[B’ Spokes: This article got me thinking about what direction our 3 foot passing law with it’s narrow highway highway exception (or is it when you can’t pass legally exception) is trying to go? More respect for cyclists or less? Anyway a few highlights for this article:]

By ALAN DAVIES, Crikey

Cyclists are outraged a jury found a truck driver not guilty of dangerous driving causing the death of a cyclist this week. It’s time the law stopped treating cyclists as ‘mere obstacles’ to motorists.

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It’s difficult to imagine another situation in which a driver needs to exercise greater care and wait for a safe opportunity to pass – a truck weighing at least 20 tonnes, and apparently boxed in by other vehicles so the driver couldn’t change lanes, bearing down from behind on a cyclist riding along a narrow, winding road. Yet under the law it now appears motorists can treat a cyclist with the same disregard as they would a witch’s hat and leave no margin for error by passing as close as they like.

[B’ Spokes: Note that being boxed in would fall under the so called “can’t pass legally” exception of our 3 foot law that seems is the intention of the legislature to allow (specifically testimony when a double yellow is present but if you make a general case that includes that it includes other things as well. But please note the subject of this exception is a “highway… is not wide enough” so I doubt the “can’t pass legally” spin will hold up in court.]
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Motorist almost universally assume they’re entitled to travel at the speed limit at all times. Our cities would be better places if instead there was a culture of driving according to prevailing conditions.

They would be more liveable if the driving culture also included consideration for the welfare of all other road users, and of those who live along or use adjoining land uses.

As I’ve said many times before, cars will be with us for decades yet. It’s therefore all the more important to ‘re-position’ driving as a highly conditional privilege not a presumed right.

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https://blogs.crikey.com.au/theurbanist/2013/05/08/are-cyclists-mere-obstacles-to-motorists/

Read more: https://www.citybeat.com/cincinnati/article-27635-the_many_merits_of_c.html

[B’ Spokes: Such a shame this is not an everyday sight.]
Continue reading “I am traffic”

Via Washcycle

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Of course there are problems with this because it just counts raw numbers.

It doesn’t consider if states with mandatory helmet laws have less cycling, and of course there is evidence that mandatory helmet laws do reduce cycling. So we have the numerator (injuries/deaths) but not the denominator (cyclists or miles biked). Here is another study that showed the same thing, but considered the change in cycling. 

 In recent years, many states and localities have enacted bicycle helmet laws. We examine direct and indirect effects of these laws on injuries. Using hospital-level panel data and triple difference models, we find helmet laws are associated with reductions in bicycle-related head injuries among children. However, laws also are associated with decreases in non-head cycling injuries, as well as increases in head injuries from other wheeled sports. Thus, the observed reduction in bicycle-related head injuries may be due to reductions in bicycle riding induced by the laws.

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https://www.thewashcycle.com/2013/05/helmet-study-fails-to-consider-denominator-and-confuses-science-with-policy.html

B’ Spokes: A public service announcement. 😉
https://www.active.com/nutrition/Articles/5-Ways-Chocolate-Boosts-Your-Workouts.htm

