Up to my ears in links and the Feed

Another weekend of e-mailed links and stuff sent over my FB wall and also a metric buttload of links in the Feed. So since I brought everyone up to date on my situation yesterday, on to the mayhem.

Up first from the most deadliest state in the US to walk or ride a bike, LEO are doing “something” about bike safety. Bike lane wars reach Weston as deputies issue warnings, tickets to cyclists That’s right, they are giving tickets to cyclists for leaving the bike lanes to pass slower cyclists rather than ticketing drivers that pass with less than 3 feet of clearance. And the thing is FL laws specifically allows a cyclist to leave a bike lane to pass a slower cyclist as well as to avoid debris, trash, or other unridable conditions in the bike lane. And also the shoulder of a road is NOT a bike lane, the picture that accompanied the article showed a shoulder full of loose gravels and trash.

Still in the state of FL a SWCC is hit-and-run then hit by a second vehicle. Hudson bicycle rider killed in Saturday night crash Not much I can say about this one. Either the cyclist was riding in the travel lane and was not seen by the first driver or he was crossing the road and did not clear the lane in time. intersection protocols to avoid, get the infrastructure right so cyclists don’t share high-speed highways through town with motor vehicles and that will prevent a similar wreck.

Moving to Upstate NY, a child is hit in an intersection. Child on bike hit by car, injured From looking at the satellite view I could not see any traffic controls at the intersection, so I’m going to use the narrative provided and say the kid most likely did not stopyeild at the intersection with the more through street when he got hit. Intersection protocols to avoid a similar wreck. Get the infrastructure right to prevent it. Seriously there is no earthly reason to be driving that fast in a residential area with kids walking and riding bikes.

A wreck in IL, near the home of Bigfoot (the monster truck, not the cryptozooid). Colorado Man Killed While Cycling In Madison County Intersection between a trail and a major highway, use intersection protocols to avoid and fix the intersection to prevent. The intersection in question, Illinois 111 & Horseshoe Lake Rd notice the trail makes a right angle turn here across the main highway, I don’t know if there is a dedicated phase for the traffic control on the trail or not. More Bicyclist struck, fatally injured in Madison County and a late link Bicyclist killed along Madison County bike trail

In CA some links to a cyclist that had some kind of bike malfunction that flipped him over the handlebars and on his (helmeted) head. Man killed in King Street bike accident identified; Stephen Pollard was a well-known Santa Cruz ‘original’ and Man killed in King Street bike accident identified; Stephen Pollard was a well-known Santa Cruz ‘original’ Well, when I filtered they had different headlines… This is a wreck that could happen with any kind of infrastructure.

More from CA as the driver that ran a cyclist over from behind is charged. CHP recommends vehicular manslaughter charge in fatal bike crash

A wreck in NYC with “no criminality suspected”. Cyclist Struck & Killed Near Citi Field the cyclist was hit from behind by a vehicle that was “sharing” the lane. To avoid use hit from behind protocols, to prevent get the cars off the streets where they expect bicycles to ride. This is another street that cyclists get funneled into by bike lanes on either end but nothing in the middle and really bad roads on parallel streets.

On the run-up to the Ride of Silence comes this item from Charleston SC. Ride your bike to work this week

More from Rockford IL Guest Column: Bikers, drivers must be aware of each other

New problems in CA. Tour de theft targets high-end racing bikes

A pretty picture at first glance, fraught with meaning at second glance. On the Street….Lafayette St., New York For the slow ones, look hard at the cyclist’s right leg.

And those are all the links that gave me fits today.

Billed @$0.02, Opus

Still plugging along, and the Feed

Dad is still making progress at recovery, and I am still in pain from trying to take care of him. I have lots of help taking care of Dad which is making the pain more tolerable, but I would greatly prefer to not have any pain while I’m trying to help my Dad. But I don’t get to make that choice so everybody just muddles along as best we can.

Up first is an update on the dog, that stayed with the man, who was killed in a hit-and-run, and who was riding the bike across the country to memorialize a friend. Cyclist’s dog adopted by family friend after he’s killed in hit-and-run accident The dog is taken care of, and appeared to know the person who was fostering her. Now they need to find the low-life scum that killed her master and left his body on the side of the road.

Still in CA a cyclist is hit by a tour bus, and barely survives. Injured Cyclist Identified, Still Hospitalized There was a lot of blood on the street after that wreck. From what little I can find out and from the picture the bike was hit from the left and the rider knocked into the street by the impact while the cyclist was crossing in front of the bus, and LEO are not blaming the cyclist for making an illegal movement like running a stop sign or a red light. So I’m going to go with the bus ran into the cyclist because the driver was not looking for a bicycle on the road (I bet that won’t be the case in the future if the driver continues to drive). To avoid use intersection protocols, to prevent get the infrastructure right and keep the bikes and the buses away from each other except in tightly controlled conditions.

More from CA about that wicked left cross in SF. Cyclist Critically Injured In SoMa Crash Cyclist still not doing so good, driver barely mentioned. Same synopsis as yesterday.

Moving east we find another wreck in SC. Bicyclist dies after accident on Folly Road They blamed the cyclist for sideswiping the first vehicle? What was traffic that backed up that the cyclist was moving faster than the cars on the road? And then how did the second vehicle hit the cyclist if the cyclist was going that much faster than the motor vehicles? Aside from 2 vehicles and a dead cyclist this all reeks of fiction to me… Street View of the location 2323 Folly Road Boulevard, Charleston, SC

A cyclist is either right-hooked or just plain squeezed off the road by a firetruck in Denver. Cyclist hurt when he rode too close to Denver fire truck I blame this one on FRAP laws and poor cyclist education, plus crappy infrastructure that puts bikes to the right of heavy vehicles that may be turning right.

