Biking in Baltimore
Baltimore City Recreation and Parks invites you to the TRAILS SUMMIT on Saturday, January 28th from 10am to noon at Cylburn Arboretum’s Vollmer Center.
Learn about new trail construction, volunteer opportunities as well as planning for National Trails Day!
To RSVP, please contact Molly Gallant at molly.gallant@baltimorecity.gov
Hope to see you there!
Continue reading “Baltimore Trails Summit, January 28th”
[B’ Spokes: I really love this title by Ben Ross of Greater Greater Washington. He makes some excellent points of witch I’ll highlight (when reading keep in mind Maryland has the 4th highest pedestrian fatality rate): ]
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In fact, the White Flint crosswalk was often full of people, so drivers obeyed the law and stopped more often than elsewhere. From the pedestrian’s point of view, this was likely one of the safest unsignalized crosswalks (given the amount of car traffic) in the county.
The White Flint crosswalk was not removed because it was in the best interests of the pedestrians, but rather, because it was in the best interest of the drivers. Throughout the county, MCDOT encourages drivers to violate the law by leaving crosswalks unmarked, even where there is heavy pedestrian traffic.
Sadly, this is not a unique situation. Another wall was built with a similar goal in mind at New Hampshire Avenue and University Boulevard. In both locations, MCDOT could have made it safer to cross the street by redesigning the road to slow traffic and ticketing drivers who failed to yield. But it appears that this is not the approach the department has embraced. Instead, pedestrians take a backseat to the county’s drivers.
Continue reading “Is this pedestrian safety or just pedestrian removal?”
[B’ Spokes: Very shallow safety advice given in this article, please see the links we provide for better information on how to ride defensibly https://www.baltimorespokes.org/links/index.php?category=Must+read+for+bike+safety ]
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Blaine Susnowitz, who would have turned 18 on Jan. 3, was killed while riding his bike along Martin Boulevard at Middle River Road on Nov. 28, 2008.
By Ron Snyder – Patch
Blaine Susnowitz should have been thinking about graduating from high school this year.
The Middle River teen loved being outside, especially when it came to riding his bicycle. That’s exactly what Blaine was doing as he went looking for a friend whom he thought was on the other side of the street when he rode his bike across Martin Boulevard at Middle River Road on Nov. 28, 2008.
But, that decision turned out to be fatal as Blaine was struck by a pick-up truck and killed.
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“He wasn’t much into video games of sports, he just loved riding his bike and being outdoors with his friends,” said Dawn Susnowitz, Blaine’s mother. “While it’s still really hard to know Blaine’s gone, it was so special to have so many people come together and remember him. It showed me how much he was loved.”
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Continue reading “Remembering a Life Lost Too Soon in Middle River”
Baltimore County Council members will issue a resolution in support of expanding trail network at Loch Raven Reservoir.
By Nick DiMarco – Patch
Loch Raven Reservoir trail users and the Baltimore City Department of Public Works could be nearing a compromise after months of negotiations over watershed land use, according to a county councilman and a representative for the Mid-Atlantic Outdoor Enthusiasts (MORE).
Trail users, specifically mountain bikers, have been in talks with Public Works to reclaim a network of "legacy trails" that were closed off—only to bikers—because of fears that tire treads were causing environmental damage to the watershed.
The contentious situation has been going on for over a year, as mountain bikers have pleaded with the city for a compromise.
While Loch Raven Reservoir is under Baltimore City control, the land is located within Baltimore County. With two governing interests involved, change can be difficult.
However, Baltimore County Council is moving ahead with a resolution to expand the trail network in conjunction with MORE.
A resolution (see attached PDF file)—co-sponsored by four council members—has been drafted in support of mountain bikers and outlines intentions for expanding trail networks.
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Continue reading “Mountain Bikers, DPW Nearing Compromise Over Reservoir Trail Use”
by Angie Schmitt – Streets blog
Did you know it’s safer to drive in the United States than to walk?
Yep. We’ve built a transportation system that so privileges motorists, is so blind to the needs of those who try to get around any other way, that pedestrians make up 11 percent of trips, but 12 percent of fatalities (traffic engineers, take a bow).
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https://streetsblog.net/2012/01/11/celebu-economist-drunk-driving-safer-than-drunk-walking/
By Monica DyBuncio – CBS News
"Physical activity is essential for kids in this age group for preventing obesity and for development," study author Dr. Kristen Copeland, an assistant professor of pediatrics at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, told Reuters. "But the teachers were saying they were pressured by parents and somewhat by state early learning standards to emphasize classroom learning."
https://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-57352284-10391704/boring-playgrounds-tied-to-sedentary-kids-study-shows/
Date: Monday, February 20 and Wednesday, February 22.
Time: 6:30pm-9:30pm.
Session 1(Monday): fundamentals of a bike, what tools are good to have, basic maintenance tips, full drive train cleaning and repair assessment.
Session 2 (Wednesday): brake adjustment, derailleur adjustment, bottom bracket, hub and headset adjustment and the replacement/repair of any simple repair needed on your bike.
Students are encouraged to bring and work on their own bike. The cost is $125 which includes a copy of "The Haynes Bicycle Book" – my favorite repair manual. 🙂
Class is limited to 8 students. Come join us. Everyone learns a lot and it’s great fun. Please call the shop at 301-441-2928 to reserve your spot.
Here’s to a great new year!
Jill DiMauro
Proteus Bicycles in College Park. www.proteusbicycles.com
For this post we’ve two authors. The first part is written by David Hembrow, the second part by Mark Wagenbuur.
Some people outside of the Netherlands have a huge interest in "Strict Liability". [Vulnerable user laws]
To many cycling campaigners, this looks like a "solution" to a problem which they experience on a daily basis. They want more respect and this appears to be a way to achieve it.
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So what really does keep Dutch cyclists safe ?
If we can engineer roads in a way that takes human failings into account and which results in crashes, injuries and deaths being less common then this is a far more reliable way to improve safety than any amount of punishment after the event.
The really important principle in road design from the Netherlands which is worth campaigning for is Sustainable Safety.
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Sustainable Safety is based on five principles:
* Functionality (of roads)
* Homogeneity (of mass, speed and direction of road users)
* Predictability (of road course and road user behaviour by a recognisable road design)
* Forgivingness (of both the road and street environment and the road users)
* State awareness (by the road user)
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https://hembrow.blogspot.com/2012/01/campaign-for-sustainable-safety-not.html
from City Biz List
"Let’s Get to Work" initiative pushes for expanded MARC service, improved schedule
BALTIMORE – The Central Maryland region suffers from years of inadequate investment in transportation infrastructure – especially when compared to other major urban centers and the facts are daunting. In the past fifteen years, regions across the U.S. including San Diego, Salt Lake City, Denver, Dallas, Minneapolis, St. Louis, Charlotte and Norfolk have all invested hundreds of millions of dollars to build out rail systems that connect people to jobs. The Baltimore region extended the light rail to Hunt Valley and BWI Airport in 1997, but has not significantly expanded its rail system since.
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https://baltimore.citybizlist.com/1/2012/1/4/The-Central-Maryland-Transportation-Alliance-Connects-People-To-Job-Opportunities.aspx