"We all accept that kids ride bikes, in fact, we all love this, and it is a source of great nostalgia as part of the hallowed coming of age tale often celebrated in pop culture. But ...if these children continue to cycle into adulthood, then they are suddenly fit into a handful of negative stereotypes: Urban Elitist, Hipster, Militant Activist, Granola Hippie, Lycra Road Warrior — pick your poison."

What #ActiveTransport campaigners can learn from car adverts.

https://usa.streetsblog.org/2020/10/19/car-adman-vision-zero-movement-can-learn-from-auto-industry

NEW FOR 2025: California Bicycle Coalition / #CalBike quarterly ‘SUMMIT SESSIONS’ WEBINAR SERIES
https://www.calbike.org/events/california-bicycle-summit/

Improving Our Communities with Slow Streets
Wednesday, May 28 10:00 - 11:00 AM Pacific time, via Zoom (Registration required: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_3VYw0OPWQ42Csb5VG0VXug#/registration )

Speakers:
Robin Pam, KidSafe SF
Shannon Hake, San Francisco Metropolitan Transportation Agency (SFMTA)
Justin Hu-Nguyen and Robert Prinz, @BikeEastBay

May 7, 2025, 6 p.m. Transportation Agency for Monterey County Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) meeting in GONZALES. Public welcome to attend, in person or via Zoom or phone. https://bikemonterey.org/monthly-meetings-tamc-bicycle-pedestrian-facilities-advisory-committee-public-welcome.html Note agenda items https://www.tamcmonterey.org/files/9348f6ef3/BPC+Agenda+May+Packet.pdf include a presentation on the Pajaro to Prunedale Corridor Study and current progress on safety improvement projects along the G12 Corridor; and a presentation on the King City San Antonio Drive/Broadway Street Bike Path and
Safe Routes to Schools Improvements Project, including progress on the roundabout designs
and environmental review process.

Digital divides and sparse transport options plague both Global North and South. But the South has a surprising advantage: most people are not car dependent, and informal transport already serves them.

via xitter @knowablemag

https://knowablemagazine.org/content/article/society/2024/increasing-access-to-shared-transportation

Paris Bike Boom Leads to Steep Drop in Air Pollution

"The French city’s air quality has improved dramatically in the past 20 years, coinciding with a growth in cycling...Between 2005 and 2024, levels of nitrogen dioxide and fine particulate matter — two of the most harmful pollutants to human health — have been slashed by 50% and 55%, respectively.”

"City leaders including Mayor Anne Hidalgo have been making a concerted effort to pedestrianize parts of the city, improve bike infrastructure, and promote active transportation in the French capital."
>>
https://www.planetizen.com/news/2025/04/134769-paris-bike-boom-leads-steep-drop-air-pollution
#cars #pollution #harm #air #cycling #pedestrians #BellingenShire #Australia #ActiveTransport #climate

[Edited. Kindly note: From helmets to mirrors, many have strong opinions on bike accessories. That makes sense, and we strive to respect varying viewpoints. Altho we don’t have bandwidth for online debating, we welcome phone calls.]

Using rearview mirror is far from a unanimous practice of people who bike. Curious? Equipmt requirements in Calif don’t require one: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=21201.&lawCode=VEH

Living in a rural area where route from home to anywhere has hi-speed traffic, a mirror now makes us feel safer. That wasn’t always so. What changed? Increase in traffic (county’s pop. up 33% since we moved to this address); increase in EVs (great for reduced noise pollution, not for detecting car behind you); post-covid changes impacted physical flexibility.

Types incl handlebar-, helmet-, glasses-mounted & bar-end. This month we're trying TriEye—glasses w/mirror in lower corner of lens; allows seeing behind you with tilt of head. https://trieye.com/

If you advocate for safer streets for people who walk, cycle, or wheel, the Common Cause guidelines provide useful evidence-based recommendations for framing your messages: https://www.commoncause.com.au/framing-walking-and-bike-riding

The Victorian Government released the their response to the "Inquiry into the impact of road safety behaviours on vulnerable road users report" last week. It's 6 months late.

I'm having a read. An interesting thing that popped up in the first page was "Victoria’s Climate Change Strategy sets a target of net zero emissions by 2045. To help achieve this the Transport Sector Emissions Reduction Pledge aims to increase active transport mode share to 25 per cent by 2030."

