I like the moment at 0:21 when the little scooter whizzes by, just for comic effect.
Bikes, green buses, and trains. We need a lot more of that in the US. My wife and I cycle a lot, both recreationally and as transportation, but as is typical with most American cities, the infrastructure isn't all that supportive. Some cities, including Louisville, are pursuing initiatives to improve it, putting in bike lanes and whatnot, but that means retrofitting existing infrastructure and in a lot of thoroughfares that's just too costly (short-term, of course) or almost impossible. So you're forced into riding in regular traffic lanes, which can be rather harrowing. So, where possible we tend to stick to side streets. Don't have to suck their exhaust, at least.
And then there's the question of public support. I feel like it's improving a bit (the economy and gas prices pushing more people into it helps), and our current mayor is very pro-cycling and with the public campaigns. But on the whole, public opinion, and more importantly, behavior, still isn't all that supportive of cyclists. A lot of drivers don't understand that a bicycle has all the same rights (and responsibilities) of the road as a car. They think we're supposed to ride on the sidewalk or whatever—which in the sprawl areas of most cities don't even exist. Some drivers can be really aggressive toward cyclists.
I don't know how aware you are of the American infatuation with, and
dependency on, the individual automobile, and surely less so of its history. It's just become an ingrained part of the national culture and infrastructure, and it's going to be difficult to change that.
We don't have anything like the sort of rail you all do in Europe. We used to, both
interstate rail as well as city streetcar/trolley systems, but
National City Lines, with
GM and others, took care of that. (Now you all can get the references about the red car and interstates in
Who Framed Roger Rabbit, heh.) But, I digress.
Ike put in the interstate highway system, which was a massive public infrastructure undertaking with some positive benefits, but a lot of negative side-effects too. I've been saying forever that we need another such national infrastructure program for public transportation. Trains and light rail, support for cycling, etc. That would have been perfect for both stimulus and a source of jobs, and still would, but noooo. Nutbag Tea Partiers and Republicans absurdly think it's tyrannical communism, and Obama and the Democrats are too timid to stand up to them. But again, I digress.
Also,
Vehicle-to-grid.
sinewav wrote:I spent all my time as a kid riding BMX
Me too!
