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David Bickford

@exit2lef.bsky.social
232 followers 224 following 224 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 · 12h
The @valleymetro.org proposed bus network redesign is now available for comment. No major problems with it, but it's less sweeping than I expected. What the agency wants to do on a regional basis may be constrained by what its member cities and towns will support. www.valleymetro.org/projects/bus...
valleymetro.org
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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
This is unsurprising since the combination of a grid layout, wide arterial streets, and mostly clear weather makes #Phoenix a relatively easy city for robotaxis to navigate. Waymo seems waymo’ controversial in San Francisco, as well as some potential expansion cities where the concept is unfamiliar.
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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
Maybe also South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa. It seems to miss a lot of the biggest destinations in Orange Couty.
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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
What a ridiculous pretext for opposing robotaxis. I'm sure human drivers kill more cats, and, as you say, cats should live indoors or within enclosed catios. We keep our four inside for their safety, as well as that of bird populations. I love Minneapolis, but the council lost the plot on this vote.
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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Yes, free transit should never come at the expense of frequent, reliable, and safe transit.
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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 · 27/09/2026
What did you think? I used to connect regularly at O’Hare when traveling between Providence and cities beyond Chicago. When I returned last year after a long absence, the terminal seemed dated and dystopian. Of course, the horrific service by American Airlines might have influenced that perception.
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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
And you’ll have fewer alternatives to driving an inefficient internal combustion vehicle due to the elimination of federal electric vehicle incentives, the withholding of federal funding for public transportation, and the demonization of pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure as “DEI” and “woke.”
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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Creamy and crunchy, no less. C'est le paradis, pas l'apocalypse.
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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
You know what helps even more? Slowing down.
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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 · 23/09/2026
I once completed a survey for a national retailer noting that I didn’t like driving to a mall and wished they had a downtown location. I naively thought it would go to someone in management. Instead, I received an apologetic reply from the store manager saying he had no control over site selection.
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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
We had a vacancy for the same position in #Phoenix last year. Despite a national search, the city manager still chose an entrenched insider with a cars-first view of her job. Part of the problem is that the city requires the Director of the Street Transportation Department to be a traffic engineer.
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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
I guess so because I saw “The Devil Wears Prada 2” at a Harkins in Chandler.
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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
It’s not just cold weather. The same flimsy argument is used in #Phoenix and other cities with regard to heat. What this argument ignores is that even if it’s over 100 F / 38 C on a hot summer afternoon, it’s not that way all year, or even all day. Plus, designing for car dominance exacerbates heat.
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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 actual city of Prescott is quite nice with a walkable downtown, interesting local businesses, and scenic hiking trails. Prescott Valley is the big exurban strip people drive through on the way between Prescott and Phoenix, but many who work in Prescott must live there due to lower housing costs.
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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
I'll step outside and wave.
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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 · 10/09/2026
That's a good observation, and it's compounded by several other factors: 1) medical sprawl with many doctors in suburban offices far from transit 2) no bike racks at many medical offices 3) policies requiring someone to be driven home after certain procedures, even when public transit is available.
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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Which varieties of apple are most often grown in orchards near Lake *Ontario*?
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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 · 08/09/2026
The one time a helmet protected me is when my head struck a low-hanging tree branch I somehow didn't notice. I wouldn't have encountered that branch if I had not been riding on the sidewalk, though. The helmet minimized harm, but that harm would have been avoided entirely with better infrastructure.
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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
Apropos of current events, this sounds sort of like cars crossing the U.S.-Canadian border multiple times on their way to completion. It's a level of complexity and nuance often lost in discussions of tariffs and trade.
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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
With less space at ground level devoted to parking, there would also be an opportunity for housing, offices, and other economically productive and revenue generating redevelopment of the land, especially in combination with the adjacent parking lot of the now defunct Central United Methodist Church.
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David Bickford @exit2lef.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
With paid parking, there would be some grumbling but also some shifting to other modes such as light rail, rideshare, and robotaxis. Others might be more inclined to carpool rather than arriving in separate vehicles. The theatre and museum could also provide validations for their most loyal patrons.
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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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