This problem becomes pretty blatantly obvious whenever you ask a local of a biking city, what they wish they could improve in terms of bicycles in their city. They usually are concerned about the well-being of their two-wheelers and are always looking for a good way to make sure it’s safe and sound. This problem has been solved in the past by the use of bike locks but bike locks these days aren’t as reliable as they used to be as criminals adapt to the new materials that these barriers are made of. So it’s important to know which bike lock is the most criminal-proof out of all the brands as well as the most convenient to assure the utmost safety and comfort to all the cyclists in the world. 
Monthly Archives: October 2016
S2 Presentation Reflection
I was extremely happy with the presentation; it went exactly how I wanted it to go. My presentation was about the dangers of biking in San Francisco and the different ways cyclists in San Francisco take precaution. I kept my posture and my position as a speaker in the room and was loud enough for everyone to hear without being too obnoxious about it. I modeled my presentation on one of the most famous keynote companies of all time, Apple. The black background that they use over any images or text really makes the audience focus on whatever is on the screen. But just like Apple, the presentations were not jam-packed with information so the audience could easily prioritize the speaker instead of the keynote. Another thing we could learn from Apple that I used in my presentation was the way they used cues for each slide in the presentation. Changing slides at a specific moment in your presentation could create a bigger impact for anyone listening; matching the visuals to the words coming out of the speaker. I also think that I did the conclusion pretty well in correlation to the excerpt about conclusions given in class. During the presentation, the evidence that I collected from around town as well as the research from organizations like SFMTA, San Francisco Bike Coalition and pedbike were shown as well to assure credibility.
I really enjoyed Helen’s presentation because of the photos she had of her out on the field doing research for the project. It made it seem personal and made me find the information she presented more credible. Though she used index cards, her information was presented smoothly; it was obvious that she had a lot of practice before she came into the room that day. I had index cards too so I could only hope to look as well-contained as she did.
I practiced a lot as well; especially to my roommate who gave me pointers on keeping me under 4 minutes. A lot of information was retracted due to his advice and the presentation seemed a lot more streamlined and was omitted of any excess information by the time we were done. He also helped me choose what visuals to use; the visuals ended up being a split of original photography work from me and stock photos from the internet. The practice was extremely helpful; some people may be able to go on stage and present something without preparation but practice is necessary to have a presentation that is delivered fluidly while being concise and to the point. Though evidence should be presented; it should only be a certain percentage of your presentation. Though evidence does increase credibility, too much evidence can bore the audience and you can lose their attention very quickly.
I also enjoyed Breanna’s presentation on Uber v Bikes because it gave me a perspective that I had never thought of before. Whenever I get in on an Uber, there are times when they would end up parking in the bike lanes for convenience sake but I assumed that the flashing emergency light would make everything legal. But this is not the case and Breanna’s presentation showed me this insight. All in all, for my S3 Presentation, I would still do a lot of the same things I did in this presentation but this time I would better remember my own cues to the presentation to have the entire talk have more of an impact to the audience.
Kant Kill Cyclists
Though both articles may have been talking about cycling and it’s dangers in a world full of automobiles, the approaches that the Cohen and Duane take towards solving these issues are at the opposite ends of the spectrum. Randy Cohen’s article, If Kant Were a New York Cyclist, talks about his own personal experience as a cyclist in New York City. He feels that the rules that are imposed upon the cyclists are just copied from the same rulebook as the automobiles. The differences in size and agility between the two vehicles are so large that Cohen considers the only ethical way to ride is to abide by his own rules. Running stop signs and rolling through cross walks; according to Cohen, these actions are ethical and only seems fair since bicycles are being categorized with something that does not bear any similarities between them. Juxtaposed with Cohen’s article, Duane’s column takes a more mundane approach; but an approach that seems more feasible and legally ethical in the eyes of the public. Duane talked about how unjust the system is when it comes to cyclists getting hit by cars on the street. Even if cyclists are killed, if there was no alcohol or reckless driving, the perpetrator usually gets away scot-free with just a slap on the wrist. This seems like an issue that needs some serious attention compared to Cohen’s article which doesn’t necessarily even have to be an issue if people could just abide by the rules enforced. Though freedom of speech allows Cohen’s article on the same playing field as Duane’s, some issues are obviously much more consequential and should be tended to before the others. But these issues shouldn’t sway people to get off their bikes to give up on this transportation lifestyle. Biking still is amazing fun and is extremely practical in this growing city. Plus, the number of cycling accidents has decreased by 7.5 percent since 2001; which is moving at a small pace but a space forward nonetheless.
If people followed Duane’s final words of just following the rules and respecting each other, the streets will be much safer and a happier place to ride.
Enrique Peñalosa’s Conclusion
Enrique Peñalosa didn’t have a signpost to indicate him going into his conclusion. But he just concluded by restating his whole point and telling people to use his solution to make their countries a better place. He reassured everyone the efficiency of his plans and pleaded other countries to follow suit. Ending with facts in his conclusion may not be ideal, but it got the point across that people can do so much better then they are doing right now. Enrique did have a clincher by showing the audience of the bright future that these new plans; if implemented, could bring towards other countries.
Superblocks
This is a video I found that really related to the article written by the Co-Founder of Lyft, Zimmers. It perfectly conveys Zimmer’s issue of automobiles taking over a majority of living space and offers a solution that not only gives human beings more space to walk around, but more space for activities.
S2 Presentation Write Out
“Dangers of biking in San Francisco & the different ways cyclists in SF take precaution”
I’d like to find out more about how the different infrastructure that San Francisco has compared to other cities, has a toll on the bicycle culture here. The hills, narrow streets, fog, wind and public transportation creates a very different environment from the other cities that has a prominent bicycle culture as well. I would find out the different rules that San Franciscan cyclists have compared to cyclists of other cities just like how San Franciscan drivers have to tilt their wheels sideways when parking on a hill. The different rules that people have here could mean a whole new way of riding for people visiting from other places.
My plan for gathering information is looking up on San Franciscan bike organizations and seeing the rules and policies posted on their websites. I would then compare these policies to the rules and regulations of other cities with very different infrastructures from San Francisco. Also going around town and seeing the different landscapes and how a cyclist would have to cope with this will also give me a good idea of the dangers of riding in San Francisco. 
Fusion
The Gleeson database Fusion was not much help for me because most of the articles I found could not relate to my S2 Topic of “Dangers of biking in San Francisco & the different ways SF cyclists take precaution”. Though there are no articles stating laws or any insight about the dangers of biking, the closest article to my topic was a page called “Bicycling renaissance in North America? An update and re-appraisal of cycling trends and policies” talking about safety and policies of biking in Canada and USA.
TED Talk : Enrique Peñalosa
This talk was given by a mayor named Enrique Peñalosa who has tried and tested theories to figure out the most efficient way to keep human mobility in the city. In this talk, he presented ways he had changed his country and how it has worked towards creating a safe and equal space for all members of the community. Equality was a key point in his speech; in which he discussed how the equity of space and quality of space given to different mediums of transportation can translate to the equity of social classes. Just this key change in an economy can change the way of life for the millions living inside the city.
His hand gestures and staying pretty constant on the stage kept us focused and engaged in his talk. His loud and clear tone adds to this effect as well. The presentation also proved to us that visuals do not need to be of good quality to capture the attention of your audience. If the visuals support the point that the speaker is trying to make, it marks the trait of a good visual.
Enrique used evidence to convey to the listeners the amount of damage that the way of living we have grown accustomed to is causing. Mentioning to the audience of how 10,000 children die for car accidents every year can make the listeners realize the error of their ways.