If the Victorian Government wants active transport to make up 25 per cent of transport in 2023 then in 2030 they should be investing at least 25 per cent of the transport budget in to active transport and they should be investing more than that in the next 5yrs so as to get the active transport network up up to the point where it can support 25 per cent of trips.

https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/get-involved/inquiries/roadsafetybehaviours/reports

March 10, 6 pm meetings in the Salinas Valley:
*San Ardo - Active Transportation listening session, Spanish interpretation available.
*Gonzales - Vista Lucia Specific Plan public hearing.
Details in Winter Bike Buzz: https://bikemonterey.org/bike-buzz-winter-2025.html

More new #OpenAccess research from JTLU!

"The benefits of active transportation interventions: A review of the evidence" by Dillon Fitch-Polse and Swat Agarwal of the Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California, Davis.

https://jtlu.org/index.php/jtlu/article/view/2468

From 236 studies, the authors synthesized benefits of 35 independent #ActiveTransport interventions to serve as a resource for researchers and practitioners. They found strong evidence that many active transportation interventions produce wide-ranging societal benefits in cost-effective ways.

#Grateful for @Kleen’s March 2 contribution to the Bicycling Monterey work. She is a faithful Pedal Pusher! Please consider becoming one yourself—support this grassroots volunteer effort by setting up an automatic monthly contribution of $10 or more: https://bikemonterey.org/about/financial-donations.

A one-time donation, in any amount, is also welcome and appreciated. FAQs: https://bikemonterey.org/about/financial-donations/contribution-faqs
#BikeTooter #ClimateAction #PublicSafety #ActiveTransport #BikeAdvocacy #California

This bike tech shows how data-driven solutions can enhance safety and sustainability. We could adapt this at low cost for cities in the global South to make it affordable and scalable.

via Mstdn @usa.streetsblog.org

https://buff.ly/4jOwJpi

"Our findings support cutting back on sedentary time to reduce cardiovascular risk, with 10.6 hours a day marking a potentially key threshold tied to higher heart failure and cardiovascular mortality,...replacing just 30 minutes of excessive sitting time each day with any type of physical activity can lower heart health risks."

A great reason to integrate active transport in to your lifestyle.

https://bicyclenetwork.com.au/newsroom/2025/01/23/being-sedentary-is-harmful-even-for-active-people/

"Carbrain" is normalized car dominance, just as smoking was once once normalized.

But with fewer car owners in the global South, change can come faster and smarter.

via YT @Shifter
HT mstdn @JdeB

https://buff.ly/3C9ofYF

#NewBooks2025

National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO)’s
Urban Bikeway Design Guide, Third Edition

https://nacto.org/2025/01/07/nacto-launches-new-urban-bikeway-design-guide/

"Endorsed by the U.S. Department of Transportation and recognized in federal law, the Urban Bikeway Design Guide is used by hundreds of municipalities, state DOTs, and regional agencies across the U.S. and Canada to design streets that are safe and accessible for people biking."

Heartfelt gratitude to Kathleen Jones / @Kleen for being a faithful supporter of the Bicycling Monterey work since 2014—including as a Pedal Pusher (automatic monthly contributor) since 2020. https://bikemonterey.org/about/financial-donations/donors We’re immensely grateful for her steady support, which helps us continue this endurance sport (bicycle advocacy!).

A grassroots volunteer effort founded 2009, Bicycling Monterey provides inspiration and resources for people who bike anywhere. It also serves as Information Hub for Biking Monterey County and is the county's local partner of the California Bicycle Coalition.

If your circumstances allow, please start this New Year by making a donation: https://bikemonterey.org/about/financial-donations. Thank you.

Things I’d like to see - more public charging infrastructure for e-bikes and scooters.

Electric car charger with 240v power ports; scooters and e-bikes manufacturers implementing a standard charging connector; end of trip and destination charging infrastructure; all as part of an active transport strategy.

Woot! The new Boorloo bridge is open! Separating pedestrians and cyclists on smooth asphalt what an awesome bit of kit. #perth #activetransport #cycling #BikeTooter

Africa's commitment to climate resilience and social equity through actⅳe mobility is underscored by this new report from HVT

Xitter @Transport_Links @FCDOGovUK @UniOfYork @SEIresearch @UNEP @WeAreDTGlobal

https://buff.ly/400Wqen