tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52736902471480300862012-01-28T09:37:55.463-08:00resources, tips, tricks and ideas for the car-free (and car-lite) community in Ann Arbor, MichiganScotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.comBlogger2021100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-35812860082643273222008-05-11T15:08:00.001-07:002008-05-11T16:07:06.141-07:00

You won't find a link to it on the AATA site but Google maps has added Ann Arbor to the list of cities for which you can get transit directions as well as driving directions. It's also pretty hard to tell by looking at the page that you're there but this seems to be where you start: Google Transit Ann ArborPerhaps one reason AATA isn't really promoting this is that it has its own trip planning

KTnoreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-18690354555901475052008-04-30T16:33:00.000-07:002008-04-30T16:42:01.485-07:00

I had really hoped to have a more spectacular re-launch of CFA2 in time for Curb Your Car Month 08, but it's been way busy on the non-motorized transportation front lately (which is a good thing) and it turns out it's not that easy to find bloggers who are not already blogging. So we'll do the best we can and maybe hope to have lots of new posts in time for World Carfree Day in September.I'm (

KTnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-55015926251908876212008-04-08T08:40:00.000-07:002008-04-08T18:55:18.440-07:00

HD points out:Two weekends ago, the East Quad Bike Coop held a bike fixup and giveaway.At the end of the event, 7 or 8 of the really really junky ones foundtheir way into the Ghost Bike project.Here's a couple of shots from Matt Hampel's Flickr account:http://www.flickr.com/photos/a2community/2396966827/in/photostream

Bruce Fieldshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07816198402689137636noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-10700832883066930862007-11-13T07:19:00.000-08:002007-11-13T07:26:44.138-08:00

We threw out the idea of a Cranksgiving ride a while back. The vision is now realized in what looks to be a fun alleycat race Sunday, November 18. You can read all about it at the Cranksgiving Ann Arbor blog.

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-75561401225916513842007-05-21T05:46:00.000-07:002007-05-21T05:49:42.041-07:00

From the AATA:The Ann Arbor Transportation Authority will not operateregular fixed-route bus service, A-Ride paratransit, or Good As Gold seniortaxi services on Monday, May 28, 2007 in observance of the Memorial Dayholiday. Regular bus, paratransit and senior taxi services will resume onTuesday, May 29. Passengers may take advantage of AATA's Holiday Ride shared-ride taxiservice on Monday for

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-66471208857304628242007-05-07T21:59:00.000-07:002007-05-07T22:08:47.744-07:00

According to Metromode, the Coalition for Mass Transit is optomistic about the million dollar Federal grant that they applied for. They are also considering adding stops in Hamburg and Saline.Other juicy details include:A three-car passenger train would make six trips during the morning rush hour and another six trips in the afternoon/evening rush hour. Each stainless steel bi-level car could

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-20315797965651688512007-05-04T01:22:00.000-07:002007-05-04T01:52:23.081-07:00

The housekeeping staff as been consumed with preparations for a return to Michigan from the Far East. As a result, we forgot to remind everyone that May is Curb your Car Month.The getDowntown program has a great list of events over the next 25 days, like urban cycling skills workshop, lunchtime river walks, class on building your own bike light... too many great things to mention. Check out the

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-32171156209698320342007-05-04T01:00:00.000-07:002007-05-04T01:11:12.639-07:00

Metafilter, the 21st century's fountain of common knowledge and folk wisdom, has a thread full of good tips on getting new shoes to be comfortable. The advice focuses on leather shoes with a lot of DIY and purchase-alternative ideas. It seems that just about any household item, from soap to vodka, will soften shoe leather. However, there isn't much info on the damage that these "softeners"

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-35811492739541102152007-04-20T21:57:00.000-07:002007-04-20T22:05:08.208-07:00

From GetDowntown, among others announcing this unique opportunity:Have you ever wondered what it be like if Huron River Drive were closedto cars? Well, tomorrow is your chance to check it out and voice yourcomments to the City. The City of Ann Arbor is closing Huron RiverDrive from Bird Rd. to Main to motorized traffic from 9-12 on Saturday,April 21st. Whether or not the road should be closed

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-22558428003629733982007-04-18T23:29:00.000-07:002007-04-19T02:04:08.472-07:00

A link from Ed's blog pointed us to a list of speed traps in Ann Arbor.The interesting point, from a carfree perspective, is that some of the traps include police vehicles parked on the sidewalk and in bus loading zones.Huron Parkway Ravine. They sit on the sidewalk along the concrete tieback walls.Fuller near Mitchell Field. They do it Cali style and sit in the bus loading zone.While cycling on

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-87117397292165294862007-04-04T01:27:00.000-07:002007-04-04T01:52:06.601-07:00

You're never going to believe this, but the Ann Arbor to Detroit rail project opening has been put off until at least 2008. Yes, over the last ten years you've been let-down repeatedly over the possibility of a decent mass transit connection to the airport and the city. Yes, it seemed like something might have come of it this time. No, it probably won't ever be completed if this uninspired

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-68831044907574087732007-04-04T00:43:00.000-07:002007-04-04T01:23:06.340-07:00

It appears that the miserable condition of Huron River Drive has reached some invisible but verifiable level of crapitude. For years the only thing cyclists and motorists using this stretch of road could agree on was the miserable state of the too-narrow road surface. The city has now deemed the bumpy patch-jobs, potholes, and cracks on HRD worthy of repair. However, knowing they will have to

