Bike Talk - A radio show dedicated to the idea that for public and planetary health we need to prioritize public transportation by bikes

Nick and Taylor ride Joe Borfo’s Tandem in Griffith Park

Latest Episode

Were on a Roll

October 25, 2022

START
Stay Car Free: San Francisco will vote on whether to keep JFK Drive car free November 8th. Stacey Randecker interviews Prop J organizer Zachary Lipton.
sf.streetsblog.org/2022/08/30/save…-n-and-no-on-i/

2:05
In Closing: Los Angeles Councilmember Mike Bonin has been a friend to Los Angeles bikes and pedestrians. Bonin fought two recall efforts, one of which was over traffic calming he implemented in his district. Recently, a recording was released revealing his fellow Councilmembers’ and Council President’s racist remarks about his son and others. Councilmember Bonin will not seek a third term. Here are some of Mike Bonin’s comments relating to safe streets infrastructure in an October 19, 2022 virtual happy hour hosted by Streets For All.

8:53
Healthy Streets: Michael Schneider, Founder of Streets For All, on Mike Bonin and trying to get Healthy Streets LA through a City Council dominated by unhealthy minds.
www.healthystreetsla.com/

23:22
Crosshairs: Winthrop, Massachusetts bike lane advocate Julia Wallerce’s opponents targeted her with an image of her infant on social media. Bike Talk cohost Galen Mook interviews.
twitter.com/juliawallerce

38:13
It Takes a Village: Joshua Poppel on the Village Bicycle Project, a self-sustaining and capacity building development project in Africa which gives people a tool to improve their lives by offering access to affordable and sustainable transportation.
Interview by Taylor Nichols.

Editing by Kevin Burton.
Closing Song, “Bike,” by Mal Webb.
Interstitial music, “Just Moving,” by Don Ward.
Visit BikeTalk.org to be involved.

bicycle, bike, bikelanes, bikes, bonin, cars, community, donate, losangeles, metro, people, program, progressive, ride, road, streets, traffic, vote, winthrop
The Future Is Here

October 18, 2022

START
No Free Parking: California reverses its policy on parking minimums, and parking reformer Tony Jordan is celebrating with Lindsay Sturman.
parkingreform.org/los-angeles-party/

11:25 on.soundcloud.com/Be13k
Fail to Plan, Plan to Fail: California Senator Anthony Portantino’s newly signed “Plan For The Future” law requires cities and counties to include bicycle and pedestrian plans, multimodal networks, and traffic calming for any urbanized area. Senator Portantino talks about how his views – and weight – changed since he took up biking, with Tunette Porter.

23:00 on.soundcloud.com/RDGi5
Networking: Andy Boenau’s tweet pointed out there’s no push for bicycle infrastructure like there is for a national EV charging network. It went viral, with over 19,000 likes. Andy describes some of the reactions as scripted, “Non Player Character” types of responses. He explains which “NPCs” he engaged, and why. twitter.com/Boenau/status/15784…v-65IFPVnA9g1UO2NZw

36:43 on.soundcloud.com/VirmC
Electrifying: Ruthy Woodring, co-founder of Pedal People (a worker-owned human-powered delivery and hauling service in Northampton, Massachusetts) on whether the People will start using EVs to haul trash.

Editing by Kevin Burton.
Closing Song, “Bike,” by Mal Webb.
Interstitial music, “Just Moving,” by Don Ward.
Visit BikeTalk.org to be involved.

bicycle, bike, bikelanes, bikes, biking, car, cities, drive, ebike, evs, infrastructure, minimums, parking, pedal, people, ride, streets, talk
Chicago and Humanity

October 12, 2022

START
Lay it Out: Rony Islam and Daniel Streicher on Bike Grid Now’s tactics (Bike Jams, Bike Buses, Jamapalooza) and goal (10% of Chicago streets capped at 10mph).
https://bikegridnow.org

20:15 https://on.soundcloud.com/mTkKm
Rip It Out: Michael Podgers, Jeremy Frisch, and Kyle Lucas of Better Streets Chicago on the plan for Lakeshore Drive, a highway on Lake Michigan. With Stacey Randecker of San Francisco.
https://www.betterstreetschicago.org/

