JOURNAL OF THE CARFREE MOVEMENT #37 / FEB 2009 - APR 2009

US$5 / €4 / £2.50 / CN$5 / CZK50

OBAMA’S ERA VANCOUVER

INTERVIEW: DAVID ENGWICHT

CICLOVIA!

CARBUSTERS #37 | FEB 2009 - APR 2009 1

CARBUSTERS_37.indd 1 1/30/2009 1:27:22 PM ne of the first and most lasting impressions I Although what one considers as noise is, by definition, took from my recent trip around India was the subjective, it is difficult to argue that the sound of a - sound of the horn. Trucks, rickshaws and taxis horn outside your window 24/7 will have no detrimental Oemblazoned with “Horn Please OK” would physiological effects. In this issue Ted Rueter offers us an scream past you, weaving their way through the pande- insight into some of the damaging mental and physical ef- moniac streets with the horn serving as a warning, greet- fects of excessive noise, as well as an introduction into the ing, expletive, indicator and brake all rolled into one. ‘boom car’ mentality: the bigger and louder, the better. In chaotic streets filled to bursting point with human, Also, noise levels often appear to have a linear relation- animal and automotive traffic it seemed to be a celebra- ship with urbanisation. As the latter progresses, noise tion and declaration of one’s existence, and would often, levels rise. But, this doesn’t have to be the case, at least after innumerable close-shaves, serve as affirmation that not after a certain point. The relationship can be inversed; one was, against all the odds, still alive. But, the horn also there are quieter solutions: one example can be found harangued me upon the immediate effects of noise pol- spreading across the US right now – Ciclovia. Kristen Steele lution – by the end of any day spent the streets explores this South American phenomenon that is causing my nerves would be a jittering wreck and my behaviour a stir: reclaiming the streets and replacing the clamour of uncharacteristic. The first thing I noticed upon returning automotive traffic with the sound of people – an example to Prague was the blissful peace and quiet. of how beautiful our could be. There is also another In a country where, to my uninitiated and foreign eye, new sound coming from the US: the voice of Barack the roads appeared to be a terrifying, yet awe-inspir- Obama. Susan Vaughan offers some thoughts on how his ing, example of functional anarchy; where infrastruc- inauguration will affect the future of the US in transporta- ture, road rules, policing and, quite often, tarmac were tion terms: will he herald in a quieter, greener and more conspicuously absent; and where the average speed on sustainable America? many roads – congested or not – seemed to be less than Also this issue, Pippa Gallop adds her voice to the 15 km/h, it would take an audacious soul to propose a rapidly expanding movement protesting against the carfree future anytime soon. Addressing the more imme- steel-manufacturers’ pollution and destruction of our diate problems will no doubt take priority, and amongst environment, exposing some of the under-reported these is the problem of noise. Curbing noise pollution is knock-on effects of the automotive industry. We get important, and something some Indian municipalities tips from experienced traffic tamer David Engwicht on are beginning to take seriously: Mumbai held its first how to by re-injecting an element of No Horn Day in 2008 and will introduce silence zones unpredictability, and we get a two-wheeled tour through this year, alongside constitutional changes to prevent Vancouver’s . excessive construction noise. So, although some western So, there’s a lot to shout about. Enjoy this issue (the last cities feel like monastic retreats in comparison, there are from the old collective: Chris, myself and Theo; Welcome definitely lessons to be learnt from the extreme example the new: Jane and Marko!). Hopefully it will help you de- offered by India: Noise is a problem, and a problem to be cide what kind of noise you’ll be making this year. dealt with. Sam Fleet

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CARBUSTERS_37.indd 2 1/30/2009 1:27:28 PM #37 | FEB 2009 - APR 2009 Regulars Editorial Collective: Chris Coleman, Sam Fleet, 4 Letters; Contributors Jane Harding, Theo Haris, Marc- Henri Thull 5 Member Profile: Bicicletada Curitiba Other World Carfree Network Staff:Tanja Eskola, Lucie 10 6 Car Cult Review Sancova, Radka Tichavska Vancouver: A Two-Wheeled Tour A ride around Vancouver’s Graphic Design: Sam Fleet 8 Action: Progress Reports 2008 Contributors: Valentin Aguado, Roger Bysouth, Eugene 24 World News: Update Carrington, Jonas Christian, Christa Clark-Jones, Luis Cueva, Thomas J. DeMarco, Doldol, Cara - Obama’s Era Fisher, Jane Fleet, Pippa Gallop, Derek Goodwin, Joshua Hart, Cary Hendrickson, Huang FeiYue, 25 Ask Anna: Hypermiling Chris Keam, Shirley Liao, Terry Lowe, Steve Melia, Matt Nickels, Nate Padavick, Luis Patricio, Olly 26 Media Club; Carfree Blogging Powell, Jim Reid, Ted Rueter, Ahoo Salem, Anna Semlyen, Andre Geraldo Soares, Andy Singer, 12 28 Resources Hitesh Soneji, Stefanie Spear, Dancing in the Streets Kristen Steele, Dieter Steiner, An in-depth look into the spread of the South Jim Swanson, Fabrizio Trocchia, American Ciclovia through cities in the US, and its Tsui SouHim, Richard Tur, María beneficial effects Valenzuela, Susan Vaughan, Amy Walker, Robin Winkler, Octavia Zegarra Features Reprints: Welcome with a credit to Carbusters and a reference to 10 Vancouver: A Two-Wheeled Tour Carbusters.org unless otherwise attributed. 12 Dancing in the Streets Deadline for submissions: For #38, April 15, 2009. Please send letters, article - The Ciclovia Surge in US Cities proposals, artwork and photos to: Carbusters, Krátká 26 20 100 00 Prague 10, Czech 15 Sound Health? Tricks of a Traffic Tamer Republic Injecting unpredictability back into the streets. tel/fax: +(420) 274-810-849 We get some tips from a traffic tamer 16 What’s Behind the Wheel? [email protected] www.carbusters.org 18 Standing up to the Steel Industry Subscription info: page 30.

ISSN: 1213-7154 / MK ÈR: E 20 Tricks of a Traffic Tamer 100018 Printed in the Czech Republic on recycled paper by Pematisk, Prague. - Interview: David Engwicht

Carbusters has been funded with support from the European 22 A Penny for your Thoughts Commission. Carbusters reflects the views only of the authors, - Interview: Joff Summerfield and the Commission cannot 22 be held responsible for any A Penny for your Thoughts use which may be made of the Interview with world cyclist Joff Summerfield 23 A Punto Pedal: Hope Rides in Peru information contained therein.

Carbusters Magazine is a project of: Front Cover Artwork: Jim Swanson Inside Cover Photo: Jane Fleet Back Cover Artwork: Andy Singer CARBUSTERS #37 | FEB 2009 - APR 2009 3

CARBUSTERS_37.indd 3 1/30/2009 1:52:29 PM Letters

Carbusters goes to Obama’s inauguration in DC on January 20. It’s a cold day but it’s sunny and the streets are full of excited and bikes – on streets that are closed to today. Thanks for promoting the carfree lifestyle.

