More observations on hit-from-behind, and the Feed

Well most of you have seen the post from yesterday on hit-from-behind wrecks becoming statistically large in bicycle deaths, rising from 1 in 22 deaths from the 1970s through the 1990s (with very minor fluctuations) to 1 in 4 bicycle deaths in 2011. Along with this increase in hit-from-behind was a similar increase in hit-and-run. Just my impression but I think that a majority of the hit-and-run I see are also hit-from-behind, and it is well-known that the single most important factor in surviving major trauma is quick response. In fact there is something called The Golden Hour (with caps) in major trauma that getting medical care and stabilized in the first hour after the initial trauma improves survival something like 90%. When someone is sitting in a broken heap on the side of the road they aren’t getting care, and they die. That’s just my opinion as an interested observer, not anything you can take to the bank.

Most of the links I got today were either notifications of or reports on the Ride of Silence as it unfolded around the world in over 320 locations worldwide. TEMECULA: Cyclists on Ride of Silence sign “get well” cards for injured girl and Memorial honors injured cyclists another one Ride of Silence: Cyclists roll for safety still more Cyclists remember those killed on road with ‘Ride of Silence’ not done by a long shot Cyclists Ride in Silence For Bike Safety Month more Richmond Cyclists Organize Ride of Silence wow not done yet Ride of Silence pays tribute to killed and injured bicyclists still more from just up the pike from WoaB World HQ in the beautiful suburbs of Hell A silent ride remembering those injured and killed while cycling not done yet A long, slow line riding for remembrance and safety another Bike Rally in Shreveport when will it ever end? Ride of Silence honors injured, killed cyclists still not done Ride of Silence Tonight to Honor Injured Cyclists more West Michigan bicyclists honor riders killed in crashes, call for more understanding between bikers and motorists from the most deadliest state in the US to walk or ride a bike Ride of silence honors cyclists killed and injured on bikes from the Heartland of the US Bicycle riders pay respects to those killed/hurt with Ride of Silence more from CA Dozens of Richmond riders pay respects to injured cyclists still more Ride of Silence from Iowa Ride of Silence calls attention to cyclists killed in accidents not done yet Sharing the Road in ‘Silence’ Song quote “How long can this go on?” “Ride of Silence” reminds drivers to watch out for bicyclists another one Cyclists ride to honor, raise awareness From MI Ride of Silence May 16 advocates cyclist awareness, memorializes fallen riders still more Ride of Silence 2012 Tonight from Wilmot Park from the town my brother works in Myrtle Beach-area cyclists to support Ride of Silence and last link (finally) Ride Of Silence Hits Several Northern Michigan Communities By WordPress’ count that’s almost 500 words between the links and the comments just on the RoS.

From CA a SWCC or possible red-light runner. Santa Clara man killed while riding bicycle is identified If the report is accurate (the only witness was the driver) then don’t run red lights to avoid a similar wreck, otherwise intersection protocols besides not running red lights, and to prevent get the infrastructure right so that speeding cars are not trying to occupy the same space as slow bikes.

Another report on the cyclist killed near Citi field in NYC. Bicyclist dies after he gets hit by driver: Cops Still the same damn thing, the only surviving witness claims no wrongdoing on their part so NYPD agrees and drops the investigation…

A cyclist falls from the shared path into fast traffic on a bridge in Detroit. Cyclist injured after tumbling into bridge traffic in Grosse Ile I lay most of the blame for this one on the infrastructure and Detroit’s inability to pay for fixing things. I don’t know how a cyclist could prevent the loss of control that preceded this wreck as I don’t know what caused it.

Last link from Cycle Twin Cities again today. One on One Invades St. Paul I’m glad they have a bicycle service vendor for their bike center in downtown St. Paul.

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

Billed @$0.02, Opus

Waiting on the Ride of Silence, and the Feed

No, I’m not forgetting about the Ride of Silence. It’s just that this year I’m going to be in a place without a Ride and also without a bike, which makes me a little depressed about the Ride. I’ll get over it, but for now I’m a bit on the down side. That’s why I’m not posting as many links in the run-up to the Ride as I usually do. Also this is the first time I won’t be able to make the Mother Ride. I mean I have missed a few RoS because of scheduling snafus (the BPAC meeting being held on the same day and a couple of cities away from the Ride being the biggest impediment to attending the Ride), but this is the first time I have had absolutely zero chance of making the Mother Ride.

I’m not going to post any links to the death of the cyclist killed when she hit the back of a team car during a race in CA, but that doesn’t mean I disregard the death. It was just as meaningful as any death, but it was during a race on closed roads and there is nothing I can say that would apply to people riding on the roads in “normal” traffic. So while I feel just as bad about this wreck as I do about all the rest of them, I’m not going to link to this story.

Up first a NC cyclist was wearing clothes instead of a glow in the dark clown costume so it was obviously his fault he got hit, right? Cyclist was wearing dark clothing, lacked large reflectors on bike The cyclist in this case was seen to be drinking prior to the wreck, so there is a possibility he was impaired and rode out in front of the driver too close to be avoided. To avoid use intersection protocols and wear lights on the bike, to prevent get the infrastructure right so cyclists don’t have to cross busy high-speed highways to get to or from things like restaurants.

