Actual conversation with my 2-year-old this morning:
me: It's a little rainy. Do you want to take the bike or the car?
2yo: Bike!
me: You sure?
2yo: Yes. It will take longer in the car.
Had a beautiful ride, everyone stayed happy and dry.
Kids just get it 🤷♀️
Apparently some of y'all can't handle photos of moms biking with kids.
I regret to inform you that we had another beautiful ride today, singing songs all the way to Nashville Children's Theatre for a wonderful show.
Biking unlocks a level of joy you just can't get in a car.
Had to take the car today to get to a birthday party in a car-dependent area. 2-year-old immediately started crying and said, and I quote,
"But it's TOO HOT in the car!"
Zero complaints all day yesterday on the bike. I rest my case.
Absolutely ecstatic to welcome the newest addition to our family! Thank you
@greenfleet
@ternbicycles
. We're going to have so many adventures together. ❤️
How do you get two kids, a birthday cake, balloons, snacks, decorations, and a cooler full of drinks to a 4-year-old's birthday party?
A cargo bike parade! 🎉
New Demonbreun Hill designs just dropped and y'all...I'm speechless. They listened to us.
If this actually happens I will be there with a case of champagne the day it opens. 🍾
Update from
@NashvilleDOT
: permit was issued with requirements that a detour be installed and signage put in place. This was not done. The applicant was charged a violation fee and "made aware of the importance of maintaining safety for all modes of transportation in the future."
And because we biked, we got to experience the calm of the city in a light rain. Heard the water rushing into storm drains and talked about why the current in the river changes. Ran into a friend and made a plan to check on an elderly neighbor.
Bikes build community.
Two bikes, two kids, two libraries, a puppet show, a magic show, lunch. 4.5 miles, 97 degrees, no problems. All faster, safer, and way more fun than being trapped inside a car.
It's been a tragic week on the streets of Nashville. But a council candidate standing on my block, looking into tv cameras, saying "these aren't accidents, they're results" might just be the most I've ever felt that this is a tide we can turn.
This is called a right hook and it’s so common in Nashville that many cyclists have to use the vehicular lane to safely pass through intersections.
Please don’t drive like that motorist
This one got me. Dr. Friedes was a chief resident at CHOP who was killed on her way home from work by a driver who DROVE OVER flex posts and hit her.
Plastic is not protection. We need to update our bikeway standards to protect bicyclists, not drivers' paint jobs.
Barbara Friedes was a beloved doctor and wife in Philadelphia who was cut down by a driver in a bike lane with insufficient protection. Activists want to make sure this never happens again:
Me 12 years ago: I'm going to start biking to work! That will save me some time.
Me now: Hurry up kids we've got to leave half an hour early so I have time to put in 12
@hubNashville
requests and do some gardening on the way to work
@walkbikenash
@NashvilleDOT
@tomflood1
A short list of the things we saw on our ride that we would not have if we'd driven:
1. A mommy bird bringing a worm to her babies
2. A cool bug crawling on the bike rack
3. A helicopter
4. Friends and neighbors saying hi
Biking with kids is dangerous
.
.
.
because they might drop a sour patch kid that immediately melts onto your rotor and takes out your entire rear brake system in a matter of seconds 🫠
When you're having so much fun you miss your 100 mile tune up by 700 miles. 😬
This little tank was still in great shape though! Thanks to my favorite bike shop for getting us all fixed up. ❤️
Critical Mass rolling down Demonbreun last night!
Thanks to everyone who came out to support safe infrastructure and the very real and achievable goal of ending deaths on our streets. Maybe
@votebenton
wants to ride with us next time.
Tonight, I am proud to have earned the support needed to become our party’s nominee.
Over the next few months, I'll be traveling across the country talking to Americans about everything on the line. I fully intend to unite our party and our nation, and defeat Donald Trump.
Actual quote from
@MNPDNashville
non-emergency operator when I called about (yet another) car driver parked in the bike lane on a major commuter route:
"I know it's blocking the bike lane, but is it blocking vehicle traffic in any way?"
We've got a long way to go, Nashville.
Hey
@FedExHelp
could you do a little re-education with this driver? I politely asked him not to park in bike lanes (which is illegal and dangerous) and he responded that it's not illegal and he can park "anywhere I want."
70 Music Square W, 37303, 6/13/24, 11:07am. Truck# 502370
As I was saying. 🙄
People are extremely motivated to drive and park in this bike lane. Any protection has to be completely impenetrable if we're going to have any chance of stopping this.
