By Steve Magas The Bike Lawyer
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You see it everywhere, I’m sure. In your neighborhood – with your kids. Do you kids wander around town on their bikes? Probably not.
For me, as a teenager in the mid-1970’s, it was nothing to leave the house in the morning on the bike and MAYBE come home for lunch. My and my buddies would be riding all over – from ball diamond to park to ice cream stand. For, I am certain, a variety of reasons that just doesn’t happen any more.
One downside of this is that kids miss out on learning the absolute JOY that comes with the freedom of being on a bike. Kids miss out on being able to MOVE from place to place without a play date and without waiting for Dad or Mom to take them.
Can we develop a SAFE way to encourage kids to ride again without exposing them to the statistical population of cycling fatalities? I guess that is one of the many challenges facing the bike industry, bike safety experts and those encouraging our country to RIDE. Those 1975 cycling fatality statistics were littered with dozens of “dart out” cases – kids jumping from sidewalk to roadway, without paying attention to traffic. Safe Riding means teaching everybody – Kids & Adults – about the Rules of the Road and how to ride safely in traffic.
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Continue reading “Is it safe to ride?”
Rumble Strip Report
By JIM SAYER, the executive director of Adventure Cycling Association.
A little while ago, our special projects director, Ginny Sullivan, reported on rumble strip mayhem. We were receiving reports from around the country of the indiscriminate application of rumble strips or stripes to secondary roads, often prime cycling roads in the countryside. For example, a popular connecting road between Memphis and the Natchez Trace had been "rumbled." With only a two foot shoulder, it made it nearly impossible for cyclists to navigate the road without going into a high-speed travel lane.
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Last Friday, while I was in Washington, DC, we were able to secure a meeting with Joe Toole, FHWA’s lead administrator for safety, and David Nicol, the head of the Office of Safety Design. (I was joined by Jeff Miller of the Alliance, Walt Finch of the League, and Caron Whitaker of America Bikes.) We emphasized that we were not opposed to rumble strips when properly applied but that the evidence was demonstrating that states and counties were forgetting about the importance of cyclists’ safe use of secondary roads — and the clear guidance provided by many states and the FHWA on how to apply rumbles in a way that respects the needs of all users. The indiscriminate use of rumbles also contradicts the recent directive of U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood that bicycling and walking should be considered as "equal modes" of transportation to motorized vehicles.
Joe and David were cordial, had clearly done their research, and had given a lot of thought to the subject. They promised to follow up with Administrator Mendez and with us, and thought they could provide some form of information to agencies about the proper use and application of rumbles. They also let us know that they are doing an in-depth update of their technical guidance on rumbles, due out later this summer, and asked for our input.
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Continue reading “Rumble Strip Report”
Peddling Faster
By Michael Byrne | Posted 4/21/2010
In the past year, two new bicycle shops have opened in Baltimore. Bike-repair collective Velocipede is frequently over capacity, resorting to waiting lists shortly after opening in the evenings, year-round. The City of Baltimore is poised to release its first-ever comprehensive bike map; official bike routes, lanes, and other improvements are sprouting on city streets like grease stains or potholes. Four landmark pieces of bike-policy legislation passed in the state legislature just last week. Bicycling magazine just placed Baltimore in its "Top 50 Bike-Friendly Cities." And this is all recent–the evolution of cycling in our city over the past few years is on par with the evolution of fish growing legs, learning to crawl, walking on land, and standing upright.
It’ll take lots more to get up to par, or even close to it, with our closest bike-forward neighbor, Washington, D.C., but we can imagine a time soon when bike saturation in Baltimore will hit a point where we just won’t have any choice but to build up a bike infrastructure on par: Imagine a 5 o’clock rush hour on the beltway crammed instead up North Charles Street. Our 2010 Bike Issue isn’t meant to take the temperature of, or summarize the state of cycling in Baltimore, but to give a snapshot of it. Two riders, both hopelessly devoted to cyclist-as-way-of-life, a peek into the state of bike advocacy in Baltimore, and a rundown of what it might take to outfit for riding in this here 48th "Most Bike-Friendly City."
