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The Segue Generation

Abhishek Mukherjee — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 21:48:34 +0000

The yike bike made it to the invention of the year in TIME magazine. It is a battery propelled penny farthing looking machine designed to be a folding motorized people carrier.

I am a little perplexed about the engineering aspect of the Yike Bike that TIME was so attracted to. It is an electric bicycle without the ability to pedal if you were to run out of power. It does not have any fancy gyroscopic technology to keep upright. It is very light but I’d rather not see it hit a bump on the road, send the rider flying forward while the carbon fiber shatters into pieces. It is designed for urban environments, no? So, why is TIME awarding this pseudo electric bike such honor as vertical farming and bladeless fans? Does this indicate that America is interested in transportation without any physical activity?

The Yike Bike is electronically limited to about the same speed as a Segway. It does not improve the health of the people by making them pedal. It costs more than an average city bike. I guess to justify a Yike Bike, one has to understand the mentality of the people who like toys like the Segway. I don’t see the Yike Bike being used in malls, airports and amusement parks, since one can not just stand on it without movement. Therefore, it will only be used by commuters.

In fact, it would be ideal for my commute to work and back, twice a day except, I will be less visible since one sits so low on a Yike Bike. incidentally, Yike Bike manufacturers think one is more visible on it than on a bicycle. Also, I wont be keeping those pounds off that I normally would riding a bicycle. I am sure my wallet will feel a lot lighter too, since my mode of transport costs over $40 to own. Yes, my daily commuter dutch bike cost me $40.

The Yike Bike will successfully segue between lycraed roadies and techie geeks, bypassing pedal power for transportation. It will be hope against human powered mobility initiatives, namely walking and bicycling, with a recurring non-renewable energy requirement. It will be the new vehicle of choice to go to the next World of Warcraft convention.

At least it encourages people to live in urban environments because one cant really get anywhere important on a Yike Bike in the suburbs.

The yike bike made it to the invention of the year in TIME magazine. It is a battery propelled penny farthing looking machine designed to be a folding motorized people carrier.

At least it encourages people to live in urban environments because one cant really get anywhere important on a Yike Bike in the suburbs.

Atrocious! 11 yr old child killed on bicycle. No charges filed against motorist.

Abhishek Mukherjee — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 19:49:21 +0000

Death is the consequence-free price cyclist pay for not following the law.

Yet another case where the motorist faces no consequence for KILLING a person.

The child was not wearing a helmet. He was riding on neighborhood streets.

I am waiting on the police report for Jack Hartleys death. The motorist was not charged for killing him. He was riding a bike with no lights or reflectors at night on a well lit street. See Bikejax post here: http://www.bikejax.org/2009/04/chastity-rettinger-jack-hartly-ghost.html

This news is from the Delaware AP below

11-year-old Killed In Bicycle Accident

BRIDGEVILLE, Del. (AP) ― Delaware State Police say an 11-year-old boy has been killed when he was riding a bicycle and was struck by a pickup truck near Bridgeville.

It happened about 12:40 p.m. Wednesday. Troopers say Trevor Kuntzi of Georgetown was riding his bicycle east on a private drive when he entered the northbound lanes of Wilson Hill Road.

Kuntzi was hit by a pickup truck operated by 44-year-old Charles Quillen of Georgetown.

Kuntzi, who was not wearing a safety helmet, was pronounced dead at the scene from blunt force trauma.

Quillen was taken to a local hospital where he was treated for contusions and lacerations. He was wearing a seat belt.

Troopers are still investigating the accident, but do not expect to file charges against Quillen.

News link here: http://cbs3.com/wireapnewsde/11.year.old.2.1126288.html

Posted via email from shek’s posterous

Montreal exports it’s bike sharing program.

Abhishek Mukherjee — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 14:31:56 +0000

Bike sharing programs are the signs of a city with an intelligent plan and open to bicycles. It adds to the resume of the city and attracts businesses and people.

Paris has it. Washington DC has it. Now Boston an London are queing up. They all charge for it. Would a free bike sharing program work?

AUGUST 13, 2009, 7:31 AM

Montreal Exports its Bike-Sharing Program

By IAN AUSTEN

Ian Austen/The New York Times The bike-sharing system pioneered in Montreal will soon be used in Boston and London.

From the beginning, Montreal officials had ambitions for the new Bixi bicycle-sharing system that went beyond the borders of that Canadian city. On Wednesday, Gérald Tremblay, the Montreal’s mayor, announced that the Bixi system will be implemented in Boston and London.

It is not clear at this point if the roll-out in Boston — where local officials are mounting a push for more bike lanes as well — will be on the same scale as Montreal’s system, with hundreds of parking stations and thousands of bicycles. (An alternative model would be SmarkBike D.C. in Washington, which uses a different docking technology and has only has 10 stations.)

Boston’s Metropolitan Area Planning Council confirmed that it has selected Bixi to put in place a bike-sharing program. But Amanda Linehan, a spokeswoman for the council, said that Boston and other municipalities must now negotiate contracts for the service.

Read full article here: http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/13/montreal-exports-its-bike-sharing-program/?pagemode=print

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Cyclist in UK banned from driving after killing a pedestrian. What about the guy who killed Chastity Rettinger?

Abhishek Mukherjee — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 17:30:19 +0000

A cyclist who knocked down an 84-year-old pedestrian who later died has been jailed for seven months and banned from driving for a year.

Darren Hall, 20, rode down a hill in Weymouth too fast he then went up on to the pavement on a blind bend to avoid a red traffic light, Dorchester Crown Court heard. Hall hit Ronald Turner in August last year. He died 13 days later.

Hall, of Weymouth, pleaded guilty to the 19th Century offence of wanton and furious driving causing bodily harm.

Full story here: http://road.cc/node/6442

Chastity Rettinger’s story via Bikejax:

On Tuesday the 14th April, mother of 2 Chastity Rettinger set out from her office to spend her lunch hour training for the MS150.

Chastity along with friend and co-worker Kristine Whitley had no reason to worry about their intended route. They would be riding along Old St. Augustine Rd. which is one of the few roads in Jacksonville that not only has marked bike lanes. But that also correctly moves the cyclist to the left of right hand turn lanes eliminating “The Right Hook” which is the number one cause of automobile/cyclist accidents.

While moving the cyclist to left of the right turn lane might end the potential of the right hook. It doesn’t however protect the cyclist from the inattentive driver.

Approaching the I-95 overpass a driver was too busy fiddling with his GPS to notice the cyclists on his left as he left the right turn only lane to merge back into traffic. In doing so he hit both cyclists ending Chastity Rettinger’s life and sending Kristine Whitley to the hospital.

The driver drove away from the accident scene with a minor citation.

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