The kinds of wreck we are most likely to see when they get the infrastructure right, except the driver did not go immediately to jail. Child on bicycle hit by car on Jergee Drive Notice the child in this case had only superficial injuries? When the infrastructure is done right this is about the only time bikes and cars will be together on the same paved surface.

A bike v ped wreck in OR. Man injured on path in critical condition This wreck exemplifies why I think bikes are better than cars for other road users: If this had been a car v ped wreck, how likely would it have been that the driver of the car was injured in a wreck the pedestrian survived?

From MI a kid hit on his bike is improving. Hartford boy’s condition upgraded to good after being struck while riding his bicycle Again I say that this is a wreck that at least half of the blame could be placed at the infrastructure level, mixing cars and pedestrians and bicycles all in the same space without slowing the cars down to speeds that are easily survivable in a wreck in cases where the kids jump out in front of cars, and that give drivers lots of time to react and stop or otherwise avoid contact with pedestrians or cyclists.

I make no secret about my enthusiasm for e-assist bikes, here’s a program that is testing them in areas where e-bikes haven’t made significant headway before and trying to understand why that is. Danville testing bicycles with electric motor assistance This program is well away from the usual e-bike “strongholds” of big cities on the coasts, trying to see if it a generalized “bike” thing, or just that there is a lack of exposure to assisted bikes that is the problem causing a lack of e-assist bikes away from big cities.

LifeStyle from the area around the US national capital. Vigilante Bicyclist Gets His Stolen Bike Back Not a recommended way to do this, but having seen the lack of effort shown by LEO in recovering stolen bicycles when Gigi went missing I completely understand.

Last link is to a custom 3-wheeler for the Minnesota Twins’ mascot TC, because wearing a bear suit is hard work. Behind Bars Makes TC’s Custom Trike The bike is only using SLA technology, but given the short trips it’s going to make and the lack of hills to get up (the pitcher’s mound is the highest point on the field and the trike normally won’t leave the field except for the rare parade) that should suffice for a very long time.

And those are all the links that gave me fits today.

Billed @$0.02, Opus

Still trying to adapt to the new “normal”, and the Feed

Well between my injuries and Dad’s injuries this has been an interesting 24 hours since I last posted. Dad is holding his own and showing some slight improvement since coming home. I have been getting him up to eat breakfast and sometimes dinner, lunch has always been in bed so far. His pain levels are diminishing as long as he doesn’t run out on his pain meds, the biggest problem is that he sleeps through the time to take his next pill and only wakes up when he starts feeling pain again. This results in his not getting the pain pills at the right time and only getting 2 out of the three pain pills he is supposed to get per day. I’m trying to figure out a way that he gets his pain pills on schedule without disturbing his sleep, because he really needs his sleep. Such is life as a care-giver for an injured elderly person. The cat on the other hand has been a total mess psychologically. She expects Dad to sleep in “her” bed and refuses to stay with him in the hospital bed we have moved into the house to make Dad more comfortable, then goes to the bedroom and howls because Dad isn’t there with her. I should mention that this cat is about the same age as Dad in “cat years” working out to about 71 “cat years” old.

Speaking of the cat, up first is a tale of a dog that stayed beside his master’s body for as long as 12 hours before he wa discovered after a hit-and-run in CA. Dog stays for hours with owner killed by apparent hit-and-run driver on California coastal road The mode of the wreck appears to be hit-from-behind, and the dog appears to have been protected when his carrying crate became detached from the bike during the wreck reducing the forces on the dog to those that could be survived. Hit-from-behind protocols to avoid, and getting the infrastructure right to prevent a similar wreck. More Man killed in apparent hit-and-run on Highway 1; dog riding in basket stays by his side

Near the WoaB World HQ in the beautiful suburbs of Hell, Austin cyclists gather to protest lax enforcement against drivers that hit cyclists. Cyclists take short ride for long-term change With two wrecks that have had either little investigation or no immediate consequences for the drivers, Austin cyclists are getting peeved. Both of the cyclists that were recently hit were riding in full compliance with applicable TX laws, drivers were breaking at least one if not multiple laws. Riders were either killed or permanently injured, drivers so far have not even gotten a ticket when they were caught. it just all seems to be a little asymmetric to me… and a lot of other people, too.

Another fatal wreck in SC. Cyclist killed in hit and run on Savannah Highway Aside from the hit-and-run aspect of this wreck I know nearly nothing about it… More links One person killed in hit-and-run crash in West Ashley and One dead after hit-and-run in W. Ashley also Hit-and-run kills bicyclist in Charleston Yep, still know next to nothing about this wreck.

Lots of links to the cyclist getting hit in MD earlier this week. Med Tech Killed While Bicycling to Hospital and Cyclist Dies After Being Hit By Car In Olney also UPDATE: Cyclist Killed On Rt. 108 Identified more Police identify cyclist killed in Olney collision last link Cyclist killed in Montgomery County crash too many of the comments, where allowed. blamed the cyclist for being there to get hit instead of the driver that hit the cyclist from behind. Since it has been established the cyclist was riding in a legal manner the only logical conclusion is the driver was not driving in a legal manner, and should be arrested and charged with something. I think failure to yield would be the most appropriate charge or some kind of charge that showed she failed to pass at a safe distance.

