Month: December 2010

Biking in Astoria

Jacksonville Then and Now

This time from Jacksonville, Florida. It looks like the Hamrock Hotel is a pretty upscale place, with all them nice new Ford motorcars out front! The only old building left is vacant, abandoned, and falling apart. And as usual, business and buildings have been replaced with parking lots and vacant lots. There’s one big new…
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Snow Tires

Make snow tires with zip-ties? I haven’t tried this, but it’s not a bad idea, cheap and easy to remove.

Change is Bad

I like then-and-now shots of life in America. This one of downtown Poughkeepsie, NY, isn’t as dramatic or depressing a change as was Newburgh, but is it really to much to ask for things to be better today than they were 99 years ago? Apparently, when it comes to our downtowns, the answer is yes.…
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10 reasons why you shouldn’t drive

Because it’s not ethical. Don’t take my word. Take the word of bicyclist Randy Cohen, the New York Times’s Ethicist. After you click through, you’re looking for The Ethicist from 12/17/10.

New Yorkers For Urban Cars, United

New Yorkers For Urban Cars, United! “Moses was Right!” NY FUC-U knows that New York’s car-hating bike-loving liberals are destroying our freedom and way of life. This war on real New Yorkers must stop. Yesterday they closed Broadway; today they want bike lanes; tomorrow they want your car! And the worst part is they won’t…
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New Yorkers for Urban Cars, United!

Tired of being in inconsequential third-rate blogger, I have decided to switch sides and through my lot in with the winning team: those wise people who understand how essential cars, fast streets, and parking is to enjoyable urban life. I hereby announce the creation of my own shadowy organization (I vehemently deny all rumors about…
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Bikelane Backlash

A friend of mine writes: What do you make of the city council bike lane hearings with DOT? I find it deeply disheartening that facts hold no sway. Some bonhead council member can say to Janette: you never consulted the community, and she’ll patiently give the dates of all the times she did consult the…
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Ed Koch Bridge?

First the Triborough, and now the Queensboro?! Before they rename these bridges, shouldn’t there be angry public meetings with cranky old men shaking their fists? I like Koch, but should any bridge to Queensplaza and Long Island City really have a name so similar to crotch?

Slight Improvement on Triborough/RFK Bridge

The smallest of the four sets of stairs has been ramped. It was that little annoying one that left you about 50 feet from the next staircase, not far enough enough to bike to just far enough to be kind of annoying to walk. The other three sets of stairs are still there and not…
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