Category: Biking in Maryland

Please Vote for the Capital Crescent Trail in the Google Map Contest of the top 5 trails in the US to be photographed for Streetview. Just click on the website below to vote for the Capital Crescent Trail — it takes less than a minute. Then click on Capital Crescent Trail, MD/DC (under Parks and Trails), then scroll d…own to click on "vote". https://bit.ly/392kG6

The Baltimore Sun has had several articles/letters to the Editor of late describing the lack of spending Federal Aid on bike/ped issues and the States response on how that it is spending more then just Federal Aid to address this problem. So the question is do we have a problem or not? So by way of analogy lets look at the issues this way:
Lets describe the problem like having a house with a leaky roof, and there is aid to home owners to do home improvements such as fix a leaky roof. So when the the report came out stating Maryland uses very little aid in home improvements the State of Maryland says now wait a minute we are spending more then just aid money on home improvements. Just one problem with this response, the roof still leaks.
To understand a bit better why the roof still leaks you need to know that the roof in this analogy is maintained by three major divisions, State, Counties and Baltimore City. So what the State says is only about their section of the roof and not about the other sections. And if you look at the home improvements bills on where and how the money is being spent you come up with something rather shocking.
Let’s say your bedroom is under a section of the leaky roof that is not maintained by the State, so you ask the state for aid to fix your roof and the state says sorry. the only thing we offer is half priced decks, do you want one? So while a deck can qualify as a home improvement for this aid, fixing leaking roofs is the higher priority by Federal policy and one would think it should be a higher priority for the state as well. To understand how this came about we need to look at the State’s policy of getting Federal Aid to go further.
It sounds like wonderful idea getting Federal Aid to go further but let’s apply the same principles to another Federal Aid program, food stamps. Only a small percentage of the population benefits from this program, but if we were to change the program from supplying most of the money to buy cheep necessary food to one where we would require a 50% match for high priced items, let’s say something like an expensive steak, more people would benefit and the quality of life for more people would be improved. You cannot argue that the money is not going further but is Federal Aid supposed to be like an extravagant Christmas present or is it to address a need?
So the question comes down to what is better, mostly funding a lot of cheap improvements or limited funding to a few expensive improvements? Or it might be better to look at the qualifiers for each principle in order to control the budget. Under the State’s current system they essentially set a high project cost and if the locality is willing to spend half that cost as the main qualifiers. The other system looks at the most needy and what is necessary to fix that need. So what should we stress the extravagant or what is necessary to fix a problem?
So while the State is funding a diverse range of bicycle and pedestrian projects under its section of the roof but in administering Federal aid to the other localities it has only funded one type of bicycle and pedestrian project. Nothing against that one type of project but one really has to ask if other types of projects are good enough to be funded through specialty funds for State roads why not on the other roads as well? Which comes back to the point, being 49 out of 50 in spending Federal Aid and being the 6th worst with the pedestrian fatality rate is a major problem on more then just State roads. And the State despite making good effort on its roads is making it extremely difficult for everyone else by not following Federal policy in administering Federal funds. We need everyone to demand more diverse bike/ped projects on more diverse types of roads. We need to demand to focus on areas of need and not just on look how much money we spent (and still did not fix the leaky roof.)
Continue reading “Shortchanges in Md. commitment to pedestrians”

Since I wrote you Monday, we have some exciting news to share: My team has just scheduled a meeting with U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood to discuss pedestrian safety.

It’s a great chance to get the administration on board with addressing a glaring problem with our streets. Each month, on average, more than 400 pedestrians are killed in America – that’s roughly the equivalent of a jumbo jet crashing every single month!

We need our meeting with Secretary LaHood to make a big impression – so we’re going to deliver our “Demand Safer Streets!” petition to him in person during the meeting.

Please add your name before MIDNIGHT tomorrow so we can deliver your signature on Monday along with thousands of others we’ve already collected from people across the country.

