Sign in

Scott

@scottistvan.com
189 followers 251 following 334 posts

Bike/ped/transit activism. Improv Comedy. Software. He/him. See also @scottsthoughts@better.boston on mastodon; Bridged here for convenience: @scottsthoughts.better.boston.ap.brid.gy

PostsRepliesMedia
Reposted by Scott
Emily Gorcenski @emily.gorcen.ski · 28/09/2026
Here’s the most incredible story you’ll read today. A small plane with four people aboard crashes in a field. Another pilot witnesses it. That pilot happens to be flying a bunch of skydivers. They offer to jump to assist, are given permission. The skydivers happen to be EMTs. Everyone survives.
wisn.com
Skydivers alert emergency crews, assist after plane crashes near East Troy airport
Four people were aboard the single-engine plane when it went down in a cornfield near Carvers School Road in East Troy at about 1:30 p.m.
122103312680
Scott @scottistvan.com · 22/09/2026
Even my OSM-based alternatives struggled which was interesting to me. I fully expected Apple and Google to fail.
010
Scott @scottistvan.com · 22/09/2026
I know NJB did a video about this, but it is hilarious how poorly equipped navigation apps are for bike-as-default cities
100
Scott @scottistvan.com · 22/09/2026
I think the thing that struck me most about Amsterdam is not that it has good bike infrastructure and lots of bikes. It’s that the city (and country) appears to be built around bike-as-default rather than car-as-default and that’s pretty neat.
111
Scott @scottistvan.com · 19/09/2026
My ideal language learning video allows me to walk into a bar and say “hey! How’s it going? Can I get an Aperol spritz? Thanks!” In under 5 minutes.
100
Scott @scottistvan.com · 19/09/2026
Continually frustrated by every language learning tool… I want the YouTube channel for “I understand how languages work, please speed run basic greetings people actually use, numbers, and present tense verb conjugation”
101
Scott @scottistvan.com · 19/09/2026
1. I haven’t done a redeye in a while and after this one I’m not looking forward to the next one I have in a few weeks, but 2. Having free Internet access while over the mid Atlantic is wild
000
Scott @scottistvan.com · 18/09/2026
One of my favorite things is other people’s drama I have no involvement in
010
Scott @scottistvan.com · 15/09/2026
Oh heck yeah it’s cardigan weather
010
Scott @scottistvan.com · 12/09/2026
This doesn’t apply to people doing a hot pot situation at home. Please invite me to those. That sounds like a great time.
001
Scott @scottistvan.com · 12/09/2026
Hot take: I don’t like hot pot restaurants. If I’m paying dining out prices I want someone who is good at cooking to do it… I can eat my own mediocre food at home.
100
Scott @scottistvan.com · 03/09/2026
In the past two weeks, two people I know in the Boston area have been hit by drivers while walking.
010
Scott @scottistvan.com · 03/09/2026
oh sure, exhausted all day but at 10pm is when I get a wave of energy, thanks
000
Reposted by Scott
Chris Dwan (he/him) @somershade.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
A friend refers to the "a pedestrian was struck by a car" construction as the "exonerative" tense, and that shall be its name henceforth and hereafter.
18379155
Scott @scottistvan.com · 01/09/2026
Hey Massholes - Go vote! We have a lot of contested primary races today; many will be decided by hundreds if not dozens of votes.
022
Reposted by Scott
Adam Conover @adamconover.net · 31/08/2026
AI ruined the internet. Watch the full video on YouTube: youtu.be/JvTJTTUK8cg
724360
Reposted by Scott
🎃 Spooky Shoshana 🎃 @shoshana.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
The ghosts of James and Helen Storrow demand sacrifices! James fought to preserve and improve the riverbank as a public park. After he died, his wife Helen prevented a highway from being built and donated $1M to the park. After Helen died, MA put a highway through his park and named it after him 🤬
1379
Scott @scottistvan.com · 01/09/2026
And to clarify for folks who are new and don’t know our street names: Do not drive a truck on the roads next to the river. They might sometimes look like highways, but they are neither highway nor road; they are secret third worse option that will destroy you.