A little away from that wreck the guy that died on Folly Road in Charleston was also charged in a DUI death of a pedestrian on the same stretch of road. Skinful felony DUI suspect under legal limit for alcohol, tested positive for THC I’m still trying to get a handle on this wreck as a local tells me that there were no parked cars on the street where the cyclist was killed, but that this was a street that saw a lot of bike traffic because of the bridge it connected to and that trying to ride on side streets would cause you to keep crossing Folly as the through streets crossed the road several times. As far as the previous wreck is concerned he may not have had enough alcohol in his blood to be legally drunk but add a contact high from pot… and I’m still of mixed feelings about this. Sure he was a drunk/impaired driver who killed a pedestrian, but he died a cyclist… So does he go to the hot place of eternal torment because ha drove drunk and killed a pedestrian, or the comfy place with bad music because he died a cyclist? Questions like that are beyond my pay grade and security clearance…

A CT cyclist and several passengers are injured when a bus is hit from behind as the cyclist was loading his bike on the bus front bike rack. Several Injured After Truck Hits Bus OK there is no earthly way a cyclist can avoid this one as it was a pinball wreck where a second vehicle hits the cyclist after being hit itself, and in this case the bus was hit out of the field of vision of the cyclist or any of the rest of the passengers of the bus. To prevent this would be a good case for installing bike/bus lanes so that there would be no trucks in the lane to hit the bus from behind at a high rate of speed.

A really nasty hit-and-run in PA. Charges Expected In Weekend Hit-And-Run From the information in the article I would say that this was either a case of an impaired driver or a deliberate assault on the cyclist for being “in the way”. To avoid use the hit-from-behind protocols from the link at the top of my blog, to prevent get the stupid infrastructure right so drivers don’t feel compelled to get angry at a cyclist “in the way”.

A cyclist in Enn Zed gets right crossed (the equivalent of the left cross for those that drive on the wrong side of the road). Cyclist hit in rush hour traffic Not much I can say about this one really except the usual platitudes about using intersection protocols to avoid a similar wreck and getting the infrastructure right to prevent a wreck like that from ever being able to happen.

Infrastructure! news from around NY. Westfielder Walker Makes Strides for Safety at Tamaques Park Apparently pedestrians feel like they should walk in the bike lanes. And the sidewalk, and anywhere else they feel?

Another article ranking infrastructure along with intangibles for cycling in the US, by city. Minneapolis Ranks #1 For Cycling…. Again. I noticed that Dallas and Garland both failed to make the top 1000 of cities in their size…

Cyclists in Jolly Olde don’t like being stationary targets. We jump red lights for our own safety, cyclists claim I have been hearing this for years, and there is some factual evidence to back them up on this one, specifically the study on why more women than men are killed by HGV at intersections. Advocacy & Safety – “Are women cyclists in more danger than men?”

Links to Ride of Silence events. The Ride of Silence: a loud cry for bicycle safety and Freeloaders: Two wheels are better than four

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

Billed @$0.02, Opus

Another Mule Day, and the Feed

Yep, still trying to restock the pantry after running low on a lot of things last month, including allergy pills. This will be a 2 ruck and bike panniers day according to Mrs. the Poet, and I’ll need to bring the tie-downs for lashing external cargo to the rack that’s too big to carry in a ruck. Apparently there is a big sale on toilet paper in the mega-pack and Mrs. the Poet doesn’t want to miss out on this bargain. I feel sorry for Blue, and a little concerned for my legs. Mrs. the Poet will be tasked with bringing home things that need to not be squished, like bread and some of the produce. Blue will be tasked with bringing home the really heavy stuff and also things too big to stuff into a ruck, I get whatever fits into my ruck. If we get volume-limited Mrs. the Poet gets the light stuff Blue and I can’t carry. Whee!

More on the soap-opera that has become the Pinkybike wreck investigation in CA. Police Reopen Cyclist Crash as Possible Aggravated Assault At this point I’m thinking the driver or passenger in the Lexus is either in LAPD or highly connected with LAPD.

Another cyclist hit in the same town where the idiot in the Escalade drove over the curb and hit 3 cyclists on the sidewalk, this time with fewer victims and much less damage. Cyclist, 11, injured by car in Concord This is a case of a driver not looking where the car was going but only watching for possible threats from the street. As a cyclist there is no way to avoid a wreck like this and still be able to use the roads, SBR to prevent along with significant penalty for hitting a cyclist/pedestrian, like loss of the vehicle.

Speaking of that other wreck LEO are checking the cellphone records of the driver. Police check cell records in fatal Concord crash

A driver knows they’re boned by the evidence in CA. Soquel horse trainer pleads no contest in the 2011 death of a cyclist The victim’s BAC% should have been ruled inadmissible in the case. He wasn’t hit because he was drunk, he was hit-and-run because the driver did not bother to not hit him.