41:11 https://on.soundcloud.com/rScYV
Work it Out: Melinda Shaw’s Humanity Pods in Northampton, Massachusetts were a great idea: bike camper shelters for the unhoused. They just lacked the right space. With Humanity Pod and Northampton resident PJ.
https://humanitypods.org/

Edited by Kevin Burton.
Closing Song, “Bike,” by Mal Webb.
Interstitial music, “Just Moving,” by Don Ward.
Visit BikeTalk.org to be involved.

bike, chicago, Humanity, jam, people
Other Peoples Podcasts and Will Bike 4 Food

October 2, 2022

START
Activated: John Simmerman on producing his urbanism and healthy streets podcast, “Active Towns.”
www.activetowns.org/articles/

14:30
Uh-Oh, Omaha: Sarah Johnson on Carfree Midwest, her “Omaha based podcast exploring the stories, barriers and joys of getting around the midwest without a car.” One barrier is the anti-bike Omaha Mayor ripping out the city’s only protected bike lane despite its unanimous support in city council.
anchor.fm/carfreemidwest

26:15
Bike Civilized: Leo Spinetto on producing Bicicivilizadxs Radio, a podcast on urban biking and going by bike in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
www.bicivilizados.org/

36:06
Bike Help: Interviews from the finish line of “a day of biking to raise money to help neighbors experiencing food insecurity” in Western Massachusetts.
www.foodbankwma.org/events/will-bike-4-food/

Translation by Barbara Richert.
Closing Song, “Bike,” by Mal Webb.
Interstitial music, “Just Moving,” by Don Ward.
Visit BikeTalk.org to be involved.

bike, bikelane, people, ride
Victory

September 27, 2022

START

Parallel Universe – MassBike E.D. and Cohost Galen Mook, a.k.a. Mookmaster Bikes, on the parallels in legislation between California and Massachusetts, plus the impact of “parking guru” Donald Shoup. Then-

7:27

Shoup’s On: Laura Friedman’s AB 2097 (now law) will “prohibit a public agency from imposing any minimum automobile parking requirement on any residential, commercial, or other development project…that is located within 12 miles of public transit.” This codifies what High Cost of Free Parking author and world renowned “parking guru” Donald Shoup has been calling for: the beginning of the end of free parking. Donald Shoup talks with Bike Talk cohost and “Dutch Expert” Lindsay Sturman.

39:25

Separated at Birth – John Bauters, “America’s Bike Mayor,” recognizing that free parking is a car subsidy, helped end parking minimums in Emeryville, California in 2018. John talks with Seamus Garrity, the Los Angeles Field Representative of California Assemblymember Laura Friedman. Assemblymember Friedman introduced the bill which became the law which ended parking minimums near transit in California. John and Seamus bike to their meetings (John to Air Quality Management District, Seamus to Valley Industry Commerce Association).

59:10

Night Out – MassBike Valet volunteers Trey and Becky at the Florence Night Out.

Editing by Kevin Burton.

Closing Song, “Bike,” by Mal Webb.

Interstitial music, “Just Moving,” by Don Ward.

bike, city, music, parking, people, SoundCloud
Bikes

September 19, 2022

START:
There’s an avalanche of new bike legislation on California Governor Newsom’s desk. California Streetsblog Editor Melanie Curry gives a reportback based on her article:
cal.streetsblog.org/2022/09/02/legi…safety-climate/

26:08
Mark Sanderson owned and staffed the East Lansing bicycle shop, Velocipede Peddler, for 45 years. Now he’s employed as a mechanic in the same space by the new owners, D&D Bicycles & Hockey. Taylor Nichols reports.

35:57
Over three years, through daily confrontations with parents, bus drivers, and school officials during her Chicago commute, Ash Wednesday got them all to stop parking in the bike lane.
@rapashwednesday

52:23
Twowheeledpolitics.ca blogger and cofounder of Toronto Community Bikeways Coalition Robert Zaichkowski on Toronto bike plans, budgets, and politics.
spacing.ca/toronto/2022/09/13/…ycling-perspective/

Editing by Kevin Burton.
Closing Song, “Bike,” by Mal Webb.
Interstitial music by Don Ward.

bike, bikelane, bikes, people
Bike Perspectives

September 14, 2022

START:
Adaptive Cycling: Western Massachusetts adaptive cyclists Naomi Clark and Giovanni Lynch talk with Berkshire Bike Path President Marjorie Cohan.