@NashvilleDOT
@walkbikenash
Pedestrianized Woodland St, as viewed through a cargo bike rain cover by two ecstatic children who have never experienced this street being for them before.
Make it permanent.
@freddieoconnell
@NashvilleDOT
Excited to see some fresh paint on Demonbreun. Bike lanes have been restriped AND widened between 8th and 10th! 🙌 A buffer is also being added on the eastbound side.
Thank you
@bike_coord
@NashvillePW
for working with me on this. Let's keep going!
@walkbikenash
@freddieoconnell
Was downtown earlier today and there was a driver just obliviously driving a car down the Commerce Street bike lane. Could prevent this with better bollard placement.
This is a huge step backward that I hope does not get very far.
In essence, a developer who is building an apartment building on Demonbreun Hill would like to redo NDOT's excellent bikeway design (which has been finalized for a year and is already in the construction process).
Developer proposed bikeway design for Demonbreun Hill is bad:
- conflict points with parking, loading, and sidewalk
- bike path becomes windy
- removes lots of trees
NDOT already has a great design approved and funded. Build it.
Blocking the bike lane while pumping gas into an oversized SUV. Driver laughed when I told him people have died in this exact same scenario, and went on to tell me he does this every day. Not a good look
@startyoshi
.
Alright
@NashvilleDOT
we need to work on not blocking sidewalks, curb ramps, crosswalks, and bridge access. There are literally acres of parking right here
Still thinking about this protected intersection, because it was SO SIMPLE yet so effective. We could do this everywhere overnight. Just move the stop bar back and add a barrier. Dramatically increases visibility and reduces conflicts. This would save so many lives.
@NashvilleDOT
As I was saying. 🙄
People are extremely motivated to drive and park in this bike lane. Any protection has to be completely impenetrable if we're going to have any chance of stopping this.
@NashvilleDOT
@walkbikenash
❌ Cones didn't cut it
❌ Planters aren't working
❌ Flex posts big nope
⬜ Concrete curbs?
⬜ Steel bollards?
⬜ Giant metal spikes?
If we can prevent drivers from parking here, we can prevent them from parking anywhere.
@walkbikenash
@freddieoconnell
Exciting news -
@bikelaneuprise
is coming to Nashville! Join us on August 17 to hear from the founder and learn how their amazing work is making biking safer across the country.
RSVP here:
Funny how this blew up, when the point was how unremarkable it was.
We had a lovely ride to storytime. The kids happily munched on snacks on the way there and snoozed on the way home. They would be dumbfounded anyone would suggest we should have packed them in the car instead.
Bike's in the shop so I did the daycare/work commute by car yesterday. The whole trip took almost twice as long as my bike commute. Just getting the car out of the garage on the way back took as long as my entire bike ride to daycare.
Kid was right - it takes longer in the car.
We've got a big week of bike love ahead in Nashville!
First, join a Transit Trek for Mayor
@freddieoconnell
's inauguration this Saturday. There are 4 meetup spots for bike rides -
@moxieonwheels
and I will be leading a group from the East side!
I think about this study a lot. It's the perfect illustration of my favorite quote from my 5-year-old about taking the car:
"But I can't see EVERYTHING!"
When asked to draw their trip to school, children who walk to school drew a more vibrant picture than those driven in a car. Every student should have the option to walk or bike to school in a safe manner, full stop. (via Margrit Stamm)
Join us as we kick-off construction of the redesigned Demonbreun Bikeways project.
#BikeMonth
📍 Sidewalk in front of
@TailGateBrewery
Music Row
⏰ Saturday, May 11 at 11:00 a.m.
Visit our calendar of events for more
#BikeMonth
events:
Completely ridiculous. This was one of the only paved spaces where kids were free to run and ride without the danger of cars.
@walkbikenash
uses this space to teach people how to ride bikes. There is a playground directly adjacent. What are we doing
@NashvilleDOT
@MetroParksNash
?
When it comes to fully eliminating walking, cycling, rollerskating, and children, parks have always been a weak point in our efforts.
We are excited to partner with Metro Parks and CM
@claycapp
on a new initiative to bring more cars into Shelby Park & Bottoms.
People invent all kinds of barriers to bicycling, most of which disappear once you actually start riding. But the vehement opposition to the mere suggestion things might be possible by bike keeps people from ever trying it.
Just ride. It's going to be beautiful. ✌️
5yo: "Roy's is better than the toy store!" (sorry Austin 🤣)
There's truly no other place like it. Stop by and show your support or help them out here if you can: