To School program. He started a movement that encouraged millions of kids to get out of their parents cars and walk, bike, or skate to school. Congressman Oberstar also pushed for Complete Streets policies and funding that make the roadways safer for ALL users.
I had the opportunity to meet Congressman Oberstar and speak with him twice: once in Washington, D.C., and once in Fort Collins when he was a panelist on a symposium about distracted driving.
I will miss him and his leadership. I am saddened to learn of his death.
More memories of bicycling with Mr. Oberstar at the Star Tribune: Chasing Jim Oberstar. There’s a wonderful photo of the Congressman with a group of school children by Bike Portland.
April 30, 20141 Comment on Photo essay: London commuters bike the strike
Commuters use bicycles to get to work on April 29, 2014, as a planned 48 hour underground train strike came into effect late Monday night. Workers on London’s Underground train system began a 48-hour strike at 9:00 pm on Monday, threatening chaos for commuters and hitting football supporters attending Arsenal’s match with Newcastle.
April 29, 2014Leave a Comment
The pro-Russian mayor of Kharkiv, Ukraine is apparently known for routinely riding his bicycle both for fitness and transportation.
Gennady (alternatively Hennadiy) Kernes was shot in the back yesterday by unknown assailants as he was biking. Some sources claim the mayor of Kharkiv was shot by pro-Russian forces either as a black flag operation to encourage more Russian intervention, or because Kernes has softened his pro-Russian positions in recent weeks.
April 28, 201454 Comments on Bike vs car: The rest of the story
By now you all have seen this story of an off-the-rails cyclist in Mill Valley, California who beat an innocent motorist and sent him to the hospital in what the San Francisco Chronicle calls a road rage attack.
This “man bites dog” story of a cyclist who sends a motorist to the hospital is compelling to Chronicle readers, but there is another side of the story.
April 23, 20142 Comments on Bay Area transpo agency approves $8.7M to continue, expand bike share
MTC votes to continue bike share into 2015, expand program to East Bay, and take over operation from BAAQMD
The San Francisco Bay Area Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) approved $8.7 million to continue the SF Bay Area Bike Share program and expand it to cities in the East Bay at their monthly commission meeting earlier today.