Tony Kornheiser Condones "running down cyclists"

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Lance on Tony’s show
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Lance Armstrong takes on Tony Kornheiser

UPDATE: I guess Lance wins. He tweets again:

Just off the phone w/ Tony Kornheiser who’s very sorry 4 his comments re: cyclists. Going on the show 2morrow 2 discuss this w/ him….

To me this is all about a relationship. It’s bikes and cars. Both will be here forever. Awareness needs to exist as well as mutual respect.

/endupdate

Via the Washington post

Update: Kornheiser Rant Going Viral

By washcycle

So if my stat page is any indication it appears that a lot of people are reading the Tony Kornheiser rant against cyclists. It appears to have started after Mellow Johnny’s – Lance Armstrong’s bike shop in Austin – tweeted about it.

Action time
twitterati, ESPN’s Tony Kornheiser on cyclists on-the air, “run them,
down” “just tap them” “I have a large powerful car”

I urge all twitterati to let @espn know Tony Kornheisers comments aren’t acceptable, RT like you’ve never RT’ed my friends

People can email Tony Kornheiser at pti@espn.com. Everybody needs to let him know this is unacceptable.

Kornheiser’s boss, CEO Bruce Gilbert can be reached here. Contact him.
https://www.espn980.com/info/contact_us.php
Go time!

And it appears that a lot of other sites and message boards are now encouraging people to do the same. So, if you’re upset about his comments, and you feel the joke crossed the line, I’d recommend joining in.

Heck, they suspended him for making fun of a colleagues dress (and I thought she looked good too). It’s unfortunate, because when I’ve seen him on PTI, I’ve actually liked Tony Kornheiser.

Continue reading “Tony Kornheiser Condones "running down cyclists"”

March 18, 2010

It’s Called a Side-”Walk” for a Reason

by Tom Vanderbilt

Popout

658304 from Bikesafer on Vimeo.

Via Jeff Frings, who politely tries to educate a driver (who’s clearly trying to overcompensate in all kinds of ways) on traffic laws. Later he’ll tell his long-suffering wife about some “idiot” cyclist on the road who wouldn’t get out of his way. It leaves one to wonder what actual percentage of drivers out there have a grasp of, say, more than 50% of the traffic code.

Continue reading “It’s Called a Side-”Walk” for a Reason”

March 17, 2010

Gas Prices and Consumer Behavior

By Robert Puentes and Emilia Istrate
…
Empirical evidence from 1980 to 1990 found that a 1 percent increase in the price of gas is estimated to reduce gas demand by 0.3 to 0.35 percent in the short run and 0.6 to 0.8 percent in the long run. More recent research estimates the short run effect of gas prices on the demand for gasoline is much smaller: about -0.06 percent at the end of the 1990s and between -0.03 and -0.08 during 2001 and 2006.
…
Also, these studies on the price elasticities of gas demand and VMT are based on data up to 2001 or the latest 2006. Therefore, they do not reflect the recent slump in VMT or the enormous spike in gasoline prices to over $4 a gallon or the rapid drop back to historically average prices. (A recent Harvard paper suggested that what are really needed are gas prices up to/above $8 per gallon to reduce emissions by 14 per cent from 2005 levels.).

The literature is also not broadly reflective of transportation alternatives within metropolitan areas. Intuitively, the elasticity for gasoline should be different in Manhattan than it is in Manhattan, Kansas, right? Examining driving trends in a dozen metropolitan highway locations in California, the CBO found gas prices do impact driving on metropolitan highways that are adjacent to rail systems (light rail and subways), with little impact in those places without. Further, they found that the increase in ridership on those transit systems is just about the same as the decline in the number of vehicles on the roadways.

