RentaBikeNow.com
August 23, 2010Got this promo by snail mail
A new national service – The idea is having a national network of bike shops where you can rent – over 300 shops (including Bikeline in University City) in 225 cities list their available rental bikes online so tourists and residents alike can easily find and reserve bikes 24/7. Everyone wins because the shop gets free liability insurance and the consumer gets free roadside assistance.
Not a bad idea, wouldn’t you agree ?
ROAD RAGE CHILL OUT
August 23, 2010Thank you, Charlotte Observer
From reporter Ely Portillo’s solid coverage on Aug 8 - “A local columnist at Charlotte’s Creative Loafing newspaper angered the cycling community with a July story headlined “Crash Test Dummies: The cycling epidemic,” and opined that riders were creating dangers for themselves comparable to that of cigarette smoking and obesity. The article posted a pointed editorial response from the Charlotte Area Bicycle Alliance. Cyclists also showed their displeasure with a ride around the newspaper’s “Best of Charlotte” awards party last week.”
(Thank you also to CABA member Joey Emanuel and his entourage of tattood urban deviants who hosted the ride.) To read the full article, CLICK: Thanks, Charlotte Observer .
To read the August 12 Observer editorial, “Time to Chill Out – Why such rage toward cyclists ? – more cyclists save us money” CLICK: Pass me the Chilli. This editorial was picked up by Planetizen website with a massive international circulation !
TARA SERVATIUS vs. AREA BICYCLISTS
August 23, 2010NOTE: We hear from one blog reader that Tara has been voted by CL readers as columnist they are most “tired of “….and WBT-1110 radio’s market share has been declining…
Irresponsible journalism at its worst…
Tara Servatius’ column in Creative Loafing a few weeks ago struck a nerve among area bicyclists, and rightly so.
Her rant rendered bicycling as a form of social deviancy getting special treatment from local government thru bike lanes, traffic calming and other allegedly wasteful investments, East Blvd.’s current improvements being a case in point. She characterizes a bicyclist as someone eager to provoke a crash so he or she can initiate a law suit against the innocent driver. Her column was actually a reprint of her earlier live commentary on WBT News Talk radio when she rudely cut off a caller without allowing the person to explain his point of view. At first CABA decided to ignore Tara dismissing her efforts as one more example of shock journalism, assuming that both Tara and her bosses would regard any responses pro or con as a sign their media “brand” was successful. But when we received several emails including one from Melissa Bell of Inside / Out Sports that her shop told CR to cease delivery of Creative Loafing, we decided to take action.
We called the editor and had a civil conversation. He agreed to run a lengthy rebuttal column which was posted immediately on the CL blog. It will be reprinted in the July 28 issue. We hope you like it, and we hope you keep emailing your responses to them. If you are a bike shop or other business you might also consider cutting off delivery of CL.
Our rebuttal is a cooperative response with Ann Groninger, Attny with NCBikeLaw and Melissa .
- To read the article – CLICK: Tara’s Tirade
- To read blog responses – CLICK: Creative Loafing CLog
- To read the full CABA rebuttal – CLICK: Rebuttal
Thanks to all for your support of bicycling as a community-wide asset.
Martin Zimmerman, Executive Director / CABA
PHOTO OF THE WEEK
August 23, 2010CHARLOTTE BICYCLE FILM FESTIVAL
August 18, 2010We’ve formed a team
CABA has found a core group of volunteers and should hold its first meeting in the weeks ahead. Thank you to Phil Rossi, CABA member Andrew Israel and others for stepping to the plate. (Imagine the Neighborhood Theatre or Spirit Square as venues. Imagine thousands of folks young and old making the scene. Imagine David Byrne (Talking Heads) showing videos of his bike sculpture in NYCity. Imagine viewings of Queen City talent. Imagine a mid-nite ride afterwards.)
COOL BLOGS AND WEBSITES
August 18, 2010Bicycle Kinetic Sculpture
Funky, zany, and outrageous ! It’s catching on in the U.S. and Europe. CLICK: 9th Annual Baltimore Kinetic Sculpture Race for a hilarious set of images.
WIN A BIKE ! raffle for CABA
August 16, 2010New Belgium Brewing offers Cruiser bikes
Here’s how it works: Make a$2 donation to CABA using the icon on this webpage. $2 = 1 entry; $20 bucks = 10 entries, etc.
Each month from June until October NBB will be giving away 2 of these bad boys!
- Enter as many times as you like
- Bikes will be shipped to a bike shop near you. About the bike….it’s a Felt-made cruiser complete with phat red rims, custom fenders, and killer front rack. This rack has wood slats made from repurposed wood.
New Belgium Brewery of Ft. Collins, CO brews Fat Tire Ale and sponsored the successful June 20 Urban Assault Ride in Charlotte

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