More on the idiot cyclist that killed a pedestrian in SF. Traffic Video Allegedly Contradicts Cyclist’s Story In Deadly S.F. Pedestrian Collision Since this video is not available to be viewed (even if I could not view it with this computer) and does not show the light in question I reserve judgement about the timing of the wreck, but those that have seen it say the cyclist was not laying the bike down to avoid the wreck. But they say that it does show the pedestrians were also not in compliance with the portion of the applicable CA code that requires peds to not enter the crosswalk until all vehicles already in the intersection have cleared it, so lots of blame to (apparently) go around here, but still DON’T HIT THE PEDESTRIANS! Of the 3 deaths in bike/ped wrecks in SF in the last 2 years 2 were pedestrians and one was a cyclist, so out of self-preservation if nothing else DON’T HIT THE PEDESTRIANS! More SF officials announce efforts to reduce traffic fatalities

Hit-and-run in PA. Perry County teen hit by pickup while riding his bike The wreck was described as being near an intersection but not actually in the intersection and the cyclist was not riding salmon, so hit-from-behind protocols to avoid. SBR to prevent. The narrative sounds like rednecks out to scare the cyclist by a buzz job that got too close, possibly a random assault of a cyclist in response to the recently activated 4-foot passing law in PA.

A drunk driver kills in Paradise. Bike rider dies after collision in Hilo Wednesday morning (April 11) and Hilo bicyclist killed by suspected drunken driver More 20-year-old bicyclist killed in Hilo hit-and-run and Man, 20, dies in hit-and-run collision in Hilo another one Fatal bike vs. vehicle crash in Hilo OK the facts of this case are a hit-from-behind by a drunk driver that was exceeding the speed limit (as proven by the utility pole that was taken out by the vehicle)… Now how the heck you’re supposed to avoid something like this on a narrow residential street is utterly beyond me. But SBR to prevent, maybe.

A driver person in a car hits 3 cyclists from behind in TN and no charges are filed. Father Struck, Killed During Family Bicycle Ride WTF? There were 5 people riding legally on the road and the driver only missed 2 of them and because he might have had the sun in his eyes the driver gets a pass? And TN has a 3-foot passing law that hitting a cyclist is proof that you didn’t give 3 feet. TANJ!

And in SC a driver is arrested almost a year to the day after he killed a cyclist. Inman Man Charged In 2011 Deadly Hit-And-Run Accident Not enough information about the wreck to tell how to avoid it, but putting this idiot behind bars for a long time might let everyone avoid another wreck, at least with him. SBR would prevent wrecks like this.

And in NYC more lazy investigation by NYPD before the victim’s body is even cold. [UPDATE] SUV Driver Kills 18-Year-Old Bronx Cyclist, “No Criminality Suspected” The investigation hasn’t even been completed before the driver is exonerated by NYPD (Never Yet Prosecuted a Driver).

LifeStyle from Houston. Watch the road: Friday is Bike to Work Day in Houston You couldn’t pay me enough to ride a bike in Houston, and this from a giy that has more than 12K miles commuting in Dallas County.

LifeStyle from Oz. What got you on a bike? What got me on a bike was taking off the training wheels.

Infrastructure! from Seattle. Judge tosses out bicyclists’ lawsuit over SLU streetcar tracks OK under WA state laws the right lane is now obstructed and unusable for cycling because of the streetcar, so bikes may now legally take the left lane in that stretch of road… And the city really should post signs alerting drivers to that.

Infrastructure from S.F. CA. Traffic School For Cyclists On The Way, Says SFPD At least now cyclists have a way to avoid those ridiculous fines.

More Infrastructure. Five Things Drivers Need to Understand About Sharing the Road with Cyclists We know this, but drivers are for the most part clueless about it.

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

Billed @$0.02, Opus

Light on links with a heavy social schedule, the Feed

Yes, I have few links in today’s Feed. I also had a class this morning and a RPG game this evening, so here goes…

Up first a minor injury wreck in the most deadliest state in the US to walk or ride a bike. Cyclist injured in collision with car on Southern Boulevard Causeway The cyclist wasn’t hurt too bad and the bike can be repaired. This looks like a wreck that would fall under the FL 3-foot passing law, but I don’t see the driver getting a ticket. Hit-from-behind protocols to avoid with the built environment, SBR to prevent.

More on “OMG a cyclist hit a pedestrian!” in SF. Attorney says bicyclist in fatal crash believes he entered intersection lawfully and Bicycle groups condemn ‘reckless’ behavior following posts about fatal crash I really don’t see what the noise is about. This is only the second pedestrian killed by a cyclist in over 8 months, there was another pedestrian killed by a car that day, and the day after that were barely mentioned. The cyclist in this wreck was injured trying to avoid the wreck (he actually laid the bike down and slid on his side into the crosswalk). I have only read one account that had the cyclist actually “running” the red, all the other accounts agree with the cyclist’s statement that he entered as the light turned yellow and it went red after he entered the intersection.

Hit-and-run in SoCal. Witness a Hit and Run at Brooks and Lincoln Today? Not much to say about this one as the cyclist had little chance to react and to avoid this wreck. SBR would prevent the wreck.

Bike hate in America’s Copenhagen, Portland. Driver arrested after confrontation with cyclist This is very unusual, not that there was a confrontation, but that the LEO actually paid attention to someone other than the driver (like the other witnesses) and arrested this guy for assault and leaving the scene of a wreck. If you read the comments you can see why I find this unusual, all kinds of bike hate there…

NYPD just can’t seem to get away from cyclists. The NYPD Starts to Track Bike Accidents for Trends and NYPD Now Tracking Cyclist Accidents No, this doesn’t mean they are now going to pay attention to cyclists getting killed by cars, just when cyclists hit pedestrians. Of course they’re probably still going to ignore when pedestrians get hit by cars.

