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David Bickford

@exit2lef.bsky.social
231 followers 224 following 222 posts

Transit advocate, slow cyclist, desert hiker, and amateur epicurean. Author, PHX Rail Food phxrailfood.com President, Phoenix Spokes People phoenixspokespeople.org Located in Phoenix, Arizona, USA. Personal account for personal opinions.

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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Enjoyed visiting the #Chandler Museum, seeing the new Seafood City Filipino supermarket, and finishing restaurant week with Indian food at Feringhee. The only downside: These three destinations are literally across the street from one another, but poor design makes it unappealing to walk among them.
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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Last night, a member of my family left an item in a #Waymo autonomous vehicle. The silver lining: Retrieving it earned us a glimpse of the depot just south of downtown #Phoenix where our robotaxi overlords are recharged and bathed by their human servants. It’s an imposing, albeit unmarked, facility.
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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Impressive moonrise over Piestewa Peak in #Phoenix. The smaller lights are headlamps worn by nighttime hikers on the way up to the summit.
a rising full moon illuminating a cloudy sky behind a mountain ridge
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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
I don’t condone theft, but all the shoplifting at the Christown Target in #Phoenix has had one positive outcome: The store has removed its self-checkout and now staffs with enough cashiers to avoid long lines. The result is a much better shopping experience for the majority of law-abiding customers.
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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Witnessed in #Tempe this morning: A postal truck nearly hitting a person riding a recumbent bicycle in a marked crosswalk. Seeing that near miss does not inspire confidence that the same beleaguered agency could accurately screen the mail ballots used by the overwhelming majority of #Arizona voters.
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Reposted by David Bickford
PHX Rail Food @phxrailfood.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
This week's review: Meet the new steakhouse, not quite the same as the old steakhouse, but another rebirth in a city defined by them. phxrailfood.com/2026/09/25/d... #phoenix
phxrailfood.com
Durant’s
The city of Phoenix takes its name from the mythical bird, a creature reborn from its own ashes. Originally that concept referred to settlers of European ancestry building a city in the Salt River …
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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Enjoyed seeing Meat Puppets play tonight at the #Phoenix Art Museum. I first saw the band live in 1984 when they opened for Black Flag at the Living Room in #Providence. Despite occurring more than four decades apart in totally different venues at opposite ends of the country, both shows were great.
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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
This is a welcome development to facilitate combining robotaxi service and public transport for mixed mode trips. I would love to see it spread to #Phoenix, but first @valleymetro.org must catch up with its peers around the country and implement contactless payments. cities-today.com/waymo-launch...
cities-today.com
Waymo launches public transport rewards programme - Cities Today
Waymo has launched public transport rewards and dedicated Caltrain staging spaces to improve first- and last-mile connections in the Bay Area.
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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Harkins is such a Jekyll-and-Hyde company. It’s a beloved #Phoenix institution that offers a far superior experience than its main competitor, AMC. On the other hand, its current locations are overwhelmingly suburban, and it continues to ignore its own history and the urban core of its own hometown.
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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Thoughtful talk between the leaders of @strongtowns.org and @parkingreform.org. It was a struggle to get the #Phoenix city council to adopt modest reforms. Meanwhile, entire states like North Carolina, hardly a progressive stronghold, have abolished mandates entirely. www.podbean.com/ep/pb-m8q8b-...
podbean.com
What Comes After Cities Kill Parking Mandates?
Parking reform used to feel like a niche fight. Now North Carolina has eliminated most parking mandates statewide, cities are following one another’s lead, and Tony Jordan says he sometimes finds out ...
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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
The season premiere of "South America" (fka "South Park") perfectly portrays the two extremes I see in bicycling: purists riding fast in lycra with dropped handlebars vs. kids riding e-bikes they don't know how to handle. Clowns to the left of me, jokers to my right. Stuck in the bike lane with you.
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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Nice to see Park(ing) Day revived in #Phoenix for 2026 by my friends at @urbanphxproject.bsky.social and allied organizations. I wish I could have organized a thematic spot and participated all day, but work got in the way. At least I got to visit with everyone on Third Street during my lunch break.
Park(ing) Day participants lining Third Street looking north toward Arizona State University's Health North building in downtown PhoenixPark(ing) Day participants lining Third Street looking south towards the Sheraton Hotel in downtown Phoenix.
