Durham cyclists give several answers to a simple question...

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The Neistat Brothers produce another provocative film. OK, this time the gimmick is pretty obvious and right away you can guess the outcome. But the demonstration still makes the point.

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One week from today, Critical Mass Durham continues. Just to get you warmed up...

Thanks to Tino for originally spotting the video.

Meet at Major, the bronze bull in the CCB plaza (can we come up with a better name for the CCB plaza since CCB isn't any longer the owner of the tall building?) at 5:35pm.

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Below is a well-produced video highlighting some of the immediate dangers of cycling in Boston, recommending simple starter solutions.

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Thanks to the 80+ beautiful people who turned out tonight, Durham's first Critical Mass in years was a success. I don't know how it was throughout the pack, but in the back, it was calm, courteous, and yet powerful. Thanks to all of you for making it happen.

If any of you have photos or video you would like to see posted here, send it to me. I'm happy to collect the imagery.

Camera-phone video from Jack Warman.


Jack Warman's flickr photos.

Seth's inconvenient flat.

Photos by menshi mihas

Photo by Eleni Binge

The success of our Durham Critical Mass is being noticed as far away as Brazil -- see apocalipse motorizado.

--
Critical Mass is a monthly event -- we'll start at Major, the bronze bull sculpture downtown, at 5:35pm on the first Thursday of each month.

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Duke

Duke Bikes Grand Opening (from a press release)

Join fellow Duke students, faculty and staff for the grand opening of the new Duke Bikes program this Thursday, August 30th, 4pm on the West Campus Plaza. Snacks, free Duke Bikes t-shirts and other prizes will be given away to the first 100 visitors.

Duke Bikes is a new bike-loan program for Duke undergraduate, graduate and professional students. This collaborate effort provides students with no-cost options for exercise, adventure and campus commuting. It is a tangible example of several of Duke's efforts to enhance the student experience and promote sustainability.

Duke Bikes works much like checking out a library book. All you need is your DukeCard. The loan period is up to five days, and the bike fleet includes 1-speed and 3-speed Trek Cruisers, equipped with locks, lights, flashers and baskets. Helmets are available, too.

More Info
http://transportation.duke.edu/bikes
(919) 724-6417

Tavey McDaniel Capps
Environmental Sustainability Coordinator
Office of the Executive Vice President
Duke University
tavey.mcdaniel@duke.edu
919-660-1434

Carolina

Blue Urban Bikes (from the SURGE website)
Thursday, 05 April 2007

Blue Urban Bikes is a community bike-loan project serving the Chapel Hill/ Carrboro community and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The mission of Blue Urban Bikes is to provide a reliable, clean, and affordable mode of transportation for our community amidst rising gas prices and growing concerns over global warming.

Background

Blue Urban Bikes ( or “BUB”), a community bicycle loan program, was created through a partnership of the ReCYCLEry and SURGE – Students United for a Responsible Global Environment – after several meetings with local community leaders in 2005 gave rise to the idea. This program is designed to provide a reliable source of clean and affordable sustainable transportation to Chapel Hill/Carrboro residents and visitors, as well as offer a healthy travel alternative and allow citizens to take an active role in lessening the environmental footprint of our community. Chapel Hill and Carrboro are renowned for their bicycle-friendly status, and bicycling proves to be an ideal form of transportation for many community members. Considering the time it often takes to find a parking space, riding a bike simply takes less time and leaves the rider feeling strong, able and healthy. Potential BUB users include Chapel Hill/Carrboro residents, UNC students and staff, commuters, transit and park & ride users, area tourists and visitors, recreational weekend users, and potential new bicycle commuters.

BUB Hub Locations

The BUB program goal is to site “BUB Hubs”, check-out stations for the Blue Urban Bikes, at local businesses throughout Carrboro and Chapel Hill and on the campus of UNC-Chapel Hill. Each BUB Hub will accommodate 5 bikes, or “BUBs.” Bike racks, provided through the BUB program, will be installed at hub locations to secure the BUBs when not in use (each locked to the rack with its own cable lock). The program goal is to locate BUB Hubs along the Franklin Street/Main Street corridor from East Chapel Hill to the western edge of Carrboro, as well as to place some north/south hub locations for member convenience. The Blue Urban Bikes program is seeking partnerships with local businesses for hub locations; the following sites have already been confirmed:

* Skylight Exchange – 405 ½ W Rosemary St, Chapel Hill * 3Cups Coffeeshop – 431 W Franklin St, Chapel Hill * Townsend & Bertram - 200 N Greensboro St, Carrboro (in Carr Mill Mall) * Back Alley Bikes - 108 N Graham St, Chapel Hill (behind the Merch) * Owens 501 Diner - 1500 N Fordham Blvd, Chapel Hill (near Eastgate Shopping Center)

Contacts

Alison Carpenter, SURGE: 919-960-6886 or alison@surgenetwork.org
Chris Richmond, ReCYCLEry: 919-932-1335 or chris@recyclery.info

More information is available online at www.recyclery.info/blue_urban_bikes

Paris

Paris recently launched its own collective bikes program -- one of the most ambitious programs to date. More than 10,000 bikes became available in July, with more than 20,000 slated to be available by the end of the year. You can read more about it here or watch the video below to see some folks take the Parisian velos for a test ride.

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Seen previously on velorution and Martino's Bike Lane Diary.

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Below is a clip showing what traffic looked like on Main St. in either 1939 or 1941. I first saw this clip when Main St. was a one-way street, and it looked odd to me. Only the volume of traffic in the flim looks odd to me now that Durham has re-opened Main St. to traffic in both directions.

This clip is shot from two angles but both (I believe) are from what is now the Self-Help building at the corner of Main and Corcoran. The first half is looking west, and the building on the right (north) side of the street with the arches is the Trust Building. In the second half of the clip, the camera is pointed at "the Angier corner," the intersection of Main and Mangum.

Filmed by H. Lee Waters, this clip is from "Durham: 1939-1943"

H. Lee Waters was a studio photographer from Lexington, NC in the early part of the 20th century. During the Great Depression, he shuttered his studio and hit the road to earn a living. He owned a 16mm video camera and a projector. He traveled to towns (117 in all) throughout NC, SC, VA, and TN; set up his camera; and captured street life on film. He would return home to edit the film, then revisit the town with a final cut. He presented his films in local movie houses, charging admission for townsfolk to see themselves on the silver screen.

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While no one can tell you what CM is (because first, you have to experience it for yourself; and second, what CM is depends on who shows up to ride), Daryl Hannah portrays it sympathetically and positively in this week's dhlovelife episode.

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Found on YouTube... Durham Bike Polo in a parking garage. Film credit goes to lubes17319

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

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