The President’s 2012 budget would boost funding for pedestrian and bike-friendly communities

from TheWashCycle by washcycle


Ray LaHood spoke at the Bike Summit. Part of what he said was “The President’s 2012 budget would boost funding for pedestrian and bike-friendly communities to $4.1 billion.  And the Administration would like to see these essential resources included in the next six-year transportation legislation….there will always be cars and trucks, and DOT will always be committed to keeping America’s roadways the safest and most efficient in the world.  But those roads belong to all of us, including those who get where they’re going on two wheels instead of four.” Which again the National Association of Manufacturers and American Trucking Associations complained about. “While very substantial increases in funding are proposed for high-speed passenger rail, transit, an infrastructure bank, and a ‘livability’ initiative, the proposal gives short shrift to our nation’s highways, which Americans overwhelmingly rely on for their daily transportation needs and goods movement.” “You know what really makes all communities more livable? Safe and efficient transportation of freight.” That’s what I always say I love about my neighborhood is how efficient and safe the freight delivery is. It’s the first thing most home buyers look for I hear. You know what really soaks taxpayers? Shipping things by truck.


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Bikes, good for jobs and good for the economy but not getting their fair share of Federal funds


For example, Rep. John Sarbanes (D-Md.) will learn that his district is home to 51 stores that sell bikes and that those stores grossed more than $20 million in 2009. Bikes, he’ll be told, are sold by small-business owners, and those sales create jobs.

They are armed with statistics that show that 1.5 percent of federal transportation dollars are spent to support biking and walking while 12 percent of all trips are on two feet or two wheels.

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Bicycle commuting tax benefit

[B’ Spokes: With some reluctance I am posting this as I am a very strong supporter of our local bike shops but the tax information was helpful so I will put that first and read more to find out where this helpful advice came from plus free shipping for purchases over $65 (otherwise $5). BUT PLEASE don’t forget to support your local bike shop as well. Competition is getting rough with 3 new bike shops in town. They do a lot for us and we should return the favor.]
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Also if you haven’t filed your taxes yet don’t forget your bicycle commuting deduction and a FREE federal tax return from FileYourTaxes.com just use coupon code "ICYCLESUSA10"

https://www.irs.gov/formspubs/article/0,,id=210623,00.html

For calendar year 2010, the exclusion for reasonable expenses of qualified bicycle commuting is $20 multiplied by the number of qualified bicycle commuting months during that year. Reasonable expenses include the purchase of a bicycle and bicycle improvements, repair, and storage. A qualified bicycle commuting month is any month you use the bicycle regularly for a substantial portion of the travel between your residence and place of employment and you do not receive any of the other qualified transportation fringe benefits. You are not entitled to this exclusion if the reimbursement for bicycle commuting is made under a compensation reduction agreement.

Courtesy FileYourTaxes.com
Fast, Easy, Secure!
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[B’ Spokes: And if you do need help with your taxes, please do not forget your fellow cyclist and professional tax return preparer: https://www.baltimorespokes.org/article.php?story=20071228211424872 ]
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Cities release Bikeway Design Guide


“The City of Baltimore is proud to have contributed to NACTO’s Urban Bikeway Design Guide,” said Khalil Zaied, Director of Transportation for the City of Baltimore. “Having implemented our Bicycle Master Plan over the past 4 years has helped us learn what bike facilities work and what’s needed to get more citizens to choose cycling over driving. Baltimore’s Department of Transportation looks forward to utilizing this design guide as we move continue to promote cycling and alternative transportation.”

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More Coverage of the Vigil Held For Seriously Injured Hopkins Student

CBS (WJZ)

A Johns Hopkins University student is in a coma, injured after he was hit by a car while riding his bike.

Krasnopoler is in a coma after being hit on his bike, but family and friends are devoting all of their prayers and energy to his recovery.

“There’s really no way to predict what the outcome will be for him and brain injury is very variable,” said his mother, Susan Cohen.

Krasnopoler survived, but remains in a coma at Johns Hopkins Hospital. He sustained brain injuries, bone fractures, cuts and bruises. He was trapped under the vehicle when paramedics arrived and received third-degree burns on his face and torso.

City police say an 83-year-old woman trying to make a right turn in her car hit Krasnopoler.

“If you see a bicycle, you really need to pay attention to where it is and if you need to wait a few seconds, wait a few seconds,” said his father, Mitchell Krasnopoler. “Our life has been turned upside down.”

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But the video says the police do not anticipate filing charges, at least at this time. I find that statement a bit disconcerting, is CBS just modifying previous coverage or is the the new and "improved" version after MBAC meeting with the police?
https://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2011/03/09/vigil-held-for-seriously-injured-hopkins-student/

Baltimore Brew

Krasnopoler urged the cyclists to “please be safe on today’s ride and always.” He urged government officials, police, the news media and “you in the biking community” to use the opportunity afforded by the tragedy “to do some good.”

“We hope everyone will work even harder to educate drivers about their legal obligations to give the right of way to a bicyclist in a bike lane.”

He noted that, despite the reported comments by some Baltimore police officials suggesting that no charges would be filed against the driver of the car, the case remains open. “Please be patient, and please join us in thanking the police officers involved for doing a very thorough job,” he said.

This is not a protest ride. Not this ride, not today,” Penny Troutner told the assembled crowd. The owner of Light Street Cycles, Troutner organizes the Meetup group “Biking in B’more.”

“We are coming together to comfort each other and to vent our frustration to people who understand,” she said, “and to reach out to Nathan and his family – to embrace Nathan and his family.”

