Author | Lightnews

Christopher Schmidt

@crschmidt.net

2.7K followers 560 following 1.4K posts

Software engineer (currently at Google). Founding member, Alphabet Workers Union. Advocate for sustainable cities through urban development. E-bike evangelist. Currently in Somerville, MA; formerly in Cambridge, MA.

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Christopher Schmidt @crschmidt.net · 12h

How I’m spending my day

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Christopher Schmidt @crschmidt.net · 1d

"No, 12 million Americans don't believe the country is run by shape-shifting lizards."

foreignpolicy.com/2013/04/02/n...

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Christopher Schmidt @crschmidt.net · 2d

If you want to help on Election Day, and don’t have anything to do, I could use a few more people to hold signs for @abciepac.org on Election Day in the morning or evening; let me know if you’re interested!

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Christopher Schmidt @crschmidt.net · 3d

please vote in your local municipal elections on Tuesday (if you have one).

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Christopher Schmidt @crschmidt.net · 3d

I specifically changed my work travel plans to accommodate being part of this event. I'm glad I did, because it's just a genuinely joyful thing every time.

bikepedantic @bikepedantic.bsky.social · 4d

We’ve done four Peabody #BikeBus rides with the band so far, and each one relies on an incredible selfless army of volunteers.

I’m so grateful to them without whom we couldn’t pull off this joyful madness. A true community.

Happy HONKoween 🎺🎷🎃

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Christopher Schmidt @crschmidt.net · 4d

CC @bunchbike.com for bunch sighting in our bike bus band this morning

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Christopher Schmidt @crschmidt.net · 8d

While my hotel window could use some cleaning, the view is cool.

Christopher Schmidt @crschmidt.net · 9d

This is a weird ballot.

Cambridge, MA's 2023 Municipal Ballots @cambma2023ballots.bsky.social · 9d

Precinct: 9-2
4 candidates ranked.
Rankings: Totten, Azeem, Zusy, Walker
Ballot was exhausted.
This ballot is unique and no other ranked exactly these candidates.

Reposted by Christopher Schmidt

bikepedantic @bikepedantic.bsky.social · 10d

A nice moment of feeling like ‘bikes are normie here,’ getting two separate mailers from the local bike advocacy machine

Two mailers: WHY IS NOVEMBER 4'™ SO IMPORTANT?
Our safety is at risk. In 2024, three cyclists were killed in Cambridge, and many people walking and biking were seriously injured.
Everyone deserves to get around safely. Kids biking to school, people commuting to work, and neighbors running errands all deserve safety and peace of mind.
YOUR VOTE CAN SAVE LIVES.
The current council has delayed and tried to cancel critical street safety projects.
We need your help to elect city councillors who will prioritize safe streets and a complete bike network.
(Office of Campaign and Political Finance: https://ocpf.us/)
DID YOU MISS THE 2023
CITY COUNCIL ELECTION?
Only 20% of voters under 40 showed up in Cambridge's last council election. That meant our priorities were left out of the room:
60%
• Safety projects delayed for
Voting Rate
people walking & biking
3x
• Endless debate to
20%
1x
Younger
Older
delay/cancel projects
• Streets remain dangerous
Commit to voting on Tues. Nov 4:
1. Make a specific plan to vote - add it to your calendar right now.
2. Text two friends to make sure they are voting and have a plan, too.
KEY PRIORITIES
Separated bike lanes
Build a connected network of separated bike lanes so biking is a safe and realistic way to get around
Safer intersections
Redesign high-crash intersections with proven safety tools so people walking and biking can cross safely.
Calmer neighborhood streets
Transform neighborhood streets using strategies that calm and reduce high-speed cut-through traffic.
Cambridge Bicycle Safety IEPAC
205R Rindge Avenue Cambridge, MA 02140
CP32574
PRST STD
PAID
CONNOLL
Cambridge
Bicycle Safety
CAMBRIDGE BICYCLE SAFETY
37 WALKER ST
NAXRRIONE AK
MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD VOTE ON NOVEMBER 4TH
- SCAN HERE TO LEARN MORE
• CONFIRM YOUR REGISTRATION
• FIND YOUR POLLING PLACE
• LEARN ABOUT RANKED VOTING
cambike.us/voter_info

