Car Culture
Streetsblog Basics
Delucchi Study Finds That U.S. Motorists Do Not Pay Their Way
A dozen or so years ago, back when congestion pricing was a distant dream and New York City's number one transportation priority was to squeeze more transit funding from government, the Tri-State Transportation Campaign commissioned me to determine which was greater: the dollars that New York State governments took in from drivers, or the dollars spent on drivers' behalf. I spent months immersed in bookkeeping arcana, parsing revenue pots like the statewide Petroleum Business Tax and expenses like fire department equipment for prying crash victims from mangled vehicles, before I emerged with an answer.
September 20, 2007
Americans Growing Too Large for Their Cars
The Cadillac XLR two-seater has a weight capacity of 362 pounds.
September 19, 2007
Parallel Parking for Sociopaths
Telecommunications giant Sprint recently launched an ad campaign called "Waitless," the gist of which seems to be that one of its plans allows customers unlimited calling two hours earlier than other companies do, thereby saving "four years of waiting over a lifetime."
September 11, 2007
Biking the Mean Streets of L.A.
In Los Angeles County, bicycle-related accidents have increased in the past year. Road rage is an enormous problem, and as growing numbers of Angelinos choose bikes as transportation, clashes with motorists are on the rise. The Los Angeles Times reported in August:
September 6, 2007
Dude, Where’s My Bike Lane?
Here is another clever video from San Francisco; this one chronicles the case of the missing bike lane. I think it is safe to say that gas stations and bike lanes don't mix.
September 5, 2007
Japanese Automakers Settle Pollution Suit
Companies have been routinely penalized for deceptive behavior regarding the safety of products like lead, asbestos and tobacco. The Japan Times reports on the latest public health menace to be challenged in courtrooms:
September 5, 2007