YY's bike shed: 3/21/2026
2026-03-21
A few things…
Life After Cars — Charlottesville, March 30 — On Monday, March 30 from 6:30–7:30pm, there will be a conversation about what life after cars could look like in Charlottesville, featuring Sarah Goodyear and Doug Gordon from The War on Cars and Jamelle Bouie as a special guest. This should be an informative event. So come join! RSVP here. Shoutout to Livable Cville for organizing.
Downsizing fire trucks for safer streets — I came across a 2018 USDOT/NACTO report on how oversized fire trucks shape our streets. Cities design roads to accommodate the largest vehicles, which means wider lanes and larger turning radii—exactly the features that make streets dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists. The report argues that downsizing emergency vehicles is a practical step toward Vision Zero. Not Just Bikes’ video “How American Fire Departments are Getting People Killed” covers this well—comparing the massive North American fire trucks to the smaller, more maneuverable ones used in Europe.
This conflict between better fire service and safe street infrastructure is a frequent challenge with sharp, difficult trade-offs and regulations. Recently, Richmond’s fire department opposed physical barriers on the Mayo Bridge bike lanes, arguing fire trucks need cars to pull into the bike lane to let them pass.
Also, I’ve been updating my Ebike guide page if you’re curious about ebikes or thinking about getting one.
And if you’re in Charlottesville, the Ebike Library Cville lets you borrow and test ebikes—a great way to try before you buy.
One of the best things about walkable and bikeable cities is that they give independence to people who can’t or shouldn’t drive.
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