Before I eat turkey, here are a bunch of road turkeys, the Feed

For people living in the USA this is a major holiday. For the rest of you it’s Thursday, but today is the day we have set aside to reflect on our lives and to be thankful to whatever deity we follow.

This is what I’m thankful for. I’m first and foremost thankful that I’m alive and here to share “wit” and “wisdom” with you. I know I’m not always witty and that I’m frequently not wise, but I have my moments. I’m thankful I have a nice bike that I can use to move my butt and stuff that I need to move from place to place. I’m also very thankful for my church community without whom I would just be spending 24/7 at the house, making angry posts to this blog and nasty comments on other web sites about the evil things drivers do behind the wheels of their cars and trucks. They help keep me sane and mostly functional. I’m most thankful for the people around me that put up with the “stuff” I do as a result of the brain damage I have. I know I’m not easy to live with, but I’m very glad that there are people that choose to live with me, and that put up with the way I am.

Up first is an update on the Natick MA man that was dragged 860 feet (initially reported as 300 yards) and around the corner of an intersection. Natick police question injured bicycist I strongly suggest reading the full article if you think you have the stomach for it. Lots of new information there.

Another cyclist injured in FL, the deadliest state in the US for cyclists. Bicyclist injured in Seminole crash Mode of the crash hasn’t been released yet. People in the comments are saying this is a bad intersection for cyclists no matter where you ride. Apparently drivers won’t give cyclists any room on the road, drive too fast and don’t pay much attention to the sidewalks either. But until I get more information on the wreck I can’t say for certain how to avoid a similar wreck.

Another cyclist is hit with a bus, this time in Chicago. Bicycle rider injured by CTA bus Lots of information about the bus movements, but nothing about the cyclist. Interesting that the FD says the cyclist is in serious condition but the bus company says the injuries were minor. In this case I would place more credence in the FD than the bus company.

And in the spirit of the holiday. Cyclist thankful to be alive after wreck Yeah, them dogs can be a major pain when you ride a bike.

And that’s all I have this Thanksgiving day, enjoy your meal, even if you’re having tofurkey 😉

Billed @$.02, Opus

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Running late due to trying to donate blood and Thanksgiving perparations, the Feed

I’m officially out of the blood donating business for a long time, I’m still anemic. That would explain the lack of legs on long rides and especially on hills, and the low cruise speeds. I’m still as strong as ever in sprints and up short hills where oxygen-carrying capacity is not the limiting factor, so the strength training has been working, I just lack the oxygen-carrying capacity to go the distance at tempo. meh. For people who have followed my blog from MySpace you know this problem first reared its ugly head summer of 2007 and made my ride at the HHH that year a fiasco, as little girls on BSO MTB with knobby tires passed me any time the road made a slight inclination against me and I had to SAG out at the first rest stop as my pulse wouldn’t come down and my BP went up drastically. Up until them I had been donating every 8-9 weeks, but I haven’t been able to get my counts up high enough since June of ’07. I guess this would be a good time to get that tattoo.

Up first because something has to be, and because this was appropriate for the season, a bike race/food drive. An Outlaw Street Race, for a Good Cause Basically it’s a race, but to win the race you have to buy the major makings to a Thanksgiving dinner for donating to a food bank. The Witch on a Bicycle blog heartily supports such an endeavor. We’re real big on food around here.

The other US story was about a month old, but still has lessons to be learned. Bicyclist seriously injured in Bybee Blvd. collision Yeppers, it was a left cross wreck, one of the most common but fortunately one that is usually survivable, if you turn with the car to reduce the impact. that assumes of course you have time to recognize the impending wreck and decide if you can stop in time or need to turn, then institute the turning movements to reduce the angle of impact with the car. I’m not too good with that, but fortunately I don’t get that kind of wreck very often and so don’t have to make those decisions very often.

More on the cop v bicycle wreck in SD CA. ‘Ghost Bike’ Honors Cyclist I would really like to see that report from the CHP given all the facts that have come to light since the wreck, the years of experience of the cyclist, the safety gear worn by the cyclist, the lack of flashing lights or siren used by the cop on the way to assist a fellow officer, claims that the officer was at least keeping up with other motor vehicles in the near vicinity contrary to the claim the LEO was driving under the speed limit…

Cyclists are suing the city of Toronto for failing to keep the streets safe for their cycling employees, the bicycle police patrol and the bicycle paramedic squad, total of about 530 employees working the streets on bicycles. Law backs cyclist’s quest for safe roads If you can’t get then to do right by you as a taxpayer, make do right for their employees, and then they also do right for the taxpayers.

On a similar note, the family of a UK cyclist killed in London asks for better infrastructure for cyclists. Family of cyclist killed in crash call for improved safety Really it isn’t all that hard, you just have to decide that too many people are getting killed, and build the infrastructure to prevent that.

And the last story is from Oz, as a man riding home from work is run over by a co-worker (not the legendary cow orker). Cyclist injured At least they charged the driver with something more serious than failure to maintain lane position.

And that’s all I got tonight. Happy Thanksgiving and enjoy your meal tomorrow. Best wishes to our servicemen and women who are having Thanksgiving dinner in the chow hall or out in bivouac in the boonies. I’m thinking about you, and glad I’m not doing that anymore.

Billed @$.02, Opus