David Zipper

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 10, 2024 at 13:05 UTC

A counterintuitive finding: US crash deaths are *higher* when traffic volumes are lower.

Likely reason: Without congestion slowing them down, more Americans drive recklessly -- because US roads are designed for speed.

doi.org/10.1016/j.js...

3 replies 14 reposts 57 likes

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 09, 2024 at 11:58 UTC

New study: Vehicles are more likely to kill pedestrians if they have tall and blunt front ends and/or flat hoods.

That's a major indictment of American SUV and truck design -- at a time when US pedestrian deaths recently hit a 40-year high.

doi.org/10.1016/j.js...

0 replies 42 reposts 109 likes

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 08, 2024 at 11:45 UTC

In just 18 minutes, Minnesota received 10,000 applications for e-bike rebates. The website crashed.

This happens pretty much every time a state or city offers e-bike rebates for the first time.

www.startribune.com/minnesota-e-...

4 replies 31 reposts 126 likes

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 07, 2024 at 11:43 UTC

As of today, speed limiters are required in the EU.

All new cars sold in the EU and in Northern Ireland must have a range of technical safety features... The most notable of these is intelligent speed assistance – or colloquially, a speed limiter.”

www.theguardian.com/technology/a...

1 replies 8 reposts 73 likes

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 04, 2024 at 22:20 UTC

It would appear this was not a winning strategy

3 replies 9 reposts 91 likes

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 02, 2024 at 13:24 UTC

E-bikes are now the majority of all adult bike sales in countries like Germany, Belgium, & Holland.

In CityLab, I spoke w/Philippe Crist, the OECD's micromobility guru, about the lessons (and warnings) the US should draw from Europe's e-bike boom.

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

1 replies 6 reposts 29 likes

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 02, 2024 at 12:28 UTC

Great to see Ford CEO Jim Farley acknowledging this:

“We are just in love with these monster vehicles ... We have to start to get back in love with smaller vehicles. It’s super important for our society and for EV adoption.”

👏👏👏

electrek.co/2024/07/01/f...

3 replies 5 reposts 47 likes

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 01, 2024 at 12:38 UTC

As of today, Warsaw has the first low-emissions zone in Poland (and one of the first in E Europe).

To start, the policy bans non-resident gas cars >27 yrs old & diesel cars >18 yrs old.

Eventually newer and resident-owned cars will also be banned.

www.themayor.eu/en/a/view/wa...

0 replies 4 reposts 29 likes

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 30, 2024 at 15:16 UTC

Kei cars coming

0 replies 0 reposts 21 likes

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 30, 2024 at 15:15 UTC

"To those who regard American pickups as too big and excessive, [kei trucks] are considered a more sensible and sustainable form of transportation."

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

6 replies 5 reposts 39 likes

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 29, 2024 at 11:43 UTC

In Nature, Oxford prof Chris Brand criticizes electric car bloat:

"The proliferation of large electric vehicles risks undermining the environmental and ecological benefits of the green transport transition."

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

4 replies 13 reposts 45 likes

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 27, 2024 at 13:51 UTC

Academic articles are available online prior to their official publication date.

1 replies 0 reposts 1 likes

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 27, 2024 at 12:55 UTC

In 2022, Russia's invasion of Ukraine led German gas prices to surge. The result: More people cycled instead of using a car.

Interesting new study on the relationship btw cycling and fuel costs: doi.org/10.1016/j.tr...

1 replies 5 reposts 44 likes

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 25, 2024 at 18:14 UTC

If only there was a policy that could fix this

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

4 replies 15 reposts 88 likes

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 23, 2024 at 13:45 UTC

"We [traffic engineers] underestimate our role in perpetuating bad outcomes, as well as the role that better engineering can play in designing safer communities and streets."
-- Wes Marshall

theconversation.com/traffic-engi...

1 replies 6 reposts 39 likes

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 21, 2024 at 14:16 UTC

When people say that traffic engineering is fundamentally broken, this is the sort of thing they're thinking about.

