Hi Oscar,

>You can add this paragraph to the note Bogota Car Free Day, Again.

Thanks, I've added a slightly-edited version of your text below.

Regards,

Joel

>"Democracy in Movement, Car-Free Day 2001" was the name of this event. Two new
components made mobility easier and gave citizens a glimpse of travel in the
year 2015: 100-plus kilometres of cycle paths and two lines of TransMilenio with
95 buses transporting 200 000 people.  The priority was public transport; people
had to get to know TransMilenio and its feeders to use the system efficiently.
It was also important to avoid congestion and increase travel velocity of those
vehicles that were allowed, so the space for cyclists was reduced. Antanas
Mockus, the new mayor, also met with some business associations to convince them
that the city could function normally without private cars.
>
>Special guests for the events included mayors from other Colombian cities and
other Latin American countries who wanted to experience first-hand the car-free
city experience.  Bogotá has provided an inspiration for other cities to join
the First Earth Car Free Day 2001, to be held on April 19. To see how your
locale could get involved in this exciting event, visit the website
www.carfreeday.com
>Your city will never be the same.
>
>You can also include the official home page www.sinmicarroenbogota.com
>
>Thank you,
>
>OSCAR EDMUNDO DIAZ
>diazoe@...
>  ----- Mensaje original -----
>  De: J.H. Crawford
>  Para: carfree_cities@yahoogroups.com
>  Enviado: Miércoles, 28 de Febrero de 2001 11:18 a.m.
>  Asunto: [carfree_cities] Carfree Times #18 draft
>
>
>
>  Hi All,
>
>  The next edition of Carfree Times is now on line at:
>
>  http://www.carfree.com/cft/i018.html
>
>  It's done except for setting the final order of the
>  stories.
>
>  I'd be obliged if list members would check it for bloopers.
>
>  Thanks,
>
>
>                                    ###
>
>  J.H. Crawford                                           Carfree Cities
>  postmaster@...                                     Carfree.com
>
>
>  To Post a message, send it to:   carfree_cities@eGroups.com
>  To Unsubscribe, send a blank message to:
carfree_cities-unsubscribe@eGroups.com
>  Group address: http://www.egroups.com/group/carfree_cities/
>
>  Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
>
>
>
>
>[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>To Post a message, send it to:   carfree_cities@eGroups.com
>To Unsubscribe, send a blank message to: carfree_cities-unsubscribe@eGroups.com
>Group address: http://www.egroups.com/group/carfree_cities/
>
>Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
>
>
>

                                   ###

J.H. Crawford                                           Carfree Cities
postmaster@...                                     Carfree.com

> The only monorail I know of in Japan is the one that was built for
the
> 1964 Tokyo Olympics, connecting the former international airport
with
> the city center.

Actually, there are lots in Japan.  Check out
http://www.monorails.org/tMspages/Japan.html .  The Tama line itself
is 16km long, but they want to increase it to 93km, while the
Tokyo-Haneda actually turns a profit each year.

The March, 2001, issue of The New Colonist is online now at
http://www.newcolonist.com.  This month's featured city is Washington,
D.C., and you may be surprised by the love the city inspires in its
permanent residents and perceptive visitors.  Learn what life is like in
the shadows of power, and how the US capitol is one of the more diverse
and attractive cities in the country it governs.

Richard
--
Richard Risemberg
http://www.living-room.org
http://www.newcolonist.com

"Life is complicated and not for the timid."
					 Garrison Keillor

I've never had the opportunity to use a system like the proposed Bus rapid
Transit below.
Does anyone have any experience?  Because the bus transit ways are fixed
does the line have the same benefits as a typical rail line?  Any Opinions?

http://www.ltd.org/brt1.html

Ottawa, Canada probably has one of the first major bus rapid transit systems
(see www.octranspo.com).  Briefly, some advantages and disadvantages are:

Advantages:
- routes are flexible, and can use the rapid transit system for part of the
way, primarily through downtown, preventing the need to transfer (we have a
number of express buses that offer door-to-door service from suburbs via
neighbourhood collectors and then the rapid transit system)
- the system can easily go from dedicated bus-only roadways to dedicated bus
lanes, which works well when the project is built in phases (no need for
immediate grade separation or new infrastructure)
- steeper grades are more easily accomodated (assumption)
- the system can be integrated into the local expressways.  Bus-only lanes
on expressways immediate show stalled car commuters the benefits of taking
transit (works with rail if the line runs parallel or over the highway).

Disadvantages:
- the usual down sides of bus transportation - noise, pollution, social
stigma
- rail transit is still seen as preferred.  We're building our first light
rail line (on existing track), but there is talk of extending the rail
system and replacing the bus-only ways
- buses can get held up in traffic where the system merges with other roads
- too many buses (and drivers) are needed in heavy volumes that could be
served with fewer trains (capacity and cost issues)

I think in general what we've experienced is that the system works well for
a city under 1,000,000.  Our metro area recently surpassed that mark, and
new strains and pressures are pushing us toward light rail instead.