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-60412431794797517152007-04-02T07:10:00.000-07:002007-04-02T20:47:39.977-07:00

Laura sent us a link to some advice on being a good rider at the Ann Arbor Crier.Above all else, follow two simple rules: Do not be in the way, and pretend everyone on the bus is your grandma. Use these as your rubric for courtesy and you’ll notice fewer Death Stares in your direction.Students are one of the more neglected carfree groups (along with disasbled folks, homeless people, and the

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-27789863603856317712007-04-01T19:20:00.000-07:002007-04-01T20:33:44.680-07:00

[One of our guilty pleasures in keeping house at cfa2 is browsing the site statistics. The idea is that by reviewing referrers and search terms, we can reach our target audience more effectively while, at the same time, expand that audience. That hasn't really panned out so far, but we still enjoy the harmless voyuerisn of finding out where visitors come from and what kinds of search terms

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-50447525423916678432007-03-27T20:15:00.000-07:002007-03-27T21:12:39.738-07:00

As part of the Ann Arbor Discover Downtown (A2D2) project, the City is hosting two public participation events on long-term parking strategy. Tonight (March 28), the project team will facilitate a work session to obtain input and direction on the parking study at the Ann Arbor Downtown Library 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. There will also be a public workshop on downtown access and parking issues

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-46866901440329187332007-03-26T20:12:00.000-07:002007-03-26T21:12:41.192-07:00

Every blike blogger and her brother have mentioned this recent threat to trail funding, but League of American Bicyclists has a good summary. Basically, Congress told states to return some of their transportation budget (after checking on this, we found that "no take-backs" is not actually a constitutional right). Governors have to decide what programs will be cut in the next few weeks, and

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-12098105160281893252007-03-26T01:20:00.000-07:002007-03-26T01:38:31.611-07:00

That's right, as the weather gives us a Spring preview, it's time to start thinking about Curb Your Car Month. All through the month of May, the getDowntown program organizes events, lectures, parties, and give-aways to celebrate and promote the carfree lifestyle in Ann Arbor.There is nothing that whips up the excitement for upcoming events like unsubstantiated rumors, so we'll pass on some info

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-62673073529726343332007-03-26T00:39:00.000-07:002007-03-26T01:03:01.185-07:00

As of April 2, Amtrak is adjusting the schedule of the Wolverine, the train that gets the good people of Ann Arbor to Chicago. The new departure times are:Eastbound from Ann Arbor: 2:09pm 5:47pm 11:30pm Westbound from Ann Arbor: 8:23am 12:56pm 6:51pm According to the AANews, the Eastbound afternoon train was pushed back 40 minutes to allow Millwaukee riders to make a transfer in Chicago.

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-46832736670617475292007-03-16T02:58:00.000-07:002007-03-16T03:05:08.277-07:00

Our apologies for the lack of posts recently. The cfa2 housekeeping staff is celebrating the arrival of a new family member, Leif Michael, and will be taking a few days off from updating the website. We should be back in a few days. In the mean time, please feel fee to add carfree announcements and tips as comments.

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-31180319326016742402007-03-08T20:14:00.000-08:002007-03-08T21:00:40.538-08:00

Bicycle Colorado just posted 7 Steps to a Bicycle-Friendly Workplace. Their list of general tips on encouraging biking to work inspired us to write up a list of simple ways businesses in downtown Ann Arbor can encourage carfree commuting.1. Sign up for the go!pass 2. Post locations and rental info on bike lockers3. Hand out pedestrian maps, bike maps and bus schedules4. Offer to ride (bus or

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-8061995976649131222007-03-08T18:08:00.000-08:002007-03-08T19:51:59.095-08:00

Ypsidixit got the scoop on the Megabus expansion to Ann Arbor. Megabus has been serving Detroit for a while now, and it has been a mystery to us how they could drive right past a town full of cheap-skate college students without picking up a few fares. They seem to have gotten wise to the potential jackpot and have added Ann Arbor to the 14 cities in their greater midwest service region.But

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-46017157289360909772007-03-07T00:18:00.000-08:002007-03-07T23:51:00.019-08:00

Nancy already talked about carfree life of SOS consumers. Now she chats with us about her experience on the AATA board and her goals for AATA.cfa2: what it is like to sit on the AATA board? Nancy: Well, it’s really interesting. The Board definitely doesn’t speak with one voice, and we often have divergent opinions about the system. I really like sitting on the Board because I feel like I

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-48774427119546337952007-03-06T19:18:00.000-08:002007-03-06T23:49:44.853-08:00

In preparation for the city's budgeting process, the draft version of the Capital Improvements Plan (CIP) is posted on the city website. Here is a list of the "Alternative" Transportation projects in the report:Bandemer Park Pedestrian TunnelBicycle Facilities Development*Geddes Ave. Non-Motorized Path (Gallup Park to Huron Pkwy)Huron River Multipurpose Trail*Northeast Area Non-Motorized

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-85872676651243643272007-03-06T18:25:00.000-08:002007-03-06T23:43:22.751-08:00

We've never understood the need for a rear-view mirror while cycling. The occasional glance over the shoulder has always been sufficient. But the style points earned from sporting a wearable mirror made from an attractive bottle cap and a bike spoke may just change our tune. Instructables demonstrates how to Do It Yourself.