More links to the kid that was killed in Upstate NY. Boy, 14, killed on bike in hit-run and Boy Struck and Killed by Car in Lancaster also Teen bicyclist hit, killed in Lancaster even Man charged in crash that killed teen not done yet Cops: NY teenager killed in hit-and-run accident another link Community Mourns Loss Of Teen still more Man follows accused hit and run driver are you kidding me? Lancaster Teen Dies In Tragic Hit And Run even more BRIEF: Driver charged with DWI in hit-run death of bicyclist, 14 Last link Buffalo Hit and Run Drunk Driving Incident Kills 14-Year Old Boy OK, synopsis: Cyclist was riding salmon and waiting at a stop sign to cross the road. Driver veered to the other side of the road to pass a vehicle in front of him and hit the cyclist from behind while he was waiting off the side of the road. When the driver was arrested he blew more than .21 BAC% on the breathalyzer. To avoid ride with traffic because the cyclist was technically riding against traffic while he was standing with his bike at the intersection waiting to cross. To prevent, even with the infrastructure being perfect, unless there was a way to prevent this man from drinking 6 beers and then driving home something like this would still have happened as even Dutch-style infrastructure would be shared roads in a residential area like this.

A PA case that was a long time coming to a conclusion. Man pleads guilty to killing bike rider in 2005 and Man pleads guilty in Indiana County bicyclist’s 2005 death also Man Pleads Guilty To ’05 Fatal Hit-And-Run On Rte. 22 No, that’s not a typo or other mistake, it really did take more than 6 years to convict a man of hit-and-run killing a cyclist, because of the driver saying he didn’t know he had hit anybody. Case law now says that you don’t have to know you hit someone to hit-and-run, just leave the scene of a wreck. IOW the law now reads that the fact of leaving a wreck is enough to convict, not any intent to leave, shutting a huge loophole in the law.

Another PA wreck with hopefully a quicker resolution this time. Bethlehem crash involves bicycle, van; bike rider seriously hurt There was a light controlling the intersection, but there is a question about how visible it was in the cyclist’s direction. Since LEO are not immediately blaming the wreck on the cyclist there is also the possibility that the van was the vehicle running the red light. To avoid use intersection protocols, to prevent get the infrastructure right. I mean seriously, I was looking at the Google Street View and this intersection was a cross with one side being the outlet for a one-way street that was 2-way to the right in the direction the van was coming from.

In MO a driver fails to pass safely and severely injures a cyclist. One hurt when car sideswipes bike and Clarence teen seriously injured in bicycle-car collision What do you want to bet the driver was “teaching the cyclist a lesson” when she hit him? Anyway, hit-from-behind protocols to avoid. get the infrastructure right to prevent.

In CA a series of bike v car wrecks are blamed on drivers using cell phones. No safety when cells are in use Cell phone use greatly increases the hazard that drivers will “not see” a cyclist…

A CT cyclist appears to have a loss of control issue and crosses the center line. Cyclist seriously injured in crash with car I don’t know if this was a medical issue, a mechanical issue, or maybe just a lapse in concentration on the cyclist’s part caused by training in heavy traffic, so I can’t tell you how to avoid a wreck like this. I mean cyclists losing control and crossing into oncoming traffic happens about as often as a FL driver getting a ticket for violating the 3-foot passing law.

More on the MT hit-and run that resulted in major destruction of a bike and trailer but no harm to the cyclist and her 4YO passenger. Billings car vs. bicycle hit and run suspect ID’d Intersection wreck, so intersection protocols to avoid and getting the infrastructure right to prevent. But seriously, this was as close to a miracle as I ever want to see.

And those are all the links that gave me fits today.

Billed @$0.02, Opus

Ready to take a bike ride, and the Feed

I am soooo wanting to go for a bike ride now. I’m tired of hurting all the time and the only time I felt halfway human was when I was riding Blue. One or two turns of the pedals and I felt great for hours, if a little tired. I love my Dad, but I really need to be getting back to my life and my bike and the things my mind is capable of dealing with on a daily basis. I don’t like things that disrupt my routine and recent events have been about as disruptive as you can get. This is not brain damage related, I disliked messing with my routine even as a child. I have been told I was probably high-functioning autistic spectrum as a child. That sounds about right to me. The brain damage doesn’t help that any at all.

Up first is an act of terrorism against a cyclist resulting in injury. Student Injured After Bike was Tampered Another reason to do the ABC check any time you have to leave a bike unattended. But, seriously, three incidents of bike tampering and nothing has been done already? Loosen a few wheels from the cars in the parking lot and see how fast that gets investigated…

A CA cyclist runs a red light and gets hurt. BLACK MOUNTAIN RANCH: Bicyclist injured in crash with minivan OK this one is so simple I really shouldn’t have to say anything about how to avoid or to prevent a future wreck. Even with Dutch-style infrastructure you have to obey the red lights to not get hit by cars.

Another one of those super-stupid people uses the wrong weapon against a cyclist. Man killed in Harvey was on his way to work, family says I’m not sure how this can be avoided or prevented, but it seems to be rampant in the NOLA area as there are 2 incidents reported in the link. Gun violence is not my beat.

