Sexy, strident and politically aware, the bulletin flashes onto=20
screens across the globe, fashionably late and impeccably trim.=20
Thanks to everyone who participated in the Car Free Cities conference=20
and made it such a great event, more about this below. =20
_________________________=20
CAR BUSTERS BULLETIN >>>=20
________________________________
Edition no. 45 - April 2003 - English version
.............................................................
Contents:
WORLD NEWS
-CAR COMPANY PROPAGANDA FOILED
-A TERRIBLE ROAD RAGE INCIDENT
-CRITICAL MASS NEWS FROM=20
-NEW YORK
-HAMILTON
-BRUSSELS
-SANTIAGO
-CORPORATE GREED THREATENS EUROPE'S UNTOUCHED WILDERNESS
ANNOUNCEMENTS
-CARNIVAL AGAINST WAR AND CLIMATE CHAOS
-HOW TO MAKE BIODIESEL
-CONNECTING THE CITY
-WALK21 IV: HEALTH, EQUITY AND ENVIRONMENT=20
-FANCY A CAR-FREE MEETUP?=20
CAR BUSTERS ANNOUNCEMENTS
-POST-CONFERENCE REPORT - TOWARDS CAR-FREE CITIES III
-CZECH REPUBLIC LOSES RICHARD
DISCLAIMER
_______________=20
WORLD NEWS >>=20
__________________=20
CAR COMPANY PROPAGANDA FOILED
[spotted by Katie Sobush]
General Motors Canada has pulled an ad campaign suggesting that=20
transit buses are full of "creeps and weirdos". The company was=20
responding to a flood of complaints about an advertisement that ran=20
in Canadian newspapers touting the Chevy Cavalier as "an affordable=20
alternative" to riding the bus.
Other ads in the campaign, which featured pictures of buses with=20
messages in their destination cards, suggested that riding the bus=20
exposed you to "Hours of Hell" and "Bacterial Stew."
"It's a pretty offensive ad", said Marion Town of Better=20
Environmentally Sound Transportation. She said the ads suggest that=20
"not only is the bus experience threatening, but it's long."=20
Strangely, they also promote GM's support for Vancouver's 2010=20
Olympic bid, which favours effective and environmentally sustainable=20
transportation like buses.
A TERRIBLE ROAD RAGE INCIDENT
[sent by Howard Peel]
When Stephen Kirwin waved his fist at Carl Baxter, after his bicycle=20
and trailer narrowly avoided being hit by the car Baxter was driving,=20
he triggered a terrible road rage incident. Baxter reversed his=20
Ranger Rover 200m at high speed, intending to run over Kirwin and his=20
daughter Emily (aged four) who was being towed in the trailer. Both=20
were seriously injured with Emily not regaining consciousness for six=20
days. Baxter fled the scene of the attack and already had previous=20
offences for a 'road rage' attack and reckless driving. He was given=20
two years in jail for assault and 15 months for dangerous driving,=20
plus only a two year(!) driving ban, with all sentences to run=20
concurrently.
Local cyclists feel this sentence does nothing to protect=20
vulnerable road users and sends the message that even drivers who go=20
so far as to deliberately use their cars as a weapon can expect to=20
receive no more then a short ban.
CRITICAL MASS NEWS
Santiago, Chile
[received from Matthias Bauer]
A group of influential bicyclists have had enough of Santiago's foul=20
air. On the first Tuesday of each month, they clog the city's broad=20
avenues at rush hour with their pedal-powered machines and shout out=20
demands for bike paths, bike racks and respect from drivers of buses=20
and cars. Bicycles, they say, are part of the solution to Santiago's=20
smog.=20
"The traffic gets annoying, but we have full control and it is=20
quite an empowering feeling that these manpowered vehicles can cause=20
such a scene," said Marion von Dehn, a member of the group,=20
Movimiento Furiosos Ciclistas. "Occasionally, cars honk in support."=20
Reports in the Chilean press indicate the government has a sincere=20
interest in the Furiosos and is committed to making Santiago a better=20
and safer city. Bicycle friendliness, say the Furiosos, is vital to=20
the improvement of Santiago.=20
Peace Rally, March 22 - New York, USA
[based on a report submitted by Aaron Tarfman]
Over 100 people on bicycles created an unofficial parade as they=20
travelled through the streets while refusing to allow automobiles to=20
pass. Chants of "Bikes not bombs!" and "No Blood for Oil" filled the=20
air. Bells were ringing amid lots of hooting and singing. The ride=20
went north along Eighth Avenue and met the voluminous mass of people=20
moving down Broadway on the peace rally. At every point where they=20
reached the march, they stopped and held up signs, or even bikes=20
sometimes. The ride moved up and down the streets crossing towards=20
the rally several times to show support. This was the longest running=20
Critical Mass ride in the group's history. =20
Pedal For Peace, March 28 - Hamilton, Canada=20
[based on a report by Randy Kay]
Making their way through wide, one-way streets lacking basic=20
infrastructure for cyclists, the Mass slows the pace of the city to a=20
calmer, saner, safer speed. As cities in Iraq are bombarded, some on=20
the ride equate the profligate burning of fossil fuels with the=20
burning of human flesh in oil wars. "No more oil/No more war/Time to=20
take our bikes out more!" goes the chant. From sidewalks, pedestrians=20
watch in amusement or disbelief as the group glides by.
