I’m dissappointed that SEPTA now forbids bikes on the R1 line, and I suggest that SEPTA approach the challenge of accommodating large bags and bikes on the same train in a creative way.

I’m not sure the R1 works as well as it could.  It’s still pretty awkard lugging your bags around, up to the top rack, etc. “But, I’ve got these these bags..” is one of the biggest excuses folks use to avoid using transit and instead drive or taxi to the airport.  It would be nice for SEPTA to innovate a little here and designate a special space for large bags, bikes, strollers, etc. aboard the R1 line.

I’d like SEPTA to consider this: How do you make this connection as easy and comfortable as possible, considering there is a large transportation hub (PHL) at the end of the line?

If you only have a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.

Sincerely,
Steve Bozzone

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One misconception I held was that if someone was on the street, they were avoiding the shelter system due to a variety of valid concerns. This may be true for some folks experiencing homelessness, but many people are interested in warm, clean places to sleep and meet their basic needs. The problem is capacity: there are simply not enough beds to house those on the street, largely due to a lack of capital and operational funding. In Atlanta, where thousands have no beds in shelter and the homeless are defacto banned from the city center, one solution has been large warehousing of the homeless. It is not pretty or comfortable, but it is a shade better than sleeping on the street. Most of the funding for those shelters are through private contributions. Our country refuses to fulfill the basic human right of housing for all. Instead, we see homelessness as an inconvenience, an eyesore.  We criminalize homelessness and push it further to the outskirts of society.  As long as we cannot see it, it must not exist.

Along with an incredible list of non-profits, who have taken on the task of providing basic needs and transitioning the homeless to affordable housing, there is also the ground-up solution of tent cities.  Tent cities allow safe spaces for homeless housing. Tent cities have their own governance, all the officers and decision-makers are also residents. Tent cities provide a source of autonomy that many shelters (once you wait 3 months for a bed) cannot provide. Many tent cities are operated on unused private or public land, sometimes in violation of property laws. It seems that a simple solution would be the provisioning of public land for this use, but because tent cities require a degree of visibility, there is resistance from more affluent citizens.

The Pacific Northwest has gradually accepted tent cities as part of the solution toward ending homelessness.  Such efforts in the Northeast have generally been installed as protest, although there is now a tent city in Camden, NJ. Dignity Village in Portland is part of a movement to create tent cities across the country.  Here are 2 videos that give a glimpse into the world of a tent city:

Working in the Winter Warming Center, a more temporary and crude housing option for homeless residents, I’ve seen how much can be done with little resources. We’re able to house about 100 homeless residents for about $1000 a night. Surely we can come up with the funding to support all of our homeless, if we can muster up the political will to do so.

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I’m fairly certain this will be the last physical CD I’ll ever produce. Based on my informal survey of friends and family, while considering my personal habits, I’ve concluded digital distribution is the easiest way to get music to the audience. During the physical package production, while it was exciting to design and print a beautiful package, it was hard to ignore the feeling of obsolescence. The challenge is to create the same excitement for digital without the physical. Artist Alina Josan did a great job at giving this album illustrations to help make it come alive.

Photos, videos and other stories still to come. Shout Magic is now spread far and wide, but we still have intentions to create! The internet will become the headphone extension of our new expatriated lives in Amsterdam, DC, Philly and Portland.

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The Bicycle Coalition obtained copies of the bills from Council staff today. Click to download DiCicco’s registration bill and DiCicco’s comments and Councilman Kenney’s increased penalties bill and no brake confiscation bill.

You can write and call Councilman Kenney (215) 686-3450, (215) 686-3451 and Councilman DiCicco (215) 686-3458, (215) 686-3459 directly and express your viewpoint about these bills. As stated in our press release, the Bicycle Coalition believes that to achieve better compliance with traffic laws equitable and consistent education and enforcement of current laws must be implemented.

Here is a press release from the BCGP, elaborating its position on the proposals:

PROPOSED BICYCLE REGULATIONS WILL NOT SOLVE PHILADELPHIA’S TRAFFIC SAFETY PROBLEMS

November 19, 2009. Philadelphia, PA. The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia opposes bills that are being introduced today by Councilman Frank DiCicco and James Kenney to increase penalties and require license plates on bicycles.

“This is the wrong approach,” said Sarah Clark Stuart, Campaign Director. “Bicyclists shouldn’t be singled out when the problem is all road users – motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians – bending the law to suit their own needs, with little if any consequences. The absence of adequate enforcement has led some road users to develop bad habits that endanger themselves and others.”

“These bills won’t make Philadelphia’s streets safer,” said Advocacy Director John Boyle. “The problem is not that penalties are too low, the problem is that tickets are rarely given out. It is pointless to increase penalties as proposed by Councilman Kenney when the current penalty system has existed only on paper,” he added. Other cities, including Los Angeles, Houston, Washington DC, Detroit, Albuquerque, and the states of Minnesota and Massachusetts have all repealed laws similar to Councilman DiCicco’s proposal. Los Angeles’ Police Department Chief directly recommended to LA’s City Council that their program be discontinued. Said Boyle, “Bicycle license plates are impractical and unworkable. Let’s learn from other cities’ experiences and not waste time and resources on an ineffective program.”

“Enforcement can work and up to now, traffic enforcement hasn’t been a priority,” said Breen Goodwin, Education Director. “To achieve better compliance with traffic laws, the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia believes that equitable and consistent education and enforcement of current laws on all road users must be implemented. Until that happens, enacting higher penalties or registration programs is ineffective and counterproductive.”

