[Maybe they should crack down on pedestrians lawfully crossing the road as impeding traffic???]
By Harryc
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Thanks to everybody who got out yesterday and even to those who could not due to work constraints, and there were many. I often become complacent and morose about the state of affairs in America, a runaway car culture, increasing disregard for our fellow citizens, a culture that I sometimes see only as an ever growing obese mass of self centered, unenlightened, angry drivers. Tomorrow I felt much better, thanks.
As I was returning to the State House after enjoying a fine and pleasant, well deserved lunch, I was cut off by a guy in a giant SUV who after cutting me off braked hard for some people crossing the street by foot, thankfully. So I rode up next to him as we headed up the street together and politely said "you stopped for them but not for me, why?" His response was this, really. "Can you go 180 mph on that thing?" I said no, of course not. "Well then there is no need for me to watch out for you" Really, that’s what he said, still can’t figure out his logic, something about my presence would in no way impede his progress because he could accelerate faster. I asked him if he knew how much his truck weighed, he said "I know exactly how much it weighs". I asked if he thought his very heavy truck was any match for my 190 lb body and twenty pound bike? Not sure what he said next, perhaps it was too confusing a question, but very politely I wished him a good day, really I did, and I headed back to the State House.
Continue reading “I don’t get it.”
Important – OLC Update
Hello all,
Thanks so much to the organizers and participants of tomorrow’s bike ride from Annapolis to Baltimore in support of the bicycle safety bills!
HB461/SB51, the 3 foot rule, has already passed both the House and Senate floors! One Less Car is pleased that Maryland has finally moved in the direction of promoting bicycle safety. We hope it will be easier to strengthen the 3 foot law next session than it was to get this important bill passed.
Additionally, HB282 – Delegate Pena-Melnyk and Bobo’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Access, Funding and Reporting bill passed both floors!
Tomorrow, I’m keeping my fingers crossed that the shoulder rule, HB1193, will be voted upon favorably by the House. This important law already exists in 46 states. I will be in the gallery tomorrow watching the vote. I hope you will join me!
Please take special care as you bicycle tomorrow to follow all laws (stop at stop signs etc.). One of the biggest arguments I heard from Delegates was that bicyclists don’t follow the law. I know the tragic death of Larry Bensky is on our minds and our emotions are strong. Please be as courteous and professional to all Delegates – we won’t be able to pass additional bicycle safety legislation without courtesy and professionalism on our side.
To learn more about bicycle safety initiatives please visit www.onelesscar.org. One Less Car is the only non-profit in Maryland with an active presence in Annapolis promoting bicycle safety legislation. We would greatly appreciate your support now and next session to make Maryland a better place to live, work and bike.
Thank you,
Carol
Carol Silldorff
Executive Director
One Less Car
Kill a cyclist and get zip jail time, put a video up of an out of control cop and you could get 5 years
A Harford County man now faces up to five years in prison after he recorded a bizarre traffic stop last month in Harford County.
Anthony Graber was riding his motorcycle with a camera attached to his helmet recording his ride.
It happened near the Riverside exit of I-95. A Maryland State trooper in an unmarked car pulled over Graber for speeding. The trooper is seen in a YouTube video that Graber posted, jumping out of the car and tells Graber "Get off the motorcycle, get off the motorcycle! Get off the motor cycle, State Police."
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Continue reading “Kill a cyclist and get zip jail time, put a video up of an out of control cop and you could get 5 years”
Release – Bicyclists Will Ride MONDAY to Annapolis in Support of Safer Roads
The Baltimore Bicycle Club
– AND –
The University of Maryland
School of Law
Cycling Club
– For Immediate Release –
Bicyclists to Ride to Annapolis in Memory of Last Week’s Fatal Accident Victim, and To Support Passage of Road Safety Measure
ANNAPOLIS, April 11, 2010 — In memory and honor of a Baltimore County bicyclist who died last week after being struck by a motorist, a group of bicyclists will ride on Monday, April 12, from Baltimore to Annapolis to advocate on behalf of a bill that would make cycling on state roads safer. It is the last day of the 2010 legislative session.