The opinions expressed above do not necessarily reflect those of my
employer.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Craig Bollen [mailto:craigb@...]
> Sent: Thursday, March 01, 2001 11:11 AM
> To: 'carfree_cities@eGroups.com'
> Subject: [carfree_cities] Bus Rapid Transit
>
>
> I've never had the opportunity to use a system like the
> proposed Bus rapid
> Transit below.
> Does anyone have any experience?  Because the bus transit
> ways are fixed
> does the line have the same benefits as a typical rail line?
> Any Opinions?
>
> http://www.ltd.org/brt1.html
>
> To Post a message, send it to:   carfree_cities@eGroups.com
> To Unsubscribe, send a blank message to:
> carfree_cities-unsubscribe@eGroups.com
> Group address: http://www.egroups.com/group/carfree_cities/
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
> http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
>

Harris Silver, of City Streets, in NYC, posted this to another list.  It
apparently came from a reporter friend in the City.

	 -Doug


************************************************
HOW:  NBC  NIGHTLY NEWS (6:30 PM ET)

February 27, 2001, Tuesday

LENGTH: 419 words

HEADLINE: USE OF A VEHICLE AS A LETHAL WEAPON DISTURBINGLY COMMON

REPORTERS: ROBERT HAGER

BODY:

TOM BROKAW, anchor (Washington, DC):

NBC  News IN DEPTH tonight.  When a  car  is turned into a lethal weapon.

A stunning incident in California, the latest example of a horrifying and
unpredictable event.  A driver using his car, apparently deliberately, to
kill people.  It happens more often than you may think and always the
question is: Why?

IN DEPTH tonight, here's  NBC's  Robert Hager.

ROBERT HAGER reporting:  Arraignment of 18-year-old David Attias postponed
one week today, as he watches behind glass in a Santa Barbara courtroom,
accused of racing his car into a crowd late Friday night, killing four,
severely injuring a fifth.

Jumping up and down, shouting in the gruesome aftermath.  Attacked by
outraged onlookers, until police arrive and charge him with murder,
influenced by alcohol and drugs.

Outside court today his mother and father, Daniel, TV director of "Ally
McBeal" and other series.   Anguished parents.

Mr. DANIEL ATTIAS (David Attias' Father): "We're both just struck by how
hopelessly inadequate any words could be.  But on be--behalf of my wife, I
just want to say how devastated and heartbroken we are for everybody who's
been affected by this--this very horrible tragedy.  And we know that it has
affected
not just the loved ones and the families of the victims, whose grief must
be unspeakable.  And we extend whatever compassion we're capable of, but we
know it has also left a terrible, terrible gash in this whole community.
And we can't begin to tell you how saddened we are."

HAGER: Flowers and mourners today by the roadside where it all happened.

But experts say attacks in vehicles are not as rare as you might imagine.
That while guns get a tremendous amount of attention, the use of a  car  as
a weapon  is every bit as lethal.

In Costa Mesa, California, a mentally ill driver slams his car purposely
into a day care playground, killing four.  In San Diego, an alcoholic drug
user, just left by his girlfriend, steals a tank, mashes 20 vehicles and
mows down utility poles.  In Boston, another driver snaps, drives into New
Year's Eve celebrants,
21 injured.  Louis Mizell studies cases like these.

Mr. LOUIS MIZELL: A two-ton vehicle in the hands of an irrational, violent
individual is every bit as deadly as a machine gun in the hands of a terrorist.

HAGER: In a recent seven-year period, Mizell says 22 cases of drivers
plowing into crowds intentionally.  Ninety-four cases of ramming
buildings.  Two hundred twenty-one cases of running down police officers.

And now another community, Santa Barbara, in mourning.  Latest violent
example of a  car  used as a
weapon  with deadly results.

Robert Hager,  NBC  News, Washington.

Good thought! There's no better way of transportation than our self
mobility, depending on nothing but our own body: walking, cycling, skiing...

In my opinion, the second best mode is the metro (that doesn't interfere
with surface), then comes the train because it's limited to the railways.

I'd certainly enjoy an earthquake that would be strong enough to break the
bridges that suck in way too many cars in Montreal each day. Then the quick
solution will be shuttle boats (and metro if it survives!) to take people
into the city carrying at most a bike. When people get used to this
lifestyle, I believe government will think of a better solution than what
has been done in the past.

