Category Archives: Advocacy

E170 – Steve Gutmann: Getaround

Advocacy, Bicycling, Business, Car Ownership, Car Sharing, Communication, Downsizing, Family, Technology, The Law, Transit

Steve Gutmann is a sustainability genius and regional pointman for the peer-to-peer carsharing service Getaround.  We talk to him about the history of carsharing, beginning with Dave Brook’s Carsharing Portland, and its evolution into the systems that are available today, including the ability to leverage your personal car’s potential into additional income and an incentive to drive it less.  We wrap up with a surprise discussion of self-driving cars and how they might make cities more friendly to people in general (click to read Steve’s article on this subject).

Also: snowpocalypse!  snow anarchy, the sliding truck, and enjoying an unexpected holiday.

Headlines BikePortland: Chicago brings Portland’s bag of biking tricks to Bronzeville’s ‘Black Metropolis’ BikePortland: Brandon Rhodes, Lents’ new bike-powered grocer

Mail Kirk twitters about Iowa & #godshandkerchief

Scott Cohen from the City of Portland writes in to clarify how demand for bike parking works, including a link to the guide to installing bike racks in the public right-of-way.

Chris in Arcata asks about Brooks saddle vendors in Portland.  We mention these options:

• Wallingford Bicycle Parts, in Louisiana, has a 6 month trial guarantee on saddles •Gladys Bikes has a saddle library • Clever Cycles • Velo Cult • Universal Cycles • Joe Bike

And we watched Chris’ film recommendation Riding Bikes With The Dutch.

Bill Lascher finds it, Doctor Jeff predicted it: speed dating on public transit’s “singles car.”

Fine Print email us: thesprocketpodcast@gmail.com twitter: @SprocketPodcast phone in or SMS: 503-847-9774 web: http://thesprocketpodcast.com music: Ryan J. Lane (intro & outro) & Hurtbird (headlines) Thanks to sustaining donors Logan Smith & Shadowfoot for supporting our show costs.

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E168c – Can You Buy Happiness?

Advocacy, Communication, Downsizing, Family

After our 2012 fundraising campaign, some rewards were promised to backers.  Listener Logan chose the option to have Brock collect man-on-the-street interviews around the question “Can you buy happiness?”  Now, somewhat belated, we fulfill the promise to take the cultural pulse on the state of our contentment in life through a public survey of random passers-by.  This special edition of the podcast curates some thoughts on what we need, what we can get and how it makes us feel.

Find more of this episode’s sponsor at rowdykittens.com where you can learn about Tammy & Logan’s downsizing and tiny house lifestyle and purchase a copy of the excellent book You Can Buy Happiness (And It’s Cheap).

Thanks to Phillip Roebuck for the use of his fantastic music, including excerpts of “Be My Little Widow” and “Can I Keep You.”  Hear more of his music and find his albums online at philliproebuck.com

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E168b – Organic Transit’s ELF Test Drive

Advocacy, Alternate Fuels, Bicycling, Building, Car Ownership, Cargo, Downsizing, Technology

Organic Transit visited Portland, Oregon last weekend to demonstrate their ELF electric-assist tricycles, which are pedal powered and solar powered.  Brock had a chance to interview company owner and inventor Rob Cotter, Portland resident and ELF enthusiast Lorraine, and long-time ELF believer Ned from upstate New York, and spoke briefly to an Oregonian reporter (who contributed to an article with a photo gallery that Brock appears in).

Visit organictransit.com for more information on these innovative creations.

See also BikePortland’s coverage of the in-town test drive.

Rob Cotter & Lorraine pose with #16 on left, while Ned opens the trunk on right

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E168 – Guthrie Straw: Tours Near & Far

Adventure, Advocacy, Bicycling, Camping, Communication, Touring, Travel

Guthrie Straw grew up in Oregon and leads bicycle tours with Cycle Portland Bike Tourswhen he’s not enjoying longer bicycle tours of his own.  After he and Brock met during the Filmed By Bike jury screenings, they decided to record a show together, which also led to some interesting discussion about Ketchikan, Alaska and outdoor leadership dynamics.

Also: fossil fuel divestment (OPB & Alison Wiley), former co-host Brandon’s new businessRolling Oasis, pedestrian assumptions & motorized vehicle proliferation.

Headlines
Multimodal Alaska Adventures: some poetry, a bus story, and ruminations on privilidge

Bike Safe Boston: a field guide to predicting vehicle driver behvior

BikePortland: Travel Oregon needs your input on bicycling in the Columbia River Gorge!

Mail
Robert explains why the London elevated cycleway doesn’t make sense.

Card from Richard in TX!

JohnnyK says “You can force sound into a persons ear but you cannot make them a listener.”

Dan in MN will bike to Portland someday.

Ginny twitters about #RAGBRAI.

