February ← 2012 ← The Urban Country

Wealthy Drivers More Likely To Break Traffic Rules 37

Feb

2012

BMW X6 – Photo by Triple RS University of California Berkeley researchers recently performed a series of studies that found a strong correlation between wealthy people and cheating. Among other things, it found that people driving expensive cars were four times as likely to enter an intersection when they didn’t have the right of way. ...

Baby On Board: A Desperate Plea 21

Feb

2012

Photo by Steve and Sara Emry Driving in North America has reached such a low level of selfishness and entitlement that many parents with young children in their car have succumbed to a desperate plea for safety for their children by erecting a “BABY ON BOARD” sign in their car. I view these signs as ...

Legislation For Bicycle Transportation 8

Feb

2012

Amsterdam “Golden Dress” – Photo courtesy of Michael Stallmeister / ratemyvelo.com If our goal is to make our cities more liveable and bicycle friendly, there are several strategies that we can use to achieve this goal. I spend most of my efforts on this blog by trying to change people’s perceptions about bicycle transport in ...

Paris Cyclists Allowed To Run Red Lights 11

Feb

2012

“Guess what? I’m French! – Photo by Rohand / ratemyvelo.com Paris city councillors recently voted to give the green light to cyclists to legally proceed through red lights in the French capital. The pilot program will be tested at 15 intersections in east end of Paris and if successful will roll out to 1,700 intersections ...

Emotional Affection For Automobiles 31

Feb

2012

Top Gear Season 13 Ending – Aston Martin V12 Vantage HD (via YouTube) In a recent comment on a Grist article, I was accused of being “jealous” of a proud owner of a Ford Mustang with a 5.0 liter V8 engine with over 400-HP Ford Mustang (labeled as a “penile extension” by another commenter). I ...

Awkward Moments In China’s Car Culture Frenzy 36

Feb

2012

Cyclist in Shanghai – Photo by James Schwartz / The Urban Country (2010) As a Canadian ex-pat currently residing in China, there are moments where my culture and values clash with Chinese culture. A recent situation at a dinner with my wife’s family and friends surfaced the importance placed on car ownership in Chinese culture. ...

Canada’s Magnificent Scenic Wonders 12

Feb

2012

Photo by James Schwartz / The Urban Country A few months ago I came across this Canadian Tire Corporation poster from a 1936 store catalogue and I snapped a photo of it on my phone. The poster had been all but forgotten when it resurfaced again while I was sorting through the photos on my ...

Sunday Afternoon Ride in China 7

Feb

2012

Photo by James Schwartz / The Urban Country It was hot and sunny – peaking at 27 degrees Celsius on Sunday afternoon here in the middle of the South China Sea – so we decided to take 7-month-old Sofia out for a bicycle ride. It was her first bike ride, and she clearly loved every ...