Two mailers: CAMBRIDGE BICYCLE SAFETY
We're Cambridge residents working for safer streets. Our network of bike lanes and safer intersections is making everyday trips safer and more comfortable. The result is fewer serious crashes, and more kids, seniors, and workers who are choosing to walk or bike.
SAFER STREETS ARE BOOSTING BIKING
When streets feel safe, people ride. Bluebikes ridership hit record levels and is climbing citywide, year round. Since quick-build bike lanes were introduced, there has been a 361% increase in trips.
OUR STREETS ARE BECOMING SAFER
Citywide bike crash rates fell 67% since 2003 (28→9.3 per million bike-miles). Severe-injury crashes have dropped dramatically as the network has been built. Pedestrian safety has improved as a result of these projects, too.
RESIDENTS ARE BIKE COMMUTING
Commuters are choosing to bike. For every 2 residents commuting by car, one is traveling by. bike! (2023 ACS: 10.8% bike vs 22.6% car), that's up from 1 in 4 in 2018 and 1 in 5 in 2013. On Hampshire St at rush hour, bikes outnumber cars (2023).
THE BIKE NETWORK IS MORE INCLUSIVE
More kids and families are riding, with ~3.5x more children since 2014. Income-eligible and adaptive cycling programs are expanding access for all.
LET'S BUILD ON THIS SUCCESS!
• Sidewalk biking is down ›80% on Mass
Ave, better for people who walk.
• Household vehicle ownership is down per capita. Over a third of households don't own a single car.
• Bike use in business districts is up. In East Cambridge, 32% of customers reported biking in 2023 compared to 22% driving, up from 11% in 2013.
• Cambridge was ranked #2 for biking among 604 medium U.S. cities.
Learn more & get involved:
Cambridge
Bicycle Safety
cambridgebikesafety.org
VOTE
FOR SAFE STREETS
All candidates listed are committed to completing Cambridge's network of safer streets by 2026.
This includes improved crossings and separated bike lanes on Mass Ave., Broadway, and Cambridge St.
Burhan
Azeem O
Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler O
Mar…

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Christopher Schmidt @crschmidt.net · 12d

i have no tattoos, does this make me eligible or ineligible for public office?

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Christopher Schmidt @crschmidt.net · 15d

I see so many people who apply to dozens, or hundreds, of jobs, over the course of months, for theoretically open positions, and are consistently rejected.

It is hard to see that reality and think that the problem is that people don't want to work rather than companies don't want to hire.

Christopher Schmidt @crschmidt.net · 19d

Sobrinho-Wheeler feels like a strange addition to this anti-bike lane ballot.

Then again, anything that includes Moree is clearly a weirdo outlier anyway.

Cambridge, MA's 2023 Municipal Ballots @cambma2023ballots.bsky.social · 19d

Precinct: 5-1
11 candidates ranked.
Rankings: Zusy, Toner, Nolan, Brown, Hanratty, Muchnik, Pickett, Sobrinho-Wheeler, Moree, Winters, McGuirk
Vote was counted for: Pickett
Identical ballots: 2 (all of which used this order).

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Christopher Schmidt @crschmidt.net · 20d

Interesting to see only Wilson get left off an ABC ballot in the 2023 election. There's probably a story there.

Cambridge, MA's 2023 Municipal Ballots @cambma2023ballots.bsky.social · 20d

Precinct: 8-2
8 candidates ranked.
Rankings: McGuirk, Azeem, Klein, McGovern, Sobrinho-Wheeler, Simmons, Siddiqui, Pierre
Vote was counted for: Sobrinho-Wheeler
This ballot is unique; 5 ranked the same candidates.

Christopher Schmidt @crschmidt.net · 21d

There were 8 Jivan #1, Zusy #2 ballots in 2023 :)

Christopher Schmidt @crschmidt.net · 21d

Congratudolences! Not the way I want my percent score to increase, but I appreciate you fighting the good fight for so long.

I hope you find something lovely for whatever comes next!

Christopher Schmidt @crschmidt.net · 21d

presumably just left. (orwant isn't on there yet either, i think it's ~weekly)