Bike Books I Recommend: Policy Edition

For obvious reasons (if you know what my professional life has been since 2012, that is) these types of books take up a fair amount of shelf space at my house and occupy memory on my e-reader. Buy these at…Continue Reading

Ian Mackay (in power wheelchair with red awning) finishing his trip east to west across Washington state in 2018 with friends riding, rolling and running on the Olympic Discovery Trail.

Every Thursday night since 2010, bike-friendly people have gathered on Twitter to attend an hour of “#BikeSchool”. Participants follow the hashtag and answer questions asked by a guest “professor.” No academic credentials required to serve as guest prof, mind you.…Continue Reading

In my work at Washington State Department of Transportation, where I’m Director of the Active Transportation Division, I put out an e-newsletter 2-3 times a month. If you subscribe (everyone welcome!) you’ll get two types of emails: A news round-up…Continue Reading

Image of blue and white bicycle on bright green background. Text at bottom: My New Year's Resolution: Bike More!

#BikeIt: What’s On Your List?

You know what a bucket list is — the things you want to do before you die. I’m not looking quite that far ahead with this #BikeIt list, just musing about things related to bicycling that might strike you as entertaining, inspiring,…Continue Reading

Green apple on the outside, orange sections on the inside

Slice and Dice Data Rant: Who’s Really Number One?

If you haven’t read A Bit of a Rant on Data and Data Rant Continued, they’ll provide additional context for this. You wouldn’t think a place would vie for the title “Most Dangerous Intersection in the US.” But somehow a…Continue Reading

Dangerous Intersection road sign, isolated on white

Data Rant Continued: What a Tangled Web

I like a good infographic as much as the next person. They’re eye-catching, they get passed around a lot, they’re more readable than dense academic papers full of footnotes (sorry, academics). So when I saw one highlighting “the most dangerous…Continue Reading

Road sign that reads Dangerous Intersection Ahead

A Bit of a Rant on Data

I’m a wee bit active on Twitter, where I find many resources, experts I can quickly question on a fine point of transportation policy or design, and inspiration. By now we all recognize the dark side as well — the…Continue Reading

A week after wrapping up the longest bike travel effort I’ve ever undertaken, what’s going on mentally, physically, and professionally? (since I took a vacation that relates to my work life) The policy aftereffects– Biking in a different part of the…Continue Reading

I Came to a Fork in the Road

This post is a lightly edited version of my storytelling at the 2017 National Bike Summit. Pedal Love founder Melissa Balmer organized several members of the Pedal Love Culture & Lifestyle Council to tell stories for the opening plenary session…Continue Reading

Broken Elbow Style Is Sleeveless

On a balmy Tuesday evening in July I pedaled south along the Elliott Bay Trail en route from a meeting in Seattle’s Pioneer Square to my home in White Center. In a number of places along the heavily traveled multi-use…Continue Reading