Upon arriving in Annapolis, the riders and other advocates will hold a media availability at noon at Lawyers Mall, between College Ave., State Circle, Government House and the Department of Legislative Services. Afterward, some of the advocates will continue on to the State House to speak on behalf of H.B. 461/S.B. 51.
H.B. 461/S.B. 51 would require motorists to pass bicyclists and other certain road users at a distance of 3 feet in some circumstances. The bill, introduced in the House by Del. Jon Cardin and in the Senate by Sen. Jamie Raskin, had been stalled this year in the House Environmental Matters Committee until its vote Friday to report the bill favorably with an amendment. The bill must still pass the Senate. Attempts to pass laws similar to this have failed in recent years.
Lawrence Bensky, 43, of Owings Mills, died April 6 while riding his bicycle on Butler Road in Baltimore County. The accident remains under investigation. Bensky was married and the father of two children. His wife, Tamara, is among those expected to arrive Monday in support of changes in the law.
Tentative list of riders/supporters who will be available to speak to reporters:
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Tamara Benksy, Lawrence Bensky’s wife
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Harry Campbell, chief organizer of Monday’s ride, The Baltimore Bicycle Club
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Alexander Obriecht – President – Race Pace Bicycles – 5 bicycle retail stores in the Baltimore area
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Marc Lefkowitz, Vice President, Race Pace Bicycles
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John Kelly, of Kelly Benefit Strategies and Kelly Benefit Strategies racing
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Greg Simmons, law student and president, University of Maryland School of Law Cycling Club
Other riders from around the region are expected to join as a public display of support for the Bensky family and safer cycling laws.
Continue reading “Release – Bicyclists Will Ride MONDAY to Annapolis in Support of Safer Roads”
Delaware cyclists still waiting for answers on MD 273 rumble strips
[It seems for every step forward we get a step backwards. In the last couple of years SHA has been paying extra attention on getting us decent shoulders where they were not usable before and where we have had decent shoulders they have been adding rumble strips and too often making things a lot worse for cyclists. I’ll quote “Maryland SHA Bicycle and Pedestrian Design Guidelines” and ask: has anyone ever seen this in Maryland?
Now given the following State Law:
§ 2-602. Public policy.
The General Assembly finds that it is in the public interest for the State to include enhanced transportation facilities for pedestrians and bicycle riders as an essential component of the State’s transportation system, and declares that it is the policy of the State that:
(1) Access to and use of transportation facilities by pedestrians and bicycle riders shall be considered and best engineering practices regarding the needs of bicycle riders and pedestrians shall be employed in all phases of transportation planning, including highway design, construction, reconstruction, and repair as well as expansion and improvement of other transportation facilities;
(2) The modal administrations in the Department shall ensure that the State maintains an integrated transportation system by working cooperatively to remove barriers, including restrictions on bicycle access to mass transit, that impede the free movement of individuals from one mode of transportation to another; and
(3) As to any new transportation project or improvement to an existing transportation facility, the Department shall work to ensure that transportation options for pedestrians and bicycle riders will be enhanced and that pedestrian and bicycle access to transportation facilities will not be negatively impacted by the project or improvement.
It seems to me something is not quite right.]
by Frank Warnock
Bike Delaware met with Maryland’s State Highway Administration back on March 9, 2009 to shed light on serious design flaws with the implementation of rumble strips along popular bicycle routes. Route 273, very popular with area cyclists and a main feature among WCBC event rides, was implemented in such a way as to force cyclists to avoid the shoulder entirely, or risk loss of vehicle control while attempting to leave the shoulder for turn situations or to avoid debris or parked cars.
