Brianinja
@brianinja.bsky.social
Professional Chicagoland suburban transportation planner by day. Cargo ebike suburban dad by night. Enjoys birds and cute art. 🏳️🌈 He/him.
Pinned
Brianinja
@brianinja.bsky.social
· Mar 24
Updated my stats to include a monthly summary which better illustrates how much an eBike has increased my bike riding habit. I was even surprised my riding remained so high during winter. Find what lets you do your thing more often!
Reposted by Brianinja
Wait, it's 3.5 hours? That's what I get for watching it at home! Had no idea this film clocked in that long.
I saw this for the first time in a cinema and it did NOT feel like 3.5 hours had passed
January 3, 2026 at 2:28 AM
Wait, it's 3.5 hours? That's what I get for watching it at home! Had no idea this film clocked in that long.
It's a big one
moon alert Chicago
January 2, 2026 at 11:09 PM
It's a big one
Not a single fare collection.
For just this car, that's $500 not collected. There are at least 5 other cars on this run.
For just this car, that's $500 not collected. There are at least 5 other cars on this run.
It's now Irving Park with a nearly completely full Metra UPNW train on the Friday after New Year's, people are alighting and departing, and I've still not seen a single conductor collecting fares.
Metra is proud of running 1950s stock because they're leaving cash on the table.
Metra is proud of running 1950s stock because they're leaving cash on the table.
January 2, 2026 at 5:04 PM
Not a single fare collection.
For just this car, that's $500 not collected. There are at least 5 other cars on this run.
For just this car, that's $500 not collected. There are at least 5 other cars on this run.
It's now Irving Park with a nearly completely full Metra UPNW train on the Friday after New Year's, people are alighting and departing, and I've still not seen a single conductor collecting fares.
Metra is proud of running 1950s stock because they're leaving cash on the table.
Metra is proud of running 1950s stock because they're leaving cash on the table.
January 2, 2026 at 4:53 PM
It's now Irving Park with a nearly completely full Metra UPNW train on the Friday after New Year's, people are alighting and departing, and I've still not seen a single conductor collecting fares.
Metra is proud of running 1950s stock because they're leaving cash on the table.
Metra is proud of running 1950s stock because they're leaving cash on the table.
Reposted by Brianinja
There’s still a classist view on the bus in Chicago. Which is a shame because buses go to places where there are no trains
Cities become so much better when we make the bus suck less; there are still many, many ways we can make the bus suck less; and as a whole we should be trying to make the things we already know how to do suck less instead of waiting/wishing/hoping for vaporware tech to save the day.
One thing I wrote about here is how technology has made buses *way* more convenient while techno-futurists were obsessed with flying taxis and self-driving cars.
January 2, 2026 at 3:07 PM
There’s still a classist view on the bus in Chicago. Which is a shame because buses go to places where there are no trains
Reposted by Brianinja
Riffing on this: ridership data makes it clear that the CTA’s actual operating model is a high-frequency bus grid, supplemented by faster higher-capacity trains radiating out from downtown. CTA’s a bus operator that also happens to operate the ‘L’.
There’s still a classist view on the bus in Chicago. Which is a shame because buses go to places where there are no trains
Cities become so much better when we make the bus suck less; there are still many, many ways we can make the bus suck less; and as a whole we should be trying to make the things we already know how to do suck less instead of waiting/wishing/hoping for vaporware tech to save the day.
January 2, 2026 at 3:12 PM
Riffing on this: ridership data makes it clear that the CTA’s actual operating model is a high-frequency bus grid, supplemented by faster higher-capacity trains radiating out from downtown. CTA’s a bus operator that also happens to operate the ‘L’.
Reposted by Brianinja
Mamdani setting up a permitting reform and land inventory task force is some real sickos yes stuff.
January 1, 2026 at 10:40 PM
Mamdani setting up a permitting reform and land inventory task force is some real sickos yes stuff.
Reposted by Brianinja
You love to see it
January 2, 2026 at 12:07 AM
You love to see it
Reposted by Brianinja
I'd like to think that's the end of the headline and that they made a punctuation mistake
January 1, 2026 at 8:11 PM
I'd like to think that's the end of the headline and that they made a punctuation mistake
Reposted by Brianinja
The only thing that loves multiculturalism and immigration more than my heart, is my stomach.
January 1, 2026 at 6:15 PM
The only thing that loves multiculturalism and immigration more than my heart, is my stomach.
Going to try and do one urban sketching watercolor per month. It's been nice to create this past year.
January 1, 2026 at 4:30 PM
Going to try and do one urban sketching watercolor per month. It's been nice to create this past year.
Now that is a fun idea.
January 1, 2026 at 3:42 PM
Now that is a fun idea.
Oh sure why not.
January 1, 2026 at 4:03 AM
Oh sure why not.