A cyclist with a knack for alliteration shouts out: "For fossil fuel-
free fun/Bicycles are number one!" On his back a home-made sign "Burn=20
Fat, Not Fuel." The smiles of the cyclists give indication of just=20
how liberating a ride like this can be. The lack of safe routes in=20
the city acts as a deterrent to thousands of would-be cyclists, so,=20
for some, Critical Mass is their first positive experience cycling=20
downtown.
Fifth anniversary ride, March 28 - Brussels, Belgium=20
[sent by Stephane]
We were 130 cyclists in the town (a record for the CM in Brussels!),=20
ready for a trip to the centre of the city. We passed through five=20
years of bad and good transport improvements into the town, our=20
biggest problem being the paving stones, which seem to be the new=20
leitmotiv here. We finished the fair with the blocking of the Bourse=20
Square, which is a very central concourse. We stayed there for 20-25=20
minutes, the cops came but 15 minutes too late.
More info and also pictures can be found at=20
<
http://placeovelo.collectifs.net>.
CORPORATE GREED THREATENS EUROPE'S UNTOUCHED WILDERNESS
[Sourced from CorpWatch and International Rivers Network]
The Icelandic government plans to construct a large hydropower=20
project in Iceland's Eastern Highlands, one of Europe's largest=20
remaining wilderness areas, in order to supply power to a US aluminum=20
smelter owned by Alcoa.
The Kahranjukar Project involves building miles of roads, boring a=20
series of tunnels, diverting dozens of rivers to create three=20
reservoirs and erect nine dams, including one that is 630 feet tall=20
(Europe's highest).
US-based Alcoa is the world's largest aluminum producer and is=20
moving to Iceland not to expand production, but to cut costs. It is=20
closing smelters in the US and moving to Iceland where the government=20
is offering dirt-cheap electricity. It's not just cheap power that=20
draws Alcoa to Iceland: Iceland's reliance on geothermal power has=20
given it an exemption from the Kyoto Protocol's fossil fuel=20
emissions, which would allow Alcoa's smelter to operate without=20
having to pay penalties for any carbon dioxide emissions.=20
According to an independent analysis commissioned by Iceland's=20
Nature Conservation Agency, it will likely produce annual losses of=20
$36 million. The group has led a strong campaign against Karahnjukar=20
for several years.=20
For more information, please visit <
www.inca.is>.
Also go to=20
<
http://www.corpwatch.org/action/PAA.jsp?articleid=3D5828> to send a=20
free fax to Alcoa telling them to withdraw from their destructive=20
project.
_____________________
ANNOUNCEMENTS >>=20
_____________________________
CARNIVAL AGAINST WAR AND CLIMATE CHAOS
[a reminder from London Rising Tide <london@???>]
You are invited to be part of the carnival taking place outside BP's=20
Annual General Meeting at 10am, 24 April 2003 at the Royal Festival=20
Hall, Belvedere Road, South Bank, London. If you=92re despairing over=20
the carnage this installment of the war on terror has wrought, don=92t=20
forget how close we came to preventing it. Countless people across=20
the world have seen the war machine stripped bare for the first time,=20
seen the intimate connections between the military, government, big=20
oil and capitalism itself. And instead of staring dazedly at their TV=20
screens, they=92re getting up and getting active, which is a cause for=20
celebration in the midst of all the darkness. The Carnival Against=20
Oil Wars and Climate Chaos will be another sign of that spirit of DIY=20
resistance.
There will be a Critical Mass bike ride as part of the day=92s fun=20
and games, meeting at 9.30am at BP=92s new headquarters - 1, St. James=92=20
Square, SW1 - and ending up at the Carnival.=20
HOW TO MAKE BIODIESEL
[Low-Impact Living Initiative <www.lowimpact.org>]
=20
May 12-14 2003 at Redfield Community, Buckinghamshire
Cost: GBP 150 waged, GBP100 unwaged. Discounts for 'Friends of LILI'.=20
All meals and accommodation included.
Learn how to produce your own cheap, carbon-neutral diesel - no=20
need for alterations to your engine. This course covers everything=20
from a small home-made plant, to commercial-scale biodiesel=20
production.
Low-Impact Living Initiative (LILI) is dedicated to helping=20
protect the global environment by promoting sustainable alternatives=20
to various aspects of everyday life. Contact us to find out more=20
about our installations, courses, presentations and manuals.
Contact: LILI, Redfield Community, Buckingham Road, Winslow, Bucks,=20
MK18 3LZ tel / fax: (01296) 714184
CONNECTING THE CITY
[picked from the Planum Newsletter <news@???>]
The Fifth Biennial of Towns and Town Planners in Europe will be held=20
in Barcelona in April 10,11 and 12, 2003. It will explore the spatial=20
impacts of transportation and other networks supplying resources such=20
as information, materials or energy and the challenges they create=20
for spatial planning.
