I had an RPG yesterday and “other stuff”

The “kinky RPG” group met yesterday, so my Warlock5 in that game got to get some exercise. Since this was the “kinky” game and this is (mostly) a family-safe blog I won’t be recounting this game session. That means we have to talk about the “other stuff” going on in my life.

The main thing going on right now is “Arthur, Arthur Dent” taking over from “Chris Christie” on the back of my neck. “Arthur, Arthur” is much better behaved than “Chris” ever was. As a matter of fact, the biggest problem with “Arthur, Arthur” is all the loose skin wrinkling up the incision site, followed closely by all the steri-strips getting all crumpled up over the incision. The combination is not very comfortable, but stilllll, orders of magnitude better than having the lump sitting on the back of my neck. I finally got all of the adhesive residue off from the dressing they put on after the surgery which was the most aggravating thing I had before. And when having a layer of sticky, gummy, residue on the back of your neck is the most aggravating thing about your surgery, your life is relatively fantastically great. I mean think about it: “The back of my neck is all sticky” compared to “I have a huge lump on the back of my neck and I can’t look up or to the side” is a massive upgrade in the quality of my life.

So, other stuff going on, I’m trying to get back on a bike, any bike. I have Blue “up on jacks” in the garage for repairs, and all Francis/es needs is the tires pumped up as soon as I can get the pump to it I’ll be able to ride it. I’m still not “clear” to ride until after they pull the stitches out tomorrow, and I’m just aching to get one out and ride it. But I will have to wait another day. Talk about anticipation!

And there was an interesting collection of racing on the tube today, GRC from St. Petersburg FL, Sprint Cup from Dover DL, and Indy Car from Belle Isle in Detroit MI. Ken Block (of Gymkhana video fame) won the GRC race, Jimmy Johnson won the Sprint Cup race, and Sebastien Bourdais won the Indycar race in Detroit that was shortened by numerous yellow flags and one red flag. Several cars ran out of fuel on the cooldown lap after the race with the winner running out of fuel during the victory donuts in the IndyCar race. That’s cutting the fuel mileage really close.

And I have to go to a church meeting now, so I’m stopping here.

PSA, Opus

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This is my Long Day, and the Feed

Well I’m not seeing a lot of action from the clickbait headline, but I might try again with a different approach.

I’m still having issues with my neck that are common after surgery, like the steri-strips are starting to itch (or maybe where the incision is healing), and having something stuck to the back of my neck is just annoying now. Nothing major, just things that were expected to happen are happening now.

Up first, yesterday was not good for cyclists in London. Camberwell crash: Female cyclist fighting for life after collision with lorry in south London and Walthamstow crash: heroic bystanders free unicyclist from underneath bus after he was knocked down in rush hour accident More on the unicyclist London Crowd LIFTS 12 Tonne Double Decker Bus Off Injured Unicyclist also Cyclist, 32, dies after crash with Co-op lorry in London in sixth fatal accident this year still more Cyclist killed after lorry collision in south-east London and it just keeps getting worse Cyclist killed in Camberwell crash was top King’s College Hospital physiotherapist Female cyclists dies after Denmark Hill crash Nothing official but at this point it appears to be a left hook for the bicyclist, and a run over from behind for the unicyclist. And I had a link to a possible third wreck, but the page was 404 when I tried to pull it up. I’m assuming this was the third wreck mentioned in the video for that last link above. Immediate response to the wrecks? Harriet Harman: ban lorries in rush hour to save cyclists The killed cyclist hadn’t even died before the first political outcry to remove the most deadly thing from London’s streets and byways. And given that all 6 cyclist fatalities this year involved HGV, this is a perfectly reasonable response.