A person uses the right weapon against a cyclist that was escaping from stealing a wallet. Witnesses: Man chases, hits boy with car after wallet is stolen I think the charges in this one may be a reaction to the Trayvon Martin case, because this was definitely a justifiable homicide up to the point where the victim was dragged from under the vehicle and beaten to death. Had this not been a case of a fleeing felon, to avoid use hit-from-behind protocols.

Another report on the cyclist killed in MD. Bicyclist struck and killed by car in Olney Two days later and they’re still not giving out any information about the mode of the wreck… I knew more about it from the other link…

A terrible hit-and-run with a good outcome. Billings cyclist and toddler uninjured; hit and run driver turns herself in The driver that ran over such a large vehicle has been apprehended. Since mode was not given and the location was described as an intersection I’m going to go out on a limb and say the intersection protocols done properly would avoid this wreck, infrastructure done correctly would prevent it.

Two related links from the most deadliest state in the US to walk or ride a bike in the US 6 years running. Cyclist was victim of hit-and-run driver in SW Miami-Dade and Aaron Cohen Hit-And-Run: Michele Traverso Reportedly Escapes DUI Manslaughter Charge

Two articles about general bike safety from Austin, just a (very) long day’s ride from WoaB World HQ in the beautiful suburbs of Hell. Tragedies put spotlight on bike safety and Bicycle riding up, fatalities down in state Whoops! wrong Austin on that second link.

Another Infrastructure article from CA. Column: Let’s All Drive 20 mph Yes 20 will make a big difference in the severity of a wreck when it happens but it also gives much more time to avoid a wreck.

And those are all the links that gave me fits today…

Billed @$0.02, Opus

After a very long day Dad is back home, and the Feed

My brother and I finally have Dad back home. His pain levels have been brought under control, and he looks and sounds much better. He still isn’t eating much and has lost a lot of weight he couldn’t afford to lose, but part of that was the quality of the food they served in the hospital. I mean I tried some of the stuff they served him and “Yuck!”. There were a couple of things they couldn’t screw up, like pinto beans and a grilled cheese sandwich (in separate meals) but most of the “food-like substances” were not actually edible by anyone with functioning taste. I mean I wouldn’t even eat most of the stuff they gave Dad, it was that bad, and I managed to eat just about everything my daughter gave me when she was first learning how to be a vegan cook. The total lack of anything with sodium in it except the cheese just ruined what little flavor the ingredients had to begin with and the preparation (pureed and minced foods) did the rest. I mean pureed mac and cheese with low-salt cheese? Try wallpaper and the paste as a substitute. Seriously, it was that bad.

Moving on to actual bike links, up first we have a blame-the-victim because all cyclists break the law letter from Just outside Woab World HQ in the beautiful suburbs of Hell. A letter from a reader about cyclists Note the tone of the letter is accusatory, even thought the cyclist in this case was hit several feet away from the actual road on the shoulder.

Another TX cyclist gets splattered across the countryside by the favorite weapon of vehicular homicide (and the biggest selling vehicle in TX) the Ford F-150 pickup truck. Bicyclist Struck, Killed Along Local Highway Identified Another hit-from-behind wreck in TX, q’uelle surprise. The usual protocols apply for avoidance, and effective infrastructure to prevent. Another thing that might help is mandatory seizure of the vehicle as “evidence” any time there is a fatality.

A wreck in CA that could be upgraded in charges if they could locate a couple of key witnesses. Tehama County DA seeks ID of witnesses in cyclist killing “However, in certain situations, the law in California does allow for a murder charge to be filed when the DUI driver acted with a reckless indifference to human life“, from the statement of the DA to the press. On the off chance that either of those two people is reading my blog, or someone that knows these people, please get in contact with the DA’s office.

A cyclist is hit and killed in NC. Bicyclist dies after being struck by vehicle in Laurinburg Since the driver is being charged with a homicide I’m going to assume this was a serious case of “I didn’t see him” that would have required the driver be actually blind to not see the cyclist. IOW negligence that borders on a deliberate assault. Hit-from-behid protocols to avoid, getting the infrastructure right to prevent.

Meanwhile in the most deadliest state to walk or ride a bike in the US for 6 years running, LEO still haven’t cracked the case of a SWCC as a homicide. Investigation of Bicyclist’s Death May Take Another Month So, there’s some evidence the truck driver ran the red? “Curiouser and curiouser,” said Alice…

A sidewalk salmon is hit in Upstate NY. Woman, 47, riding bicycle struck and dragged by car Driver making a right turn and not looking where he was going runs down a cyclist in the sidewalk. Simple enough, to avoid ride in the street with traffic, but the real issue is why an adult woman was riding on the sidewalk instead of the street, so get the infrastructure right to prevent wrecks like this. And in this wreck infrastructure that was not bike friendly was as great a contributor as the salmon cyclist.

Bike V bus in MI, with a somewhat better outcome than what is normally the case. Bus hits bike; biker OK, bus damaged The cyclist in this wreck had too much to drink. To avoid, don’t ride drunk, to prevent, don’t mix buses with bikes which will make drunk cyclists a minor inconvenience.

A bike v bike wreck in OKC. Beloved Cyclist Dies After Crashing Into Other Cyclists In OKC The cyclist appears to have had something like a stroke or heart attack just before he lost control of his bike, nothing that can be done to avoid or prevent something like this.