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-89716620176232775972007-03-02T06:34:00.000-08:002007-03-02T07:20:37.894-08:00

In an effort to branch out in terms of content (read as: "we're running out of tips!"), we decided to contact people related to local carfree issues to ask a few questions. You're not going to find the well-balanced queries and teetering style available in interviews elsewhere, but we were inspired by the content that came out of our first effort.Nancy Shore is the Community Relations Coordinator

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-25032876476895588722007-03-01T00:35:00.000-08:002007-03-01T01:16:15.533-08:00

AANews announces that AATA will not be persuing a millage to expand service to the entire county.A consultant found that 54 percent of Washtenaw County voters would support a .5 mill tax to extend AATA service countywide. Without at least 60 percent support among voters at the outset of a campaign, a strong informational effort would be needed, the study said.We'll asume for now that it is

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-54525483600201216102007-02-27T19:37:00.000-08:002007-02-27T20:07:05.805-08:00

We were just lamenting the drift away from useful tips towards comments on AANews articles that now make-up the bulk of our postings. Despite our best efforts to come up with new resources and suggestions for carfree life in Ann Arbor, we're running out of ideas. But in our darkest hour, Ed Vielmetti has picked up the torch, creating a simple flickr post giving estimates for a bunch of bus

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-63134290911806810742007-02-22T19:27:00.000-08:002007-02-22T23:08:52.935-08:00

Paul Dorn of bikecommutetips posted this pic in his post on intermodal travel.While Paul claims that the upright position is an efficient use of space, note that two seats are folded up to make space for the bike. As a bus rider, this looks like one passenger taking up three seats. Accomodating bikes on buses is great, but if we had to stand in the aisle while a wet bike taking up two seats

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-22687907571597535282007-02-21T22:59:00.000-08:002007-02-22T02:23:17.770-08:00

About this time last year, Alan Durning decided to give the carfree lifestyle an honest effort. His family of five committed to not owning a car for a year, though they did carshare, carpool, bum rides, and borrow from friends. He has provided updates throughout the year, and now he has posted a summary of the experiment, listing the many ways that going carfree has changed their lives. In the

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-87246478471469562052007-02-21T21:45:00.000-08:002007-02-21T22:41:49.018-08:00

We're always on the look-out for ways to keep occupied/entertained/educated/productive/satiated during a bus ride. For those who cary a laptop, a bus commute would be a great time to check email, catch up on the latest carfree ann arbor tips, and all the other Internetty items on your to-do list. Unfortunately, AATA buses don't offer internet service yet. Some cutting-edge bus commuters may be

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-32083802011930153242007-02-19T20:18:00.000-08:002007-02-19T20:38:32.780-08:00

AATA's beloved, purple, younger sibling to regular bus service, the Link, is catching on with downtown residents and visitors. AATA announces that the Link set record-high ridership in January, as well as breaking the single-day record in December. The freeze-bomb that dropped on the city in the middle of January certainly helped boost ridership, but the trend seems to be sticking as February

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-17959275078599606882007-02-19T01:57:00.000-08:002007-02-19T19:23:06.772-08:00

As mentioned "in brief" in the AANews, WBWC will host a little non-motorized get-together at the Corner Brewery in Ypsi on Thursday, Feb 22. The event includes a showing of "Still We Ride", the Critical Mass movie, as well as updates and info on upcoming NMT projects and events in Ypsi. The News is quick to point out that these projects "would be funded by grants from groups outside of Ypsilanti

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-48454276199996169202007-02-15T18:43:00.000-08:002007-02-15T19:11:15.538-08:00

While scouring The Internets for more useful carfree tips, we stumbled across a local hiking blog. We're are quickly learning that the most inovative carfree tricks, tips, and hacks are not labeled as such. Hiking tips are easily converted to town & city pedestrian use, so look for more links to simplehiker in the future.Simplehiker points to a instructables post dead link on how to make

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-74884403682616119642007-02-15T00:51:00.000-08:002007-02-15T01:01:15.488-08:00

We have unconfirmed reports from Ypsidixit that you can bring your x-countries skis with you on the bus*. Now that there is a little snow on the ground, this may actually come in handy. Note that they haven't added a ski rack or anything, but storing them under your seat appears to be acceptable."kudos to people who eschew snow-whining/excuses and instead embrace the beautiful snow and enjoy it

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-76367357658946693072007-02-13T00:15:00.000-08:002007-02-13T00:15:48.933-08:00

Whether you ride the bus, walk or ride a bike, mp3 players are a great addition to a carfree journey. Unless, that is, you are spending half the trip trying to untangle a rat's nest of headphone cord. Lifehacker posted a video from instructables on how to wind headphones so they don't get all tangled. As usual, the comments have a bunch of (possibly better) additional suggestions.Most

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-69768830133922193332007-02-12T22:44:00.000-08:002007-02-13T00:11:33.748-08:00

The AANews announces proposed construction on E. Stadium between Main and South Industrial. On-street bike lanes and a sidewalk on the south side of the street are included in the improvements. The project, slated for 2009, will make a mess of traffic, but the NMT improvements will be great. From the article:Already there are ideas about a pedestrian connection from South State Street up to

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-24964810147170924382007-02-12T00:42:00.000-08:002007-02-11T18:43:00.646-08:00

This came out in Thursday's paper, but we held back on posting it til today in hopes that is was an error. Alas, it appears that we can't blame this on typos or poor reporting. After all the effort put into Calthorpe and design consultants, the DDA did an about face, tightened their collective sphincter, and voted against the pedestrian and bike improvements on these parrallel rivers of traffic

