Category: Biking Elsewhere

Adam Tuss, wtop.com
LOUDOUN — Behind the wheel, you want the least amount of distraction possible. So why is a local transportation agency painting crooked lines on the road on purpose?
The Virginia Department of Transportation says it’s part of a safety campaign to get drivers to slow down in a high pedestrian and bicycle area. The 500 feet of zig-zagging lines are painted on the ground on Belmont Ridge Road, where it intersects with the Washington and Old Dominion trail in Loudoun County.
"It is a low cost strategy to get motorists to slow down as they approach the bike trail and pedestrian path," says VDOT’s Mike Salmon. "While at first motorists may be a little disoriented, the main point is to get them to pay attention and slow down through that area."
There are plans to also paint the crooked lines on Sterling Boulevard where it intersects with the W&OD trail.
VDOT says similar programs have been successful in the United Kingdom and Australia. The transportation agency will study the zig-zagging lines for a year and see if they actually reduce speeds.
If the lines prove effective, you can expect to see more of them on the ground.
Continue reading “Zig-zag lines being painted on purpose”

[Baltimore Spokes: For comparison Britain’s traffic fatality rate is 48/M Maryland’s is 109/M]
Proposals to bring down speed limits in areas of Britain where there is a higher risk of accidents have been announced by the government.
Reductions from 30mph to 20mph in urban locations and 60mph to 50mph in the countryside are being considered.
Road safety minister Jim Fitzpatrick said the way people learn to drive and are tested is also set for reform.
The plans are part of a new strategy to reduce road deaths in England, Scotland and Wales by one-third by 2020.
Safety research
Mr Fitzpatrick said in a statement: "We’ve already made real improvements to the safety of our roads – there are now almost 17,000 fewer deaths or serious injuries in a year than there were in the mid-1990s. But it is intolerable that eight people are still dying on our roads each day.
Continue reading “Plans to cut traffic speed limits”

[Baltimore Spokes: I would not go as far as saying going under human power is worse for the environment but this certainly blows most excuses out the window.]
Short video about electric bicycle commuting where the typical objections against riding a bike to work are easily dissolved by choosing an electric bicycle, which has many benefits vs. a car (cost savings in the face of rising gas prices, improved health, low environmental impact while commuting using NiMH rechargeable batteries, and reduction of oil dependency). Electric bikes such as the Crystalyte Cannon conversion kit are fast (20mph), powerful (500W Motor) and make bicycle riding easy. Produced by ATIV Solutions LLC.
Continue reading “ATIV: Commuting by electric bike. Fast, Fun – Go Green!”

What to yell at French riders:
* "Allez, allez!"
What to yell at Italian riders:
* "Forza, forza!"
What to yell at Spanish riders:
* "Venga, venga!"
What to yell at American riders:
* "Get outta the f *****g road, you spandex weirdoes. I’m late for work."
Continue reading “Cycling expressions from around the world”

ACROSS THE OCEAN IN A PEDAL-POWERED SUBMARINE
-> "Some men mark their 40th birthday by buying a flashy new car, changing jobs or finally getting started on that novel. Ted Ciamillo decided he would pedal across the Atlantic in a one-man submarine he has designed and built himself.
"It may sound like a crazy stunt dreamed up by an adrenalin junkie, but the plan, dubbed the ‘Subhuman project,’ has attracted serious attention from marine biologists. That’s because the sub, when it takes to the seas later this year, could for the first time allow them to explore the upper layers of the ocean silently and unobtrusively, revealing marine life as it has never been seen before…."
Continue reading “AND NOW, FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT…”

[Baltimore Spokes: Hmm, A set funding strategy, naw its a lot better to fight for funding for each and every bike project we want and have little to no say on what does get funded. [/sarcasm]]
-> According to an Apr. 14th Courant article, "Cyclists and pedestrian groups won a round Monday in their campaign to direct more state highway money toward building bike paths and sidewalks, but some lawmakers warned that confusion threatens the prospect of approval by the full General Assembly. ‘This is very well-intentioned, but municipalities are having a rough time keeping up with road surfacing. If we take money away from them, that’s a hit on the municipalities,’ said Sen. Leonard Fasano, a ranking Republican on the legislature’s planning and development committee.
"At issue is whether 1 percent of all state highway construction and repair money should be set aside for building or maintaining sidewalks and bike paths. The proposed legislation appears to apply to municipal road-repair grants from the state, too. Advocates dub the formula a ‘complete streets’ plan, and say it ensures that alternative transportation isn’t shortchanged in favor of roads and highways…"
Continue reading “CONNECTICUT PANEL BACKS COMPLETE STREETS”

