Month: January 2013

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Baltimore City Trails Summit

Trails, Trails, Trails. . .
 
Baltimore City ‘s Department of Recreation and Parks would like to invite trail enthusiast of all kinds to a gathering to explore what’s new and what’s next.
Baltimore has miles of natural surface trails and paved trails.
We could not do it without our clubs and friends groups!
Come share what projects are going on, where new trails are, and learn about resources available for your trail!
Interested in Naturalist Trainings, Participating in National Trails Day, Single Track and Skill Courses, Work Days and Maps?  Come out and meet others interested in Trails in Baltimore!
 
Saturday, Feb. 9
10 a.m. – noon
Vollmer Center at Cylburn Arboretum
Agenda includes:
• Welcome from Bill Vondrasek, Chief of Parks
• Update on Jones Falls and Herring Run Trail
• Update on Baltimore Historical Trails by National
Park Service
• Planning for National Trails Day
 
To register, please contact Molly Gallant at (443) 984-4058
 
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HB 445 Overtaking Another Vehicle – Support

This is basically an attempt to improve our 3′ safe passing law by getting rid of the narrow highway exception and adding this text to the section of law that governs the overtaking and passing of vehicles:
THE DRIVER OF A VEHICLE MAY NOT OVERTAKE ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT IS GOING IN THE SAME DIRECTION UNLESS A SAFE PASSING DISTANCE CAN BE MAINTAINED WHILE THE OTHER VEHICLE IS OVERTAKEN.

I’ve written about MDOT’s poor summery of our narrow exception before. While non of the exceptions are really necessary (cyclist is riding in a manner that is illegal so don’t ticket the driver for a 3′ violation – We need that spelled out? And if it is the cyclist that moves closer the vehicle, how is that the driver’s fault?) but the narrow highway exception was very troubling how MDOT has summarized it and is not easily understood nor applicable to the vast majority of our roadways. Does the legislature really think the police will ticket a driver for passing a cyclist on a one lane highway when both are doing the best they can to do safe passing?

Main page: https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmMain.aspx?pid=billpage&stab=01&id=hb0445&tab=subject3&ys=2013RS

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HB 339 Required Use of Protective Headgear – Oppose

This bill will require all cyclists but not moped riders to wear a helmet. (But § 21-1306.1 says moped rider must wear a helmet. So the moped bit is confusing/contradictory.)

1) I will add a new point to this discussion, motorcyclists get this with their mandatory helmet law:
§ 21-1306.1.(e) Failure to use required headgear; evidence; civil actions. —

  • (1) The failure of an individual to wear protective headgear required under subsection (b) of this section may not:
  • . (i) Be considered evidence of negligence;
  • . (ii) Be considered evidence of contributory negligence;
  • . (iii) Limit liability of a party or an insurer; or
  • . (iv) Diminish recovery for damages arising out of the ownership, maintenance, or operation of a moped or motor scooter.

Cyclists should get that as well.

2) From my observations Maryland has a below average number of cyclists. We need to work on getting more cyclists, not making it more restrictive. For more points about Undesirable effects of mandatory helmet use.

3) WABA opposes: Why We Don’t Support Mandatory Helmet Laws

4) Bikeyface makes a great post on SERIOUS ABOUT SAFETY. Let’s work down this list before we get to the last item, OK?
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Main page: https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmMain.aspx?pid=billpage&stab=01&id=hb0339&tab=subject3&ys=2013RS

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Bike bills for 2013 legislative session

Bicycles

2013 Regular Session

Total Bills: 3

View Prior Year Legislation
Number Title Primary Sponsor Status Original House
and Hearing Dates		 Opposite House
and Hearing Dates		 Broad Subject
HB0160 Bicycles, Play Vehicles, and Unicycles – Riding on Sidewalks Delegate Miller, A. In the House – Hearing 2/05 at 1:00 p.m. Environmental Matters
02/05/2013 – 1:00 p.m.		 Vehicle Laws – Rules of the Road (R5)
HB0339 Vehicle Laws – Bicycles – Required Use of Protective Headgear Delegate McIntosh In the House – Hearing 2/12 at 1:00 p.m. Environmental Matters
02/12/2013 – 1:00 p.m.		 Vehicle Laws – Rules of the Road (R5)
HB0445 Vehicle Laws – Rules of the Road – Overtaking Another Vehicle Delegate Cardin In the House – Hearing 2/12 at 1:00 p.m. Environmental Matters
02/12/2013 – 1:00 p.m.		 Vehicle Laws – Rules of the Road (R5)

Continue reading “Bike bills for 2013 legislative session”

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Annapolis Report Week 4 from Jon Cardin

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Bicycling Safety Act

I have also introduced a new and improved Bicycle Safety bill for this year. In the past, I worked with Bike Maryland and other interested groups to pass legislation mandating a safe three foot passing distance from a bicyclist. The law already allows motorists to drive on the left side of the road to pass a cyclist, and this legislation will clarify the situations in which it is safe.
Cyclists on Maryland roads have increased by the tens of thousands over the last decade.  Those commuters and exercisers bring no pollution but rather an appetite and credit card to the communities they visit.  Unfortunately, when cars and bicycles collide, it is ALWAYS the bicyclist whose life is at risk. We should not wait for another tragic accident such as those that took the lives of Natasha Pettigrew, Nathan Krasnopoler and Larry Bensky to make the roads safe for cycling and make sure drivers are given flexibility to pass when safe.
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8½ minutes to cross the street

Question: What would you do if you saw this kind of trending of pedestrian fatalities:
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Well if you were Maryland you would do more things like this:
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28 traffic lanes and 8½ minutes later you are across the street!

Read more bout this crazy intersection were two pedestrians were recently seriously injured: https://greatergreaterwashington.org/post/17341/8half-minutes-to-cross-the-street/

[B’ spokes: Note the conversation came up if there’s a law that prevents you from crossing at the unmarked crosswalk… I could not find it.]

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Cognitive Dissonance in Transportation Funding

by KEVIN KLINKENBERG, New Urbanism Blog

…
This is the cognitive dissonance that says one group of people must vote for and fund their own lifestyle choices (urbanites who use transit); while another group gets their lifestyle choices funded by everyone.

I’m actually not at all opposed to the approach used for the streetcar line. In fact, I think that it’s a much fairer way to go about funding major transportation projects that require public dollars.

I simply wonder: why don’t we do this for every major project? The primary recipients of our largesse for the Grandview Triangle are people who live within about a ten-mile radius of it. What if they had to fund its rebuilding? Would those voters have chosen to raise their own taxes for this one intersection?
…

https://newurbanismblog.com/cognitive-dissonance-transportation-funding/