Trying not to kill anyone, and the Feed

I was able to put my right sock on by myself this morning, which meant I could wear my shoes, which meant I had a level pelvis when I walked and I had a lot less pain in my leg. So yay! getting the sock on. Dad had a rough day yesterday but seems to be in much improved spirits today, and showed marked improvement in his strength and balance after therapy. So everybody is doing better this morning.

Today is the Ride of Silence. As I was saying yesterday, this will be the first time I have been totally unable to attend a Ride since Larry Schwartz died. I am totally bummed about the situation. but if someone could wear a red and black armband for me I would be much obliged. Red because I was injured, black because, well I was dead for a little bit. And also because you “know” a deceased cyclist. Ride of Silence Tomorrow Night Honors Princeton Anchor House Cyclist Doug McCune and Hernando cyclists’ Ride of Silence makes plea for safety also Rock Hill’s Ride of Silence a tribute to victims of bicycling accidents even Bicyclists to honor fellow riders in Ridgeland another link Salado: Memorial Bike Ride Honors Cyclist Killed In Accident getting close now Quincy Bicycle Club plans ‘Ride of Silence’ Wednesday not done yet Evansville’s Ride of Silence remembers fallen cyclists, raises moving issues are you kidding me? Ride of Silence honors fallen riders, urges awareness last link WILDOMAR: Bike safety event Saturday

More on that cyclist killed on Folly Rd. Folly Road bike fatality: Victim ‘swerving in and out’ of bike lane before accident That’s an interesting statement since there isn’t a bike lane in the Google Street View of the crash scene, but one may have been placed since that picture was taken. Interesting thing about the description of the wreck, the SUV sideswiped the cyclist, not the other way around.

An assisted bike is cut off by a car pulling from a driveway in AZ. Motorized bike rider killed in midtown crash Driveways are intersections, so intersection protocols to avoid, and get the infrastructure right (including laws and enforcement) to prevent.

A cyclist in IA survives a hit-and-run. Injured Cyclist Needs Your Help With the cyclist being dragged 150 feet by the weapon vehicle I’m surprised the charges didn’t include some kind of assault charge. Hit-from-behind wreck, use the protocols to avoid. Get the infrastructure right to prevent oblivious drivers from hitting cyclists and dragging them 150 feet under their vehicles.

Cycle Twin Cities catches you up on the news from around the twin Cities in MN, (DUH). Twin Cities Cycling News From Around the Web Some citizen bike races and infrastructure news as they have a major bike/ped bridge that is still out of commission until someone decides to fix it.

From the Great White North, drivers are too stupid to know when they are tired so they need technology that will tell them it’s time to get off the road and take a nap. Quebec coroner calls for driver drowsiness alerts So, 2 years on and they still haven’t found anything to charge a guy that hit 6 cyclists and killed 3 of them? TANJ!

More from the GWN. Cycling safety in the spotlight after trio of crashes All 3 of the wrecks listed in the article were at intersections, as well as most of the anecdotes in the story. Use intersection protocols to avoid a similar wreck, and get the infrastructure right to prevent one.

Speaking of infrastructure, which is more important safe streets or pretty streets? Absurdist Shrubbery If there’s all this room for landscaping (not to mention budget), why is it so hard to get 5 feet to put a bike lane? You really have to wonder some times.

And coming on the heels of an absurd “statistic” from a driving web site (“57% of cyclists run red lights”) comes an equally absurd response. Cycling’s kitten bothering shame Yes, 21% of cyclists in the UK have bothered a kitten while riding, sort of. At least as rigorous as the “statistics” offered from the other article. Not mentioned was the 31% of drivers that admitted to running red lights in that same poll. Links to the poll are in the article linked in this paragraph.

And those are all the links that gave me fits today that were still good by the time I got around to posting this in my blog. There were some doozies out there that were broken by the time I got ready to put them in the blog.

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

People sent me lots of links today, and the Feed

I got a lot of links that were sent via e-mail and Facebook today, about changes to the legal infrastructure that allows people to add another crime to their event and actually reduce their punishment. I’m referring of course to hit and run. In the vast majority of states in this country if you are DUI and you hit and kill someone you are leaps and bounds ahead to leave the scene. The difference in sentences between hit-and-run and DUI homicide are huge, in many states the maximum for hit-and-run is less than the minimum for DUI homicide. But our first link is an attempt to reduce the incentive to leave when you’re drunk and you hit and kill someone. End Hit and Run Loophole Yes, they are doing something about the disparity between hit-and-run and DUI manslaughter in CO by making them virtually identical in punishment and allowing additional charges to be filed in cases where DUI is suspected but can’t be proven because the driver failed to remain at the scene.

