One of our readers sends us along a link to probably one of the most interesting and bizarre urban mobility contraptions we’ve ever seen. The Fliz – a pedal-less, seat-less, foot-powered bicycle invented by German designers – has attracted a lot of attention this year. For obvious reasons, it’s been subject to much ridicule and...
Do bicycle helmet laws help protect cyclists? On the one hand, yes, helmets reduce serious injuries to cyclists so presumably a law that mandates helmet usage will reduce injuries. On the other hand, however, are the people who make the not illogical point that people don’t like helmets. Helmets mess up a cyclist’s hair, they...
This site is mostly about urban gondolas and cable cars. But we often like to explore some of the more esoteric, interesting and alternative forms of transportation that exist or might exist in the future. We also like to predict whether these technologies have any chance of realization or not. More often than not, we feel...
As we’ve said numerous times before, we’re not gondola zealots (here, here and here for example). We believe in a multi-modal philosophy of transit planning where technologies co-operate with and complement each other. Modal arguments are generally a waste of time – and that’s coming from someone who specializes in one specific technology. That’s why...
Here we go, folks . . . A variety of media outlets are reporting that Google’s self-driving cars have been approved for use in the state of Nevada. This is the first-ever license issued under new state-specific legislation permitting the testing of autonomous automobiles. Under the legislation, all vehicles will be required to have at least...
In the past, we’ve seen that Gondola technology is extremely flexible. It can adapt itself literally into anything, whether it be a Gondola Sauna, or a Gondola Music Concert, Cable Lifts have got you covered. However, one can argue that public transit is pretty wacky in general – especially with the recently held 3rd annual...
As we’ve argued before, Medellin is quickly becoming the poster child for multi-modal transit planning and the city’s latest public transit addition only solidifies that reputation. Last week, the BBC reported (not to mention many, many others) that the city has opened a six-segment, 130m long system of escalators that rise 384m up into Comuna 13...
Here’s something we’ve never (and I do mean never) seen before: The American Museum of Natural History is about to open an exhibition titled Beyond Planet Earth: The Future of Space Exploration. The exhibition was curated by astrophysicist Michael Shara and includes his proposal for a jaw-droppingly “simple” means of creating a permanent transit link between the moon to...
What you’re looking at above is a children’s playground located in a Swiss train. I came across this purely by accident yesterday so I have little to no information about what can only be described as every child’s public transit fantasy wonderland. We’re assuming this is a relatively new development, but have no confirmation of...
Now here’s something I’ve never seen before. Apparently Vienna’s newspaper industry is made up of incredibly trusting folk. In theAustrian capital on-street newspaper boxes are nothing more than open plastic bags strapped to lampposts. Readers are asked to insert their payment into a padlocked black bank. On the banks one often finds a message thanking readers...