Biking in Baltimore
B’ Spokes: A must read if you support bicycling in Baltimore.
Basically it starts of with a victory with the Southeast Baltimore Complete Streets Master Plan.
Then it starts to get nibbled away,
https://www.bmorebikes.com/cars-favored-over-bikes-in-district-1/
B’ Spokes: My headline here is over the top but we need to do something about the cavalier culture surrounding the so called right to drive regardless of the consequences. The last time I checked over 20% of all bike/ped fatalities was a hit-and-run. This needs to stop!
Rachel Anna Buckler, 23, entered an Alford plea to have her sentence from a 2011 hit-and-run and death of Port Tobacco cyclist Thomas Roepcke reconsidered.
Read about it here: https://www.somdnews.com/article/20140228/NEWS/140229177/sentence-in-death-of-bicyclist-stands&template=southernMaryland
This is not about recreation; it’s about transportation–about people using their bikes to get where they need to go. We’re talking about making sure, when someone’s only or best option to get to work is a bike, that they have an option to ride it, and ride it in safety. https://1.usa.gov/1e1vABP
[B’ Spokes: A little girl on a bike and a cat riding around her neighborhood, you can’t get cuter than that. But it makes me wonder why so many are working to make such imagery a thing of the past. Now kids to be safe stay inside and play your video games. :/ ]
B’ Spokes: First some Maryland data to put this in context.
Where Maryland stands compared to other states with their pedestrian fatality rate.
https://www-fars.nhtsa.dot.gov/
How Maryland pedestrian fatalities by month rank for pedestrian fatalities.
| Month | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | AVG. | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December | 14 | 9 | 9 | 14 | 10 | 11 | 11 |
| January | 14 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 9.8 |
| September | 9 | 10 | 10 | 13 | 7 | 10 | 9.6 |
| November | 9 | 12 | 7 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 9.4 |
| October | 8 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 8.6 |
| February | 12 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 8 | 8 | 8.2 |
| May | 5 | 10 | 12 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8.2 |
| June | 4 | 10 | 14 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8.2 |
| April | 8 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 7.6 |
| July | 7 | 7 | 4 | 9 | 10 | 7 | 7.2 |
| August | 6 | 12 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 6.7 |
| March | 10 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 5.5 |
| Fatal Crashes | 106 | 110 | 97 | 103 | 95 | 102 | 100 |
https://mhso.mva.maryland.gov/TrafficSafetyData/_benchmarkreports/PedestOnFootBR-12Aug1-13.pdf
It seems to me that Maryland has a winter time pedestrian problem.
by Angie Schmitt, Streets Blog
If where you live is anything like where I live, the sidewalks are a mess right now. People are walking in the streets and getting summarily blamed by the press when a driver injures them.
Plows are out all night salting and scraping the streets, but sidewalks are a private responsibility, and compliance with shoveling laws is haphazard enough to make mixing with SUVs seem like the best option for a lot of pedestrians.
To their credit, community leaders in Akron, Ohio, have been debating how to keep children safe when they walk to school. On his blog Notes from the Underground, Jason Segedy, head of Akron’s metropolitan planning organization, AMATS, wrote about the relative lack of concern for kids who walk:
The immediate, specific, and tactical answer to the question of “Why don’t we make safe and accessible sidewalks a priority?” has to do with a panoply of thorny and interrelated fiscal, legal, and property issues.
But the holistic, general, and strategic answer to that question is simply this: our culture does not value or respect people on foot the way that it does people behind the wheels of cars. To be clear, this cultural orientation is not the result of conscious antipathy toward pedestrians, or an intentional organized conspiracy to disenfranchise or disrespect the marginalized and the poor. Instead, it’s simply the way that our society has evolved over the past 60 years, as the automobile has achieved near complete dominance as a mode of transportation – at least for the affluent majority.
I discuss this issue with people all of the time, and often hear people say “Why waste the time or money on this? No one walks anyway.” My translation: “I don’t walk anywhere, no one that I know walks anywhere, and since I occupy a place of privilege in society, I really don’t notice anyone that does walk.”
In addition to being patently false, the generalization “no one walks anyway” misses the point entirely. Social equity and fairness in transportation is not about a tunnel-vision view of the needs of the majority that drives, considered in a vacuum; but rather, about looking out for the needs of the minority that does not drive.
…
https://streetsblog.net/2014/02/19/why-clearing-sidewalks-isnt-a-priority-like-plowing-streets/
[B’ Spokes: It would be nice if Baltimore did something like this, especially on 4 lane roads where they plow all the snow from the street onto the sidewalk.]