“Interesting” discussion up in the Great White North about infrastructure as two entities battle it out over who has to pay for a cyclist injured by a road defect. City, Britannia Yacht Club in dispute over roadway The cyclist was injured when he hit a drainage grate that trapped his front wheel, and now the two sides are fighting over who was responsible for the grate… In the meantime the injured cyclist has to pay for someone to wipe the drool from his chin since the wreck on his own dime. Both sides are claiming the cyclist hit the grate on purpose (!) but that the other side was responsible for the defective grate that nearly killed the cyclist.

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

Billed @$0.02, Opus

Spring is here and I’m ready to DO something, and the Feed

I’m really in the mood to build something, but I lack a certain something required before any project can be contemplated, a budget. I have so many things I want to build: a low-racer recumbent, a 20/20 crank-forward bike, a cargo trailer that can actually carry enough food and equipment to self-sustain a week long camping trip riding from one campsite to the next, a streamliner bike, a long-range electric-assist recumbent. I have actually planned out all of those bikes and happened to have components to build them just laying around to do so, some of the bike plans would use the same components for different bikes, like the low-racer, the e-assist bike, and the streamliner are all basically the same bike geometry with slightly different configurations, but realistically I could build one of those 3, the crank-forward bike, and the camping trailer, if I had the $$ to get the rest of the materials and consumables and spent less time sitting at my computer thinking about building things.

Up first is not a bike wreck, but a warning on a new hazard developing out there on the roads. OnStar To The Rescue: Police Find Driver Suffering Diabetic Reaction Because of the obesity epidemic (caused by cars) there are millions of people out there that don’t know they are at risk to lose coherence behind the wheel as a result of out-of-control blood sugar. The results are similar to drunk driving with the lovely “benefit” of the driver not knowing they are no longer totally in control (IOW even less likely than a drunk to know they need to slow down and be careful). I’m still researching this to see what the signs are from the outside of the car that a person is Driving While Diabetic, other than looking pretty much the same as a drunk driver.

From the most deadliest state in the US to walk or ride a bike, one of the reasons why it is so deadly. Carlos Bertonatti Gets Ninth Delay In Trial For Killing Biker On Rickenbacker Causeway If drivers see that they won’t get punished for killing cyclists except to see a slight rise in their insurance to repair the sheet metal damages to their cars, then they won’t be too worried about hitting cyclists, unless they actually see cyclists as being fellow human beings that feel pain &tc…

We had 2 big stories today, one US and the other international. The Big US strory was a woman hit in a SWCC wreck in OH. Bicyclist who died in collision is identified and Bicyclist Struck, Killed By Minivan In Ross County another link Chillicothe Bicyclist Killed In Crash And how I wish that ONN was The Onion… Ross County’s 8th fatal crash in 2012 raises concerns After I read all the articles and saw several pictures of the victim’s bike, I have come to the conclusion that despite the only witness to this wreck being the driver the story is accurate, the cyclist failed to stop at the stop sign or stopped but failed to yield to the oncoming vehicle. The level of destruction to the bike and the car show how violent this wreck was. It is for cyclists like this woman, who was developmentally delayed, that SBR are most necessary.

NYPD screws up again. City Councilor Files Amicus Brief in Mathieu Lefevre Case This mass fornication just keeps getting bigger and bigger. like a smelly snowball, or that thing in the video game where you roll the sticky ball around that just keeps getting bigger and bigger until it gets bigger then the solar system.

In Middle Canukistan another report on a cyclist hit by a semi. Cyclist killed in highway crash The cyclist was hit from behind on the shoulder of the road while wearing the requisite helmet and glow in the dark clown suit (during broad daylight hours), it is now known. No word on any charges to be filed.

Also from the Great White North, the cyclist hit by a cop in an unmarked cruiser has died from his injuries without regaining consciousness. Cyclist dies of injuries: News Briefs

The cyclist that hit a jogger still has not regained consciousness or been identified. Qualicum Beach cyclist injured in collision with jogger Another reason to have wearable ID when you go for a bike ride. More RCMP discover identity of badly injured cyclist and Vancouver Island cyclist who collided with jogger dies in hospital and Cyclist dies after collision with jogger Another senseless jogging-related death. Something must be done about these people that just run around willy-nilly killing innocent cyclists. The need to have jogging licences and carry insurance and have their shoes registered…[/sarcasm]

The other really big story is a SWSS involving a billionaire’s son and a car reported to cost almost a half-million dollars. The Billionaire’s Son, The Dead Cyclist And The Tweeted Manslaughter Defense I have to say that is the first time I have ever linked to a wreck report from Forbes Billionaire Heir Accidentally Kills Cyclist With $450,000 Mercedes and The Son Of Brazil’s Richest Man Is Being Investigated After Killing A Cyclist With His $450,000 Mercedes and Car Crash: Billionaire’s Son Hits Cyclist with SLR McLaren and last link Son of billionaire tycoon in police probe following deadly crash in £750,000 supercar that his father keeps in his LIVING ROOM The pictures are of such a violent wreck I just can’t imagine the forces involved. The cyclist’s body nearly took the roof of a car designed to survive a rollover wreck at 100 km/hr without collapsing. I just can’t believe the driver was “only” going 110km/hr (~70 MPH) when he hit the cyclist. Other witnesses claim that just before the wreck they saw the cyclist riding on the hard shoulder of the 2-lane highway…

LifeStyle article about support for the family of a child killed while riding a bicycle in front of his home. Community rallies to help family of boy killed by car

Infrastructure! from TN of all places. City walk/bike trail boosts child exercise Whodathunkit? Giving children some place to be active results in children that are more active, and less fat. (Thanks to BikingInLA for the link).