030
Reposted by Scott
The Boston LOL 💜 🚲 ⚡ @thebostonlol.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Jamaica Plain folks! You may have noticed that Centre Street was recently repaved without putting in any improvements for either pedestrians or bikers. That's bc @wutrain.bsky.social cancelled the Centre Street improvements project Sign here @universalhub.com actionnetwork.org/petitions/re...
actionnetwork.org
Refund the JP Centre/South Transportation Action Plan
Mayor Wu has quietly cut the funding for the Centre St./South St. redesign plan that would have helped improve the speed and efficiency of the 39 bus, the 4th highest ridership route, and the safety o...
03917
Reposted by Scott
Jonathan Berk 🏠 @berkie1.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
Boston is an incredible place. We should stop gatekeeping this beautiful city and region and build a ton of new housing so more people can afford to live here, experience it, contribute to making it even better and call it home.
0497
Reposted by Scott
Bikepedantic @pedantic.bike · 28/08/2026
Guys, this is for real. Senate GOP and the administration want to pass a law that outlaws bikelanes on the 160K mile National Highway System. Imagine if adding protected bikelanes to many arterials would suddenly be against the law. Let’s not allow this.
7276124
Reposted by Scott
Gravel Influencer @gravelinfluencer.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Really cool read about busting the patriarchy with regards to biking. This is a really good reminder of how infrastructure can drive culture. When you make cycling accessible for *everyone* then you see wide swaths of people riding. Seeing more women riding in turn encourages other women to bike.
18014
Scott @scottistvan.com · 27/08/2026
I took the green line home yesterday... took 45 minutes. In the morning I walked in to work - took 1 hour.
100
Scott @scottistvan.com · 26/08/2026
MBTA lines as problematic men pt 3 Commuter rail - divorced dad who has now made the gym his personality Ferry - is super kind and loving but will never ever take initiative or plan anything
000
Scott @scottistvan.com · 26/08/2026
MBTA lines as problematic men pt 2 Blue line - suave and charming but has wildly outdated views on gender roles Silver line - “it’s not a fetish” he claims as all of his partners share an oft fetishized trait
100
Scott @scottistvan.com · 26/08/2026
MBTA lines as problematic men: Red line - crypto bro with a sports betting problem Green line - college guy who read the game and is trying way too hard Orange line - he was a cool hipster in college but is now in his early 40s and hasn’t changed anything including his sheets
100
Reposted by Scott
Gravel Influencer @gravelinfluencer.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
ICE very quickly recognized that they could be just as effective in kidnapping people with less blowback if they just did it where white people weren't paying attention
bostonglobe.com
ICE arrests jumped to nearly 50,000 in July, the highest monthly total of Trump’s second term - The Boston Globe
The spike in immigration arrests shows that the administration has continued to advance its mass deportations agenda despite a shift in approach earlier this year that sparked a public outcry.
117593
Scott @scottistvan.com · 26/08/2026
I’ve now got 9 to 5 stuck in my head and it brings me great joy and a little sadness
010
Scott @scottistvan.com · 26/08/2026
Woah be careful what you say; Buc-ees might sue the moon out of existence for trademark infringement!
010
Reposted by Scott
mtsw @mtsw.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
"should cyclists wear helmets" discourse is such a good one because the arguments for both positions are totally common-sense and unassailable, everyone just digs in.
8595680
Scott @scottistvan.com · 26/08/2026
Ooh I see we’re having helmet discourse on the timeline again today. Let me grab the popcorn…
110
Reposted by Scott
Fietser @americanfietser.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
Looks like the big name journalists are taking a stand on a stupid hill. Better put on a helmet before tumbling off it.
3314
Reposted by Scott
David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
New study suggests that a shortage of secure bike parking is limiting e-bike adoption. Glad to see this issue getting attention. It's intuitive that people with quasi-secure bike storage might be OK risking a pedal bike, but not an e-bike that's more expensive. doi.org/10.1016/j.tr...
