Getting To The Airport By Bike 65
Photo by James Schwartz / The Urban Country I fly out of town for business approximately once every month. There are many different ways to get to the airport from my home downtown. I normally take public transit, but will occasionally take a taxi if I am running late or if I have an early ...
Cause of Road Congestion: Too Many Cars 15
Infographic from a large US auto insurance company I never cease to be amused by otherwise intelligent people coming up with lists of the causes of traffic congestion, but whom always seem to miss the most obvious cause of traffic congestion: too many bloody cars. In Beijing, by the end of 2010 there were almost ...
My 32 Minutes 17
The Greater Toronto CivicAction – a Toronto-based advocacy organization – has launched a campaign to bring attention to the issue of growing traffic congestion and lack of transit funding in the Greater Toronto area. The campaign is called the “32 Campaign” and asks what you would do with an extra 32 minutes each day. Instead ...
Toronto Bicycle Collages
Bicycle photo collage by Xander of 416CycleStyle.com It has been a little while since we have had any fun posts on here. Our friend ‘Xander over at 416CycleStyle.com put together some beautiful bicycle collages that put a smile on my face. ‘Xander took photos of everyday people in Toronto getting around the city by bicycle, ...
No Impact Man & Shallow Distractions 2
“No Impact Man” movie Poster – Courtesy of No Impact Man doc There has been much discussion here in Canada lately about the latest National Hockey League lockout. This is a topic that would leave me without regret had it occupied not a single one of my brain cells. However, a recent “letter to the ...
If Car Shopping Was Like Bicycle Shopping… 6
Racing bicyclist – photo by Team Traveller Kent over at Kent’s Bike Blog recently wrote a brilliant piece that illustrates how shopping for bicycles is less about practicality/pragmatism and more about sport & performance. To emphasize this point, Kent uses a parable where he fictitiously goes shopping for an automobile. Here is an excerpt: So ...
Invisible Helmet: Great Technology, Bad Marketing 31
The Invisible Helmet – Photo from hovding.com For several months now, the “Invisible Helmet” video has been making the rounds. It has been forwarded to me several times and hailed by some friends as “brilliant” and “ingenious”. I have been asked several times what I think of the idea. Sometimes when I am asked certain ...
My Ideal World…
Photo courtesy of YouTube video by James Schwartz / The Urban Country In this short film, James Schwartz of The Urban Country discusses urban design, parenthood, car culture, bicycles and asks, “What is your ideal world?”. James D. Schwartz is a Transportation Pragmatist and the Editor of The Urban Country. You can contact James at ...
Saved By The Wheel Lock 38
Batavus Fryslan Dutch bicycle – Photo by James Schwartz / The Urban Country I returned to Toronto on Tuesday after spending my long weekend in New York City only to discover that somebody had tried to steal my Batavus Fryslan bicycle from my front patio. I live in a ground-level loft on a busy arterial ...
Bicycle Infrastructure Continuity 12
Artist’s rendition of the proposed revitalization of Queens Quay in Toronto – from Waterfront Toronto This past Sunday my family congregated at my place to join me for our annual bike trip & picnic. There were a total of 8 people pedaling, plus my daughter and my dog. We pedaled a total distance of 40 ...