We use Goggle Analytics to track site performance and this is some of the years highlights by that report. Overall most people come here looking for bike paths and trail maps. Next up is the topics on the left and I’ll run down the most popular topics after the fold.
Top Stories of 2010
1 Downtown Circulator
This May of 2009 story is still getting hits coming from search engines.
2 Upgrade to Robert E. Lee Park
Another 2009 story still getting hits, highlighting the interest and importance of this park and our parks in general.
3 Cyclist Killed on Butler Road, Baltimore County
This certainly is our tragedy of the year, many cyclists enjoy riding Maryland’s country roads and this happened way too close to home for comfort.
4 Update – Silldorff bike accident on Bike Virginia
Another 2009 story still being looked at. Carol’s story and recovery is really impressive. Carol continues her story here along with an appeal to support Bike Maryland.
5 The Stupid Stuff I See During My Commute to/from Work
This 2008 forum post by iodaniell continues to be a favorite read. I would love to see more people adding their stories to this thread.
6 10 Rules For Urban Commuting
The original author took down this story and the net picked up that I have a copy and linked to that. My speculation is that the story has the “dial” set closer to anarchist then pragmatist and that … well just is not politically correct. But seriously look at most cyclists safety advice: don’t ride on the sidewalk because it will increase your chances of being hit by cars (I mention this because a lot of motorists think this is where we should ride), don’t ride close to the curb because it will increase your chances of being hit by cars, don’t ride in the door zone of parked cars because it will increase your chances of being hit by cars. So there is a valid element of: because the lawlessness of motorists cyclists must become lawless themselves (at least in the eyes of motorists.)
So while I would not phrase things exactly as this author did, I strongly feel he has valid points and maybe the time has come things should be overly stated for cyclists safety. We already have “cyclists should ride two feet from the curb” even though most of us will ride a inch or two from the edge from time to time to facilitate a passing car but we don’t (have) to state that cyclists should do the latter when riding by the two foot rule. But when talking about “taking the lane” which is just as valid legally as well as for safety as the two foot rule we feel the need to be apologetic and to encourage cyclists to do something contrary to safety and what the law allows. There is something wrong here.
Should all road users be courteous and cooperative? Heck ya! But don’t put the sole burden on cyclists. Which I think has been the traditional point in the past and that needs to change. Simply put; I ride right for motorists who I feel are courteous and cooperative and I ride assertively in aggressive traffic. Just because I am reacting to aggressive behavior does not make me aggressive. Anyway I think the author here does a good job in encouraging people to think outside of the box and in all things don’t be overly dogmatic, there is a time and place to be assertive and a time and place you can just be part of the road-scape.
7 Natasha Pettigrew, Maryland Green Party candidate for the U.S. Senate
Another cycling tragedy. A driver who hits and kills a cyclists drives three miles with the bike lodged under the car and did not call the police till an hour later and the police state “The driver complied with the law.” Seriously, to avoid hit-an-run charges all you need to do is say “I thought I hit an animal”?
8 Ride on Annapolis / Larry Bensky Memorial Ride
The fact that so many took an interest in this event is truly the most heart warming item in our top ten list. Photes of the event.
9 This one runs on money and makes you fat. This one runs on fat and saves you money
The best way ever to mark bike lanes and car lanes.
10 FREE BUS SERVICE COMING IN 2009
This 2008 story is still generate hits. It seems there is a lot more interest in free bus service then cycling but I hope that will change someday. To put it succinctly, our bus service stinks, bicycling is better, it easily covers the same distance as most of our bus routes, it’s generally just as fast without the wait for the bus to arrive. We need to get more people on bikes and we need our bus service … well to be generally better then bicycling.
Top 10 topics
1 Bike Paths
2 Biking in Baltimore
3 Bike Critical Mass
4 Biking in Maryland
5 Looking for local rides(ers)
6 Bike Laws
7 Biking in the Metro Area
8 Bike Maryland updates
9 Velocipede Bike Project
10 Cyclist’s Yellow Pages
Let me emphasize people are not just looking for where to ride but also other people to ride with. So please if you ride with friends think about inviting other people to join you once and a while in our “Looking for local rides(ers)” topic. Help build our cycling community.
And we are here not only to promote those tat promote bicycling but also those that ride so if either fits you or your business feel free to post an ad once in a while in our “Cyclist’s Yellow Pages” topic.
And may everyone have a happy and healthy New Year and hopefully there will be no (outrageous) bike crash tragedies in 2011.
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