Zen habits is one of my favorite blog. I like the short but condense articles fill with Zen wisdom. Such as this one:
the brief guide to life:
less TV, more reading
less shopping, more outdoors
less clutter, more space
less rush, more slowness
less consuming, more creating
less junk, more real food
less busywork, more impact
less driving, more walking
less noise, more solitude
less focus on the future, more on the present
less work, more play
less worry, more smiles
breathe
Simple message tells a lot.
Amsterdamer are very proud of their bicycle friendly city, and this video show how much they enjoy the status. I am not so sure if Californian can be as proud for their cars. But in any case the US dependence on cars looks more like a liability than progress in today. What do we want for Singapore in the future?
eBike? At first I was very much against it. Because it take away a very important goal of using a bicycle – the physical exercise. I felt that by having the bicycle powered by electricity, it remove the incentive to pedal physically and therefore the heath and fitness value reduced.
However, after talking to some customers and reading others opinions, I started to realize that eBike, being easier to pedal reduce one of the concern of a potential cyclist, will likely to encourage more potential cyclist to try cycling. Further more, for those who want to cycle to work but do not have shower facility at the office, eBike can be their sweat-free solution of B2W.
The only criteria I set for an eBike is that it should be able to bring into the MRT, or bus, keeping the same multi-modal-transportation flexibility as the original JZ88 folding bike.
Is this possible?
A conceptual work I did for the Seoul Cycle Design competition.
Cyclist safety is one of the main concern that stop potential cyclist to choose bicycle as a mode of transportation.
Many drivers, even some cyclist, believe cyclist enjoy the road at the expenses of road tax paying car-owners.
The “Cyclist Wing” enhance cyclist visibility and safety on the road. From the driver’s perspective, the “Wing” makes cyclist becomes 300% more visible, and therefore easier to avoid.
“Safety by number” is an important factor supported by a huge body of research finding. More cyclist = more safety for cyclist .
The “Wing” makes the visual population of cyclist in any city increased to 300% with the same number of cyclists. Driver need to drive more carefully due to the apparent increase number of cyclists on the road.
With the air-cleaning function of the “Wing”, cyclists make a tangible contribution to the environment, at the same time return the right-of-way to cyclist.
it is also a subtle reminder of the harmful pollution from cars. The “Wing” earn the right-of-way for cyclist from a social perspective.
The “Wing” will help to tilt the favor towards cyclists and turn more potential cyclist into real cyclist.
Do you think the air-cleaning-cyclist-wing concept can work in your city?
I notice this link from a friend’s twit.
Bicycle friendly infrastructure is one of the three pillar (Education, Infrastructure and Legel framework) advocated by Safe Cycling Task Force. Here is a good example of what is possible for bicycle friendly infrastructure:
http://current.com/groups/on-current-tv/92489717_creating-a-bike-friendly-city.htm
Summary:
– Bicycle super highway
– Green wave for cyclists (coordinated traffic light allowing non-stop cycling at 20km/h)
– Everybody on bicycle because it is easier
– Simple and easy to use, the infrastructure is there, where it is needed.
– I can go from A to B extremely fast, without using my car
– priority for bicycle at intersection. e.g. pre-green for bicycle