NYC had fewer wrecks but more (until after the last delivery of the Feed) links. Bicyclist Dead After Being Rear-Ended By Speeding Driver In East Harlem and Neuroscientist on bike killed by driver who fled traffic stop this, too NYPD on hunt for hit-and-run driver who fatally struck bicyclist, a Weill Cornell professor, in East Harlem more Cyclist Killed In Harlem Hit-And-Run Was Neurological Surgery Professor and Bicyclist Is Killed by Car Fleeing Court Police You know what is the really frustrating thing about this? The car was noticed as stolen on Sunday, but NYPD would not take a report from the person watching the house or over the phone from the out-of-state owner. That’s 4 days this car was running around NYC unencumbered when it could have been pulled over and impounded as stolen before it was used to kill someone. Granted since the perps were running from a traffic stop in this wreck, it could have just meant that a different cyclist was run over from behind, or they could have been boxed in by traffic for that stop and nobody would have been hurt, but that is all hypothesis because NYPD didn’t take the damn report! May all their gonads be “lovingly” caressed by electric eels, the thieves, the people driving when the cyclist was killed if they are not the people that stole the car in the first place, and the cops that refused to take the report that the car had been stolen. There is no excuse for this kind of mass fornication.

Much closer to home for WoaB. HUNDREDS OF CYCLISTS ARE HIT ON HOUSTON STREETS EVERY YEAR The story that opens the report, of the cyclist wearing a glow-in-the-dark clown suit hit from behind while crossing an intersection aptly displays the problem, drivers either don’t look or don’t care because they can certainly see most cyclists if they look in front of the car. Until something is done about that nothing will change much anywhere in TX as far as cyclists getting hit and killed on the roads. And that string of videos further down with the guy riding with the 3-foot flag on the side of the bike shows the other problem, drivers that think because they “didn’t hit” a cyclist they made a safe pass… The Caddy driver that moved right just before passing…

A Ghost Bike is placed, and removed, within a week of a wreck in IL. Daughters honor mother by seeking bike safety I would ask why someone would steal a Ghost Bike, but at this point, I don’t really care “why”. And the hate shown in the comments section for someone hit while riding a bike on a designated USBR.

Another RoS article, this one is more long form than the ones we had up until this. Ride of Silence serves as chance to remember, honor cyclists killed on the road

More RoS. Charleston ride of silence honors Jae Bellamy, other injured or killed cyclists This is the city where my brother lives and works. Interesting that Charleston has killed as many cyclists as London, with much less uproar about it.

Bike Month draws to a close in NJ. Rider risks, safety tips highlighted as part of Bike Month in N.J (VIDEO)

Kinda infrastructurish from just outside NYC. Communities try to ease friction between cars and bikes

ABQ tries bike share as tourist visits decline. Albuquerque Looks to New Bike-Share for Downtown Boost I remember when ABQ was a sleepy middle-sized town and the biggest danger was when both Unser brothers (Al and Bobby) were in town between car races.

More on the SLC “protected intersection”. Salt Lake City Will Have First Protected Bike Intersection in the U.S. This almost approaches “Dutch” quality bicycle infrastructure. The only problem is if drivers don’t want anything to do with the street why would cyclists use it? If there is no place to go to why ride the street?

Hot’lanta infrastructure (kinda disappointing). Atlanta takes steps to become more bike friendly

Another stop for the Worker’s Comp bike protest. Injured Workers Stop in Cobourg During 600 km Bike Ride to Draw Attention to a Compensation System Being Dismantled by the Liberal Government

And either I’m out of links or I’m blind, but I can read this, so probably not blind.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet

These links will thrill and sicken you, watch out for the third paragraph

I’m going to use one of those clickbait “you’ll never believe…” headlines after I get the post composed, but at the moment it just says “snarky title”. You know the kind of thing I’m talking about, “10 famous people that killed someone, number 7 will chill you to the core” and it turns out they were in the same building that someone died in their sleep. Today was grocery day and I didn’t get enough money out by about $10 so we had to put a loaf of bread back and skip the planned outing tomorrow that Mrs. the Poet really didn’t want to go on in the first place. We would have had to walk more than a half mile in the rain if the forecast is to be believed, and her tolerance for walking in the rain with me is pretty low any more. Her tolerance for walking in the rain with or without me pretty much evaporated the day after she retired.