AFODS Newsletter  April 2013  NEW ORGANIZATION TO ADVOCATE FOR SAFER ROADS Welcome to the inaugural issue published by the newly launched national organization, Americans for Older Driver Safety, a non-profit project of KIDS AND CARS, Inc. Susan Cohen and Mitchell Krasnopoler founded Americans for Older Driver Safety (AFODS) following the 2011 death of their 20-year-old son, Nathan. An 83-year old driver making a right turn crossed into the bicycle lane where Nathan was riding resulting in the crash that took his life. The mission of Americans for Older Driver Safety is to advocate for safer roads for older drivers and all Americans, through driver education, assessment, retraining and transitioning; and to raise public awareness of the safety risks related to unmonitored changes in driver abilities. After more than 20 years as a practicing attorney, Susan Cohen left the Maryland Office of the Attorney General to lead AFODS and promote best practices, good ideas and top-notch research and ensure that all drivers have the functional ability to drive. Based in both Maryland and the Midwest, AFODS has had a significant impact over the past year raising awareness and advocating for safer roads across the country.  Some of the highlights and accomplishments are described below. AFODS PUBLISHES 2013 POLICY BRIEF Older drivers are expected to triple in number over the next fifteen years: Road safety policies are needed now. Federal recommendations, national and state-based research, and rapidly changing demographics indicate that changes to state driver licensing practices and highway policies are needed to address older driver safety.  Best practices suggest that older drivers should be renewed in-person every two years to identify changes in cognitive and physical function that affect driving. States across the country have begun to shorten driver license renewal periods for older drivers to every two years. For more read the 2013 Policy Brief: Maryland’s Older Drivers: Ensuring Road Safety.   AFODS HOSTS MARYLAND LEGISLATIVE BRIEFING  In February 2013 AFODS hosted a legislative briefing to inform members of the Maryland General Assembly on older driver safety concerns with Maryland’s eight-year renewal periods.  In light of the rapidly changing demographics that will double the number of Maryland drivers over 70 in just seven years and more than triple the number of drivers over 70 in 15 years, the briefing looked at the need to improve Maryland’s older driver license renewal process. Counter to the trend in other states, in Maryland there are currently no special provisions in place for older drivers. Maryland drivers renew every eight years and in-person renewals are required every other renewal, or every 16 years.  A driver renewing at age 70 is not required to return to an MVA office for renewal until age 86.  The research shows that older drivers become more crash prone with age, even though they drive less.  Age-related declines in vision, physical mobility, reaction time, and cognitive processing affect the driving ability of some older adults. Based on research showing how aging negatively affects driving abilities, the U.S. Dept. of Transportation has issued recommendations to states to modify licensing procedures for older drivers that include shorter renewal periods and in-person renewals.  Maryland’s practices, as of 2012, put Maryland far afield of those traffic safety recommendations.  AFODS IN MISSOURI  At a March 20, 2013 press conference in Columbia, Missouri, Susan Cohen, AFODS Founder, was part of a five-member panel addressing safety concerns of older drivers and the need for some drivers to move to  alternative mobility options.  The purpose of the event was to highlight a new pilot program, Mobility Transition Counseling, to facilitate transitioning from driving to other mobility options.  The Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety, Subcommittee on Elder Mobility and Safety (SEMS), meets quarterly to address road safety concerns of older drivers and uses the slogan, Arrive Alive After 65.  AFODS IN KANSAS In Kansas, AFODS will join a support team on older drivers that has been formed by the Kansas Department of Transportation to determine actions to take to reduce older driver injuries and fatalities as part of the Kansas Strategic Highway Safety Plan.  The support team includes representatives from AAA, AARP, University of Kansas Transportation Research Institute and other stakeholders and experts. The team will issue a final report identifying steps to take to reduce older driver crashes. Like Us On Facebook Follow on Twitter @AFODS1 Forward to a Friend AFODS IN THE NEWS  Click On Image   EDITORIAL: Dangers of Older Drivers Parents Of Student Killed By Elderly Driver Fight For Safer Roads Parents Advocate Competency Tests For Older Drivers End of the Road The science of knowing when older drivers need to let go of the wheel Older, dangerous drivers a growing problem For more on Nathan’s story… Helping older drivers stay safe behind the wheel Risks of older drivers, pushes for more stringent laws reviewed Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety unveils new campaign FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @AFODS1 | LIKE US ON FACEBOOK   For more information or to make a donation please contact Ms. Susan Cohen at info@AFODS.org. Americans for Older Driver Safety Our mailing address is: Americans For Older Driver Safety 1001 Frederick Road #21022 Baltimore, MD 21228 Add us to your address book Coming soon: AFODS will launch website www.AFODS.org   unsubscribe from this list | update subscription preferences

Continue reading “New Older Driver Safety Organization”

Bikeyface has another good post about biking. It’s just about learning to do things, just like driving. Her steps:

So you can end up like this:

Read the full post here.