Category: Biking in Baltimore

By The Baltimore Guide

Lance Armstrong might have some competition.

OK, maybe not. But Baltimore Ravens’ linebacker Ray Lewis admitted he’s fallen in love with cycling, a sport he’s incorporated into his offseason training program. While away from football during the lengthy labor dispute, Lewis rode his bike to better his endurance.

On the Ravens’ first day of training camp Thursday, Lewis looked conditioned and didn’t miss a beat.

“I think cycling is one of the greatest sports in the world,” Lewis said. “The respect of what kind of cardio shape that gets you in, with low impact. That’s the key to it, to really train as hard as you can, to get your heart rate as high as you can get it and then come back and do it the next day, without that pounding. I credit a lot of my training to my cycling.”
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Continue reading “Hell on two wheels”

[B’ Spokes: I’m sharing this because:
1) Too many who have power and control over pedestrian safety have failed to acknowledge “One of the biggest pedestrian safety problems is the failure of motor vehicles to stop at crosswalks.”
2) Why the heck are not these campaigns put out for public comment? Rather then paying someone a heck of a lot of money to “I only drive a car and don’t walk or bike so this is what I think….”
3) To note the first ad criticized is DC/Baltimore’s “safety” campaign. (and yes there is a reason why safety is in quotes.)]

from Rebuilding Place in the Urban Space by Richard Layman

I don’t think this ad is very good. It’s too stylized to really communicate much about safety at crosswalks.

Continue reading “Being direct in advertising: pedestrian safety”

I don’t know whether to laugh or cry on this, as this case has nothing to do with bikes but just automobiles. The crazy bit is the cars involved had their own lane, can you imagine giving tickets to everyone that passed on the right a car turning left?

The crux of the argument rests on the statutes phrase "only if it is safe to do so." Which seems to be interpreted if there was a crash afterwards then it wasn’t safe then was it? This thinking seems to come into play with Baltimore City bike crashes as well, which is why I am sharing this. This bit from the brief seems like something I would have written:

"Under the Court’s interpretation, the question of “safe” is determined with the benefit of hindsight. If the statute is applied in this sense, it would also be in violation of the statute to enter the intersection when a piano was falling from the sky, or when a sink hole was about to emerge in the roadway, or any other number of causes not within the control of the Appellant that would render it “unsafe.” But the common law and statutes that govern a driver’s duties and obligations on the roadway are not premised on the outcomes. Rather, they are viewed from the lens of what a reasonable ordinary prudent driver would do under like circumstances."

Thanks Miller and Zois for sharing your brief.
Continue reading “Baltimore City – Passing on the right is illegal even when passing a left turning car”

B’ Spokes: I’ll note I have concerns that the police department is not enforcing the laws properly in regards to cyclists rights as required by the CONSTITUTION OF MARYLAND DECLARATION OF RIGHTS

— Art. 9. —

"That no power of suspending Laws or the execution of Laws, unless by, or derived from the Legislature, ought to be exercised, or allowed."

— and Art. 19. —

"That every man, for any injury done to him in his person or property, ought to have remedy by the course of the Law of the Land, and ought to have justice and right, freely without sale, fully without any denial, and speedily without delay, according to the Law of the Land."

— and Art. 47. (a) —

"A victim of crime shall be treated by agents of the State with dignity, respect, and sensitivity during all phases of the criminal justice process."

And just last week the police did not cite a motorist that left crossed a cyclist and after the fold I’ve linked several stories highlighting some other police goof ups with Nathan Krasnopoler and Jack Yates.

Is this enough to demand removal of Bealefeld? Or should more positive approaches be taken?

My crystal ball does not work that well so I can’t say but I saw this petition on-line if you agree with their issue (corruption) sign. If you very concerned about the issues I raised here let’s discuss but I’ll leave it up to each of you to make an intelligent decision to sign or not. But if, and I stress if there are multiple issues going on with Baltimore police we should get involved.
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To: the Baltimore City Government

We, the Citizens of Baltimore City hereby demand the immediate removal of Frederick H. Bealefeld III as the current Baltimore City Police Commissioner. The ineffectiveness of Commissioner Bealefeld to limit the civil liabilities against the Baltimore City Government and against the Baltimore City Police Department is one of the main reason why the Citizens of Baltimore City feel that Commissioner Bealefeld needs to be removed as Police Commissioner.

Police corruption is ramped throughout the Baltimore City Police Department and the Citizens of Baltimore City place the full blame on Commissioner Bealefeld’s ineffectiveness to lead the Baltimore City Police Department. We, the Citizens of Baltimore City ask that this action of removal be made immediately, to prevent further liabilities to the City of Baltimore.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

https://www.petitiononline.com/urfired/petition.html
Continue reading “Remove Frederick H. Bealefeld III as BCPD Commissioner”

By The Baltimore Guide

Thieves were rolling this week and bicyclists were hurting as a rash of cycle thefts hit Southeast Baltimore.