Continue reading “Peddling Faster”
How to Encourage Your Employees to Bike to Work
Posted by admin In: Business Finance
There may be several reasons to encourage your employees to seek alternate transportation to work. Whether it’s carpooling, taking public transportation, walking or biking, the benefits of not driving a car everyday are substantial. The most notable benefit is the reduced strain on the environment. Cutting back on driving not only reduces our countries dependence on crude oil, but also reduces our carbon footprint. However, by taking an extra step—and asking your employees ride a bike to work—your company will have pride knowing that its also contributing to the physical health and well-being of the employees that participate.
How to Encourage Your Employees to Bike to Work: Getting Started
Marilyn Bryant, executive director of the non-profit Sacramento Transportation Management Association (STMA) in Sacramento, California, suggests writing down a general idea of what you would like your bike program to look like.
A large part of the program must center around making biking more convenient for participants. So offering a secure place for bike storage, or a place for workers to shower and change and store clothing goes a long way.
The Association, which supports cycling as a method to reduce traffic congestion and air pollution, offers Sacramento-based businesses a survey to determine their level of bicycle friendliness. If you score high enough, the association encourages you to apply for certification as a Sacramento Region Bicycle-Friendly Business. If not, you can contact the group to learn how to become more bicycle friendly. Below are several of the questions from the STMA survey. Ask yourself the following question in order to build a picture in your mind of the program you’d like to have:
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Continue reading “How to Encourage Your Employees to Bike to Work”
Technology makes bicycling more fun
By TIFFANY ARNOLD
Technology and online social networking has made the already low-tech hobby of bicycling that much easier.
Want a new route? People to ride with? What happens if your bike gets a flat?
Look no further than your computer’s keyboard or the keypad of your cell phone or GPS device.
“You can find that on our website,” said Mike Mittel, owner of Hub City Sports, a bike shop in downtown Hagerstown.
Local bike shops are catering to the needs of bikers by offering more than products for sale on their websites. They are seeking to offer tips and provide forums. Beyond retail sales, electronic gadgets and social-networking forums are making it easier for cyclists from out of town to find routes and connect with others who share the same passion.
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Continue reading “Technology makes bicycling more fun”
Solution should be: Make BWI get some bike racks
Problem: "Racked" by bike
This tale of a consumer dilemma actually began last summer. Mark Powell, an Arlington, Va., resident, was dropped off by a friend at BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport on July 22, 2009. He was about to catch a flight and go to Burlington, Vt., where he would participate in a biathlon.
His plan was to return 32 hours later to the Linthicum airport and then proceed to ride his bicycle the entire 40 miles back to his Arlington home – an extra challenge for this particular cycling enthusiast.
But before catching his flight, Powell encountered a problem: He couldn’t find a designated bike rack in the parking lot to chain his bicycle to.
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Continue reading “Solution should be: Make BWI get some bike racks”
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE: Bike Bills
Legislative
Update
Mary Pat
Clarke Baltimore
City Council 14th
“Bike
Bills” Scheduled for Hearings
Thursday,
May 6, 2010
4:00
PM
Community
Development Subcommittee
City
Council Chambers
City
Hall, 4th Floor
(Picture ID
Required for admission to City Hall)
Resolution
09-0175R Police and
Bicyclists
Calls for training of police officers to respond to
bike accidents in informed manner, to systematically file reports on
bike-involved accidents and to foster improved relations between BPD and the
bicycling community.
Legislation
09-0429 Required
Parking for Bicycles
In new and expanded premises where NEW offstreet
parking is required for 5 vehicles or more, requires 1 bike parking space
(accommodating 2 bikes) for every 10 vehicle spaces, permitting an offset on
required vehicle spaces up to 30% of required vehicle spaces. Requires
mandatory bike parking for employers with 10 or more fulltime/parttime
employees @ 1 bike
space (accommodating 2 bikes) per every 10,000 square feet of workplace floor
area.
09-0430 Bike Lanes
Authorizes Transportation (DOT) to create bike
lanes. Prohibits vehicular parking/stopping in bike lanes. Requires grates in
bike lanes to be perpendicular to traffic flow. Requires bike lane
exclusivity.
09-0431 Bike-Safe
Grates
All paving/repaving contract must require that all
street grates be placed perpendicular to the flow of traffic.
(MCC Resolution)
09-0433 Complete
Streets
Planning, design and construction of streets must
take into account the needs of pedestrians, bicyclists, transit riders and
people of all abilities as well as freight and vehicle users — to encourage
walking, biking, transit use and to promote safety for all users. Requires
annual report on implementation by director of the Department of
Transportation (DOT). Part of a national movement.
