Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Beyond Biking Fears: Tips from San Franciscans in New Video

What keeps you from biking in the city? Filmmaker Laura J. Lukitsch talked with San Franciscans about their initial fears and how they learned to love biking in the city while keeping a close watch on the risks involved. She stopped by NOPA last week to grab a few neighborhood observations for the mix.

The following webisode touches on bicycling concerns that Lukitsch will include in Mind the Gap, her documentary about sustainable urban transit and "what urban planners and individuals are doing to change the way we move."

On her website for the film, she gives the back story:
We follow the fight against global warming and the
comprehensive emissions reduction legislation in California,
from the legislature and offices of Arnold Schwarzenegger,
to the individual actions taken by ordinary citizens who want
to change the way we live and travel. Taking a closer look
at what actions help get people out of their cars while
maintaining a fast and efficient commute, we follow several commuters, from Steve who takes the transit challenge in the widespread San Francisco Bay Area, to Misa who navigates the huge city of Tokyo with ease. As cities continue to grow, and worldwide the number of cars explodes, this fightis just beginning.
We are currently in pre-production and in residency at the Film House, a joint program with the San Francisco Film Commission and San Francisco Film Society.

2 comments:

  1. There's some good advice in that video: bike defensively; watch for doors, pedestrians and poodles; ride with a friend; bike more; be responsible for your own safety, and take a bike safety class.

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  2. The shuttle bus parked in the green bike lane on Market at 1:54 in the video is not an aberration. I don't regularly use Market on my morning commute. When I have, it initially surprised me that so many cyclists chose to ride outside of the separated lane section. After spending a few mornings observing the flow of traffic in the area, I suspect the frequent blockage of the lane by buses substantially contributes to cyclists avoiding their lane.

    See a short example here:
    http://vimeo.com/14582370

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