Apparently a motorist has had it with cyclists forcing him over the double yellow line in to on coming traffic and apparently they have never heard of the brake pedal and waiting for a safe opportunity to pass or requesting the road be improved to comfortably handle all users. So a flier is being circulated to encourage civil disobedience for motorist to block riders on the "Sunrise Century" in "celebration" of "Driver’s Rights" … to be a55 holes.
Continue reading “Block Dangerous Cyclist Day – Bolder Colorado”
Used Bike Collection for Charity
Sunday, June 21st, 12 noon – 4 pm, Recreational Equipment Inc. (REI), Fairgrounds Plaza, 63 W. Aylesbury Rd, Timonium MD 21093. Area residents may drop off donations of bicycles, bike parts & accessories, hand tools suitable for bike shops, and portable sewing machines. Donations will benefit Bikes for the World, a project of the Washington Area Bicyclist Association, and support programs in Africa and Central America providing health, education, and employment services in poor communities. For more info, visit www.bikesfortheworld.org or call 410-252-5920.
Bike Freindly State Feedback
The Bicycle Friendly State program has again ranked all 50
states on their bike-friendliness. Maryland ranked 16th for 2009. You can see the overall
results of the ranking, including by category here.
The rankings are based on overall scores to the ranking questionnaire
that was sent to your State
Bike Coordinator.
The overall scoring was very close, with the separation of
many states being the difference of just a few items. Passage of key
legislation, updated traffic code, increased education programs or accurate
funding reporting can lead to a significant impact on your state’s
ranking. Our hope is that this brief bit of feedback can serve as a
checklist on to help you improve your ranking as you continue to work with your
Department of Transportation and state legislature. In partnership with Bikes
Belong we have assisted the National Conference of State Legislators in
creating Encouraging
Bicycling and Walking: The State Legislative Role. Please forward this link
along to your state representatives and their staff. If you would like
hard-copies to put in the hands of your representatives, please let me know,
though quantities are limited.
Support cracking down on cyclists… heck no!
This is the poll on DC Examiner:
Would you support a crackdown on rule-breaking cyclists in the D.C. area?
* Absolutely. Cyclists are completely reckless.
* I’d go further. They should be banned from roads entirely.
* No way. Misbehaving motorists are the real danger.
* Other (explain in comments)
Continue reading “Support cracking down on cyclists… heck no!”
Making life easier for bikers, walkers
One day, Philadelphia may live up to its reputation as a pedestrian-friendly city – a place where crossing signals no longer flash "Don’t Walk" before you reach the other side, where construction crews aren’t permitted to cordon off entire sidewalks, and where drivers don’t get away with blocking intersections while waiting to turn on red.
In fact, several recent moves by Mayor Nutter’s administration may hasten the arrival of that day. The latest came last week, with an executive order from the mayor directing that city officials look out more for cyclists, pedestrians, and transit users in city planning and projects.
That followed the crackdown begun last month on Center City motorists who block crosswalks and loading zones, or double-park. At the same time, parking-meter rates were boosted to free up space and cut down on congestion from drivers circling the block in search of street parking.
Continue reading “Making life easier for bikers, walkers”
Road rage; Baltimore went from the worst to one of the least road rage cities
Well at least according to the AutoVantage Road Rage Survey we did.
Behaviors by other drivers that cause stress for commuters and can lead to road rage include:
• Drivers who talk on their cell phones (84 percent see this every day)
• Driving too fast (58 percent)
• Tailgating (53 percent)
• Drivers eating or drinking while driving (48 percent)
• Texting or e-mailing while driving (37 percent)
Continue reading “Road rage; Baltimore went from the worst to one of the least road rage cities”
SHA TO HOST PUBLIC HEARING FOR I-795/DOLFIELD ROAD/ PLEASANT HILL ROAD INTERCHANGE PROJECT PLANNING STUDY
Speakers’ List Available for Sign -Up through June 15; Comments Accepted through July 22
Who:
State Highway Administration (SHA) representatives
Baltimore County government representatives
Residents, businesses, community organizations and area officials
What:
SHA will host the location/design public hearing for the I-795 at Dolfield Boulevard/Pleasant Hill Road Interchange project planning study in Baltimore County. The study is evaluating possible transportation improvements along the I-795 corridor and several intersections within the study area, including a potential interchange at the Pleasant Hill Road overpass and improved access to the planned growth corridor along Red Run Boulevard .
