B’ Spokes: Of course the big question is will these buses take bikes? Will they take loaded touring bikes?
https://www.masstransitmag.com/news/10611633/md-new-bus-route-to-connect-harford-cecil-counties
Transforming a derelict city building into vertical gardens for nearby residents
From Switchboard NRDC
https://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/kbenfield/transforming_a_derelict_city_b.html
On-Street Bike Lanes More Important Than Off-Street Bike Paths
From Google Maps Bike There
That is, if your goal is to get more people on bikes more often for more reasons — daily commuting, errand-running, socializing, etc. — you should spend more of your dollars on on-street infrastructure rather than off-street infrastructure. Several studies, however conflicting, suggest the same – “More specifically, provision of good quality separate cycling facilities alongside heavily travelled roads and linking to everyday facilities that people need to use…”. In other words, cyclists and would-be cyclists are human beings that have places to go and things to go, and they sometimes/often want to be able to do them quickly and conveniently.
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https://googlemapsbikethere.org/2012/02/24/on-street-bike-lanes-more-important-than-off-street-bike-paths/
Highlights from Maryland Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee December Meeting Minutes
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3. R4-11/Bicycles May Use Full Lane Signs Status Update
Michael Jackson reported that SHA finalized their guidelines for use of the R4-11/Bicycles May Use Full Lane signs and had begun compiling a list of roadways for consideration for sign installation. Their initial list consists of arterials leading out of the District of Columbia and Taneytown in Carroll County. SHA is open to receiving other recommendations and anticipates installing the first signs next spring.
4. Law Enforcement Bicycle Training Video Update
Michael Jackson said revisions on the Law Enforcement Bicycle Training video would resume following authorization of additional funding, an issue that he is currently working on. He said he wished to schedule a meeting with traffic safety experts and bicycle advocates regarding the importance of enforcement as it relates to changing unsafe behaviors associated with traffic crashes prior to resumption of the video revisions. Jim Titus said that the Washington Area Bicyclist Association does not have a problem with police officers ticketing bicyclists for riding on the wrong side of the road, riding at night without lights, failing to yield, or failing to stop for pedestrians in a crosswalk, but that enforcement should be even-handed. He recommended that officers target the most serious violations that cause crashes and injuries. Beverley Malone and Greg Hinchliffe also supported citing bicyclists who violate traffic law.
5. Maryland Bikeshare Program Announcement
On November 4th Governor Martin O’Malley announced that Maryland would be funding eighty percent of the costs of the acquisition of materials needed to start bike station programs in Maryland or eighty percent of the costs to conduct feasibility studies for bike station programs according to Michael Jackson. He passed out Maryland Bikeshare Program brochures and said it is his understanding that Maryland is the first state to fund bikeshare programs at a statewide level. He said the deadline for applications is December 15, 2011.
6. Promoting Bicycling and Walking in Cherry Hill
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He [Michael Middleton, Chairman of the Cherry Hill Community Coaltion, ] asked for assistance in developing programs where residents could acquire subsidized bicycles in exchange for money or volunteer service. At the end of his presentation the audience gave a round of applause.
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Continue reading “Highlights from Maryland Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee December Meeting Minutes”
New federal highway bill stresses infrastructure that makes driving fun
Ya, I’m just joking around.
Continue reading “New federal highway bill stresses infrastructure that makes driving fun”
What’s Wrong With This Picture?
From herald-mail
Editor’s note: Each Monday, The Herald-Mail will highlight an infrastructure issue or other problem and will try to find out what is being done to fix or improve the situation.
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The problem: A crosswalk across West Main Street (Md. 144) in Hancock, about 500 feet east of the entrances to the Hancock schools, ends at a steep hill, with no sidewalk or shoulder, on the north side of the street.
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https://articles.herald-mail.com/2012-02-19/news/31078401_1_crosswalk-hancock-schools-school-bus
Alert: Bad Senate Bill 942
[B’ Spokes: The purpose is to make driving 54 mph in a school zone a minor offense for killing minors.]
