WORLD CARFREE NEWS >>>
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Edition no. 29 - February 2005 - English version
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Contents:
QUOTATION OF THE MONTH
IN THE NEWS
WORLD CARFREE NETWORK ANNOUNCEMENTS
- CARBUSTERS MAGAZINE RELEASED
- REDESIGNED CARBUSTERS WEBSITE
- CARBUSTERS BACK ISSUES
- NETWORK TRAINING AND AGM IN TÁBOR, CZECH REPUBLIC MAY 22-26
GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
- TRANSPORT AND DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP, BANGLADESH, MARCH 10-11
- BICYCLE ESSAY CONTEST
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QUOTATION OF THE MONTH >>
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"For much too long received wisdom has been that roads are 'baddies'
and railroads are 'buddies.' I refuse to sign this absurdity. We must
turn the tide of the European transport policy and let Europe free of
its politically correct shackles. The dislike of the minority for
cars must not blind us to act in a counterproductive way."
- Ari Vatanen, Finnish race car driver and member of the European
Parliament
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IN THE NEWS >>
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-On January 12, the Director of Prague cycling advocacy group Ozivení
and the coordinator of the local Auto*Mat project, Jan Bouchal (30),
died due to injuries sustained when he was hit by a car. The
collision happened on January 6 while he was cycling home from work.
Bouchal coordinated Auto*Mat, which is aimed at reduction of car
use and support for bicycling, walking and public transport. He was
also a regular participant and supporter of the Prague Critical Mass
and we here at World Carfree Network worked closely with him on
carfree day and other events.
Friends of Bouchal have established a fund for his three-year-old
son and his partner, who is currently on maternity leave. Donations
can be made through E-Banka; the account number is 2280070001, bank
code 2400, SWIFT code: EBNK CZ PP; IBAN: CZ53 2400 2280 0700 0000
0001. (The account is fully transparent and anyone can see activity
on the account at the bank's website.)
The Czech Republic's rate of collision fatalities per million
people is 40% higher than the EU average - an average of 3 people per
day die in traffic accidents in the country.
- World Carfree Network has begun to recruit and train legal
observers to monitor New York City's Critical Mass bike rides, at
which 687 arrests have been made since August 2004. Although there
were no arrests made on the October ride, World Carfree Network
observers report that police have resumed their aggressive tactics
and arrested 34 people on the most recent ride. Full reports are
posted on the WCN website at <
www.worldcarfree.net/nyc/index.php> and
<www.bicycledefensefund.org>.
The legal observer project is part of the "Free NYC Cyclists
Campaign" which was initiated at the TCFC V in Budapest. Plans are
now underway to launch another letter-writing campaign asking that
city officials end the unjust treatment of cyclists on group rides
and to reject the proposed ban on pedicabs in mid-town Manhattan.
Information about the proposed pedicab ban in Mid-town Manhattan can
be found at <www.rickshawforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=457>
[submitted by Sara Stout].
- A flying car was spotted in a suburban parking lot in Perth,
Australia. It appeared on the Google Earth imaging service. [Sydney
Morning Herald]
- Churches in Modesto, California, report an increase in car
robberies. Trinity United Presbyterian Church administrator Richard
Huenefeld said that churchgoers might not be so careful with their
valuables because they are under the assumption that "this is God's
parking lot." [The Modesto Bee]
- General Motors reported US$4.8 billion in losses in the last
quarter of 2005. Is this the death of the American dream? "After
decades of the car being so much more than just a mode of transport -
of symbolising industry, art, freedom, sex, a triumphant America - it
has now become simply a way of getting from A to B," writes Paul
Harris in The Observer.
- An average of 1,000 new vehicles per day appeared on Beijing's
streets in 2004. At the end of 2005, there were 2.6 million vehicles,
and 1.54 million private cars in Beijing, almost 20% more than at the
end of 2004. The city is responding by hurrying to build more roads.
