Month: October 2007

Posted on

One Less Car meeting with MDOT/SHA

From One Less Car:

Hello Everyone,

I wanted to give you all a brief synopsis of a meeting that Mark Counselman and
I had last Thursday with John Porcari, Secretary of the Maryland
Department of Transportation, Neil Pedersen, the SHA administrator and Sam
Minnitte, the director of planning for MDOT. Our agenda centered on
ensuring that the state of Maryland have a fully engaged “complete streets”
policy where the safety and convenience of all road users (bike/ped/
transit/cars) is accommodated.

The best news was that the Secretary agreed that county transportation engineers
need training to ensure that local roads are safe for bikes, peds
and transit users. His proposed solution (which we fully agree with) was to
make complete streets training a state funding requirement for local
DOTs. This means that state funds that go to the counties for road construction
would come with a comprehensive complete streets training
component. Right now training for bike/ped/transit accommodations is lacking in
many county DOT offices. This could potentially remedy that
problem. We will definitely be following up with the Secretary to make sure
that this becomes a reality

Continue reading “One Less Car meeting with MDOT/SHA”

Posted on

Volunteers make the wheels go ’round at Tour du Port!

Volunteers are needed to be route marshals, ride marshals, registration workers,
and for other jobs. If you have volunteered before we hope that you will join
us again. I have heard from some of you who wish to volunteer during Tour Du Port
2007. All those interested in volunteering for Tour du Port, please take a
moment to complete our online volunteer registration form.

First review the volunteer activities listed below, as some may have changed
since you last served as a volunteer with One Less Car’s Tour du Port

Click this link https://www.onelesscar.org/support/volunteer_waiver.php to
complete our volunteer application form.

Benefits of volunteering include a colorful Tour du Port t-shirt (select shirt
size on volunteer registration), food, one-year complimentary membership in One
Less Car, and a fun time!

Posted on

Tour du Port

Discover Charm City — by Bicycle or on Foot– October 21, 2007!

Experience Baltimore as never before!

Join over a thousand cyclists and walkers in discovering the world class waterfront of Baltimore. See the city’s historic neighborhoods, tall ships and important landmarks. Get some exercise and breathe in the crisp autumn air. Maybe see a big cargo ship unloading its goods from another part of the world. You never know what you’ll see!

Tour du Port is one of the city’s premier recreational events. Everybody who’s anybody shows up! Your friends and neighbors, folks from D.C, NYC and Philly
– everybody knows that there is no better way to see our great city! This year the route travels around the Inner harbor and beautiful waterfront, as well as through many of the city’s diverse residential areas. Participation options include 10, 22 and 40 mile bicycle routes, as well as a 10K walking tour. Cue sheets will be given out at registration.

In its fourteenth year, Tour du Port is brought to you by One Less Car – Maryland’s only statewide bicycle and pedestrian advocacy group. We are working hard for more sustainable communities through better bicycling, walking and mass transit.

Continue reading “Tour du Port”

Posted on

Stop The Jones Falls Trail??? Heck no!!!

Thanks to someone who sent us info on this I was able to attending this meeting. At first I was concerned about some of the issues raised but after looking into it the issues presented all are fabrications and misrepresentations that ride right on the edge of being out right lies. The insidiousness of the presentation of trying to turn people that were for the trail against the trail I find incredulous and signatures gathered by this group based and such misinformation should be tossed into the nearest land fill.

If anyone is interested in helping counter this effort please contact us and please check back late Monday when we will have info on who to contact.

Here are a few of their points followed by the facts:

* The multitude of switchbacks will cause

Posted on

Team Wonderbike

Make a pledge of riding your bike into work and see how many pounds of CO2 Team Wonderbike will prevent from entering the atmosphere.
Also there is a delightful collection of witticisms of responses to those motorists who feel compelled to say something to discourage you from riding your bike.
Continue reading “Team Wonderbike”

Posted on

‘She Got Bike’ lets women ride


By Tom Pelton | Sun reporter

Fifty women on racing bicycles, wearing sunglasses, helmets, gloves and bright jerseys, gathered in a fiercely competitive-looking group at Oregon Ridge Park in Baltimore County yesterday.

But instead of racing, they shared. One by one, they went around the circle introducing themselves, describing why they love to ride and how much it means for their mental and physical health.

“I feel like this is A.A.,” one rider confessed, referring to Alcoholics Anonymous. And then they took off on a 25-mile ride under a glorious blue sky.

Susan Olson, a business consultant from Westminster, helped organize the event, which was sponsored in part by Joe’s Bike Shop of Mount Washington and Trek bicycle manufacturing company.

“This is the only all-women riding event in the Baltimore area – and one of the very few in the U.S.,” Olson said.

“We want to be a model for other cities that want to hold similar events.”

She explained that men are barred from riding to provide an atmosphere comfortable for women who are just learning how to handle racing bikes.

“Some women are nervous about riding with men, because the men are what we call ‘hammerheads,’ and that can be a little intimidating,” Olson said, bullhorn in hand, as she rallied a team of riders.

By “hammerheads,” she was referring to the aggressive maneuvers cyclists can make in packs of other cyclists, which can result in wipeouts.

Part of the goal of the annual cycling event is to encourage women to climb back into the saddle. Many rode bicycles as kids, but then took decades off to focus on careers and family.

“It’s good exercise, a good mental release, and it’s good for reducing carbon dioxide emissions, which is how I see the world,” said Elizabeth Ridlington, one of the organizers.

…
Continue reading “‘She Got Bike’ lets women ride”