Reposted by Brianinja
Some advice for you fancy folks going out on the town tonight:
This Weeks Editorial Cartoon: To Cirrhosis With Love
To Cirrhosis With Love
theonion.com
December 31, 2025 at 9:30 PM
Some advice for you fancy folks going out on the town tonight:
Reposted by Brianinja
Kinda want to start a thread of "When to start watching a movie on New Years Eve to have a specific moment happen at midnight" as an alternative to New Years Eve Ball Drops.
According to Reddit, if you start the Return of the King Extended Edition at 8:24:18 PM, Sauron will explode at Midnight.
According to Reddit, if you start the Return of the King Extended Edition at 8:24:18 PM, Sauron will explode at Midnight.
December 31, 2025 at 12:32 AM
Kinda want to start a thread of "When to start watching a movie on New Years Eve to have a specific moment happen at midnight" as an alternative to New Years Eve Ball Drops.
According to Reddit, if you start the Return of the King Extended Edition at 8:24:18 PM, Sauron will explode at Midnight.
According to Reddit, if you start the Return of the King Extended Edition at 8:24:18 PM, Sauron will explode at Midnight.
Reposted by Brianinja
I wish this was an original idea but it was actually one that Pace dropped 15 years ago. Although their plans connected to no Metra stations focusing on connecting business parks more than actual transit hubs.
rtams.org/sites/defaul...
rtams.org/sites/defaul...
December 30, 2025 at 5:57 PM
I wish this was an original idea but it was actually one that Pace dropped 15 years ago. Although their plans connected to no Metra stations focusing on connecting business parks more than actual transit hubs.
rtams.org/sites/defaul...
rtams.org/sites/defaul...
Reposted by Brianinja
Windows 11 Pro blasting ads into my start menu upon install was really cool.
December 30, 2025 at 3:38 PM
Windows 11 Pro blasting ads into my start menu upon install was really cool.
Reposted by Brianinja
Things cars ruined #187
School start times.
Our district voted to end school bus programs and shift the burden to parents and private cars. An outcome of this is schools have staggered their start times to accommodate the high traffic when dropping off kids.
How it impacts non-car users 🧵
School start times.
Our district voted to end school bus programs and shift the burden to parents and private cars. An outcome of this is schools have staggered their start times to accommodate the high traffic when dropping off kids.
How it impacts non-car users 🧵
December 30, 2025 at 3:54 PM
Things cars ruined #187
School start times.
Our district voted to end school bus programs and shift the burden to parents and private cars. An outcome of this is schools have staggered their start times to accommodate the high traffic when dropping off kids.
How it impacts non-car users 🧵
School start times.
Our district voted to end school bus programs and shift the burden to parents and private cars. An outcome of this is schools have staggered their start times to accommodate the high traffic when dropping off kids.
How it impacts non-car users 🧵
Reposted by Brianinja
Commander of the City Watch.
Probably not grizzled enough to match the man in that role though.
Probably not grizzled enough to match the man in that role though.
December 30, 2025 at 2:40 AM
Commander of the City Watch.
Probably not grizzled enough to match the man in that role though.
Probably not grizzled enough to match the man in that role though.
Reposted by Brianinja
Absolutely this. It is wild how low effective tax rates are in America.
Tax the middle class just a little and it raises a ton of revenue.
Tax the middle class just a little and it raises a ton of revenue.
One of my more controversial opinions is that the US needs to significantly raise taxes to the tune of a couple % of GDP right now, even before any expansive social democratic reforms, and that means you—yes you, dear highly educated professional—will need to pay up, not just nebulous billionaires.
December 29, 2025 at 11:47 PM
Absolutely this. It is wild how low effective tax rates are in America.
Tax the middle class just a little and it raises a ton of revenue.
Tax the middle class just a little and it raises a ton of revenue.
Reposted by Brianinja
anyway my main complaint about most video game romances is that they're too short!
"this feels tacked on and shallow" complaints will magically go away when you give the romance budget more than, like, 3-4 conversations
"this feels tacked on and shallow" complaints will magically go away when you give the romance budget more than, like, 3-4 conversations
December 29, 2025 at 10:42 PM
anyway my main complaint about most video game romances is that they're too short!
"this feels tacked on and shallow" complaints will magically go away when you give the romance budget more than, like, 3-4 conversations
"this feels tacked on and shallow" complaints will magically go away when you give the romance budget more than, like, 3-4 conversations
Not sure what I am but today it was nice to draw and paint
December 29, 2025 at 9:29 PM
Not sure what I am but today it was nice to draw and paint
The energy of winter break coffeeshops in the non-college town suburbs is something I wish was year round. It feels so nice to have a variety of ages, enthusiasm, and activity all day that varnishes when college is back in session.
December 29, 2025 at 7:43 PM
The energy of winter break coffeeshops in the non-college town suburbs is something I wish was year round. It feels so nice to have a variety of ages, enthusiasm, and activity all day that varnishes when college is back in session.