This suggests that freeway traffic volume is responsive to changes in gasoline prices and commuters will switch to transit if service is available that is convenient to employment destinations.
…
Continue reading “Gas Prices and Consumer Behavior”

March 17, 2010

Coalition Formed to Promote Public Road Safety

WASHINGTON, March 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — A coalition of road safety advocates has formed the Partnership for Advancing Road Safety (PARS) and vowed to make roads safer by raising awareness of traffic safety initiatives that prevent injuries and decrease fatalities.
PARS will work to send a clear and consistent message to the driving public: It is not okay to speed, run red lights, drive while distracted, or in any other way endanger the lives of others on roads and highways.
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"While a vocal minority may oppose road safety cameras, our research indicates just the opposite — 80 percent of the public support intersection safety cameras and 67 percent support speed safety cameras," said Kelly. "Automated road safety cameras share one thing in common with other proven safety countermeasures – they save lives. And that’s the message PARS intends to communicate to everyone we can reach."
The U.S. Department of Transportation reports that of the 37,261 fatalities on U.S. roadways in 2008, 31 percent were speeding-related. In addition, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that the economic cost of speed-related crashes is more than $40 billion each year. NHTSA also reports that speeding now causes as many fatalities as drunk or distracted drivers.
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"Speeding and intersection crashes contribute to more than 10,000 deaths each year," said John Ulczycki, Group Vice President – Research, communications and Advocacy for the National Safety Council. "Changing the driving behaviors that cause these deaths and injuries must be part of the comprehensive solutions needed to improve traffic safety,"
Continue reading “Coalition Formed to Promote Public Road Safety”

March 17, 2010

Vicious Cycle

[Baltimore Spokes: Probably a bit too long video and transcript but generally coverage of everyone’s POV on sharing the road was well presented sans one, the scoff law cyclists. While I understand the rational of cycling advocates unwillingness to "justify" the scoff law cyclists but still, mass civil disobedience is a form of protest but a protest of what some how alludes the press attention. (Hint: I am looking for a group of volunteers willing to stand in front of stampeding bulls. No volunteers? Hmmm… I wounder why people think standing in front of a bunch of cued cars getting ready to speed off is a completely unrelated experience from having bulls stampeding by you? )]
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LIZ HAYES: Nathan and Simon are well aware of the aggression they face. Every moment they’re on the road they must be alert for the next assault.
LIZ HAYES: Are you trying to tell me there are drivers who deliberately try to frighten you, to run you off the road?
NATHAN BESH: Without a doubt.
SIMON HOOKHAM: Absolutely. Hit the horn right when they’re right at your shoulder, that sort of thing.
NATHAN BESH: And also deliberately push us into other lanes and literally run us off the road.
LIZ HAYES: They just hate you being on the road?
NATHAN BESH: Some seem that way, yes.
…
Continue reading “Vicious Cycle”

March 17, 2010

The usual blaming of the victim follows latest pedestrian death

Baltimore’s “It’s the pedestrians fault” ad campaign. I don’t know about you but I feel safer crossing the streets now. :-/

By John Bennett

This sequence of events is becoming awfully easy to predict:

Pedestrian is killed or injured on a local street that’s dangerous by design.
News media coverage of the incident uncritically repeats law enforcement warnings that pedestrians should use crosswalks.
Readers and viewers of news media coverage jump at the chance to share stories about “stupid” pedestrians who represent “a nuisance to motorists” because they don’t use crosswalks.

Continue reading “The usual blaming of the victim follows latest pedestrian death”