Louis-Luc

-----Original Message-----
From: Canal1@... [mailto:Canal1@...]
Sent: 1 mars, 2001 02:28
To: carfree_cities@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [carfree_cities] Cars, Trains, Planes, Bicycles, and
Earthquakes


At 10:55 this morning, as I was printing out some checks, I broke my
personal record by experiencing a 6.8 earthquake (my previous record
was 6.7).  After recovering from this event, I jumped on my bicycle
to ride downtown to deliver one of the aforementioned checks to my
stockbroker at Pike and Fourth, in downtown Seattle.  I live in the
Fremont district, downtown is three or four miles away (via Dexter Av
N, the perferred bike route, equipped with bike lanes).  Meanwhile,
all arterials were jam packed.  Later I heard that the time to get to
Kent (20 miles or so south) was three hours.  Of course the railroads
were shut down as well as all air transportation.  The monorail, a
tourist joke, was running, complete irresponsibility.

The solution to carless cities is for people to live in cities.  We
do not need monorail, or light rail, or heavy rail, or any other
boondoggles designed to enrich contractors, construction trades, and
operating unions.  As an in city property taxpayer, I think we should
encourage private jitneys and private bus operators (and private
light rail operators if they can get it together).  But to hell with
highways and freeways, the very existance of which removes private
property from the tax rolls, while the government comes with a tin
cup to me to require that I to contribute tax money to make up that
difference and to finance the maintenance of those roads.  There is
no reason why I should have to subsidize idiots and their cars.

I saw my broker, made my trade, and got home.  All in less than an
hour.  The cost:  a couple drops of three-in-one oil.  A 6.8
earthquake may bring the cars, trains, and planes to a halt, but not
me.

John Crosby, age 55
Carless in Seattle


To Post a message, send it to:   carfree_cities@eGroups.com
To Unsubscribe, send a blank message to:
carfree_cities-unsubscribe@eGroups.com
Group address: http://www.egroups.com/group/carfree_cities/

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

I'm a member of Transport 2000 Canada & Transport 2000 Quebec, but I haven't
really heard of any thing until now. http://www.topgear.beeb.com/  Dawson

-----Original Message-----
From: J.H. Crawford [mailto:postmaster@...]
Sent: Wednesday, February 28, 2001 1:14 PM
To: carfree_cities@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [carfree_cities] Neutral Gear?



Dawson, got some URLs for us?

>My Transport 2000 newsletter arrived this morning and I thought you'd like
>to read an item which I found disturbing for the BBC's credibility for
>impartiality.
>
>Roy P



                                   ###

J.H. Crawford                                           Carfree Cities
postmaster@...                                     Carfree.com


To Post a message, send it to:   carfree_cities@eGroups.com
To Unsubscribe, send a blank message to:
carfree_cities-unsubscribe@eGroups.com
Group address: http://www.egroups.com/group/carfree_cities/

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

Canal1@... wrote:
>The solution to carless cities is for people to live in cities.  We
>do not need monorail, or light rail, or heavy rail, or any other
>boondoggles designed to enrich contractors, construction trades, and
>operating unions.  As an in city property taxpayer, I think we should
>encourage private jitneys and private bus operators (and private
>light rail operators if they can get it together).

Then you might want to take a look at these. 	 Dawson
http://www.wlb.at/index_e.htm
http://www.tramlink.net/

Lanyon, Ryan wrote:
>Ottawa, Canada probably has one of the first major bus rapid transit
systems
>(see www.octranspo.com).

As far as I know transitway construction costs have ranged from some where
between $16 million to $58 million (CDN) a kilometre.

>I think in general what we've experienced is that the system works well for
>a city under 1,000,000.  Our metro area recently surpassed that mark, and
>new strains and pressures are pushing us toward light rail instead.

The original plan/idea was to convert it to light rail.

>The opinions expressed above do not necessarily reflect those of my
>employer.

Also look at how much of it is built on former railway right of way.
http://members.home.net/rails/maps.html 	 Dawson

P.S. Ryan, If you want more information stop by the T2000 office at Suite
100, 117 Sparks Street, Ottawa ON.

From http://www.ottawacitizen.com/city/000119/3459927.html  Dawson
		 "Click on the URL for maps."

A vision for a new Ottawa
Downtown rail line on track ...
By Ken Gray
The Ottawa Citizen
March 1, 2001

A proposal to build two light-rail lines that would join downtown Hull to
Ottawa's core and Sparks Street to the Ottawa Airport is being developed by
regional government staff.

The plan, which has the support of Transport Minister David Collenette,
would piggyback on the already-approved light-rail project from Bayview Road
at LeBreton Flats to Greenboro Transitway station near South Keys Shopping
Centre.

"I'm quite excited about it," Regional Chair Bob Chiarelli said. "This is a
pilot that is intended to grow."

That $16-million original light-rail project is expected to be running in
the spring of 2001.

The core rail extension would link the huge government office complex at
Place du Portage in Hull to the Prince of Wales rail bridge and join with
the Transitway and new light-rail project at Bayview Road near the Ottawa
River.