Another one that came both in the Feed and people sending me the link in e-mail and on FB is the news that the man who allegedly killed a cyclist in the bike lane on the Rickenbacker Causeway in Miami in the most deadliest state in the US to walk or ride a bike will be getting less than half the sentence he deserves because he left the scene and destroyed the evidence he was drinking. Trial Date Set For Driver In Fatal Rickenbacker Hit & Run The max he can get is only 15 years, but he should get life for hitting 2 cyclists and killing one. More Hundreds ride in memory of cyclist killed and Memorial Ride for Cyclist Killed in Hit and Run

In CA they are sure the cyclist ran the stop sign, but the driver left the scene which makes the wreck automatically his fault. Bicyclist Seriously Injured In Hit-And-Run To avoid, if the report is accurate then don’t run stop signs, otherwise use intersection protocols. To prevent, get the infrastructure right and make hit-and-run a serious crime like hitting someone while DUI. The rumor is that DUI in the Netherlands is a permanent loss of license, which is not as serious to the driver as it would be in this country where everything is designed for the motor vehicle to the exclusion of all other modes of transportation. I don’t even want to contemplate the horrors you suffer as a ht and run driver…

Another CA hit-and-run. Two cyclists injured in Soquel hit-and-run In this case the cyclists were doing nothing wrong, the driver just failed to make a safe pass and took out two cyclists, by cutting back too fast after passing the rear cyclist. To prevent get the idiots in cars away from cyclists.

On the same theme, a cyclist’s parent wonders why the person that hit her child still wanders the streets while her child remains in a hospital. Injured cyclist’s mother criticizes lack of arrest Depending on who you pay attention to LEO either know who hit the cyclist or they think there is someone else that knows but hasn’t told them yet… Hit from behind wreck, use the appropriate protocols to avoid, and getting cyclists where they need to go without having to ride on major highways would prevent any future wrecks like this.

In PA a cyclist is hit by an errant piece of farm equipment being transferred by trailer. Bicyclist flown to hospital after being struck by farm equipment in Silver Spring Township Yikes! I can’t even contemplate what it must be like to get hit by the mower bar of a tractor, even if it isn’t powered up. There was nothing the cyclist could have done to avoid this wreck as the mower bar was extending from the side of the trailer and below the cyclist’s line of sight, but getting the infrastructure right so that a bicycle was not sharing the road with a commercial vehicle would have prevented this wreck. More UPDATE(2): Teen seriously injured in unfortunate accident with farm machinery

In NJ a cyclist is hit on another busy highway. Update: Bicyclist Hit By Car on Route 1 Has Died I tried to read the comments to find out more from locals about the wreck, but the comments would not pull up for me to be able to read them. Definitely a hit-from-behind wreck, but I can’t say how to avoid a similar wreck. I do know one thing from looking at the crime scene pictures, that this was an infrastructure-related wreck. The two highways basically acted like walls cutting across the landscape for those not in cars, and none too friendly for people in cars that are trying to get from one side of the highway to another.

Update on that hit-and-run in CA where the dead cyclist’s dog stood watch over the body until someone else found it. Santa Cruz: Bicyclist killed in hit-and-run on Highway 1 identified they now Know where the cyclist was hit, and he wasn’t in the road. So the driver had to leave the road to hit this poor guy… More CHP announces suspect vehicle in North Coast fatal hit-and-run with bicyclist

Another link to the cyclist killed riding the Natchez Trace. Doctor killed riding bike on Natchez Trace As I pointed out this is what passes for intercity bicycle infrastructure in this country, which is shared with cars and light trucks at a speed limit of 50 MPH… And death lurks around every turn…

Death and destruction in the Great White North as cyclists get hit in droves. Two killed, one critically injured following weekend crashes At least one wreck was on a straight, flat, road with no impediments to the sight lines when the cyclists were hit from behind by a driver that was not paying attention to the roads. I think you know what comes next:To avoid a similar wreck use the hit-from-behind protocols, to prevent it get the infrastructure right. but since this is in Canuckistan they actually have a decent chance of getting that infrastructure.