When/Where:
Monday, June 22, 2009 at 6 p.m.
New Town High School, 4931 New Town Boulevard Owings Mills , MD 21117
Open House begins at 6 p.m. Public Testimony begins at 7 p.m.
Continue reading “SHA TO HOST PUBLIC HEARING FOR I-795/DOLFIELD ROAD/ PLEASANT HILL ROAD INTERCHANGE PROJECT PLANNING STUDY”
My commute rocks/sucks
|
Hey-
What’s your commute like? Maybe you crank up the A/C, put in a Yanni CD and zone out. Maybe you peruse the morning paper while on the express bus that stops just blocks from your home and office. Or maybe you leave frustrated tooth-marks on your steering wheel each day. We want to hear your commuting story – no matter how terrible your lows or how blissful your highs. We can’t read minds, so you’re just going to have to spell it out for us: My commute rocks; it’s practically the best part of my day! My commute sucks… please, please make it stop. Hundreds of commuters from locales far and near have already chimed in. User “Cantabrigian” bragged: “I adore my commute! 10 minutes by bicycle on a marked bike lane, or 15 minutes by foot, passing by convenient coffeeshops…This is one reason why I choose to live and work where I do.” On the flip side, Christine let out a little rage:
Ouch. If your commute’s as lousy as Christine’s – or, traffic forbid, worse – we want to hear you rage about your lousy commute! Hearing stories like yours – the good, the bad, and the ugly – helps us flesh out what commuting in America is really like. And we’re using the stories you write on MyCommuteSucks.org – and the groundswell of support we’re seeing – to press home our message with Congress: let’s turn our frustration into smart transportation solutions. Sincerely, Ilana Preuss |
Sharing Street Space Safely
Half of Traffic Fatalities Are Not in Cars
Thought you would be interested in the World
Health Organization’s release of a 351-page report of a study funded by
Bloomberg Philanthropies
that reveals, according to a
story published today by the Washington Post, that:
story published today by the Washington Post, that:
Nearly half of the 1.2
million people killed in traffic accidents around the world each year are
not in cars. They are on motorcycles or bicycles or walking along the side of
the road.
The story is titled “Half of Traffic
Fatalities Are Not in Cars” can be found at https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/15/AR2009061501544.html
Fatalities Are Not in Cars” can be found at https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/15/AR2009061501544.html
The
story says that:
story says that:
One of the more surprising
discoveries was the toll on pedestrians, bicyclists and motorcycle riders
crowding the roads in developing countries, who accounted for 46 percent of all
traffic deaths.
The report, according to the story, tells
about how much more civilized we are here in the U.S.:
about how much more civilized we are here in the U.S.:
In the United States, 51
percent of deaths involve car drivers, 21 percent are car passengers,
11 percent
motorcyclists,
11 percent
pedestrians and
2 percent bicyclists.
The story concludes by noting
that:
that:
WHO is hosting a global
conference on road safety in Moscow in November. [Etienne G.G. Krug, a physician at WHO in Geneva
who led the project] said he hopes the data will be updated periodically in the
future in the form of national report cards on traffic
safety.
conference on road safety in Moscow in November. [Etienne G.G. Krug, a physician at WHO in Geneva
who led the project] said he hopes the data will be updated periodically in the
future in the form of national report cards on traffic
safety.
Perhaps the dream of “Traffic Justice” that
many of us envisioned at the start of the 2006 ProWalk/ProBike Conference will
come closer to reality in Moscow this November.
many of us envisioned at the start of the 2006 ProWalk/ProBike Conference will
come closer to reality in Moscow this November.
John
John Gideon
Consider Biking
Vice-President