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The Race Across America is going to be a little shorter this year after organizers decided to move the bicycle race finish line to Annapolis, Maryland, from its traditional finish in Atlantic City.
The change won’t make that much difference to the sleep-deprived and strength-depleted endurance bicyclists as they cross the finish line, however. The 2008 route is 3,008 miles, only 34 miles shorter than last year’s race.
In its 26th year, the world’s most famous endurance cycling race is scheduled to start at the Oceanside pier on June 8 for solo competitors and June 11 for teams. Last year’s solo winner, Jure Robic, wrapped up his ride in 8 days, 19 hours, and 33 minutes.
Continue reading “New finish for 2008 RAAM — Annapolis”

Randy Cohen, a guy who spends most of his day analyzing right and wrong as the New York Times Magazine
Continue reading “Transportation Ethics”

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It was soon revealed, and widely publicized, that the trooper who was escorting the governor had been traveling 91 mph in a 65 mph zone, even though the governor was not responding to any emergency and had no legitimate reason to be speeding. It was also revealed that the governor was not wearing his seatbelt.
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Since his release from the hospital, Governor Corzine has apologized profusely for failing to buckle up. He has yet to issue a single apology for the reckless behavior of his appointed driver — behavior that threatened not just his own life but the lives of everyone with whom he shared the road that day.
Last week Governor Corzine released a PSA in cooperation with the U.S. DOT, in which he proclaimed himself lucky to be alive and suggested that, if only he had been wearing his seatbelt, he most likely would have walked away from this "accident" unscathed. The governor makes no mention of the reckless driving that caused this "accident." Nor does he bother to explain the dynamics of this particular crash or why he thinks a seatbelt would have made such a big difference in his case. Governor Corzine implores the public to please remember to buckle up. He says nothing about speeding or reckless driving.
Continue reading “NJ Governor Tells Reckless Drivers, "Buckle Up and Be Invincible"”

Mr. Samaroo’s sturdy Mongoose supports a system with four 12-inch speakers that can handle the 5,000 watts. He’s co-owner of a business called Legal Intentionz that mounts steroes on bikes.
Continue reading “Solution to not being able to wear headphones while riding”

As rising gasoline prices are forcing many Americans to tighten their financial belts, it may lead to them tightening the belts around their waist.
"An additional $1 in real gasoline prices would reduce obesity in the U.S. by 15 percent after three years," said Charles Courtemanche, an economics researcher at Washington University in St. Louis. "In fact, about 13 percent of the rise in obesity between 1979 and 2004 can be attributed to falling real gas prices during the period."
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According to Courtemanche’s analysis, the reduction in obesity caused by a $1 increase in gasoline prices would save 16,000 lives and $17 billion a year.
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Continue reading “High Gas Prices Could Mean A Slimmer You”