The new core rail route would continue through LeBreton Flats to the Garden
of the Provinces at the foot of the Portage Bridge, hook up with Sparks
Street and travel along the mall as far as Bank Street.

The second proposed route would follow the existing CP Rail line south from
the Greenboro Transit station and turn southwest into the airport.

The regional government does not know how much the project will cost, Mr.
Chiarelli said, because its planning is in very early stages.

While the chair's office has been considering the expanded rail links for
two years, it only became serious about planning six months ago after the
original light-rail project was finalized.

The region does not have money for the project, but is planning in
anticipation of federal infrastructure money being approved by cabinet this
year and being allocated in 2001.

As well, the region hopes to tap into existing Ontario and Quebec
infrastructure money.

A new city council in Hull gives regional staff hope that the cross-border
link will fly in Quebec. The Quebec government does not have to be on board
for the project to work, but regional staff would prefer that Quebec City
participate.

Mr. Collenette has asked cabinet for national infrastructure money and in
that package is money for the light-rail expansion, Mr. Chiarelli said.

That infrastructure money would have to be approved by the federal Finance
department, Mr. Chiarelli said.

As part of the original program, the regional government secured the option
of buying the Prince of Wales Bridge from CP Rail at its scrap-metal price,
thus ensuring the span's availability if interprovincial light rail became a
reality.

The newly proposed extensions to the original rail project would link
downtown Hull though Ottawa to the Ottawa Airport.

Despite the short planning period, a number of obstacles have already been
overcome.

For example, the light-rail line down Sparks Street would cross downtown
streets and be aided by synchronized traffic lights so cars and trains could
intermingle. According to regional staff, some light-rail trains now in use
in Europe are capable of stopping and starting quickly enough to use traffic
signals.

In addition, the region would like to create a public-private partnership,
possibly including a hotel on Sparks Street, to create a downtown terminus.

The two new proposals use mostly existing track to cut costs. The core route
would run on a line along the Ottawa River shoreline in Hull and the Prince
of Wales Bridge. The southern extension would take advantage of the CP Rail
line that skirts the airport.

Mr. Chiarelli was unable to say when the two extensions might be built.

He cited a number of reasons for building the extensions. They include:

-Getting people out of cars and on to mass transit;
-"Animating" Sparks Street;
-Working with the NCC plan to boost business on Sparks Street and convert
  buildings to residences.
-Linking federal government buildings in Hull and Ottawa.
-Taking pressure off crowded bridges.
-Creating more cross-river links to improve national unity.

From
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=174831&thesection=news&th
esubsection=world Dawson

World News

Driver's insurer may face £40m bill for British rail disaster

03.03.2001 By Barrie Clement
SELBY - The company that insured the motorist at the centre of the Selby
train disaster could face the biggest bill in the history of car insurance.

Fortis Insurance, which indemnified Gary Hart, the driver of the Land Rover
that caused the crash, might be forced to pay up to £40m to the victims of
the tragedy. Claims will be made on behalf of the 13 people thought to have
died and the 70 who were injured, 30 of them seriously.

Mr Hart's vehicle veered off the M62 early on Wednesday, fell down an
embankment on to the main Newcastle-to-London railway line and was struck by
a Great North Eastern Railways express. The passenger service derailed, but
carried on for another half a mile and smashed into a Freightliner coal
train.

Mr Hart was described by his stepfather, Martyn Taylor, as being
"inconsolable with grief" yesterday.

Police said that the possibility that Mr Hart, from the village of Strubby
in Lincolnshire, fell asleep at the wheel was among aspects of the accident
being investigated.

The driver and his relatives said that the Land Rover, which was towing a
trailer with a car on it, suffered a blow-out.

Friends said Mr Hart would like to relate what happened, but has been
advised not to make any statements. It is understood that police officers
have failed to find any evidence of a burst tyre and have renewed their
appeal for witnesses.

Insurance experts said Fortis would face claims from the bereaved that could
be up to £750,000 for a breadwinner and would also have to meet the cost of
the care for the those who are permanently disabled.

GNER and Freightliner could seek up to £12m for the trains involved in the
collision – although four of the nine passenger coaches and the locomotive
at the back of the train may be salvageable.

Train companies are expected to ask for compensation for the disruption to
their timetables. Passengers are being bused between Doncaster and York and
the line is likely to be closed until 12 March. Railtrack will demand
reimbursement for the cost of repairing the track.

The company conceded that Mr Hart's insurance policy provided for unlimited
liability for third-party claims, but insisted that there would be no
problem in meeting the bill.

Alan Sendall, a claims director at Fortis, said reinsurance arrangements
were in place to meet the liability, which he estimated at "tens of millions
of pounds". The insurance company is part of the Fortis group, a
Dutch-Belgian financial company involved in the insurance, banking and
investment markets. It made a profit of £1.3bn (2.1bn euros) on assets of
£270bn in the first nine months of last year.