1230170
Reposted by Scott
FT @fucktheory.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
Imagine being talented and beautiful and rich and famous and still the most noteworthy thing about you is how good a person you are.
99268136333
Scott @scottistvan.com · 25/08/2026
Did I miss anything? I'm not counting drip, percolator, keurig, or espresso since those require machines that take up counter space that I don't have (and/or hundreds to thousands of dollars for espresso)
110
Scott @scottistvan.com · 25/08/2026
Coldbrew: Hard to screw up, but requires planning I love the more concentrated flavors of cold brew. Cleanup depends on method of brewing; I use a reusable bag I have to wash. Great if you want a pitcher for a party. Pretty foolproof: can't burn or over extract. But you can't make it on demand.
100
Scott @scottistvan.com · 25/08/2026
Aeropress: Mid at everything It has the timing and weight complexities of pour over with more bits to clean, espresso-like abilities akin to a moka pot without being cute, and more steps that french press. I know some people love it though (it is more consistent/less attention required than moka).
110
Scott @scottistvan.com · 25/08/2026
Pour over: Best flavor & easiest to clean, a little fiddly Look I didn't want to be one of *those guys* but... it showcases delicate flavors well. It's too much math for early mornings. Cleanup is super simple - pitch the filter, rinse or dishwasher, and you're drinking from that mug anyway.
100
Scott @scottistvan.com · 25/08/2026
Moka pot: Most delightful to make, easiest to screw up I like espresso drinks and the moka pot gets close enough. It's cute and fun to do, but if you blink, you burn your coffee. Cleaning is easy because you just unscrew the top, knock out your grinds, and rinse the three pieces.
220
Scott @scottistvan.com · 25/08/2026
French press: Easiest to make, worst to clean Just dump your grinds in, add water, wait, and plunge. Less fussing about first thing in the morning. But scooping out the grinds and disassembling the filter from the plunger to clean is a pain (which is why people often skip it but ew).
100
Scott @scottistvan.com · 25/08/2026
Ok, I have now tried all of the common coffee brewing methods that don't require a dedicated kitchen appliance. French Press, Moka Pot, Pour Over, Aeropress, and Cold Brew. A thread...
130
Scott @scottistvan.com · 25/08/2026
1000% agree
000
Scott @scottistvan.com · 25/08/2026
I have no idea how the local state senate race is going to pan out and I’m so curious. In Somerville and Cambridge I can absolutely pick it by neighborhood, but the district also covers parts of Medford and Winchester and I have no idea how those are going to fall.
230
Scott @scottistvan.com · 24/08/2026
Somerville Code of Ordinances Section 11 Article 4 11-111 for the curious: online.encodeplus.com/regs/somervi...
online.encodeplus.com
Document Viewer | Code of Ordinances
000
Scott @scottistvan.com · 24/08/2026
We have the legal authority to collect a registration fee for vacant properties AND place a lien on the property if it is unpaid! It’s just that the fee is currently $50, completely unenforced, and last I brought it up the response was “no one cares”
110
Reposted by Scott
Chris Dwan (he/him) @somershade.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
Biscuit when? 1/?
151
Reposted by Scott
Vice Mayor Burhan Azeem @burhanazeem.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
8 days left! @wilfredmbah.bsky.social and I want to know: do you have a plan to vote?
031
Scott @scottistvan.com · 24/08/2026
Trying again to fix my feed - Please recommend artists, comedians, shitposters, meme accounts, cute animal accounts, progressive politicians, educational content, inspirational content, and anything that gives you hope or optimism on the timeline!
000
Reposted by Scott
Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani @mayor.nyc.gov · 24/08/2026
We're done kicking the can down the road. Here's how we're fixing the city-owned section of the BQE.
296125642038
Scott @scottistvan.com · 24/08/2026
Struggling with tech issues over on the fediverse. Maybe it's time to give Bluesky another go? If anyone has follow recs please lmk! My feed here is a bit dismal.
000