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Showing posts from 2014

Why Sweden has so few road deaths | The Economist

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LAST year 264 people died in road crashes in Sweden, a record low. Although the number of cars in circulation and the number of miles driven have both doubled since 1970, the number of road deaths has fallen by four-fifths during the same period. With only three of every 100,000 Swedes dying on the roads each year, compared with 5.5 per 100,000 across the European Union, 11.4 in America and 40 in the Dominican Republic, which has the world's deadliest traffic, Sweden’s roads have become the world’s safest. Other places such as New York City are now trying to copy its success. How has Sweden done it? [Keep reading at The Economist]

Bontrager TLR Flash Charger Bike Pump @Bontrager

Curtis Keene's Winter Solstice ride in Santa Monica w/GoPro Hero 4 @redbull @GoPro

BIKE MYTHS DEBUNKED | PeopleForBikes

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Flickr.com Many people mistakenly believe that taxes levied on gas pay for road construction and maintenance. However, the funding from gas taxes makes up a relatively small amount of transportation funding. According to a 2011 report by the U.S. PIRG Education Fund, gas taxes and other “user fees,” like automobile registration, fund only about half of the nation’s road expenses. The remaining costs are covered through general government funding. This means we all pay for our roads, whether we drive on them or not. [Keep reading at  PeopleForBikes]

FROM STEEL: The Making of a Soulcraft

FROM STEEL: The Making of a Soulcraft from michael evans on Vimeo .

Scioto Trail Gravel Grinder 12272014 #gravelgrinder #coffeeoutside

We had 35+ cyclists for the ride. 30 miles. 3400+ ft of climbing. Temps in the mid 50's. Great day in the saddle. We even partook in #coffeeoutside

GoPro: Danny MacAskill Rides Rotterdam

Freeriders Shred Fat Bikes On Snow!

Kokopelli Bikepacking setup - adventuremonkey.com

Toddler mountain biking on a Weehoo iGo Pro @rideweehoo

[Review at Road Bike Review]

Ski mounts video @BooBicycles #letsride

Ski mounts video from Boo Bicycles on Vimeo . http://boobicycles.com/bikes/ski-mounts/

Carol of the Spokes @velocityusa #letsride

Carol of the Spokes from Velocity USA on Vimeo .

Video: Walking Bicycle Performance

Retro Bike Or Modern Bike? How Have Bikes Changed?

What’s worse: An idiot on a bike, a moron behind the wheel? @metrotoronto

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Lucy Scholey/Metro A police officer and Carleton University engineering students watch last April as a car collides with a bicycle and crash test dummy in an engineering experiment.  We asked you who you consider more dangerous: an idiot on a bicycle who doesn’t believe traffic laws apply to cyclists or a lead-footed driver in a school zone. Your answers may raise a few eyebrows. You may have noticed some changes to this space lately. We’re shuffling the furniture a bit in hopes that you’ll make yourselves more at home. In addition to a weekly heads-up on important coming events, we’re making room for letters and reader-submitted photos, so you can not only tell us how you see things in your city, but show us. [Keep reading at MetroNews]

Make a difference in Columbus OH. Join @yaybikes today!

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A great gift for the cyclist in your life is a Yay Bikes! membership. Only $25 a year helps strengthen our community and improve conditions for cyclists in Central Ohio and beyond.  #letsride Yay Bikes! members are a supportive group of experienced and beginner cyclists who explore the city together, teach one another and revel in the joy of bicycling. By joining Yay Bikes! today, you are strengthening our community and helping improve conditions for cyclists in Central Ohio and beyond. Your membership includes: 365 days of Yay Bikes! member benefits Free membership for your kids (under age 18) 12 free Year of Yay! rides Opportunities to participate in our  infrastructure review process Leadership and service opportunities Discounts on Bike the Cbus and other rides Exclusive updates and members-only events Surprises throughout the year Click here  to become a Yay Bikes! member, donate above the price of membership, give a one-time gift or become a sustaining donor!

