Since it’s officially the first week of Bike Month, we resurrected this 2003 bikeTV classic that was my first work to gain worldwide noterity in the alternative transportation world.

We hit the streets of Soho with the help of Bicycle Habitat’s most famous mechanic Hal Ruzal - who humorously grades the bike locking ability of New Yorkers. Sure he’s harsh, but also damn funny while dispensing useful anecdotes from his many decades in the biz. Hopefully you’ll learn how to keep your bike safe and avoid a failing grade.

Later this May, StreetFilms will be posting the WORLD WEB PREMIERE of “Contested Streets: Breaking New York City Gridlock.” The film explores the history of NYC’s streets and contrasts our current transportation policies with some of the achievements of cities like London, Paris, and Copenhagen, where car travel is being deemphasized in favor of safer streets, more cyclist amenities, faster mass transit, and people-first environments.

Here we present the awesome trailer for your early consumption if you haven’t seen it already. The film is Directed by Stefan Schefer from Cicala Filmworks, Produced by Diane Crespo, and co-Produced by Mark Gorton. Paul Steely White from Transportation Alternatives served as a Consulting Producer.

Can’t wait? Order “Contested Streets” directly from the T.A. website today.

Brooklyn kids say, “Go Green!”

Students at P.S. 321 in Park Slope participated in an Earth Day walk-a-thon to raise money for three non-profit green groups, including Transportation Alternatives.

Hundreds of kids got a rare car-free experience by being able to walk up a closed down 3rd Street to Prospect Park. T.A. Executive Director Paul Steely White was on hand and joined future advocates, parents, and teachers on a short loop of the Park.

Cicala Films provided us with the raw interview they shot of Bob Kiley for “Contested Streets” and we went and excerpted some great soundbites that will make transportation geeks happy and also educate those who want to know more about congestition pricing, what’s going on in London, and how it all relates to New York City.

From 2001 to ‘06, Mr. Kiley served as the Commissioner of Transport for London, the public organization entrusted with maintaining London’s public transportation network.

This Park Slope phenomenon is interesting. On street cleaning rule days, people in the Slope will still double park, but they do it outside the bike lane!

We’ll be presenting many StreetFilms and participating in a discussion about livable cities at the next Sustainable Flatbush event, a new group trying to raise the dialogue in central Brooklyn about changing our streets and culture to be more green and sustainable. Come on out, we hear their first event drew a crowd in a raging snowstorm!

WHEN: Friday, April 27th 8 PM to midnight.

WHERE: Vox Pop Cafe/Bookstore, 1022 Cortleyou Road (at Stratford) 718.940.2084

OTHER DEETS: DJs plus yummy food & drink specials all night.

Welcome to our new StreetFilms feature. Each month we’ll be profiling a cyclist we find to be an interesting representative of the bike community.

Our first is Pete Wagner a furniture maker who lives in Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn who gave up his car, bought a bike trailer, and uses it to haul tools and deliver his work.

Cyclists of the Month are inspired by the Commuter Profiles in Transportation Alternatives’ Magazine. Got nominations? Send ‘em.

The StreetFilms juggernaut “The Case for Separated Bike Lanes” continues to thrive. Having already inspired debate around the world and seen nearly 40,000 times here, on YouTube and our NYCSR site, it was just accepted for The Bicycle Film Festival this May!

Next month, StreetFilms will also be on local access television in Miami & Portland.

Sad news to report…David Byrne’s bike has been taken by a cowardly thief!! Dang!

You may ask yourself, “Who would do such a thing?” Unfortunately, those of us in NYC know it is all too common. In fact if you’ve only had one bike stolen, consider yourself lucky.

Click here to see our famous StreetFilm of the former Talking Heads front man in happier times riding his bike with Enrique Peñalosa last year.

Icons of a Living City is a trio of uplifting posters from Transportation Alternatives encouraging New Yorkers to walk, bike, and take mass transit.

We here at StreetFilms love ‘em and their positive vibe. So much so, we got our hands on some high resolution files to present some of the fine details in what might be the first of its kind: a one minute commercial for posters!

T.A. partnered with Sustainable South Bronx, Straphangers Campaign, and Project for Public Spaces to produce the set. The artist is Kevin Nierman. Posters should be available for purchase on the T.A. website in the near future.

Four of our Streetfilms including “The Sidewalk Nibblers” will be showing this September at the Walk/Bike conference in Davis, California.

We also just learned “The Eric Ng Memorial Ride” has been accepted for 2007’s
Bicycle Film Festival in New York City.

Just a reminder, our films are free to transpo groups, organizations, festivals or anyone that wants to spread the livable city love. Read up more here and send us an e-mail.

While I was in Chicago with Ethan Kent doing livable streets research for a summer trip, we ventured to an area well known for its traffic calming. We didn’t bring along a video camera, but my still camera took some grainy video. Thus, an impromptu work of “transportation comedy”.

It shows that the alternative transportation world is sometimes a little fun and zany. StreetFilms presents Clarence: The Traffic Calming Maniac.

IanD: “…the work that [StreetFilms] is doing is fantastic and makes the stories on the streets really accessible. I’d love to add more well-produced pieces, but just don’t have the technical skills…Would you be interested in sharing some hints and tips?”

Clarence: In late Spring, we plan to host at least one free shooting & editing seminar filled with tips for eager contributors, but let me point out to IanD - you already have a good instinct what to shoot!

Just look at this great YouTube clip he posted while trying to ride in a separated bike lane blocked with illegally parked press vehicles. This continuous shot perfectly captures the problem: immediately you know what it must feel like to be riding and how this impacted his safety and experience as a cyclist.

But of course, the question was, essentially, how do I do even better? Although sometimes the time and situation do not allow it, let me offer some advice below…

Continue reading this entry »

These days it seems nearly every month somebody, somewhere in Portland, Oregon is moving from one house to another using only bike power.

In this re-edited archive from my bikeTV work, you’ll meet members of Portland’s warm and innovative bike community where dozens of folks regularly donate a few weekend hours with their bike trailers to help fellow cyclists move their belongings to a new abode.

As you’ll see, sometimes it requires a little moxie, but the result is fun and environmentally-friendly. Just seeing it will make you want to move. Well, maybe…

Portland’s SHIFT website even provides a place to post your move. And as one participant points out as a bonus: they have to help move you in too!

The website Anti-Mag recently featured a detailed interview with StreetFilms auteur Clarence Eckerson Jr. (below) about his work with StreetFilms, bikeTV, his advocacy careeer and some personal opinons about the state of transportation in New York.

Question: You’ve met some famous cyclists and interesting people along the way. Who was most exciting to talk to?

Clarence: Enrique Penalosa always makes me swoon. In our field, he is godlike status. When he speaks you devour every phrase he utters like it is some kind of transportation vitamin for the soul.

For the full article click here.