And to wind things up, another link sent to me by a reader, this one about legal Infrastructure! Do Passing Distance Laws Really Protect Cyclists? Do laws against murder really prevent people from getting killed? Most people say it’s unquestioned. Then why do they question if laws requiring a safe distance to pass that specify what the minimum is also not protect cyclists from passes that are too close?

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

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

Why no post yesterday, and the Feed

Dad took a serious turn for the worse yesterday as his pain levels spiked and his digestive issues went really bad. I won’t go into deep details because he’s my Dad and deserves privacy, but the parts I can tell aren’t very good. He had been not eating even though he enjoyed what little he ate he just didn’t want anything except ice cream (that I had been spiking with protein powder) and even ice cream he wouldn’t eat very much of. When we decided to take him to the hospital it was mostly for he intractable pain levels he was experiencing but what he was admitted for was he was in early stages of renal failure which apparently started about the same time as all the other difficulties. They caught it in time and had him on IV hydration and nutrition when I left him last night. They were also checking to make sure he hadn’t caught any kind of diseases from being in the creek however long he was in there. The doctors think that would be a high probability cause of the loss of appetite and kidney shutdown. UPDATE: As I was putting this post together Dad called from his hospital room to tell me he was feeling much better, and that they keep finding things wrong with him. I’m going to be seeing him this evening so there will be an additional update late this evening as a separate post.

Up first by way of severity and proximity to WoaB World HQ in the beautiful suburbs of Hell, a cyclist is hit from behind on the shoulder of a busy highway and bike route in Austin TX. Fatal wreck on Loop 360 concerns Austin cycling groups and Cyclists: Do you ride on Loop 360? also Cyclist dies in accident on Hwy 360 AFAIK the cyclist was in the shoulder when he was hit from behind by the weapon vehicle. LEO are still trying to determine why the weapon vehicle left the road and hit the cyclist. Because of the speed involved the cyclist’s helmet was not a major factor in the wreck aside from adding to the debris field. I’m not sure anything could have been done by the cyclist to prevent the weapon vehicle from hitting him in the shoulder of the road, but SBR would have prevented that from even being an issue.

Still in Austin the victim of a hit-and run will be left with permanent paralysis to the left side of his head a well as loss of hearing. Update released about injured cyclist’s condition Best wishes for the cyclist, curses and doom on the driver. May the driver somehow be required to compensate the cyclist for his damages.

An idiot in a fast car hits-and runs a cyclist in Houston. HPD: Driver runs over woman, strikes building and Driver hits cyclist before crashing into building The driver was arrested and immediately made bail from comments on the articles and the FB page. No way to avoid a wreck like this as the cyclist was crossing the intersection legally when she was hit. SBR might not even have prevented this wreck as it depends on drivers also following the laws which wasn’t happening with this speeding driver that ignored the signals when he hit the cyclist.

An 11YO salmon cyclist is severely injured in SC Pickens boy hit by car while riding bike and Child Injured While Riding Bike The kid was pretty busted up as they say in the south. Be conspicuous and ride with traffic to avoid, SBR that even m American 11YO can understand and use to prevent.

Kid in a bike hit and injured in MA. Car hits Easton teen on bike in Norton LEO is blaming the cyclist for not wearing a glow in the dark clown suit despite it not saying the time of day the cyclist was hit from behind. At this point I can’t say what would have definitively avoided this wreck, but SBR that can be used by people wearing normal clothing would definitely prevent the wreck.

Kid hit by a bus in Vancouver WA. Boy’s death spurs concern over C-Tran route The video linked in the article comments showed the cyclist about 1/3 of the way across the intersection when the bus started moving and impacted the cyclist with the side of the bus. the cyclist was crossing the road with the light in the crosswalk but riding salmon for the direction he was travelling. I’m just agog trying to figure out how this could be avoided because there was wrong on both sides, the cyclist riding salmon and in the sidewalk, the bus driver failing to yield to a person legally using the crosswalk and there before she started to move the bus. Even Dutch-style infrastructure would have had bikes and buses on the same street in this downtown setting but would have had a speed limit of ~18 MPH (30 km/h) so the bus and the bike would have been about the same speed. More 11-year-old bicyclist dies after collision with bus in Vancouver also 11-year-old bicyclist dies after collision with bus in Vancouver And for all the people screaming about helmets, this kid died of blood loss after losing an arm in the wreck, but his head was practically untouched.

Another wreck in the ‘Couve. Cyclist critically injured in Hazel Dell crash Just enough given about the direction of travel for the weapon vehicle, for only cursory advice about intersection protocols to avoid and SBR to prevent.

