serving the uc davis campus and community since 1915
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volume 132, number 18
wednesday, february 20, 2013
Davis bikes to work the most, survey says Historical developments promote bike-friendly culture By MEREDITH STURMER Aggie News Writer
According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2011 Community Survey, approximately 16.6 percent of workers in Davis bike to work — the highest percentage of any city in the country. The survey found that out of 29,663 workers, 4,923 are considered bike commuters, with a margin of error of 1,927. However, the survey only asked about a single method of transportation for the longest section of a commute, so it does not take into account those who utilize a bike for part of their commute or may only bike to work several days a week. The survey also does not take into account students biking to campus, even if they are employed on campus and technically bike to work. Nevertheless, the ranking is still a favorable one for Davis, home to the U.S. Bicycle Hall of Fame and often referred to as “The Bicycle Capital of the U.S.” According to David Takemoto-Weerts, bicycle program coordinator at UC Davis Transportation and Parking Services (TAPS), a number of factors contributed to the development of such a bicycle-friendly culture in Davis. In the 1950s, Davis’ status as a small college town with flat topography, mild weather and a compact nature made bicycles a viable form of transportation for many residents. However, bikes became a significant part of campus and community life starting in 1959, when newly appointed chancellor Emil Mrak began working toward his vision of a bicycle-friendly campus. Former Chancellor Mrak insisted that every building on campus feature bike parking in front of the building as opposed to in a less-accessible location. According to Weerts, many architects at the time were — and even today are — resistant to the idea of in-
corporating bike parking into the design of their buildings. “That [bike parking] was very visionary,” Weerts said. Gates were built around campus in 1967 to prevent vehicular traffic from traveling through campus, another cycling milestone under Mrak. However, Weerts also cited the importance of former UC Davis Professor Frank Child in developing the town of Davis into the bicycle-friendly city it is today. In 1963, Child proposed that the roads be “striped” to eliminate conflict between increasing numbers of both motorists and cyclists. Although this was already common in European cities, Child’s idea, a novel and controversial one in the U.S., was instrumental in the development of something often widely incorporated into urban planning efforts today — bike lanes. According to Weerts, the bike lane was essentially innovated in Davis, thanks to Child and many candidates running for Davis City Council in 1966, who ran on a “Pro-Bike Lane” platform. In 1967, striping began on all arterial roads such as West Covell and Russell Boulevard. Changes were made to traffic laws and the vehicular code regarding the rights of cyclists and the rules they must abide by. These efforts have contributed to Davis being one of the safest and desirable cities for bicycle commuters in the nation. “Since 1987, only two bike fatalities have occurred in the City of Davis,” Weerts said. There are numerous bike shops in Davis as well to suit the needs of bicycle commuters. “We specialize in helping people get to and from work by bike, especially students,” said Dave Grundman, assistant manager at B&L Bike Shop. “That’s our
See BIKE, page 2
News iN Brief
How to survive an asteroid impact
Float ideas needed for Picnic Day Davis residents are invited to fundraise and plan for the Picnic Day Parade on April 20. Five neighborhood float committees will participate in creating floats for the event. On Sunday from noon to 1:30 p.m., there will be a meeting at
Central Park to discuss float ideas. For more information, email the Central Davis organizer Julie Langston at atjlangston311@ gmail.com. — Claire Tan
Davis looking for natural resource commissioners The City of Davis is currently accepting applications from those interested in being part of the Natural Resources Commission. Applications are available at City Hall or can be downloaded from the City of Davis website, and are due Feb. 25. The city council will appoint commissioners on March 5. The Natural Resources
Commission meets at 6:30 p.m. on the fourth Monday of every month at City Hall. Commissioners uphold the preservation and management of natural resources, as well as recommend policies for the city to abide by regarding recycling, waste management and the like. — Claire Tan
Brett Burns leaves position as ASUCD Business Manager Brett Burns, the ASUCD Business Manager, will leave his position within the Association, as he has accepted a position as Senior Assistant Dean for Administration at the UC Davis School of Law. Burns joined ASUCD in February 2012 as Business Manager, working with various members of the Senate table and Unit Directors to ensure financial stability within the Association, according to the ASUCD website. Graduating in 1995, Burns is also a UC Davis alumnus, with a bachelor’s in sociology and economics with an emphasis in organizational management. He was also involved in the development of the Activities and Recreation Center (ARC) and previously served as the Executive Director of Auxiliary Services. “Since joining UC Davis in
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1998, Brett has contributed his time and talent to improving student leadership, student governance and student success in a variety of capacities,” said ASUCD President Rebecca Sterling in a Feb. 19 email to members of the Association. “Brett’s contributions will be missed, but we are confident that his dedication to improving student success and UC Davis will continue in his new leadership role.” Brett is likely to make his transition part-time in March, and will then begin working at the School of Law, effective April 1, according to the email. Sterling and Burns are currently developing a process to select an interim manager and replacement. This will be announced shortly. — Muna Sadek
Nathan Chan / Aggie
Many Davis residents bike to class and work every day. The U.S. Census Bureau found that 16.6 percent of residents bike to work.
