http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/0,28757,1819594,00.html

TIME Magazine lists "10 Things You Can Like About $4 Gas." Some are obvious (less pollution? really?), but there are a few surprises, such as "more cops on the beat." My favorite line: "cops are being told to cut down on idling their cruisers — which is sort of like telling a teenager to stop using his cell phone." 

People are asking me "How do I fight for more buses and how do I support CART?". There are a lot of ways, pick the method that suits you best.

We're up +50% month-to-month for the second month in a row. I'd rank the probable causes as:

The New York Times points out the ways that high gas prices do - and don't - emulate the proposed effects of congestion pricing.

C-J: "U.S. House approves transit bill that would aid TARC"

Bottom line: 4.6 million over 2 years and Feds would pick up 100% match on either hybrid busses ($525,000 free!) or the cost difference between hybrids and diesels ($200,000 free!). Either way a good deal. This still needs to pass the Senate and get signed by the President. After that it will roughly negate half of the budget shortfall from high diesel prices. That's not counting the ~5% shortfall in projected occupational tax revenue. Bottom line: A promising step but not a pancea.

Okay, though I'm still waiting to hear back from some people, here's my take on the Metro Council meeting:

Tina Ward-Pugh asked us to speak on our proposal.

We got up and talked briefly on the "why" you might want to do this thing. Synopsis: have you looked at fuel prices lately?

Judith Green asked: "So does TARC actually support this proposal?"

We said: We can't answer for TARC.

Pasted from the Bicycling for Louisville website:

Focus on the Road

A Vulnerable Road User Law for Kentucky

In Kentucky, when a driver breaks a traffic law and kills or injures another person, he faces no criminal penalties in the overwhelming majority of cases. Unless the driver is intoxicated or flees the scene, killing someone by breaking a traffic law usually carries no penalties other than increased insurance premiums.

There is a loophole in Kentucky's traffic law.

CART to address Metro Council regarding increased TARC funding proposal

On Monday we need all friends of Transit to turn out at the Metro Council Transportation & Public Works meeting. Show our leaders that transit is a priority.

The meeting is at 5pm sharp at City Hall.

CART is proposing the city increase funding to TARC by $40 million to restore bus service to meet current demand and massively improve the system. Read our full proposal here.

After-party at Bearno's by the Bridge, 131 W. Main Street. 584-7437. Bring your own pizza money! Wheelchair accessible through the back.

Jon is leaving his position as Bike/Ped coordinator for Louisville. The position has not been eliminated. CART is sad to see him go, and wishes him success in his next endeavor.

Famous Global Warming Scientist basically gives up on the world's remaining oil. "Oil is going to get used and it's going to get in the atmosphere . . . and it doesn't really matter much how fast we burn it" because it'll all be burned soon anyway. But: "Coal is the one that we could prevent, so I think the most important near-term thing is to say let's have a moratorium on coal." Read the whole article at the Washington Post.