[jnva]

Tim, was that you on that sidecar bike thing? That was awesome.

[jnva]

I’ll be there since i ride by right before 10am anyway. I’m curious to find out if they do clear the lanes of parked delivery trucks. Have yet to see it clear in the mornings.

[jnva]

I bought a cheap single speed conversion kit years ago and it worked, but not well. For vertical dropouts you need to either get the magic gear ratio, which may not be possible, or use a chain tensioner.

I used this little piece of software and did get the perfect gear ratio without using a tensioner and have been very happy with single speed. Have never tried fixed.

[url]Http://eehouse.org/fixin/fixmeup.php[/url]

[jnva]

@baiskeli 34969 wrote:

Perhaps – my figure is proved reserves. I think that includes more than technically feasible and/or economically feasible extraction, but I could be wrong.

But remember, that new drilling technology is available worldwide, so if our extractable reserves grow, so can other countrys’, so our total share may not rise much. Even if we did find more oil, its still not much. Suppose we miraculously doubled our reserves! Great, that’s about 6 percent. Still wouldn’t last us more than 6 years if we only consumed domestic oil.

The “oil independence” idea is a myth left over from the oil crises of the 1970s, when we felt vulnerable to foreign control of oil. But foreigners will always control the oil supply and the price no matter what we do. Best to become independent of ALL oil instead.

A couple of articles I thought were interesting

IEA Pegs U.S. as Top Oil Producer by 2020

BY BENOÎT FAUCON AND SARAH KENT

A shale-oil boom will thrust the U.S. ahead of Saudi Arabia as the world’s largest oil producer by 2020, a radical shift that could profoundly transform not just the world’s energy supplies but also its geopolitics, the International Energy Agency said.

In its closely watched annual World Energy Outlook, the IEA, which advises industrialized nations on their energy policies, said the global energy map “is being redrawn by the resurgence in oil and gas production in

LONDON (CNNMoney) — The United States will overtake Saudi Arabia to become the world’s biggest oil producer before 2020, and will be energy independent 10 years later, according to a new forecast by the International Energy Agency.
The recent resurgence in oil and gas production, and efforts to make the transport sector more efficient, are radically reshaping the nation’s energy market, reported Paris-based IEA in its World Energy Outlook.

North America would become a net exporter of oil around 2030, the global organization said Monday.
“The United States, which currently imports around 20% of its total energy needs, becomes all but self sufficient in net terms — a dramatic reversal of the trend seen in most other energy importing countries,” the IEA stated.
The U.S. is experiencing an oil boom, in large part thanks to high world prices and new technologies, including hydraulic fracking, that have made the extraction of oil and gas from shale rock commercially viable.
From 2008 to 2011, U.S. crude oil production jumped 14%, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Natural gas production is up by about 10% over the same period.
Related: the facts about oil and gas under Obama
According to the IEA, U.S. natural gas prices will rise to $5.5 per million British thermal units (MBtu) in 2020, from around $3.5 per MBtu this year, driven by rising domestic demand rather than a forecast increase in exports to Asia and other markets.
“In our projections, 93% of the natural gas produced in the United States remains available to meet domestic demand,” it said. “Exports on the scale that we project would not play a large role in domestic price setting.”
North America’s new role in the world energy markets will accelerate a change in the direction of international oil trade toward Asia, and underscore the importance of securing supply routes from the Middle East to China and India.

The IEA said it expects global energy demand to increase by more than a third by 2035, with China, India and the Middle East accounting for 60% of the growth, and more than outweighing reduced demand in developed economies.
That will push world average oil import prices up to $125 per barrel (in 2011 dollars) by 2035, from around $100 per barrel at present, but they could be much higher if Iraq fails to deliver on its production potential.
Iraq is set to become the second largest oil exporter by the 2030s, as it expands output to take advantage of demand from fast growing Asian economies.
Related: Iraq oil output to double by 2020
New fuel economy standards in the U.S. and efforts by China, Japan and the European Union to reduce demand would help to make up for a disappointing decade for global energy efficiency.
“But even with these and other new policies in place, a significant share of the potential to improve energy efficiency — four-fifths of the potential in the buildings sector and more than half in industry — still remains untapped,” the IEA stated.
Policymakers are still missing out on potential benefits for energy security, economic growth and the environment.
Growth in demand over the years to 2035 would be halved and oil demand would peak just before 2020, if governments took action to remove barriers preventing the implementation of energy efficiency measures that are already economically viable, the global organization said.

[jnva]

What I’ve noticed is that delivery trucks enter the bike lane at the mixing zone, backup and park. I’ve seen this pretty much every day.

[jnva]

Lots of traffic enforcement out this morning on L street. Had a chat with one of the officers and she asked me how I liked the bike lanes. I said other than the two trucks parked in the lane right behind me, it’s ok I suppose. Also a beer truck unloading a couple of blocks back! She said they are supposed to be ticketing them.

[jnva]

Bollards are being installed!

[jnva]

I grabbed some free stuff on my way home! Thanks everyone, it looked like a well organized event. You all are doing a great job!

[jnva]

@unclejed 35494 wrote:

Guess the answer is: best not to tap cars unless you are willing to deal with the driver.

The reverse also holds true – if a driver gives me the finger or yells at me he will have to deal with me when I inevitably catch up to him!

[jnva]

@Dirt 35396 wrote:

Here’s one of my motivations to ride year-round.

Wow look at those bollards! That’s going to be a sweet bike lane!

[jnva]

Bollards at the beginning of the block will help – that’s a great idea. I have had to move out of the lane every day to avoid a car or truck parked in the bike lane. Drivers still seem to be confused about using the mixing zones also, I just expect to get left hooked at every intersection for now. Here is a photo from this morning – both the taxi and the red car made a left turn from the “middle ” lane. Red car almost hit me.
[ATTACH]2033[/ATTACH]

[jnva]

I treat cars like my kids – yell at them but no hitting:)

[jnva]

I had all the same issues this morning – cars driving in the lane for blocks probably not realizing that it was a bike lane. I think it will be a good thing once its complete. Kind of confusing right now for everyone.

[jnva]

+1 for Bill at spokes. He was very helpful and gave me some good wheel building tips.

[jnva]

I joined

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