– Ilana

The what what:
frederick city alley cat, w/ checkpoints, contests, challenges, scavenger hunting, and rad urban cyclist prizes, including a fixie frame set.
all the normal crap too: skid competion, track stand comp, rapping comp.
do we all know what an alley cat is? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alleycat_races
the saturday after halloween, as in nov 7th. meet at the baker park bell tower in downtown frederick.
extra points for rad post halloween costumes.
other stuff:
bring a cell camera or a camera
a sharpie
tail light
beer bucks
messenger bag or basket
$6.66 entrance fee
Continue reading “Frederick City Alley Cat”

Thank you for your correspondence expressing your concern with the comments of Corporal Derek B. Peck, of our Leonardtown Barrack, following the fatal accident involving Mr. Curtis A. Leymeister. The Superintendent has received your correspondence and has asked that I respond on his behalf.
A copy of your correspondence was forwarded to Lieutenant Michael W. Thompson, Commander of the Leonardtown Barrack. He has informed me that he has personally spoken with Corporal Peck regarding the release of any information that may seem prejudicial to a fair and unbiased investigation. Corporal Peck’s comments were an unfortunate choice of statements and this fact has been addressed with him to ensure the use of better judgment on his part in the future.
Our Department’s policy requires a detailed crash investigation to be completed following most fatal collisions. The resulting report encompasses many areas, to include detailed diagrams of the scene, photographs, driver statements, toxicology reports and a detailed account of any other factors that may have contributed to the collision. On October, 20, 2009, preliminary findings regarding this investigation were presented to the St. Mary’s County State’s Attorney’s Office. It was determined that Ms. Kathy Lee, the operator of the vehicle involved, would be charged with negligent driving. Later that same evening, Ms. Lee was formally charged with that offense.
Thank you for taking the time to bring this matter to my attention. Citizen input is extremely important and contributes to the effectiveness of a law enforcement agency
Sincerely,
G. Robert Turando – Lt. Colonel
Chief
Field Operation Bureau
Continue reading “Maryland State Police Respond to Cyclist’s Concerns in St Mary’s Fatality”

Theirs:

Ours:

If a bicycle rider near you is a child:

• Expect the child to know Maryland’s bicycle laws.
• Expect the child to be in total control of the bicycle.
• Expect anything could happen and adjust your driving.

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The snapshot the OP posted looks like the CA driver’s license test. Either way, in CA you are allowed to only miss 6 out of 30 questions the first time you are issued your license, and only 3 questions when you are renewing it. Additionally, you are allowed to take the test up to three times in a visit. Otherwise, you suck, come back tomorrow. They corrected the ones I missed and gave the test to me to keep when I passed (first time, btw).

Back in MD it was different. I remember passing score was comparatively lower and you don’t have to take it when you renew. The questions were also complete giveaways especially compared to some of the pretty arcane ones I got in CA.

Regardless, responding to the original topic, if anyone should be raising awareness of the law it should be the police enforcing it.

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To be fair to the DMV the entire test was poorly worded. The test was definitely not written by professional psychometricians; it appears that the test was written by bureaucrats who copied and pasted from the drivers manual.
Continue reading “Drivers test; theirs vs ours”

Have bicyclists "rights? gone too far?
For a decade, urban bicyclists have become more brash. In some cities, groups like Critical Mass organized mass rush-hour bike rides that tied traffic in knots, delaying commuters rides’ home by minutes or hours. They are hardly tactics that will win sympathy from drivers.
In the aftermath and as their numbers have increased, bikers have become emboldened to take over the road. That is, instead of riding to the right or on the shoulder, some are now riding in the center of the lane. Two incidents underscore how the they are putting themselves in danger. One was a cyclist hit and killed by accident and the other was a motorist who is alleged to have tried to make bicyclists crash into his car on purpose:
In the first case, a driver on the way to work struck a St. Mary’s County, Md., bicyclist earlier this month and killed him, police told the Washington Post. The driver, a 20-year-old in her Honda Accord, told police she never saw the biker. But the accident might have been prevented if the 47-year-old bicyclist had riding in the right, not in the dead center, of the lane, a major contributor to the accident.
In the second case, a Los Angeles doctor is on trial for allegedly slamming the brakes on his car to cause two bikers to run into him. They did, suffering bloody injuries. The doctor, Charles Christopher Thompson, was allegedly peeved over having to slow down for three bikers blocking his path, refusing to pull to the right and flipping him off as he passed. He is on trial for having pulled in front of them and, according to testimony, hitting the brakes so that bikes were sure to hit. One biker needed 90 stitches.
For a little perspective, Drive On sought out Jeff Peel, a program specialist heading the League of American Bicycle’s campaign for Bicycle Friendly Communities. His contention is that the road is "not motorist space. It’s people space." Bicyclists are road users too, even if they travel at the fraction of the speed of a car. In fact, he says, that’s good.
"The idea is you are slowing traffic, which may be frustrating to some motorists but making the road safer for everyone," Peel says. "Creating safer roadways and right-of-ways for all users sometimes requires taking space away from automobiles."
Taking space away from cars? Ouch. When late to work, it pains a driver to slow down for a bunch of bicyclists hogging the roadway. In the past, you might have tried to steer around them. These days, they are right in front of the car.
It will be interesting to see how far this goes, whether bicyclists are allowed to stay in the middle of the highway. As the deaths mount, maybe it will become clear they need ride to the right.
Continue reading “Two-wheel troublemaking: Have motorists let bicyclists’ ‘rights’ go too far?”

