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
Transit Commuters Are Stinking Low-Lifes, Subaru Tells Transit Commuters
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Think transit commuters are unwashed, uncouth bums? Subaru does. And the carmaker doesn’t mind telling them so. In recent Canadian editions of Metro — the free daily distributed at transit stops — Subaru ran a two-page spread spouting just about every negative transit, and transit rider, stereotype you can think of. The ad was brought […]
Will the FRA Force Amtrak to Build Pricier High-Speed Trains?
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On the Network today, Systemic Failure highlights what is apparently an ongoing dispute between Amtrak and the Federal Railroad Administration — one that could affect the development of next-gen Acela trains. Systemic Failure says Amtrak was hamstrung by federal requirements into building a custom design for the first Acela, which led to higher costs. From […]
Agenda 21 Alert: Glenn Beck’s Words to Watch
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Sure, we know the movement for “sustainable” transportation and development is a front for Agenda 21, a.k.a. The UN Plot to End Private Property in the United States. But what to do? As with any battle, the first step is identifying the enemy. Fortunately (and none too soon), Glenn Beck has published a “comprehensive list […]
Will Chicago’s Fare Hike Stall Transit Ridership Growth?
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Today, Chicago transit riders are seeing their first fare hike in four years. Though the base fare is unchanged, multi-ride passes are up, including fares for seniors and the disabled. Steven Vance at Network blog Grid Chicago says the circumstances surrounding the increase are reminiscent of “Taken For A Ride,” a 1996 documentary about the […]
NACTO 2012: Leading City DOT Commissioners Talk Transportation Politics
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“To me, the single most fascinating element of politics is the alchemy by which something becomes an issue,” said Chris Hayes, MSNBC host and moderator of the commissioners’ panel on the politics of transportation at the October NACTO Designing Cities conference. The panel, captured in its entirety by Streetfilms, featured NYC DOT’s Janette Sadik-Khan, Chicago […]
Acura: Santa Is Real, and You Better Watch Out
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If you tuned in to the news earlier this week, you likely heard that in 2011 U.S. road fatalities dropped to their lowest level since 1949. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the media practically consider it cause for celebration that *just* 32,000 or so people were killed in motor vehicle crashes last year. Maybe […]
Honda to Sleeping, Distracted and Aggressive Drivers: Don’t Sweat It.
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Honda’s new “We Know You” campaign includes a series of 16-second spots, presented as a medley of sorts in the ad above, which touts the safety features of the new Accord. The Accord comes with a “drift warning” that alerts the driver when the car has entered another lane, a “forward collision warning” light that […]
Is This the Best Transit Ad Ever?
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SF editor’s note: I can personally vouch for the speed, reliability and comfort of Midttrafik, as I relied on it during my semester in Denmark. The idea of investing in transit is popular with Americans, even among those who don’t depend on it. But trains and buses, buses in particular, have always had an image […]
Study: Taxpayer-Backed NBA Arenas Don’t Help Local Economies
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Over the last few decades, sports franchise owners have been hugely successful in convincing governments to give them money in the form of taxpayer-funded stadiums and arenas. A favored approach is to threaten to pull up stakes and move a team, and its attendant economic benefits, to another city. Though taxpayers are often left holding […]
Bikes, Bikes, and… Bikes!
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It’s all bikes, all the time on the Network today. Chicago Hails Loop Lane: On Sunday, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced a new protected bike lane on Dearborn Street. “The new route connects the near north side with the south loop and is designed to appeal to young, tech-savvy commuters who work downtown,” writes A/N […]
Got an Urban Infrastructure Issue? Make the Bureaucrat Work!
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The problem of inadequate infrastructure is not unique to the United States. Nor is the scourge of political dysfunction that leaves commuters stranded waiting for the next bus, pedestrians sprinting across eight lanes of traffic, and motorists stuck in gridlock. It may not be the first place you’d look for guerrilla-style protest, but in Yekaterinburg, […]
When the Streets Belonged to All, and All Belonged on the Streets
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It’s been a little over a year since Raquel Nelson was convicted of vehicular homicide for attempting to cross a street with her kids in suburban Atlanta. Much of the public responded not with outrage, or demands that municipalities improve conditions for pedestrians, but with victim-blaming vitriol, passed along in news stories with headlines like […]