The Following BMore Streets for People resolution
and legislation have already been approved by the City Council Land Use and
Transportation Committee.
09-0177R BMore Streets
for People
Supports Spring 2010 implementation of BMore Streets
for People, a program for periodically closing main neighborhood streets for
certain hours to promote their recreational use by joggers, walkers, bikers,
etc. Based on Ciclovia model in Bogata, Columbia ,
now adopted by cities across the
USA . Resolution calls upon
Department of Transportation (DOT) to take the lead, working with
Police, Health, General Services, Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts,
Sustainability — and neighborhood leaders of proposed BMore Streets venues.
Supports measures to ensure the affordability of BMore Streets events.
Supports creation of BMore Streets Advisory Committee.
10-0436 Bmore Streets
For People
Establishes a BMore Streets for People Program and Advisory Board.
Establishes the Department of Transportation as the City Administrator.
For
full text and agency reports on these bills, please go to https://legistar.baltimorecitycouncil.com/mattersearch/
Special thanks to the Mayor’s Bicycle Advisory
Committee and Baltimore
Bike Coordinator Nate Evans for recommending and critiquing and supporting
our legislation.
Thanks.
Mary Pat
Mary Pat Clarke
550
City Hall
100 North Holliday Street
Baltimore,
Maryland 21202
410-396-4814 (o)
410-545-7585 fax
Marypat.clarke@baltimorecity.gov
Staff: Kara Kunst, Cindy Leahy
(first name.last name@baltimorecity.gov)
Long Distance Bicycling Talk!
Long Distance Bike Riding and Randonneuring Talk at Velocipede Bike Project on Tuesday, May 4th at 7PM
Ever wanted to just get on your bike and ride to the mountains, to the Chesapeake Bay or to some neighboring city or state, and then be back home at the end of the day? To have a bicycle adventure of a hundred miles or more that’s self-supported, self-propelled and self-reliant?
Velocipede Bike Project is hosting a talk on Tuesday, May 4th, 7pm. explaining how to ride your bicycle long distances unsupported. The talk will provide you with helpful tips to make riding 100+ miles possible and even comfortable. It will give you information on appropriate bike frames and equipment, improving your performance on the bike, eating and drinking during the ride, tips on handling weather and darkness and how to find safe routes from the Baltimore area. We will also cover some of the history of long distance riding and Randonneuring.
The talk will come two days after the scheduled “Monument to Monument” ride going from Baltimore’s Washington Monument to DC’s Washington Monument and back on Sunday, May 2nd. We can get reports about that ride from members of Velocipede who are planning on riding it. For more information about this ride or the talk contact Velocipede or bobwag"at"gmail.com
Bob Wagner rides more than 150 miles per week commuting from his home in Hampden to work in Owings Mills as well as riding longer distances on weekends. He designs 100+ mile routes from Baltimore City to far-off places in MD and surrounding states and has been leading The Rando Ramble, a century ride, each month for the Baltimore Biking Club. Last year he rode 18 centuries.
Public Hearings on Bike related bills
Below are the bills being heard on May 6th beginning at 4:00 p.m. that are related to bicycle safety, etc. Beginning at 4:00 p.m and continuing until completed.
The public is invited to attend and to register to speak for or against these proposals.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Hearing: Community Development Subcommittee
4:00 PM Du Burns Council Chamber, 4th floor, City Hall
09-0429 Required Parking for Bicycles
09-0430 Transit and Traffic – Bike Lanes
09-0431 City Streets – Bike-Safe Grates
09-0433 Street and Transportation Projects – Complete Streets
Stop the Maryland Unsafe Drive
I have been following StopTheMUD.org for a while now and if the reporting bike accidents gets you down, sign up for this news feed, as there is a lot of crazy car accidents that happen. Anyway I love this quote in regards to the cell phone ban coming into law:
"Get beyond Democrat and Republican. Open your eyes when you drive. You can see for yourself that Marylanders are far from cautious and far from safe. Marylanders are not safe drivers. Safe drivers are in the minority. People on cellular telephones are mot safe drivers. Public safety is the issue.
There are many benefits to driving safely. Fewer accidents requiring police, medical, and aero support. Hospitals have fewer crash emergencies and perhaps the cost of health care could improve. Police could deal with crime instead of reckless fools. Our firefighters could fight fires instead of extricating the dead from a crash scene."
Continue reading “Stop the Maryland Unsafe Drive”