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Scott Atwood

@scott-roy-atwood.bsky.social
476 followers 1.1K following 710 posts

He/Him Photographer, marathon runner, transportation cyclist, urbanist, alternative transportation advocate, Disney theme park fan, cocktail enthusiast, SF Bay Area denizen, software engineer.

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Scott Atwood @scott-roy-atwood.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
Four years ago we moved to downtown SJ. I got an e-bike and told my wife we didn’t need the older 2nd car. She said let’s just keep and it see how often we need it. Turns out, we only needed it a few times per year. Today, we passed the second car to my nephew and became a one car household!
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Scott Atwood @scott-roy-atwood.bsky.social · 25/07/2026
I just arrived in Vancouver BC, and I’m delighted to find what seems to be quite a well developed network of connected, protected cycleways and intersections in and around downtown!
A photograph of the intersection of Hornby Street and Smithe Street, looking west, in downtown Vancouver, BC, showing the protected two-way cycleways and concrete protected intersection.
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Scott Atwood @scott-roy-atwood.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
“All worthy things that are in peril as the world now stands, these are my care. And for my part, I shall not wholly fail of my task, though Gondor should perish, if anything passes through this night that can still grow fair or bear fruit and flower again in days to come. For I also am a steward.”
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Scott Atwood @scott-roy-atwood.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
“I wish it need not have happened in my time,” said Frodo. “So do I,” said Gandalf, “and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”
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Scott Atwood @scott-roy-atwood.bsky.social · 01/06/2026
Bike lane stencils have a unique design near SAP Center in San Jose, home arena of the San Jose Sharks NHL team!
A photograph of a green bike lane with a humanoid shark on a bicycle instead of the traditional bike lane stencil.
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Scott Atwood @scott-roy-atwood.bsky.social · 01/06/2026
In Kim Stanley Robinson’s novel, Ministry for the Future, in the very near future, a massive heatwave kills millions and galvanizes the world to finally grapple with the reality of climate change. The novel weaves many real world organizations and ideas into the adaptations of the next few decades.
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Scott Atwood @scott-roy-atwood.bsky.social · 30/05/2026
The San Jose airport has remarkably good access for pedestrians and cyclists, with a direct connection from the Guadalupe River Trail at Airport Pkwy. The airport is right next to downtown and close to light trail and Caltrain commuter rail, so this access is more useful than it might seem.
A photo of the crosswalk and Jersey barrier protected walkway connecting the Guadalupe River Trail to the San Jose Diridon International Airport at Airport Parkway.
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Scott Atwood @scott-roy-atwood.bsky.social · 30/05/2026
Women, parents with children, and cargo bikes are all good “indicator species” that your city is doing the right things to build a network that makes people feel safe getting around on a bike. Bravo to San Jose for continuing to execute on the Better Bike Plan 2025!
A photo of a mother on a bakfiets-style cargo bike with a transparent passenger cover on the front box, stopped in the 4th Street protected bike lane currently under construction in downtown San Jose.
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Scott Atwood @scott-roy-atwood.bsky.social · 29/05/2026
EDC items for dealing with the distressingly common reality of US public toilets that are poorly maintained or non-functional. The kit includes hand soap strips, a hand towel, and disposable wet napkins. I really wish I didn’t have to use these as often as I do.
Everyday Carry (EDC) items that are part of my “public toilet rescue kit” for dealing with the common US reality of public toilets that are not properly stocked, non-functional, locked, or absent.

Pictured here on the rim of a public bathroom sink are camping soap strips (for when the soap dispenser is empty or missing, as it was here), a lightweight camping hand towel (for when there are no paper towels or hand dryers, as was the case here), and disposable wet napkins (for when there are no functional hand washing facilities at all).

The kit also includes a small of toilet paper and zip lock bags.
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Scott Atwood @scott-roy-atwood.bsky.social · 29/05/2026
Like many Americans, I first really experienced car free living in college. And I mainlined on world class urbanism and car free live when I spent six months in Berlin during my junior year.
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Scott Atwood @scott-roy-atwood.bsky.social · 28/05/2026
Is textualism just justices interpretating the law like a fairy tale genie? “I know what you meant, but you wrote what you wrote, so I’ve got to go with the literal words on the page!”
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Scott Atwood @scott-roy-atwood.bsky.social · 27/05/2026
And now San Jose is upgrading the flex post protected cycleway on 4th Street to a fully curb protected bike lane with curb protected intersections! This is really first class bike infrastructure!