The Big Story today seems to be the doctor killed on his way to work in Oz. Cyclist killed in collision with truck in Rose Bay and Devoted doctor Henri Sueke killed in Rose Bay cycling to kids’ ward also Devoted doctor Henri Sueke killed in Rose Bay cycling to kids’ ward That last link changed as I was trying to create it. The headline literally changed as I was trying to copy/paste. From the pictures it looks like the truck passed too closely to the cyclist and forced him into the parked cars there being scrape marks that look like they were caused by a turning pedal on some of the cars. That’s too damn close, as the cyclist’s mangled bike and body attest.

Back in the states, I can’t remember if I cursed this guy or not. State reports 2 Southern Nevada inmate deaths What is not in the headline any more since the second death is this was the guy that killed a cyclist while driving drunk on the sidewalk after jumping the curb with his light armored vehicle. He was driving under the influence of booze and prescription drugs. I have to admit I had a flash of schadenfreude when I saw the first headline, but after that flash, not so much. Am I glad he will no longer be a threat to cyclists in NV? Yes, but as long as he was in prison he was alive and still not a threat to cyclists, the only time he was a threat was when he was driving under the influence. Keep him out of motor vehicles and he’s still not much of a threat to anybody. Did he deserve a long prison sentence for killing another human being? Yes and he got it. Did he deserve a chance to contribute to society after he completed that sentence? We will never know because he died long before his first parole date. The reason I even mentioned the “curse” is I have a vague memory of being very angry about this wreck back in 2009 because the cyclist was dragged a significant distance under the SUV before he died. I think I was still mad, or got angry all over again, when he was convicted and sentenced. So, I may have pronounced a curse that he would die in prison.

Update on the victim of a Boston pinball wreck. Teen killed while riding bicycle; family hopes for Haiti burial If any of y’all can shake a spare buck or two that direction I know I would appreciate it. For the family, because the cyclist is long past knowing one way or the other.

Ugghh! Really? Ghost bike memorial for killed cyclist stolen again The first time it was stolen by a scrapper looking for metal he could sell. Who knows the culprit this time. That anyone would desecrate a memorial to the dead of any kind…

Our Daily Ted. Bike rider killed after swerving across traffic on Oceanside highway

Salmon CA cyclist misses train crossing signals, and just misses the train. Sacramento bicyclist escapes serious injury in brush with light-rail train

Cyclist left-crossed in OR. Driver cited in crash that left bicyclist seriously injured I’m glad to see that the driver was found at fault for hitting the cyclist riding under the speed limit…

Apparently there are some seriously blind drivers in AL also. Vestavia Hills cyclist dies, another one recovering after an accident in Gulf Shores and Bicyclist Hit By Car At Gulf State Park Dies Hit one cyclist, it could have been a blind spot, but hit two means either you are not looking where you are driving, or you did it on purpose. Either answer deserves serious prison time in my book.

Dear NY Post editors: Die in a fire after a big meal of five star (us) pad thai. Killer cyclist gives son a lesson in how to break the law “But Opus, how can you be so mean to the nice NYP editors?” Because they never do this kind of followup on any drivers who run over pedestrians in crosswalks, this is harassment, pure and simple. Because for some reason the NYP has it in their tiny brains that cyclists are some kind of terrorists (they actually had an article online a few years ago stating such). Pedestrians killed by cyclists in NYC since 2001: eight. There were more dead pedestrians a month by motor vehicle just since the start of the year. So why the hate-on for cyclists, NY Post editors?

A little upstate from NYC. Father sues RGRTA over cyclist’s death This is another SWSS wreck, but for some reason nobody saved the forward video view from the bus cameras… That tells me exactly the same thing retaining the video from the SoCal marine base bus wreck told me, the bus driver didn’t see the cyclist until impact and then swerved left.

And over in CT. Woman nearly killed riding bike in 2011 will speak in Milford Saturday Sounds like it should be inspiring.