An ID cyclist has next to no chance of finding justice in his wreck. Bicyclist injured in collision with Boise police car

Another story about that CA hit-and-run. Driver Sought In Hit-And-Run That Injured Antioch Cyclist As I pointed out yesterday that model of Acura has a glued windshield that requires professional tools and supplies to replace, all they need to do to catch the perp is wait for him to fix the windshield and arrest him then for tampering with the evidence in a crime, and obstruction of justice…

Another MD cyclist is hit. UPDATE: Cyclist Killed On Rt. 108 Identified Yet another hit-from-behind fatality, use the protocols to avoid, proper infrastructure to prevent.

Another link that wasn’t posted yesterday about helmets. Only 1 in 5 Capital Bikeshare Users Wears a Helmet Ooohhh! scaaarrryy! cyclists with bare heads! It’s total Anarchy! Cats and dogs lying together… How does that quote go? (Ghostbusters, I think, Bill Murray had the line whatever the movie was.)

I keep mentioning infrastructure so many times, here’s a link to a partial solution to the problem. Crash expert backs calls for 20mph speed limit While this would be a step in the right direction, speed limits in the Netherlands are 20 km/h in residential areas.

A pretty bike picture. Twin Cities Bike Picture of the Day: 5.3.12

And those are all the links that gave me fits today. Before today becomes tomorrow…

Billed @$0.02, Opus

Dad is coming back from the hospital today, and the Feed

I have been somewhat out of the loop about Dad’s condition and destination, but from what I have been told we are going to pick him up from the hospital this afternoon and bring him home, that there had been some alterations made to his medications that have stopped his back spasms and made him much more comfortable, and that he is able to get in and out of bed on his own. Before he quit eating he was almost able to get back in bed on his own, but still needed help getting sat up to get out of bed. After he quit eating that went backwards of course. His voice on the phone sounded much more sure and stable, and free of pain.

Up first is an update on the CA wreck of the founder of the Cutters cycling club, named for the Cutters team in the Little 500. Cyclist’s death has riders on edge Way too many wrecks on that stretch of pavement, way too many cars leaving the road to hit bicycles. And why haven’t assault charges been filed in the case where the driver crossed the road to hit cyclists head on? TANJ!

Another hit-and-run in CA. Police seek vehicle that injured cyclist in Antioch hit-and-run I didn’t catch the mode of the wreck, but finding the perp shouldn’t be too hard if they lean on the people who sell windshields.

A cyclist is hit in MD. Hit and run leaves teen severely hurt The mode of wreck sounds suspiciously like an assault, “swerved onto the shoulder striking the teen“. Anyway hit-from-behind protocols to avoid, getting the infrastructure right to prevent.

The LEO that hit him says the MA cyclist was riding salmon. Police: Bicyclist rode wrong way on Rte. 9 before crash Assuming the sole witness to the wreck was telling the truth, this wreck could have been avoided by using hit-from-behind protocols and not riding salmon. Getting the infrastructure right would have prevented the cyclist from being on a fast, busy, highway in the first place. The fact that the hospital the cyclist was taken to has no record of his admission and the police report having him with serious injuries makes me wonder about the rest of the report.

An IA wreck has closure as the driver responsible pleads guilty. Driver to plead guilty in death of bike rider AFAIK IA has Vehicular Manslaughter which has a much higher minimum sentence, so I’m assuming this is a plea bargain.

A cyclist is killed in Oz. Cyclist killed in accident near Clunes and Cyclist dies in road accident near Clunes also Three killed on Victoria’s roads None of the reports gave a mode for the wreck but all seemed to indicate the cyclist was not the one at fault in the wreck from the wording of the articles.

Helmet-crazy Infrastructure! news. Study: 80% of bike-share riders don’t use helmets and Bike Sharing? Stay Safe By Wearing A Helmet also 4 out of 5 of Bike Sharers Don’t Wear Helmets another one The Flaw In Public Bike Sharing Programs and last link Bike helmets could save $41 per child in hospital costs So the average child in the ER would cost $41 less if he/she had been wearing a helmet? And how much could we save if we get kids away from the most deadly thing in their lives, motor vehicles?

Infrastructure news from the UK about the upcoming London election. London Mayoral candidates questioned at cycling hustings I agree with one of the hecklers “When in a hole, stop digging!”

Infrastructure of a different kind in Italy where they have charging stations for e-vehicles built into a phone-booth like structure that also offers WiFi for browsing the Internet while waiting for your car or e-bike to recharge. In Italy, solar-powered phone booth offers wifi and electric-vehicle charging Just the spot to recharge your e-bike and catch up on e-mail… (no pun intended)

And that’s all the news that gave me fits today. Come back tomorrow for more Dad news with more actual bike news, too.

Billed @$0.02, Opus

Did some infrastructure research today, and the Feed

Happy Beltain to all my Pagan friends and readers!

Since I have access to this high-end computer with the great sound and lightning fast graphics I have been perusing A view from the cycle path David Hembrow’s excellent blog on cycle infrastructure done right and watching the video of how that infrastructure works. All I have to say is forget the stupid paint on the street “solutions” that have been promulgated here in the US as “bicycle infrastructure” and start building what they have in the Netherlands. Some of their cities have a 40% cycling mode share, and a 75% commute share. I know some transportation people who would sell their souls to get the Dutch mode share as a commute share as it would mean 39.9% fewer cars during the heaviest traffic of the day, or basically free-flowing traffic without having to build any more lanes. In fact with a 40% bicycle commute share they could remove an entire lane from cars in either direction to have a place to put the bike infrastructure on most commuting arterials.

