make way for bikes

In Norwalk, Connecticut, they're dealing with quite the quandary. Their rail line is being outfitted with new cars soon, and the problem is this: to bike or not to bike?

Gov. Jodi Rell hopes modifying the design of the car to make room for commuters to bring their bikes on board will encourage people to ride rather than drive to the train station.

Not so fast! Her constituents say. Have you seen how crowded those cars are?

"I certainly hope the governor understands how crowded the trains are today . . . and how that situation is only going to get worse before it gets better," said James Cameron, chairman of the Connecticut Rail Commuter Counsel. "How are they possibly going to take a bicycle and include it inside the car without losing seats? I don't think it's possible."

As commuters look to creative options for their morning commute, I think more cities are going to run into this problem. How can we include bikes in the mix without taking up space needed for actual bodies?

To read more about the problems in Norwalk, go here.

don't be shy!

It was Kanye who said we're all self-consious, and then John Mayer later echoed this sentiment. I probably have less pop-culture clout than either of those gentlemen, but I'll admit it, I am. Part of the reason I waited nearly a year to figure out public transportation in Kansas City was intimidation. For all of the mass- transit riding I did in Chicago, bus routes have always puzzled me. Just when it seems that you've boarded the correct bus and you're sailing down the street toward your intended destination, the bus takes a sharp left and proceeds to zig-zag at random through the city. You there, seated near the rear window? You're powerless to stop it. Also, the bus driver will be visibly frustrated by your questions while the other passengers pretend they can't see or hear you.

But, you know, I've always thought necessity is the mother of change and encouragement is its father. Maybe personal benefit is a big brother or aunt or something. It took all of these factors to convince me to leave my car parked and board that shiny blue bus, and after experiencing the friendly and efficient service of KCATA, I couldn't be more confident in my choice.

Those who are still on the fence about the possibility of using the Metro for their daily commute might consider attending the How To Ride seminar this Saturday. The KCATA is throwing a party to teach new riders how to save money, conserve resources and basically party every morning with the people who are old pros at mass transit. Need more encouragement? How does "free three day pass for those in attendance" sound?

i'm not alone

When starting the simple challenge I didn't expect to be the only person who was changing my living habits. "Green" and "conserve" and "simplify" are everywhere these days. It's trendy. It's socially aware. I had a hunch many people would be looking for new ways to commute, eat and live. As part of the simple challenge I'll be looking for examples of people who are onto the same I idea I am, and I'll post about them here. The best way to learn is from the examples of another.

New ways of getting from A to B: from the Montrose Daily press in Montrose, Colorado
There's been an uptick in sales of all things bike-related in Montrose. People are regularly commuting on their bikes and outfitting themselves with messenger bags, bike racks, saddle bags and more. The decision is paying off: in gas savings alone Montrose resident Luke Young is pocketing an estimated $300 each month through the use of his two-wheel transportation. His downtown commute is just a couple miles that, by bike, cuts his commute time. “You can actually — at least downtown— get to where you need to go way faster on bike than car.”

My commute is much farther than Luke's, and I go by bus and bike, but I've still seen savings on gas during the past two weeks of the challenge.

a fine example

Fred Mathes, 92, of California has been riding the same Schwinn for 56 years. His typical ride is 14 miles round trip. When he takes his car to be serviced, he loads his bike in the backseat and rides it 20 miles home. On his 80th birthday he rode to Oxnard, Calif., about 380 miles. When he turned 90 he rode to the Friant Dam and back - an 80 mile round trip.
He and his wife are life long conservators.

“I don’t like to throw anything away that’s valuable. We’re very careful with gasoline, electricity, water. We try to make things last."

To read more about Fred, go here.

remodel

"Oh yeah! I like this. These buses look new."
^a KCATA bus rider

It was an exciting morning on the Metro. Passengers entering the #142 bus expecting the standard red upholstered benches were surprised by a brand new interior featuring separate seats, a futuristic color scheme, brighter lighting, more accessible overhead railing and three tiers of seating allowing room for more passengers. General consensus was positive as riders spread out and settled in for their morning commute.


^Old interior


^New Interior