Jim Reid, Arlington, Virginia

Dear Carbusters, Thanks SO MUCH for featuring the B:C:Clettes in your last issue (#36 and thanks Nate Padavick for the great cover artwork). There is a growing international bike dance/performance movement, which started here in the Pacific Northwest (Portland, Oregon to be exact). In November 2008 an International Bike Performance Symposium was held outside of Seattle, Washington which brought together 25 people Matt Nickels: Carbusters hits from six different groups to skill Whistler’s slopes share, bond and dance! I want to give a shout out to all the other Brighton/London. inspiring groups not mentioned If there are more out there, let in last month’s article. Look them us know. Yeah to bikes for bring- becoming a stakeholder in the Messenger Blues up online: ing us all together! auto industry. Year after year, I sit here relaxing on my bed Canada: Brakes, Vancouver; Cara Fisher cars kill far more people than I’m 57 and I’m getting old. VeloVixens, Victoria; US: B:C:Clettes, Vancouver BC the US military. Washington Outside its so damn cold. Belles, Seattle; The www.bcclettes.ca already possesses the world’s I sit here relaxing on my bed: Sprockettes, Portland (*The [email protected] greatest arsenal of weapons of My bikes in the hallway, originals*); Chain Reaction, Port- mass destruction, so why not heavy as a piece of lead; land; The Bottom Brackettes, Dear Carbusters, add a few car companies to the man, I wish I was fucking dead! Eugene; The Derailleurs, San I consider it neither surprising portfolio. Messenger Blues, Messenger Blues, I Francisco; UK: The Spokes, nor alarming that the American Thomas J. DeMarco, definitely got the Blues! Manchester; Bicycle Ballet, government should consider Whistler, Canada Eugene Carrington, New York

Contributors

Jonas Christian, 30, lives in of Carbusters. His study received Nate Padavick is an illustrator who works for Thunderhead Alliance, Kreuzberg, and has a international coverage, including currently lives in Columbus, Ohio the North American coalition of Master’s in Engineering as well in the Guardian, the Tehran Times and enjoys spending time in cities bicycle and advocacy as a tiny Internet company. He and Bangalore Daily. that actually have bike lanes. organisations. enjoys blogging about carfree Read his blog onthelevelblog.com www.studiosss.com/pdx.html www.thunderheadalliance.org topics and riding his Xtracycle. Chris Keam is a Vancouver writer Luis Patricio and his wife are car- Jim Swanson is the co-founder of Christa Clark-Jones has been focusing on cycling, the bike in- free citizens who have a nice liv- Critical Mass and a San Francisco- happily carfree for one year. She is dustry and issues. ing room in their house-garage. based artist. See more of his work founder of CarFreeLifestyle.com, a You can read his blog, past arti- www.transportehumano.com.br at www.heckleandjive.com user-generated website for carfree cles, or contact him by visiting enthusiasts. Check out her new www.chriskeam.com Ted Rueter is director of Noise Susan Vaughan is a sustain- blog shoesonmybike.wordpress.com Free America, a national citizens’ able transportation activist and Terry Lowe has been carfree all his organisation opposed to noise blogger based in San Francisco, Joshua Hart recently completed life. Secretly he wishes he could pollution. www.noisefree.org California. She committed her- research on the social and qual- fly, but lacking that, thinks a bike self to the carfree life in 1990 ity of life impacts of motor vehicle is the next best thing. He works Kristen Steele is a San Francisco- for reasons that need no traffic, covered in the last issue for Momentum Magazine. based writer and activist. She explanation. 4 CARBUSTERS #37 | FEB 2009 - APR 2009

CARBUSTERS_37.indd 4 1/30/2009 1:52:31 PM Member Group Profile

World Carfree Network brings together organisations and individ- uals dedicated to promoting alter- natives to car dependence. Member Group Profile outlines the history, By Luis Patricio latest projects and carfree activities Bicicletada Curitiba from one of our members. icicletada Curitiba’s roots can be have even a single kilometre of bike lane, car, as well as the indifference to their needs traced back to a small gathering while not one new exclusive bike path has from the government. Ironically, the group of cyclists in Curitiba, a in the been built since the 80s. trying to create a less polluted environment Bsouthern state of Paraná, Brazil who Recognising this as a problem that deters were fined for “environmental crime”, and the shared the same philosophy: the right to people from using , Bicicletada government, which has never constructed a claim more space and respect on the streets, Curitiba seek to remedy this issue with the single bike lane in Curitiba, erased the first. where cars have come to dominate. The small establishment of Bike-Friendly Business: a Another significant event during Carfree group of cycling enthusiasts has grown over project focusing on converting areas of exist- Month was the Commuters’ Challenge: time and attracts all kinds of people with one ing car lots into bike parking. The gaining substantial coverage in local media, common interest: to create a better place to message caught on: soon many businesses which followed each contestant. Interesting- live. (restaurants, markets etc.) were advocating ly, the motorcyclist was the fastest, the cyclist Initially only a small number of simple for bike parking to be built in their areas, a close second, being one of the cheapest initiatives and individual events took place, seeing the potential economic and social and cleanest commuters, and the car was such as distributing information flyers and benefits from increasing customer visits and found to be the slowest. submitting formal complaints in order to supporting sustainable mobility. As a result Following a huge spark of interest from raise awareness of the bicycle as a sustain- of projects like this, the bicycle scene in Cu- the media as a result of Bicicletada Curitiba’s able means of transport. Now, one of the ritiba is growing at an enormous rate. actions during Carfree Month, it became events which characterises Bicicletada Bicicletada Curitiba has many activities impossible to ignore the group. They have Curitiba is their monthly bike ride, consist- taking place year-round. Some of the most been involved in meetings with municipal ing of more than 100 participants. The ride notable events are Park(ing) Days, Bike Bless- representatives and gained stronger ac- has become a central meeting point for ings and behavioural studies’ analyses in knowledgment from authorities, as well as environmental organisations, artistic groups, cooperation with the Universidade Federal from the general public. Additionally, they academics, architects and individuals who do Paraná. In all of them, decentralisation is now participate in national conferences and wish to exchange their ideas and experiences always one of the prominent aspects. debates at Curitiba City Council meetings about urban mobility and sustainable living. Projects are executed with the help of a on issues regarding sustainable transporta- The organisation also recognises the impor- dedicated volunteer staff. The Carfree Month tion. tance of online social networking as a way to held in September 2008 is a good example of Consequently, Bicicletada Curitiba is one of inform and bring about change: not only at how this works (see Carbusters #36). During the most effective Brazilian actors to encour- the local and national levels by creating an Carfree Month, the most popular and media age and support anyone willing to let go of online blog and forum, but internationally attention-grabbing activity was Bike Lane the car, promoting direct transformation at a – becoming a member organisation of the Painting. The idea came from a group of smaller (but human) scale. World Carfree Network in 2008. In particular, activists, supported by local residents in the this move into social networking through Alto da Glória neighbourhood of Curitiba, an online blog and forum has become a who were tired of the insecurity and lack of For more information, please visit, useful source for sharing information, as well space allocated to those who don’t own a www.bicicletadacuritiba.org as an essential tool for activists to organise direct actions, share ideas, and to assist the planning and coordination of more elaborate events. Recent additions to these online serv- ices are the Curitiba Cycle Map and a Cycle Guide indicating routes and bike-friendly places – especially helpful tools for avid cy- clists and those new to the cycling scene. Cycling in Curitiba is not for the faint- hearted: not only is it difficult and dangerous to get around by bike, but – worse – the city does not provide any bicycle parking in the downtown area. Although many measures have been taken by the government to im- prove transportation, not all are effective in practice. For example, Curitiba was allocated approximately US$100 million in 2008 to build a new transit system. Part of this money was invested to upgrade the public trans- portation system, but the largest part was invested in car infrastructure. Curitiba doesn’t Reclaiming the streets © Bicicletada Curitiba CARBUSTERS #37 | FEB 2009 - APR 2009 5

