Friday Funny: Pedestrian Planner is Hell on Wheels

By day, Nicole Losch works on the Sidewalk Strategic Plan for Burlington Public Works. But in the evenings, look out.

1 minute read

May 23, 2008, 2:00 PM PDT

By Tim Halbur


"It's a quiet day at the office for Nicole Losch. She's tweaking sidewalk and bike path plans for the Burlington Public Works Department to protect pedestrians.

Losch chuckles, 'Then I get to go out after work and participate in collisions!'

In the company of a dozen or so other professional women, Losch ditches her daytime persona and becomes 'Bruise Control.'

Together, they are the Green Mountain Derby Dames. They're part of a nationwide resurgence in Roller Derby, that hybrid of spectacle and sport that was a television staple in the 1950s and 60s.

Everyone here has an alter-ego like 'Puma Vicious' or 'Star Slayer,' and everyone's in clothes, if you can call shredded fishnet leggings, frilly panties, and knee-high fluorescent socks 'clothes.' They would give grandma a heart attack."

Thursday, May 22, 2008 in WCAX-TV

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight