A 0.7 mile pedestrian and bicycle loop between Franklin, Mulberry, Fulton and Calhoun Streets.
https://westbaltimorepedbikeloop.posterous.com/july-workshop-meeting-minutes
Frederick County School Buses Get Cameras
I find the aspect of traffic law that requires a officer to witness a event in order for a citation to be issued rather a severe restriction. And if a camera catches the event we need legislation to allow that to be used to issue a lot lower fines and less severe consequences. I would think illegal activity caught on camera would be just as good as a police officer witnessing the event. Illegal should be illegal no matter how someone was caught.
Anyway I have witnessed motorist honking at other motorist that have stopped for a school bus. So we essentially have peer pressure used to encourage more drivers not to stop for school buses and nothing about this on our "hard" 20 question drivers’ test.
Continue reading “Frederick County School Buses Get Cameras”
Baltimore cop who berated skateboarder fired
And this came up in in the comments on Baltimore Sun’s blog:
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Comment by: Baltimore Eagle
While I agree that firing the officer seems harsh on the surface, I know that Officer Rivieri had a pattern of overreacting that went much further than scolding a few “bratty” kids. There were a few incidents that I know of, one included running me off my bike in the service road near the Power Plant. I road onto the sidewalk to avoid him as he drove a vehicle at high speed down the bicycle lane, I reentered the bike lane after he passed and was shocked to see him in reverse chasing after me. He wedged my bike between his vehicle and the curb, jumped out, produced a club and shouted threats at me and actually pulled a can a mace out.
There was no provocation from me as I only stood there in shock, then backed away from him as he threatened me, apparently my offense was riding on the sidewalk.
Before you turn on the boys and their parents, “Dude,” “Man,” “Officer” are inconsequential…
I said matter of factly, “I rode onto the sidewalk because you were driving in the bike lane” and that just made matters worse.
There was an incident report filed and I eventually spoke to Internal Affairs.
If you can remember there were a few other videos of him exhibiting abusive behavior. Baltimore is of course not a easy job for police, I cut officers a lot of slack but provoking people is NOT helpful , he probably needed to be on desk duty, but it is also possible that he behaved that way towards his bosses and they had enough.
In short there’s more to this than the guy having just one bad day.
Continue reading “Baltimore cop who berated skateboarder fired”
Amtrak Call to Action
Dear Trail Supporter:
The Allegheny Trail Alliance and the Trail Town Program have been advocating for the roll-on/roll off service along Amtrak’s Capitol Limited Route and need your continued help! Thanks to your support we are that much closer to seeing this happen, and you can still contribute! The attached letter thanks Amtrak for their interest and encourages them to provide this service as soon as they can. Please adapt the letter below and make the necessary changes (highlighted as red text) to personalize it for your own situation and interest.
Amtrak prefers hard copies rather than e-mails, so we ask that you send a copy directly to the address listed in the supplemental letter below. Also, please mail a copy of your letter to the ATA at P.O. Box 501, Latrobe, PA 15650, or e-mail it to admin@atatrail.org Your immediate help is necessary and greatly appreciated!
Thank you for your time!
SUPPORT LETTER:
Date
Mr. Joseph H. Boardman
President and CEO of Amtrak
National Railroad Passenger Corporation
60 Massachusetts Avenue, NE
Washington, DC 20002
Dear Mr. Boardman,
Thank you for your interest in providing enhanced bicycle service on the Capitol Limited. I am excited by the prospect of being able to roll-on and roll-off on the Capitol Limited route between Pittsburgh, PA and Washington, DC. I am encouraged with the news that it might be available in Spring 2011. I want to bike the Great Allegheny Passage and the C&O Canal towpath and appreciate the opportunity to ride the rails before I ride the trails. I look forward to using the service every year/month/week, especially between x and y.
We appreciate Amtrak’s commitment to enhancing tourism opportunities and multi-modal transportation networks.
Sincerely,
(Your signature)
Copy: Ray LaHood, Secretary, U. S. Department of Transportation
1200 New Jersey Ave, SE
Washington, DC 20590
Moonlight Madness Review
Taking a break at the Moorish Tower, Druid Hill
Read the article on Baltimore Commutes.
https://baltimorecommutes.com/bike/moonlight-madness-review/
RFP County Pedestrian And Bicycle Access Plan
Expires: Friday, August 27th, 2010
Location Maryland, United States
Issuer Government : County
The County is seeking proposals for the development of a plan for improving bicycle and pedestrian facilities in the rural portion of the County. The plan will be the third phase of the countywide pedestrian and bicycle access plan. the plan will be based on the first and second phase plans but will incorporate different elements to reflect the rural nature of the plan area.