CARBUSTERS_37.indd 5 1/30/2009 1:52:32 PM Car Cult Review

My Flatmate’s a Car great price and of course a great Muslim congregations, to ask Con- to reach the circuit last time due gress to approve the multi-billion to traffic jams… We can thank The area of Kreuzberg in Berlin is consumption of oil. As the web- dollar plan advocated by automak- them for the nice gesture, and definitely an experimental part site Truck Trend notes, “It prob- ers. It seems cars have become the hope that next time they attend of the German capital. You may ably guzzles more gas in a week greatest manifestation of moder- the Grand Prix they’ll realise what know already that many people than most people use in a month.” nity’s intrinsic faith in technology. it’s all about: a show where a few commute there every day us- The car looks like an armoured www.nytimes.com cars using an incredible amount ing or bikes, but vehicle with doors nearly 20 cm of precious energy go around in what you might not know is that deep, and thick, fixed windows. circles for a few hours. in the same district some peo- The candidate of change inaugu- ple choose to bring their cars rates a new kind of hybrid vehicle: Buy a House and www.setanta.com up into their homes. This bizarre a mix of car, truck and tank… habit was made possible by the www.cnn.com Get a Car Jill Schisler from Canton, construction of ‘Carlofts’ that al- Fat Engine found a new way to sell her Are you driving too much and not low inhabitants to bring their car, house. After nine months of walking anymore, and therefore using an elevator in the garage, Give Praise to searching unsuccessfully for a becoming a little fatter? Lucky you, to the same level of their flat. Al- buyer for the house, which is did you know that you can turn ready seven of the 11 units avail- Lord GM Who said that cars are just the listed at US$84,900, she decided your fat into biodiesel at the rate of able have found owners, and the product of a technical and indus- to include her SUV as part of the one litre of grease for one litre of developer is already planning to trial process? Cars obviously also deal. She put a sign on the car that fuel? This was the idea of Beverly promote the idea in other German have a spiritual dimension. At least, read, “Free SUV with purchase of Hills doctor Craig Alan Bittner who cities. It’s good to know that in this this is the conviction of the Greater house”. It seems this was a good used the fat of his patients to pow- cold winter people are finally tak- Grace Temple in Detroit, where a idea: “I’ve had tons of calls since I er his Ford SUV and his girlfriend’s ing more consideration for those celebration took place last Decem- put the sign up” Schisler said. She Lincoln Navigator. According to Dr. poor cars sleeping outside... ber to pray for the future of cars even received some calls from Bittner, “The vast majority of my www.thelocal.de and for the adoption of the bailout people interested in the car but patients request that I use their fat plan for auto-manufacturers. not the house. Maybe she should for fuel… and I have more fat than Obama’s Imagine: a whole church pray- offer a free house with the car? I can use.” Nevertheless, it is illegal ing with a gospel choir, sharing www.pjstar.com in California to use human medical Rolling Bunker the stage with three SUVs and the waste for fuel. The new president of the United Pentecostal Bishop Charles H. Ellis It remains unclear when Dr. States received a new car for his III – who entitled his sermon “A Hy- A Carfree Bittner began his activities and inaugural parade down Pennsylva- brid Hope”. Representatives of the how he was proceeding. His ex- nia Avenue on January 20. Barack church and General Motors prayed Grand Prix? periment came to light when Obama followed the tradition of hand in hand to call for a rebirth It is fashionable nowadays to cov- dozens of his customers started using bulletproof cars established of the auto industry. As the United er every event you want to pro- complaining to the Department by Lyndon Johnson after the mur- Auto Workers vice president for mote with a dash of green paint. of Public Health. He is moreover der of JF Kennedy. General Motors’ Chrysler said, “We have done all A carfree Grand Prix sounds as accused of letting his assistant spokeswoman Joanne Krell stated that we can do in this union, so I paradoxical as a green car, but this and girlfriend perform surger- that, “Cadillac is honoured to serve turn it over to the Lord.” didn’t seem to shock the organis- ies without necessary skills or and renew this great tradition. It is The faith in cars even transcends ers of the British Grand Prix set to medical licenses. Indeed, it seems entirely appropriate that an Ameri- the gap between old religions – take place in Donington in 2010. that several of Bittner’s custom- can president has at his service a the cardinal Adam Maida from the They are planning to bring specta- ers were disfigured, because too great American vehicle.” Roman Catholic Church gathered tors by public transport and want much fat was removed from their A great American vehicle also 11 Detroit-based religious leaders, therefore to call it a “Carfree Grand bodies. The state’s Department of means great security, great size, representing Christian, Jewish and Prix” – maybe fans didn’t manage Public Health will investigate Bit-

The Rolling Bunker © Automedia Pole-position piffle © Wikipedia

6 CARBUSTERS #37 | FEB 2009 - APR 2009

CARBUSTERS_37.indd 6 1/30/2009 1:52:33 PM tner’s practices, but maybe they itself from a two-seater road car won’t lead anywhere – the doctor into a plane in 15 seconds. It can has relocated to South America to be driven on roads thanks to its work in a clinic as a volunteer. Of foldable wings, but it is necessary course, his decision has nothing to go to an airport, and own a pi- to do with his being under crimi- lot’s license, to take off. As claimed nal charges. on the website, “it’s time to make www.forbes.com the transition”. After the personal car and the personal computer, we now have the personal car- Advertisement plane. The “car” was exhibited in the Museum of Science, Boston for American Cars from December 18, 2008 through Island Chevrolet general sales to January 4, 2009. Nearly 80,000 manager James Severtson organ- people saw it. ised a stunt to promote the supe- www.terrafugia.com riority of American cars. He used a Chevrolet Suburban SUV out- fitted with massive tyres, costing Controversial US$5,000 a piece, to drive over a Honda Accord. The first attempt Licence Plates by driver Ryan Kepiki was a failure: The Brandenburg Constitutional the monster truck broke down Protection Authority has warned and the Honda remained intact. of several licence plate letter The truck was repaired and Kepiki and number combinations that managed to crush a Hyundai Ex- extremists use to identify them- cel. “We’d like to send the message selves to the public. The German that the best way to support your authority warns that some com- country is to buy an American ve- binations may express an “an- Holy Car-ap – Found on the web, a prayer for the Camaro hicle today,” Severtson said. And tidemocratic mindset”. Among of the past, than deal with the goal of Eliica’s team is to beat the of course, the bigger and faster it the controversial combinations, problems of the present. world speed record for electric is, the better… we find “AH” (Adolf Hitler), “KZ” www.thelocal.de cars. Dr. Shimizu hopes to build a www.kansascity.com (concentration camp) and “HJ” new model that will go faster than (Hitler youth). The Brandenburg 400 km/h. There are currently only Intelligence Service said that not Eight-Wheeled two completed Eliicas, each cost- Flying Car every driver with a “critical code” ing an estimated US$320,000 to Many cities in the world are deal- belongs to far-right extremist Electric Car build. One version is considered ing with the problem of saturated groups. The German government There is always something new in the “speed” model, the second, road networks. Some hope for however urged auto registration the world of cars. After five years the “acceleration” model. The change, but others put their trust offices to stop assigning combi- of work, Dr. Hiroshi Shimizu and team is looking for sponsorship in technology to offer a solution nations that “refer to controversial the Keio University team created to build 200 of them. Carbusters – not enough space on the roads, organisations and parties”. Thank the Eliica: an eight-wheeled car won’t make a donation… let’s take to the skies! Next year, you, it was urgent to deal with with a 370 km/h top speed. Each www.ecogeek.org for US$200,000, you’ll be able to such a threat to democracy… To of the eight wheels is driven by a afford the Terrafugia Transition®, paraphrase Pasolini, it is always 60kW (80 hp) electric motor and the first flying car. It can transform easier to fight the totalitarianism utilises lithium ion batteries. The Car Cult by Marko Thull

A true off-road vehicle © Terrafugia-Benjamin Schweighart Lightning fast? © EV World.com

CARBUSTERS #37 | FEB 2009 - APR 2009 7

CARBUSTERS_37.indd 7 1/30/2009 1:52:34 PM Action: Progress Reports 2008

© Carfree UK © Doldol Carfree UK Fighting Cycling Duo Fight Supports Eco-town Freeways Car Culture