[China Daily and ShanghaiDaily.com]
- A 63-year-old employee of a Walgreens store in California was
severely beaten by a man who said the employee, while maintaining the
parking lot, got dust on his car. After beating him, he got in his
car and tried to run him over, but onlookers managed to stop him. "He
just had a lot of anger," said Deputy Officer Ray Santa Cruz. "With
his car being a 2006, it's probably his pride and joy. Regardless, we
live in the desert, there's dust everywhere," [Daily Press]
- A US judge ruled that fetuses don't count toward carpool lane
quotas. An Arizona woman, having been ticketed for driving alone in a
carpool lane, pointed out to the judge that Arizona law counts the
fetus as a person when calculating the number of victims in violent
crimes against pregnant women. As evidence, she brought photos of her
son, who was born two weeks after the incident. The director of an
Arizona anti-abortion group supported her claim. The judge rejected
it, explaining that the purpose of carpool laws is "to fill empty
space in a vehicle," and the womb doesn't count. [Slate.com]
- In Pune, India, one of the major thoroughfares will be
pedestrianised every Saturday. January 28 was the first day of a
carfree Mahatma Gandhi Road. "it definitely feels good to walk at a
leisurely pace on this road without worrying when the next vehicle
will hit you," said one passer-by. "Doesn't the road look amazing
without the continuous smoke and noise, as if we are seeing it for
the first time!"
- The Swedish Automobile Association call's Stockholm's congestion
charge a "violent attack against democracy." The city is running a
seven-month trial period of the charge after which a referendum on
September 17 will decide whether to keep it or not. One week into the
charge and traffic was down 35 percent during peak hours. [Radio
Sweden, BBC News]
- Jakarta's monorail construction is causing traffic jams and
deafening noise. Environmental activists are calling for an
environmental impact analysis. [The Jakarta Post]
- Members of Portobello Energy Descent and Land Reform (PEDAL)in
Scotland would like to build a carfree housing project. They have
made a bid to the National Lottery Fund for 50 million pounds.
[News.Scotsman.com]
- On January 17, an English couple set off an around-the-world-trip
by car to set the new record for fuel efficiency, by driving 1000 km
a day for 70 days on 50 tanks of gas. "Their trip will demonstrate
how consumers around the world can be more fuel-efficient" says main
sponsor, no surprise here, Shell, who is providing the fuel. [Grist
Magazine]
- The bicycle will become the most fashionable management accessory
of 2006. [The Economist, Velorution.org]
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WORLD CARFREE NETWORK ANNOUNCEMENTS >>
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CARBUSTERS #26 TAKES ON EDUCATION
The next issue of Carbusters is back from the printers and will be on
its way to mailboxes and store shelves shortly. In this issue we look
at children and education, as well as myths of the carfree movement,
car burning in France, and the regular recommended doses of news, car
cult and action. To subscribe go to <
www.carbusters.org/subscribe>.
REDESIGNED CARBUSTERS WEBSITE
In conjuntion with the release of the latest magazine, we have
unveiled a new look to the Carbusters.org websiste.
CARBUSTERS BACK ISSUES
How many different ways can you write about carfree topics? The first
25 issues of Carbusters magazine has shown that the possibilities are
endless. To count all those ways (although you are under no
obligation to do so) order all 25 back issues for only US$25 or a
selection of 100 issues for $US100 by going to
<
www.worldcarfree.net/resources>.
NETWORK TRAINING AND AGM IN TÁBOR, CZECH REPUBLIC MAY 22-26
World Carfree Network will hold a five-day series of skill trainings
and meetings. The network's AGM (Annual General Meeting) will take
place on the final day, May 26.
The event will include expert-led workshops on various topics,
such as campaign strategy, fundraising, public communication, video
training, volunteer coordination and motivation, and more.
Programme and registration information is at
<www.worldcarfree.net/tabor2006>.
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ANNOUNCEMENTS >>
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TRANSPORT AND DEVLOPMENT WORKSHOP, BANGLADESH, MARCH 10-11
World Carfree Network member WBB Trust (Work for a Better Bangladesh)
is organising a workshop on transport and development in Koitta,
Manikganj, Bangladesh. The workshop, for NGOs from cities throughout
the country, will provide information on liveable cities and the
importance of rickshaws, and include mini-training workshops on
promotion of walking, cycling, rickshaws, and trains, on turning
streets into playgrounds, and on restrictions on car use. For more
information, contact WBB Trust at info@???
BICYCLE ESSAY CONTEST
The International Bicycling Fund is holding a "Bicycle Essay Contest"
for students, worldwide, 16 years old and under. The deadline is May
1. For more information see <
www.ibike.org/essays>.
...
Bulletin #29 by Steven Logan.
[end]
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WORLD CARFREE NETWORK
Kratka 26, 100 00 Prague 10, Czech Republic
tel: +(420) 274-810-849 - fax: +(420) 274-772-017
<info@???> - <
http://www.worldcarfree.net>
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