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-66216429419162904192007-02-06T22:23:00.000-08:002007-02-06T22:29:52.792-08:00

cyclicio.us has posted an interview with Dan Grunig, Executive Director of Bicycle Colorado, on how to participate in, improve, or jumpstart bike advocacy efforts locally. He doesn't offer any magic tricks or short-cuts. Mostly he hammers home the fact that "our governmental decision making process is dominated by people who show up." Well worth a read for those who want to get involved as

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-32942970731899127242007-02-06T18:37:00.000-08:002007-02-06T22:13:21.126-08:00

Our housekeeping staff fell asleep at the wheel while the local rag covered a few items of interest to the carfree community.RidetrakWe mentioned this in December and January, so the News' announcement is a bit behind the times [insert your own snarky comment on "old media" here]. However, it is nice to find that riders are actually making use of this tool and that it seems to work for them (we

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-85170207997600687012007-01-31T20:17:00.000-08:002007-02-05T05:37:20.957-08:00

AANews reports that the city is pushing to implement this line ASAP in order to help relieve construction-related congestion on US23 this summer. We love the plan to link this rail service so directly to the ever-worsening traffic on US23, and this approach is certainly worth a shot before we decide to add lanes to the highway. Of course, the schedule is a little tight. It would be possible to

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-13589526977179796072007-01-31T18:57:00.000-08:002007-01-31T19:24:22.399-08:00

Everybody with a bike blog seems to be talking about this Reuter's article today. In our continuing effort to stay abreast of the carfree topic de jour, we're posting it, too. It talks about winter bike commutes in Chicago, alternating between shocking the reader with the miserable conditions and dedicated rider of the windy city and then pointing out how easy winter bike commutes are.For the

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-40687395439776966742007-01-31T16:42:00.000-08:002007-02-01T21:03:20.706-08:00

We were tipped off by the WBWC mailing list that getDowntown is working on a sort of inventory of Ann Arbor bike racks. The map they are working from is available online and they appear to be open to contributions. The map is part of an effort to identify potential improvements to downtown bike parking. If you've been bitching about the poor quantity or quality of bike parking downtown, this

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-26589431576828315162007-01-29T23:36:00.000-08:002007-01-30T22:26:38.947-08:00

Over the weekend AANews ran a story about how the proposed bike lane on Fifth Ave. conflicts with bus parking for the Hands-On Museum. First the bike lane was hindering the God-given right to park on the street. Now it is threatening the safety of 40,000 innocent children. As the Calthorpe recommendations and the newly-passed Non-Motorized Plan move from discussion points to implementation, we

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-62565061409486184852007-01-29T17:13:00.000-08:002007-01-29T21:01:42.568-08:00

In previous reports, HD described his journey by foot and by bike. In his final installment, Homeless Dave catches the bus and relates his experience to us.Installment Three: the bus (AATA)Route 12B--which makes a loop west on Liberty, north along Maple, theneast into downtown again along Miller--offers a stop less than aminute from my house There's a bus scheduled to service that stop at5:

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-58175992734196711642007-01-29T16:48:00.000-08:002007-01-29T22:46:35.731-08:00

For all of you who can't get enough NMT policy discussion, these gatherings are taking place this week.Walking for transportation and health: contributions from urban design and planningFriday, Feb 2 12:30 noon - 1:45 pmUniversity of Michigan Art & Architecture BldgSandwiches providedSpeaker:Anne Vernez Moudon (Visiting Professor, TCAUP Winter 2006; and Professor ofUrban Design and Planning,

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-62515031710080988672007-01-23T19:57:00.000-08:002007-01-23T20:14:28.964-08:00

The MinusCar Project posted reflections on an inspirational carfree moment. carfree ann arbor has connected with a growing number of carfree (carless, carlite, minuscar, whatever) blogs across the country. Many of the are based on personal reflections of a carfree life which we enjoy, but don't usually link to. To be honest, this one is just an excuse to post the picture.If you are curious

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-63136958495207680032007-01-22T21:00:00.000-08:002007-01-22T22:43:13.434-08:00

bikecommutetips points out that sharrows have gained Federal acceptance:At its just completed winter meeting held January 17-19 in Arlington, Virginia, the National Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices voted 35-0-3 to endorse the shared lane marking ("sharrow")...Yeeehaw!We know that you've probably been on the edge of your seat, biting your nails over this vote as you check in, with

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-68672470171817322512007-01-21T16:40:00.000-08:002007-01-21T18:53:50.175-08:00

Continuing his exploration of carfree options (previous pedestrian post) in the real world, Homeless Dave reports on his cycling adventure. His route includes the Y where Huron splits to Jackson and Dexter-Ann-Arbor roads.Installment Two: CyclingBecause of the time of year and the time of day for this trip, I first had to plan far enough ahead to make sure my headlamp was charged. I was

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-12280084985179658032007-01-20T17:43:00.000-08:002007-01-20T18:39:02.826-08:00

"Parking down there is such a pain," Liner said. "This time I parked my car outside of East Quad and then waited at the closest bus stop. It seems like a good system."It's a little surprising to find that students actually drive to Chrysler Arena, but it is nice to see another example of UM promoting carfree alternatives for short driving trips. LSA Student Government will be providing bus

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-18938931905928713942007-01-18T23:53:00.000-08:002007-01-19T00:16:00.236-08:00

