Well, most of us lived through 2013. Here’s hoping things will be a little less deadly in 2014 and that I will have less wrecks to write about and more and better infrastructure to write about. Especially since the Dutch have been so generous about sharing their bicycle infrastructure with those of us who are Anglophones.
Up first is my only US wreck, a head-on crash where it appears the cyclist crossed the centerline on a corner. Marin County: Bicyclist injured in head-on collision on Panoramic Highway Since I can’t get to any pictures of the bike or the weapon vehicle, or most importantly the crime scene I’ll have to accept the narrative as posited by LEO, that the cyclist had excessive speed for conditions and crossed the centerline on a turn. To avoid modulate your speed going downhill to remain on the correct side of the road. To prevent get the infrastructure right. There are very few wrecks that could not be prevented by getting the infrastructure right.
NM is not the only place where people set booby traps to injure or kill cyclists as is shown by this UK link. Police appeal after Hull cyclist injured by trap This wreck illustrates the hazards of leaving trash in the bike path as it can be used to disguise a booby trap as well as being a hazard in and of itself.
International Infrastructure! news. Can Radar and RFID Stop Drivers From Killing Cyclists? The RFID idea is dead in the water as it requires the victims to spend money to not get killed, which comes perilously close to being an extortion racket with no guarantee that the people driving the deadly weapons will face similar requirements to update their vehicles. Since we have seen how well trying to get side guards installed that actually pay for themselves in reduced fuel consumption in under a year has worked, how will requiring installing gear that identifies and alerts drivers to the presence of cyclists and pedestrians with no other benefits like reduced fuel costs go over? I have a suggestion for that, allow installation of alert systems that warn drivers about cyclists and pedestrians to be optional, but make all wrecks between vehicles not equipped with the alert systems and a cyclist or pedestrian automatically the fault of the truck driver because the systems failed to warn the driver because they were not there? IOW allow trucking companies to bet on not hitting any cyclists or pedestrians without installing the systems, but make losing that bet as financially painful as possible, with pain and suffering, medical bills, loss of income, and loss of enjoyment all being paid 100% by the trucking company (or their insurance, who would probably require installing the alert systems as part of getting insurance).
Last link is to one of the premier e-assist bike companies making a better but less-expensive version of their flagship bike. The All New SIMBB 29C Bike – “ The Electric Bike SIMBBlified” Through-the-gears means the power gets transferred to the wheel at the most efficient motor speed for the bike speed or IOW more to the ground and less to waste heat.
And those are all the links that gave me fits or otherwise on this first day of the new year.
Billed @€0.02, Opus
Witch on a Bicycle 