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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
I use Waymo an average of once a week in #Phoenix, and I completely agree with this assessment. Non-Muskmobile robotaxis can be a helpful supplement to public transit, but they are no replacement for it. Using them as an argument for disinvestment in rail and bus service is dumb and disingenuous.
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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Rigorously researched, balanced video about the good, bad, and ugly of #Phoenix past, present, and future. Nice to see guest appearances by my friends Jamie and Skitch.
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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
The best part of this morning's commute: running into #Phoenix District 4 City Council candidate Ed Hermes, who was also biking to work via Third Avenue. We had a great conversation for several miles. I wish my District 6 councilman Kevin Robinson were even half as accessible as Ed. www.edhermes.com
edhermes.com
Ed Hermes for Phoenix - Council District 4
Ed Hermes is a father, husband, member of the Osborn Elementary School District Governing board, lawyer, and community activist. Ed is running for Phoenix City Council District 4 because he has a pass...
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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Overheard during dinner at a popular #Phoenix steakhouse: Someone in the next booth, likely of the MAGA persuasion, was describing a trip to the Florida panhandle. After mentioning the Gulf of Mexico, he quickly "corrected" himself to use the imposed name. Even the faithful can't keep up with this.
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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
Witnessed yesterday: A sociopath in a Muskmobile driving straight through a red light at excessive speed, narrowly missing two pedestrians in a marked crosswalk. #Phoenix police need to focus on this, rather than writing tickets for jaywalking, and automated enforcement with cameras is a vital tool.
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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
This is a good listen. There are many worthwhile points, including the downsides of social media influencer culture, the importance of not hoarding knowledge of under-appreciated restaurants, and the futility of always trying to please everyone. Some focus on #Phoenix, but relevance to all cities.
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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
7 Brew outbid Tempe-based Dutch Bros. to acquire 73 defunct Salad and Go sites, many of them in the #Phoenix Metropolitan Area. From the standpoint of urban vitality, the battle between these coffee chains is like the latest installment in the Alien vs. Predator franchise: "Whoever wins, we lose."
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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Good forum for #Phoenix City Council District 4 candidates hosted last night by @valleyurbanaction.bsky.social I support Ed Hermes, but I envy my Midtown friends for having multiple worthwhile candidates. In District 6, I have to choose between an unresponsive incumbent and MAGA-aligned challenger.
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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Most of these fears are greatly exaggerated. Very few businesses actually closed due to prior rail construction projects. Nevertheless, the #Phoenix city council's incoherent, equivocating approach to west side light rail has created an understandable level of cynicism. www.abc15.com/news/operati...
abc15.com
West Valley light rail extension raises business concerns along Indian School Road corridor
Business owners along Indian School Road are raising alarms about a proposed West Valley light rail extension, saying years of construction could threaten their livelihoods.
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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
I got the updated fall 2026 COVID-19 shot over the long weekend, and former Surgeon General Richard Carmona is listed as the prescriber for the vaccine. His blanket prescription is a clever bit of legal legerdemain allowing AZ pharmacists to administer the vaccine despite chaos at the federal level.
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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
This change in map projections is long overdue, so of course the current U.S. administration voted against it. While the rest of the world moves forward with a more realistic and fair way of seeing the world, we'll drag our feet, just as we've done with the metric system. www.bbc.com/news/article...
bbc.com
UN votes to adopt new world map to reflect Africa's true size
The Togo-sponsored resolution was backed by 164 nations - the US the only nation to vote against it.
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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
My mother's ambition to become a lawyer was discouraged in the '60s. In the '70s, she subscribed to Ms. Magazine, and in the '80s, she enrolled in law school, passed the bar, and began her legal career. I think Gloria Steinem is at least partly to thank for inspiring her to pursue a deferred dream.
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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Smart people like "DEI bike lanes," preferably with physical separation from car traffic, because they don't want to DIE when simply trying to travel between two places. It doesn't even have to be "woke." Use your bike to get some raw milk and beef tallow if you like. www.nytimes.com/2026/08/31/u...
nytimes.com
Do D.E.I. Bike Paths Exist? The Trump Administration Says Yes. (Gift Article)
The administration has revoked funding for bike paths, and encouraged removing some. A cycling advocate said it is playing on the idea of “that dork on a bike.”