A coalition of environmental or- would build 15,000 new homes With the pressure of numerous ApproTrans is a two-person oper- ganisations has been working to- served by five railway stations different social groups and en- ation, focusing on the Asia-Pacific gether to promote a number of and Bus Rapid Transit in Marston vironmental organisations, two region. Current efforts focus on eco-town developments across Vale, in the English Midlands. Ap- freeway developments planned cycling advocacy and combating the UK – the largest carfree devel- proximately 27% of the housing for two areas of Taiwan have been auto-industry greenwash by high- opments in Europe. During 2007 – 4,150 homes – is planned to be put on hold. Originally, by the end lighting the scourge of so-called the UK government announced carfree, concentrated around the of 2008, the projects should have ‘clean diesel’ cars: these have six a programme to build a series of railway stations. The town centre already broken ground: one on the times the nitrous oxide emissions new eco-towns across England, is designed with limited car ac- Su Hua Highway located on south- of petrol equivalents, a fact that is each with a range of sustainabil- cess, and community facilities, east coast and one in Taipei, on the generally unknown in New Zea- ity objectives. Following input places of work and open public northern tip of the country. land and Australia. from Carfree UK, government spaces will be created within Following thousands of local The result is that supposedly guidance now recommends that easy walking distance of the residents and NGOs signing peti- green conscious consumers re- “a substantial proportion” of each neighbourhoods. tions opposing the developments, placing dirty petrol cars with even of these eco-towns should be After February 19, final deci- regular meetings to gather coun- dirtier diesel cars, in the name carfree. sions are to be made on the termeasures, and using govern- of the environment. ApproTrans The process has not been easy. number and location of eco- mental negotiation, prospects for attempts to reverse the trend Along with other environmen- towns. Carfree UK is arguing that the freeway were temporally sus- toward ever more ridiculous tal groups, Carfree UK has been Marston Vale would generate pended. However, the freeways transport habits and pointless au- very critical of many of the short- positive international interest, are planned for completion during tomotive gimmicks. The duo high- listed locations. Many are too as seen in places like Vauban in the second half of 2009, so there is light these issues with filmmaking remote and poorly served by Freiburg, Germany. continued reason to fight… and an online archive of pictures rail. One of the better propos- By Steve Melia By Huang FeiYue, Tsui SouHim and celebrating carfree living. als, supported by Carfree UK, www.carfree.org.uk Shirley Liao – www.wildatheart.org.tw www.approtrans.com

Cars: Take a Hike Where space is carved up to ac- sons why widespread automobile commodate for the automobile’s use is unsustainable, Knoflacher demand for passage, little is left adds that the automobile hijacks for pedestrians to experience, see, public space in urban and subur- or do. On December 13, a group of ban settings. Knoflacher’s walk- M.Sc. students studying sustain- mobile fills 450 cm by 180 cm, the ability science at Lund University dimensions of a midsize car, and in Sweden sought to tackle this attempts, with added humour, to problem by means of direct ac- demonstrate every pedestrian’s tion – by recreating Prof. Hermann right to equal space as granted to Knoflacher’s ‘walkmobile’ (see Car- the automobile. busters #36). Of the myriad of rea- The students toured the streets © Cary Hendrickson

8 CARBUSTERS #37 | FEB 2009 - APR 2009

CARBUSTERS_37.indd 8 1/30/2009 1:52:35 PM “Action worships the deed” - Nathaniel LeTonnerue

© Derek Goodwin © ViaCiclo Junk Manchester Cycling Towards Switzerland’s Peddlers Votes “No” Sustainability Carfree Analysis

Did you ever think that it was On a negative note: following a Cycle organisation ViaCiclo focus The Club of the Carfree People possible to have all your trash number of public consultations on promoting the use of bicycles of Switzerland (CAS) is looking hauled away by bicycle? Well, the city of Manchester, UK voted as a sustainable means of trans- back on a successful year, and an now it is. Pedal People are a 12- against receiving a £2.7 billion port in Florianopolis, Brazil. even more successful beginning person cooperative bicycle busi- package to improve public trans- In 2008, despite no official sup- to 2009. Last year was marked ness in Northampton, Massachu- portation. The government mon- port, ViaCiclo developed a number by three major events: the com- setts, USA. They haul furniture ey would have been invested into of activities with the local Critical pletion of a statistical analysis of and garbage all year round, but improving public transportation Mass group Bicicletada: Vaga Viva available data on carfree house- without the noise pollution or across the city. (Park[ing] Day), where parking holds and individuals; the estab- diesel fumes of the standard gar- Overall, 78.8% voted against the spaces are transformed into living lishment of a comprehensive list bage trucks. proposed plans and a clear major- spaces, bike rides and an Inter- of annotated tips for carfree liv- The city does not provide mu- ity opposed paying a weekly con- modal Challenge that pits a car, ing; and the founding of the Swiss nicipal trash pickup, only a trans- gestion charge that was part of bicycle and pedestrian against Carfree Housing Network, which fer station in town to take waste. the deal. The government deter- each other in a ‘race’ through rush campaigns for carfree housing So, recycling by cycling has really mined that seven of the ten met- hour traffic – demonstrating the projects to be put on the agenda taken off: the group now have ropolitan boroughs that make up efficiency of the bike and slug- of local governments. around 400 customers and a con- Greater Manchester would each gishness of cars. The most important result of the tract with the city of Northamp- have had to vote in favour for Furthermore, last year saw the statistics project may be the fact ton to empty 80 public trash and the package to have gone ahead group push for the need to build that a growing number of people recycling barrels. In 2008, they – a difficult task, which raises the structures that aid the integra- living in the big cities – irrespec- did 12,811 pickups – in heat, rain, question of whether the govern- tion of buses with bicycles and tive of income – do not own a car. ice and snow – using only bicy- ment really wanted a “Yes” result, pedestrians in the city. The Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ), cles and bicycle trailers. especially at a time of recession. By André Geraldo Soares the most respected Swiss na- www.pedalpeople.com By Roger Bysouth www.viaciclo.org.br tional paper, found this fact news- worthy enough for it to publish an article shortly after New Year, which in turn caused quite a stir in the Swiss media landscape. As with the walkmobile, engaging in people to reflect on the collective poration website, inspired by an added bonus, this article also what certain observers of culture- effect of individual behavioural the French theorist Guy De- caused a sudden increase in CAS jamming have called “critical pub- choices. The public demonstra- bord, thus using the fake auto membership applications, which lic pedagogy”. While not trying to tion created a collective learning company name: Bord Motors. have now passed the 1,000 mark. be explicitly educational or aca- experience: engaging the audi- By Ahoo Salem, Cary Hendrick- And, this is only the beginning: demic, the students tried to en- ence to question the dominant son, Fabrizio Trocchia and Hitesh the NZZ is soon to publish a sec- gage onlookers while one student perception of cars, which, in our Soneji ond article describing the mitiga- even played the role of the mad society, has become deeply em- www.bordmotors.com tion of environmental impacts co- scientist inventor of the walkmo- bedded in individual identities. inciding with a carfree lifestyle. bile. However, more than purely Continuing this culture-jam- By Dieter Steiner attention grabbing or building ming theme, the students have www.clubderautofreien.ch awareness, the aim was to get created a mock automobile cor- Action compiled by Jane Harding

