Heyyyy, Ladies: The Perils and Pitfalls for Femi-Cyclists
We’ve addressed most run-of-the-mill safety issues that surround cycling here on Carectomy, like keeping a wary eye out for reckless drivers, following traffic laws, using hand signals, wearing bright lights at night, and protecting your noggin’—in essence, the basics. But we have yet to cover one issue that, to me, appears more pressing—and which is tough to protect against: the inherent vulnerability of being a woman on her bicycle.
Celebrate Earth Day Sans Car
What better way to celebrate Earth Day, an annual shindig for the environment on April 22, than to ditch your car, give the atmosphere a break, and stretch your legs a bit? For Earth Day 2008, we at Carectomy beseech you to take a look at what life can be like outside of cars.
Where Do Tires Go When They Die?
Without any tutorial or illustrated manual, I managed to bust the bolts from my wheel with the socket wrench and was able to screw on the spare. At the tire shop the next day, the dude behind the desk told me how much it would cost (I’m convinced that cars, between the cost of unforeseen repairs and gas prices, keep people in debt), and casually inquired if I wanted to keep my tires.
“What would I do with them?” I asked. “Besides make a tire swing?”
EcoTownz And Cloverleaf City Utopia
Chris Bingham recently asked us to take a look at his websites devoted to the designs of EcoTownz and Cloverleaf Cities. When I came across this tagline, it was clear that more Carectomy-investigation was needed: “Eco-towns should aim to cut car use as much as possible. Instead they should be promoting walking, cycling and public transport. Of everything listed here, transport has the greatest potential for improving quality of life.” Amen, brother!
C.I.C.L.E. is Talking 'Bout a Velorution!
What can I say? we're suckers for good stickers. C.I.C.L.E. (Cyclists Inciting Change Through Live Exchange) has lots of hip, iconic designs and they encourage you to print them out onto sticker paper or card stock and to help disseminate the pro-bike, anti-car message.
The "Petition Car": Streets Are For People!
What better way to celebrate Earth Day, an annual shindig for the environment on April 22, than to ditch your car, give the atmosphere a break, and stretch your legs a bit? For Earth Day 2008, we at Carectomy beseech you to take a look at what life can be like outside of cars.
The Year of Living Car-lessly Experiment
In his "The Year of Living Car-lessly Experiment," Sightline director Alan Durning documents his family's first year of functioning as a car-free household in 2007. The blog catalogues the pros and perils of going car-less in his community of Ballard, in Seattle, WA. (And, as the Durnings discover, it's not as tough as they'd thought.)
Cars Create Debt and Bad Credit
In light of recent events, I’m realizing that cars can be a catalyst for an unending cycle of debt. A year ago, I heard a financial advisor caution that cars send many people into debt because, when they break down unexpectedly, people without a considerable amount of cash in their pockets must pay for any necessary repairs with a credit card—which they, in turn, can’t afford to pay off. Thus, a tail-chasing, anxiety-wracked cycle ensues.
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