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Towson Crime Log: Bikes stolen
Towson
Lake Drive, 600 block, between 7:30 p.m. Aug. 21 and 2:30 p.m. Aug. 22. A white mountain bike was stolen from a back porch.
Linden Avenue, 200 block, 11:15 a.m. Aug. 18. 16-year-old boy arrested after he unsuccessfully attempted to steal girl’s bicycle from yard.
Ridge Avenue, 200 block, between sometime on Aug. 17 and 4:30 p.m. Aug. 20. Bicycle stolen from doorless garage.
Continue reading “Towson Crime Log: Bikes stolen”
Don’t ride against traffic and have lights at night, please!
KENT ISLAND
Bicyclist hit
A 14-year-old Queen Anne’s County boy is in critical condition at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center in Baltimore after being hit by a car while riding a bike in Stevensville Sunday night.
State police said the boy was riding on Thompson Creek Road in front of the Food Lion store around 9 p.m. when a car driven by Tara Riley, 23, of Stevensville struck the teen.
Police said Riley had missed the turn for the Food Lion entrance and pulled to the shoulder of the road so she could turn at the next entrance, where she hit the victim head-on.
The boy was riding against traffic, police said, adding that he was wearing dark clothing and did not have a light on the bicycle. He did have a helmet on, police said.
Riley was not injured.
Police ask anyone who saw the accident to call Maryland State Police at the Centreville Barrack at 410-758-1101.
Continue reading “Don’t ride against traffic and have lights at night, please!”
Washington’s first sidewalk cafe
Greater Greater Washington has a great article about the history of a piece of property near the corner of 14th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW. Which I’ll highlight a short bit around the protests of the sidewalk cafe (reminds me a bit of complaints about bike trails, bike lanes, or traffic calming)
As reported in the Post on March 17, 1961, an assortment of D.C. government witnesses outlined a litany of perils that would befall the hapless citizenry if sidewalk cafés were allowed in the District. These hazards included the following:
- Pedestrian traffic would be disrupted. People would be forced to walk in the streets and probably get run over.
- Food would be exposed to dust, dirt, and “windblown foreign matter,” creating a health hazard.
- Hungry birds, insects, and rodents—especially squirrels—would discomfit patrons, and the city’s rodent control problem would be “multiplied many times.”
- Chairs and tables would interfere with the laying of hoses during a fire.
- Street litter would be exacerbated.
- Street-spraying trucks might splash water over the curbs and on to customers.
- It would be harder to do utility work, which might require tearing up the sidewalks.
- The cafes would be a “potential source of disorder” because café patrons might brush against sidewalk pedestrians, possibly leading to fisticuffs, etc.
- Passersby might steal pocketbooks or other valuables from café patrons.
- And finally, according to Deputy Police Chief Howard V. Covell, “this type of operation would provide a favorable setting for ladies of easy virtue as they ply their trade up and down the street.”
Carroll Co. cyclist killed after collision with truck
Charges pending against driver who police say failed to yield
By Liz F. Kay, The Baltimore Sun
A Carroll County cyclist was killed Tuesday afternoon after he was struck by a tractor-trailer while riding in Union Bridge, according to Maryland State Police – the latest cycling fatality on Baltimore-area roads.
Arthur John Martin Jr., 51, of New Windsor was riding his bike on Shepherds Mill Road when a tractor-trailer driven by Anthony Edward Woodie, 37, made a right turn onto Route 75 in front of him, police said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Based on preliminary investigation, troopers say that Woodie failed to yield to Martin when turning, but do not believe alcohol or high speeds were a factor.
Charges are pending against the truck driver.
Since 1999, an average of eight people have been killed in Maryland annually in bicycle accidents, according to the State Highway Administration.
Earlier this year, one cyclist was killed and another severley injured when they were struck by a car while riding near Butler and Falls roads in Baltimore County.
That accident helped spur the General Assembly to pass a new law clarifying the rights of bicyclists to use travel lanes instead of just the shoulders of roads. The law requires drivers to maintain a 3-foot buffer zone while passing a bicyclist.
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