By Paul Andrews, BI editor on December 20, 2009
Bike commuting is up in Seattle but curiously down in Portland. A September count showed a 15 percent increase in downtown Seattle bike traffic in 2009 compared with 2007. An unofficial report in Portland showed a decline of 6 percent in 2009 versus 2008. But there’s more. Helmet use was up in Seattle, down in [...]
Posted in Advocacy, Transportation | Tagged BikePortland.org, portland bicycling, seattle bicycling, Transportation
By Paul Andrews, BI editor on September 22, 2009
The Stranger: Analyzing how “Bikin’ Mike” McGinn, the mayoral candidate who actually commutes downtown by bike each day, might cope with a traditional mayoral schedule. Interesting take, but in using existing mayor Greg Nickels’ car-biased schedule as a model, the article assumes McGinn would adopt a similar approach to his official calendar. Anyone who rides [...]
Posted in Obama Bikes, Transportation | Tagged mike mcginn, seattle mayor, Transportation
By Paul Andrews, BI editor on June 29, 2009
San Francisco bike policy is picking up momentum. Mayor Gavin Newsom, a true progressive who’s running for governor, is a big bike booster. The city Planning Commission and MTA (Municipal Transportation Agency) just gave thumbs up to the SF Bike Plan, prompting this observation from Newsom: “Already 6% of our commuters are bicyclists; that’s more [...]
Posted in Advocacy, Transportation | Tagged cascade bicycle club, Culture, Gavin Newsom, Portland, San Francisco, seattle, Transportation
By Paul Andrews, BI editor on May 14, 2009
My phat tires make a thrumming sound on pavement as I ride along. Skinny-tire cyclists pass me by like they have motors. My frame has a constant layer of dirt and mud. Yet still I ride a mountain bike on city streets, and on Bike to Work Day, because I like it that way. It’s [...]
Posted in Culture, Mountain Biking | Tagged Mountain Biking, titus, Transportation
By Paul Andrews, BI editor on March 12, 2009
Went up north for variety, doing my standard Green Lake/Phinney to U District connector but then heading the long climb up 15th N.E. to Maple Leaf, site of the reservoir tank everyone can see from everywhere. The views on a chilly but sunny day were magnificent from this promontory, even if I-5 tends to get [...]
Posted in Culture, Today's Ride, Transportation | Tagged Culture, seattle, Transportation
By Paul Andrews, BI editor on March 5, 2009
I ride my bike a lot, but I drive a car as well. So I have to marvel at people, several of whom I know, who do not own a car. In Shannon Markley’s case, that has been her situation since 1976. Shannon’s biography could be called “Life on a Bike.” She began cycling at [...]
Posted in Advocacy, Culture, Transportation | Tagged Culture, Marinoni, powder coat, Seattle Powder Coat, Shannon Markley, Transportation
By Paul Andrews, BI editor on March 4, 2009
City of Seattle: “Comments needed for a safer Nickerson.” They’ll be putting in bike lanes on Nickerson, which can get a bit dicey heading out toward the Ballard Bridge. Open house tonight (Wed. March 4) at Seattle U. You can also add comments to the Web site queue. Bike Rumor: “Racing up despite economy.” Sea [...]
Posted in Advocacy, Culture, News Cycle, Rider Down, Transportation | Tagged bike lanes, Culture, LA Bike Summit, Nickerson, Sea Otter, seattle, Transportation
By Paul Andrews, BI editor on March 1, 2009
In Iowa, new legislation: “Drivers would face new penalties for not giving bicycles five feet of space when passing them, following too closely or failing to yield to bikes.” There’s some further interesting points about cycle safety and driver requirements in the legislation, including driveway, crosswalks and other dilemmas familiar to all of us who [...]
Posted in Advocacy, Culture, Transportation | Tagged bicycle legislation, bicycle safety, bike advocacy, Culture, Transportation
By Paul Andrews, BI editor on February 25, 2009
After a disastrously downpourish morning the sun came out this afternoon. By late day things were drying out considerably. I had to be at a 6:30 p.m. seminar at the University of Washington, so I decided to pop over from Fremont on the Burke-Gilman Trail. The 18-mile paved trail follows former railroad tracks around Seattle [...]
Posted in Today's Ride, Transportation | Tagged Burke-GIlman Trail, mountain bike, Transportation, University of Washington
By Paul Andrews, BI editor on February 24, 2009
Rain still threatening today after torrential a.m. dump, so I played cautious and did U District/Ravenna loop. Lots of variations here but I typically dart through Lower Woodland, up N. 45th St. through Wallingford, over I-5 and then cut up Brooklyn or University Avenue to Ravenna, dink around on the bike lane back to Green [...]
Posted in Today's Ride, Transportation | Tagged Downhill Zone, LBS, local bike shop, mountain bike, Transportation
