Tonight is Night Rail! Will You Be There?

Copenhagenize (and Newsweek and msnbc) recently wrote about demotorization. In Japan, auto sales are decreasing as people are choosing bicycles and public transportation over cars.

Photo courtesy of Vitoden

But demotorizing doesn't need to be an all or none proposition. Perhaps you demotorize one day a month or one day a week. Even these small changes can save you money and increase the quality of your day.

So how about demotorizing tonight?

At 10pm tonight, your friends, neighbors and local bloggers will be meeting at Monti's and Maizies (Central and Camelback Light Rail Station) for the first ever Night Rail.

Photo courtesy of Michael Ruiz

Will you be there?

Long Live The Pedicabs!

Photo courtesy of Hector Acuna

On game nights, weekends and special events, there is one type of bicycle that is ubiquitous on the downtown Phoenix city streets: pedicabs. They were the main form of alternative "public transport" downtown before the light rail opened. And now they are feeling the effects of the big silver competitors.

I hope that light rail and pedicabs can co-exist and flourish together. What do you think?

How Often Do You Experience TP?

Is the economy making you sweat? Are you just not finding as much money to frequent brothels as you used to? In Berlin, brothels are providing discounts to patrons arriving on bicycle.

Meanwhile, in Phoenix...not only do companies not provide incentives to cyclists, but there is a penalty in the form of Transportation Prejudice (TP).

My husband ran into TP this weekend after taking advantage of the new late weekend light rail hours. Exiting the train at 2:30am, he decided he wanted a snack before going home. But thanks to TP, it took him an hour and four establishments before this simple task was completed.

Here are the three establishments that did not serve him food in the drive-through (the main restaurant being closed) because he was on his bicycle.

Photo courtesy of whoohoo120	Photo courtesy of strangely	Photo courtesy of strangely

His treatment varied from polite explanation that it was against company policy to hiding, ignoring, staring and calling the police.


He ended up getting food at Filibertos whose main restaurant was open and who were happy to have his business and his bike in their establishment.

Photo courtesy of Rail Life	Photo courtesy of Jonathan Boeke

Do you have any recommendations on cycling friendly establishments? Have you ever experienced TP?