Moots 2015 ROUTT 45

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NEW FOR 2015! Gravel, dirt-road and double track-exploring-longer touring-44mm tire clearance. More Choices, More Fun-Building off the Routt, we added longer chain stays to provide a stable platform and the compatibility for 45mm wide tires, opening the door to more and more mixed-surface miles. Durability-Designed and built to go capably where the roads get progressively rougher, the Routt 45 will perform for a lifetime. Versatile-23mm skinny tires to 44mm knobbies, paved road to rough two-track, this is the uber multi-tool of bike designs equipped with disc brakes. [See more at Moots]

Salsa Cycles Why Bikepack

Goodbye, Scotland @gearpatrol

Sewing Saturday at Bedrock Bags

Destination America del Sur - Argentine 2

Destination America del Sur - Argentine 2 from Charles Coderre on Vimeo . We now have been traveling by bike for the last 5 months in South America. Starting with Peru and Bolivia. We are now in Argentina and will still be until beginning of January. This video is about our journey through the Lagos region! www.chardenvelomonde.blogspot.ca Facebook: Charden Velomonde

SNEAK PEEK: LOUISVILLE MEGA CAVERN WILL HOUSE WORLD’S LARGEST UNDERGROUND BIKE PARK | Bike Rumor

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Beneath the streets of Louisville, Kentucky, there lurks a monster. But this is no horror story, it’s one of dreams. Specifically, the wild dream to turn the largest cavern in the state of Kentucky into a multi-faceted business park that will soon be home to the largest  underground  bike park in the world. What sounds like an absolutely insane idea comes to us from co-owners of the Louisville Mega Cavern, Jim Lowry, Tom, and Don Tyler. After all, as Jim told us, their motto is “you have to be a little crazy.” Crazy doesn’t begin to describe the Mega Cavern itself. Opened in the 1930′s by Ralph Rogers as a limestone mine, the man-made structure had been mined 24 hours a day for 42 years straight. When the digging was complete it had left a massive cavern with 4 million sq. feet and over 17 miles of passage ways. Considered to be the largest building in the state of Kentucky, the decision to turn the Mega Cavern into a business park required the creation of new building codes due

This means you.

There's a Biking Gender Gap. And It Has a Real Economic Impact. National Journal

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(Megan Ann on Flickr Creative Commons) December 8, 2014   It's a chilly November morning, and just over a dozen members of a black women's bike group—there's an advocacy organization for everything in D.C.—are gathered in the basement of a public library in Northeast Washington. One woman came because she was scared off biking by an accident and wants to regain her confidence. Another was recently laid off and finally has the time to bike again. [Keep reading at National Journal]

holy smokes.. bicycle rider hits deer at 30mph

CLIF Bar: The Steps to Adventure with Matt Hunter and Andrew Shandro

Night Time Shred - Tom & Ruby

FREEWHEELIN'

GCN's Top 10 New Tech Of 2014

DALTON HIGHWAY DREAM @salsacycles

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I was 50 miles into a trip I've dreamt of for years; the dream trip that was the original motivator, and now end product of everything I have worked towards. All day as I climbed the 1500 feet from Deadhorse to the foothills, I stared ahead across the North Slope, watching rain slamming the north side of the Brooks Range, Alaska's northernmost mountain range. It is a landscape so flat you can see the Earth curve. 196 miles from the next indoor shelter and hot food/resupply on the Dalton Highway, Alaska's only road in the northern half of the state, I was strangely comfortable, relaxed, and starting to realize this really was going to be an epic trip. I smiled. I was right where I wanted to be; Alone, in Alaska, and heading home, riding my  Fargo across some of the wildest country in North America. [Keep reading at Salsa Cycles]

LeMond Washoe Trailer from Greg LeMond @lemondbikes

LeMond Washoe Trailer from Greg LeMond on Vimeo .