CARBUSTERS #37 | FEB 2009 - APR 2009 9

CARBUSTERS_37.indd 9 1/30/2009 1:52:36 PM Vancouver A Two-Wheeled Tour By Chris Keam and Terry Lowe

t’s little wonder that Vancouver regularly councillors are supportive of sustainable bridges, and run education programmes to places among the top five “world’s most transportation in general and in practice, as bring bicycle training to schools and novice livable cities” in annual surveys; on the is shown by their personal decision to use adult riders. Iground, either on foot or by bike, the city cycling as their usual mode of transportation. VACC and BEST also provide free bike valet mostly lives up to the hype. This is due in no parking at public events. This service not only small part to work done by the city’s cycling provides peace of mind to cyclists by ensuring community. Efforts to promote cycling as their bikes won’t be stolen, it also shows that a transportation are playing an important, “A growing number of growing number of Vancouverites use cycling ongoing role in maintaining the city’s reputa- Vancouverites use cycling as their primary means of transportation. tion as a great place to live. While Vancouver can’t yet lay claim to the as their primary means of cycling infrastructure and amenities that transportation” A Visible Harvest characterise the leading cycling cities of Strong arguments and steadfast determina- Europe, there’s still much to celebrate here. tion have resulted in the nascent perception Municipal support for cycling has improved of bikes as a solution to transportation in the vastly in the last 25 years, driven by advo- Sowing the Seeds city, rather than an impediment – a view of- cates, activists and cycling employees and The seeds of these successes were sown by ten expressed by the more rabid automobile politicians at City Hall. Investment in cycling Vancouver’s cycling advocates. Most are vol- fans. Almost without fail, city planners now from all levels of government has quadrupled unteers. All work hard to carve out a place for take cycling into account, and since 2005, since the early 1990s. Over CAN$12.8 million bikes in the transportation spectrum. They city bylaws have required end-of-trip facili- is now invested annually in cycling-related lend their time and energy to groups such as ties in all new commercial buildings; these improvements in Metro Vancouver. the Vancouver Area Cycling Coalition (VACC) include secure bicycle parking, showers and Public support is increasingly evident. The and Better Environmentally Sound Trans- changing rooms. recent municipal elections of November 2008 portation (BEST). Both organisations work Bike boxes at traffic light-controlled inter- resulted in the election of new mayor Gregor to improve current bike routes and establish sections and bike lanes are now appearing Robertson who along with a number of city new ones, lobby for bike access to transit and downtown. Unfortunately, these lanes often consist of nothing more than stripes of paint directing cyclists into dangerous “car door” Vancouver in Numbers zones, and they often abruptly terminate. City of Vancouver: 117 square kilometres The boxes are useful, providing a relatively Metro Vancouver: 2,877 square kilometres safe haven for cyclists riding in traffic, but the Total kilometres of cycling routes in Metro Vancouver: 2,760 lanes are “use at your own risk,” since there Kilometres of new cycling routes each year: 50 is no defining legislation to protect cyclists Average rainfall per year: 1,168 mm (46 inches) within them, nor any legal mechanism to pre- vent cars from parking in them.

10 CARBUSTERS #37 | FEB 2009 - APR 2009

CARBUSTERS_37.indd 10 1/30/2009 1:52:37 PM City Hall has also implemented Vancouver’s exuberant “Velomutational” bike frolics: par- much-admired “bike routes”. A bike route is ties in parks, bike polo games, cat races, a street – usually adjacent to a major road Midnight Mass rides, parades, weddings, – that has been optimised for bike travel street festivals, chopper workshop and lazy by blocking car traffic at regular intervals; picnics on the beach. providing “bike-only” crossings of major cross Vancouver’s bike culture is thriving and streets; installing cyclist- and pedestrian-ac- growing. And as much as activists will always tivated traffic signals, and posting prominent find something to protest (that being a fine signage. And, after 20 years of lobbying and Vancouver tradition), the advocates are effort, it seems City Hall finally understands clearly optimistic due to the election of our the need for separated bike lanes on at least bike-commuting mayor and cycling city one downtown bridge. councillors. Overall, life on two wheels here is Detailed Vancouver bike route maps are very good indeed. available for free, and a larger overall map For more information about Vancouver, showing connections to surrounding please visit: is available at a modest cost. Suburban cities www.carfreevancouver.org also provide their own free bike maps, but of www.fixedvancouver.com varying quality. www.momentumplanet.com Bike-rack equipped buses serve the city pedalrevolutionary.blogspot.com www.vacc.bc.ca and nearby suburbs, and while the elevated www.vbc.bc.ca SkyTrain also allows bikes on board, they are restricted during peak hours. Secure bike All images © Amy Walker storage is available at an increasing number of workplaces, and bike lockers at transit Vancouver Rider Profile: Deirdre Arscott stations are popping up. A web-based bicycle trip planner developed with the “Cycling in By Amy Walker Cities” programme at the University of British How long have you been using a bike for Occupation: Systems Analyst, Columbia has also recently been launched. transportation and why did you choose Web Development to bike? Age: 54 All my life! I lived in Cambridge, England Passion: Cycling, eating! Vibrant Past, Present until I was 12. A huge portion of the and Future population of Cambridge commutes by In addition to cycling advocates, Vancouver bicycle, so for me cycling came naturally. also has a rich history of street-level activ- People ask me why I commute by bike. The ism and action. Critical Mass-like rides have question should be: “Why do they drive?” been a monthly tradition since the 1980s Bicycles are practical and efficient. I feel back into town it is difficult and dangerous to and around the same time a group called the great when I ride my bike and I love the feel make the turn onto the Mary Hill Bypass. Bicycle People did a Monday morning mass of the wind on my face. Commuting gives The Patullo Bridge sidewalk more often ride across the Lion’s Gate Bridge – a major me a base level of fitness and keeps me than not has broken glass on it. The routes link connecting suburban West Vancouver to healthy, both mentally and physically. onto the Alex Fraser Bridge are convoluted the downtown core – demanding access for and not well signed. It does help that the cyclists. They got it. Direct action does get no- What do you love about riding in buses can carry bikes through the tunnel but ticed at City Hall! The colourful story of these Vancouver? if you are on a group ride, you must wait for advocates and activists has now been immor- I love riding along Spanish Banks and the shuttle or take the Alex Fraser. The Albion talised in film. Robert Alstead’s documentary seeing the ocean, the mountains and the ferry is a great crossing for cyclists but that You Never Bike Alone chronicles the exploits city. Where else can you do that? I’m really will be out of service when the new bridge of local bike activists, focusing on the rise of pleased that the City of Vancouver has so goes in. Critical Mass in Vancouver. many bike routes. The tradition continues unabated, with Are you involved in bike culture or advo- diverse groups creating Carfree Days, films, What do you hate about riding there? cacy – is there a group or person you think radio programmes, too many blogs to count, The traffic and the urban sprawl! Every year is doing great work? and the annual World Naked Bike Ride there are more cars on the roads. Some The VACC does a good job. Marion Orser and – started in Vancouver in 2003 (See Carbusters routes that I used to ride are now so busy Peter Stary work hard at bicycle advocacy. #35). And, of course, Momentum Magazine is that I wouldn’t dream of cycling there any- located in Vancouver. more. The Greater Vancouver area is quickly Favourite piece of gear for riding? There are many social bike rides, attracting eating up all the land in the Fraser Valley. My helmet! everyone from fixies to cruisers, roadies to It takes a long time to get out of the city in choppers. One of these, Midnight Mass, starts order to access quiet country roads. What does being a “self-propelled person” at – yes – midnight every other Thursday. The mean to you? Vancouver Bicycle Club, first formed in 1902 What could be done to improve cycling Using my own muscles to get places! I ride and still going strong, offers a variety of non- in Vancouver? with the BC Randonneurs, an ultra marathon competitive weekend rides, rated by length Make it easier to get out of the Vancouver cycling club. With the Randonneurs you can and required stamina. area by bike. Cyclists want efficient, direct ride anything powered by muscle alone Riding year-round here is possible and re- routes to get to places. For the provincial (no engines, no wind power). It’s absolutely warding... but the most fun happens in sum- government, cyclists are an afterthought. amazing how far you can go on a bicycle, and mer! Each June is promoted as “Bike Month” Most bridges do not have enough room for you don’t have to be a super athlete either. in Vancouver. The Bike to Work Week of June cyclists. Often the shoulder is very narrow www.randonneurs.bc.ca 2008 attracted almost 6,000 participants, or the cyclist must ride a sidewalk covered nearly a quarter of them brand-new bike with debris. The Pitt River Bridge is a night- Amy Walker is the publisher of Momentum commuters. Summer also sees an eruption of mare for cyclists at the moment. Coming Magazine.