More on the KY driver charged with murder in the death of the Horsey Hundred cyclist. Man charged in cyclist’s death ‘a really good guy’ who may have drinking problem, wife says Yes he might be a “really good guy” when he is not drunk and stoned behind the wheel, but the charge of murder still stands. And now we know he tested 0.3 in a previous drunk driving incident? That is near the 50% fatal level of BAC%. And I just looked to see how many drinks it would take for a man that looks to weigh about 220 to get up to 0.3, but the chart doesn’t go that high, interpolating put it about 20 drinks of hard liquor or about 10 Fl Oz of pure ethanol…

More on NC infrastructure. Death of cyclist highlights cost of making roads bike-friendly The left the word “not” out of the headline. “Death of cyclist highlights cost of not making roads bike-friendly” Because a dead cyclist is too high a price to pay for drivers to drive unhindered in speed without having to pay attention to what or who they might be sharing the road with.

More on the CO cyclist murdered by a gunshot instead of a motor vehicle. Windsor police ask for help investigating cyclist’s fatal shooting You know why they are investigating this so hard and hit-and-runs against cyclists so poorly? Because anyone could get shot and killed even driving a car, while fatal hit-and-runs tend to happen to cyclists and pedestrians only. I mean I’m sure someone could get killed by one light armored vehicle getting hit by another light armored vehicle, but when that happens neither light armored vehicle can leave the scene in the majority of cases. So getting shot and killed is something that could even happen to the LEO investigating, or the people reporting the news. Hit-and-run happens to “other people” not driving cars…

I fail to see how the cyclist “caused” this wreck, as reported he was still in the same lane when the motorcyclist wrecked behind him. Bicyclist sought in hit-and-run motorcycle crash

Over in Jolly Olde they are discovering that putting trams in the old bike lanes without putting in new bike lanes leads to problems, not the least of which is getting someone to keep a record of the wrecks caused by the tracks. Lawyers warn of cyclists’ tram risk People are getting seriously injured and hauled away by ambulance, but there are no records of the injuries outside of the hospital?

Back in Oz, bicycles and trams don’t mix well, the infrastructure for trams tends to cause bicycles to wreck. Cyclist trapped under tram after Flemington crash There was a report the cyclist might have been forced into the tram, but not confirmed at the time of this posting.

Put this one in the “I’m not surprised” bin. HGVs failing to fit hi-tech cyclist savers

Next stop on the worker’s comp bicycle protest ride in the Great White North. Injured Workers Stop in Oshawa During 600 km Bike Ride to Draw Attention to a Compensation System Being Dismantled by the Liberal Government

Legal infrastructure in West Canuckistan. Ormiston v. ICBC: yet another case for recognizing paved shoulders as lanes of travel for cyclists?

And I think I’m outta links (checks) yep, all gone.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet

Did lawnmowing things &tc, and the Feed

My contribution to the lawn mowing today was walking the mile and a quarter to buy the gas, and mowing the fence line and up beside the house where you need more upper-body strength than Mrs. the Poet can muster even on a good day. I still have problems with my back when I walk too much, and between getting the gas, mowing the fence lines and going to the bank to get grocery money without having to pay an ATM fee at the store I came real close to maxing out my available miles. I had a little lay-down after I got home from the bank and meditated for a bit, then pulled the steri-strips that had come off my back off of where they had gotten stuck to my shirt. There aren’t many of them left over the incision site, but I haven’t noticed any pain or leakage from the incision so I guess we are still good on that. Speaking of pain while the little sharp pains from the edge of the dent are still there they were less noticeable than even yesterday, so that is also good.

I managed to get Blue moved to a cleared space in the garage where I could get some tools on him which also cleared access to Francis/es to allow it to be used if needed. So far the only work I managed to get done was changing the seat cover on Blue, but as I wrote earlier I had things to do away from the house that kinda drained my energy, so maybe I’ll get more done tomorrow.

Up first, I have a link to the PDF version of the FHWA guide on segregated bike lanes. Federal Highway Administration SEPARATED BIKE LANE PLANNING AND DESIGN GUIDE WARNING, this is a gov’t document written by engineers who were paid by the word and it comes in just over 99MB.

Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: 3 important bike meetings, 1 last endorsement in WeHo, and what to do at CicLAvia Pasadena

Another example of why FL kills more cyclists than any other state in the US. UPDATE: Cyclist hit in Sanibel crosswalk listed in fair condition Note the response of the LEO representative: “Sanibel police chief William Tomlinson said bicyclists in Sanibel’s 25 miles of mixed-use pathways have the option of riding crosswalks, but suggested that walking a bike is safer.” The cyclist was hit crossing with the signal after one vehicle had stopped to let him pass but the weapon vehicle failed to stop. The driver that hit the cyclist did not obey a traffic control, but the cyclist should have walked his bike because… damned if I know.