Another kid is hit in AR. Lonoke County Child on Bike Hit and Killed by Car Combining the video and the text reports I still have no idea what happened in the wreck to be able to tell you how to avoid the wreck, or to be able to say if SBR really would have been able to prevent it.

Update on that wreck in Temucula CA. PHOTOS: Crash Leaves Bicycle Rider in Hospital Yes very bad wreck. see the previous post (Saturday’s) to find how to avoid/prevent another wreck like this.

Either another report on the WI wreck from Saturday, or another wreck near the site of the first one. Horicon man critically injured after being hit by car If this wreck is as reported to avoid use the first protocol in the intersection protocols, when at a stop sign you need to stop and yield for oncoming traffic. To prevent SBR with Dutch-style intersection treatments.

Last link to a wreck story is another report on the 3 cyclists that were hit riding in GA. Report: Two Central Florida bicyclists killed on Georgia road and Osteen, Sanford cyclists killed in Georgia Again this wreck was 100% the fault of the driver as the cyclists were wearing the glow in the dark clown costumes and had lights on both their persons and their bikes when the driver “didn’t see” them. The cyclists had done everything possible to avoid this wreck and the driver failed to have the due diligence required to not hit vehicles on the side of the road.

And last link, “Bo knows” how to ride a bike as he completes 300 miles in 5 days riding across AL for tornado relief. Special Report: Bo Bikes Bama and Bo bikes ‘Bama to help tornado victims also Bo Jackson’s bike tour raises $410,000 for Governor’s Emergency Relief Fund (photos) more Bo Jackson finishes 300-mile ride Not done yet Heisman winner Bo Jackson finishes 300-mile bike ride for tornado relief, raises $413K so far still more Heisman winner Bo Jackson raises over $400,000 with 300-mile tornado relief ride also Bo Jackson finishes 300-mile tornado relief ride Still not done Way to go, biker Bo More, more, more Bo knows biking, too getting close now Bo goes over top again, makes all happy this time around another link Bo Jackson’s bicycle trek ends in Tuscaloosa last link Bo raises more than $400,000 for tornado relief effort Now, be honest. Could I have raised nearly a half a million dollars if I had been the one leading a ride across AL? Didn’t think so. There are times when famous people can help just by being famous, like this time.

And those are all the links that gave me fits today, more tonight when I update y’all on Dad’s condition after the hospital visit.

Billed @$0.02, Opus

Dad took a slight setback, and the Feed

Dad is not doing as well as before, the main thing is getting him to eat. When he eats he gets better the next day, but getting him to eat has been a battle. We have so much good food in the house now that he just refuses to eat and it makes me a bit crazy. Between the food delivery lady and the neighbors bringing food by we have enough food in the house to feed two of me if I was riding my bike every day, but I’m not riding my bike and there’s just me and Dad, who ate like a bird before the wreck. now he hardly eats at all. If it wasn’t for Ensure I don’t think he would get enough vitamins to stay alive.

The big story today was broken by BikingInLA yesterday and picked up by major news outlets, and Patch. Berkeley Hit-and-Run Between Driver, Cyclists Captured on Video and Police Arrest Alleged Driver in Hit-and-Run with Cyclists and Berkeley Hit-And-Run Caught On Tape: Cyclist Catches Accident And Getaway On Bike Camera (VIDEO) more Oakland man arrested in connection with hit-and-run of Berkeley bicyclists captured on YouTube even Video: Cyclists struck by hit-and-run driver in Berkeley The owner of the car reported it stolen roughly 3 days after the wreck or about the time the video began getting viral status in the bike-blog world (since my usual computer doesn’t play video I don’t subscribe to notices about bike wreck videos posted to YouTube). From what I saw in the video there was no way for the cyclists to avoid this wreck, the car apparently pulled up alongside slightly faster than the cyclists and just moved over into them until they fell down then pulled back into the travel lane. IOW this appears to have been a deliberate assault with the motor vehicle as the weapon. No way to avoid except with psychic powers. SBR would prevent this by removing motor vehicles from the field of play.

A more complete report on the MN teen hit leaving a parking lot shows he was leaving church, not school. Church Mourns The Death Of Cyclist Killed Leaving Worship Now we know the cyclist was riding salmon for at least a short period when he got hit and that visibility may have been a factor, and that at this point LEO are not blaming the cyclist or the driver in this wreck. With what I know now I can’t say that there was any way to avoid this wreck as the cyclist’s salmoning does not appear to have contributed to the wreck. Dutch-style SBR would have prevented it as the cyclist would not have been even trying to get in the same lane as a car.