And after all that mess, a pretty picture. Twin Cities Bike Picture of the Day: 3.21.12

And those are all the links that gave me fits today (actually there were a few more that had nothing to do with bicycles, but hese are all the ones that had something to do with bicycles).

Billed @$0.02, Opus

I think I left my mind around here somewhere, and the Feed

Well I didn’t even get all the links I wanted posted yesterday because I 1) got up late, 2) had Mule Day duties bringing home the groceries, 3) had a church function to attend. and 4) had a double Feed to filter because of spending most of the day getting to and from Arlington for a meeting that took less time than the shower I took before leaving the house on Thursday. So I missed a few links from Oz, that I can’t find now to share with you a few days late. And the headline is a joke about having so much to do that I lost my mind, temporarily. (I hope temporarily).

Up first is a recall notice on 900 Giant brand bicycles. Giant Bicycle Inc. recalls two models If you have one of these bikes stop riding it and return it to the dealer you bought it from for a replacement fork. More CPSC: Giant Bicycle Recalls Two 2012 Models for Fall Hazards

Reason #20 why riding on the sidewalk is dangerous, the right hook. Elderly man hurt in Littleton bicycle accident The cyclist was riding on the sidewalk, the driver wasn’t looking for traffic from the sidewalk when he turned, the cyclist and the motor vehicle had a “coming together”. To avoid, first ride in the street where drivers can see you, second, intersection protocols.

In CA the driver that was DUI when he hit-and-run a cyclist was caught drinking in jail. Fireman Who Drunkenly Hit Cyclist Accused of Drinking in Jail This was the (former) LB fire captain who ran down a cyclist while driving with a BAC% that was 3 times the legal limit then left the man to die (he lived). It’s up to the judge but the sot could now be sentenced to 5 years in state prison.

A halfway appropriate sentence for killing a cyclist. Glouco man gets 7-year term for crash that killed tricyclist Seven years and an eight year driving ban will hopefully keep this scum away from the wheel for the better part of 13 years assuming he gets out after 85% of his prison sentence. If the clock on his driving ban doesn’t start until the expiration of his sentence, not his release, then we are safe for 15 years or so…

Hit-and-run in Oz. Boy riding bike hit by P-plate driver For people not up on Aussie driving regs a P-plate indicates the driver is driving under provisional status until he or she has enough experience and maturity to warrant being allowed full driving privileges. Generally this means the driver is most likely a teenager. The description indicates the driver didn’t move into the bicycle’s path until he was alongside, giving the cyclist zero time to react. I would suggest treating this as an assault rather than a traffic violation.

And the aftermath of a brutal bike wreck that has haunting similarity to mine. ‘Being like this is awful. I just want to die.’ The driver made a U-turn to hit the cyclist with a pickup truck. Boy do I know how that feels. The victim had multiple lower body injuries and brain damage. Well I’m not in a wheelchair, yet, nor did I lose all my memories, but everything else, yes. The difference is she got to confront her assailant, mine died by his own stupidity first..

And that’s all I have today.

Billed @$0.02, Opus

Woke up with a serious case of the Mondays, and the Feed

It’s funny in a way. I “work” at this blog 7 days a week, with a minor respite on Sundays when I do a post with no wreck articles in it (and usually no links to create, either). But when I woke up this morning I was like “I do NOT want to get out of this bed” case of the Mondays. One day is pretty much like any other day for me, so why am I having a Garfield moment and hating Monday? I mean if anyone should have no reason to hate Mondays a cat that has no job to go to and pretty much eats and sleeps and otherwise takes care of biological functions without effort would be the most logical candidate, but Garfield is famous for hating Mondays. Maybe it’s a case of weather-related blahs as we have been in an extended period of grey skies and cool to cold, and damp weather. Whatever the cause I did not want to get out of bed this morning.

Up first is a strange link that seems to either have a reason or a result for FL being the most deadliest place to walk or ride a bicycle in the US now for the 5th year running. America’s Saddest Cities There was a preponderance of FL cities in the F grade section of the list. The highest grade for a FL city was Orlando with a D-. I’m not going so far as to claim cause and effect, just a correlation.

Eighteen months after a fatal wreck in NM, questions about the investigation (?) from tribal police still remain. U.S. Rep. Holden comments on investigation of death of Ringtown cyclist AFAIK the cyclist in this case was hit-from-behind on a road with great sight lines, the driver was never tested for drugs or alcohol, and the crime scene was cleaned up and all evidence destroyed by first responders almost as quick as they got there.

