Instead of over-regulating urban traffic the Dutch concept “shared space” argues for giving the responsibility back to all traffic participants. Instead of scattering traffic signs, traffic lights, and marker lines all over, the design of the public space itself is considered to have the most influence on how car drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians behave. Basic tools are roundabouts, small bumps, and street contractions using water fountains or flower tubs (Wikipedia):

Safety, congestion, economic vitality and community severance can be effectively tackled in streets and other public spaces if they are designed and managed to allow traffic to be fully integrated with other human activity, not separated from it. A major characteristic of a street designed to this philosophy is the absence of traditional road markings, signs, traffic signals and the distinction between “road” and “pavement”. User behaviour becomes influenced and controlled by natural human interactions rather than by artificial regulation.

Also check out the examples from German towns Haslach and Wolfach. Very interesting i think …

via Rad-Spannerei blog: Diskussionsveranstaltung Shared Space

Heute tagsüber war es noch sonnige 22° C und jetzt kurz nach Mitternacht schneit es und die Temperatur liegt um den Gefrierpunkt. Das ist allerdings nicht nur dem Temperaturunterschied zwischen Tag und Nacht geschuldet. Heute gab es nämlich Föhn zum Mittag direkt von den Rocky Mountains. Die Calgarianer nennen das dann Chinook.

Michael Wesch, the maker of the video about hypertext and the web, created another video. This time he explains to us the changed ways of how information is organized, accessed, and published. I love how the message of these videos are typed and re-edited…

Information R/evolution by Michael Wesch on YouTube

via Valentin and information aesthetics

Now that i have velocipede and shared flat in Calgary – where i am now until spring – i started biking around with my GPS logger on. When i arrive at the university i upload the tracks to OpenStreetMap, add the missing streets and bike tracks. The latter seem to be kind of under-represented probably due to the marginal role of bicycles in Calgary’s commute. So if you have a bike and plan on getting involved with GPS consider contributing to this great open data project, too.

Die Resonanz auf das Strike-Bike aus dem besetzten Fahrradwerk in Nordhausen war so grosz, dass Bestellungen “aus nahezu allen europäischen Ländern sowie aus u.a. Ägypten, den USA, Australien, Kanada, Südafrika, Israel” eingegangen sind. Auf dem Pressespiegel der Kampagne ist nachzulesen, wie die Fahrradbauer aus Nordhausen weltweit für Interesse und Inspiration sorgen. Ich freue mich für die Fahrradbauer und bin begeistert, was ihr Mut und ihre Widerstandskraft bewirkt haben und hoffentlich auch in Zukunft bewirken werden.