CARBUSTERS #37 | FEB 2009 - APR 2009 11

CARBUSTERS_37.indd 11 1/30/2009 1:52:38 PM

Sound Health? By Ted Rueter

It is as plain as daylight that excessive noise – whether caused by cars or not – poses a serious health-risk for humans, and is reason enough to discourage the usage of automobiles. But what exactly are the health impacts of the background cacophony of a thousand raging motors in a city, or of a passing ‘boom car’ (see box) that can “shake the living and wake the dead”? Carbusters decided to go in-depth on this buzzing issue and asked Ted Rueter from Noise Free America to add a clear voice to the tumultuous din… - Car Stereo Advert Stereo - Car

oise does a body bad. Excessive painful noise includes car stereos at 140 dB, and autonomic system responses that affect noise has been linked to hearing a jackhammer at 130 dB, jet engines at 140 the cardiovascular system and thus may be a loss, tinnitus, sleep deprivation, dB, and the peak of a rock concert at 150 dB. risk factor for cardiovascular disease.” Ncardiovascular disturbances, Other sources of noise between 90 and 140 While noise is not a major cause of mental mental health impairment, impaired task per- dB include motorcycles, firearms, firecrackers, illness, it does appear to accelerate and wors- formance, aggressive behaviour and chronic headset listening systems, tractors, garbage en its development. Goines and Hagler state fatigue. And while its effects have been disposals, blenders and noisy toys. that noise pollution may cause or contribute studied excessively, noise levels throughout to “anxiety, stress, nervousness, nausea, the world are growing at alarming levels. headache, emotional instability, argumenta- “Noise can lead to tiveness, sexual impotence, change in mood, Major Causes increase in social conflicts, neurosis, hysteria, a sense of helplessness” and psychosis.” of Noise Pollution Noise levels greater than 80 decibels (dB) are The National Institute on Deafness and considered potentially hazardous. Increas- Other Communication Disorders estimates Less Education, More Violence ingly, everyday sounds approach or exceed that 30 million Americans are exposed to Noise pollution has a clear effect on cognitive this level. For example, a vacuum cleaner is harmful levels of noise in their jobs every day task performance: decreasing motivation, around 70 dB. An alarm clock can emit 80 dB. – especially fire-fighters, disc jockeys, subway increasing errors and impairing performance Lawnmowers, shop tools, truck traffic and workers, construction workers, musicians, at work and school. Noise strongly affects subways approach 90 dB. Snowmobiles and landscapers and factory workers. The US memory, problem-solving and reading atten- chainsaws are around 100 dB, while model Environmental Protection Agency concludes tion. Cognitive and language development, airplanes can exceed 110 dB. Physically that more than 130 million Americans live in as well as reading achievement, are lessened areas with dangerously high levels of noise. in noisy homes. One study compared the ef- You Deserve a Beating... Meanwhile, continued exposure to noise of fect of noise upon the test results of students ‘Boom cars’ are automobiles equipped greater than 85 dB may cause gradual but in the same school. Half the students were with extremely powerful stereo systems permanent damage to hearing. in classrooms abutting a railroad track; the that crank as much as 1,000 watts of pure other half not. Students in the quiet class- hell. Growing out of rap culture, they were What’s the Buzz About? rooms performed much better. primarily used by neighbourhood drug Excessive noise can also cause tinnitus: a Noise levels above 80 dB are also associated dealers who wanted to alert their custom- ringing in the ears that may sound like whin- with an increase in aggressive behaviour. Nu- ers that they were in the area. ing, buzzing, humming or whistling. Some merous scientific studies indicate that noise They were later popularised by music vid- tinnitus victims have been led to suicide may trigger unfriendliness, social disengage- eos and have since spread like a virus. Cun- because of the extreme, constant irritation. ment, anger, dissatisfaction, disappointment, ning adverts target young males with the Noise is also a major cause of sleep depriva- depression, anxiety, distraction and agitation. repeated idea that girls like guys who drive tion, which can result in obesity, depression, Noise can lead to a sense of helplessness. such machines – sexist themes in boom diabetes, lowered intellectual achievement Noise-related agitation has been the cause of car ads are extremely common. Anti-social and cardiovascular disease. Every person’s shootings, stabbings and murder. behaviour also was heavily encouraged, productivity, performance and emotional with the aggressive, constant pounding well-being is linked with getting good sleep. The Last Bell and thumping from boom cars presented In addition, a growing body of evidence con- The adverse social, physiological and psycho- as a ‘cool’ thing. firms that noise pollution has both temporary logical effects of noise pollution, therefore, Boom cars lie at the core of an anti-so- and permanent effects on the endocrine and have been well studied. What remains to be cial subculture and are a growing public autonomic nervous systems. According to RN done is to increase awareness on the issue nuisance. Meanwhile this noise menace Lisa Goines and Dr. Louis Hagler, “it has been and work to create an environment around is expanding in more ‘mainstream’ areas: postulated that noise acts as a non-specific us which recognises the inherent human loud car stereos have also become stand- biologic stressor eliciting reactions that pre- need for quiet; the need for peace. ard equipment on some Ford and Nissan pare the body for a fight or flight response. For For more information, please visit, models. this reason, noise can trigger both endocrine www.noisefree.org and www.noiseoff.org. CARBUSTERS #37 | FEB 2009 - APR 2009 15

CARBUSTERS_37.indd 15 1/30/2009 1:52:43 PM

Media Club

Blogging Brilliance Carfree Living the Virtual Way

Blogs are changing the world – and carfree ones for the best. Gaining ground against the ‘con- ventional’ (and mostly car-fed) media, blogs are the way forward in this new era that demands direct, unprejudiced and full information flow.Carbusters asked four carfree bloggers to share their views about the importance of blogging for the carfree movement and also to present their own blogs for our readers. What better inspiration can we provide to get more people to enter cyberspace – carfree.

A New Weapon in Blogging About the A Cyber ‘Carfree City’ the Battle against Carfree Lifestyle By Jonas Christian Car Dependence By Christa Clark-Jones The city I live in, Berlin, is a great city for carfree living. Almost half of all households By Joshua Hart Blogging is an effective tool for recruit- do not own a car, bicycles are everywhere, ing potential carfree enthusiasts and and public transport is efficient. Sadly, traf- Starting a blog can be a great way to creating the coolness factor for the fic planning is in many ways still stuck in the express your opinions, share resources carfree lifestyle. 1960s: cross-city Autobahns and free park- and reach a wide audience at no cost On par with health, beauty and ing are hip. Drivers sport expensive cars and whatsoever. Blogging has the potential longevity, walkers and cyclists are wel- a righteous sense of entitlement. to challenge the power of the main- come to the urban fabric. Their unique Frustrated with this, I started the blog stream media with their pro-fossil fuel, perspective, identity and self-esteem autofreie-stadt.de (‘carfree city’) last year. pro-motoring bias, and allow people to are usually amplified. And while health I write in German about current events, realise that we are not alone in seeing and beauty take time to develop, the technology and city planning from a carfree the limitless expansion of motoring for coolness factor can make an instant perspective. Building an audience is a slow the insanity it really is. difference between a quitter and a but rewarding process and positive feed- I started blogging in 2006, when I de- convert. back is starting to trickle in. cided to give up flying and take a train The CopenhagenCycleChic www. Carfree blogs are a great way of expos- and freighter ship from San Francisco to copenhagencyclechic.com and Copenha- ing people to the carfree perspective and my new home in Bristol, UK. I blogged genize www.copenhagenize.com blogs providing a virtual meeting point of like- every day during my journey and pub- are excellent examples. The mixture of minded individuals. The demand certainly lished these journal entries and photos fashion and bicycle advocacy makes the exists: when a carfree district was planned on my blog onthelevelblog.com when I impossible look fashionable. Cycling in in Berlin (www.autofrei-wohnen.de), thou- arrived in England. They proved popu- the rain or snow, and while in a dress sands signed up for an apartment within lar and led to widespread coverage on and high heels, looks great. Transport- weeks. Sadly, this particular project was the local BBC news and other media ing bulky goods on a tricycle looks easy later stopped by an overzealous bureaucrat. outlets, an example of how blogs are and fun. This illustrates the possibility of However, there’s a limited number of peo- increasingly defining the content of cycling for sophistication and resilience. ple you can reach through blogging. One of mainstream media. And the Copenhagen-based blogs, most my aims with the blog is therefore to build Since I’ve been living in Bristol there importantly, have a global audience, up enough expertise to be able to place ar- has been somewhat of a revolution in attracting thousands of hits per day. ticles in other media outlets. Having a blog transport activism, with bloggers at the With increasing global visitors, carfree as a public repository of articles goes a long heart of it all. Partly because the city is organisations and businesses linked to way towards improving your knowledge so car-dependent, and partly because the blogs are rewarded too. and writing ability. of Bristol’s thriving counterculture, I have created www.CarFreeLifestyle. Compared to other countries, living carfree blogs which are critical of prevailing com, a user-generated website for car- is no extraordinary feat in most German cit- pro-car policies have been sprouting free enthusiasts. All of the submissions ies. The public transport and bicycling infra- up like mushrooms after a spring rain. are original works by the CarFreeLife- structure is in good shape and many house- Several local scandals have broken to style community. It is a hotspot for car- holds live carfree without feeling restricted. the wider public on local blogs, and free advice and motivation. While going The next logical step would be to establish the Bristol City Council is realising that carfree or car-lite can seem impossible, carfree districts in order to protect non-driv- there is a large and growing voice this website encourages baby steps. ers from drivers. Sadly, while the need to for and open Perhaps it will inspire some people to protect non-smokers is well established, the government. Why not start your own try being carfree for a day or weekend. necessity of protecting non-drivers has yet blog today and join the growing carfree Most importantly, why not make the to arrive in the mainstream. My blog is my blogging community? transition to a carfree lifestyle fun? small contribution towards this goal.