Up first instead of linking to all the new stories about the Berkley hit-and-run that are 90% the same thing, and that I have already covered last week, I have links to a man that was hit from behind in GA. Cyclist Killed On North Decatur Road Was 53 and Bicyclist killed in Decatur identified as youth soccer coach also News update, May 1 another one Cyclist Killed in Accident Identified as Paul Taylor, 53 and last link Obit for Paul Taylor, Bicyclist Killed In Wreck From what I can tell about this wreck there was no reason for it, Mr. Taylor was doing everything right when he was hit from behind and the driver apparently wasn’t out to “get” cyclists so much as cyclists didn’t register on her radar screen. IOW she really “didn’t see him” in spite of the cyclist wearing bright colors. Hit-from-behind protocols to avoid and some of that Dutch-style infrastructure in Mr. Hembrow’s blog to prevent a similar wreck.

More on the AR teenager that was killed riding his bike. Juvenile dies in Lonoke County accident to get you back up to speed about the facts in the wreck UPDATE: Neighbors call for speed limits where 13-year-old is killed and Officials investigating traffic death of Ark teen more Neighbors Call for Changes After Teen Killed in Lonoke Co. From what I can determine from the totality of these articles is that with the current conditions the cyclist had no ability to see the car coming when he was at the stop sign, between the underbrush obstructing visibility and the 45 MPH speed limit in what has become a residential area. What people are saying is that this was caused by faulty infrastructure that nobody wants to take the reponsibility for, and the kid had zero chance of being able to avoid this wreck. So then that makes SBR the only way to avoid or prevent this wreck other than pure dumb luck.

A really bad wreck in CA that shouldn’t have happened, similar to the Hwy 360 wreck in Austin last week. CHP identifies Santa Maria man hit and killed while riding bike in Lompoc and Bicyclist hit by vehicle on Highway 1 dies more Bicyclist killed co-founded cycling club in Orcutt The cyclist was in the middle of a wide shoulder when the weapon vehicle drifted off the road and into the cyclist. Hit-from-behind protocols would have had a slight chance of improving the outcome of this wreck, SBR might have prevented it, but what is really needed is better control over who gets to drive deadly weapons on the roads. There was plenty of room for the cyclist and the vehicle on this bit of road had the driver been competent. But I see about as much chance of that being changed as I do us getting Dutch-style infrstructure in this decade…

Another bike wreck in CA, the rider was conscious after the wreck and the driver was blamed for the wreck. Bike Rider, Car Collide on South Novato Blvd. There wasn’t much information given but this appears to be a crossing impact caused by the driver violating he cyclist’s right of way during a turning movement. Intersection protocols to avoid, and that good old Dutch-style SBR to prevent.

Explaining the rules after a car kills a cyclist in GA. Rules of the road when cycling The cyclist in this case was lucky to not get hurt, most confrontations with motor vehicles end up with transportable injury or worse.

The last several links are all related to the state of bike infrastructure in the UK and specifically London. The Cycling revolution? How Boris courted and then lost the ever-growing cycling lobby and Mayor’s attack on ‘superior’ cyclists could cost him the two-wheel vote and also Boris Johnson: the cycle lobby messes it up

And those are all the links that gave me fits today.

Billed @$0.02, Opus

Some small measure of success, and the Feed

Dad is making small strides in his recovery, he managed to walk from the bathroom to the bed un-assisted and was able to sit down on his own. I still had to assist him getting his legs in the bed and getting up to his feet, but he may be able to start doing more for himself soon. He is also not taking the pain pills as often as he was, which can be either a good or a bad sign.

The big story today is the cyclist that was killed on a MUP in OH when he ran into an unmarked bollard in the middle of the trail away from any intersections. Cyclist dies after hitting barrier on B&O Trail and Barriers rethought after fatal bicycling accident also 179th mourns cyclist The really frustrating thing about this fatality (beyond that it was on one of the few SBR we have in this country) is that it was preventable. The bollard was both not properly marked and unnecessary. There was no intersection near that would allow a motor vehicle to enter the trail. It was just sticking up in the middle of the trail for no good reason. It could be removed tomorrow and not decrease the incursions of motor vehicles on the trail by any amount. All it has ever done is injure cyclists and now killed this one. Remove it and place a plaque beside the trail marking the site where this man died.

A wreck not far (by TX standards) from WoaB world HQ in the beautiful suburbs of Hell. Injured hit-and-run victim makes a plea for the driver to come forward Had Perry not vetoed the Vulnerable Road Users law in 2009 there would have been additional criminal charges that could be applied in this case. To avoid use the intersection protocols in the link at the top of my blog, with SBR and lowered speed limits to prevent such a wreck.

A wreck of unknown type in NJ, Cyclist injured in Gloucester Twp. crash At this point all that is known about the wreck is it was in or near an intersection, so intersection protocols to avoid, and proper infrastructure to prevent. Some legal infrastructure that makes hitting a cyclist a criminal matter when drivers are at fault would help considerably, too.

Another NJ wreck. Cyclist, 65, struck and killed by vehicle in NewarkZ Really bad road to be riding a bike on as the pavement is as much not there as it is there. Unfortunately this is pretty much the only through route in the area so all modes of travel have to use it regardless of how well it suits them, and right now I would say it doesn’t “suit” anyone, but motor vehicles would definitely be better suited to it that anything that tried to share it.

