baltimorespokes

By EMILY BADGER, The Atlantic Cities
…
But there’s growing concern that the communities we’ve built – full of highways, where few people walk, where whole neighborhoods lack food access – may be pushing us towards obesity, heart disease, and asthma. By this thinking, good architecture and urban planning could encourage us to walk more. It could mitigate pollution. It could illuminate the targeted need for amenities like parks and bike lanes in neighborhoods with the worst health outcomes.
…
When Americans think of health, we instinctively see in our mind’s eye the medical profession and the hospitals and clinics in which they treat illness. We usually do not think of architects and other design professionals. But what if we invited designers to help us reinvent aspects of preventive medicine? What if we adopted design strategies that lead to less sedentary lifestyles? [- Robert Ivy, the CEO of the American Institute of Architects]
…
https://www.theatlanticcities.com/neighborhoods/2013/12/much-what-we-know-about-public-health-and-urban-planning-wrong/7886/

1. Booby traps found [Frederick Watershed]
2. Kids’ solutions to air pollution
3. Average Bicycle Accident Verdict
4. Surprising Aspects of Pedestrian Laws
5. But, but, jaywalking isn’t illegal
6. New signs up on Rossback Road, Anne Arundel County [Bicycles May Use the Full Lane]
7. Maryland: Cell phone laws, legislation
8. BIKES vs CARS TRAILER
9. Kamenetz [Baltimore County] Announces 23 Miles of New Bicycle Routes
10. The “benefits” of increased car ownership

And may you all ride faster and further in 2014! And most of all smiles and laughter along the way.

By MATT PHILLIPS, The Atlantic Cities

… Here are a few interesting—if morbid—takeaways. Pedal safely!

OECD

• Roughly “17% of all cycling fatalities were involved in a hit-and-run crash in which one (or several) of their crash opponents fled the scene (2005-2011, FARS) – presumably the motorist(s). This is nearly four times the rate of hit-and-run involvement for all recorded traffic fatalities over the same period in the United States (4%).”
• “Investigating officers on the scene of fatal bicycle crashes in the United States found no contributory factor on the part of the motorist in 46% of cases.”
• “An overwhelming majority of fatal bicycle crashes occur in dry or clear atmospheric conditions – 94% in the USA and 87% in Europe.”
• “One quarter of (deceased) cyclists for which an alcohol test was performed returned blood alcohol values above 0.08 mg/ltr which constitutes a drink-driving offense in all 50 US states.”
• “In the United States, most fatal bicycle-vehicle collisions involved a passenger car or light truck  (Sports Utility Vehicle) though 10% of fatal bicycle collisions involved a large truck.”

…

• “In the United States, 36% of all fatal bicycle crashes for the period 2005-2011 occurred in junctions with another 4% in driveways (commercial and private) most likely caused by entering or exiting motor vehicles.”
• “In the United States, the share of fatal bicycle crashes occurring in low-speed zones was lower than in Europe – possibly because low-speed traffic calmed zones are relatively less common in the United States.”
• “In the United States, 27% of deceased cyclists for which helmet use was recorded wore helmets in 2010 and 2011.”
• “Red light running by cyclists … is an often-cited contributory factor in fatal and serious injury bicycle crashes (at least in the United States).”
• “Motorists were charged with traffic violations in nearly one third of all fatal bicycle crashes and investigating officers identified a crash-contributing factor on the part of the motorist in over half of all fatal bicycle crashes.” [B’ Spokes: Just to note two things to take into account on these stats, kids are way over represented in at fault crashes and police officers often receive incorrect (or non existent) training for bicycling laws.]
• “Data from the United States indicate that cyclists were imputed with an improper action in 68% of fatal bicycle crashes (though, as noted earlier, this may be biased as the cyclist was not able to give their version of events).”

This post originally appeared on Quartz.

https://www.theatlanticcities.com/commute/2013/12/11-reasons-why-bicycling-us-exceptionally-dangerous/7953/