Another FL hit-and-run of a ninja cyclist. Lehigh Acres bicyclist injured in hit and run I keep harping on this, but if you’re going to make the choice to ride ninja than you have to ride as if you’re invisible. Otherwise get good lights and ride so you can be seen. Aside from that intersection protocols apply to avoiding this wreck.

A link that showed up in multiple folders in the Feed. Friends, Family Gather In Candlelight Vigil For Kirkland Cyclist Killed by SUV The more I read about this driver the more I want to strangle him with my own hands for driving in the condition he drove in. More about the story Bail Set at Half a Million for Man Who Killed Cyclist Yes, his bail was set at $500,000. Pittance, really. More Redmond man to be charged today in fatal DUI collision with Kirkland cyclist

More on the super safety-minded cyclist that was hit-from-behind crossing a bridge in PA. Cycling loses its ambassador That this is a column on how to reduce your living expenses expounding on how great a guy this was says more than I ever can about the quality of the man as a cyclist and as a human being.

When you kill with a motor vehicle if you get charged at all it is normally a misdemeanor. CHP urges misdemeanor charge in death of Fort Bragg cyclist Kill a man, get up to a year in jail and no felony convictions on your record… TANJ!

Still in CA a cyclist hit by multiple vehicles had large amounts of illegal drugs in his system. Cyclist killed on Thanksgiving tested positive for meth As cycling becomes more widespread in the population again this will become more common, what with people on bikes being people first.

Another link to the wreck of a cyclist hit by a van towing a trailer that drifted off the road. Cyclist struck by car, killed on Mulholland This wreck is now having serious questions asked as photographs of the scene show a greatly different result that the official story, but those pictures are not online to be linked to.

SC authorities seem more interested in blaming the victims than stopping the killers in pedestrian and cyclist deaths. With 5 pedestrian deaths already this year, authorities escalating enforcement efforts They issued 459 tickets and warnings against pedestrians, how many speeding tickets did they issue?

Authorities in AL are trying to keep cyclists from getting hit by motor vehicles, but it’s a challenge. Bicyclists, motorists urged to ‘share the road’ (video) The good thing about this article is that they were quite clear that many wrecks were officially not caused by cyclists, and in comments it was posted that many that were “officially” caused by cyclists were in fact the fault of the driver. But that doesn’t prevent a cyclist from having to be careful while riding.

Up in the Great White North there is some movement to reduce the numbers of cyclists killed, by improving the places where they ride to get where they’re going. Cycling advocate seeks city investment in biking safety This is wreck-prevention change in the infrastructure.

Cyclists mourn in Guelph. Guelph cyclists hold slow ride to honour fallen The ride not in sorrow, but in hope.

And that’s all the news I could stand to read twice today (once to filter and again to post the links).

Billed @$0.02, Opus

Pre-Thanksgiving Mule day duties, and the Feed

Since we have Thanksgiving on Thursday, Mule duties are being moved up a day so that the food for the feast can be cooked. The budget has been enlarged, and Mrs. the Poet and I are both bringing the army surplus rucks, along with the kitty-litter bucket panniers that will carry as much of the really heavy stuff as they can hold. With any kind of luck I will be able to get all the really heavy stuff except the turkey on the panniers, I already know the turkey won’t fit through the opening in the lid of the kitty-litter buckets.

Up first is a report on a man on a bicycle who was shot during a robbery attempt. Phoenix PD: Man shot, killed while riding bike to work The man was shot and was still able to ride to police before he collapsed from his bike, thereby proving the superiority of cyclists over drivers. Of course had he gotten medical attention right away instead of riding another mile or so from the crime scene he would have survived…

A cyclist riding with beer on his bike on the way home from the store was hit from behind by a speeding cop. Bicyclist Struck And Killed By Pembroke Pines Cop in Davie and Pines detective hits, kills cyclist and Bicyclist struck, killed in police-involved crash also Pembroke Pines cop strikes, kills bicyclist in Davie, police say still more Cops: South Fla. officer strikes, kills bicyclist I could never get an article to pull up that had pictures of the bike or the weapon vehicle, but the description of the cargo carried by the bicyclist varied from 2 cases of beer to 2 4-packs of beer, the direction of the bike was over a 180 degree arc from crossing one way to hit-from-behind to crossing the other way. Neither was it explained why an on-duty cop was driving around outside his jurisdiction, and exceeding the speed limit without flashing lights or a siren. Some of the comments are already screaming “cover-up”.

Still in FL, another SWCC or SWSS wreck. Police: Boynton Beach woman, 55, dies after riding bike into traffic If the report is accurate (remember this is a FL bike wreck) then don’t cross against the red to avoid a wreck like this.

Both the driver and his drunk-driving victim were from the same school in this wreck in OR. Driver, dead cyclist both UO students Hit-from-behind by a drunk driver in the bike lane, not much chance to avoid this wreck.

Finally a halfway appropriate sentence for killing a cyclist. Herschel Roberts found guilty in crash that killed Cleveland bicyclist The driver gets 3 years in prison and a lifetime ban from driving for a fatal right-hook of a cyclist while driving under the influence of pot. he will also be under 3 years of probation after his sentence which should keep him from driving for at least the next 6 years. More Truck driver headed to prison in vehicular homicide of cyclist, local bicyclist reacts

More on the road-raging driver that killed a cyclist during a left-cross incident. Christopher Loven to face careless driving count in truck/bike death that killed Eugene Howrey This was the minimum charge that could be brought, but the maximum one that the DA thinks he can get a conviction on.