The Mayor continues to build momentum on his goal for commuter rail service between Howell and Ann Arbor. Hieftje announced that UM has offered to pay for its employees to use the service. Note that while the Mayor pins the promise on Hank Baier, associate vice president for UM facilities and operations, there are no official promises from the university just yet. Also still missing is the

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-13970169251138726352007-01-17T20:02:00.000-08:002007-01-17T20:27:55.399-08:00

A while back we got the tip on AATA's new RideTrak internet service. Choose a route at the AATA website, and it gives you the current location and status (early, on-time or late by X minutes) of the bus. While we were excited about finally getting access to the info, we mostly grumbled about how the service could be better. We, and many others, contacted AATA through their comment form to

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-86034081705056949092007-01-15T18:15:00.000-08:002007-01-15T18:30:21.405-08:00

Living Small posted her reflections on being introduced to the misery and wonder of Michigan winters on her walk to work. We always enjoy reading personal accounts of carfree life. This one gets extra points for the winter walking tip.Tuck my pants into my boots? The indignity! But I was glad for this instruction when I stepped on what looked like solid ice and landed ankle-deep in dirty slush.

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-42092340731048690882007-01-14T01:32:00.000-08:002007-01-14T01:54:04.694-08:00

In response to our plea for accounts of local carfree life, Homeless Dave generously provides a description of his varying carfree experience with a fork in the road. This is part one of what looks to be developing into a three part series.I'm starting 2007 with a regular evening appointment three times a week that was previously not on the calendar. The route I need to cover includes an

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-59871309963605325162007-01-13T17:09:00.000-08:002007-01-13T17:35:28.384-08:00

As part of continue series of winter bike events, the Worst Day of the Year Ride is coming up in a week (Jan 21). Organizers are seeking a few more volunteers to help at the registration table and valet bike parking. Contact erica@annarborchamber.org for more information.The event includes rides of three lengths (40, 12, & 6 miles). Weather predictions suggest that while this has been a mild

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-82870131859374612822007-01-09T02:39:00.000-08:002007-01-09T01:50:28.518-08:00

We were planning to save this for Spring, but we noticed a couple searches on the topic were sending people to cfa2. Since we are having a balmy January anyway, here are a few tips on riding like a girl.If you're riding in a skirt, consider:- wearing heavier, limp material that is less likely to lift in the wind- wearing shorts or tights under your skirt- fixing your skirt to your leg (garter,

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-83413455199520631412007-01-09T00:02:00.000-08:002007-01-09T01:00:01.135-08:00

AANews published a light-weight interview with the guy in charge of transportation in Ann Arbor. There is not a lot of content here, but it is nice to see him introduced as "the man at the city who is charge of trying to get people out of their cars". Maybe he should have been at the negotiating table when we forked over 400 free parking spaces to Google.There are a couple quotes worth

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-25555568017115842052007-01-07T23:14:00.000-08:002007-01-07T23:23:39.171-08:00

With all the holiday hub-bub over the last few weeks, you may have forgotten that bike winter, sponsored by getDowntown is only half way done. With the continuing warm weather, you may, in fact, have forgotten about winter altogether.Bike winter slipped our minds, too. We forgot to mention the Winter bike talk that took place on Saturday. However, there are plenty of events still to come.

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-11172566945779583212007-01-07T22:42:00.000-08:002007-01-07T20:18:46.782-08:00

One of our first few posts mentions bumming rides as a simple and often over-looked carfree transportation solution. Alan Durning's article, Perils of Carless Parenting, adds a little depth to that concept. He explains that a whole lot of transactions in our lives aren't monetarily based but depend on favors, gifts and reciprocation. In his year living carless, Alan found that this gift economy,

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-76456427190041858702007-01-04T20:31:00.000-08:002007-01-05T21:51:01.148-08:00

AANews revs up the public's ire in preparation for the Monday night public hearing on the proposed non-motorized plan by pitting the sacred cow of parking against the holy grail of NMT infrastructure, bike lanes. The NMT plan, prepared by Norm Cox of the Greenway Collaborative, recommends removing on-street metered parking on some streets to make room for bike lanes. So, Batman, as an innocent

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-20577351603535392992007-01-04T01:43:00.000-08:002007-01-04T01:52:42.357-08:00

We are constantly mourning the lack of local, personal accounts of carfree life in Ann Arbor on this blog. As the sole housekeeper currently resides on the other side of the world, we don't offer as many "while biking down State St. today" stories as we'd like.If you read this blog regularly and feel that it is eithera) a great addition to the local blogosphere that you would love to contribute

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-58492572546297432812007-01-03T19:40:00.000-08:002007-01-03T22:39:26.350-08:00

While not widely publicized, a group of cyclists meet up at the corner of State and North U at 5:15 on the last Friday of every month for Ann Arbor's Critical Mass ride. These organized coincidences began in San Francisco and now occur in cities all over the world. While the general themes are advocating for cyclist rights and raising awareness of cycling as an environmentally friendly

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-62116967117876551702007-01-02T18:36:00.000-08:002007-01-02T19:39:05.423-08:00

In the first few days of the new year, while the cfa2 editorial board was loafing on the sunny beaches of a tropical island, a few noteworthy news items surfaced in the local rag.Cagers will be issued brand new tracking identifiers this year. They'll be trading in the blue license plates for plates that are more visible at night. This would have been a perfect time to include a cycling &