Over in Jolly Olde while the infrastructure is sometimes truly awful, it is marginally safe if the drivers of large vehicles look out for and don’t run over the people on bicycles. Two lorry drivers face court over deaths of cyclists killed in separate crashes at City blackspot

And idiots with a badge are not limited to the state of Florida or even the US. CTC critical of police response to death of Merseyside cyclist Cyclist had a measurable amount of alcohol in his blood post-mortem so the other drunk that drove nearly 200 feet on the wrong side of the road to hit him was initially let off the hook.

And this guy walked away from what was initially believed to be a minor collision with a cyclist, then died a few days later. Peter Craig: Super fit newlywed killed after freak collision with cyclist while in marathon training DON’T HIT THE PEDESTRIANS! Seriously, do everything you can to not hit pedestrians, then exchange information after if you do hit one. Not saying that was what happened here, just general advice.

The cyclist video recorded “jumping” a red light and hitting a bus had equipment failure. Bus driver defends cyclist filmed crashing into his double-decker after jumping red light Broke the front brake and locked the rear on slick pavement and WHAM, there’s the bus.

There are still good people in the world, they are just sometimes hard to find. Members of public tried to lift vehicle off trapped cyclist Unfortunately there were either not enough people or too much SUV to get the car off the cyclist without heavy specialized lifting equipment. Fortunately the fire crew that showed up for the call was so equipped and the cyclist was extricated and sent to hospital.

More on that ride in the Great White North to protest cuts in Workman’s Comp. Injured Workers Stop in Kingston During 600 km Bike Ride to Draw Attention to a Compensation System Being Dismantled by the Liberal Government Are the Koch brothers active in Canada too?

And another wounded/injured veteran ride, this time in Jolly Olde. 100 wounded heroes lead cycle races Note to reporter/headline writer, these are social rides, not races. There are no winners except the people served by the money raised. There are no losers except the people who could but don’t choose to participate.

And I’m out of links again.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet

I have an interesting pain in the neck, and the Feed

The pain in my neck has changed drastically in the last few days. What used to be a generalized ache in the muscles has now become highly localized to the edges of the dent. There is also a little bit of bruising near where I’m assuming the main blood vessel feeding “Chris Christie” was located. If you go back to the pictures that would be the dark spot at the top of the image of the mass that was removed. But the pain and discomfort around the edge of the dent is the part I find most interesting. All of that is still way less than what I was going through before the operation. And being able to walk upright again? That is F&%(*&^ awesome. I am actively looking forward to being able to get inside the garage and work on getting Blue and Francis/es operational, as soon as the weather breaks a little. Mrs. the Poet is likewise looking forward to a break in the weather so she can mow the lawn. I might have to help her out a bit on that one because the grass is getting a little too tall for her to manage on her own. I have been doing the stuff that required more than just pushing the mower along (fences and other obstructions) but I couldn’t do the whole thing before the operation, my back just wouldn’t take it. But the pain in my neck becoming localized to the edge of the dent, that is fascinating.

The drunk driver that killed a cyclist riding in the Horsey Hundred bike ride in KY continues to generate news items. Police: Cold beer found in cup holder of truck that killed cyclist and Cyclist killed after being hit by vehicle more stupidity Citation: Suspect told officers he had six beers, smoked pot prior to crash that killed cyclist And with the admission of being drunk and stoned we now have a good idea on why the driver was charged with murder so quickly.

Two part Daily Ted, Pt. 1. 58-year old Joshua Tree cyclist killed in high speed rear-end collision and Pt. 2 Morning Links: CicLAvia comes to Pas, PCH hugs it out, and SoCal has one of the world’s best bike lanes

At least this time the cyclist getting shot was not an intended target. Bullets injure three including 14-year-old bike rider

And what is it with cyclists getting hit with bullets lately? Boy, 7, shot while riding bicycle in Dorchester What could a 7YO have done that would cause someone to shoot him?