Ethan Seltzer from Pedal Power & E049: saw this article and thought of us.
Tim chimes in: “Now THAT’s a cool recumbent!”
Stay tuned for our interview with Organic Transit’s Rob Cotter and ELF owner Lorraine later this week!

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email us: thesprocketpodcast@gmail.com
twitter: @SprocketPodcast
phone in or SMS: 503-847-9774
web: http://thesprocketpodcast.com
music: Ryan J. Lane (intro & outro) & Hurtbird (headlines)
Thanks to sustaining donor Shadowfoot for supporting our show costs.

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E167 – Lenny Anderson’s Swan Island

Advocacy, Bicycling, Car Ownership, Communication, Transit, Walking

Lenny Anderson is famous for his advocacy for transit connections and active transportation in Portland’s industrial hub.  After working tirelessly on these important issues, he has retired from his responsibilities on Swan Island and now has time to talk to us about the things he cares so deeply about!  We cover the history of Lenny’s employment on Swan Island, TriMet’s routes onto it, Lenny’s involvement in protest over a neighborhood’s destruction, and getting the word out about the options for getting around that are available to everyone.

Headlines
BikePortland: local bike shops are in love with each other!

BikePortland: Velo Cult offers 24 hour turnaround on tuneups

BikePortland: Upcoming building project will feature 1200 bicycle parking spaces

Mail
Robert and Glenn set us straight on Lisbon.

A donation from Epic Image Studios!

Ethan has a religious experience listening to E166.

Tim in DC plans to cycle tour the Lewis & Clark route as well as the C&O/GAP route this summer, and wants to hear what tours other listeners will be planning.

George recommends “A Thin White Line,” a movie about people who run/ride/skithe iditarod trail.

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email us: thesprocketpodcast@gmail.com
twitter: @SprocketPodcast
phone in or SMS: 503-847-9774
web: http://thesprocketpodcast.com
music: Ryan J. Lane (intro & outro) & Hurtbird (headlines)
Thanks to sustaining donor Shadowfoot for supporting our show costs.

photo from BikePortland.org

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E162 – Elly Blue: Bikenomics

Advocacy, Bicycling, Business, Car Ownership, Communication, Downsizing, Touring, Train Travel, Transit, Travel

Elly Blue is the author of the new book, Bikenomics: How Bicycling Can Save The Economy, and also the star of the now-famous Amtrak incident leading to a broader conversation on bike/train integration.  We talk about the benefits of a bicycle lifestyle and multimodalism!

Aaron & Brock also discuss drinking coffee, coffee machine cuisine, Aaron’s new Disc Trucker, Spinlister, and Amtrak: Gangnam Style.

Headlines
Oregonian: new train service added to the Amtrak Cascades corridor
Bicycle Retailer: Specialized makes nice with Canadian bicycle builder
(Listener Dion also sent us the video of Specialized’s Mike Sinyard & Dan Richter getting along in person.)

Mail
Dion shares Martyn Ashton’s Road Bike Party videos – some sweet jumps and tricks!

Martyn later suffered a significant injury after falling backward during a demonstration.

Jeremy from Critical Transit twitters:
I never used studded #bike tires before last week but I’ve become a believer.

Logan sends us a TEDx video from Tall Bike Bobby!

Marcus sends us some info from Streetsblog on how unused parking can cost seattle renters a lot of extra cash.

Jack comments on Steph Routh’s move by bike episode and relates a story about a uhaul.

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email us: thesprocketpodcast@gmail.com
twitter: @SprocketPodcast
phone in or SMS: 503-847-9774
web: http://thesprocketpodcast.com
music: Ryan J. Lane (intro & outro) & Hurtbird (headlines)
Thanks to sustaining donor Shadowfox for supporting our show costs.

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E161 – Cathy Hastie: Those Arrogant Bikers

Advocacy, Bicycling, Car Sharing, Communication, Family, History, Racing, The Law, Transit, Walking

Cathy Hastie is a BikePortland lifestyle contributor who has written about comparative car sharing, fashion & clothing on bikes, and an article on “those arrogant bikers” recentlylabeled by Bike Snob as “possibly the smuggest article posted to [Bikeportland] to date.”  She’s also a lifelong Portland resident who has been downplaying personal car use her entire life, so if anyone has claim to the right to be smug about transportation, it’s her!  We taped more great conversation than you can shake a stick at.

Aaron & Brock also discuss Portland’s poet laureate, cold weather, and, later, the drinking club with a running problem (hashing!)

Headlines
RowdyKittens.com: Tammy Strobel launches A Simple Year: 12 months of guided simplicity
Oregonian: TriMet on the verge of sending vintage trolley cars to St. Louis, MO

Mail
Glenn in Edmonton clarifies #YEGbike, and inquires about GoPro, citing an archive on the topic both here and here.

A text: “Hmm a 40oz and Prince and The Revolution!”

