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

Up to my ears in links and the Feed

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Billed @$0.02, Opus

Wow is this late, and the Feed

Life is conspiring against me getting this out before midnight tonight, but I will try. Dad is improving daily, with the steps back being smaller and smaller and the steps forward getting bigger and bigger. Me on the other hand, I’m just trying to keep circling without going down the drain.

Up first, the guy with the dog that stayed with his body after the cyclist was killed in a hit-and-run was on a memorial ride for his best friend. Cyclist killed in coastside hit-and-run was on memorial ride for his dead best friend He was just a day’s ride from completing his ride across the country in memorium to his friend when he was killed. There are words I could use, but they fall so short of the real meaning of this story that it makes me want to cry.

Update on the driver that hit a cyclist from behind on Hwy 360 in Austin. Driver who hit cyclist on 360 was trying to pass traffic The driver was trying to pass on the shoulder, illegal in TX, when he killed the cyclist. But still somehow they managed to not file any charges against the driver?TANJ! Fix the legal infrastructure starting with the LEO that investigated this wreck.

Back in CA a PG&E utility vehicle left crosses a cyclist causing serious injuries. Cyclist critically injured in collision with PG&E vehicle Left cross, intersection protocols to avoid and get the infrastructure right to prevent.

A sidewalk cyclist in WI gets truck-smacked. Sparta cyclist struck by cement truck That has to hurt. AFAIK this was a salmon cyclist riding on the sidewalk and crossed with the green light in front of a turning truck and almost cleared it, but got knocked off the bike. That got caught under the rear wheels while he slid out into the street. To avoid don’t ride on the sidewalk and ride with traffic, also intersection protocols, to prevent get the infrastructure right so kids don’t ride on the sidewalk.

Another WI wreck. Vehicle strikes girl on bike in McFarland The driver went about 50 feet after hitting the cyclist in a 15 MPH zone. Either excessive speed or driver distraction or a combination of both were factors in this wreck, not the cyclist’s lack of a helmet. There should not have been any huge SUVs that a driver can’t see out of around the school during an active school zone, I’m placing a great deal of blame on the infrastructure in this one after the driver.

A serious non-fatal wreck in LA. DeRidder teen seriously injured in Vernon Parish crash From what I can tell the kid rode into traffic from a driveway without looking, something drivers do to bikes all the time. It’s much more painful when the bike does it to the car. To avoid use intersection protocols at all driveways and parking lot entrances, to prevent… well I think everybody is starting to get the message by now.

A NJ kid is hit because drivers don’t slow for a blind corner in a residential area. Eight year-old boy suffers serious injuries after being struck by car The driver was doing the speed limit but was driving too fast to see the kid riding legally in the road in front of him. Nothing the kid could do to avoid this wreck, but the driver… I also place a great deal of the fault in this wreck with the infrastructure for placing too high a speed limit on a curvy residential road that will have children on it, as well as adults riding bicycles and jogging or walking. notice from the video there were no sidewalks or any kind of bike infrastructure, you’re either in the grass/ditch or you’re in the street.

In the most deadliest state in the US to walk or ride a bike 6 years running, a blind driver killed another cyclist. Boy, 12, killed when SUV hits his bike Note the driver was absolved of all guilt by the media outlet, the car did it… Hit from behind wreck, use the proper protocol to avoid, and stop letting drivers get away with negligent assault when they can’t see where they are going to prevent.

A fatal wreck in VA from cyclist on a group ride. Reston Bike Club Rider Dies From Injuries My condolences to the victims in this wreck. Bike v bike wrecks are mostly non-fatal, except when they aren’t.

The driver in a hit-and-run turns himself in after taking the time to detox after the crash. Man charged with hit-and-run death of bicycle rider turns himself in I find the bond set to be oddly specific at $101,092. I think they left a few charges off the list, they “forgot” obstruction of justice and tampering with evidence that he was (possibly) DUI…

I think this wreck was in CT. Cyclist injured in collision Because this is a paywalled link I can’t figure out the mode of this wreck…

In the Great White North the driver that hit a cyclist has been charged with a crime. Driver charged after cyclist struck in Kitchener I still haven’t figured out how this wreck happened, but the police have and they decided the driver was at fault, so I’m going to assume the wreck was not exactly as described.

Another wreck north of the border. Cyclist injured in Melton Apparently this was an intersection wreck caused by the driver violating the cyclist’s right of way, LEO in the case being very quick to assign blame. To prevent, get the infrastructure right, but the legal part of the infrastructure seems to be working fine.

Another Canuckistan wreck has LEO on the lookout for a hit-and-run driver. Burnaby police looking for hit-and-run driver So, ninja cyclist is hit from behind, driver sees the cyclist and then bugs out. Lights and reflectors to avoid, and get the freaking infrastructure right to prevent.

A cyclist in Oz is injured when a semi towing multiple trailers (road train) fails to make a legal pass and hits him with the last trailer in the train. Cyclist struck by road train Hit from behind protocols to avoid, some way for cyclists to get between cities without sharing roads with trains that don’t have tracks would prevent a wreck like this.

Last link, from TX, a guy riding a unicycle naked is given a ticket for distracting drivers. Weird News: Naked unicyclist charged for distracting drivers The cyclist was a little off on the date of the World Naked Bike Ride.

And that was all the news that gave me fits today.

Billed @$0.02, Opus

Running late again, and the Feed

Dad is doing well, as well as can be expected considering. I’m getting tired, though, and my old injuries from the wreck are acting up. This is not what I want, because it severely limits the level of care I can give Dad.