Via Hans Riemer
Responding to large storm events is a challenge for our county government and our residents. We have a very robust snow plow operation that clears the roads very efficiently, and our superb highway team is always working to improve its performance. However, we do not have a sufficient plan or policies in place to meet the challenge of removing snow from sidewalks and pedestrian crossings.
I have seen or heard reports of pedestrians walking in the street on major roads, mothers pushing strollers over sidewalks that have not been cleared, seniors and individuals with mobility challenges unable to enter a street crossing because it is blocked by snow, and even motorized wheelchairs moving in traffic lanes on state highways (in this case, University Blvd) because sidewalks are impassable.
We know that the county considers its snow removal work complete long before these problems have been resolved.
I am requesting Council staff to draft legislation requiring Montgomery County DOT to create a Sidewalk Snow Removal Plan.
The plan would require elements including:
I recognize that we have limited resources and storm events are already a massive expense for the county — we spend over $1 million per day during snow events, according to the county executive.
https://www.councilmemberriemer.org/2014/02/a-sidewalk-snow-removal-plan.html
AlterNet Comics
Austin police drag jogger to car screaming after jaywalking without ID
[B’ Spokes: This is the next phase in victim blaming, just look at this criminal! She is being treated exactly like someone who has trespassed on private property. Let that sink in for a bit.]
Update to two separate accidents involving bicyclists. #InfoSought on Hit & Run Driver. Please Share.
SUSPECT:
Vehicle/Suspect #1:
Unknown Honda SUV, Light colored, possibly silver or white…
Driver: White male 50 to 60 years of age, with grey mustache.
Fled scene west bound on Central Avenue
Southern District
Bicyclist Motor Vehicle Crash Davidsonville
On February 22, 2014, at approximately 5:09 p.m., officers from the Traffic Safety Section responded to westbound Central Avenue at the Patuxent River Road in Davidsonville for a report of a crash involving two (2) bicyclists.
The investigation revealed that the bicyclists were traveling west on Central Avenue approaching the Patuxent River Bridge. The bicyclists were on or near the roadway edge line when Bicyclist #1 was struck by a light colored SUV that failed to remain at the scene. The striking vehicle fled west on Central Avenue into Prince Georges County.
Bicyclist #2 was riding immediately behind Bicyclist #1 and as a result of the collision between the car and Bicyclist #1, Bicyclist #2 also crashed. After the collision, the bike ridden by Bicyclist #1 came to rest in the roadway and was struck by a 2005 Chevy Impala.
Evidence recovered from the scene indicates that the fleeing vehicle is a Honda SUV. Witnesses describe the vehicle as light in color (possible silver or white) driven by a W/M 50 to 60 years of age with a grey mustache and dark glasses.
Bicyclist #1, Ms. Kristianson was transported to University of Maryland Shock Trauma where she is listed in critical, but stable condition. Bicyclist #2, Ms. Neel was transported to Washington Hospital Center where she was later released. The driver of the Chevy Impala sustained no injuries.
The primary cause of this crash is driver error. The driver failed to yield to the bicyclists lawfully using the roadway. Speed does not appear to be a factor in the collision. Witness report that sun glare may have been a factor at the time of the collision.
Anyone with information about this crash is asked to call the Traffic Safety Section at 410-222-8573.
Bicyclist #1: Lynn Carol Kristianson, 62, of Arlington, Virginia.
Injuries: Life threatening, currently listed in critical condition
UPDATE: Now listed in critical, but stable condition.
Bicyclist #2: Maile Catherine Neel, 52, of University Park, Maryland
Injuries: Non-life threatening, currently listed in stable condition
UPDATE: Released from hospital.
Vehicle/Suspect #1: Unknown Honda SUV
Light colored, possibly silver or white
Driver: White male 50 to 60 years of age, with grey mustache.
Fled scene west bound on Central Avenue
Vehicle #2 2005 Chevy Impala, MD 3AJ8698
Owner/Driver: Tierra Lesley Harris, 21, of Oxon Hill, Maryland
Eastern District
Bicyclist Struck Severna Park
On February 22, 2014 at approximately 6:30 p.m. officers responded to the area of Ritchie Highway and Leelyn Drive for a report of an accident involving a bicyclist.
Upon their arrival, they observed a 14 year old male suffering from injuries sustained when he was struck by a car. The investigation revealed that several juveniles riding bicycles attempted to cross the northbound lanes of Ritchie Highway at Leelyn Drive against a red traffic signal.
The other juveniles in the group reported that they were attempting to cross when they observed a vehicle approaching. They advised they stopped. They further advised that the victim, a 14 year-old male, did not stop and was attempting to beat the car across when he was struck. He suffered injuries to his lower body and was transported by Medavac to Johns Hopkins Pediatrics for further evaluation. His injuries were not considered life threatening.
The primary cause of this accident is bicyclist error. No further information available.