Cameron Roberts
@bikeademic.bsky.social
Sustainability transitions researcher in Canada.
Cool that it's electric. But you wouldn't get me aboard one of those things for any amount of money.
November 15, 2025 at 4:52 PM
Cool that it's electric. But you wouldn't get me aboard one of those things for any amount of money.
Make sure all your colleagues and students know about sci-hub
November 14, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Make sure all your colleagues and students know about sci-hub
Ultra processed food seems like a very weird catch-all category. Surely the health impacts depend on which specific process is used to prepare the food.
November 14, 2025 at 1:24 PM
Ultra processed food seems like a very weird catch-all category. Surely the health impacts depend on which specific process is used to prepare the food.
Hilarious implications for white collar crime
November 11, 2025 at 7:37 PM
Hilarious implications for white collar crime
Reminds me a lot of your exchange with Chris Smaje, who wants to depopulated cities so we can all become subsistence farmers.
November 11, 2025 at 7:25 PM
Reminds me a lot of your exchange with Chris Smaje, who wants to depopulated cities so we can all become subsistence farmers.
The most parsimonious explanation is that they aren't actually corrupt. They're functioning as intended.
November 11, 2025 at 2:36 PM
The most parsimonious explanation is that they aren't actually corrupt. They're functioning as intended.
Antiexpertise: The phenomenon whereby deeply studying a topic and its ongoing debates makes you less likely to have good ideas about it. Usually happens when a field gets ideologically captured.
See also: Economics, evolutionary psychology, traffic engineering
See also: Economics, evolutionary psychology, traffic engineering
November 11, 2025 at 1:00 PM
Antiexpertise: The phenomenon whereby deeply studying a topic and its ongoing debates makes you less likely to have good ideas about it. Usually happens when a field gets ideologically captured.
See also: Economics, evolutionary psychology, traffic engineering
See also: Economics, evolutionary psychology, traffic engineering
One of your colleagues, actually. Here on a visit.
November 11, 2025 at 12:57 PM
One of your colleagues, actually. Here on a visit.
Kinda reminds me of how McCarthyism wound up hurting a bunch of people who weren't actually communists.
Anti-degrowthism has apparently become so aggressive in places that it's causing problems for people studying *energy efficiency.*
Anti-degrowthism has apparently become so aggressive in places that it's causing problems for people studying *energy efficiency.*
November 11, 2025 at 12:52 PM
Kinda reminds me of how McCarthyism wound up hurting a bunch of people who weren't actually communists.
Anti-degrowthism has apparently become so aggressive in places that it's causing problems for people studying *energy efficiency.*
Anti-degrowthism has apparently become so aggressive in places that it's causing problems for people studying *energy efficiency.*
I think the pathway to increasing reliability and frequency IS to make transit free, or at least to reduce fares a lot. It's counterintuitive but it's about the political coalition you can put together to demand more resources.
November 10, 2025 at 6:37 PM
I think the pathway to increasing reliability and frequency IS to make transit free, or at least to reduce fares a lot. It's counterintuitive but it's about the political coalition you can put together to demand more resources.
Yeah, owning and using a car is really expensive! One sixth of that is also pretty expensive. Certainly enough to be one of the straws on the camel's back for a struggling family's finances.
Also remember this is the median income. Half of all New Yorkers pay a higher percentage of their income.
Also remember this is the median income. Half of all New Yorkers pay a higher percentage of their income.
November 10, 2025 at 6:37 PM
Yeah, owning and using a car is really expensive! One sixth of that is also pretty expensive. Certainly enough to be one of the straws on the camel's back for a struggling family's finances.
Also remember this is the median income. Half of all New Yorkers pay a higher percentage of their income.
Also remember this is the median income. Half of all New Yorkers pay a higher percentage of their income.
Actually I can see green grass on Lemieux island, so maybe Sutcliffe is indeed trolling.
November 10, 2025 at 5:44 PM
Actually I can see green grass on Lemieux island, so maybe Sutcliffe is indeed trolling.
That was what I had expected, too. But that photo is really confusing me now. I think it might be genuine.
November 10, 2025 at 5:43 PM
That was what I had expected, too. But that photo is really confusing me now. I think it might be genuine.
A year of transit fares in New York costs about 3% of the median income. That's fairly substantial.
And even if they can afford it, people like not having to worry about fares. It removes some stress and hassle and makes them more likely to take transit.
And even if they can afford it, people like not having to worry about fares. It removes some stress and hassle and makes them more likely to take transit.
November 10, 2025 at 5:41 PM
A year of transit fares in New York costs about 3% of the median income. That's fairly substantial.
And even if they can afford it, people like not having to worry about fares. It removes some stress and hassle and makes them more likely to take transit.
And even if they can afford it, people like not having to worry about fares. It removes some stress and hassle and makes them more likely to take transit.
It was open this morning when I biked across it. Had lots of snow on it but the gates were open.
November 10, 2025 at 5:34 PM
It was open this morning when I biked across it. Had lots of snow on it but the gates were open.
Started by Russia.
November 10, 2025 at 12:55 AM
Started by Russia.
If the math maths that way, obviously he'll have to find more cash or scale back the proposal (maybe just free in Manhattan or something).
But big numbers shouldn't scare us here. Universal programs are always very expensive. They're also very beneficial and popular.
But big numbers shouldn't scare us here. Universal programs are always very expensive. They're also very beneficial and popular.
November 9, 2025 at 10:52 PM
If the math maths that way, obviously he'll have to find more cash or scale back the proposal (maybe just free in Manhattan or something).
But big numbers shouldn't scare us here. Universal programs are always very expensive. They're also very beneficial and popular.
But big numbers shouldn't scare us here. Universal programs are always very expensive. They're also very beneficial and popular.
Do you think we're going to make any progress on any of this without profound shifts in national politics?
Making fares free establishes transit riders as a durable political bloc, which creates stronger political incentives to fund transit in the future.
Making fares free establishes transit riders as a durable political bloc, which creates stronger political incentives to fund transit in the future.
November 9, 2025 at 10:22 PM
Do you think we're going to make any progress on any of this without profound shifts in national politics?
Making fares free establishes transit riders as a durable political bloc, which creates stronger political incentives to fund transit in the future.
Making fares free establishes transit riders as a durable political bloc, which creates stronger political incentives to fund transit in the future.
True. I wonder what kind of political strategies might make it so that resources are less limited.
November 9, 2025 at 9:46 PM
True. I wonder what kind of political strategies might make it so that resources are less limited.
Not surprising but also not the end of the story.
November 9, 2025 at 9:07 PM
Not surprising but also not the end of the story.