A photo of the curb protected intersection at N 4th Street and E Saint James Street, currently under construction. There are concrete forms for the outline of the intersection curb, and orange cones warning cyclists of the temporary hazard.
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Scott Atwood @scott-roy-atwood.bsky.social · 27/05/2026
Humans have a remarkably stable subconscious “travel budget” of about 78 minutes per day, regardless of wealth or location. This has fascinating implications for government policies around land use and transportation.
phys.org
Humanity travels an average of 78 minutes per day—regardless of living standards, finds study
People travel for many reasons—commuting, as part of their job, or to go shopping—and the time spent traveling differs from day to day, from person to person. But remarkably, populations tend to trave...
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Scott Atwood @scott-roy-atwood.bsky.social · 27/05/2026
I am constantly delighted by San Jose’s rhythm of continuous incremental improvement in cycling conditions! Just recently, they opened the newest stretch of curb protected bike lanes on 3rd Street in downtown!
A photo of the curb protected bike lane on 3rd Street, with a large bike lane logo over green paint the in foreground. To the left of the bike lane is 2–3 feet of raised curb, with several parked cars to the left of the raised curb. To the right of the bike lane is the sidewalk with the parking meters.
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Scott Atwood @scott-roy-atwood.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
Normally I commute by e-bike, but it’s in the shop for annual maintenance and waiting for a part. So this week, I’m taking my alternative commute: Caltrain with a Brompton folding bike for last mile connectivity and no risk of getting bumped due to filled bike capacity!
A folded Bompton bicycle and a Brompton commutet bag sitting on the platform of the San Jose Diridon Caltrain station, with Clipper tap stations and digital signage in the background.
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Scott Atwood @scott-roy-atwood.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
In the Bay Area, if you are able to combine cycling with transit with bicycles, e-bikes, and/or bike share, it can surprisingly easy to get around without a car. BART and Caltrain are geographically sparse, but bikes REALLY expand the range of convenient destinations reachable from each station.
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Scott Atwood @scott-roy-atwood.bsky.social · 23/05/2026
I was delighted to see that San Jose recently opened a new stretch of Coyote Creek Trail, linking BART to Empire Street bike lane. This is a more direct route, almost entirely away from cars, bypassing busy Taylor/Maybury and providing a much more pleasant crossing of 101.
A screenshot of a map highlighting the new Coyote Creek Trail segment starting just south of Berryessa/North San Jose BART, and ending at the corner of E Empire Street and N 22nd Street, crossing over Highway 101, and going mostly through green space.
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Scott Atwood @scott-roy-atwood.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
🚲Happy Bike to Work (or Wherever) Day! 🚲
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Scott Atwood @scott-roy-atwood.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
If you used to be a regular BART rider, but you fell out of the habit due to the pandemic and its immediate aftermath, it’s time to get BART a new try! Or if you live and visit places where BART could be a useful part of your journey, it’s perhaps time to give it a try for the first time!
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Scott Atwood @scott-roy-atwood.bsky.social · 12/05/2026
Bay Area Bike to Wherever Day is this Thursday, May 14! The weather will be great. There will be Energizer Stations dotted throughout the region. And there will be many other people on bikes to keep you company! I’ll see you on the roads and trails this Thursday! www.bayareabiketowork.com
bayareabiketowork.com
Bay Area Bike To Wherever Days
Resources to help people bike to work in the Bay Area
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Scott Atwood @scott-roy-atwood.bsky.social · 04/05/2026
If you live in California, and you think that e-bikes should be part of our urban transportation system, but are concerned about the risks posed by high speed e-motos, I urge you to contact your state representative and state senator and ask the to support SB 1167 and to oppose AB 1942 and AB 1557.
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Scott Atwood @scott-roy-atwood.bsky.social · 01/05/2026
Happy International Worker’s Day! ✊
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Scott Atwood @scott-roy-atwood.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
The best description I have heard of Prop 13: The simplest, worst solution to a real crisis.
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Scott Atwood @scott-roy-atwood.bsky.social · 14/04/2026
In 2024, Caltrain launched a new electrified service, which enabled faster and more frequent trains, a simplified schedule, as well as a more comfortable, modern riding experience the rivals the onboard experience of passenger trains in Europe or Asia.