Breezer Uptown

2015 Lynskey UrBANskey with Rival 22 Hydraulic from Sram

Ohio 3 Foot Passing Law - HB145 does not pass 130th general assembly

From the Ohio Bicycle Federation: Dec 11, 2014 —  HB 145 (3' passing law) will not be passed this legislative session. We learned this last week when we stopped in to Senator Manning's office. She told us that Senate committees hold 3 hearings on bills and the Transportation committee is meeting only once more. She does not know if she will be assigned to the Transportation committee next session, but if so, she looks forward to working with us on this bill again. https://www.change.org/p/ohio-legislature-enact-state-wide-three-foot-passing-law-for-bicycles

Bikes, Beer and Business: The Flat Tire Lounge @pathlesspedaled

Bikes, Beer and Business: The Flat Tire Lounge from Russ Roca on Vimeo .

Copenhagen Lighting the Way to Greener, More Efficient Cities | NY Times

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A bike path in Copenhagen helps bicycling commuters avoid hitting red lights. Credit Sofie Amalie Klougart for The New York Times OPENHAGEN — On a busy road in the center of town here, a string of green lights embedded in the bike path -- the "Green Wave" -- flashes on, helping cyclists avoid red traffic lights. On a main artery into the city, truck drivers can see on smartphones when the next light will change. And in a nearby suburb, new LED streetlights brighten only as vehicles approach, dimming once they pass. Aimed at saving money, cutting the use of fossil fuels and easing mobility, the installations are part of a growing wireless network of streetlamps and sensors that officials hope will help this city of roughly 1.2 million meet its ambitious goal of becoming the world's first carbon-neutral capital by 2025. [Keep reading at NY Times]

Trial Bike Club of Duluth

Meet a group of trial bikers who push the laws of physics, and the boundaries of logic, without seemingly breaking a sweat.

Highland Trail 550

Highland Trail 550 from Ian Barrington on Vimeo . An insight into the 2014 Highland Trail ITT - UK's toughest bikepacking event along an uncompromising 550 mile route through the Highlands of Scotland. My write-up of the event can be read here: http://ianbarrington.com/2014/06/09/highland-trail-race-550/

The Longest Singletrack Tour Ever - Continental Divide Trail - Pinkbike

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Mountain bikers are relatively new to the long distance trail world. Bike technology has come a long way, and ultralight bikepacking gear has made camping and riding singletrack possible. Only in the last fifteen years have bikepackers started tackling difficult singletrack routes like the Colorado Trail and the Arizona Trail. But one trail remained relatively untouched by bikepackers, and it is the granddaddy of them all - the Continental Divide Trail.   There are three major long distance trails in the US - the Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail and the Continental Divide Trail. The first two are summarily closed to bikes. Only the CDT is (mostly) open. It is also considered the hardest and most wild of the three. Yet no one had attempted to thru-ride the trail... until now. It's been a dream of mine to tackle the CDT for years. It was a daunting task, full unknowns and major map work. I figured I would need 4 or 5 months to complete the 3100 miles, due to the difficult t

Six winter cycling exercises for strength and conditioning (video) cyclingweekly.co.uk

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Winter is the ideal time to concentrate on  strength and conditioning work . With in-the-saddle time inevitably diminishing as the weather worsens, the off-season presents real opportunities to build your core and pedalling muscles. Many pro riders use a routine like this one all year round, but focus on it harder during winter. Tom Barras, a long-time domestic pro with Wheelbase- Altura-MGD, says: ”I really can’t understate how useful these exercises are. Read more at http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/fitness/training/six-winter-exercises-strength-conditioning-video-2-145458#bTlo2m2yz3BQ977O.99

Watch The La Marqueta Chase, An Illegal Bike Race Through New York City Traffic

This Handlebar-Mounted Phone-Holder Turns Your Dumb Bike Into A Smart Machine | FastCompany

