Doug Baer
@douglasbaer.bsky.social
75 followers
39 following
230 posts
PhD Sociologist + BES env. studies, urbanist, cyclist, statistics expertise, retired but teaches @ stats pgms Calgary-CCRAM & @ICPSRSummer (& previously GSERM(Switz)).
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Can we talk about restaurant tip % options. Places that give you 22/20/18 what are you doing. I crave variance
Trains + incline railways can take you almost everywhere in #Switzerland.
Where they don't go, the PostBus will take you.
Evolved from a mail-carrying service to remote villages. 882 buses carry 152 million passengers a year.
Famous for yellow livery, and 3-tone klaxon...
🇨🇭🧵
Where they don't go, the PostBus will take you.
Evolved from a mail-carrying service to remote villages. 882 buses carry 152 million passengers a year.
Famous for yellow livery, and 3-tone klaxon...
🇨🇭🧵
My morning commute is 25 minutes by car or 97 minutes by bus.
It is only 58 minutes by bike.
The bus goes half as fast as a BIKE.
It is only 58 minutes by bike.
The bus goes half as fast as a BIKE.
One thing I wish we would do far, far more in our ped/bike/transit writing and advocacy is acknowledge the time tax those modes of transport often incur, and what it means for people to absorb that tax. When we don't, I think it makes us a bit dishonest and weakens our advocacy!
I'm torn. My first ever ball game was in Detroit (grew up halfway between Toronto and Detroit...), and now live a short ferry ride from Seattle.
My heart is cheering for the Tigers, I think... and maybe my brain sees only facing Skubal in game 3 and 7 (if necessary, eek) as a plus.
My heart is cheering for the Tigers, I think... and maybe my brain sees only facing Skubal in game 3 and 7 (if necessary, eek) as a plus.
Okay so are Jays fans cheering for Detroit or Seattle in this context?
Eby repealed a carbon tax that had been working in BC for almost 2 decades in order to make gas a bit cheaper, and handed out $410 million to drivers for basically no reason. And now there's no money for active transport grants. 300 people a year are killed in BC in motor vehicle crashes.
The United States is a Fascist country. And I don't mean that on an ideological-only, lots-of-talk level. The only thing separating this from the SS in Nazi Germany is summary execution - but don't worry, the US is doing that to people on boats in the Gulf.
Another stands trembling in pajamas, hands clasped around a stuffed toy. Agents handcuff adults in line, moving them toward waiting vans a U-Haul, a black transport van, lights flashing.
Outside, helicopters hover overhead, spotlights slicing through the night.
Outside, helicopters hover overhead, spotlights slicing through the night.
This is great! Every student that lives on campus takes pressure off of Victoria's rental market, and reduces commuting. The University has the land—they just need the money to build. Funding this UVic residence was a win-win decision, and one the province should keep repeating.
#yyj
#yyj
Meanwhile Canada officially has no electrified mainline. None. Like not a single inch.
Until the REM started construction, the Deux Montagnes line was technically the only electrified heavy rail in the country. BC used to have an electric coal mine railway.
None is left. None.
Until the REM started construction, the Deux Montagnes line was technically the only electrified heavy rail in the country. BC used to have an electric coal mine railway.
None is left. None.
About 1% of US railway mileage is electrified, with only tiny steps taken to electrify more in recent years (Caltrain) www.fastcompany.com/91178844/ind...
My main problem with spending time in #Switzerland is coming back to North America. A country this sensible makes most transportation policy in other places look idiotic.
Which, of course, it almost always is.
Which, of course, it almost always is.
These voters have moved from boringly-right-wing (cut taxes) to full-on 15 minute-city-WEF conspiracy theorists. There's no centre ground to be found there
"When the carbon tax was scrapped in April, the province eliminated only the low-income tax credit but kept the tax cuts, largely benefiting higher earners." Time to #TaxTheRich!!! @iglikaivanova.bsky.social @bcpolicy.bsky.social vancouversun.com/opinion/op-e... #TaxTheirBillions #bcpoli
Opinion: B.C. has a revenue problem, not a spending problem
Experience from early 2000s shows that underfunding public services and failing to address poverty leads to higher economic and social costs
vancouversun.com
I can find the BC government nearly $4 billion:
1) Reinstate the carbon tax ($2.8B)
2) Cancel electrification funding for LNG ($200M)
3) Cancel 7 soccer games in Vancouver ($650M)
That was easy. Maybe I should be the Minister of Finance.
1) Reinstate the carbon tax ($2.8B)
2) Cancel electrification funding for LNG ($200M)
3) Cancel 7 soccer games in Vancouver ($650M)
That was easy. Maybe I should be the Minister of Finance.
I am a homeowner. I am the last person who needs a rebate.
Eby repealed a carbon tax that had been working in BC for almost 2 decades in order to make gas a bit cheaper, and handed out $410 million to drivers for basically no reason. And now there's no money for active transport grants. 300 people a year are killed in BC in motor vehicle crashes.
Our new social contract is going to require … lots of (fuel)free electricity to keep energy costs down as we electrify everything. But make no mistake, full electrification is the goal by 2050 and we are not ready for it yet.
For thousands of years in urbanized cultures, the “city centre” was an essential site of interaction and commerce.
The internet changed all that, as did mass consumer culture (box stores), and urban decay through lack of investment.
8,000 - 10,000 government workers are no longer downtown.
The internet changed all that, as did mass consumer culture (box stores), and urban decay through lack of investment.
8,000 - 10,000 government workers are no longer downtown.
i'm morbidly curious to know how many of our neighbours were killed by drivers while police were busy giving thousands of tickets to cyclists but i'm afraid to look
A staggering 1 in 4 Canadians faced climate impacts in their communities this summer. The evidence in clear: we need to invest in nation-building, not nation-burning, projects. Read more about why local climate leaders are saying #ElbowsUpforClimate: elbowsupforclimate.ca
This should be a PSA to all bike makers except the super high end race bikes. If you didn't spend 10k on a bike with carbon rims, Schrader valves for you. Standardization is *good*. Presta valves are *bad*.
PSA to kids' bike makers
PLEASE use schrader tubes on your bikes. Rural, low income communities don't have:
A. bike pumps
B. bike shops
C. If they are lucky, the local gas station has a tire inflator for schrader valves.
I just got workout hnd pumping 30 prestas bc my compressor is for schrader.
PLEASE use schrader tubes on your bikes. Rural, low income communities don't have:
A. bike pumps
B. bike shops
C. If they are lucky, the local gas station has a tire inflator for schrader valves.
I just got workout hnd pumping 30 prestas bc my compressor is for schrader.
Doug Baer
@douglasbaer.bsky.social
· Sep 13
This is a Canadian politician, extolling the virtues of the death penalty all while spreading misinformation.
At some point there needs to be consequences for this kind of thing. Rustad is literally calling for someone to be put to death as punishment. Not okay from a Canadian politician.
At some point there needs to be consequences for this kind of thing. Rustad is literally calling for someone to be put to death as punishment. Not okay from a Canadian politician.
Doug Baer
@douglasbaer.bsky.social
· Sep 12
Yeah remember like ten years ago when we were supposed to get High Frequency Rail and that never happened either? I'm not boarding this hype train. Zero belief until the first train rolls out of the station.