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Scott Atwood @scott-roy-atwood.bsky.social · 07/04/2026
I’m meeting friends for dinner in the South Bay. It’s only 14 miles, a short trip within this region. Yet have to allow for nearly an hour of travel time if I drive. Transit and cycling are worse, and even using an e-bike or combining cycling with transit can’t beat driving. 😭
A Google Maps travel time comparison for a trip arriving at 7pm on a weeknight in the South Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area. Driving is the “best” option for the 14 mile trip, with a typical travel time of 24–50 minutes. Transit would take 1:20, walking 5 hours, or cycling 1:23.  The driving time summary notes that parking at the destination is easy.
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Scott Atwood @scott-roy-atwood.bsky.social · 21/03/2026
Transitioning our economy from fossil fuels to renewable energy means:
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Scott Atwood @scott-roy-atwood.bsky.social · 18/01/2026
Please enjoy this macro photo of my dog’s adorable nose!
Extreme close up photo of a moist black dog nose, surrounded by white fur, with shallow depth of field, making appear as if it were floating in a white cloud.
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Scott Atwood @scott-roy-atwood.bsky.social · 14/01/2026
Commuting by bicycle on a chilly winter day is very comfortable when you wear the right clothing!
A selfie of me sitting on my e-bike, wearing a black wool peacoat and bright orange gloves with the San Francisco Bay in the background.
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Scott Atwood @scott-roy-atwood.bsky.social · 14/01/2026
It feels like rapid acceleration & higher top speeds should result in faster trip times. But at least in an urban street network, intersection capacity is a limiting factor, and no matter what speed you reach mid-block, you end up spending a lot of time waiting at stop signs and stop lights.
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Scott Atwood @scott-roy-atwood.bsky.social · 14/01/2026
An unfortunate truth I am forced to accept about human psychology is that emotions good stories work far better than facts and rationality to sway people’s optinions.
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Scott Atwood @scott-roy-atwood.bsky.social · 11/01/2026
The unfortunate truth is that to get better at something—running faster, lifting heavier weights, playing music, learning a language—challenge and struggle are essential to the process of getting better. If you simply do what is easy and comfortable and no more, you are not going to improve.
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Reposted by Scott Atwood
Jon Orcutt @jonorcutt.bsky.social · 05/01/2026
Great overview of how it's going: $ for transit Manhattan economy thriving Less pollution Some 🚛 traffic pushed to nights Fewer injuries
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Scott Atwood @scott-roy-atwood.bsky.social · 07/01/2026
When I commute by car, I feel so stressed and trapped in rush hour congestion. Do others feel this way too? Do others realize how joyful and free it feels to fly past lines of stressed out drivers when you commute by bicycle, train, or express bus?
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Scott Atwood @scott-roy-atwood.bsky.social · 31/12/2025
I love that the Portland Airport includes a bike assembly area near baggage claim for people traveling with a bicycle and leaving the airport on two wheels, as well as a transit station right at the terminal. It’s a rare delight to have such excellent accommodations for non-car airport travel!
A photo of the Portland International Airport baggage claim area, including a wayfinding sign with destinations:  Rental Car Center, Parking Garages, Restrooms, Oregon Welcome Center, MAX Light Rail, and Bike Assembly Area.
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Scott Atwood @scott-roy-atwood.bsky.social · 31/12/2025
My morning marathon training run along the Columbia River, with Mt Hood in the distance.
A photo on the Marine Drive Trail, completely empty, looking east, with Government Island and the Columbia River to the left, the I-205 bridge in the distance, and Mt Hood in the far distance, almost lost in the clouds.
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Scott Atwood @scott-roy-atwood.bsky.social · 31/12/2025
Our urban populations face a poly crisis: climate change, local air pollution, noise pollution, poor health from sedentary lifestyles, traffic congestion, increasingly unaffordable cars. In many ways, bicycles are a poly-solution. Local policy makers can meaningfully improve life with bicycles!
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Scott Atwood @scott-roy-atwood.bsky.social · 29/12/2025
One of the nice features of the St John bicycle boulevard in downtown San Jose are the periodic modal filters that directing through car traffic to parallel streets, letting bicycles enjoy a low traffic through route. #DTSJ
The modal filter on St John at 10th allows bicycles to proceed straight through in both directions, but forces cars to turn onto 10th St.
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Scott Atwood @scott-roy-atwood.bsky.social · 29/12/2025
Cars vs bikes is not an all or nothing, mutually exclusive choice. You can use bicycle, e-bike, or cargo bike when it makes sense to do so, and use a car for trips where a car is a better option.
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Scott Atwood @scott-roy-atwood.bsky.social · 29/12/2025
I love where we live near downtown San Jose, so close to both BART and Caltrain. It means my wife and I can have plans together in SF or Oakland in the evening, but have different plans in the afternoon or late night and only need a single car, because I can take a train for one leg of the trip!
