The Car Seat Offers a Crappy View

Matt Driscoll over at the Seattle Weekly has uncovered,

"...news that the design of our neighborhoods, and whether kids can walk from place to place or are forced to be driven by parents, can impact a child's ability to connect with people around them and their community"

Check out his piece, and follow the thread back to the Atlantic Cities article as well. Heartbreaking stuff in there about obesity, the erosion of public life and the removal of the pedestrian from the landscape.

Let this kid out!

Predictably, I see family cycling as a good antidote to these problems. I'm hoping that that will turn out to be the focus of this blog, actually. I'm looking forward to getting the chance to tell you more about the best part of my own day, the bike commute I get to share with Baby Oil. The kid is anything but disconnected from the people around her and her community. I guarantee that she knows the names of more local baristas, shopkeepers and construction workers than any other resident of the Broadway area. Lil' Oil has been called the Queen of Capitol Hill, and she does so enjoy mixing with her subjects. And ringing her bell at them.

Check this kid out!