What is RentaBikeNow.com?
RentaBikeNow.com is North America’s only coast-to-coast bike rental network that works with participating bike shops and rental locations. Shops from Florida to Oregon and Hawaii to Maine list their available bikes on our website. We manage inventories and schedules and take customer reservations 24/7.
How does your online system work?
Customers select the location, time period, and type of bike desired, then choose from available bikes. Your selections, including accessories and tours, are placed in a shopping cart for easy checkout. Once complete, you will receive a printable confirmation that details the pick-up location, map and directions, balance due and local riding information. Simply arrive at the specified time and location to complete the transaction and pick-up your bike.
Continue reading “RentaBikeNow.com”

“A growing number of Americans, mounted on their bicycles like some new kind of urban cowboy, are mixing it up with swift, two-ton motor vehicles as they create a new society on the streets. They’re finding physical fitness, low-cost transportation, environmental purity—and, still all too often, Wild West risks of sudden death or injury.” —from the Introduction
In a world of increasing traffic congestion, a grassroots movement is carving out a niche for bicycles on city streets. Pedaling Revolution: How Cyclists Are Changing American Cities explores the growing bike culture that is changing the look and feel of cities, suburbs, and small towns across North America.
Continue reading “Pedaling Revolution: How Cyclists Are Changing American Cities”

-> According to an article in the Apr. 13th Bicycle Colorado eNews, "The Regional Transportation District (RTD) in the greater Denver area has taken another positive step for bicyclists. RTD has lifted the requirement for bicyclists to have a special permit to bring bicycles on light rail trains. Instead, RTD has added bike signage inside light rail cars and on doors where bikes may enter.
"When the light rail first opened, RTD prohibited bicycles on trains during peak hours. RTD listened to the bicycle community and changed its policy to allow bicycles during all operating hours. A 2005 nationwide study found RTD is one of the top transit agencies in the U.S. for the number of bicycle boardings on bus and rail. We congratulate RTD on its positive progression of bicycle-friendly policies."
Continue reading “DENVER’S REGIONAL TRANSIT TAKES POSITIVE STEP”

Hello everyone! I’m involved in a small research project with some other students at Penn State University. The purpose of our study is to figure out how much interest and desire there is for Velomobiles in the U.S., as well as figuring out what design and features are best for the riders. We are inviting everyone to give their opinions and concerns about the idea.
A local bike shop owner and nation-wide recumbent distributer wants to manufacture Velomobiles and can ship them anywhere in the U.S. For those of you who don’t know what a Velomobile is, it is essentially a recumbent trike with a plastic/fibreglass/ or canvas shell surrounding it. It is a kind of pedal-car. The Velomobile includes an "electric assist" motor which can be switched on or off and features a battery pack that actually recharges as you pedal (like the alternator in a car) For more info and pictures check https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Velomobile
This Velomobile model is still in it’s design/proto-type phase and the owner still isn’t exactly sure what direction he should take in the design. A few options exist. Particularly, the Velomobile can be sold pre manufactured, all the shell and motor parts built into a recumbent trike. Option 2 is the manufacture of do-it-yourself VeloKits which can be adjusted and fitted to existing recumbent trikes. These VeloKits are also removable, should the owner want to ride in the open air again. This method would, of course, be much cheaper. Other ideas include constructing a sturdier, heavier model with a more powerful motor; however, this would limit it’s usability depending on state and local regulations.
As a cyclist myself, I have a pretty good grasp on the benefits, problems, and concerns about Velomobiles, but we need input from cyclists all over the country, the more, the better.
So please, let us know your opinions!
We have drafted some short web surveys to gather quantifiable data. The goals of the survey are to get an idea of how you use your bike, some questions on whether or not you would be interested in the Velomobile concept, some design preferences, pricing ideas, and some general demographic information.
Continue reading “Possible Velomobile manufacture and distribution in the US. Requesting your input.”