by washcycle
After I wrote about the Fox News story on the "Crackdown on the CCT," Joe contacted the Maryland-National Capital Park Police who characterized the story as a "misrepresentation".
They noted that the Lt. interviewed in the story did not mention this as a “speed crackdown” and did not mention the use of radar or lidar speed measuring devices. She was reinforcing the increased visibility of their officers in an effort to address the myriad of unsafe behaviors exhibited by many of the trail users, whether walkers, joggers, dog walkers or bicyclist. She also talked about the educational efforts underway from members of their sworn compliment, rangers and volunteers.
Park Police has contacted Fox regarding their misrepresentation and they are going to work with them to do another, more comprehensive piece that accurately depicts what is occurring on the trail. Fox has taken the story down from their site and so have I.
Park Police reiterated that speed was not found to be a factor in the two most recent collisions, the first was rider error on the part of the passing bicyclist and the last was jogger error combined with rider error ("…if the cyclist had given a warning before he tried to pass left, the lady might’ve heard him early enough to wait before she made her u-turn and if the lady had of glanced over her shoulder before she made her u-turn she might’ve seen the cyclist passing on her left."). While speed could have played a part in the first situation, the investigating officers did not find evidence or witnesses that could clearly verify a high speed on the part of either cyclist.
The Park Police is trying to take a broad approach to these issues and not focusing solely on cyclists. They note that even their sign board shows more about awareness and courteous behavior than speed.
This all sounds good, and certainly there are steps we can all take to make the trails safer (including going slower as appropriate).
Continue reading “Fox retracts Crackdown on the CCT Story”
Word of the day
lazobic (opposite of aerobic) via JS
China to build ginormous buses that cars can drive under (video)
by Richard Lai
Seriously, this is the future that China’s envisioning: huge friggin’ buses engulfing smaller cars on the road. Despite the silly picture and the eccentric “3D Express Coach” branding, this cunning project by Shenzhen Huashi Future Car-Parking Equipment actually makes sense. The idea is to make use of the space between regular-size cars and bridges, thus saving construction costs as well as minimizing congestion impact by allowing cars to drive underneath these jumbo buses. Fancy hitching a ride? You better start planning your move to Beijing’s Mentougou district, which is where Huashi will commence building its first 186km of track at year’s end. For now, enjoy the Chinese demo video after the break (translation text at source link).
Continue reading China to build ginormous buses that cars can drive under (video)
Continue reading “China to build ginormous buses that cars can drive under (video)”
Now available: guaranteed high-return investments
by Will Schroeer
In his New York Times blog yesterday, Edward Glaeser asks for nuance and careful thinking on the question of whether countries should spend their way out of the recession: there’s no one answer, and we need to look carefully at the situations different countries are in. Similarly with different kinds of public spending. Some work, some don’t.
It’s a good argument, but one he then fails to apply to infrastructure. “[P]ublic spending on roads or high-speed rail can be extremely wasteful,” he writes, lumping them together. “Infrastructure is serious business, and it is impossible to spend quickly and wisely.”
Certainly it is possible to waste money on roads or tracks. But it is simply untrue that we can’t spend both quickly and wisely, and one wonders how it is possible to both recognize that infrastructure is important and then speak so falsely about it.
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Cornell economist Robert Frank points out: “The potholes in the roads do more damage to vehicles each year than it would cost to fix them. That’s just ridiculous that we don’t fix them.” The first year, the investment produces jobs and saves money in auto repairs; every year after, the money saved on auto repairs is free.
Fixing potholes is the very definition of spending both quickly and wisely, and poo-pooing that investment because it might increase the size of the public sector, as Glaeser does, is the very definition of not taking our infrastructure seriously.
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Even faster and possibly wiser than fixing potholes is operating the buses we have already bought, and that people use to get to work each day. Lack of money is forcing systems across the country to cut routes and in one case shut down altogether, instantly converting their users from productive workers into unemployment recipients.
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Glaeser has plenty of company in noticing that state DOTs build too many roads that produce low returns while they let existing ones deteriorate. The last time Congress sent states flexible transportation stimulus money, too many states missed too many opportunities to spend it well. Congress should help the states take advantage of opportunities to make high-return transportation investments by sending additional transportation stimulus money, but only if it guides that money thoughtfully to places where it will produce real returns. Otherwise, not.
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New York passes bill to make infrastructure investments smarter
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The bill, which amends the state’s Environmental Conservation Law, requires state agencies to comply “to the extent practical” with specified smart growth criteria as they prioritize infrastructure projects, including:
* Advancing projects in already-developed areas and projects consistent with local governments’ plans for development.
* Prioritizing projects related to existing infrastructure over expansion.
* Protecting New York’s natural and historic resources.
* Fostering mixed land use, compact development, and affordable housing near jobs.
* Providing mobility through transportation choices and reducing automobile dependency.
* Coordinating planning among government jurisdictions
* Ensuring predictability in land use and building codes.
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The Charm City Scene: August 2 – August 8
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Last, but not least, the Mark Cottman Gallery will be exhibiting “Bicycle: The Art of Cycling” including paintings and other media centered around the theme of cycling. It will be running until August 22nd from 11am to 6pm Monday through Saturday and 12pm to 5pm on Sundays. If you can’t swing by this week be sure to bike on down before the 22nd.
Continue reading “The Charm City Scene: August 2 – August 8”
Bike More. Drive Less.
by
Found outside the waterpark at Cameron Run in VA.
Youthworks on the Gwynns Falls Trail
By Shatara Lumpkin
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”Many people wonder why we ride bikes for so many miles while working instead of getting in a car and making it easier. Well, wonder no more. Riding our bikes is actually cheaper, healthier, less time consuming, and better for the environment. Not only are our youth working on trails, but their bodies as well and you could do the same. Traveling by bike is a lot less expensive because you are saving money on gas. The average person spends an estimate of about forty dollars a week to fill up their gas tanks versus a person riding a bike that may only spend seventy-five cents to put air in their tires. Baltimore City has now even arranged the MTA to fit bike riders as well. Even if you ride to your destination and are too tired to ride back, you can hop on the light rail, bus, and/or the trains and spend one dollar and sixty cent or three dollars and fifty cents at most for the entire day. As for bike riding being healthier, you’re burning calories with each pedal you take and keeping your heart rate steady. Just from experience, the Gwynns Falls Trail youth workers have learned that it is definitely less time consuming as well. We use the trails where there is less is little to no traffic at all, making our trips shorter and easier. While cars are stuck in traffic, we’re zooming right through the city nonstop. Using our bikes causes less pollution in the air. Many vehicles leak gas or have toxic fumes coming from them which pollute our air and make it bad for the people around them. If everyone would ride a bike every once in a while, our community could truly be on its way to being healthier, cleaner, and safer for its people.”
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I love commuting
I have no idea if this will fit in a water bottle cage but it’s certainly more appropriate for cyclists then those stuck in traffic.
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Coast to coast for a cause
Seven years ago, Mark Koltz was 260 lbs and had just been diagnosed with type-two diabetes and high blood pressure.
“That was my wake-up call,” said Koltz, who resides just outside of Baltimore, Maryland.
Koltz picked up a bicycle, lost 60 lbs and has since taken his bike more than 72,000 km. By August, he’ll have more than 77,000 km under his belt.
Koltz is participating in America By Bicycle’s Across America North Ride, a group ride that sees 50 cyclists ride almost 6,000 km across the northern U.S. and southern Canada over 50 days.
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Continue reading “Coast to coast for a cause”