baltimorespokes

By Chris McCahill, State Smart Transportation Initiative

Estimates released by FHWA on Friday suggest that per capita vehicle miles of travel dropped again in 2013, making it the ninth consecutive year of decline (Figure 1). Total VMT in the United States increased by 0.6 percent from 2012, hovering just below 3 trillion, and per capita VMT dropped to 9,402 (the prior year’s initial estimate was revised to 9,412).

Figure 1. VMT trends for the United States through 2013. Source: FHWA and Census Bureau.

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Maryland is an example of this trend. In 2009, the state’s long-range plan projected statewide VMT growth of 2 percent per year through 2030 (Figure 2). The plan dismissed the recent decline as a temporary consequence of high fuel prices and the economic downturn, asserting, “there is no clear evidence that Marylanders will continue to drive less in the future.” However, in its updated plan released just last month, the agency has left out projections entirely, declaring that “a return to strong annual VMT growth is unlikely and per capita VMT […] is actually decreasing.” A handful of other states have either dampened their projections or shifted their focus toward VMT reduction goals and transportation demand management efforts.

Figure 2. VMT in Maryland and projected VMT from state long-range plans. Source: FHWA and Maryland Department of Transportation

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https://www.ssti.us/2014/02/vmt-drops-ninth-year-dots-taking-notice/

by Kristin Butcher, People for Bikes debunks these myths:
MYTH: Roads were created for cars.
MYTH: Riders are safest on the sidewalk.
MYTH: You can’t get a decent bike for less than a gazillion dollars.
MYTH: Bicyclists think they own the road.
MYTH: Bikes are just kids’ toys.
https://www.peopleforbikes.org/blog/entry/bike-myths-debunked

by Walker Angell, Streats MN

The good news is that the trend has indeed continued downward since the number killed peaked in 1972. Nationally, only 33,561 people were killed in 2012 and 2.36 million were injured.

This all sounds pretty good. Until we stop being insular and comparing ourselves to only ourselves.

This chart shows the rate of children under 15 killed by motorists per year averaged over a 5 year period. Bars indicate the number of deaths per 100,000 total population for each country for each year.

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https://streets.mn/2014/03/25/why-are-we-letting-drivers-kill-our-children/

Why do dangerous drivers receive more protection from the law than their victims do?
By Bob Mionske, Bicycling
When a dangerous driver injures somebody, or takes another person’s life, we pretend that it’s somehow normal. We’re all so aware of our own driving mistakes that we do everything we can to avoid holding other drivers—even dangerous drivers—accountable when somebody dies. We call it “an accident.” We blame the victim. We worry about how the driver must have suffered. Our system of traffic justice is so broken that, for the victims of dangerous drivers, there is often no justice at all.
Instead, our legal system shields dangerous drivers from any real consequences. With the exception of DUI, motorists can get away with just about anything. Consider a few recent examples.
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[B’ Spokes: Things he points out make my blood boil.]
https://blogs.bicycling.com/blogs/roadrights/2014/03/26/no-crime-no-punishment/

By Sam Dansie, Bike Radar
Whether you wear a big notice saying you’re a total cycling newbie, look like a Tour de France pro or just put on a straightforward high-viz jacket, the distance at which UK cars will overtake remains roughly the same: 117.5cm.
That’s the result of an academic study investigating what difference a cyclist’s clothing choice may have on how close motorists pass them when overtaking during peak rush hour.
It means, say the researchers, there is little cyclists can do with their wardrobe to influence motorists’ behaviour once they’ve been seen.
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The only jacket that appeared to make a meaningful difference to the average passing distance was a jacket with the word ‘police’ written on it.
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"It’s those close buzzes that make cycling feel unsafe," said Walker. "If it doesn’t feel safe people won’t do it."
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https://www.bikeradar.com/commuting/news/article/high-viz-jackets-dont-affect-how-close-motorists-pass-cyclists-39136/