Up first is the most egregious case of hit-and-run assault I have ever read about, as a driver in Galveston actually talks to his victim before leaving him to die. Cops: Driver talks to fatally injured cyclist before fleeing Since the mode was not mentioned I can’t tell you how to avoid the wreck. But one thing I can say, there is a very high chance that this was not an “accident” but a deliberate act of assault on the cyclist by the driver. More Driver kills island bicyclist

A wreck with a slightly better result both from the LEO point of view and the “Hey, the cyclist is alive” point of view from Portland OR. Ore. bicyclist struck by van, dragged 145 feet I know that headline does not inspire confidence in the outcome, but it was not near as bad as it sounds. Intersection wreck, so intersection protocols to avoid. Get the infrastructure right to prevent, including much tougher regulations for getting and keeping a license than the one that let this distracted goon drive 145 feet with a bicycle and rider trapped under his vehicle. Also riding in the street might have helped with this one.

A MS cyclist is killed on a National Bike Route. Attala cyclist hit on Natchez Trace, killed Hit-from-behind on a road with bicycle priority and great sight lines. I haven’t been the whole length of the Trace but most is 2 lanes with good sight lines even across turns if the drivers are travelling at or under the speed limit and usually quite pleasant to ride on. The driver in this case broke the MS 3 foot passing law as well as the Basic Speed Law that requires a driver to only drive as fast as they can stop in the distance they can see. Since this was already on “bicycle infrastructure” as envisioned in this country, you can see the massive lengths yet to go to reach the Dutch ideal.

In far west NY motorcyclists ride to remember a cyclist killed by a drunk driver. Funeral Held Today for Bryce Buchholz A group of about 20 bikers of the motor variety held a ride for a biker of the pedal powered variety prior to his funeral. This was the rider that was hit from behind while riding salmon, so there wasn’t any way to avoid this one except to not be there to get hit. To prevent, as I posted earlier some way of keeping drunks off the roads would be a great start because this wreck happened in an area that would have been shared between bicycles and motor vehicles at a much lower speed limit in Dutch infrastructure as it was where people live.

After several bike wrecks a community bands together to demand better infrastructure. Salisbury bike lane initiative gains traction Why does it take people getting killed to make the powers that be realize that their infrastructure stinks?

The cyclist that was hit-and-run by a driver that stopped to pull a damaged bumper cover out from under the front of the car but failed to render aid to the cyclist, has died from his injuries. Memorial Held For Cyclist Killed By Hit & Run Driver Another victim in the most deadliest state in the US to walk or ride a bike.

In Oz they’re having an epidemic of “door prizes”. Car doors and city streets a dangerous mix for cyclists The numbers reported were just… wow.

And that’s all I can stand today.

Billed @$0.02, Opus

Why isn’t anyone paying attention? Wreck-free Sunday

OK this isn’t entirely a Wreck-free Sunday post, but I’m not going to mention any specific wrecks. I’m just going to ask that yo refer to the last couple of weeks of wrecks and notice how few of them would have even been possible with getting the infrastructure right. Granted there would still have been a few that could have happened in the Netherlands, but the vast majority could not have happened with Dutch-style infrastructure that keeps bikes off streets with speeds over about 18 MPH (30 km/h) with some areas having even lower speed limits of 20 km/h (about 12 MPH). The stopping distance (reaction time plus braking distance) at 20 km/h is about 15 feet, with some vehicles having even shorter distances because of radar and very powerful brakes. fifteen feet or less means that if you can see it you can probably avoid hitting it. The laws in the Netherlands also mean that if you are in an area with 20 km limits you are probably on high alert for kids running out in front of you or other sudden obstructions and as such even bicycles will register on your personal awareness.

This is what we need now in the US. No excuses, no more delays, because delays mean more dead cyclists and more dead kids, both now and in the future from diseases related to a sedentary lifestyle. We are reaping the “benefits” of years designing the environment to only support moving around in a car leaving little to no choice to use other modes of travel. Right now the number one killer of children is motor vehicle wrecks, with pollution from motor vehicles also being high on the list. That continues up to age 35 or so when diseases from sedentary lifestyles begin to overtake the wrecks. So our cars are killing us coming and going, directly and indirectly, unless we live long enough to die from old age, because the infrastructure has been built that way and our culture is such that the thought of driving less than 2 miles to the grocery store or the video rental is not absurd but accepted and commonplace.

So, we have another barrier to acceptance, attitudes towards cars. If cars are so ingrained into the culture that driving a distance that could be easily walked or ridden by bike is not only accepted but expected, How do we change that culture? The same way we changed the tobacco culture in this country, by relentlessly demonstrating the amount of damage done to people by automobility. A handfull of people died from playing a game called “Lawn Darts” several decades ago where people tossed heavy blunt darts underhanded towards a circular target where the second half of the team waited to throw their turn in the other direction. Tried buying a set lately? You can’t. That is what is needed in the long run, a lawn darts campaign against the constant use of motor vehicles for personal transportation, a cigarrette campaign against the abuse of motor vehicles.

We don’t need to do it for ourselves, we need to do it for our children.

PSA, Opus

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Billed @$0.02, Opus

Ready to take a bike ride, and the Feed

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Billed @$0.02, Opus

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Billed @$0.02, Opus

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Billed @$0.02, Opus

Did some infrastructure research today, and the Feed

Happy Beltain to all my Pagan friends and readers!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Billed @$0.02, Opus