It is possible that re-insurers might try to mitigate their liability by
claiming that the Highways Agency should have erected more barriers to
ensure that runaway vehicles could not end up on the tracks.

They could also take issue with the crashworthiness of the GNER carriages,
but insurance industry experts said that the High Court would be unlikely to
find in their favour.

Don't know whether to laugh or cry over this one...in a way it's sweetly
pathetic:

http://www.latimes.com/print/20010303/t000018762.html

Richard
--
Richard Risemberg
http://www.living-room.org
http://www.newcolonist.com

"Life is complicated and not for the timid."
					 Garrison Keillor

I forwarded part of last week's discussion on the possibility that cars are
addictive to a friend of mine in Australia who is working on her Ph.D.
thesis in neurochemistry and addiction.

She responded with the following:

Yes, "car addiction" can cause the same sort of neurological changes that
drug addiction does, or to be more precise, vice versa:  it's the neural
changes that cause the addiction.  Any compulsive behaviour is caused by
certain changes to a neural pathway called the mesotelencephalic dopamine
(MTE DA) system, and drug addiction is the most extreme form.

The MTE DA system focuses attention on a stimulus and activates a
motor response to it.  If the stimulus is strongly reinforced, eg by social
pressure in the case of cars, the responsive changes in this system become
incremented and semi-permanent, so that the person's attention and action is
increasingly  and automatically (compulsively) drawn towards the stimulus.
In the case of addictive drugs, including alcohol, the chemical molecules of
the drug itself enter the MTE DA system and activate the system because
they're similarly shaped to the natural neurochemicals.  They're very
efficient at doing this, and furthermore, because they enter the system from
an external source, they by-pass the safety loops that normally help
restrain compulsive reactions.  That's why drugs are the worst offenders.
Compulsive disorders, such as the famous repetitive hand-washing or
door-checking behaviours, are similar malfunctions of this system.

The concept of aggression in driving is a fascinating and complex one, and
is starting to receive some neuroscientific attention.  Aggression is
largely mediated by a brain structure called the amygdala, and it has
intimate connections with both the MTE DA system, and the adrenaline system
that permeates the whole body.  In fact these 3 systems all egg each other
on.   Driving uses all these systems to some degree, even in normal
circumstances.  The covert or overt encouragement given by the media to
aggressive driving behaviour, is sure to prove a major component in
hyperactivating the MTE DA and associated systems towards aggression.

>She responded with the following:

Fascinating, Bruce.

I remember when I used to drive, and someone in front of me did something
stupid, I used to shake my head at them in disgust and look skyward at
other drivers as if to say, what a twit!

I think it's more a case of the inability to be able express a simple
'sorry' to everyone involved. You *know* you did something silly, but
you're not an absolute imbecile as indicated by the above, so the desire to
appease yourself turns into unrestrained anger. . .

Roy

> As far as I know transitway construction costs have ranged from some
> where between $16 million to $58 million (CDN) a kilometre.
>
We don't have fully separated Bus transitways in the UK, but where
extensive bus priorities, including short stretches of guided busway, has
been introduced in Wolverhampton (just north of Birmingham), I understand
the total cost for 11 kilometers (7 miles) was £3.5 million. I guess that
would be about $1m (CDN) per mile - except this figure was supposed to
include the 14 new buses as well as the infrastructure. Similar,
successful schemes also operate in Edinburgh, and Leeds.
In contrast, the initial LRT line in Manchester cost over £120 million,
which is about £7 million a mile. However, this was essentially a Heavy
Rail conversion, and subsequent extensions are/will cost considerably
more, as Houses, School playgrounds, farmland etc have to be compulsorily
purchased and destroyed (just like with major Roads)!

Hi Bruce,

>I forwarded part of last week's discussion on the possibility that cars are
>addictive to a friend of mine in Australia who is working on her Ph.D.
>thesis in neurochemistry and addiction.
>
>The concept of aggression in driving is a fascinating and complex one, and
>is starting to receive some neuroscientific attention.

Thanks, that's good to hear.  I'd be delighted to hear more, if you do.

Cheers,

T.J.

> Train companies are expected to ask for compensation for the disruption
> to their timetables. Passengers are being bused between Doncaster and
> York and the line is likely to be closed until 12 March. Railtrack will
> demand reimbursement for the cost of repairing the track.

A somewhat trivial point in the context of such a tragedy, but note that
neither bus passengers nor operators can claim for disruption to their
journeys caused by long-term roadworks etc.