In a recent discussion with Maryland’s Director of Bicycle and Pedestrian Access, the following was learned from SHA:
“We’re still working on the guidelines. It’s been a long process in part because of concerns raised by the bicycling community. We want to make sure we get it as right as possible for all road users. I don’t think we want to send [a] draft as it stands at the moment, so I guess someone should email back and explain that we’re still working on it”.
Of particular concern was this happening in spite of Rt.273’s designation as a MD bike route. Despite its high speed limit, it remains a favorite among Delaware and Cecil County cyclists, often serving as an “out and back” ride for those less inclined to ride non-shouldered roads.
Continue reading “Delaware cyclists still waiting for answers on MD 273 rumble strips”
Cyclist Hit, Intentionally
The important bit first:
What is really important here is as a bike community we try to identify this reckless driver. So if you see a black 2000ish VW Jetta with a roof rack with Maryland tags beginning with 9FF (per Fox TV the numbers are 955) please call 911 and reference case number 045-591.
The story from Washcycle:
From the Bike Washington listserv
I unfortunately had the awful experience of being hit by a car on my commute home this evening. The details are as follows: Around 5:50 PM I was riding along First St. NW with other commuters. We crossed over Florida Ave and a car came in behind me, horn continuously on, and accelerated into my rear wheel knocking me to the ground. The driver then got out of the car and yelled some obscenity at me. He got back into his car and left the scene.
I ended up with a few bruises and bumps but luckily no serious injury, but my rear wheel was destroyed along with my saddle, still not sure about the frame. Although there were seven plus witnesses, we were only able to get a partial license plate. We did get a great description of the car. The police arrived on the scene and took all the witness statements, etc and the incident will be filed as a hit and run.
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Continue reading “Cyclist Hit, Intentionally”
Ride on Annapolis / Larry Bensky Memorial Ride
This is a ride from Baltimore to Annapolis to memorialize Larry Bensky, who as you all know was killed this past Tuesday while riding on Butler Rd. We’re doing this on Monday as it is the last day of the current legislative session and a great and somber opportunity to get bill 461 passed into law. House bill 461 requires motorists to give cyclists three feet when passing. Some say that it can’t be enforced but they’re missing the point. The point is to draw attention to the rights of cyclists and to move one inch, or three feet, towards a better, more civil society. So join us. https://www.mapmyride.com/route/us/md/baltimore/212126506240695109
The ride leader is Harry Campbell…details at https://www.baltobikeclub.org/listview.php
You can park at several places if you wish and ride down to Annapolis (Marley Station Mall, the Ranger Station etc)
https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=113742351986045
Continue reading “Ride on Annapolis / Larry Bensky Memorial Ride”
Tips if you are involved in a serious collision with a car:
By chaingangdc
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1. Stay on the ground and go by ambulance to the ER. Doing so will:
– a. document and begin mitigating any injuries you may have sustained, including injuries you may not even notice at the scene;
– b. satisfy legal requirements that injured parties do everything in their power to lessen the damages they sustain; and
– c. ensure that a police report gets written.
2. Do not rely on the police to investigate the crash, document the facts, or collect the names of witnesses. It’s been my experience that, whether intentional or not, the entire system is rigged against bikers, so:
– a. Always carry a flash-equipped disposable camera and, if you are conscious and able to speak, ask someone at the scene to take pictures that capture everything—your position, your bike’s position, the vehicle(s) involved, any relevant traffic control devices, etc. Remember—pictures can tell 1,000 words.
– b. Carry some pre-printed “witness cards,” and try to get the first people at the scene to give you their names and contact info even if they didn’t see the crash itself. First responders see and hear all sorts of relevant things (e.g. your bike headlight was on, or the car driver saying “I didn’t see him!”). Include line items on the card that beg for answers, such as “headlight was ___” or “Did the driver say he saw me? ___”
– c. If you can get to your cell phone or have someone get it for you, call yourself and leave a message describing what happened. You will forget things over time, and small details from the scene can really matter later on. Leave the phone connected because it might record the driver saying things, like “I didn’t even see him” or “I was running a bit late getting home.” If it’s not too much of a strain, do a play-by-play of everything you hear and see while waiting to be hauled off in the ambulance.
