World Carfree News #92 - February 2012 - English Version
QUOTATION OF THE MONTH
" You’re safer on your bike than on
the sofa!"
This was a recent public health campaign in Copenhagen
reminding residents that it is worth their while to exercise.
This is also featured in an article covering lessons from
great cycling cities.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
REARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS
There is a slight change in the distribution of sections with
this new issue. There is now one combined area with
announcements, both for general announcements and World
Carfree Network Announcements. Action and Networking was also
merged, thus allowing for more than one action item to be
listed. Enjoy reading!
Bulletin home
The Dhaka Cycling Club of Dhaka, Bangladesh is calling all
like-minded organisations to join in on an international
cycling day. They have extended an invitation for contact and
collaboration to all those interested. Write to
dhakacyclingclub@yahoo.com
Read more
"FILMED BY BIKE"
Produce a 45 second video to celebrate the 10th Anniversary
of "Filmed by Bike" to be screened in the festival and receive
free passes to this Portland, OR, USA event. Deadline is March
1
Read more
NEWS
As previously reported here, a former banker living in Maine,
USA is attempting to raise $2 million to build Piscataquis
Village in Maine. This is to be a 125-acre development that
will be entirely carfree, and based on design elements that
feature narrow pedestrian streets, small plazas, attached
buildings and arcaded sidewalks. See recent article for
update.
Read
more.
A community in Brooklyn, NYC, USA has recently seen a fence
erected in a location where local children have been known to
throw objects at cyclists passing below. One man was wounded
when a brick hit him and brought the issue into the open.
Read
more.
Tallinn, the capital of Estonia is hoping to introduce free
public transport from the beginning of 2013. This is the
question put to city residents in a referendum this March. The
city will act based on the referendum results. The plan
envisions reducing car rides and accidents and help poorer
families.
Read
more
In Greece, due to the economic crisis and austerity measures,
more than a quarter of a million cars have been taken off the
roads - by their owners, who did not renew car papers and
license plate fees. In many cases this concerned an owner's
second car.
index.hu
IKEA Holding Services (connected to the home-goods giant) has
announced plans to build an entire neighborhood in Stratford,
East London, near to the Olympic Park where the 2012 Olympics
will take place. This 26-acre neighborhood will have 1,200
homes and be optically carfree. A water-taxi service is meant
to provide a "Venice-like feel".
Read
more.
A new governmental decree in France authorises cyclists in
Paris to go through red lights, if there is no traffic around.
The system will be tested on 15 crossroads, and if given the
green light, will be made available to the rest of the 1,700
intersections. Experiments in Bordeaux, Strasbourg and Nantes
have shown no rise in the number of accidents.
Read
more.
The city of Pleasanton, California, USA has developed traffic
lights that use microwave sensors to detect if a bicycle is
approaching and will actually turn green for bicycles.
Read
more.
ACTION AND NETWORKING
SPOKES, a Scottish bicycle group, has been campaigning
against budget cuts for active travel. See photos and find
information about the campaigns.
Read
more
"Bikes alive" is a new direct action campaigning group in
London, England, designed to put pressure on the authorities
to take action on safety issues and calling for traffic
calming.
Read more
Another UK campaign is targeting bicycle safety on Britain's
streets. The Times newspaper has launched a public campaign
with an 8-point manifesto. Individuals are encouraged to
spread the word and contact their MP.
Read
more
REPORTS
BIOFUELS RE-EXAMINED
A new comprehensive examination of biofuels and their relationship to climate change has been made, with a special view to palm oil, jatropha and soy in six different countries. Results point to a high carbon debt that would necessitate 200 years to clear that debt.
MEDIA
CAR TROUBLE: AND HOW TO FIX
IT
Joel Crawford, author of Carfree Cities, puts forward his
arguments for the carfree concept in a new video of his that
is a part of a series.
View it
NO MORE CAR TROUBLE
Meet the Goldfeld Family in Oregon who gave up their car and
travel everywhere by bicycle, including their 5 children, aged
9 to 15. Article and video included.
View
it
World Carfree News is published once a month by World
Carfree Network.
Bulletin #92 by Justin
Hyatt. Bike stand picture by Kristóf Szabó.
To unsubscribe, send an email to: world-carfree-news_eng-unsubscribe@lists.riseup.net
Available in six languages. Visit www.worldcarfree.net/bulletin.