motorman

Minneapolis is in development of a 10-year transportation plan called “Access Minneapolis.” For those who ride, this is a time to take notice and participate in the discussions. This plan will have great impact on the future alignment of the downtown street system and identifies priorities that will have an impact on the rest of the city. To sum it up the bicycles are not fairing well. This process began in late 2005. I am late to the table (kind of slacking on this plan), so I have to do some research before I can give my assessment on the plan. It is time to do your research too or we could see bicycle lanes down the middle of Hennepin Avenue in between free flowing traffic. I will prepare my assessment and some action steps in the next two weeks.

I have homework to complete!

One of the biggest internal dilemmas at motorman is how to balance advocating between the right for bicycles to use all public rights-of-way and the necessity for the construction of bicycle facilities separated from general traffic. Today I learned from a thread on MplsBikeLove where Mn Rando Guy shared the video below that NYC’s Transportation Alternatives is pushing for separated facilities. After watching this video I began to think about my true position on this issue, and I am 100-percent behind a bicycle policy that is both for separate facilities and for equal bicycle rights. Here is why.

First, I fully support separate facilities for bicyclists. This support comes from a basic belief that if the only other vehicles you have to deal with on your journey have the same risks as you then everyone acts on a mutually beneficial plane. Think about it, if you are out on a self-propelled 20-pound-vehicle with two pounds of foam and plastic holding down your head would you rather be with others propelling themselves or someone pushing a pedal onto the floor of a 2,000-pound-vehicle that might or might not be downloading a ring tone and regardless he or she is most likely seeing you as an illegitimate user of the street.

If I can find a separate facility I use it, as I previously wrote on this site. In addition to avoiding the run-in with the Hummer, separate facilities increase the likelihood of new riders. If a novice bicyclist has never ridden on a street with other traffic is he or she likely that the ride in the perceived uncontrolled environment of the street or on a controlled environment of a lake or parkway loop. Our American upbringing tells use that cars rule the road so stay out of their way! Therefore, as we add separate bicycle facilities into our transportation system we gain more riders, because these new riders need a safe controlled environment in which to ride.

Second, I do not, and will not, relinquish my right to ride on the road. We are all vehicles on the road and need to respect each other. I have the right to travel on all streets and will do so. Unlike access to the street, driving is a privilege. As a privilege, it is incumbent on all of us to stand up to selfish acts that many of us perform on our roadway every hour of every day. I have not yet found the inscription on my driver’s license that gives me permission to put my interests in front of others. State law allow me protections to be on the roadway and I think it is time for those in motor vehicles to suck it up, act your age, and get over it. We belong – so BACK OFF and let us ride!

Overall I will fight for increasing people riding bicycles when they can, to where they want to go, and at the time they want to go. I can only see fulfilling this position by fighting for separate and for equal as the platform for bicycle advocacy.

Cold winter weather returned to Minneapolis today! On my ride into work my thermometer on the bicycle computer registered no temp since it was colder than its lower bound. I love this weather because this is what it is supposed to be like in Minnesota in January. For those who rode today you probably had a number of odd glances from colleagues when you arrived at work, but as I read posted on MplsBikeLove, with the need to clear snow off ones car and worry about the battery dieing and trying to find a parking space close and sitting still inside a cold car. “Why do people go through the trouble of driving in the winter?” See you out there.

It is December 30th and this is the day of the year that I let all know what musical artists had a major impact on the past year for me. Below are the major artists that received much play on the ipod. Here are the great acts of motorman 2006 soundtrack.

Danny Michel

Danny Michel is an Ontarian and a great songwriter. His lyrics create vivid portraits of his subjects. Whether they are a 60s era hearse, a no-good woman, or a motel in Toledo, he is able to convey the stories of his life. He couples these narrations with fun poppy rhythms that will sometimes remind you of another song from another era further strengthening the experience. Danny released his fifth full-length album Valhalla this year and I have not stopped listening to it. If you want to try him out, his website has a number samples, and if you like you cannot go wrong with any of the selections (except the Loving the Alien album which are all David Bowie covers and I have not purchased this one). Since he is Canadian he does not venture south of the border much, but if he hits Minneapolis, I will alert everyone.

Frank Black

After a lengthy discussion with some friends a few months back, I found that I am in the minority for my stand that I feel Frank Black is far better than his former life with the Pixies. Now do not read into this statement that I do not like the Pixies, I do, but Mr. Black has aged well and provided better music with each offering. His new double album Fast Man Raider Man continues this trend.

G. Love

For those who remember Revolution Radio (I still miss it) you will remember a young trio out of Philly – G. Love and Special Sauce. I could not stop listening to their self-titled debut album, I even snuck into the Uptown to see them play – great show. Well, I grew away from their music when their sophomore release Coast-to-Coast Motel was not up to my high standards. I have done this in the past, I panned the Beastie Boys Paul’s Boutique as awful. I can be a music snob and pass judgment too quickly. This year I came across Philadelphonic and was blown away. This and the new release Lemonade are on high rotation on the Mac.

Mason Jennings

This is a local god in Minneapolis, Mason is a transplant from Pittsburgh, I think, but most of you in Minneapolis know this guy as the popular local bar artist that is making it big. Since I lived in bubble for a number of years and stopped watching the local music scene (see snobbish tendencies above), but after one of the Jug Band Festivals a couple of years back, I received an introduction to this developing singer-songwriter. This year he received a lot of play and has my theme song for the year California, Pt. 2. I do not own many of his titles since I have a bootleg from a 2004ish bootleg from a concert at the State Theater and that has pretty much ruin my interest in buying additional albums.

Gnarls Barkley

I too get sucked into popular trends from time to time. Plus this is really fun music.

Ween

This is a given. Don’t you think?

Enjoy the New Year! It will most certainly be better than 2006 and 2006 was a banner year.

Last Friday the motorhome hosted the first formal discussion to create an independent bicycle advocacy organization for the Minneapolis area. From this discussion we determined most importantly that we need a more formal advocacy organization that is effective and that we need more voices in the discussion. To facilitate these two determinations you have the opportunity to follow the developments through three different online sources (trying all three IS triple the fun!). In addition to the online resources and if you want to see this organization succeed, then you should participate in the next event. Here in the Minneapolis area we have a great bicycle community and it is now the time to harness this energy to ensure that Minneapolis is the best environment for bicycling in North America!

So you want to be a voyeur in this bicycle advocacy thing? Well there are three online venues that will hold most, if not all; of the information you will need to keep tabs on the Minneapolis area bicycle advocacy organization discussions. These are:

A website
A mailing list
A forum topic

Motorman encourages you to join all!

But if you want to show your face and tell it like it is to the rest of us, then we have options. The next event for theses discussion will be in late January or early February depending on the location chosen. We will shoot for a Friday night starting at 7 p.m. The location is yet-to-be-determined, after discussing it with motorwife, we do not believe we can accommodate the growing numbers that we expect at the next event. To make sure you know the date and location for this event join the mailing list. You could watch the other two sites and that will due, but you will not get the instant gratification that comes from receiving an email with the details.