"Analysis by [Caltrans] found the I-80 project would cut greenhouse gas emissions by reducing congestion."

www.latimes.com/california/s...

1 replies 12 reposts 61 likes

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 20, 2024 at 21:56 UTC

Good news for those who travel at noon, in a straight line

news.sky.com/story/self-d...

2 replies 15 reposts 71 likes

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 20, 2024 at 16:00 UTC

NHTSA still hasn't acknowledged this:

"Designing for walkability is not just about roads. The design of vehicles —everything from their size and shape to their software —has a profound effect on the safety of pedestrians, cyclists, and other road users."

www.iihs.org/news/detail/...

1 replies 5 reposts 24 likes

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 20, 2024 at 12:58 UTC

Ryanair is currently complaining about Dublin's car traffic (blaming bicycles?) and pushing Flights Not Bikes as a slogan. If you were planning to buy a ticket, I suggest finding an alternative.

2 replies 4 reposts 45 likes

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 19, 2024 at 21:03 UTC

Nah, it's because of something called "cars"

2 replies 2 reposts 47 likes

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 19, 2024 at 12:27 UTC

In Austria, the government now confiscates and sells cars driven by reckless speeders.

Austria's transportation chief: “If you use your car as a weapon, your speed could kill people… You deserve to lose your car.”

My latest, in CityLab

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

6 replies 33 reposts 174 likes

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 18, 2024 at 11:35 UTC

Good news: NYC is now using bus-mounted cameras to automatically ticket cars blocking bus stops.

gothamist.com/news/automat...

3 replies 17 reposts 74 likes

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 17, 2024 at 23:56 UTC

No, Hochul didn't "get the long-term politics right" with congestion pricing.

How many of these "strategists" realize that every global city with congestion pricing saw its popularity rise after implementation -- including among drivers who enjoy less traffic?

www.politico.com/news/2024/06...

1 replies 6 reposts 38 likes

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 17, 2024 at 14:13 UTC

The first car with regenerative braking and drive-by-wire technology wasn't a Tesla. It was General Motors' EV1

In Fast Company, I wrote about how GM had a chance to be the global leader in EVs -- and blew it.

www.fastcompany.com/91128970/loo...

0 replies 1 reposts 27 likes

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 16, 2024 at 20:47 UTC

“On two blocks of Wheeler Road SE, for example, citations were down more than 95 percent from February 2022 — the first month cameras were fully activated there — to November 2023.”

www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/202...

0 replies 5 reposts 34 likes

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 16, 2024 at 14:31 UTC

Sacramento's bikeshare system has nudged residents toward biking and away from cars -- even if they didn't use it:

"Bikeshare [is] likely to have been responsible...for more favorable attitudes toward bicycling and less favorable attitudes toward driving."

doi.org/10.1080/1942...

0 replies 13 reposts 34 likes

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 16, 2024 at 14:19 UTC

Same as ever: Cutting the line to access a mandatory government service

1 replies 0 reposts 24 likes

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 15, 2024 at 14:14 UTC

Meanwhile, the feds have given out $0 in rebates for e-bikes, which are much cleaner than electric cars

www.eenews.net/articles/fed...

8 replies 17 reposts 64 likes

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 15, 2024 at 13:50 UTC

More evidence suggesting that working from home increases driving & sprawl:

"Meta-analysis and meta-analysis indicates that telecommuting has a complementary effect on travel demand and promotes urban sprawl."

doi.org/10.1016/j.tb...

1 replies 5 reposts 21 likes

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 14, 2024 at 13:25 UTC

This new Australian study finds e-bike ownership is less correlated with income than pedal bike ownership.

Encouraging finding for those hoping to see e-bikes expand mobility for low-income citizens.

doi.org/10.1016/j.jt...

0 replies 4 reposts 28 likes

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 13, 2024 at 13:52 UTC

More evidence that new bike lanes lead more people to ride:

In Fribourg, Switzerland, a new bike lane increased cycling traffic 20% during weekdays.

Researchers found "a latent demand that has been triggered by an improvement in cycling infrastructure."

doi.org/10.1016/j.tr...