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-52321403865048276182006-12-28T06:51:00.000-08:002006-12-28T07:47:31.462-08:00

Homeless Dave tipped us off to the new goings on over at AATA. They have released a way to track the buses from the AATA website. You choose a route and AATA tells you the most recent timepoint, the status (behind or ahead of schedule), and the next timpoint, for both ingoing and outgoing buses.After trying it out, our immediate reaction was, "Awesome! We're half way to a useful tool for bu

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-69654014950750419032006-12-27T01:48:00.000-08:002006-12-27T06:21:54.997-08:00

Flitting around the Internets today, we came across a few shoe tips that might be useful for those who get the most out of their footwear. We've even thrown in a witty (or snarky) comment for each!fix freyed lacesNote that plain ole scotch tape will also work, though it wears out faster.boot drying rackCall us lazy, but we just prop our boots up against the heat register.Note smart people say

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-76598606423154565782006-12-25T20:39:00.000-08:002006-12-25T20:56:28.568-08:00

we're slipping over the edge to bike-junky posts again!While most folks think of century rides, time trials and Tours De [Insert Location] to be the epitome of cycling prowess, there is a special place in our hearts for the raw, unadulterated thrill of alley cat races. Finally, a semi-organized effort to promote and organize the cyclist version of Main street drag racing has hit Ann Arbor, and

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-20707314413596421572006-12-25T18:46:00.000-08:002006-12-25T19:39:47.773-08:00

Our holiday web surfing introduced us to a new site called platewire. This blog allows road users to post complaints and praise of other drivers by posting a license plate number and brief message. Platewire describes itself as a place where "commuters can communicate their thoughts and feelings in regards to driving on today's roadways."Naturally, our thoughts drifted to the potential for

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-10939941357754219602006-12-25T18:15:00.000-08:002006-12-25T18:28:26.766-08:00

We've been keeping an eye on the weather report for Ann Arbor from our temporary home office in Bangkok, Thailand. It appears that a brisk Christmas walk through the crisp new-fallen snow is out again this year. weather.com is repeatedly advertising our Midwestern winter days as "a slushy accumulation of one inch or less."So hopefully you can snuggle up to a fire that is so delightful for the

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-19497434070002769182006-12-21T22:30:00.000-08:002006-12-20T20:41:49.899-08:00

A recent AANEws article announces that Google is moving downtown, at least for the next four years. The seemingly good news for the city is followed up by another article pointing our that the addition is not all wine and roses. Specifically, parking is an issue again (yes we agree that it probably never stopped being an issue; the framing is just different). In an effort to accomodate

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-45733346091625930182006-12-20T20:45:00.000-08:002006-12-20T21:00:25.059-08:00

The diag is one of those cycling short-cuts that can really cut time off your trip, unless classes have just let out and you find yourself caught in a sea of pedestrians chatting on mobile phones. But even if the way is mostly clear, the path funnels at the Southeast corner as you pass through the West Hall arch. There are doors on either side inside that arch where students step out without

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-2338445111783277092006-12-20T01:33:00.000-08:002006-12-19T22:03:59.544-08:00

As the season's festivities pick up pace and the snow (hopefully) falls thick and cold, carfree folks around Ann Arbor gain a distinct advantage over cagers. With mulled wine, eggnog, and a variety of other social lubricants flowing freely as we gather repeatedly with friends, families, and co-workers in jovial celebration, drivers are faced with drunk-driving concerns. How on earth is anyone

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-21966252517258594512006-12-17T22:57:00.000-08:002006-12-17T19:40:54.353-08:00

There is a good chance that you weren't even aware that Amtrak offers business class seating from Ann Arbor to Chicago. If you're anything like us, it gets overlooked in the mad dash to the weekly specials page. A BC upgrade to Chicago only adds $11 to the one-way ticket price. However, you can't upgrade from the drastically reduced fares in the weekly specials. As a result, we've never taken

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-75702090152003580882006-12-14T00:20:00.000-08:002006-12-14T00:37:34.067-08:00

Why do cyclists give up their bike commute in the winter? Well, it certainly couldn't be the weather. After all, we're Michiganders, right? We're used to the cold and look forward to the invigorating freshness of a winter morning, the snow crunching crisply under our wheels...We have a sneaking suspicion that parking might play a role in deterring winter rides. We've seen a number of

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-56701118488515629792006-12-13T22:49:00.000-08:002006-12-14T00:00:01.404-08:00

The Michigan Daily is reporting that a student is in serious condition after being hit by a driver while walking in the bike lane on Packard St. A reprotedly elderly woman swerved across the road, striking the pedestrian, and then back across both lanes eventually running the car into a tree.There are no details on how this all happened, and we won't be the ones to speculate. However, it is

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-8806963311723182312006-12-12T21:53:00.000-08:002006-12-13T00:29:10.416-08:00

Three posts today! I guess we're feeling chatty.The focus of this site is carfee life and we try to keep posts relevant to getting around Ann Arbor without a car. There are lots of bike junky websites out there. While we often link to them, we don't aim to become one of them.That said, once in a while something comes along that isn't directly related to our topic but just can't be overlooked.