(snip) People returning to cycling when older are dismayed at the amount of
traffic. This is the biggest disincentive to cycling. They last cycled at a
time when you did not even really need proper brakes (at least in the
provinces). Now you have to cycle with one hand ready to jam on the levers
(discourages signalling). A few token obstacle courses masquerading as
cycle paths are not going to change the ... (snip)


(Reply) I returned to cycling when older in 1997 after taking a health test
with the University of Birmingham Sports Lab who were researching the
connection between exercise and health among the middle aged. One line of
research was to invite people to cycle to work at least twice a week in
return for a before and after health check over 6 weeks and a free cycle
computer. I was converted both by the test results and the pleasures of
cycling in Autumn (I'd been an occasional summer holiday cyclists on leisure
circuits like the Forest of Dean) and have never looked back. It helped to
see the difference between my dear old £50 Raleigh (still in the garage) and
a "proper" £500+ hybrid bicycle and a couple of Bromptons (expensive but
cheap compared to buying, driving and maintaining a car.)

I now cycle regularly across Birmingham, London and other cities in all
weathers at all times of the year and I've cycled the Sustrans route from
Glasgow to Inverness and cycled in Paris over the carfree day "weekend" last
September. (The last 2 on my Brompton with my 15 year old daughter, friend
and friend's son).

I've had occasional spats with impatient motorists (oddly rare in Birmingham
or London where there are a lot of skilled and courteous drivers - real
problems tend to be small towns IMHE) but while I am far too superstitious
to say I'm safe (I know I'm not) I have studied the brilliant detailed
advice on "urban-cyclist", John Franklin's excellent guidance on cycle
craft, and now feel I am ready to go into the formal transport reassignment
program to have the full operation to become a cyclist. " ... er ..
throughout my life I have been a cyclist trying to get out of the body of a
motorist. I now feel my true self emerging..." (enough of that - but I
mention it to prepare the ground for saying my car is still in the drive.
Well .. er .. it makes the house look occupied during the day and ... er ...
I need to take stuff to the dump now and then ... "STOP RIGHT THERE!! ...
We'll not allow you the operation if you go on with this denial of the toad
urge still lurking inside!")

I take the point made in "U-C" and elsewhere that going on about the dangers
of cycling is counter-productive especially as I actually feel safer and
happier since I took to cycling (superstitious crossing of fingers again).
In 1997 driving at 15 miles an hour in a residential area a girl ran out
into my car. She was OK - because I was going slowly - but I got a whiff of
the risks I'd been taking with other's lives over 30+ years of driving and
realised the real danger was not to my life in a car but to my moral make-up
if I killed  or injured another person by continuing to buy (and motoring is
financially, psychologically and socially expensive) into the accident
lottery that is still an accepted part of participating in "car culture". On
a bicycle I have the freedom of knowing that on the whole and if I cycle in
an honourable way the balance of the danger is to me and not others. That
individual experience Velcro's onto broader issues concerning urban fabric,
mobility, health and the sustainability.

I save myself and my clients travel expenses and offer a good example of
green transport in practice and have given up being my children's chauffeur
because they know asking for a lift ("pleeeeeas Dad!!") is not just an
inconvenience but "offends deeply held principles relating to saving the
world -now piss off and walk or bus!"

I'm healthier and freer from stress. These factors balance the obviously
parlous state of cycling provision and the auto-dependency that surrounds
trapping, good friends and neighbours as well as "them out there" who's
tribulations it is easier to enjoy being rude about or experiencing
schadenfreude. (I feel like a convinced evolutionist at the time of the
great Oxford debates - as the evidence against Special Creation accumulated
inexorably and became increasingly undeniable.)

My chief reason for not emphasising the dangers is because of experiences
I've just referred to and political lessons learned from Patrick Field and
John Franklin (I've met neither except through their writing and in
cyberspace) which is that there are so many other dangers in life anyway
including indoors (e.g. the fate argument that goes "except for certain
specific places DIY is a lot more dangerous than the IRA!") and that we
would do well to rejoice in the liberty afforded us by discovering the joys
of cycling and walking.

I add to this mix political engagement in transport being a lobbyists,
article writer, letter writer (thanks "U-C" and others for putting up with
this), radio phone-in voice, campaigner and attendee of public meetings for
safer roads and better public transport - all of which helps inform and give
credibility to my academic and consultancy work.

I'm a member of SUSTRANS, Transport 2000, The Pedestrians' Association, the
CTC, RoadPeace and supporter of the Slower-Speeds-Initiative and the Road
Traffic Reduction Campaign and an avid reader of books on car-free
environments and urban regeneration. My chief political activity is
defending a space next to Handsworth Park in Birmingham  (I'm a founding
member of the "Handsworth Park Association") called the Victoria Jubilee
Allotments which is threatened with development after being deliberately
blighted by its private owners. So cycling isn't even my chief
preoccupation - but a valued part of my life.