The system gives turn-by-turn directions, finds nearby friends, and shows maps of upcoming roads. If you're someone who likes cycling, but hates being away from their phone, you'll appreciate the  COBI . A module that's placed on the handlebars, it lets you control your phone while moving along—for example, to answer calls or navigate Spotify. But it's more than that. The self-proclaimed "World’s Smartest Connected Biking System" is really a way to integrate a phone into your bike, establishing an  operating system  to manage fitness, monitor lights and signals, and more. Developed in Germany, the  COBI  comes with a powerful LED front-light and a built-in battery that extends a phone's normal life. Once you place a handset inside the housing and download the accompanying app, you can get all the things other bike computers offer, like turn-by-turn directions, "buddy radar" (locating nearby friends), and maps of upcoming roads. The

The Daily Bike: Schwalbe Reinvents the Mountain Bike Tire | adventure journal

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Back in the late 1990s tubeless tires came along and transformed mountain biking. Tubeless tires  let you run lower pressures, so the tires conform beautifully to terra firma, and as a result, corner like high-performance sports car rubber. But. But they have a few faults. The primary one is that finding your happiest inflation level is a crapshoot. If you weigh 200 pounds that might be 45 PSI; if you’re 150 pounds maybe it’s 22 PSI. Or maybe not, as a g-out, root, or rock can easily “burp,” or nudge, the tire right off the rim, and there goes all the air, whether you run sealant inside or not. Schwalbe claims it’s solved the problem with the new Procore tire system, an intriguing and possibly game changing setup. Procore tires have dual air chambers. You run a small inner tube right against the rim at a very high pressure, say, between about 55 and 85 PSI. Then you fit the Schwalbe tire over the inner tube. The funky system has a unique, dual valve:

IMPORTANT: Communitywide Five-Year Sustainability Plan Released for Final Comment and Review

The Mayor's Office of Environmental Stewardship is seeking public review and feedback of the next five-year sustainability plan.  The plan can be reviewed and comments submitted until December 17 online at  www.Columbus.gov/SpeakUp "For the first time, this plan is not just an internal city document," said Mayor Michael B. Coleman. "It was crafted for the community, by the community because it will take all of us working together to fully realize our vision for a green community that is beautiful, healthy and prosperous." For the past year, the Mayor's Office of Environmental Stewardship has been crafting the plan with the help of the community. Ideas were solicited for the plan at events, focus groups and via online survey.  The Mayor's Green Team developed the plan's vision statement, focus areas and prioritized action items. "Columbus is a national leader in environmental stewardship and sustainability," said Councilmember Michelle M. Mi

Staff Picks: Winter Tires | Tree Fort Bikes Blog

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It’s finally Ypsi’s turn to get the snow dump. With a slow Saturday in the store, Juan and Jesse set out to find their new best friend. Up for the test: Continental Tour Ride; Continental Top Contact; 45 Nrth Gravdal; 45 Nrth Xerxes. For many of us here at the shop, this is the first season we’re running dedicated winter tires on our commuters, so we began our frosty day with more curiosity than experience. We choose a diverse tire set to play around with speed and traction variables, and after plowing the drifts for an afternoon, we got a basic feel for ride qualities within our sample group, comparing differences between studded and studless treads, wider and narrower widths, and pitting all-purpose tires against the dedicated winters. Rated from Not Bad to Most Awesome, here’s our take... Read the review at Tree Fort Bikes Blog

Summer - City - Freedom

Summer - City - Freedom from Cyclechic hu on Vimeo . Cyclechic.hu's random summer videos to warm you up in the winter Music: Punks Jump Up ft. Dave 1/Chromeo - Mr Overtime https://www.facebook.com/HungarianCycleChic http://cyclechic.hu

The Lighthouse

The Lighthouse from Ian Barrington on Vimeo . A one night bikepacking trip and beach ride on the Gower, South Wales.