A NYC cyclist is hit while riding home from his job. Queens Student Killed in Hit-and-Run While Cycling Home from Work Hit-from-behind by an (allegedly) stoned driver with no real escape route except the narrow shoulder. Not much the cyclist could do to avoid this wreck.

Apparently it is not against the law in that part of CA to go off the road and hit a cyclist from behind. Investigation ongoing in death of cyclist near Fort Bragg Well maybe it is against the law some of the time but maybe not this time?

A wreck in NC that just defies explanation as a man is tasered off his moving bicycle by a cop. Halifax County man dies after being shot with stun gun The cop never tried to pull in front of the cyclist or even along side the cyclist until he was already committed to using the taser on the operator of a moving vehicle. The comments on the article are mostly that the cop was either stupid or psycho for tazing a developmentally challenged individual with bad hearing and subject to seizures while he was riding a bike, when he could have just driven in front of him, gotten out of the car and stopped the cyclist. More links Cause of death ruling could take three months also SBI Now Investigating Halifax County Stun Gun Death lots of comments comparing the LEO with Barney Fife and SBI probing use of stun gun on NC man who died and also Family: Police Should Never Have Tased Him Some of those links had pictures of the dead cyclist, and to be honest he looks very dangerous, to a good meal. I would estimate his weight at maybe 100 pounds (45 kilos) if you hosed him down in heavy clothes first. One article said he might have weighed as much as 130 pounds (55 kilos).

A candlelight vigil for a cyclist killed in PA. Candlelight vigil tonight for cyclist killed in Kensington This was the cyclist killed by a driver who was bouncing off the parked cars on the other side of the bike lane the cyclist was riding in.

Another cyclist is killed in a hit-and-run in the Great White North. Hit and run kills Quebec teen I don’t care where the cyclist was riding, hit-and-run makes it the fault of the driver for not staying there to render aid. At this time the direction of travel for the victim has not been released, but the fact that bits of the weapon vehicle are being analysed to determine the make of the vehicle tells me this was not just a brush-by hit-and-run, the driver had to know he hit something substantial. Since there were no pictures of the bike I can’t say how another cyclist could have avoided this wreck.

A women in Enn Zed confesses to being guilty in the death of a cyclist, judge overlooks because of windshield perspective. Woman didn’t see cyclist she hit and killed If you don’t see a cyclist you are by definition driving carelessly and have confessed to the crime this driver is charged with. The cyclist’s blinky light was embedded in the windshield of the weapon vehicle with good batteries found at the scene that were the proper size for the blinky light, plus the cyclist had a light on the back and front of his helmet. If the driver couldn’t see him she was by definition driving carelessly.

Infrastructure! from GA. Broadnax Mill Road to Get Warning Signs After the Death of Cyclist Not increased enforcement against dangerous drivers, but a few signs that they have targets to hit. Thanks oodles, GA…

Infrastructure in Canuckistan. Ladysmith sidewalk’s are for pedestrians only Apostrophe abuse in the headline. I don’t like sidewalk cycling, but if there are a lot of sidewalk cyclists that mean the streets are crap for cycling, fix the streets.

More infrastructure news from the UK as things are getting worse for TfL. Bow Roundabout: Bike deaths prompt HGV review Now they are trying to deflect inquiry away from the terrible road design to the HGV that killed 7 of the 8 cyclists killed in London so far this year. Deck chairs on the Titanic.

And that’s all the news that gives me fits today.

Billed @$0.02, Opus

Entertaining geeky thoughts, and the Feed

I have to confess the number of stores that will be open this Thanksgiving annoys me. None of these stores is required for daily living like say a gas station or a grocery store (and the case could be made to close even those stores). Nobody is going to suffer because Harbor Freight stayed closed this Thursday, or Target and Walmart opened at 5AM instead of midnight Friday. The Dramatic Geek in me thinks that an Abraham Lincoln impersonator in full costume showing up at these stores with a video crew, reading the Emancipation Proclamation to the employees would be an amusing protest, but I don’t know if it would get the point across. I know it would to the smart ones, but given the level of education these days that would be a tiny minority, with the rest probably just confused. Needless to say I wouldn’t be there even if I had any money. I have worked in what were considered “vital” jobs where I worked both Christmas and Thanksgiving (which let me swap out for my religious holidays plus get double time for the days I worked), but let’s be honest if those jobs were as “vital” as they claimed, would I have been making minimum wage to start them?

Most of the Feed was devoted to infrastructure stories mostly in the UK where calls have been made for criminal prosecution after several people were killed while riding in “bike lanes” (almost imaginary bicycle infrastructure) or the “Cycling Superhighway” (substandard but real bike lanes).

Up first is another child cyclist on the sidewalk in collision with a car at an intersection. Bicyclist hospitalized after crash near West Bend school Nothing much to say here, if you ride on the sidewalk you need to stop at every intersection and treat cars as if they were being driven by blind morons.