Regards

Simon

Simon Baddeley
34 Beaudesert Road
Handsworth
Birmingham B20 3TG
0121 554 9794
07775 655842

Yes - but you can join in the forum on this web site and it's a helpful
conduit for feeding moderate criticism into car culture (e.g spooking them).
Drivers are deeply divided among themselves - a broad church. As for your
point about the BBC - it went commercial a long time ago ... caught a
Transatlantic virus via Mrs T about 20 years ago ... but there are still
people there who value the "impartiality" tag.

Simon


----- Original Message -----
From: Ronald Dawson <rdadddmd@...>
To: <carfree_cities@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Friday, March 02, 2001 4:40 AM
Subject: RE: [carfree_cities] Neutral Gear?


> I'm a member of Transport 2000 Canada & Transport 2000 Quebec, but I
haven't
> really heard of any thing until now. http://www.topgear.beeb.com/  Dawson
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: J.H. Crawford [mailto:postmaster@...]
> Sent: Wednesday, February 28, 2001 1:14 PM
> To: carfree_cities@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: Re: [carfree_cities] Neutral Gear?
> Dawson, got some URLs for us?
> >My Transport 2000 newsletter arrived this morning and I thought you'd
like
> >to read an item which I found disturbing for the BBC's credibility for
> >impartiality.
> >Roy P

>(Reply) I returned to cycling. . .

So much more enjoyable than the Sunday papers, Simon!!

Roy

Philip wrote:
>> As far as I know transitway construction costs have ranged from some
>> where between $16 million to $58 million (CDN) a kilometre.
>>
>We don't have fully separated Bus transitways in the UK, but where
>extensive bus priorities,

We have bus lanes in Montreal as well.

>including short stretches of guided busway,

When you say "guided busway", do you mean buses with those small side
mounted wheels on the front?

>has
>been introduced in Wolverhampton (just north of Birmingham), I understand
>the total cost for 11 kilometers (7 miles) was £3.5 million. I guess that
>would be about $1m (CDN) per mile - except this figure was supposed to
>include the 14 new buses as well as the infrastructure. Similar,
>successful schemes also operate in Edinburgh, and Leeds.

Since there's less infrastructure, no wonder it's cheaper.

>In contrast, the initial LRT line in Manchester cost over £120 million,
>which is about £7 million a mile. However, this was essentially a Heavy
>Rail conversion, and subsequent extensions are/will cost considerably
>more, as Houses, School playgrounds, farmland etc have to be compulsorily
>purchased and destroyed (just like with major Roads)!

I'd like to who is planning this. 		 Dawson

Philip wrote:
>> Train companies are expected to ask for compensation for the disruption
>> to their timetables. Passengers are being bused between Doncaster and
>> York and the line is likely to be closed until 12 March. Railtrack will
>> demand reimbursement for the cost of repairing the track.

>A somewhat trivial point in the context of such a tragedy,

I know, but it's just that it seemed so odd.

>but note that
>neither bus passengers nor operators can claim for disruption to their
>journeys caused by long-term roadworks etc.

Doing road work is some thing else (it's like in Montreal we have two
seasons, winter and construction), you'll know about it and can plan ahead.
What happened at Great Heck was a freak accident. 	 Dawson

Richard Risemberg wrote:
>Don't know whether to laugh or cry over this one...in a way it's sweetly
>pathetic:

>http://www.latimes.com/print/20010303/t000018762.html

Quite interesting and for moment I was thinking it was a story about trailer
parks. 						 Dawson

From
http://www.uniontrib.com/news/uniontrib/thu/opinion/news_1e1mckernan.html
Dawson
P.S. Please keep in mind the slant and who wrote this.

Untangling California's transportation system


By Thomas V. McKernan Jr.

March 1, 2001

California's Legislature has been justifiably occupied with the state's
crippling energy crisis for the past couple of months. But in focusing so
much energy on electricity, we cannot lose sight of another critical problem
that will be facing the state for years to come -- increasing traffic
congestion that threatens the state's mobility, economic vitality, and
quality of life.

The looming transportation crisis we face took years to develop and will
take time, commitment and creativity to fix. Now and in the future,
allocating resources for transportation must be seen as a vital social and
economic need, similar to education, health care and criminal justice.

Since 1980, the number of total roadway miles has increased by 10 percent.
But the number of vehicle miles traveled has increased by 100 percent. In
Southern California, 95 percent of all commute trips are taken by car.
Nearly 100 percent of all goods are delivered to market by truck. Our
state's population continues to grow by 600,000 a year.

Congestion on California's roads and freeways is 65 percent higher than the
national average. In Los Angeles and Orange counties, 84 percent of the
freeways are classified as congested. L.A. drivers are delayed in traffic an
average of 82 hours -- more than two full working weeks -- and waste an
average of 120 gallons of fuel a year.

The quality of our roads is deteriorating and public transit is not living
up to its potential. There are more vehicles than ever, traveling more and
more miles on roads that are not being maintained or expanded to handle the
load.