26 CARBUSTERS #37 | FEB 2009 - APR 2009

CARBUSTERS_37.indd 26 1/30/2009 1:52:55 PM Book Review By Chris Coleman expressed “concepts”. This Cartesian faith in rationality over intuition can be especially seen in the grid-patterned streets of Ameri- can cities. Though useful in exerting “military necessity, capitalist expediency and religious Carfree Law, Politics symbolism”, the grid can never match the intimacy of old European meandering streets and Farms that intuitively lead to the squares or key By Susan Vaughan monumental buildings. Crawford, on the oth- er hand, defends design that is an expression Car-Free Talk carfreetalk.blogspot.com is of local geography, culture and materials; not dedicated to the exploration of the carfree a cold analysis made behind closed doors. (or car-lite) existence, and train, bus and We may think of the medieval times as bicycle travel. I am based in San Francisco, an era of superstition and intolerance, but California but travel throughout the United Crawford, Lewis Mumford and many other States and elsewhere, documenting trans- carfree visionaries acknowledge that this portation systems and movements toward was a golden age for urban design – offering more sustainable living. The blog also a return to smaller-scaled street design and Carfree Design Manual the aesthetic of beauty. Crawford’s theory is examines transportation policy and traffic By J. H. Crawford engineering as they relate to maintaining simple: shorten block-lengths, narrow the International Books, 2009, 600pp streets, reduce the height of buildings, and a and expanding public transportation, and ISBN 9789057270604 bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure. In ad- human-scale is created that is conducive to dition, I endeavour to explore modern-day Say your nation’s chief came to you plead- building strong communities, local com- and past farm life in the likelihood that in ing for advice on how to make his or her merce and self-propelled transport. Crawford the future, people will need to relearn farm- cities carfree: where would you turn? If you favours less the mild New Urbanism (what he ing skills, as our current energy-intensive wished to take the drafts out of the hands of calls old suburbanism) and more the merging lifestyle becomes less and less sustainable. the technocrats to allow the future residents of old, intuitive urban design with modern The blog is also a place to explore the to fiddle with a human-scaled, community- technology and democratic principles. intersection of the law, the US Constitution focused carfree design, then look no further When it comes to transport, Crawford has no and policy as they relate to creating sustain- than J.H. Crawford’s new book Carfree Design shortage of ideas and is most innovative when able, democratic communities. In particular, Manual. Its 600 pages make the carfree it comes to freight. Below-grade rail – as an we are studying possible abuses of power design concept a process accessible to extension of passenger metro usage – could under the administration of former US presi- deliver goods directly to the rear of storage dent George W. Bush and the connection facilities on its route, with smaller shipments between those abuses and the furtherance “Crawford defends design left at district depots. Freight trams, now used of an agenda inimical to the creation of that is an expression of local in Dresden, could expand the network. For sustainable, democratic communities. loads under 200 kg freight bikes can be used, geography, culture and as in Copenhagen. To unify this system, he envisions the return of the concierge service materials” – one on every block – to serve and maintain, Some carfree blogs in the USA: for example, a utility storage area for bikes and anyone with interest. Crawford starts with a heavy carts, a place to temporarily leave odds carfreeusa.blogspot.com/ Promoting the joys of carfree life in the USA. dissection of modernism and explains how and ends and a hearth for the community it gets urban design all wrong, then, after – complete with a wood stove. carfreefamily.blogspot.com/ A family takes on carfree living in Santa Fe, New Mexico laying strong philosophical foundations, The carfree movement is lucky to have the proposes concrete, innovative ideas on a dedication of someone who is able to tread carfreefamily.wordpress.com/ Family carfree adventures in Minneapolis, Minnesota variety of things, from how to move freight the fine line between letting one’s imagina- on a metropolitan scale while maintaining an tion of urban possibilities run unleashed, carfreeinbigd.blogspot.com/ Experiences of carfree living in Dallas, Texas ‘urban village’ ambience, to the key role that while not losing sight of reality. The idea of a revived concierge service could play, and building carfree cities may seem far-fetched commuter.typepad.com/the_carfree_diet/ Carfree diet in Arlington, Virginia to how neighbourhoods could be designed to us now, but if circumstances allow for collectively. governments to give a portion towards our carfreedays.com/ Living with xtracycles in Modernism during the 20th century com- cause of what was recently handed out to Seattle, Washington. pletely overturned the values and culture of bankrupt banks, the sky is the limit. The EU the western world, cultivating ideal condi- commissioner for environment Stavros Dimas Visit the Carbusters Facebook fan page for tions for entrepreneurs who could profit wrote the introduction to this book, giving RSS feeds of carfree blogs! Also, we’re in the quickly by rejecting traditional architecture credence to Crawford’s soundly reasoned process of launching a ‘Carfree Blogosphere’: in exchange for the cheapest constructions and researched ideas. Hopefully we can take all bloggers out there who want to be part of networking within carfree blogs, send an possible. Architecture and urban design up Crawford’s challenge and actually use this email to [email protected] shifted from a practical craft to an “art” that book as a manual. CARBUSTERS #37 | FEB 2009 - APR 2009 27

CARBUSTERS_37.indd 27 1/30/2009 1:52:56 PM Resource Centre - Support our Joint Carfree