1 replies 10 reposts 52 likes

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 12, 2024 at 12:10 UTC

Here's a stat to share with traffic engineers who claim there's no tradeoff btw vehicle speed and safety:

In Wales, car insurance claims fell 20% following the introduction of 20 mph speed limits across urban areas.

www.theguardian.com/business/art...

2 replies 27 reposts 76 likes

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 11, 2024 at 12:38 UTC

The lesson: Public leaders (*ahem* Gov Hochul) who hear small biz complaints about congestion pricing, bike lanes, or bus lanes should ask if they’ve surveyed customers about how they travel.

Because merchants generally have no idea how their patrons arrive.

www.vox.com/future-perfe...

0 replies 1 reposts 27 likes

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 11, 2024 at 12:36 UTC

The pro-car bias of small biz owners leads them to oppose urgently needed street projects, like bike lanes on Connecticut Ave NW in DC (which Mayor Bowser recently killed).

Biz owners needlessly fear any policy that might reduce car access.

www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/202...

1 replies 0 reposts 15 likes

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 11, 2024 at 12:34 UTC

Reasons why merchants could misjudge their customers’ travel modes:

🔹 They themselves drive, assuming customers do too
🔹 They live far away, assuming customers do too
🔹 They hear so much griping about parking that they assume everyone drives

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

2 replies 3 reposts 19 likes

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 11, 2024 at 12:33 UTC

In Toronto, business owners argued that a new bike lane on Bloor Street would crush them, driving away shoppers who drove.

But subsequent research found that retail sales and customer counts *grew* after the bike lane was installed.

www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

1 replies 0 reposts 19 likes

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 11, 2024 at 12:32 UTC

The same pattern has been documented in Graz, Austria; Bristol, UK; and Dublin, Ireland.

cidadanialxmob.tripod.com/shoppersandh...

1 replies 1 reposts 14 likes

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 11, 2024 at 12:31 UTC

This study of Berlin found that merchants thought way more customers drove to their store than actually did, discounting those who walked, biked, or took transit.

Also, far more customers lived within 1 km than merchants thought.

findingspress.org/article/2449...

1 replies 0 reposts 27 likes

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 11, 2024 at 12:29 UTC

If NYC small biz owners think congestion pricing will crush them, they should check their math.

Shopkeepers consistently overestimate the share of customers who drive, undercounting those who walk, bike, or ride transit.

Me in Vox 🧵

www.vox.com/future-perfe...

8 replies 61 reposts 208 likes

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 10, 2024 at 13:12 UTC

Findings from this new study of UK low-emission zones also apply to projects like NYC congestion pricing:

"Voices which ‘shout the loudest’ are often those with negative views, and these can create divisive discourse which ... damage confidence of implementers."

doi.org/10.1016/j.tr...

0 replies 2 reposts 20 likes

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 08, 2024 at 20:37 UTC

Currently thinking about how research shows that business owners consistently overestimate the number of customers who arrive by car and underestimate the share who arrive by transit, biking, or walking.

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

1 replies 12 reposts 39 likes

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 07, 2024 at 14:02 UTC

Big SUVs have big safety problems.

New analysis from IIHS:
🔹 In a crash, big SUVs' heft endangers back-seat occupants
🔹 "The huge mass of these large SUVs...present[s] more danger to other road users"

None tested got the highest rating.

www.iihs.org/news/detail/...

5 replies 14 reposts 29 likes

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 07, 2024 at 11:45 UTC

The Guardian me asked what I think about the NYC congestion pricing news.

My answer: "Hochul has decided that low-income residents matter less than a few grumpy suburbanites. It’s deflating and it’s a slap in the face.”

www.theguardian.com/us-news/arti...

1 replies 14 reposts 77 likes

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 06, 2024 at 12:26 UTC

Odense, Denmark is using bike lanes to attract residents & biz.

City official: "Cars are so expensive in Denmark that a family could not afford a 2nd car. But what they can afford is an electric family cargo bike where you have two kids in front of you."

www.corporateknights.com/transportati...

0 replies 4 reposts 35 likes