– d. Write your own “courtroom-grade” incident statement as soon as possible and submit it to the police. Use googlemaps or other satellite images of the scene marked with points A, B, C, etc, then write a narrative of what happened at each of those points. You can also submit the statement to insurance companies in lieu of the verbal statements they sometimes prefer. Which is more reliable—your memory of what happened days or weeks after the incident, or a statement you wrote within 24 hours based on a phone message you left for yourself describing the scene as it unfolded?
3) Get a copy of the police report and confirm that what you wrote is either appended to the official report or accurately transcribed. If it’s not, complain immediately to the filing officer’s supervisor and consider filing an internal affairs complaint. These reports form the basis of national statistics about the cause sof bike/car crashes, and it’s been my experience that the police tend to absolve drivers of wrongdoing in collisions involving bikes. This, I believe, contributes to the common knowledge that all bikers are scofflaws and, therefore, we sort of deserve to get hit.
Ride as safely as you can.
Continue reading “Tips if you are involved in a serious collision with a car:”
Students Take Environmental Solutions to the Hill
Over the next few weeks, Masako Chen (C’11) and three of her classmates in the innovative Shaping National Science Policy seminar will begin lobbying nearly a dozen congressional members who specialize in transportation, energy and bicycle use.
"We’re getting the wheels turning for city bike-sharing programs across the country," said Chen, whose Spokes in the City team is one of the student groups in the seminar offered through Georgetown’s Science in the Public Interest (SPI) program.
The seminar is taught by Georgetown’s Upjohn Lecturer on Physics and Public Policy and SPI founder Francis Slakey and biology lecturer Karen Wayland.
Throughout the semester, the professors and students delve deeper into navigating the political system, helped by lectures from congressional science staff, science journalists, lobbyists and pollsters. The seminar concludes with an examination of five case studies in science advocacy, linking students with industry and community leaders.
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Seeking Federal, Local Laws
The student teams in this semester’s seminar class have each identified a policy issue, researched the science behind it and crafted a policy solution.
Chen’s team, for instance, seeks $5 million in seed money to start city bicycle sharing programs on 20 college campuses across the country.
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Continue reading “Students Take Environmental Solutions to the Hill”
The Blogger Beat: District Cycling
This week, we strap on a helmet, squeeze into some Spandex, and go for a ride with bicycle blogger Gregg Deal.
By Emily Leaman
Gregg Deal has been riding bikes since childhood, and he raced mountain bikes in the ’90s. Then he took some time off—and he put on a few pounds. And then a few more. So what did it take to get him back in the saddle? “My wife would regularly poke my stomach,” he says. “I think she was expecting a Pillsbury laugh or something.”
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Five words to describe your feelings about cycling:
“This is the type of question I dread. You’re asking me to take something that has been a big part of my life and break it down into five words, and I’ve already used something like 36 words just to say that. So, lets see: epic, beautiful, suffering, pain, freedom.”
Five words to describe what it’s like to ride in Washington:
“Again with the five words? You’re killing me. How about: epic, adrenaline, fast, public, Spandex. Those last two can go together. Yeah, public Spandex.”
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Biggest cycling pet peeve:
“Getting run over. Perhaps I can be more specific. How about: Tony Kornheiser trying to run me over because he finds me to be a chesty, homo-erotic, shiney-Spandex-wearing, crunchy loser who thinks I own the road then goes on his radio show and brags about it. If you can’t read my sarcasm, I’m laying it on pretty thick. I’m not a fan of being honked at, yelled at, or put in any number of frightening situations in what has become a war between cyclists and motorists. How about we don’t war at all?”
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Continue reading “The Blogger Beat: District Cycling”