What If Every McDonald’s Had Really Good Bike Parking? | Streetsblog.net

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Photo:  WalkBikeJersey Have you ever been to a McDonald’s and noticed bikes locked to trees, fences, or signposts? Andrew Besold at  WalkBikeJersey  has, and he thinks a campaign to get fast food restaurants to adopt standards for good bike parking could have a very far-reaching impact: If you’re “bike aware” (and likely you are because you’re reading this blog) and have ever visited a fast food restaurant you’ve undoubtedly seen bikes haphazardly parked to anything secure all around the restaurant site. A vast majority of these bikes are undoubtedly owned by members of restaurant staff who depend on their bikes to get to their jobs in the restaurant. Knowing that a number of their employees rely on a bike to get to work everyday, one would think that these fast food restaurants would provided some official organized bicycle parking that preferably meets the  basic APBP bike parking standards . Unfortunately this is almost always not the case and the sight of bikes parked

Widecracker Lite - Headset spacer bottler opener @wscrckr

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Titanium is widely known in the biking world as one of the lightest and most durable materials. It neatly fits as a headset spacer under your handlebars and can be installed in just 5 minutes. This opener has no coating, just the natural titanium color, and features an Ahrens Bicycles logo. WiseCracker Stats: 1-1/8" Headset Spacer Material = 6/4 Titanium Finish = Bead Blast Finish Stack Height = 1.8mm Weight = 10 grams [Wisecracker]

My Path - Bikepacking in Pisgah Forest

My Path - Bikepacking in Pisgah Forest from Ryan Sigsbey on Vimeo . Music: Michael Chapman "A Strangers Map of Texas"

The Town Cycling Saved @bicyclingmag

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Don Ness is the Mayor of Duluth Minnesota. (Photo by Hansi Johnson) Bicycling : You're the mayor. Of Duluth. Duluth. . . Don Ness: Yes. It's 150 miles north of  Minneapolis  on the westernmost point of Lake Superior, the world's greatest lake. And you ran because. . . I grew up in Duluth in the seventies and early eighties, when Duluth was one of the 10 most  distressed cities  in the nation. It was an example of a Rust Belt city that had lost its industry. The leaders of that time worked hard to get us out. But there was a persistent sense of pessimism and lack of confidence, a mindset that we needed to protect what we have. That makes it sound like they were afraid. Of what? Of sliding back into the dire times we had pulled ourselves out of. But we weren't capturing the city's energy or spirit. Duluth sits between the St. Louis River and the western tip of Lake Superior. It has industrial heritage, but what makes it unique is its natural beauty and the nu

Thule Proride 591...gone in 8 seconds (how to steal a bike from a locked Thule Proride Bike Carrier)

State of the Lanes: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania @peopleforbikes

State of the Lanes: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from The PeopleForBikes GLP on Vimeo .

Jones Banana Hammock

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Jones Banana Hammock $ 45.00 A mini bar bag that fits inside the Jones Loop bar. VX21 and a single waterproof zipper in a 3" deep bag. Attaches via four Velcro loops that can be custom located around your other straps and electronic gadgets. Carry snacks, an extra water bottle or anything else. A great little pocket. Available in all colors that the custom frame packs are but black is in stock and available for shipping. http://www.barflybags.com/store/p5/Jones_Banana_Hammock.html

I want to see the world: The North (1 of 2)

Bike Chains - How its Made

Flint Ridge Gravel Grinder11302014 #gravel @rollbikes

Big thanks to roll: bicycles, clothing, gear. for organizing the ride today. There were close to 40 cyclists for the Flint Ridge route. 40 miles, 4000+ feet of climbing. Temps in mid to upper 50's.

Dog-towed bike racer hit by flying wall of deer… (it has a happy ending)

[Story here at Road.cc]

What riding my bike has taught me about white privilege | Quartz

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The phrase “white privilege” is one that rubs a lot of white people the wrong way. It can trigger something in them that shuts down conversation or at least makes them very defensive. (Especially those who grew up relatively less privileged than other folks around them). And I’ve seen more than once where this happens and the next move in the conversation is for the person who brought up white privilege to say, “The reason you’re getting defensive is because you’re feeling the discomfort of having your privilege exposed.” I’m sure that’s true sometimes. And I’m sure there are a lot of people, white and otherwise, who can attest to a kind of a-ha moment or paradigm shift where they “got” what privilege means and they did realize they had been getting defensive because they were uncomfortable at having their privilege exposed. But I would guess that more often than not, the frustration and the shutting down is about something else. It comes from the fact that nobody wants t

Acadia Carriage Road Loop Ride Recap

Started from the Acadia NP visitor center carriage road trailhead. 30 miles. 2500+ ft climbing. Crushed limestone/gravel bed with beautiful views of the ocean, lakes and mountains. Temps in the mid to upper 50's. Stopped to make coffee at the top of Day Mountain. The trails are marked but can be confusing.