But those frustrations were being vented freely yesterday by clearly emotional cyclists, who said the Feb. 26 incident is a grim reminder of the dangers they face from unsafe road design and motorists who are either oblivious to their presence or downright hostile.

I’m outraged by it, when they say that the car is not at fault,” Campbell said. “We have a driving culture here that just does not recognize bikes.”

She said Nathan, who was trapped under the vehicle and stopped breathing for a time following the crash, remains in stable condition at the Hopkins ICU, but has still not emerged from the coma. He also sustained 3rd degree burns on his face and torso, as well as bone fractures and bruises.

“The doctors cannot tell us when he will come out of it and they’ve also told us he might not,” she said.

Mitchell Krasnopoler returned often to the idea that his son’s injury should be a reminder to motorists to be more cautious around bikes.

“If you see a bicycle, you need to really pay attention to where it is and if you need to wait a few seconds, just wait the few seconds,” he said. “Because our life has been turned upside down.”

They mishandled it. I think definitely at the very least, they failed to cite the woman who should have gotten some kind of ticket,” said Adam Zeldin, president of a student organization, Hopkins Cycling. “The streets around campus are really bad. I hope Baltimore and the school do something about it.”

Others agreed that the bike lanes offer no protection for cyclists if drivers don’t respect them.

“I don’t think the bike lanes are safe,” said Campbell, describing close-calls he’s had on city streets and county roads with careless or antagonistic drivers.

Despite the fact that he is careful to bike lawfully, he said, motorists have frequently swerved around dangerously in front of him “and yelled at me to obey the rules of the road.”

Cyclist Justin Winokur, a 23-year-old graduate student in engineering at Hopkins, said he has had similar experiences, including one memorable incident with a Baltimore police car.

“The cop came up behind me and honked,” Winokur said. “He said, ‘You’re not allowed to be on the road because there’s no ‘Share-the-road’ sign.” [This is an an unlawful order. Do not confront the officer with this fact! (You can get into more trouble if you do.) just get some sort of ID (car number at least) and report here, with Nate, MBAC and/or police HQ.]

https://www.baltimorebrew.com/2011/03/10/baltimore-cyclists-hold-vigil-and-ride-to-support-critically-injured-biker/
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I am disappointed that more attention has not been drawn to "Bicycle Safety: It’s a Two-Way Street," by SHA. An excerpt
• Be Careful in Intersections – … yield to them [bicycles] as you would to any other vehicle. Do not turn left or right in front of bicyclists unless you can do so safely. You can be fined $1000 and receive 3 points if you injure a bicyclist by violating their right-of-way:
https://www.choosesafetyforlife.com/pdfs/Bicycle_Booklet.pdf

More attention has been given to not charging the diver and "the cyclists did hit the car." then getting this safety message out. And what’s the safety message for cyclists at this point? "Don’t ride in bike lanes" seems to be what it is coming down to. Seriously this is what the City wants?

Another example of Maryland’s "fine" justice

From last December in the Washington Post
Description of the crash:
"He was driving an estimated 56 mph, nearly twice the speed limit, and said the child darted in front of his car. He slammed his brakes, skidded 40 feet and struck the 82-pound boy, who rolled over his hood. Junior, as Luis is called, is now a quadriplegic."
Description of the court outcome:
His department’s investigation concluded that if he had been driving 30 mph instead of 56, he could have stopped in time. The department also faulted Junior for trying to cross the road where he did.
"As soon as I saw him, he was at a full sprint," Cokinos told internal affairs investigators. "By the time I saw him, he ran that fast into the road."
Cokinos repeated the account in several interviews and said he spotted the child as he ran near the double yellow marking on the road.
He was issued two citations: speeding and negligent driving. He pleaded guilty to the former, and a judge found him not guilty of the latter, saying there was no evidence of errant driving beyond speed. Cokinos was fined $160, and he went forward with his career on the force.
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Better With Less Award

The Comptroller of Maryland is offering an honor, called the Better With Less award, will be given to one business or organization in each of Maryland’s 23 counties and Baltimore City.
https://www.marylandtaxes.com/comptroller/initiatives/BetterWithLess.asp
So I am thinking of Baltimore’s three new bike shops (more bikes being sold), Baltimore’s study that shows that bike lanes create more jobs per dollar spent then other transit projects, how much money leaves the local economy with car ownership, the price of gas rapidly heading for $4 a gallon… aw heck all the issues in my email tag line as well: – Global warming, increasing obesity rates, traffic congestion, dependence on foreign oil, leading causes of premature death and the economy… if only there was a common solution.
So when I think of better for less I think of bicycles but the ONE business or organization is so hard to pull out as so many have been involved. So I am thinking of Bike Maryland as they have not only been helpful in the city but also around the State, they are in a sense feeding a whole village by teaching individuals how to fish. The ultimate in better with less concept.
But in filling out the form seems to be a bit of a kludge, so I am asking for your help. Can someone take these ideas and others to form a coherent campaign?
Thanks,
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Please explain biased statements before investigation is finished

In this report, Arizona police officers "explain" a cycling fatality:
"Maricopa police spokeswoman LaTricia Woods said an investigation is ongoing but added that it appeared Meyerhoff, 27, failed to yield to oncoming traffic at the intersection."
How does one "fail to yield to oncoming traffic?" Was the cyclist: making a left turn, running a light, failed to stop at a stop sign for an oncoming left turning traffic? Or did left turning traffic fail to yield to the cyclist right-of-way? Most likely they can’t say as the "investigation is ongoing" but then how can they already fault the cyclist if they can’t say the circumstances?
Is making premature cyclist is at fault statements part of police officers training? I really have to wounder.
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