T: Is for Transportation!

The big news today is that three of the major car companies are about to go under. In july the MTA is planning on raising the fare to $2.50. Gas is rising and falling and is unstable. Todays column is on alternative transportation and the cool ways to get around.

I just got a bike and within one week the tires were shot and I heard horror stories that were an attempt to frighten me to beware. However I am on the fearless side and to me it was more of a challenge. I researched and found Rock The Bike. This on-line store has nifty ways to stay safe and look out of this world. Fashionista bike here I come! First up...city tires that glow at night.
Fun cruiser-width tires help you turn your two-wheeled thing into a bike that is easy to see. If you enjoy the feeling of rolling up on a stylish cruiser to cafes and events here's the item that provides safety and glamor. They provide unmatched curbside appeal for your wheels. It's impossible for people not to notice. Sweetskinz tires also include integrated reflective patterns in the tread. It's easy to see which part is reflective whenever you take flash photos of your bike with Sweetskinz installed. The part that looks silver / grey in the daytime, becomes active at night when light shines on it. Certainly for use on a city bike or cruiser, Sweetskinz pumped up to 60-70 psi will roll well, with very few flats. (Flat tires are much more likely when you ride with 20-40 psi.)


Night blindness? Not with this product, Down Low Glow provides the 'cool safety' experience customers rave about. With the Down Low Glow bike you can worry less about getting hit, and focus more on the joys of the night riding. Don't waste it wondering whether cars will see you. With six beautiful colors to choose it features a lightweight rechargeable battery, easy no-tools mounting kit, shockproof light tubes, and picture-book owner's manual. The whole system weighs in just over a pound. It won't slow you down, but it will enhance your safety. The Down Low Glow comes with GSR ("Gimme Some Room") Technology. The whole point of GSR technology is to make you and your bike seem wider on the road than you actually are. GSR technology helps make it clear to drivers what part of the road is yours, and what part of the road is theirs. So when cars pass you, they are likely to give you more breathing room. Did you know that nearly 70% of all nighttime bicycle-car collisions are due to side visibility? Most LED-based safety lights aim forwards or backwards. Installation is easy and fits bikes of all types and sizes. It takes about 5-10 minutes to put the Down Low Glow on your bike for the first time. When you get good, you’ll get it down under a minute or two. For the single tube version of the Down Low Glow, installation times are about 50% lower. Either way. you'll be out rolling on a cloud of colored neon light the same night you receive your order.

For Hybrid lovers Audi recently revealed their slick A1 Sportback Hybrid at this year’s Paris Motor Show. Based on the A1 project Quattro concept released last year in Tokyo, the 5-door plug-in hybrid can run for 60 miles on a single charge, after which it gets an exceptional 72.4 mpg. The Sportback is powered by 1.4 TFSI petrol engine in addition to a 27hp electric motor that adds 150 Nm of torque, giving the vehicle a zippy 0-60 speed of 7.9 seconds. The vehicle is also able to calculate its fuel efficiency ahead of time, by determining changes in altitude and calculating how much extra power will be required as you drive.

There are many alternative forms of travel, you just need to check them out and that is a F.A.C.T.