Another report on the CO man killed by what is alleged to be a drunk driver. Monument cyclist killed on evening ride Again, hit-from-behind protocols to avoid, decent infrastructure that doesn’t try to run cars through an area with limited sight lines and narrow lanes at highway speeds would go a long way to preventing a future wreck.

Conclusion in a civil suit against a driver that should not have been allowed to be in control of as large and dangerous a vehicle as the dump truck he was driving when he killed a cyclist. Settlement for man killed by city truck The driver had rear-ended a minivan less than 2 weeks prior to killing the cyclist as well as 19 other wrecks, most of which were his fault, since 1995. I don’t know anything about the actual wreck that killed this cyclist except that it involved the dump truck and killed the cyclist, so I can’t tell you how to avoid this wreck, but to prevent it SBR and making it much easier to lose a driver’s license, especially a commercial license like this driver was supposed to have. I mean seriously 20 wrecks between 1995 and 2010, that is more than a wreck every 9 months on average, his license should have been pulled years ago. I mean why even have licenses if there’s no penalty for bad driving and seldom a penalty for driving without one?

Battle of the octogenarians in NJ. Cyclist, 81, Seriously Injured in Crash With Car Hit-from-behind, hit from behind protocols to avoid. Proper infrastructure to prevent including taking the keys away from people that can’t keep their cars in a single lane (and I know this is ironic coming from a guy whose father is recovering from sliding off the road). Between the two there was 169 years of life experience and over 140 years of guiding vehicles down the road, and they still couldn’t manage to avoid running into each other. I believe this is the oldest combined age for a wreck I have ever had a link for.

Another wreck in CA shows why separate phases for bicycles and cars at light-controlled intersections is a good idea. TEMECULA: Bicyclist injured in Redhawk Parkway collision The cyclist and the driver were side-by-side at the intersection but there was rather heavy contact between the bike and the van right after the light changed. The working theory for this wreck is there was not enough room allowed for the cyclist to wobble from the start. I don’t know how to avoid the wreck, but getting the infrastructure right would go a long way to preventing it.

A WI wreck is blamed on a cyclist running a stop sign. Car hits bicycle in rural crash If as described then this could be avoided with the most basic of the intersection protocols, the one that says stop and yield at stop signs. Getting the infrastructure right so that bicycles don’t have to share high-speed rural highways would prevent wrecks like this.

A wreck in VA with injuries. Reston Bike Club Rider Injured in Ashburn It is unknown from this report what the mode of this wreck was. It may very well have been a bike-on-bike wreck as it happened on a club ride.

Another VA wreck definitely involved a motor vehicle, driver given a ticket. Local Cyclists Reaching Out to Help Injured Cyclists Hit By A Car The driver tried to pass when there wasn’t room to pass or for the cyclists to move over. LEO seems to be placing all the blame on the driver in this one, a rarity in VA. Hit-from-behind protocols to avoid a similar wreck if there’s room with decent infrastructure to prevent. Seeing the scene of the crime there should have been plenty of room to pass unless the driver that hit the cyclist was trying to pass when there was already another vehicle passing him. In which case the driver definitely deserves the reckless driving charge.

Another apparent red-light runner in NE. Cyclist hurt in crash near 72nd, Dodge The bike in the picture was definitely hit from the side, no doubt about that at all, so intersection protocols to avoid, and Dutch-style infrastructure to prevent.

Late link from GA as a driver hits 3 cyclists from behind despite reflectors and multiple blinky lights. Two Florida bicyclists killed along U.S. 17 At this point I can’t say what the driver’s problem was as the cyclists would certainly have been visible had the driver been looking, and why was he driving at speed on the shoulder of the road?

LifeStyle from a state that is relatively safe, protesters are saying it could be safer. Procession aims to show how bikes, cars can co-exist That this is being done just shows me how far we have to go to get people from A to B without killing them, independent of their mode of transportation. Notice that there is a co-protest with pedestrians and the wheelchair bound over their rights to the roads.

Also today in the UK more than 13,000 cyclists showed at 2 protests in London and Edinburgh. 10,000 pedal for action in biggest bike protest and Make our cities safer for cyclists also Thousands protest in London, Rome for cycle safety This pictures are just awe-inspiring, bicycles as far as the eye can see…

And that’s all the news 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