This week, our East Coast Greenway began to move from a solely grassroots initiative to a project also backed by the most important transportation institution in the country. We have great relationships with many of the state Departments of Transportation (DOTs), but achieving federal partnership interest will effect a huge leap in our ability to make our route safe and accessible to all.
It all started last week when our Mid-Atlantic Trail Coordinator Mike Oliva emailed a note to US DOT Deputy Secretary John Porcari. The note congratulated the Deputy Secretary on his appointment by Obama and mentioned that we would love to discuss our project with him. Deputy Secretary Porcari served as Secretary of the Maryland DOT before his federal appointment, so he had familiarity with our project and even worked with our Boardmember David Dionne in the state.
Porcari emailed us back the next day with an interest to meet. He saw the potential of the DOT supporting the East Coast Greenway as a pilot for establishing an interstate trail network nationwide. This past Monday, I got a call during a work trip in Rhode Island that the meeting was set for the next day, from 2:45-3:15 in the afternoon. The meeting grew to include Assistant Secretary of Policy, Polly Trottenberg, as well as DOT Chief Economist, Jack Wells.
Mike Oliva and I raced down to Washington Tuesday morning in our suits, enjoying the East Coast Greenway signs along The Mall on our way to the DOT West Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE. Once in the building, we were escorted up to the Deputy Secretary’s conference room.
Since Porcari had familiarity with sections of the East Coast Greenway in Maryland and of our overarching vision, he asked for an update on our progress and then we jumped into a brainstorming session on how the US DOT can get involved to ensure success for the project. This was inspiring. Obama had clearly hired a great crop of transportation leaders. They understand our transportation system must play its role in reducing carbon dioxide and other emissions, lowering our expensive dependence on foreign oil, and decreasing obesity rates that are hurting our people’s health.
Continue reading “America’s Transportation Leaders Embrace the East Coast Greenway”