Another intersection wreck between a car and bicycle in PA. Teen riding bicycle hurt in collision with vehicle in city Just the bare fact that the cyclist wasn’t blamed for this wreck by the media tells me that the cyclist probably wasn’t at fault in this wreck. Anyway intersection protocols to avoid, and remember the blind morons are driving the deadly weapons of mass destruction.

Semi-good news from a NH hit-and-run. North Hampton man arrested in bicyclist hit-and-run Hit from behind by a DUI driver that will only get punished for the hit-and-run because he sobered up before getting caught by police. This is the reason why hit-and-run needs to have minimum sentences commensurate with DUI charges that could be brought had the driver stayed at the scene.

A deadly wreck in the Great White North. Cyclist succumbs to injuries This was either a hit-from-behind wreck or a salmon wreck, from the information given it was impossible to tell and I couldn’t find any more links to the story. Whichever it was use the appropriate protocols to avoid a similar wreck, riding with traffic and being alert to vehicles coming from behind whose drivers might be situationally or really blind. There are a few drivers out there that are legally blind that passed their last driver’s license eye test back in the 70′s some time and haven’t been tested since.

Infrastructure! from NYC as politicians try to “do something” about pedestrians getting injured by cyclists while ignoring the hundreds of people getting killed or injured by motor vehicles every year. Prospect Park Barrels: Pedestrian Life Savers Or Child Death Traps? Trust Gothamist to see the funny in infrastructure, only I think they were trying more for ironic than funny.

Infrastructure news from the same town in the Great White North that had a cyclist fatality the day of the hearing. Councillors give cyclists bumpy ride No money to even see how bad the problem is because then they might have to spend more money on projects that don’t directly benefit motor vehicle transport.

More infrastructure news from the UK. Cyclist casualties up 45 per cent in Enfield That 45% number is a single-year jump, partially because of small numbers killed and partially because there are many more cyclists out there with drivers that just “can’t be arsed” to pay attention to cyclists sharing the roads. The other infrastructure links I had are all broken now, sorry.

And that’s all the news that gives me fits today.

Billed @$0.02, Opus

Back to the grind, and the Feed

I just got back from paying the mortgage which was an interesting trip with the weather today and the winds changing direction as the small rain storms roll over and around the area. The predominate wind is from the south, but outflow from the storms can change that to dead calm, wind from the east or west, or a double strong south wind, all in a few minutes, and all depending on where the storm is in relation to you. If you are heading south that double strong wind from the south is a curse, but going north… I usually get the dead calm.

Up first today is that wreck I was telling about over the weekend when I didn’t have time to filter and do a decent blog post so I put up some filler I knocked off in a few minutes. This amounts to a SWSS wreck where the driver is believed over both physical evidence and other witnesses. Cyclist critically hurt in crash with car I mean look at the pictures, that bike was not hit from the side like the driver claims. The cyclist was sideswiped, look at the wheels on the bike, the frame damage, the impact sites on the car. Look at picture 10 of 15, the frontal view of the weapon vehicle, and notice the parking light is smashed but the headlight is nearly undamaged, and the passenger side mirror is broken off. The really damning picture is 15 of 15 that shows the first impact that wasn’t on the side of the car was above the windshield and was a concentrated impact of something narrow, like a bicycle frame… This was not a wreck that a cyclist could normally avoid as the cyclist was in a bike lane already.

The other recent report I have from SoCal is this wreck of a cyclist JRA (just riding along) on a road. Bicyclist dies after striking guardrail in Malibu and Laguna Beach bicyclist dies after Malibu crash One back-channel report I got said they thought a rock rolled out of the pavement under the cyclist’s wheel as he was making the corner, but I can’t get any confirmation on that report. Neither can I get any pictures of the site from my back-channel guys on the scene. I can’t tell you how to avoid a wreck like this, because there were hundreds of cyclists on the same road at the same speed, and he was the only one that crashed. I don’t know what he did that was any different than any of the people that didn’t wreck.

Hit from behind near sunset. Teen in critical condition after getting hit by SUV while riding bike There is nothing a cyclist can do in a case like this to avoid getting hit by a blind driver of a WMD.

This UT death involving a cyclist was not caused by riding the bike. Bicyclist killed by TRAX train, UTA searches for accident answers Apparently the cyclist fell off the platform while getting off the train and went under it…

A right hook in the Great White North. Cyclist killed in collision with truck near Dundas and Lansdowne the truck was passing a cyclist making a right turn as the truck made a right turn, directly over the top of the cyclist. The bike was completely mangled indicating there was no protective gear in the world that would have protected this cyclist’s life. Intersection protocols, but you still have to be able to rely on the driver to give you room when they pass while turning. I’m not sure but I think under Canadian law passing while turning through an intersection is a violation of law…

A strange wreck in Enn Zed. Wairoa cyclist killed on training ride Someone saw the bike in the middle of the road and placed it off to the side instead of calling in a wreck?

A driver in Oz throws himself at the mercy of the courts after being caught on camera killing a cyclist. Hit-run driver admits side-swiping cyclist OOppps, caught on tape and witnessed by two LEO. If this guy isn’t placed in prison for a very long time I will have very little faith in the judicial system in Australia.

And that’s all I have today.

Billed @$0.02, Opus