Cycling X-USA

This video covers the first half of a cross-country bike trip from California to North Carolina. I was riding solo for this half, so my video camera was my primary source of (one-sided) conversation and diversion. Thankfully my dear pal Mel joined me in Kansas for the second half of the bike ride so I could stop talking to myself. Just can't wait to get on the road again... Read more about this adventure here: http://www.cyclingsilk.com/blog/?cat=5 Cycling X-USA: Part 1 from California to Kansas from Kate Harris on Vimeo . Cycling X-USA: Part 2 from Kansas to North Carolina from Kate Harris on Vimeo .

Rogue C6 Intelligent Lightweight Hybrid Urban Bike @kickstarter

http://kck.st/1t52LzF http://www.roguehb.com

The reinvention of the rear bicycle wheel, no more, no less.

Three Bikes in One

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During construction of my latest Pugsley, to replace the 9zero7 that I never came to enjoy, I wondered if I really needed three bicycles – actually four if you include the Dawes Ultra Galaxy touring bike lying in bits scattered across the cosmos – okay, scattered around the shed and attic. Did I really need a Surly Ogre, a Surly Krampug and a Surly Pugsley? When I sat looking at the bikes in the shed, comfortable in my wee folding chair with a fine Italian medium strength coffee in one hand and a large Kit-Kat in the other, I saw that there was very little difference between the three bikes. They were all made by Surly, the geometry of all three was very similar, they all had Shimano Alfine 8-speed hub gearing with 32T front chain rings and seating, steering and brakes were all almost identical. They were even all the same colour, green, for goodness sake! The only difference I could see that made any difference at all was the wheel sets. The Ogre had 28 mm wide Halo Freedom 29e

How to Ride in the Rain

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Photo by Jamie McCaffrey Rain, whether a mist or a downpour, is a game changer. But, while it’s not top on the list for premiere riding conditions, with a few tricks up your sleeve, it’s easy to turn a ride in the rain from a soggy nightmare into a pleasure cruise. Time It Right The first thing to remember when riding in the rain is to take your time. Leave your house a few minutes earlier than usual, slow down, and ride consistently. Use Your Brain The road will be slick during those first 15 minutes of rain (remember those oils on the roadway that you learned about back in your high school driver’s ed class?), and your brakes will be less responsive. Watch out for surfaces that are usually fine in dry conditions. That includes metal plates, bridge decks, painted street surfaces and leaf piles. Mind the Corner Slow down before making a turn, and minimize breaking while you round a corner. Be Seen In order to stay safe in the rain, it’s imperative that you’re visible.

Wirdumerpoortsdwinger Leeuwarden Intersection

Haul-a-Day - The strong & light cargo bike built for sharing

New York City lowered its speed limit to 25. Other cities should do it too. @voxdotcom

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Earlier this month, New York City  lowered its citywide speed limit  from 30 miles per hour to 25. This means that anywhere that a specific speed limit isn't posted, the default is 25 (but if a slower or higher one is posted, drivers must follow that instead). The move is part of  Vision Zero , the city's initiative to reduce pedestrian traffic deaths and injuries. Critics said the measure reflects Mayor Bill de Blasio's efforts to " demonize speed " — and that, in a city choked with traffic, it's only fair to let cars to travel at a meager 30 miles per hour when they happen to hit an open stretch of road. "PUT SIMPLY, DRIVING SLOWER SAVES LIVES" But here's the thing: research unequivocally tells us that this measure will save lives and reduce injuries among both drivers and pedestrians — so long as it's successfully enforced. If anything, New York should have gone further, reducing speed limits to 20. [Keep reading at Vox.com]