Steve Kruse, a member of our committee, provided a neat article about Freiker, here.
Freiker Works to get kids Biking to School
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"Another great non-profit in Boulder that encourages sustainability is Freiker. Freiker is short for "frequent biker," and the idea is to get kids motivated about riding their bikes to school by providing feedback about how frequently they ride via the Freikometer. According to their website, "The Freikometer counts riders using a radio-frequency identification (RFID). Freikers have RFID tags affixed to their helmets. When they ride to school, they ride past the Freikometer to 'ring in'." the Freikometers are solar powered, and I can attest (since my daughter goes to school at one of the shools with a Freikometer) that the kids LOVE to have their rides recorded. Freiker offers prizes, like an iPod to riders who ride their bikes 160 rides a year (not easy to do). But riding no matter the weather becomes a habit, and it's great habits like these that our kids need, both for their health and for the planet. You can contact Freiker to make a donation or to see if they can expand to a school near you!
Cited in this presentation (re: the recent book "Nudge"):
http://tinyurl.com/yl2oqhy
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Biking Rules!
My own little pet peeve for people in Princeton riding on sidewalks is that they scare the bejesus out of pedestrians. For you bikers out there, check out this neat article about biking rules and what you should do to be a polite and safe biker!
Sunday, November 1, 2009
A Closer Look at NYC's Cycle Lanes
A really neat video on New York City's cycle lanes that offers some ideas to municipalities looking to put in bike lanes in a variety of streets - Youtube Video Here.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Have a Safe Halloween By Crossing the Street Safely and Observing Pedestrians
Parents, please remind your kids to cross streets safely this Halloween and to keep an eye on the cars!
Car drivers, please drive safely on Halloween! Children are more than twice as likely to be killed by a car while walking on Halloween than any other night of the year, according to Safe Kids USA. More than 540 kids under age 14 are killed in pedestrian accidents each year. In an analysis of deaths from 2002 to 2006, the group found an average of 2.2 children are killed in pedestrian accidents from 4 to 10 p.m. on Halloween, compared with one child every other evening at the same time. Here is the USATODAY ARTICLE.
Car drivers, please drive safely on Halloween! Children are more than twice as likely to be killed by a car while walking on Halloween than any other night of the year, according to Safe Kids USA. More than 540 kids under age 14 are killed in pedestrian accidents each year. In an analysis of deaths from 2002 to 2006, the group found an average of 2.2 children are killed in pedestrian accidents from 4 to 10 p.m. on Halloween, compared with one child every other evening at the same time. Here is the USATODAY ARTICLE.
Old New York was once New Amsterdam - New Amsterdam Bike Slam
New York is raising awareness of bike commuting with the New Amsterdam Bike Slam, which occured in September of this year. Seems like the kind of creative/imaginative event is something the Princeton community might someday try to emulate on a smaller scale ... maybe as an adjunct to something bigger (like Princeton Future or the Environmental Film Fest)? To learn more, visit the press release. The NYT City Room blog offers more information, here.
League of American Bicyclists Announces New Bike Friendly Communities
The League of American Bicyclists announced 15 new Bicycle Friendly Communities (BFC) and three renewing BFCs. League President Andy Clarke states “All areas of the
U.S. are realizing the importance of bicycling." The Press Release here.
U.S. are realizing the importance of bicycling." The Press Release here.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Local regions serve as laboratories for transportation reform
An interesting article by Transportation for America about “Planning for a Better Future: Lessons from the States on Regional Sustainability Planning” that featured experts from three regional laboratories on transportation reform – Sacramento, CA; Salt Lake City, UT (right); and Minneapolis, MN, here.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Did you know? The Boro posts road closures
Princeton Borough offers a valuable service to its residents and visitors by posting road closures online here: Borough Announcements.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Do you get sweet jumps with that?
The New York Times features Princeton University's bike share program in "Sharing a Ride Before Sharing Their Bikes"!
Princeton Borough Map of Local Parks
Princeton Borough has some great resources for recreational activities around town. Here's a map of local parks: Princeton Borough Parks.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Princeton University's Bicycle Map
New to Princeton? Looking for new ways to get to work? Use the University's map to find your way around: Princeton Bike Map
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Road Projects in Princeton
Princeton Township's Engineering Department has listed on its website various road projects, here: Engineering Dept's Road Projects.
Labels:
engineering department,
Princeton,
road projects
How America thinks about Bicyclists
An article in slate.com talks about the "facilitator" versus the "vehicularist" schools of thought. Princeton is de facto (due to lack of infrastructure) vehicularist, where the desire is that we can somehow evolve to a "facilitator" type
of place, the type of place seen in Denmark, Holland. Article here: Stop Means Stop.
of place, the type of place seen in Denmark, Holland. Article here: Stop Means Stop.
Labels:
attitudes about bicyclists,
biking,
facilitator,
vehicularist
Princeton students and staff ride 20 new UBikes from Queens to Princeton
A group of approximately 20 cyclists – including University students and staff, as well as members of the community – will ride on Sunday, Oct. 25, from the Worksman Cycles factory in the Ozone Park neighborhood of Queens, N.Y., to Princeton, N.J.
The UBikes program, through which abandoned bicycles from around the University campus are repaired and rented to campus members, has purchased a fleet of nearly 100 new, customized bicycles from New York-based manufacturer Worksman Cycles. While over 80 of the new bikes were shipped to Princeton University in mid-September and subsequently distributed to residents of the University's Forbes College residential complex, the remaining 20 were held at the factory in Queens in anticipation of the mid-October ride.
More information here on the program, Ubikes at the University
The UBikes program, through which abandoned bicycles from around the University campus are repaired and rented to campus members, has purchased a fleet of nearly 100 new, customized bicycles from New York-based manufacturer Worksman Cycles. While over 80 of the new bikes were shipped to Princeton University in mid-September and subsequently distributed to residents of the University's Forbes College residential complex, the remaining 20 were held at the factory in Queens in anticipation of the mid-October ride.
More information here on the program, Ubikes at the University
Texting may be bad for your health
The Governors Highway Safety Association announced support for state laws banning drivers from sending and receiving text messages. The move is a welcome response to growing evidence that texting creates a greater risk of crashing than even drunken driving. More, here:
Texting to Death
Texting to Death
Article on Pedestrian Deaths in New Jersey
A sobering article on the rise of pedestrian deaths in New Jersey, here. Pedestrian deaths this year have jumped 34 percent statewide, the highest number of such fatalities in New Jersey for 10 years. This comes in spite of a nearly $74 million pedestrian safety initiative Gov. Jon Corzine began in 2006. The governor said the five-year program would focus on enforcement, education and engineering by cracking down on motorists and pedestrian violations.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Be Green and Be Seen 2009!
Be Green and Be Seen 2009!
Sunday, May 17th, 2-4 pm
Come show your support for a more walkable, bikable Princeton. Walk or bike to Hinds Plaza at Princeton Public Library for the second annual community rally. Let's show local leaders that we want safe bike routes, pedestrian and bike friendly intersections, and policies that will result in more walking and biking!
The rally will include bike safety and maintenance demonstrations, information about possible bike routes in the community, live music, a free historic cemetery tour by Princeton Tour Company and much more! Be Green and Be Seen is also sponsoring a warm-up family bike ride from 12:30-2:00 beginning and ending at Hinds Plaza, pm on May 17th with a route that will target Princeton schools and school gardens.
Be Green and Be Seen is sponsored by the Princeton Joint Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Committee, partnering with the Princeton University Office of Sustainability, Sustainable Princeton, and the PHS Environmental Action Club. For further information, please contact pjpbac@gmail.com.
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