Month: March 2010

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Burley Travoy – A New Generation of Trailers

by Bike Shop Girl

While at Frostbike a few weeks back we were introduced to the Burley Travoy.  A new cargo trailer from the folks at Burley.  This trailer is much different than any trailer you may have seen so make sure to click through all the photos.

Burley Travoy CBB

The trailer is more all than wide, and utilizes different types of bags to hang off of the main structure.  It then attaches to your bike much like a tow behind bicycle would, at the seatpost.

The advantages of this trailer over say the Burley Nomad are two fold.   First, this trailer can collapse down pretty flat, and easy to carry into the office or 3rd floor flat. Second, universal.  Carry a laptop in their messenger bag, get grocery’s with their grocery style panniers.  I am a big fan of interchangeable and universal things.

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Kornheiser versus Lance: Who Wins?

[Short version: Kornheiser has profited by advocating violence toward cyclists and that’s not right.]
By Andy Clarke President, League of American Bicyclists
For the umpteenth time in the last five years, a radio show host who is paid to be controversial decides that picking on cyclists would be funny. He makes all the usual comments about spandex, and cyclists being in the way, and not belonging on the road. Then he crosses the line and says that “tapping” a cyclist from behind is OK. You know the drill. Except this time, the commentator in nationally syndicated bad boy Tony Kornheiser, the radio station is ESPN, and his remarks got the attention of a certain Lance Armstrong.
Not surprisingly, Lance gets pissed off and tweets his millions of followers to share their outrage. He calls Kornheiser to put him straight. That’s what we all want to do. We are all thinking “How could anyone be so stupid and say that, even if they think they are just being funny.” We want to go on the show and put the record straight. Get an apology. Remind people we’ve got a right to the road. Ask for some respect out there. All credit to Lance for doing that and for getting the apology; I heard he did a great job (listen here). We’ve been on the phone with the station managers since it happened last Friday – Lance clearly has pull!
My anxiety is this. Kornheiser got all the attention he wanted and so did the show. That’s what he’s paid to do. He got Lance Armstrong on his show – how cool is that? With a little controversy thrown in for good measure. We’ve learned from numerous previous incidents – one as recently as two weeks ago in the Raleigh area – that the only way to deal with this kind of nonsense in the longer term is with the station managers and owners directly. Five years ago, Clear Channel instituted a strong disciplinary policy on this topic after a series of horrible incidents on their stations, and it worked. Since then we’ve done battle with Entercomm – local Boston retailers Landry’s set them straight – and others. Some of the “personalities” have been taken off the air and disciplined.
I probably would have encouraged Lance to call the ESPN owners to say he wouldn’t appear on their networks again until Kornheiser not only apologized but also was taken off the air and made to do some PSAs and public appearances (maybe even in spandex…) at local charity bike events; maybe until ESPN agreed to sponsor Bike to Work Day or a Safe Routes to School initiative… As plenty of people have said, if he gets two weeks off the air for criticizing a colleague’s fashion sense, surely exhorting people to potentially kill cyclists ought to generate some kind of meaningful punishment. More meaningful than getting to chat with one of the greatest sports personalities on the planet.
Credit to WashCycle for being all over this story.
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Tell Congress: Make walking and biking safe!

Did you know that 76,000 Americans have been hit by cars while walking or biking in their communities in the last 15 years?

Most of America’s roads are designed for cars — and for cars only. That doesn’t make any sense in a country where one in three people doesn’t have access to a car, and where half of all trips could be accomplished with a 20-minute bike ride.

A new bill was just introduced in Congress would jumpstart the process of transforming our transportation infrastructure to make it friendlier to bikers and walkers — the Active Community Transportation Act (H.R. 4722). It would create a federal grant program to fund local projects aimed at improving conditions for pedestrians and cyclists.

Will you join me in asking our representatives in Congress to co-sponsor this bill? I just sent a letter to mine, and it just takes a second:

https://action.smartgrowthamerica.org/t/3224/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=2434

Thanks so much for your help!

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One Less Car pushes bike access in Maryland

By Kirsten Frattini – Bike Radar

Cycling advocates, urban planners and state officials united this month to brainstorm about alternative transportation at the annual One Less Car Smart Transportation and Bicycling Symposium held in Maryland.

Sustainable and safe bicycle access rose to the top of their list.

“The Symposium is the perfect setting to inform our state delegates and senators that Maryland communities need smarter commuting opportunities,” said Carol Silldroff, executive director of One Less Car. “Those who attend want more bike lanes, better sidewalks, more trails, a statewide Complete Streets policy and access to a variety of modes of efficient transportation for everyone.”

One Less Car works throughout Maryland to reduce automobile congestion and pollution by decreasing car usage.

“We work to increase biking, walking, carpooling, public transit, telecommuting, and flex scheduling opportunities,” Silldroff added. “These smart transit choices promote physical activity, emotional and physical well-being, social interaction, livable communities, equity and environmental stewardship.”

The organization depends on its volunteer board of directors to promote these alternatives through education, lobbying, and facilitation between communities, governments, and state and local representatives.

“We meet with various environmental, sustainability, hospital groups and many more organizations to promote smart commuting,” Silldroff said. “We are developing and holding bike instructional series. Additionally, we are promoting a program called ciclovia/BMore Streets to open streets for all to ride, walk and play on without the fear of vehicle distractions. Each additional bike is one less car.”

One Less Car is supporting ten legislative bills. House Bill 461 ‘the 3-foot rule’, which is an important bicycle safety bill set in place in over 20 other states. Senate Bill 870 and House Bill 388 ‘Manslaughter by Vehicle’ bill that is currently legislated across muchof the United States but not in Maryland.

Others include Senate Bill 624 and House Bill 1193 covers bike safety legislation. They are designed to protect cyclists by enforcing the rules of the road and recognize cyclists as legitimate road users. Senate Bill 760 and House Bill 1155 requires the Maryland Department of Transportation to evaluate state-funded transportation projects and create less costly modes of transportation for the public and the environment.

“Some of the bills were voted upon favorably by either the House or Senate but none have yet been voted upon favorably by both which is necessary to make a bill a state law,” Silldroff said. “The session ends in April so until then we keep working to obtain support for the bills.”

“We believe that Maryland can be an example of the economic and social good that comes from a society where everyone, regardless of age, physical condition or economic background has the opportunity to bike, walk or use mass transit to get where they need to go.”
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