Monday Roundup: Bike hater warning, Seattle’s sweepers, rolling coal, and more

Welcome to the week.

Here are the best stories we’ve come across in the past seven days — all from sources you can trust.

E-quivalent: After a court case raised the question, the European Court of Justice has clarified that electric-assisted bicycles should definitely be defined as bicycles, not “motor vehicles.” (Forbes)

British city fights back: Birmingham is one of the most car-centric cities in the UK, and people who live there are tired of drivers and their cars holding their quality of life hostage. (Guardian)

Body image and mobility marketing: References to calorie intake and body fat reduction are common in active transportation messaging; but new research suggests more sensitive language and framing could shift focus away from body shaming. (Streetsblog USA)

A warning for the haters: This essential read lays out the case that a growing anti-bike, pro-car movement will likely backfire because it only serves to energize the vast majority who prefer people — not car — friendly streets (as the Broadway bike lane scandal illustrated so beautifully!). (Streetsblog NYC)

Rolling coal consequences: Ebay is facing billions in fines from federal environmental watchdogs for selling illegal devices used by truck owners who like to “roll coal.” This news makes me simultaneously sad (because the people who do this are so terrible) and happy (that their enablers will be caught). (CNBC)

Told you so: A new scientific study shows that people who mostly walk and bike (instead of drive) are inherently more engaged in building toward the common good because of the increased social cohesion and community-building that’s inherent in using a mode that doesn’t isolate them inside a metal box. (Journal of Environmental Psychology)

Carfree in Phoenix?: A development in Arizona called Culdesac, where people live in a European-style development without cars, shows that there’s demand for walkable neighborhoods. (Guardian)

Electric bike lane sweepers: The City of Seattle has one-upped Portland with the introduction of a mini, electric bike lane sweeper that can fit in their protected bike lanes. (Electrek)

Portland, the outlier: Data from smartphones shows that Portland is still lagging behind other major U.S. cities when it comes to cycling’s rebound after the pandemic. (Axios)

Getting back out there: If you’ve had a serious, traumatic crash, here’s some advice on how to get back into the pedaling groove. (Bike Radar)

Road rager shooting: In just the latest example of vehicle-based violence, a harrowing incident of a driver who shot and killed someone and injured another in downtown Portland after a bout of road rage. (The Oregonian)

Thanks to everyone who sent in links this week. The Monday Roundup is a community effort, so please feel free to send us any great stories you come across.

Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)

Founder of BikePortland (in 2005). Father of three. North Portlander. Basketball lover. Car owner and driver. If you have questions or feedback about this site or my work, feel free to contact me at @jonathan_maus on Twitter, via email at [email protected], or phone/text at 503-706-8804. Also, if you read and appreciate this site, please become a supporter.