Listener Dion twitters this article about Specialized’s suit against Cochrane bike builder; “but they won’t try that with Fuji, they sell a roubaix road bike”

Beercycling.com sends us their press release for the Ardennes Trappist Challenge – July 2014 will contain bikes & beer!

And iTunes and Stitcher reviews from our listeners!

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email us: thesprocketpodcast@gmail.com
twitter: @SprocketPodcast
phone in or SMS: 503-847-9774
web: http://thesprocketpodcast.com
music: Ryan J. Lane (intro & outro) & Hurtbird (headlines)
Thanks to sustaining donor Brian Logan for supporting our show costs.

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E160 – Michael Andersen: The Real Estate Beat

Adventure, Advocacy, Bicycling, Business, Car Ownership, Car Sharing, Communication, Downsizing, History, Housing, The Law, Transit, Walking

Michael Andersen is a writer for BikePortland.org who covers a wide variety of low-car lifestyle topics, including his Real Estate Beat which aims to explore how property owners are making it easier to live without a car in the city’s rental market.  We discuss presidential microphones and bike rides, low-car buildings & economic difficulties, how inclusionary zoning could help the situation, and the new micro-apartments being planned in the downtown and Hollywood districts.

Aaron & Brock also discuss the Critical Transit podcast, Bikecraft, renting a Prius, and dynamo lighting.

Headlines
BikePortland: the Oregon Outback gets organized
Diamond Cut Life: subtraction for the holidays

Mail
Tim in DC updates us on the Frontier Airlines bicycle policy.

Glenn in Edmonton on twitter has “become a big fan of the vibe of @SprocketPodcast” and links to a video of his snowy commute featuring birds! also, what does #yegbikemean?

Dan from MN texts in to say he enjoyed the show on bike moves!

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email us: thesprocketpodcast@gmail.com
twitter: @SprocketPodcast
phone in or SMS: 503-847-9774
web: http://thesprocketpodcast.com
music: Ryan J. Lane (intro & outro) & Hurtbird (headlines)
Thanks to sustaining donor Brian Logan for supporting our show costs.

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E156 – Mychal Tetteh & Rob Sadowsky: Privilege & Choice

Advocacy, Bicycling, Business, Communication, Family, Housing, Transit, Walking

Mychal Tetteh is the CEO of the fantastic nonprofit Community Cycling Center in NE Portland, Oregon.  He chats with us about growing up on the slopes of Mt. Tabor and how it contributed to his perspective on life and bicycling.  We also chat about the New Columbia and his involvement with the Village Market, his history with the CCC, transit and first/last mile bike access, cultural barriers to bicycling and the nature of privilege & choice, and the CCC Holiday Bike Drive.

Rob Sadowsky is our recurring guest from the Bicycle Transportation Alliance with insights on advocacy and a quick wit.

Aaron & Brock discuss a tallbike/cargo bike swap with listener Drew as well as Aaron’s need for lights and a new computer.

Headlines
BikePortland: bike lane citation in Ashland highlights controversial Oregon law
BikePortland: the Portland Mercury now delivered by cargo bike!
Yahoo Shine via Dan Flores: Young lady’s bike is stolen, but replaced by a kind person

Mail
Tim from DC donates and recommends rain capes.

Jack from Apex, NC seconds the cotton balls with petroleum jelly as fire starter, as well as 35mm film canisters to hold them in; also magnesium!

Marcus shares a link to exciting statistics that show bicycles outselling cars in Europe!  Also he is “Always glad to hear of Aaron and your adventures around Portland.”  Rob references the similar american statistic from BikePortland.

Aaron’s coworker shares the video of the guy who stays in the bike lane no matter what.

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email us: thesprocketpodcast@gmail.com
twitter: @SprocketPodcast
phone in or SMS: 503-847-9774
web: http://thesprocketpodcast.com
music: Ryan J. Lane (intro & outro) & Hurtbird (headlines)

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E155 – Christopher & Erin DeLaney: Carless in Casper WY

Advocacy, Bicycling, Communication, Family, The Law

Chris & Erin DeLaney are two people out of roughly ten in Casper WY who choose bicycling as a mode of transportation (and the only ones they know of who voluntarily don’t own a car).  We talk about the upsides of simpler transport in a rural community, a few tips and tricks to make it a little smoother, and the value of a well-placed flag (ashighlighted recently by the Portland Afoot podcast).

Aaron & Brock discuss burdock, name changes, creme brulee stout, a snapped chain and some new bike work Aaron had done.

Mail
Listener Rob talks up bike travel and wonders what to wax one’s leather boots with.

Fine Print
email us: thesprocketpodcast@gmail.com
twitter: @SprocketPodcast
phone in or SMS: 503-847-9774
web: http://thesprocketpodcast.com
music: Ryan J. Lane (intro & outro) & Hurtbird (headlines)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

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