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Scott Atwood @scott-roy-atwood.bsky.social · 27/12/2025
According to a recent study in Germany, cyclists (and pedestrians) are more interested in the common good than motorists. Perhaps it is because getting around on a bicycle requires you to engage with your environment and the people in it, while driving a car isolates you from all of that.
jalopnik.com
Study Finds Cyclists Are Better People Than Drivers - Jalopnik
Well, the comments section on this one should be fun: Cyclists are more interested in the common good than drivers are, a study published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology found. The study us...
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Scott Atwood @scott-roy-atwood.bsky.social · 25/12/2025
Downtown San Jose has pretty good urbanism, but things like this are a stark reminder of how far we have to go: right across the street from the University is a 7-11 on a corner lot with a 9 stall surface lot occupying the corner and an entrance that faces the lot and not the sidewalk. #DTSJ
Downtown San Jose has pretty good urban fabric, is dense and walkable, and has a compact street grid. But it also has a long legacy of prioritizing automobiles throughout the city, including downtown, and has only recently started to lean into human-oriented development again.

San Jose State University occupies 18 contiguous city blocks just south of the downtown core.  And just across the street from the walkable University is stark example of suburban-style car-oriented development:  a 7-11 convenience store occupies a corner lot. Everything about the design and layout is for the benefit of drivers and not pedestrians:  most of the lot is a 9-stall surface parking lot;  the lot occupies the corner of the lot for ease of car access from both streets;  the building entrance faces the parking lot rather than the sidewalk; and the building presents a stark blank wall to the sidewalk.
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Scott Atwood @scott-roy-atwood.bsky.social · 17/12/2025
The science is settled: rapid global warming is real and caused by human activities, and whatever else we do to mitigate it, we must end the burning of fossil fuels and dumping the CO₂ into the atmosphere and to do so as rapidly as possible.
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Scott Atwood @scott-roy-atwood.bsky.social · 17/12/2025
Quite a lovely sunset view over one of the salt ponds on the bike commute home tonight!
A scenic landscape looking towards the western sky about 20 minutes after sunset with the orange and blue sky and clouds reflected in still waters.
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Scott Atwood @scott-roy-atwood.bsky.social · 15/12/2025
As a longtime Disney Parks fan, I am deeply unhappy with the change from free FastPass to paid Lightning Lane. I rarely if ever pay for LL. Instead, I arrive early when lines are shortest, take advantage of single rider lines, and use other tricks of seasoned visitors.
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Scott Atwood @scott-roy-atwood.bsky.social · 15/12/2025
You can’t justify the need for a bridge by the number of people swimming across a river. And you can’t justify the need for sidewalks and protected bike lanes based on the number of people willing to brave streets designed solely for cars and not people.
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Scott Atwood @scott-roy-atwood.bsky.social · 04/12/2025
I haven’t had a daily car commute since November 2019. First I spent 3 months living in Tokyo with a 10 minute walk to work. I returned to the US in March ‘20 and worked from home for a couple of years. By the time I returned to the office in 2023, I had an e-bike and no desire to drive to work.
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Scott Atwood @scott-roy-atwood.bsky.social · 03/12/2025
What a delightful sight to see in the bike locker at work this morning: not one, not two, but three electric cargo bikes!
A photo of the inside of a workplace bicycle cage, showing two Urban Arrow front-box cargo bikes, and a Riese & Müller long tail cargo bike.
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Scott Atwood @scott-roy-atwood.bsky.social · 29/11/2025
sustainabilitybynumbers.com
Eliminating contrails from flying could be incredibly cheap
Could we halve aviation's climate impact at a fraction of the cost of sustainable aviation fuels?
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Scott Atwood @scott-roy-atwood.bsky.social · 26/11/2025
Wow! San Jose made honorable mention in a CityNerd urbanism top ten list! We have had a substantial increase in percentage of low car households, those with access to zero or one car, increasing from 17% to 23% between 2010 and 2025.
youtu.be
Top 10 US Cities That Are Becoming More City-Like
YouTube video by Ray Delahanty | CityNerd
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Scott Atwood @scott-roy-atwood.bsky.social · 25/11/2025
Reminder to car drivers in California: As of January 1, 2024, bicycles are legally allowed to go with the pedestrian walk signal, even when the main signal is red. This post brought to you by the driver who decided to stop, roll down his window, and yell at me about running a red light.
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