One Street News

October 2013

Vol. 6, Issue 7

  1. Bike Shift Lever is Funded!
  2. Resources – Mythbusters Tests a Roundabout
  3. Hot Topics – Is the Term “Accident” Letting Killers Off?

Bike Shift Lever is Funded!

We made it! Thanks to 175 generous donors from all over the world, we actually surpassed our Kickstarter funding goal for our Bike Shift Lever project for a grand total of $10,760 – fantastic! This means that we can start today on next steps toward producing this simple, durable shift lever designed for people who rely on their bicycle.

Kickstarter keeps the pages of successful projects posted indefinitely, so you can read all about the project and look for updates on our Bike Shift Lever for Anybody, by Anybody page there.

Thanks to all of you who pledged and forwarded the link to your networks! We couldn’t have done it without you.

Our Bike Shift Lever project is just the first bike part we look forward to producing through One Street Components. Keep an eye on that page as well for updates and news on our Bike Shift Lever as wells as our next bike parts projects.

Resources – Mythbusters Tests a Roundabout

Mythbusters is a fun TV show in the U.S. that uses scientific methods to debunk common myths. But they don’t stay in their cubicles with test tubes and calculators. They create life-sized models of objects involved in the myth and set them in motion in real time.

They recently used part of their show to take on myths about roundabouts. Enjoy this ten minute video of that segment of their show and their very interesting findings

Hot Topics – Is the Term “Accident” Letting Killers Off?

In some areas of the world, the use of the term “accident” to describe traffic collisions has come under fire. The main argument centers around the definition of the term as meaning something that was out of the control of those involved, that there was no way to prevent it.

At One Street, we avoid using this term and instead choose words like crash or collision when discussing these unfortunate events. We believe it opens the discussion to finding ways of preventing similar crashes in the future, even assessing how the roadway was designed originally. If the crash had truly been an “accident,” such efforts would be a waste of time.

Sometimes the use of the term “accident” can cause far worse harm such as when it leads to aggressive drivers not being charged for killing a cyclist. Because of this, earlier this year the New York Police Department officially changed their policy and will no longer be using “accident” to describe traffic crashes. Read more in this article.

This debate has gone on for many years as evidenced in this 2009 online discussion promoting the continued use of the term “accident.” We also find it is commonly used in countries where English is only a secondary language.

Take a look at the links. Consider your own experience. Is it worth changing policy as they have done in New York to stop the use of this term? What would it take to make such a change in a non-English-speaking country and is it worth it? If you have further thoughts to share, please email them to Sue Knaup at sue{at}onestreet.org.