Retired UC Davis professor publishes book about asteroid-devastated Earth By JOYCE BERTHELSEN Aggie Features Writer
Last Friday, asteroid DA14 zipped by Earth at a recordbreaking distance of about 17,000 miles from the Earth’s surface. That same day, a surprise meteor streaked across the sky and rained fireballs on Russia, causing a shock wave to blast windows, trigger car alarms and injure civilians. But in an alternate world, it was the asteroid that collided with Earth and ripped our planet of civilization. Retired UC Davis professor Thomas Cahill published his first novel of a trilogy, Ark: Asteroid Impact, telling a story about a post-apocalyptic world. This science fiction begins in Davis and centers on Californians trying to survive the devastating effects of an asteroid impact and rebuild civilization. “I’ve always been fascinated by the effects that asteroids have on the Earth and especially the extinction of the dinosaurs,” Cahill said. “And the question came to me, ‘What if the same thing happened now, but instead of dinosaurs, we have people who are clever enough to somehow survive?’” Ark: Asteroid Impact was published in December of 2012, just in time for people to wonder what could have happened if a large asteroid had hit the Earth instead of the smaller meteor last Friday. The novel tells the story of a shattered civilization, wiping out most forms of plants and animal life on Earth. In order to portray a realistic post-apocalyptic Earth, Cahill said he based a fictional story on science. “It’s fictional, but the science is solid,” Cahill said. “I tried to do the best science possible using
Forecast Nice and cool for the rest of the week so wear those nice colorful gloves and scarves and enjoy the nice sunny days. Perfect for a nice hot cup of cocoa between classes. Roberto Martinez, atmospheric science major Aggie Forecasting Team
results from the previous extinctions.” Cahill has authored plenty of academic articles and book chapters. He retired from UC Davis in 1994 as a physics professor after joining the university in 1967. Cahill is still active in his field with his current research expertise in the impact of aerosols on climate change and from highways and rail yards. Part of Cahill’s work has involved protecting the visibility at U.S. national parks and monuments
James Kim / Aggie
through the aerosol network. He also helped evaluate air at the excavation project after 9/11 and has worked in nuclear physics and astrophysics. “One of the most compelling things about Tom’s writing is, because he has the physics background, he actually goes in and makes sure the physics is as close to reality as possible,” said Sean Barberie, a fourth-year physics major. Barberie has been working with Cahill for two years as a studentemployee doing physics work focused on aerosol science. To make the book even more realistic, Cahill said that every place the characters travel to are places he has been to, including Cheyenne Mountain. He said that this allows him to describe each place accurately and realistically. Starting in Davis, the novel begins with 20 UC Davis survivors, including physicists.
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“As the book develops, you start having other groups, who have either by luck or skill, somehow survive, so you start seeing them put together a new society,” Cahill said. “And of course, the Earth is the new ark. The Earth is very badly damaged. It’s in an Ice Age right now. So you see them re-crafting the Earth.” Cahill’s science-packed and realistic novel almost serves as a “Guide to Surviving an Asteroid Impact.” He begins with descriptions about a mine at 2,500 feet in Eureka, where the survivors take refuge. “If you heard that an asteroid is going to strike, the first thing to understand is there will be tsunamis all around the world,” Cahill said. “The first thing is to get away from the ocean. The second thing you’ll learn is that when the thing strikes, it puts ash in the sky and that cuts down the sunlight, and the Earth gets very, very cold. So the second thing you have to survive is cold.” Ark: Asteroid Impact is Cahill’s second novel, following Cahill’s first book published last October. Cahill said he started writing for fun after he retired, writing a few pages at a time and getting feedback from friends. He said that Ark: Asteroid Impact was published after much encouragement from friends. “[The book] sounded good,” said Glen Erickson, a retired UC Davis physics professor. “It sounded like something that could do well. He asked me some questions about the astronomy, which I knew a bit more than he did. I know that he enjoys writing and I presume that he does a fairly decent job at it.” Cahill began writing the novel about a year and a half ago, finishing last November. He said that he was inspired to write the book because of the growing scientific
See ASTEROID, page 2 Want to improve your resume? Come to Alpha Kappa Psi’s “Resume Hacking Workshop” in Olson 146 tonight at 7 PM! Bring a copy of your resume to be reviewed by the premier professional business fraternity on campus. Amanda Nguyen