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FOR the purpose of repealing the application to motor vehicles of a certain provision of law relating to criminally negligent manslaughter by vehicle…
establishing that it is not an offense under this Act for a person to cause the death of another as a result of the person’s driving, operating, or controlling a motor vehicle in a negligent manner…
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FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, A PERSON ACTS IN A CRIMINALLY NEGLIGENT MANNER WHEN THE PERSON CAUSES THE DEATH OF ANOTHER DURING THE COMMISSION OF A VIOLATION OF:
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(2) § 21–801.1 OF THE TRANSPORTATION ARTICLE (MAXIMUM LIMITS), WHEN THE VIOLATION INVOLVES A SPEED AT LEAST 30 MILES PER HOUR ABOVE THE SPEED LIMIT; OR…
[So doing 54 in a residential neighborhood or school zone is NOT negligent driving.]
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https://mlis.state.md.us/2012rs/bills/sb/sb0942f.pdf
[Remember, caps-bold are the additions and stuff between brackets [] are deletions.]
Hearing 3/20 at 1:00 p.m. (Judicial Proceedings)
Sponsored By: Senator Stone (Baltimore County District 6) Contact info: https://www.msa.md.gov/msa/mdmanual/05sen/html/msa12133.html
Committee members to contact if they are your rep:
Brian E. Frosh
Lisa A. Gladden
James Brochin
Jennie M. Forehand
Joseph M. Getty
Nancy Jacobs
Victor R. Ramirez
Jamin B. (Jamie) Raskin
Christopher B. Shank
Norman R. Stone, Jr.
Robert A. Zirkin
https://www.msa.md.gov/msa/mdmanual/05sen/html/com/05judp.html
WTF?! “The Lorax” Gives Mazda “The only Certified Truffula Tree Seal of Approval”
B’ Spokes: This is dedicated to the idiot Prius driver on Charles St who was yelling at me to get out of the road and that his Prius does more to save the environment then I will ever do.
To be clear my transportation carbon footprint is a big fat zero for 8,000 miles a year, while a typical Mazda CX-5 will put out 4 tons of CO2 each year.*
While that is better then (most?) other vehicles in "its class", "its class" is the big problem. We need more emphasis on appropriate sized transportation that also includes motorcycles, scooters, bicycles and walking. What we don’t need is a push to get cars even bigger and less appropriate then what they need to be like crossovers and SUVs.
The Mazda ad is like calling yourself a vegetarian because you eat meat "only" twice a day. While that’s better then 3 times a day, it still is not a vegetarian or in the case of Mazda, hardly "Truffula Tree Friendly".
It’s such a sham to associate such a powerful environmental message as "The Lorax" with a gasoline burning engine in a vehicle that is over sized.
See Street Films take as well as the offensive ad: https://www.streetfilms.org/wtf-the-lorax-certifies-mazda-as-certified-truffulla-tree-friendly/
Continue reading “WTF?! “The Lorax” Gives Mazda “The only Certified Truffula Tree Seal of Approval””
Catonsville cyclist hopes to set wheels in motion for pedestrian and bicycle safety
by By Brian Conlin, Baltimore Sun
An avid cyclist for six years, Laura Cook has had her share of close calls while riding in and around the area.
It’s not uncommon, she said, for cars and trucks to whiz by closer than the three feet the law requires as she and her husband of 1.5 years, David Hinman, go on a 20- or 30-mile ride.
Cook said she hopes she can make some changes in her new position as a member of the Baltimore County Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Committee.
The committee was born out of a County Council bill introduced in January 2010 by first-term councilmen Tom Quirk and David Marks.
Quirk represents the First District, which includes Catonsville and Arbutus, and Marks represents the Fifth District, which includes Towson.
"We’ll have the things that future homebuyers and existing homebuyers want," Quirk said, noting that pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly communities promote healthy lifestyles and increase property values.
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https://www.baltimoresun.com/explore/baltimorecounty/news/community/ph-ca-bike-advisory-0222-20120221,0,4657143.story
Fuji Recalls Women’s Cruiser Bicycles Due to Fall Hazard
Name of Product: Fuji Saratoga Women’s Bicycles
Hazard: The bicycle’s frame can break in the center of the downtube during use, causing the rider to lose control and fall.
For more info: https://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml12/12112.html