A wreck in PA injures a tiny cyclist. Child, 4, struck by SUV The child snuck out while he was supposed to be asleep and was hit because he was not conspicuous to the Texan driving the Supersized unnecessary Vehicle. I really don’t see any way to prevent something like this from happening with another 4YO in the future. Kids are kids, and as such do things that they’re not supposed to do and do unpredictable things.

A ridiculous sentence for killing a cyclist in NY. Woman faces jail in fatal accident with bike rider The woman worked in a hospital but couldn’t be bothered to stop and call 911 on her cell phone before going to work, and only gets 120 days in jail for leaving the cyclist to die, when prompt medical attention probably would have saved his life? What was this judge taking, and why isn’t he sharing with the victim’s family?

A cyclist is killed right outside his school in MN. Minnesota high school student struck, killed while riding bike and Teen Bicyclist Hit by Car, Killed in Minnetonka also Teen cyclist struck and killed Aside from getting hit right after he left the parking lot there wasn’t a whole lot on the mode of the wreck, so treat it like an intersection wreck and use the appropriate protocols.

That fatal wreck in SC has now been determined to be a right hook of the killed cyclist. Update: Crash Kills Cyclist In Simpsonville Not much to say here except that intersection protocols apply to avoid and decent infrastructure to prevent, and someone needs to take the license to drive away from commenter Bill Bush. (read the comments, but take a deep breath first…

In East Canuckistan a cyclist hit in a crosswalk is given a ticket… Cyclist injured in SUV collision Other than the cyclist being in the crosswalk and therefore in an intersection there wasn’t anything given about this wreck that would let me say how to avoid this wreck specifically, so intersection protocols to avoid, decent infrastructure to prevent and better awareness for drivers that there are bikes out there. Another link Injured cyclist to be ticketed for riding in crosswalk, police say

Sandy Eggo cyclists protest for better legal and physical infrastructure after a cyclist was killed on the same road and in nearly the same spot as a local newscaster was nearly killed 5 years ago. BICYCLISTS PROTEST OUTSIDE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS, CALL FOR IMPROVED SAFETY FOR RIDERS The cyclists were hit in a bike lane next to a 60 MPH road with a line of paint being the only separation between the two modes of travel.

And those are all the links that gave me fits today.

Billed @$0.02, Opus

Trying to get Dad better, and the Feed

Well there was some improvement yesterday in Dad as he had scrambled eggs for breakfast and more of the turkey-broccoli casserole for dinner as well as a few snacks between, but so far this morning he has been mostly quiet, denying he needs any pain meds or food, but I did manage to get half a bottle of Ensure down him. The really good news is that with all those calories he is finally starting to get warm enough to feel the temperature of the room and ask for the thermostat to be lowered and he had thrown off all the covers when I checked in on him this morning first thing. As the temperature in the house is hovering just under 80°F most of the day, this is a real improvement. It also makes icing his shoulder down much easier which really reduces his pain levels without using the drugs.

Up first and the Big Story, SF is batting 1.000 in criminal prosecutions against cyclists in pedestrian fatalities, but still under .070 in prosecuting drivers. S.F. bicyclist in fatal crash may face felony and Cyclist accused of killing pedestrian facing charges also Chris Bucchere, Cyclist Accused of Killing Pedestrian, to Be Charged more Bicyclst To Face Manslaughter Charges another one Cyclist In Fatal San Francisco Pedestrian Crash May Face Felony Charge not done yet Chris Bucchere, Cyclist Who Allegedly Killed Pedestrian In The Castro, Will Likely Be Charged With Felony still more SFPD Wants Felony Charges for Cyclist Who Killed Man not done yet SF DA to file charges this week against bicyclist in fatal collision getting close now Cyclist will face charges in connection with hitting pedestrian and last link SF’s DA says charges will be filed this week against cyclist in fatal collision Just a little reminder that fewer than 10% of drivers that kill pedestrians even get tickets, but 100% of cyclists that kill pedestrians have been prosecuted at the felony level. Not to say this guy didn’t deserve it, just that there are easily 50 times as many drivers that if investigated as hard as this cyclist would result in prosecutable offenses.

In sharp contrast, a cyclist is hit-and-run in Sandy Eggo. Bicyclist Injured in Hit-and-Run Note the difference in the degree of investigation between this wreck with a known felony offense (hit-and-run) with the cyclist’s offense in SF. Anyway, to avoid intersection protocols should be used, to prevent SBR need to be built.

On the other side of the country in SC a cyclist is hit in a crossing by a car. Cyclist Injured After Wreck In Simpsonville This was such a breaking story they didn’t even know which way the car was going when it hit the cyclist riding straight on the same road…

From the most deadliest state to walk or ride a bike in the US 6 years running and showing no signs of losing that #1 spot, another squished cyclist. Bicyclist injured after crash with car There is some question as to the sobriety of the cyclist. If the cyclist actually darted in front of the car, which may have been the case based on the grainy and out of focus picture that was with the link then avoiding this wreck would be as simple as riding in a controlled and predictable manner, with proper bicycle infrastructure to prevent the wreck.