Like many others in Philadelphia, the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia recognizes that the city’s streets are chaotic. In the absence of adequate enforcement, all road users – motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians – bend the law to suit their own needs, with little if any consequences. This situation has led some road users to develop bad habits that endanger themselves and others.

Philadelphia’s streets need to be made safer for everyone. The first step toward safer streets is equitable and consistent enforcement of traffic laws as they apply to all road users. Up to now, traffic enforcement has not been a priority. The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia urges City Council and the Nutter Administration to implement immediately an equitable and consistent traffic education and enforcement program to enforce the laws that are currently on the books before City Council raises penalties, requires mandatory registration, and puts other restrictions in place. Safety education coupled with enforcement, applied equitably to all road users, is the first step to improve safety for all.

The Philadelphia Police Department appears to be ready to engage in enforcement in tandem with the Bicycle Coalition’s Bicycle Ambassadors education program. The Bicycle Coalition urges City Council to help develop a strategy for an equitable and consistent traffic enforcement and education campaign applicable to all road users. The Bicycle Coalition looks forward to working with city officials to help calm the streets.

With regards to laws requiring registration and licensing of bicycles, the Bicycle Coalition does not support a mandatory program. Among other issues, we are concerned about the potential for a registration program to discourage riders, impose financial disincentives, and expose the City to numerous legal issues. Peer cities and states have passed and then repealed registration and licensing programs. We recommend a thorough investigation of registration and licensing programs in other cities to determine whether such programs would help or hinder efforts to achieve peace on Philadelphia’s streets.

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Consider who in Philly would be most affected by such a law, and how it would be enforced. Why is there so much focus on vulnerable road users violating the law, when most people involved in serious driving crashes are rarely held accountable?

I vehemently oppose the confiscation of one’s bike as an enforcement tactic.  I do, however, support increased enforcement of existing traffic law for ALL forms of transportation.  There is no reason to increase fines and impose confiscation on laws that are not presently enforced.

If you live in Philadelphia: find out what district you’re in &  identify your council member(s).  Contact them so they know why mandatory bicycle registration is bad for everyone!

Oregon recently went through a similar drive to mandate bicycle registration.  Here’s how it was received.

The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia has published a position statement, along with a list of cities that have repealed existing bicycle registration laws.  These cities include Detroit, Houston, Washington DC, Los Angeles, and Albuquerque.

“Among other issues, we are concerned about the potential for a registration program to discourage riders, impose financial disincentives, and expose the City to numerous legal issues.”
- BCGP

Here is the press release from DiCicco’s office on the bill:

DICICCO TO REQUIRE BICYCLE REGISTRATION
November 18, 2009

Responding to recent reports of problem bicyclists, Philadelphia City Councilman Frank DiCicco announced today that he will introduce legislation requiring bicycle registration.

“This legislation is about public safety and about being able to identify cyclists that break the law,” DiCicco said.  “How many times have we seen cyclists on the sidewalk, going the wrong way on a one-way street or running red lights?  But there’s no way for the police or for the public to identify the rider.  Registration will help hold problem cyclists responsible.”

DiCicco continued, “Registration will also allow for a point of contact so we can provide educational materials.  It will let us inform riders what behavior is legal, appropriate and what penalties they may face.”

The proposal requires that every rider registers his/her bicycle with the Police Department within six months of final passage of the legislation.  In addition, each bicycle must be registered within ten days of the time of sale.  Registration plates are required to be attached to each bicycle.  The one-time registration will cost $20 and failure to register will result in a $100 fine.  Any bicyclist under 12 will be exempt from registration.

Recognizing that some in the bicycle community may have concerns, DiCicco responded saying “This is the beginning of a conversation.  It isn’t an effort to restrict bicycle usage.  Rather it is an attempt to improve safety and education.  I look forward to working with the Bicycle Coalition as a partner and am open to their suggestions to make this legislation better.  Having said that, we need to get a handle on bicycle enforcement and I’m convinced registration is a piece of that puzzle.”

Bicycle registration is not a magic bullet for holding cyclists accountable.  This proposal is distracting, more of the current energy to blame bicyclists for just being there, whereas people driving around in huge metal machines are often given the benefit of the doubt.  This remains an issue even in bicycle-haven Oregon.

I  look forward to increased traffic education and enforcement of frequent violations (i.e. sidewalk riding, running red lights, speeding, etc.) for both people driving and people cycling.  This type of traffic enforcement in long overdue in Philadelphia, where the current state of enforcement is pathetic.  I think education and enforcement of existing traffic law would be more effective than DiCicco’s bills.

Bike culture in Philly has to change, the red light running will have to stop, and we can do this within current law.  Why change the culture?  Because bicycle riders need to be seen as law-obiding, real, we-pay-taxes-too assets to the city, not the scofflaw menace people on bikes are currently portrayed as.  I believe this is why the Bike Coalition encourages enforcement, but is not behind the mandatory registration bills or increased fines.

Read more coverage in the Philly Daily News.  Photo credit: improbcat

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Fill out a quick survey about Philadelphia-area nonprofits: http://www.generocity.org/take-5-give-5 and Generocity will donate $5 to Neighborhood Bike Works! Just enter “Neighborhood Bike Works” as your nonprofit of choice. NBW’s address: 3916 Locust Walk, Philadelphia PA 19104.

via Timothy Colman

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