[Email letter from the state police in response to emails, etc sent from various sources.]
Date: Thursday, October 8, 2009, 4:19 PM
To Whom It May Concern:
This is in response to a number of e-mails and citizen inquiries following the death of Curtis A. Leymeister, who was killed while operating a bicycle on Clarks Landing Road on October 5, 2009. I would like to provide the following information to clarify many misconceptions about this tragedy.
First and foremost, please let me convey my deepest sympathies to the entire Leymeister family regarding this tragic loss. As the commander of the Leonardtown Barrack, I spent nearly four hours on the scene of this collision personally notifying the family of the loss of Curtis and making sure all the evidence was being collected to complete a thorough and objective investigation. The Maryland State Police has a long standing history of conducting strict traffic enforcement with the highest hopes of reducing the number of fatal and serious motor vehicle collisions that occur throughout Maryland . The members of my command take this responsibility very seriously and are certainly personally affected whenever they are on the scene of a fatal collision.
The initial investigation would reveal that Mr. Leymeister was struck while he was traveling westbound on Clarks Landing Road, east of Scotch Neck Road, Hollywood, St. Mary’s County, MD. Clarks Landing Road is a single lane road with a posted 40 mph speed limit. On the westbound portion of Clarks Landing Road where the collision occurred, there is an improved shoulder that is 3 feet 4 inches wide at the point of impact. Mr. Leymeister’s bicycle was 4 feet 8 inches left of the white edge line in a lane of travel that is 9 feet 7 inches wide. This places Mr. Leymeister’s bicycle a full 8 feet from the right edge of the pavement when he was struck. It would therefore be inappropriate for a bicycle to commute/travel that far into a designated lane of travel and certainly be classified as one of the primary causes of this collision.
Department of Maryland State Police policy calls for a “Detailed Crash Investigation Report” to be completed following most fatal collisions. This report will encompass many of the items you have mentioned to include detailed diagrams of the scene, photographs, driver statements, toxicology reports, cell phone records of the vehicle operator and a detailed account of any contributing factors to this accident. Unfortunately a press release cannot contain answers to all of the questions that have been posed. Once the entire investigative packet has been completed, it is reviewed and approved by the Maryland State Police Department Reconstruction Coordinator. Subsequently, the case will be presented to the St. Mary’s County States Attorney to determine if charges should be filed.
In regards to the bicycle being struck 4 feet 8 inches left of the edge line, the Maryland Vehicle Law Annotated Code states the following: Title 21-1205(a) Riding on roadways or highway, each person riding a bicycle or a motor scooter at a speed less than the speed of traffic at the time and place and under the conditions then existing on a roadway shall ride as near to the right side of the roadway as practicable and safe. Except when making a left turn, operating on a one-way street, passing a stopped or slower moving vehicle, avoiding pedestrians or road hazards, the right turn lane is a right turn only lane or operating in a lane that is too narrow for a bicycle or motor scooter and another vehicle to travel safely side by side within the lane. At this point in the investigation, there is no apparent reason why Mr. Leymeister would be that far left of the white edge line.
Mr. Leymeister was not wearing a helmet at the time of this accident. Could the helmet have lessoned his injury to the point he would not succumbed to his injuries? The autopsy report may shed some light on this question. It should also be noted that Mr. Leymeister was not wearing any reflective clothing at the time of this collision.
This tragic incident further illustrates the need to educate the public on traffic safety. The Maryland State Police extends their support to those in the bicycling community and continues to be involved in discussions that target the concerns of everyone.
I hope this letter clears up any confusion on the unfortunate events that led to this tragic accident. The Maryland State Police are committed to all citizens of the State of Maryland in keeping our roadways safe for all of us.
Sincerely,
Lieutenant Michael Thompson
Commander, Barrack "T" Leonardtown
23200 Leonard Hall Drive
Leonardtown , MD 20650
Continue reading “Another Maryland Bicyclist Fatality”

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In contrast, the AASHTO Guide revision process involves multiple levels of development and review. The National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) process has created the draft fourth edition of the Guide directed by research and a diverse panel of experts. Soon AASHTO subcommittees will begin their reviews, followed by state DOT reviews and votes for or against adoption. Jennifer Toole reviewed the draft of the new guide chapter-by-chapter noting issues not addressed in previous editions as well as key changes.
A decision on the two-year-old draft revision of the MUTCD is scheduled for later this year. It will either be adopted or released as a supplemental NPA (notice of proposed amendments). Michael Moule noted that the experimentation process for new devices or new uses of existing devices is important because it helps generate the data needed to support wider use.
Session participants, and now you, are encouraged to engage with the process of developing design guidelines:
• As the draft AASHTO Guide is sent for state DOT review, discuss it with your state traffic engineer and Bicycle-Pedestrian Coordinator. Encourage them to vote for it as it has been proposed through the NCHRP process.
• Monitor NACTO (National Association of City Transportation Officials) leadership and response to the draft AASHTO Guide.
• Get informed about STEP research projects for funding innovations.
• Watch for the Notice of Proposed Rule Making regarding the MUTCD by the end of this year. If the manual is not adopted, and the draft is released as a supplemental NPA, advocate for interim approvals for individual devices.
• Register for the APBP October 21 webinar, "MUTCD: Bicycle and Pedestrian Signs, Markings and Experiments".
https://www.apbp.org/events/event_details.asp?id=72783
• Advocate for the federal government to fund research on new traffic control devices and innovations.
Best regards,
APBP Staff in NYC