More details on <
http://www.planum.net/archive/bie-barcelona.htm>
WALK21 IV: HEALTH, EQUITY AND ENVIRONMENT=20
[sent by Ellen Vanderslice]
The 4th International Conference on Walking in the 21st Century will=20
be held May 1-3 at the Portland Marriott Downtown in Portland,=20
Oregon. Featured speakers include the Surgeon General of the United=20
States Dr. Richard Carmona, Jan Gehl and many others. Wednesday,=20
April 9, is the last day to register for the conference at the=20
regular rate of $385 ($325 for NGOs/non profits, $250 students). For=20
registration information, visit=20
<
http://americawalks.org/walk21/registration>, or e-mail=20
<register@???>. More about the conference can be found online=20
at <
http://www.walk21.com>.
FANCY A CAR-FREE MEETUP?
[from Laura Craft <laura@???>]
Meetup creates real-world group gatherings about anything anywhere.=20
They've built a technology and a network of venues (cafes, bars,=20
etc.) that can help any interest group easily organise local monthly=20
meetups in over 545 cities across 34 countries. Meetup with other=20
local individuals interested in plotting the removal of the=20
automobile from your city!
People interested in car-free cities worldwide are invited. 11=20
have signed up so far.=20
Click to <
http://carfree.meetup.com/>.
_________________________________=20
CAR BUSTERS ANNOUNCEMENTS >>=20
______________________________________
POST-CONFERENCE REPORT - TOWARDS CAR-FREE CITIES III
Sixty participants from across Europe and beyond descended on Prague=20
April 17-22, a week packed with presentations, round-table strategy=20
sessions, a press conference and official public day, a walking tour,=20
a bike ride, and finally, a big closing party and concert.
Featured presenters included J.H. Crawford (author of "Carfree=20
Cities" and publisher of Carfree.com), Oscar Edmundo Diaz (organiser=20
of the now-famous car-free days in Bogota, Colombia), Lars Gemzoe (co-
author of "New City Spaces" and "Public Spaces - Public Life",=20
Copenhagen, Denmark), Kirstin Miller (of Ecocity Builders, Berkeley,=20
USA), and John Whitelegg (Professor of Environmental Studies, author=20
and transport consultant, Lancaster, UK).
Above all, the high-energy, productive week resulted in the=20
forging of invaluable interpersonal contacts and collaborations and a=20
strengthening of the international Car Busters network. The network,=20
it was decided, will hold a Towards Car-Free Cities conference=20
annually in Central Europe - with TCFC IV to be held in July, August=20
or September 2004, possibly in Berlin or somewhere in Poland. The=20
network will use the name Car Busters in some situations, but also=20
gain flexibility by utilising a second, more conservative-sounding=20
name where appropriate. That second name is still undecided but could=20
be something like Car-Free International or the Towards Car-Free=20
Cities Network (suggestions welcome).
Aside from the continuing conference series, a number of=20
collaborative projects were prioritised for the coming year and the=20
long-term, such as a website aimed at officials and planners, and the=20
founding of a Car-Free Institute based in Venice. The conference also=20
wrote a proposal for a coordinated global World Car-Free Days=20
programme, which was then delivered in person by Oscar Edmundo Diaz=20
to the European Union in Brussels and the United Nations in New York.
Discussions are continuing with vigour on=20
<carfree_conf3@???>, which is open to anyone working on=20
issues of transport and urbanism. Following discussions, a second=20
list, <carfreeecovillages@???>, has been created for=20
those interested in establishing one or more explicitly car-free=20
ecovillages in Europe or elsewhere.
CZECH REPUBLIC LOSES RICHARD
Today, with tear-pricked eyes we watched Rich as he lazily cycled=20
down Kratka for the last time. We'll miss his rapier wit and awe-
inspiring culinary skills around these parts. All the Car Busters=20
family wish him the best of luck in York. May your next homebrew be=20
the best one yet Rich, we the citizens of Prague salute you. =20
___________________=20
DISCLAIMER >>=20
__________________=20
Despite the gloomy nature of some of the news items here and the=20
continuing terror caused by the US industro-military complex=20
worldwide, life goes on. And life is great. So you're not alone, keep=20
on doing what you're doing, stay on smiling, be nice to people, these=20
are the most revolutionary things we can do.=20
[end]
____________________________________________
CAR BUSTERS
Kratka 26, 100 00 Praha 10, Czech Republic
tel: +(420) 274-810-849 - fax: +(420) 274-816-727
<info@???> - <
http://www.carbusters.org>
____________________________________________
Car Busters Worldwide Contact Directory
Register your group on-line now:
<
http://www.carbusters.org/directory>
"La bicicletta =E8 il veicolo pi=F9 rapido nella via della delinquenza;=
perch=E8
la passione del pedale trascina al furto, alla truffa, alla grassazione!"
-Cesare Lombroso-
