Month: January 2010

By WashCycle

From a reader who was hit and nearly run over on December 28th while cycling to work.

The details are as follows:  On Monday, Dec 28,  I was southbound on 4th Ave NE and I stopped for the red light at the intersection with Rhode Island Ave. I was in a marked bike lane. To my right was a right-turn lane; to my left, the lane for through traffic and left turns.

The light turned green and the driver of an SUV in the right-turn lane started blowing her horn and merging into MY lane because she wanted to go _through_ the intersection. I pulled forward, staying in my lane, and when she continued to use her horn I stopped to ask what it was that she was trying to alert me about.   She continued to use the horn, then looked at me as she pulled forward into me, catching my rear wheel beneath her front left fender.  This forced me and the bike down onto the pavement. I rolled away as she continued to drive across my bike, narrowly missing my lower legs, and totally ruining my bicycle.  She immediately sped away south on 4th Avenue.

I called 911 for police and ambulance, as I was unsure as to the extent of my injuries.  The officers and emergency personnel who responded were all courteous, professional and efficient.

For the driver to look right at me when stopped, then drive into me and risk deadly harm needs to be treated as nothing less than an assault.

At this point the incident is being treated as a hit-and-run, but given
the intent of the driver to harm my person and property, I insist that
this be classified as an assault and the perpetrator pursued
accordingly.

I actually think it’s at least battery or possibly attempted murder (if that’s a crime in DC).

The cyclist had the license plate number, a description of the car and a description of the driver – all of which he gave to the police. The hit and run investigator has tried to contact the driver, but hasn’t succeeded yet. Obviously, the cyclist would like to see this crime treated a more seriously than it has been. A few phone calls seems inadequate. And since he’s out a bicycle, he’s eager to get insurance information.

Continue reading “Battery of cyclist treated as Hit and Run”

Bicycle activist and blogger Stephen Box yesterday recounted a hit and run that last week left a cyclist in the hospital. Here’s what happened:

Last week, Ed Magos got up early, just as he does every weekday morning, had breakfast with his wife and children and then hopped on his bike to ride to City Hall where he works for the ITA Department. He didn’t make it. As he rode down 2nd street, he was hit from behind by a motorist who didn’t honk or hit the brakes. She simply drove her Porche Cayenne sports car into the back of Magos, propelling him and his bike through the air. He landed on the ground and lay still, conscious that any movement might cause further injury.

From the corner of his eye, he saw the woman walk toward him. He yelled “I can’t move! Call 911!”

He remained motionless and continued to call for help, then heard the sound of car door closing, then the sound of an engine starting. He craned his head and caught the license plate number of the woman’s car as she made a u-turn and drove off in the opposite direction. He immediately began repeating the license information out loud until a woman approached and assured him that she had written it down and that she had called 911

.
In an e-mail blast, the L.A. County Bicycle Coalition briefly cites the same: “Witnesses and Ed both state that the driver of the vehicle got out of her car, saw Ed and proceeded to get back in her car and leave the scene.”

Continue reading “Hit & Run Driver Injures Cyclist, Turns Self In, Gets a Misdemeanor”

Continue reading “Webster’s Word of the Year 2009: distracted driving”

"This was the most wildly successful program ever, selling 800,000 cars in less than 30 days, You see no criticism of Cash for Clunkers in America." – U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood
Ya right.
"It [Cash for Clunkers] has proved to be a highly successful vehicle marketing tool," said Tim Evans, energy analyst for Citi Futures Perspective in New York. "But you would need a microscope to see the demand impact for gasoline from this program because it involves a relatively small number of vehicles."
But the DoE loans in question were approved to encourage the development of alternative energy and biofuels, two "green job" creators that have influential allies on Capitol Hill. Senate Energy Committee Chairman Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) is already criticizing the shift [to Cash for Clunkers] as a raid on the clean-energy pot, and Renewable Fuels Association chief Bob Dineen said he wants Congress to promptly put the $2 billion back home at the DoE:
& By Jeff Jacoby – Boston Globe
Q: CONGRESSMAN, was “Cash for Clunkers’’ a success?
….
A: I have to go, but let me say this: If Cash for Clunkers were as dubious as you suggest, it wouldn’t have had so many takers.
Q: Oh, for heaven’s sake, congressman: If you give away money, won’t people always line up to take it?
Continue reading “No criticism of Cash for Clunkers says LaHood”

By Douglas Morgan
Yesterday I defended a young man named Michael in Franklin County Municipal Court. Michael had been cited for "taking the lane" on High Street, i.e. riding in the center of the lane, rather than to the right side of the lane. Experienced cyclists like Michael know that this is the safest way to ride on narrow city streets–riding to the right side of a narrow lane invites motorists to pass in the lane which can have deadly consequences. The Columbus traffic code was amended within the last 2 years to specifically address this issue, but it seems law enforcement officers are either unfamiliar with the new law or unwilling to apply it.
…
I then took a tape measure and extended it 11 ft, 3 inches (the width of the lane) and laid it on the floor in front of the bench and asked the police officer to join me standing by the tape. I then asked the officer exactly where in the lane he thought Michael should have been riding? He said about 1 1/2 feet from the curb. "So you think that bicyclists should be required to ride over these corrogated metal sewer grates?" I asked, handing him a photo of one of those dangerous grates. "Yes," he replied, "I think it’s safe for them to do that." Of course, cyclists know that these grates are very hazardous, especially when wet, and noone I know would feel safe riding over them, but I let this go for the time being and stepped off 1 1/2 ft of the tape. "OK, officer, how much space in the lane does the cyclist need to ride safely in this location?" After much discussion, the officer agreed that 3-4 ft should be sufficient to allow for the width of the bicycle and the cyclist and room to maneuver around road hazards, so I stepped off another 3 feet. "And what do you think a safe passing distance is for an automobile to pass a bicyclist?" I asked the officer. "I always give a bicyclist about 6 ft clearance," he replied. (Boy, don’t we wish all motorists were this generous?) So I stepped off 6 more feet.
The officer and I were looking down at what remained of the lane width–less than a foot. "Officer, how wide is your cruiser?" I asked. "Don’t know," he replied. "Do you think you could squeeze it through there," I asked pointing at the 9 inches remaining on the tape measure. "No," he replied. " "No more questions, your Honor," I said. The prosecution rested.
…
Continue reading “A TwoWheeling Court Victory in CBus!”

Take the Car-Free Diet Skeptics Challenge
If you love your car, but also love saving money, improving your health and helping the environment, Arlington County is looking for you.
The Car-Free Diet Skeptics Challenge is designed for Arlington County residents that currently drive their cars CFD_Skeptics_resize frequently, but are willing to attempt car-free living for 30 days. You do not have to go 100% car-free for the entire 30 days, but you do have to try. If you are chosen as one of the final Skeptics, you will communicate online about all of your transportation experiences during the 30-day challenge. You’ll be given several items to use during the challenge that will make going car free easier. And if you successfully complete the challenge, you’ll receive more car free related items. If you are already on the Car-Free Diet, but know a friend, neighbor, or family member who needs to go on the diet, be sure to tell them about this challenge.
Continue reading “New diet plan for Arlington residents”