March 16, 2010

Brita Climate Ride Recruits Cyclists Nationwide

Organizers for Brita Climate Ride are recruiting cyclists to participate in the first ever Brita Climate Ride, a multi-day bicycle tour calling for solutions to global warming. From September 20th to 24th, one hundred riders will tour 320 miles from New York City to Washington, D.C. to raise money and increase awareness for global warming solutions.
"Brita Climate Ride is a unique event. It’s a fundraiser, a climate conference on wheels, and a citizen call for action," said Geraldine Carter, Brita Climate Ride’s co-director.
The directors for this event, Geraldine Carter and Caeli Quinn have spent the past ten years leading bicycling tours around the world, pedaling with U.S. citizens through regions from the French Riviera to the impoverished countryside of Sichuan China. They have assembled a bright and diverse team to lead this ride, from MBA students focusing on sustainability to a climate expert who has traveled the U.S. by bicycle to raise awareness of this issue.
"I’m riding because we can solve the problem of global warming if we jump start a clean energy revolution," said rider and organizer David Kroodsma.
"Climate Riders" will cycle 45 to 80 miles day along scenic backcountry roads in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. Each night, expert speakers will brief the "Climate Riders" on solutions to global warming. Each rider will raise $2,250, to benefit the non-profits Clean Air – Cool Planet and Focus the Nation, two organizations at the forefront of global warming education and action.
"This transformative event is ideal for anyone who believes that change is possible and that America can take the lead in a green economy," said Caeli Quinn, Climate Ride Co-director.
Interested participants can register online at https://www.climateride.org.
Continue reading “Brita Climate Ride Recruits Cyclists Nationwide”

March 15, 2010

The April Citizen Workshops for the Western Baltimore County Pedestrian and Bicycle Access Plan

It is important to have a goodly number of people come out to the meetings, to demonstrate the importance and interest in walking and bicycling as transportation. If some of your members are able to attend, we can be assured that proponents of walking and bicycling will shape the discussion.

Note that we are trying to lay out improvements on five scales:

– 1 mile walk zones around schools and transit stops

– 3 mile zones of town centers

– clusters of town centers (3-12 miles)

– cross-county connections

– regional connections (Baltimore City, Howard County, and Anne Arundel County abut the study area)

And if you have any suggestions for who else should get this request, please let me know.

Thanks.

Richard Layman

Project Manager

The Western Baltimore County Pedestrian and Bicycle Access Plan will be an “action plan” for constructing pedestrian and bicycle improvements in the urban area of the western side of Baltimore County in the First, Second, Third, and Fourth County Council Districts. The plan is being developed by an advisory committee composed of representatives from the community and county and state government, and will be based on the needs and desires expressed by the citizens who live or work in the area. It will identify specific projects to be implemented and provide recommendations for phasing and funding.

We Need Your Help!

Your help is needed to identify improvements to the pedestrian and bicycle network in your area. Please attend one or more of the workshops listed below to share your ideas. Following an introductory presentation, and a survey about your experiences, you can sketch out your suggestions on maps. Members of the Action Committee will facilitate the discussion and record your comments. Your ideas will help make the Western County Pedestrian and Bicycle Access Plan responsive to your needs. Show your support for improving the environment for walking and biking, provide your input, and encourage others to participate as well. A flyer (PDF) is available for you to share with others who may be interested in attending.

Workshop Schedule (All start at 7 p.m.)

Tuesday, April 6 (District 4)
Randallstown Community Center
3505 Resource Drive, 21133

Thursday, April 8 (District 2)
Pikesville Library
1301 Reisterstown Road, 21208

Wednesday, April 21 (District 3)
*censored*eysville Middle School
10401 Greenside Drive, 21030

Tuesday, April 27 (District 1)
Catonsville Library
1100 Frederick Road, 21228

Continue reading “The April Citizen Workshops for the Western Baltimore County Pedestrian and Bicycle Access Plan”

March 13, 2010

Bike racing is the new football: High school teams ride wave of momentum

…
Boulanger is now the recently elected Board President of the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA). NICA is a new organization (they held their first board meeting just last month) working toward the ambitious goal of developing competitive high school mountain biking leagues from coast-to-coast by 2020. So far there are just three states with leagues — California (NorCal and SoCal), Colorado, and Washington. But, with an impressive list of big-time corporate sponsors (Specialized, SRAM, Trek among others) and partners, the future looks very bright.
…
Continue reading “Bike racing is the new football: High school teams ride wave of momentum”

March 13, 2010

Alert: AAA and others back negligent-killing-by-auto bill but does the legislature?

Before getting into the meat of the matter let’s see if I can bring the point home with some pictures (keep in mind ~2 people die daily on Maryland roads):