From the UK one of the most terrifying videos I have ever seen (and I ride a bike in TX). Leicester bus driver may face disciplinary proceedings after cutting up cyclist (+ video) The bus tried to split a lane that was a couple of inches wider than the bus, forcing the cyclist to bail onto the sidewalk and as was pointed out if there had been any marked degree of curb separating the two the cyclist would have been all over the sidewalk or under the bus…

Infrastructure! news from NYC as a law that requires trucks to have mirrors similar to what is on school buses to eliminate front blind spots is unenforced. Family of Williamsburg child killed on bike blasts truck drivers, officials for ignoring new mirror law This and similar laws are on the dockets all over the world in an attempt to make large trucks (or HGV as they are called in the UK) less deadly.

Infrastructure news from the Twin Cities of MN. What’s Happening With The Sabo Bridge? Apparently what’s happening can be summed up in two words,”Not much.”

And As I finally get to put this post to bed, that’s all the news that gave me fits today.

Billed @$0.02, Opus

Insert witty headline here, and the Feed

Yesterday’s allergy relief was short lived as the pollen came back with a vengeance this morning. I woke up to eyes glued shut, blurred vision when I could get one opened, and a general sense of lethargy and a feeling that I just wasn’t processing on all cores, using another computer metaphor. I find I use those metaphors frequently in communicating my mental state; I describe my memory problems after the wreck as “the files are still there, but the FAT is scrambled so they can’t be found when you’re looking for them” as the most prominent example. Any way, thinking skills are definitely hampered by factors outside the body today.

Up first because of proximity, a town 2 over from WoaB World HQ in the beautiful suburbs of Hell adopts the safe-passing law that Gov Goodhair vetoed back in 2009. Plano adopts tough fines to give cyclists more room I suggest that when the town where WoaB is headquartered adopts this legislation that an ammendment be added that specifically excludes Rick Perry, his wife, children, and grandchildren from protection under this law. He blocked it for everyone else, why should he get any benefit from the same law adopted by local jurisdictions?

From the most deadliest state in the US to walk or ride a bike 6 years running, another victim. Police: Driver who hit bike rider may have been racing The cyclist was hit from behind by a car moving at such a great speed that it pushed a full-size pickup truck off the street and into a tree after it hit the cyclist with locked brakes. From what little I have been able to find out about this wreck the cyclist was either on a shoulder or in a bike lane when hit and had no time to react to the car before impact. IOW there was no way to avoid this wreck. SBR might have prevented it by removing the car from the cyclist’s environment. More Bicyclist killed in car accident and Bicyclist hit, killed by man who may have been street racing also Bicyclist killed in St. Petersburg crash, police say racing may be factor another link Police: Driver Street Racing Kills Bicyclist not done yet Police investigate if driver who struck bicyclist was street racing finally Bicyclist, 40, In Bike Lane, Killed In Crash

A child cyclist in KY is killed by a blind person driving an SUV. Family Mourns Boy Killed While Riding Bike The kid didn’t really give the driver much of a chance to see him before the wreck, but it is still the driver’s fault for not driving like there could be short people in the street in a residential area. More UPDATE: 6-year-old hit by SUV, killed

Another hit-and-run murder of a cyclist in NYC. Car Hits and Kills a Boy in Brooklyn Actually not murder as a deliberate act to kill the cyclist, but still a homicide as the driver failed to remain at the scene after running the cyclist over. This is another example of why SBR are needed, as the cyclist’s fall would not have placed him in mortal peril on SBR. Another link Search for hit and run driver who killed teen You can see from that link the bicycle was not even touched in the wreck, just the cyclist. also 13-Year-Old Boy Falls Off Bike In Bensonhurst, Killed By Hit-And-Run Driver and Bensonhurst Teen Cyclist Killed in Hit-and-Run and another link Teen cyclist killed by hit-and-run driver in Brooklyn

Death in NC. Cyclist killed in Summerfield crash Another blind driver is given a free pass for manslaughter. Hit-from-behind protocols to avoid, SBR to prevent. More Katherine Shubert Dies After Being Hit While Cycling In Summerfield

A wreck in SC damages a building and injures several people. Vehicle malfunction to blame for Ocean Lakes accident Uh-huh. The (elderly) driver lost control of the brand-new vehicle because it broke, hitting a cyclist, 3 cars, and a house.

A wreck in way Upstate NY the Great White North. Cyclist injured in Fort Erie collision It seems like the driver stopped blocking the lane the cyclist was using while waiting for motor vehicle traffic to clear. The only thing that would prevent a wreck like this would be public executions of stupid drivers like this, and not even I am willing to go that far.

Another bike wreck in the Great White North. Cyclist struck Another sidewalk cyclist hit, again to avoid get off the sidewalk and into the street, to prevent get real SBR.

More CARnage in the GWN. Cyclist killed in Whitby collision and Cyclist killed in Whitby also Cyclist struck by car and killed in Whitby The wreck seems to be a hit-from-behind, use that protocol to avoid, SBR to prevent cyclists from being in proximity with Supersized Unnecessary Vehicles.

Infrastructure! news from NE, riding on sidewalks more dangerous than riding in street. Bike Safety: Street Actually Better Than Sidewalk I believe this counts as a “No Duh!” statement for people experienced with bike safety. And for the VC contingent, the difference between sidewalks and SBR is the difference between a country road and an Interstate Highway for cars. SBR are marked with signs announcing their presence to motor vehicle traffic, and when done right that signage gives traffic on the SBR priority over traffic on motor vehicle only roads. Sidewalks have none of that, and drivers don’t expect fast-moving traffic to come from a sidewalk.

And those are all the links that gave me fits today.

Billed @$0.02, Opus