In most cases, cycles were left unsecured and unattended. Many of them were last seen leaning against front steps or parked in back yards of houses.

Police remind cyclists to invest in good locks, and to lock the bicycle through the frame rather than through a front wheel, because front wheels are easy to detach. Bicycles should be locked to a permanent structure such as a fence post or bicycle rack, or brought inside when not in use.
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Continue reading “Police advise cyclists to lock their bikes securely”

Baltimore-area Zipsters Own Fewer Cars, Drive Less, Use Public Transit More,
Helping to Reduce Parking Demand, Congestion and Harmful Emissions
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Key findings from the survey include:

Fourteen percent bike more, 21 percent walk more, and 11 percent use public transportation more. More than a third of respondents say they use public transit to get to a Zipcar.
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"We’ve shown that by working together, the city and Zipcar can make a positive impact on city life for our residents and businesses," said Rawlings-Blake. "Fewer cars on the streets means less competition for limited parking spaces. It means fewer vehicles in rush hour traffic. And it means less pollution in the air. But best of all, this program offers affordable and convenient transportation at a time when many people in the city are looking for cost-saving options."
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Continue reading “After One Year, Zipcar Drives Transportation Change in Baltimore”

Charm City Garden Tour, August 13, Tour 2-5pm, after party 5-7pm

Join us for the 2nd annual Charm City Garden Tour! This year’s tour will explore and celebrate the gardens of Baltimore’s west side. Choose from either our bicycle or charter bus tour options.
Stick around for the post-tour garden party at Whitelock Community Farm complete with locally-sourced refreshments, live entertainment, and games!

Date: Saturday, August 13th
Time: Registration begins at 1:00pm
Tours will run from 2:00pm-5:00pm
Party begins at 5:00pm
Party Location: Whitelock Community Farm (Brookfield and Whitelock in Reservoir Hill)
Prices: Bike Tour, $15
Bus Tour, $20
Continue reading “Bike Tour of Community Gardens!”

Joe got his bike stolen while it was locked up in front of velocipede saturday, 16th, 2011 (artscape weekend).

vintage cannondale mtb. not sure model honestly, but it is rather distinctive.

see pic for clarification. please keep an eye out and let us know about this.

Link to bigger picture.

[B’ Spokes: If you see a car with front end damage roughly matching the descriptions below, get the tag number and report it to the police.]
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Update: https://glenburnie.patch.com/articles/police-seek-driver-of-sedan-that-hit-bicyclist-in-brooklyn-park
Alex Hernandez, 25, of Baltimore City died from injuries suffered in a hit-and-run accident
Police believe the car struck the left side of the bicyclist and may have caused damage to the front of the vehicle in the area of the headlamp hood, windshield and mirror on the passenger side.
The suspected driver of the vehicle was described as being a black woman wearing pink medical scrubs, according to police.
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ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, Md. — A pair of unrelated crashes in Anne Arundel County sent two bicyclists to Shock Trauma.

In Glen Burnie, Marco A. Garcia, 41, was hit by a truck on Crain Highway near Georgia Avenue just after 7:30 a.m. Thursday. Police said Garcia was riding his bicycle legally in the northbound lanes when he was struck by possibly a gray Chevrolet or Saturn sedan.

The driver, who police said sped off, was described vaguely as a white man with a beard, who was last seen wearing wire-rimmed glasses and a baseball cap.

Garcia was taken to Shock Trauma, where he was listed in critical condition.

About 20 minutes later, Alex Canales Hernandez, 25, of Baltimore, was hit in the 5800 block of Ritchie Highway near Cedar Hill Cemetery.

Police said Hernandez was riding in the northbound lanes when he was struck by a sedan, possibly a Hyundai. Police said a woman driving the car stopped, got out briefly and got back in her car and fled the scene.

Hernandez was also taken to Shock Trauma, where he was listed in critical condition.

There was no indication that Thursday’s incidents were related, according to investigators. Police said both victims suffered life-threatening injuries.

If you have any information regarding these continuing investigations, you are asked to call the Anne Arundel County Police Department’s Traffic Safety Section at 410-222-8573 or Police Communications at 410-222-8610.

Continue reading “2 Bicyclists Hurt In Hit-And-Run Crashes”

by Kathy Browning

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For the first time three teams are taking the nationwide trip. The other teams will finish in Portland and Seattle. So far they have raised over $460,000. Prior to leaving Baltimore they gave $100,000 to a cancer organization they support. There is still the opportunity to support their work by giving online at www.4Kforcancer.org. Donations can be given to the organization or through a specific rider.

The trip is 70 days long. They average over 80 miles a day, burning up 5,000 calories as they pedal. They bike in rain or shine, averaging 13 to 17 miles per hour. They ride for six or seven hours. The total ride each day takes about eight hours with breaks every 20 miles to eat and rest.

Each morning every rider dedicates their ride to a survivor or one who has passed away because of cancer.
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Continue reading “Fighting cancer one mile at a time”