17:35
Bike Picture: Jerome Horne, Transit Center’s Director of Transit Leadership Development, on bikes in society, with Nick Richert.

33:30
Bike Innovator: Craig Calfee, a bike builder who pioneered carbon fiber and bamboo in bike making, talks with Bike Talk cohost Taylor Nichols about his life in bikes and his work in Africa.

TRANSCRIPT: drive.google.com/file/d/1xZISV__d…view?usp=sharing

Editing by Kevin Burton.
Closing Song, “Bike,” by Mal Webb.
Interstitial music by Don Ward.

bamboo, bike, bikes, music, people, SoundCloud
Bike Camping and Active Transportation

September 4, 2022

START:
No Bikes Allowed: John Elliot, a musician who tours by bike, was denied entrance to Skyline Wilderness Park in Napa Valley, California, because he didn’t arrive by car. We got Andrew Brooks, President of the Skyline Park Citizens Association, and Kara Vernor, Executive Director of the Napa County Bicycle Coalition, to discuss what all parties acknowledge is a big mistake.

28:45
Adventures: Adventure Cycling’s Bike Overnights program’s Events Coordinator Carmen Aiken, with Bike Talk cohost and Pedal People Founder Ruthy Woodring.

Transcript: drive.google.com/file/d/1uA7QpOct…view?usp=sharing
Editing by Kevin Burton.
Closing Song, “Bike,” by Mal Webb.
Interstitial music by Don Ward.

bike, cyclist, people, ride
08/30/22 Bike Talk

August 30, 2022

START:
Healthy Streets for Los Angeles? No: The Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously not to require itself to implement its own mobility plan whenever a street is repaved. Healthy Streets LA will be on the Los Angeles ballot anyway, in 2024. Michael Schneider, founder of Streets For All, which created HSLA, gives feedback.

7:02
@ChiCritMass for Mayor: Chicago’s 8/26 Critical Mass was truly massive, with hundreds of riders. One rider, Illinois State Representative for the 26th District Kam Buckner (also candidate for Chicago Mayor), recounts the ride with Juan Dominguez, a @Chicritmass leader.

19:13
Pop up: Dave Campbell, Bike East Bay Advocacy Director, helped install a temporary protected bike lane in San Leandro, California, giving residents a way to experience the difference. With Bike Talk cohost Stacey Randecker.

40:15
Denver Streets: Jill Locantore, Executive Director of Denver Streets Partnership, with the transportation advocacy landscape in Denver, Colorado.

Editing by Kevin Burton, founder of the West Hollywood Bicycle Coalition.

bike, city, people, streets
08/23/22 Bike Talk

August 23, 2022

START:
Update: Galen Mook and Eli Akira Kaufman, Executive Directors of the Massachusetts Bicycle Coalition and the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition, respectively, on the bike issues of the day.
www.massbike.org/
www.la-bike.org/

7:35
Road Revolution: The historic closing 2/3 of a mile of Griffith Park Drive to cars is part of Los Angeles CD4 Councilmember Nithya Raman’s “Road Revolution.” She and ally California 43rd District Assemblymember Laura Friedman talk about their celebration of wins for the park, as well as Laura’s upcoming bills for active transportation and emissions reduction.
a43.asmdc.org/
councildistrict4.lacity.org/

31:39
Unblocking: Carter Lavin helps bike advocates navigate political roadblocks. He and fellow Bay Area resident Stacey Randecker (who literally stops and slows traffic with Slow Jam rides and “Just a Minute” actions) talk about how to be more politically effective.
twitter.com/CarterLavin

51:27
Livability: Livable Communities Initiative concepts with Jenny Hontz and Ed Mendoza. With Bike Talk cohost and Los Angeles CD 5 Bicycle Advisory Council Representative Taylor Nichols.
livablecommunitiesinitiative.com

Edited by West Hollywood Bicycle Coalition Founder Kevin Burton.

bike, car, city, road