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-69258055872638990432006-12-12T19:18:00.000-08:002006-12-12T22:36:40.305-08:00

Think it is too snowy to be riding your bike? Dreading the slippy trip on your downhill commute? Can't decide whether to bike or ski to work? Why not take the best of both and put them together?Yes, the skibike is the Reeses peanutbutter cup of winter transportation. Certainly there are limits to its usefulness (can only go downhill, no brakes, generally unsafe for rider and onlookers), but for

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-33733916813402164482006-12-12T19:02:00.000-08:002006-12-13T00:31:36.230-08:00

We previously mentioned the snow removal requirements for the City of Ann Arbor. As we trudge our way through the cold season, it's worth referring back to that advice. WBWC has posted info on sidewalk shoveling requirements for all area governmental units.In apparent agreement with our advice to make personal, friendly, and neighborly contact before filing official complaints, WBWC also is

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-9926375595041905292006-12-12T01:23:00.000-08:002006-12-11T22:17:06.527-08:00

AATA recently released a report on ridership (PDF) done by the UofM Urban Planning department last spring. The results indicate that the M-ride program has had a big impact and that we can probably expect that to continue.55% of riders are between 18 and 29 years old. 42% of riders make less than $15k per year. So yeah, there are a lot of students riding the bus now. In fact, just under half

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-22563092401436266732006-12-11T01:22:00.000-08:002006-12-10T23:15:11.903-08:00

It seems like everyone is posting gift ideas on their blogs right now. So, in an effort to keep up with the Jones, here are a few ideas for carfree gifts for Ann Arborites. You can pick one up for that special carfree person in your life or add these to your own wish list. blinky- good stocking stuffer for any cyclist or pedestrian in your lifebike locker- $75/year gets you covered bike

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-20566577043721409312006-12-08T01:43:00.000-08:002006-12-07T22:57:40.892-08:00

You want to bike to work, but need to smell professional when you arrive. The fact that your office doesn't have lockers or shower facilities makes that pretty much impossible, right?Actually, a shower is often overkill in cleaning up for work. Keep in mind that fresh sweat doesn't stink. It's the waste product of bacteria eating the old sweat that creates a nasty odor. Wiping of the old sweat

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-30023108958542085002006-12-07T01:14:00.000-08:002006-12-07T01:22:39.136-08:00

We love reading the Buschick column from Seattle. This week she gave a nice little list of tips for holiday shopping by bus. Even though she writes about Seattle, most of her points are easily transferrable to Ann Arbor. Here are the main points, but you should definitly read her article for the full explanation on each topic.1. Buy less2. Use the internet to shop and/or pre-shop3. Concentrate.

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-48661905339807983972006-12-06T23:07:00.000-08:002006-12-07T00:39:35.629-08:00

Ever find yourself stuck in a traffic purgatory, waiting for a light change that never seems to come? Have you ever gotten so frustrated at not being able to activate a left-turn signal, that you eventually decide to blow the light? For cagers, this is usually just a lack of patience. But for cyclists on the road, this can be a real and frustrating problem. We used to have a terrible time

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-9274201486311607022006-12-05T22:19:00.000-08:002006-12-05T23:25:46.071-08:00

A lot of the benefits to car-free living remain unconvincing for the vast majority of drivers. Better health, cleaner environment, and more a livable city all sound good, but don't measure up to the collosal sacrifice of reducing auto-dependence. Even the pretty obvious cost savings seems to get muddled. However, no one can argue one luxury of giving up the car: you never have to worry about

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-89415324133651652292006-12-05T00:31:00.000-08:002006-12-04T22:01:40.198-08:00

Paul at carfreefamily has a lot of bikes and trailers to haul kids, groceries, and stuff around his farm. He has a tandem. He has a three seat tandem. None of this stops him from adding to his extensive bike wishlist. He talks about how to better manage a carfree life and massive bike inventory and whether selling his car saved him money or just redirected it to more bike parts. It's a good

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-80078123182879637432006-12-04T01:32:00.000-08:002006-12-03T22:19:57.514-08:00

"As for buses? Blech. A perfect way to keep us in our cars.", quips an AANews colmnist recently.But the Good People of Ann Arbor appear to disagree. In early December AATA will celebrate their 5 millionth ride this year, the highest ridership in the organizations history. A large portion of this increase is probably a result of the M-ride program, which allows UofM students, faculty and staff

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-9145368795233591742006-12-02T17:17:00.000-08:002006-12-02T17:27:28.881-08:00

Our main content contributor came down with this exotic disease last week, resulting in a week hooked up to an IV in the local hospital. After numerous blood tests and hospital meals, he has been released and we hope to have regular postings again.

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-64673693943305597332006-11-23T22:50:00.000-08:002006-11-23T18:31:07.987-08:00

After visiting the AAPD lost and found list, we fear that disrespect for bikes is hardly limited to road-raging car-muters. It extends to bike owners themselves.The L&F list shows 168 items collected as far back as October, 2005. Nearly half of the list is bicycles! In fact, more than 50 bikes collected over the past 3 months are now clogging up police storage facilities. Note that this

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-53070696941090359452006-11-23T18:46:00.000-08:002006-11-23T19:11:35.989-08:00

Friday, November 24 is Buy Nothing Day. The protest/celebration higlights the manner in which consumerism has overshadowed the importance of quality time with friends and family.We're not aware of any events organized in Ann Arbor, but you can show your support simply by not shopping for the day (harder than some may think). We encourage all carfree folks to continue to supportlocal businesses

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-8296306209045533682006-11-22T19:03:00.000-08:002006-11-22T20:15:58.688-08:00