More capacity is needed. But building more roads or expanding the number of
lanes are not the only answers. We also need to identify and adopt
innovative ways to more efficiently move people and goods.

In 2000, the Legislature made transportation a top priority. Nearly $7
billion will be allocated over the next five years toward a multifaceted
strategy for improving California's transportation systems.

Democrats and Republicans agreed on the need for funding and finding ways to
improve infrastructure planning and development processes. But the
legislation signed into law by Gov. Gray Davis is only a down payment.
Estimates indicate that we'll need a staggering amount -- nearly $100
billion over the next decade -- to avert a transportation collapse.

The Automobile Club of Southern California is working on ways to improve and
update our transportation systems. We are particularly concerned with
recognizing the crucial role of the private passenger vehicle, but also
seeking creative approaches for public transportation to provide high
quality, affordable, flexible and efficient alternatives to driving.

We are looking at traffic flows through local communities because gridlock
may start at the first red light you hit after leaving home. We hope our
research and ideas will be valuable in shaping California's transportation
future.

One thing is certain -- hard decisions need to be made regarding revenue
resources. While the state will need to continue to invest in
transportation, we must first take a close look at how existing
transportation dollars are spent. Some expenditure plans need to be
re-evaluated, and the taxes used to support the system need to be rethought.

We worked with legislators and Davis last year to better utilize motorist
taxes for transportation purposes. As a result, more of the taxes paid by
motorists, including all of the sales and excise tax on gasoline, will now
go directly for transportation -- something that had not been true in the
past.

We believe that these kinds of decisions are crucial. Meeting our mobility
needs must remain on the front burner of the legislative agenda, not only
because our members are telling us that congestion is getting worse, but
also because finding workable solutions benefits everyone.

In many ways the current electrical crisis has been a wake-up call for all
Californians. We need to do a better job of long-term planning for
infrastructure needs. We have a very clear road map of what to expect in the
future of transportation. Unless we take action, we could congest ourselves
into immobility.


McKernan is president and chief executive officer of the Automobile Club of
Southern California.



Copyright 2001 Union-Tribune Publishing Co.

Thanks, Roy.
S

----- Original Message -----
From: Roy Preston <preston@...>
To: <carfree_cities@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Sunday, March 04, 2001 11:40 AM
Subject: Re: [carfree_cities] Why older people don't take up cycling -
rebuttal


> >(Reply) I returned to cycling. . .
>
> So much more enjoyable than the Sunday papers, Simon!!
>
> Roy

> Philip wrote:
> >> Train companies are expected to ask for compensation for the
> > disruption to their timetables.
>
> >A somewhat trivial point in the context of such a tragedy,
>
> I know, but it's just that it seemed so odd.

No. I meant, *I* was being trivial.

> >but note that
> >neither bus passengers nor operators can claim for disruption to their
> >journeys caused by long-term roadworks etc.
>
> Doing road work is some thing else (it's like in Montreal we have two
> seasons, winter and construction), you'll know about it and can plan
> ahead.

That's sensible. In Britain (well northern England, at least) we do all
urban roadworks in the winter, when commuting traffic is at its worst, and
the weather causes problems. Conversely, the Motorways seem to have
roadworks in the Summer, when everyone is using them to go on Holiday etc.
  Barmy!

This article speaks for itself:

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/updates2/lat_copter010304.htm

Richard
--
Richard Risemberg
http://www.living-room.org
http://www.newcolonist.com

"Life is complicated and not for the timid."
					 Garrison Keillor

> >including short stretches of guided busway,
>
> When you say "guided busway", do you mean buses with those small side
> mounted wheels on the front?

Yes.
>
>
> >In contrast, the initial LRT line in Manchester cost over £120 million,
> >which is about £7 million a mile. However, this was essentially a Heavy
> >Rail conversion, and subsequent extensions are/will cost considerably
> >more, as Houses, School playgrounds, farmland etc have to be
> compulsorily purchased and destroyed (just like with major Roads)!
>
> I'd like to (know?) who is planning this.

GMPTE, the local Government Agency that oversees public transport in the
county - and are currently my employers.
The above observations are largely to do with the Ashton-under-Lyne
extension, which is definitely going ahead. The School playground is
actually just reduced in size - not least to keep the actual Line a safe
distance from the School premises. I believe the School has been
"compensated".

Philip wrote:
>GMPTE, the local Government Agency that oversees public transport in the
>county - and are currently my employers.
>The above observations are largely to do with the Ashton-under-Lyne
>extension, which is definitely going ahead. The School playground is
>actually just reduced in size - not least to keep the actual Line a safe
>distance from the School premises. I believe the School has been
>"compensated".

So I see. http://www.gmpte.gov.uk/newsdesk/library/ashmetb.html  Dawson