Non-fiction Earth First! Direct Action Manual The Little Driver [Special Offer!] DAM Collective, 1998, 152 pages Martin Wagner, 2003, 56 pages Carfree Cities US$10, EUR 7, £5, or CZK 180 US$7, EUR 4.5, £3.5, or CZK 105 J.H. Crawford, 2000, 324 pages A children’s book for young and old, The Little US$35, EUR 24, £18, or CZK 620 End of the Road Driver takes a fresh look at our obsession with cars through the eyes of a boy still young enough to An unapologetic argument for carfree cities com- Wolfgang Zuckermann, 1991, 300 pages bined with a detailed and well thought-out plan, US$10, EUR 7, £5, or CZK 180 take nothing for granted. Carfree Cities outlines a city structure carefully There are half a billion cars on the planet, and designed to minimise environmental impact and this book takes a long, hard look at the contrast Carbusters Press maximise quality of life. between the image and the reality of this fact. Zuckermann offers 33 “ways out” of our car de- Bulk Discount: Ten or more CARtoons and/or Carfree Design Manual pendence, including pedestrianisation, alternative Roadkill Bill books, any combination, for half J.H. Crawford, 2008, 600 pages transport, restructuring public transport... price. Hardcover, colour images throughout US$45, EUR 35, £32, or CZK 950 Life Between Buildings CARtoons Carfree Design Manual starts from the urban plan- Jan Gehl, 2001, 202 pages ning principles established in Carfree Cities and US$40, EUR 27, £20, or CZK 720 Andy Singer, 2001, 100 pages, optional CD- shows how to design beautiful carfree districts that First published in 1971, this book is still the best ROM contains high-resolution TIF images of all are places to build a satisfying and sustainable life. source for understanding how people use urban graphics public spaces. Life Between Buildings is the Book: US$10, EUR 7, £5, or CZK 180 Car Sick undisputed introduction to the interplay between CD-ROM: US$5, EUR 3.50, £2.50, or CZK 90 Lynn Sloman, 2006, 192 pages design and social life. A personal and provocative look at our relationship US$29, EUR 20, £15, or CZK 520 with the car, from Ford’s first assembly lines to to- day’s “drive-through” society. Features seven pithy “Cars cause environmental destruction, provoke Public Spaces - Public Life chapter texts and a compilation of hard-hitting stress and tear the heart out of communities. Car Jan Gehl and Lars Gemzøe, 1996, 96 pages Sick provides a page-turning account of how we US$49, EUR 33, £25, or CZK 870 quotations, plus 90 of Singer’s infamous graphics. got into this mess, and more importantly, charts an Describes the remarkable improvements in Copen- attractive way out.” - T. Juniper, Friends of the Earth hagen over the past 34 years, and how they were Roadkill Bill [Special Offer!] accomplished. Ken Avidor, 2001, 108 pages Cutting Your Car Use (UK Version) US$7, EUR 4.5, £3.5, or CZK 105 Save Money, Be Healthy, Be Green! Sustainable Mobility Guide It’s the comic strip that looks at cars, technology Anna Semlyen, 2007, 96 pages for Municipalities and philosophy from the viewpoint of a frequently squashed rodent. In Roadkill Bill, the wonderful, US$12, EUR 8, £6, or CZK 210 Justin Hyatt, 2006, 52 pages US$10, EUR 7, £5, or CZK 180 provocative, amusing and sometimes gruesome Britain’s first ever personal traffic reduction guide. cartoons are collected together for the first and The Sustainable Mobility Guide provides a full Packed with easy-to-follow, best practice advice. only time. Avidor gives voice to the suffering soul spectrum of themes related to transportation, For anyone who wants to cut their car use, or of humanity that feels bulldozed and paved over give up the car completely. New updated colour urban design, mobility management and more. It by industrial technology run amok. edition. is aimed at decision makers as well as NGO’s work- ing in the field of transport and urban planning, or karikAUTury, GÉPregény, Divorce Your Car! anyone else interested in a broad survey of urban mobility issues. Also contains a section highlight- karikAUTúry, and AUTOkomiks Ending the Love Affair With the Automobile ing relevant websites and organisations. Katie Alvord, 2000, 320 pages CARtoons has been published US$20, EUR 14, £10, or CZK 360 in Czech, Slovak, Hungarian and Divorce Your Car! speaks to individuals, encourag- Fiction/Kids Polish. The books are part of the ing readers to change their own driving behaviour Visegrad Resource Centre project. without waiting for broader social change, stress- If you are interested in copies The Age of the Bicycle ing that individual action can drive social change. contact [email protected] Miriam Webster, 1998, 270 pages US$15, EUR 10, £8, or CZK 270 Payment Instructions “What if one afternoon all the cars in the world Online at www.worldcarfree.net/resources slowed down and then stopped in their tracks... Mail-Order Resources soon tea shops burgeoned on the interstates... DVD rush-hour traffic went by on bicycles at an average speed of eight miles an hour...” Caravan/Prague Shipping (surface rate outside Europe) is 2007, 76 min., DVD, US$20, EUR 13, CZK 320 included in all prices. A bicycle caravan travels across Europe to shut Alice in Underland down the annual meeting of the IMF and the World We accept US and British cheques made out Wolfgang Zuckermann, 1999 Bank. It will function without money, without lead- to Carbusters. Credit card payments can be US$10, EUR 7, £5, or CZK 180 ers, and without permission from any authority. made on-line at www.worldcarfree.net/re- A curious mixture of nonsense, social satire and The police have other ideas… Included is the short surrealist fairytale, which takes the classical film Quebec: At the Wall. sources. We also accept international postal Alice through the dreary landscape of suburban money orders (in CZK or USD), and even cash America. in the currencies listed (at your own risk, but Source* seems OK). 2005, 77 min., DVD, region-free Family Mouse Behind the Wheel PAL (plays on all PCs) - US$25, Payments: Car Busters, Krátká 26, 100 00 Wolfgang Zuckermann, 1992, 30 pages, hardcover EUR 17, £13, or CZK 450 Prague 10, Czech Rep. US$10, EUR 7, £5, or CZK 180 Colourful illustrated book that teaches children The tale of the Baku-Ceyhan-Tbilisi pipeline is a tale the problems of car culture through the eyes of a Should you prefer to pay by bank transfer, of corruption, greed and Western money flowing family of mice who decide to buy a car, with all the into the oil-soaked shores of the Caspian Sea. This please contact us. consequences... documentary takes you to the source. 28 CARBUSTERS #37 | FEB 2009 - APR 2009

CARBUSTERS_37.indd 28 1/30/2009 1:52:57 PM Still We Ride! Carbusters In Tandem Productions, 2005, 37 min., DVD US$20, EUR 14, £10, or CZK 360 Magazine Distribution This action-packed documentary is a glimpse into (5 or more copies): US$3.20 / EUR 2.60 / £1.60 / the shocking showdown between the monthly CZK 32 per copy (you sell at current issue price and Critical Mass bike ride and New York City police in keep the difference). the months after the Republican National Conven- tion in August 2004. “Cancer Warning” Stickers Back Issues 15 stickers: US$4.50, EUR 3, £2.30, or CZK 80 Get any back issue of Carbusters for a mere Stickers Big stickers for cars. US$2.50 / EUR 2 / £1.75. Or get a complete set for Available in French, German, English (temporarily US$50 / EUR 31 / £25. Or order an assortment of out of stock), Spanish and Czech. 100 issues for US$130 / EUR 84 / £65. “One Less Car” Bike Stickers Ten stickers: US$4.5, EUR 3, £2, or CZK 70 “Carfree” and “Skull” Available in Catalan, Chinese, Czech, Dutch, Eng- T-Shirts (See also page 31) US$12, EUR 8, £6, or CZK 210 lish, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Hungarian, “No Cars” “Carfree” in white ink on black or light blue shirt; in Irish, Italian, Lithuanian, Norwegian/Swedish/Dan- black ink on red shirt. “Skull” in white ink on black ish, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Serbo- US$12, EUR 8, £6, or CZK 210 White T-shirt with the “cars-forbidden” traffic sign shirt; in black ink on red shirt; unisex: S, M, L, XL; Croatian, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish, Turkish and on it. Unisex and woman style, in sizes M, L, XL. woman style: S, M, L Welsh. Sized for bike frames, water-resistant.

Stop-Sign Improvement One: US$1.25, EUR 0.85, £0.65, or CZK 22 Ten: US$9, EUR 6.25, £4.65, or CZK 165 Forty-six centimetres long. Bright red. These big glossy vinyl stickers are just the right size to go under the word “STOP” on stop signs.

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