The rider tells CBC he got the camera because "too many cars were running me off the road and I never have a witness."
Remember more and more cyclists are using video cameras.
Continue reading “Helmet camera catches cyclist hit by car [CNN video]”
Traffic stop leads to drug arrest
from Stop the Maryland Unsafe Driver by Driver
SALISBURY — A 19-year-old man has been charged with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute after police say they found drugs, scales, baggies and cash in his car during a traffic stop on Tuesday night.
****************************************************************************
[B’ Spokes: I’ll note that there are studies that show enforcing traffic laws reduces crime as shown in this story. So why again do Maryland’s resist traffic enforcement? ]
Continue reading “Traffic stop leads to drug arrest”
Lucky cyclist
AASHTO wants to completely pave over Maryland for more cars and less of everything else
…
AASHTO argues that because America’s population growth over the following decades will be concentrated in urban areas, state DOTs need to help more and more city dwellers get around. Their prescription? 30,000 more lane-miles of urban interstate. That’s an increase of more than 40 percent over the 85,000 urban lane-miles that already exist. AASHTO also wants to build another 40,000 lane-miles to the non-interstate federal highways in urban areas. If Robert Moses were alive today, he’d probably arrive at the same policy response.
As Liu writes at MTR, more highways are not the answer to America’s urban transportation needs.
If all AASHTO’s projected growth in VMT were matched with new road capacity, you’d have to add 9,641 square miles of new lanes: an area the size of Maryland. That’s not even including the space needed for parking spaces or shoulders. And it doesn’t account for induced demand: Before long, those new highway lanes will just attract new drivers, as momentarily less-congested roads lead more people to organize their lives around car commuting, canceling out any congestion benefits new road capacity might offer.
…
*****************************************************************
[B’ Spokes: Let’s talk density, one lane mile of urban interstate can hold 20 cars at a time (when working optimally,) one bus can hold 60 people. One mile of interstate = $40 million, one bus = $0.4 million. The denser the development the denser the mode of travel needs to be as well improved economics. We are not in Kansas any more and trying to accommodate low density travel for lots and lots of people in one small area is plain and simple not a physical reality.]
Continue reading “AASHTO wants to completely pave over Maryland for more cars and less of everything else”
TIGER Seminar "Lessons on How to Compete for a DOT Discretionary Grant"
Description: The purpose of this seminar is to identify the key elements of competitive applications, provide information on developing benefit cost analysis and present information on the program’s processes. Additionally, the Department has received $600m for TIGER II and information outlining this next round of grant awards will be presented.
The TIGER Program created under the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA) is a $1.5 billion dollar multi-modal discretionary grant program that was designed to provide support for innovative transportation projects of National, regional, and local significance, including projects that are often difficult to fund under the traditional transportation programs. The program received over 1,400 applications, totaling almost $60 billion and awarded 51 projects.
Veiw the conference at https://mediasite.yorkcast.com/webcast/Viewer/?peid=6957cf698dff4033b7f10a0b9414d522
Thanks to America Bikes, APBP, and Complete Streets for this information.
The case for stopping the construction of roads…
from Rebuilding Place in the Urban Space
…
When you deal with bike trails issues, frequently people will respond that trails breed crime and vandalism. While it is true that multiuser trails are not crime free, the reality is that compared to nearby residential or commercial areas, as a rule trails experience less crime.
See “Property Value/Desirability Effects of Bike Paths Adjacent to Residential Areas” from the University of Delaware for a sum up of the research on the topic.
I mentioned this in an email at work in response to someone against a particular trail proposal.
I then commented in my response that more crimes are committed in association with automobile usage than bicycles, but we don’t use that fact to fight against building new roads or closing down the existing street network. Not to mention police-criminal car chases..
…
Continue reading “The case for stopping the construction of roads…”
Call to end distracted driving goes global
…
We also know that crash injuries are the leading cause [of death] for all 15-29 year-olds.
In fact, the WHO projects that, by 2030 crash fatalities will become the 5th leading cause of all deaths worldwide, surpassing HIV/AIDS, all forms of cancer, violence, and diabetes.
The good news is that these crashes, these deaths–they’re preventable. Between 80-90% of traffic accidents are caused by driver behaviors, dangerous and avoidable behaviors like distracted driving.
…
Continue reading “Call to end distracted driving goes global”
Dr. Gridlock Defends Cyclists
When questioned about about scoff law cyclists Dr. Gridlock responded in part:
"But generally, and unfortunately, I find that all kinds of travelers will obey only those laws that they are forced to obey, either because they’re afraid they’ll get hit by another traveler or because they think they’ll get a ticket."
Surprise, surprise, people are people no mater what their mode of travel.
Continue reading “Dr. Gridlock Defends Cyclists”
Google Bike Doodle – Vote Now!
An Eco-Friendly World
“If I could do anything, I would…” make the world eco-friendly. I
would ride my bike to school and make my electricity from wind. I would
compost my garbage and recycle my empty bottles and cans. I would keep
the earth as clean as when I first found it.
1,100 bike miles and still not considered a cyclist by the Census Bureau
In the referenced article points out some of the difficulty we face getting recognition as a significant transportation option. Currently the situation is like asking Drivers what is their primary weather condition when they drive? Fair, rainy or snowy. Since fair weather is the primary weather we drive in so therefore we do not need to plow roads or proved storm drains. Just think of all the money we could save by not supporting minor weather conditions. Absurd, right? Then the same should apply to cycling as well. Fair weather cycling should count for consideration in transportation planning just as foul weather planning exists in motorized planning.
Continue reading “1,100 bike miles and still not considered a cyclist by the Census Bureau”