The Invisible Bicycle Helmet | Fredrik Gertten from Focus Forward Films on Vimeo.

With 2013 quickly approaching, we thought we’d take a look back at 2012 and remember some of the highlights. This first installment of top five lists for 2012 looks at some of the weirdest transit news we posted in our Links and Tidbits series of posts this year.

• This video is one of those cases where you wonder if you’re being fooled. Could such a helmet really exist? Are we looking at the future of cycling safety or is this just a wasted endeavour or a well thought out practical joke? Whatever it is, it sure gets the old grey matter going.

• This next one isn’t from Links and Tidbits, but I just had to include it. It’s to do with Toronto’s mayor, Rob Ford… or should I say former mayor? Back in November, it’s alleged that the mayor requested a TTC bus to pick up the football team he coaches. Yup, you read correctly.

• I think I can safely say that there isn’t another rail car remotely similar to this RER train car converted to look like the Palace of Versailles. Pictures are so much better than trying to describe this.

• This four part Slate series on walking looks at why Americans don’t walk as much as they used to. One reason given is that walking is so obvious that people forget to do it. The thought of people forgetting that they could and should walk is both fascinating and depressing at the same time.

•  Finally, if you think that you have your local transit system connection down to a science and couldn’t make your trip any faster, you may be wrong. Have you heard of transit marathons before? People compete to see who can make a trip on transit from a to b the fastest. There are rules to follow so that the Guinness Book of Records can document the winners!