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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Mapquest is getting a lot of love right now for not going along with the “Lake America” absurdity. There is one problem, though: Unlike Google and Apple, Mapquest does not provide public transit information. That makes it not only less useful, but also unexpectedly aligned with the Trump 2.0 agenda.
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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
Another night with a show at the #Phoenix Theater, a special event at the Phoenix Art Museum, and congestion and chaos in the surface parking lot they share. It’s long past time for the city to build a garage there and charge a market-based price for parking in order to allocate a scarce commodity.
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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
In example of horseshoe politics at its worst, the far left and the far right have united to conflate automated traffic enforcement with Flock cameras while ignoring the fact that the former react only to traffic violations while the latter surveil everyone. www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/politic...
phoenixnewtimes.com
Vigilante vandal offers glimmer of bipartisan hope over surveillance
Politicians across the Valley react after readers rush to defend a man charged with a felony for destroying a speed camera.
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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Journey's final concert is scheduled for November 28 of this year. That gives the band three months to change its signature song's lyrics: "Just a city boy / born and raised in north Windsor." They may anger a few US fans who get the joke, but with retirement approaching, what have they got to lose?
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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
No, it's not "42 light rail crashes." It's 42 drivers colliding with trains because they failed to comply with traffic signals. That said, signs can always be improved, and some intersections may benefit from grade separation projects if funding can ever be found. www.azfamily.com/video/2026/0...
azfamily.com
42 light rail crashes this year: Why Valley Metro wants new signs
Dashcam footage from inside a Valley Metro train shows a driver making an illegal turn directly into the path of the train at a Valley intersection. Valley Metro reports 42 crashes involving cars and ...
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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
Regularly scheduled rants about drive-thrus and bad city planning have been interrupted to bring you this amazing cactus super bloom in my front yard. Although the current high pressure system is producing only oppressive heat, storms back in July must have done something to bring about this bounty.
Cactus with multiple white blossoms
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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
Of course it’s “city approved.” Our current #Phoenix mayor and city council, civil servants, and village planning committees seem unwilling to say no to drive-thru blight just about anywhere, even near schools and light rail stations where is there is likely to be high levels of pedestrian traffic.
Sign advertising a new “city approved” drive-through at 7th Avenue and Dunlap Avenue in Phoenix
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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
I occasionally use Waymo and Lyft as supplementary transport. Without the labor cost of a human driver, I would expect the former to be cheaper. Instead, they are often the same, and sometimes Waymo is much higher. Today, Waymo is quoting me $70 for the same eight-mile ride Lyft can provide for $25.
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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
Like #Phoenix, Singapore has excessively wide streets. However, it does a better job with shade. Part of that may be due to Singapore's being a higher trust society than the United States, where vegetation is often removed due to camping and drug dealing hidden by it. www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_SJ...
youtube.com
Is This Peak Hot-Weather Urbanism?
YouTube video by Not Just Bikes
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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 16/08/2026
I'm sure there will be some ugly culture war politics and many faux populist arguments made in defense of them, but this reconsideration of drive-thrus is urgently needed not only in California, but also in #Phoenix and just about everywhere else in the United States. www.nytimes.com/2026/08/01/u...
nytimes.com
In California, Some Cities Are Done With Drive-Throughs (Gift Article)
The state gave rise to fast-food culture decades ago, but some cities are spurning drive-throughs because of the environmental and aesthetic impacts.
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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 15/08/2026
Sadly, no one at the Republic or just about anywhere else sees the contradiction in labeling a chain of drive-thrus as "healthy." Regardless of what is (or is not) in the food, vehicle idling and pedestrian-hostile landscapes have a negative impact on public health. www.azcentral.com/story/entert...
azcentral.com
Angie's opening 9 new Arizona drive-throughs after Salad and Go closures
Salad and Go's closure caused demand for Angie's to grow. As a result, the chain will open 9 new metro Phoenix stores in 2026. Here's where and when.
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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 15/08/2026
Don't tell anyone this came from Portland, but this is exactly what #Phoenix and other North Americans cities need to do. Start with the most dangerous intersections. RTR might be retained elsewhere but without the danger that comes from assuming it's the default everywhere. katu.com/news/local/p...
katu.com
Portland’s no-right-on-red ordinance passes unanimously
Portland City Council unanimously OKs banning right turns on red at dangerous intersections. Pilot hits 30 sites in the high-crash network, where 8% of streets see 62% of traffic deaths. 30-day warnin...
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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
It's an imperfect analogy, but I've often thought Scottsdale : Phoenix :: Bellevue : Seattle -- with one crucial difference. The former suburb resists rail transit, as well as better bus service, to connect itself to the central city. The latter has wisely welcomed it. seattlemag.com/lifestyle/ti...
seattlemag.com
Remember When the Eastside Felt Like a Road Trip?
The Sound Transit 2 Line Crosslake Connection is open! Discover how the world’s first floating bridge light rail seamlessly unites Seattle, Bellevue, and Redmond.
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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 09/08/2026
This is good news. When the original L-shaped light rail line split into intersecting A and B trains, I feared some loss of passengers who no longer had a single seat ride between Uptown/Midtown and Sky Harbor/Tempe/Mesa, but that appears to have been outweighed by ridership gains in South #Phoenix.
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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
Over multiple decades, I've seen many implementations of engineered shade structures in #Phoenix. They've generally failed to make any meaningful difference in pedestrian comfort. You know what does work? Leafy trees, taller buildings, no setbacks, and narrower streets. www.axios.com/local/phoeni...
axios.com
Shade coming to downtown
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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
While I feel for the employees, I’m happy to see Salad And Go go away. Every single location was a drive-thru, negating any health benefits associated with the food. Will #Phoenix have the vision and will to rezone all the abandoned shacks so they can be demolished and replaced by something better?
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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
Really good episode. I don’t always agree with either the host or the guest, but it was a thoughtful conversation. I especially appreciate Walker’s critique of free public transit. It sounds great in theory but is seldom associated with frequent, reliable, and safe service in major cities anywhere.
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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
I see this in #Phoenix where some bike/ped bridges over freeways have tortuous switchbacks leading to semi-concealed areas that are misused for camping and illegal drug use. I hope that if ADOT proceeds with changes to I-10 and SR51 near Downtown, it will use the opportunity to build better bridges.
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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 06/06/2026
Unfortunately, I have little faith that this study will convince either the Street Transportation Department or the misguided milquetoast majority on the #Phoenix City Council to scrap the antiquated reverse lanes on the 7s. I would of course love to be proven wrong.
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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 06/06/2026
Planning a family movie outing resurrects the usual dilemma: Option 1: Harkins is a superior experience, but its locations are all suburban. Option 2: AMC has inferior theaters but locations in downtown #Phoenix and downtown #Tempe. The local favorite continues to ignore the heart of its hometown.
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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 01/06/2026
My concerns are the following: 1) Can ADOT do this within the existing freeway footprint without further intruding on #Phoenix neighborhoods? 2) Will the bike/ped bridges over I-10 at 10th and 18th streets be rebuilt with new ones as good as or better than what's there now? azdot.gov/projects/cen...
azdot.gov
Interstate 10, Deck Park Tunnel to I-10/I-17 Split Study | Department of Transportation
The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT), in cooperation with the City of Phoenix and the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG), has begun a study of Interstate 10 (I-10) from the Deck Park...
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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 01/06/2026
For years, I've heard Bogota cited as an example of how bus rapid transit (BRT) can be as good as trains at less cost. With Bogota finally building a metro, that doesn't mean BRT is worthless, but it works best as an interim measure while building support for rail. www.highspeed.blog/bogota-gets-...
highspeed.blog
Bogotá Gets Its Metro
As Colombia Votes, Chinese-Made Trains Are Being Tested in South America's Next Mega-City
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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 31/05/2026
It’s a pleasant surprise that a federal website is displaying accurate information under this post-truth administration, and this is a message that cannot be repeated often enough in #Phoenix
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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 31/05/2026
Today is the last day for Raffaele's Pizza, and Thai Lotus will close on June 13. The enshittification of 19th Avenue continues with the closure of popular longstanding #Phoenix restaurants to make way for a McDonald's drive-thru, a type of business that shouldn't be built along a rail transit line.
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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
4.3 spaces per vehicle. 9 degree temperature increase. Remember those numbers next time anyone says that #Phoenix doesn’t have enough parking. Even if the surplus isn’t always where it’s needed, the solution is market based supply and pricing, not more mandates. usa.streetsblog.org/2026/05/26/h...
usa.streetsblog.org
How Phoneix's 'Invisible' Parking Lots Are Making Its Heat Problems Worse — Streetsblog USA
How did parking lots swallow one of America's hottest cities — and make it even hotter?
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