Brad Aaron
Brad Aaron began writing for Streetsblog in 2007, after years as a reporter, editor, and publisher in the alternative weekly business. Brad adopted New York's dysfunctional traffic justice system as his primary beat for Streetsblog. He lives in Manhattan.
Recent Posts
Miami DWI Death Galvanizes Cyclists in South Florida
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Cyclists rally in memory of Christophe Le Canne. Photo: rydel/Picasa via Miami Bike Scene The horrific death of a 44-year-old resident of South Miami has enraged cyclists across South Florida, igniting a debate over street safety in a region historically dominated by devil-may-care drivers. On January 17, Christophe Le Canne was out for a Sunday […]
Cellular Industry Gives Big Tobacco a Run for Its Money
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Western Union cellphone ad from 1984. Image via NYT Concerns arose not long after it hit the market. External studies seemed to confirm what industry insiders feared: The product could pose a public health risk. But as sales soared, whistleblowers who didn’t leave their jobs were forced to keep quiet. Companies maintained a posture of […]
Garmin: Chat, Navigate and Steer — But Don’t Drive Distracted
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The first time I saw this ad I thought my eyes and ears were deceiving me. But no, there it is: a young woman holding a cellphone toward the camera as "nüvifone" maker Garmin beckons viewers to "communicate while navigating." "With my nüvifone, I can take calls from my friends while I’m driving to them," […]
LA Road Rage Doc Convicted for Horrific 2008 Cyclist Assault
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Dr. Christopher Thompson is taken away in cuffs Monday. Photo: Los Angeles Times Following a highly-publicized, intensely-followed trial, Christopher Thompson, the physician accused of using his car to seriously injure two cyclists in the Brentwood section of Los Angeles, is behind bars. Thompson was convicted yesterday of six felony counts: two counts each, according to […]
TOD Stalls as Lenders Continue to Bank on Parking
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Elana linked to this story out of Salt Lake City in the Capitol Hill headline stack this morning, and it’s worth everyone’s full attention. Derek Jensen reports on what may be the biggest impediment to urbanism of them all: the widespread bias of banks against walkable development. Salt Lake City’s new-urbanism epiphany — fervently backed […]
Are We Smarter Than a Third Grader? On Livable Streets, Maybe Not.
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The inspiring and, in a way, infuriating story of Elli Giammona popped up on the Streetsblog Network over the weekend. Livable streets prodigy Elli Giammona. Photo: The Missoulian Elli is a 9-year-old in Missoula, Montana who a couple of years ago began to question why she couldn’t bike to school. When her mother explained that […]
The Bicycle is Mightier Than the Chopper in São Paulo, Brazil
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The average commuter in São Paulo, Brazil spends nearly three hours a day stuck in traffic. Gridlock is so prevalent and stifling that the wealthy prefer to get about via helicopter. But the recent São Paulo Intermodal Challenge suggests that human-powered ground transport may be the way to go. PSFK reports: The means of transportation […]
Instant Justice on the Streets of Sacramento
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Here’s another installment in what could ideally become a series on how police departments are doing right by pedestrians and cyclists. We posted the Chicago bike video a couple of weeks back. We now present the Sacramento crosswalk sting. (Warning: Insufferable Geico commercial may precede video.) Back in April, TV station KCRA filmed a plainclothes […]
Ad Nauseam: Jay Leno Plays Vehicular Manslaughter for Laughs
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According to Movieline (via New York Mag), Jay Leno’s new prime time show, set to debut on NBC in September, hasn’t exactly been generating a lot of buzz. But since nothing says funny like a grisly hit-and-run, this promo, co-starring Fred Armisen of "Saturday Night Live," should turn things around. Though I’m pretty sure Leno […]
Wanted: Streets Designed for All
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Picking up on a thread from earlier this week on how street design can be used to prevent high-speed crashes in dense urban environments, today on the Network we hear from Streetsblog regular Andy B from Jersey, via WalkBikeJersey Blog. On a recent drive along the Jersey shore, Andy found Route 35 packed with people, […]
Back-to-School Season Brings Bike-to-School Bans
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As schools across the country open their doors for another year, Robert Ping of the Safe Routes to School National Partnership says students are increasingly facing "bans" against walking and biking to campus. Network member BikePortland.org reports: In Portland, fears of liability turned Safe Routes to School to "Safer Routes." Photo: BikePortland.org "It’s pervasive throughout […]
Gauging a Transpo Bill’s Chances in the Senate
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It remains to be seen whether lawmakers will move on a new long-term federal transportation bill this year. If they do, what might the opposition look like, and how will legislators react? These are the questions posed today by Yonah Freemark at The Transport Politic. To get an idea of how a new funding package […]