StreetFilms Authors: Clarence Eckerson, Jr.

Posts by Clarence Eckerson, Jr.:

View from the Street: “Speed Racer” (May 12, 2008)

With an abysmally-low $20 million debut, perhaps the public took out their anger of rising gas prices on Speed Racer? O.K. probably not, but you certainly won’t find sadness here for the latest from The Wachowski Brothers (The Matrix Trilogy).
Originally a late 60s, Japanese animation import, Speed Racer has been juiced for […]
Streetfilms Looking for Freelancers (May 9, 2008)

With an enormous number of livable streets stories and activities on the horizon in NYC this summer, Streetfilms will be looking for help. So if you are very good with a camera, know transportation issues and are familiar with the current momentum of livable streets, send us your deets! The process to apply […]
Snackin’ & Schwag for Cyclists in Queens (May 8, 2008)

If it’s Bike Month, then Transportation Alternatives must be hosting their annual commuter pit stops with help from NYC DOT and the five Boro President’s offices. Yesterday, it was a Queens afternoon snack and we thought we’d take the pulse of cyclists departing the QBB as they got some rehydration and filled their packs […]
Melbourne: A Pedestrian Paradise (May 5, 2008)

Finally cajoled into taking the long trip to Melbourne, I was told to expect a city where walking abounded, where the streets were flowing with energy, where the quality of public space would blow my mind. Little did I know my already high expectations would be pleasantly exceeded.
Melbourne is simply wonderful. You can […]
Janette Sadik-Khan’s “Sustainable Streets” (April 29, 2008)

Last night at the Municipal Art Society, NYC DOT Commissioner, Janette Sadik-Khan, and her team unveiled “Sustainable Streets” - a Strategic Plan for 2008 and beyond. The house was packed and since many weren’t able to get a ticket to the hottest livable streets party in town, we posted highlights of her historic speech […]
Hal (and Kerri) Grade Your Bike Locking (April 27, 2008)

Nearly five years ago, legendary bike mechanic Hal Ruzal and I walked the streets surrounding Bicycle Habitat and graded the bike locking ability of New Yorkers - producing many humorous and enlightening anecdotes. The resulting video aired frequently on bikeTV and at many festivals, and because of it - Hal is […]
Street Transformations: Meat Market Plaza (April 25, 2008)

With announcements from city agencies coming fast and furious, Streetfilms will attempt to document what we can during this on-going renaissance for pedestrians, cyclists and denizens of NYC. This is not only important for our city, but to show the rest of the world the incredible leaps being attempted here. Heck, there’s no […]
Baltimore gets a Ciclovia! (April 15, 2008)

Greg Cantori, Executive Director of the Marion I. & Henry J. Knott Foundation, has been trying to get Baltimore to put in place a Ciclovia for over two years. With the help of other organizations - and now called Sunday Streets - this October it will (read his entry on the Audacious Ideas blog.) […]
The Mayor and Tyra Plant a Tree! (April 9, 2008)

While out filming livable streets improvements around Gansevoort and Ninth Avenue today, we roamed into a quagmire of paparazzi in a feeding frenzy. Soon it was apparent why: Mayor Bloomberg and Tyra Banks showed up briefly to beautify our physically separated bike lane on Ninth Avenue by planting a tree!
As Streetfilms viewers […]
Over 500K Streetfilms watches (and we’re just getting started…) (April 2, 2008)

In the past year, Streetfilms have been watched a half million times, and with postings on other sites like YouTube! along with advocates organizing screenings all over the world - and some film festivals - the true number is somewhere beyond that.
The momentum continues. The list of cities and countries has been incredible. Just […]
Lounging & Lollygaging in Wodonga (March 25, 2008)

David Engwicht is a livable streets philosopher and author. Creator of the Walking School Bus, Mental Speed Bumps and many other innovative ways of taming traffic and increasing pedestrian safety, he has taken on “the challenge of a lifetime” to revitalize the downtown district of Wodonga, a small city in Australia often referred to […]
Chicanes In My Neighborhood (March 10, 2008)

With sincerest apologies to Fred Rogers, let’s go for a walk in Clarence Eckerson’s Neighborhood - where you will see a livable streets phenomenon created by (gulp!) double-parked cars.
On alternate side of the street parking days, many communities in Brooklyn have worked out a deal so car owners are allowed to double park with impunity […]
Lessons from Bogotá (March 4, 2008)

Had enough livable streets lessons from Bogotá? Good. Neither have we.
In the final chapter of our September NYCSR visit to Colombia, where the indefatigable Gil Peñalosa was our tour guide, you’ll find lots of tasty video morsels including: riding the comfortable ciclorutas and cycle paths, a visit to a thriving pedestrian-only […]
Need some Streetfilms on DVD? (March 1, 2008)

Just dropping a note here to let you know if you want to show Streetfilms to your community, or you’re a livable streets advocate who wants to use our films in your work, or are from one of the many bike/livable streets film festivals throughout the world and want to show Streetfilms on the big […]
Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Give Me a Ticket! (February 28, 2008)

I put this together last summer one day while feeling a little sympathy for what it must be like to be a ticket writer in this town. And with the latest debate over parking placards, I thought it was relevant to post.
Basically, while I walked around one afternoon with my camera, […]