twin city sidewalks: *** Sidewalk Weekend! ***

Sidewalk Rating: Fleeting

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At one precisely lunch should be on the table; and by two at the latest I would be on the road. Not, except at rare intervals, with a friend. Walking and talking are two very great pleasures, but it is a mistake to combine them. Our own noise blots out the sounds and silences of the outdoor world; and talking leads almost inevitably to smoking, and then farewell to nature as far as one of our senses is concerned. The only friend to walk with is one (such as I found, during the holidays, in Arthur) who so exactly shares your taste for each mood of the countryside that a glance, a halt, or at most a nudge, is enough to assure us that the pleasure is shared. The return from the walk, and the arrival of tea, should be exactly coincident, and not later than a quarter past four.

[CS Lewis, from Surprised by Joy.]

[Parking Day 2012 on Minneapolis's semi-deserted Washington Avenue.]

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When I say the Netherlands has a much lower death and accident rate you may not fully appreciate difference so let me fill you in. It’s estimated that around 5.1 million people bike daily in the US. In 2010 616 bikers were killed in accidents in the US. What about the Netherlands? The Netherlands is the most densely populated country in Europe, and pretty much the entire population of 16.6 million are bike riders. Of those half (8 million) ride on a daily basis. Despite having a fraction of the US population they have more daily bike riders than we do, and around 200 a year get killed in bike accidents compared to our 616. And the kicker is more bikers in the US wear helmets than they do in the Netherlands, a lot more.

[from this.]

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