Winter is, of course, the best time of the year for cycling in Ann Arbor. There's less tourist traffic, no blaring sun in your eyes, no oppressive summer heat & humidity, and no construction. The potholes are iced over, the air is crisp and the scenery is covered in a soft blanket of snowy goodness. It makes you wish spring would never come, doesn't it?If you are humbugging the winter roads

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-26182887478812985092006-11-20T23:22:00.000-08:002006-11-22T19:02:07.434-08:00

That shiny silver button beckons pedestrians with the promise of parting traffic like the Red Sea to allow safe passage through the otherwise perilous journey across the street. Surely the crosswalk button is evidence of the miraculous ways in which technology improves our every-day lives in so many subtle ways. Or is it? From a broader perspective, one must ask why we need such a device at all

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-36793448594798014142006-11-20T19:31:00.000-08:002006-11-20T19:34:17.530-08:00

The Rapid Transit Meet-up has been rescheduled:Interested in bringing quality rapid transit to southeast Michigan? Want to help push for commuter trains from Ann Arbor and Ypsi to Detroit, metro Airport, Chelsea, and Livingston County? Curious about the latest findings from the Southeastern Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG) on transit in our area? Come to a meet-up with Transportation

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-66903763769655506002006-11-19T20:04:00.000-08:002006-11-20T20:22:58.810-08:00

A cool event that combines buying local, riding bikes, and donating to foodbanks took place in Iowa this year. It's a scavenger hunt for donated food. Riders all get a grocery list of 10 items that must all be collected from different stores. The first one back with a complete list and receipt to prove it wins. The limit of one item per store means that knowing your local merchants will be

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-4841477819839665232006-11-19T19:15:00.000-08:002006-11-20T19:21:02.519-08:00

The getDowntown program is starting the ball rolling on a campaign to promote sharing the road. The announcement email says that the committee will,help to guide the look & key messages of a Share the Road educational campaign that will be launched next May/June in Ann Arbor. This campaign will be aimed at educating cyclists, motorists and potentially pedestrians to understand their rights and

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-26854826426613818692006-11-16T22:49:00.000-08:002006-11-16T23:15:52.738-08:00

The UTN meeting that we announced previously has been cancelled due to overlap with a SEMCOG transit plan public meeting. Fear not, the meeting will be rescheduled, and we'll announce it here.

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-53112159757544242382006-11-15T02:40:00.000-08:002006-11-15T23:52:08.650-08:00

We try to keep posts focused on the Ann Arbor area, but it's good to step out of the box once in a while to gain some perspective. Here is a little collection of bike infrastructure projects that have stepped way outside the traditional sidewalk vs. road paradimgn of cycling infrastructure.A few years back, significant effort was put into the idea of a bike tunnel under the railroad tracks near

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-87209113875926166592006-11-13T23:11:00.000-08:002006-11-13T21:58:24.751-08:00

The nice thing about riding the bus is you don't have to focus on the road. You can redirect all of the energy that is wasted as stress in motorists to other tasks like reading, knitting, writing a grocery list, listening to language tapes, grabbing a bite to eat...Er, well, actually your not allowed to eat on the bus. While the bus may seem like the perfect place to lounge with a good book and

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-38168814951214102642006-11-13T20:22:00.000-08:002006-11-19T20:03:14.132-08:00

We recently came across a video of professional bike valets in Japan. In uniforms including white gloves, these gentlemen are staioned throughout Tokyo to park and protect bikes while their owners are shopping, dining, or attending class.You may be thinking, "ah, yes, another example of bike infrastructure that would never work in the US." But did you know about the extremely successful bike

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-6005509353276937402006-11-10T00:31:00.001-08:002006-11-19T19:09:13.699-08:00

Transportation Riders United (TRU), is a Detroit-based non-profit advocating better transportation access and mobility for "greater Detroit". Is Ann Arbor really part of "greater Detroit"? Well, if it was debatable before, the Ann Arbor Detroit Rapid Transit Study (AADRTS) is (extremely) slowly removing any doubts. The recent update (PDF) from AADRTS has ruled out light rail as too expensive

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-23402107252998035242006-11-09T20:32:00.000-08:002006-11-09T23:44:26.033-08:00

For anyone planning to escape the cold over one of the up-coming holiday weekends, BikeAccess.Net has a decent collection on tips for traveling with a bike. the site covers every aspect of with-bike travel including:*how to get to and from airports by bike*airline policies on bike lugggage*bike boxes and packaging*folding bikes*shipping bikes via UPS and FedEx*Renting bikes*Bikes on trains*the

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-14207527937762117562006-11-09T02:07:00.000-08:002006-11-08T23:24:46.159-08:00

Cold, rain and snow require a bunch of little extras like hat, scarf, gloves (Mittens!), and umbrellas. Unfortunately, these are also easily forgotten if you take them off on the bus.If you get home from your bus commute one mitten short, AATA has a couple ways to get it back. They offer an online form to submit lost and found inquiries. But you can also call (734) 996-0400, or ask at the desk

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273690247148030086.post-81839616395054892382006-11-08T00:20:00.000-08:002006-11-08T01:13:32.971-08:00

The New York Times posted an op-ed on bike-ped conflicts in NYC (login required). The writer, a previous Department of Transporation assistant commissioner, blames the battle on a lack of policy and infrastructure recognizing cyclists as legitimate road users. Ann Arbor faces similar problems where incomplete bike lanes, mixed messages on where to ride (sidewalk bike route signs, mixed use

Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03386617274147547324noreply@blogger.com0