Show #173 – December 14, 2013

GUESTS: Bicycle Advocate Janna Chernetz; CEO & President of LiveSTRONG Doug Ulman

 

The psychology of people and their transportation choices fascinates me. Think back to when motor vehicles were the new kid on the block. The then-dominant horse-drawn carriage lobby called automobiles dangerous, noisy, and uncivilized. They were probably convinced that equine-powered transport would be around forever, and that cars were an impractical toy. Except for Amish country, we know how that worked out for them.

Fast-forward to the present day, and the players have changed, but the arguments and beliefs are the same. Our first guest today, Janna Chernetz, of the Tri-State Transportation Campaign, has seen this play out recently in Rutherford, New Jersey. The Rutherford Bike Ring is an ambitious project to add bike lanes and traffic-calming infrastructure to the area around the Meadowlands sports complex. It has broad support from a host of government agencies. And yet, the project was gutted in the space of three months, by a minority of vocal residents. Janna is here with us today to talk about what happened, and to talk about TSTC’s plans for bike/ped friendly rebuilding on the Jersey Shore.

After the news and a break, we’re joined by Doug Ulman, President and CEO of LiveStrong. Doug is a cancer survivor himself, and although LiveStrong’s prestige and fundraising ability has taken a hit in the wake of Lance Armstrong’s fall from grace, the organization continues to pursue its mission of support to cancer patients and survivors. Doug also explains how LiveStrong is attempting to evolve beyond the twin shadows of cycling, and its famous founder. It’s a complicated environment for anyone selecting a charity to support, and we hope this interview will help you make better-informed choices about your giving.