Things are getting better in Upstate NY? Bicyclists say more drivers are sharing the road I’m tempted to make a comment about Stockholm Syndrome, but I won’t.

A Ghost Bike in NC. GHOST BIKE PLACED IN REMEMBRANCE OF FATAL ACCIDENT I’m not so sure about making the bike a portable memorial, this just sounds like an invitation to steal the thing.

FL infrastructure, where they don’t post the detour for the bikes while they replace the bridge with the bike lane. VENETIAN CAUSEWAY CLOSING COULD SPELL MORE BICYCLE DEATHS There is a reason why “Florida man does something stupid” is an internet meme. Many reasons, this being on the list.

Another data point on the death spiral of the once-great state of Walkerstan, formerly known as Wisconsin. Republican legislators making war on bikes Why cut off your nose to spite your face on this?

Bike Month news from far West Canuckistan. Drivers urged to watch for cyclists

And more on the ride to protest what looks like defunding the Workman’s Comp system in the Great White North. Injured workers stop in Brockville Tuesday during 600-km bike ride

And I’m out of links again.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet

It took a long time to get in “Writing Head Space” and the Feed

You know how things get sometimes? When you are the only one who has to work and everyone else has the day off and wants to play? That was my situation this morning as I was trying to get my head into that metaphorical “space” where I can write. My daughter is visiting from Scotland, and had not made her appearance at Casa de El Poeta yet. But that did not prevent Mrs. the Poet from intruding on my preparations for composing this post pretty much constantly. I understand her point that I need to interact with my family, but I have to work, too. Especially after yesterday’s sloth-fest of more than 18 hours of uninterrupted TV motorsports, if I don’t get back to writing right away I will get lazy and just stop doing the blog. Then one more anchor I used to maintain my sanity will be down the tubes, or more precisely untied and abandoned. And I kinda like having this particular level of sanity, being attached to the “real” world and doing what I can to make a difference. I think this is just sane enough, and at the same time just crazy enough to think I can actually make a difference. I’m in the “sanity sweet spot” here.

The Big Story today is a driver charged with murder in the death of a cyclist in KY. Police: Driver charged with murder after hitting, killing bicyclist and Cyclist killed after being hit by vehicle also Authorities say Kentucky man killed after being hit by vehicle during cycling event and even Cyclist killed after being hit by vehicle and this Bicyclist hit by drunk driver during race, dies this also Cyclists remember man hit and killed during Georgetown’s Horsey Hundred I’m wondering if the driver in this case might have said to the LEO that stopped him or posted something publicly to the effect that he was going to deliberately run into a cyclist or group of cyclists. If either is true given the speed he was charged I would say that he probably admitted he was targeting the cyclists to the LEO that stopped him.

This CA woman still can’t bear to see where her husband and partner died. She can’t visit the ghost bike, not yet I understand this. I still have a problem with driving or riding past the site of my wreck, and that was 14 years ago. I can do it, I just would rather not. And her husband’s death was a heck of a lot more recent than 14 years.

Update on a cyclist injured in Portland. Schwinn, nurse help injured cyclist to get back This was the cyclist who lost a leg in a left-cross wreck a few weeks ago.

From NYC a child is severely injured going to get ice cream because “FU, Cars are more important”… 7-Yr-Old Getting Ice Cream Struck By Hit-And-Run Driver In The Bronx I mean seriously, you stopped and then you ran the kid over again? You deserve to spend the rest of your days listening to kids crying on an endless loop. Over and over again with no relief. I can see giving the driver some leeway if she had just stayed at the scene and helped with the first aid, but running the victim over a second time? Foxtrot Uniform Charlie Kilo Yankee Oscar Uniform with barbed wire.

I keep telling these people there is a simple way to do this, and the technical parameters are available for €90 translated to English. Greensboro officials, cyclists seek safer roads (VIDEO) Seriously dudes, the CROW manual is like 40 years of what works and more importantly didn’t work, distilled into one volume. They didn’t stop motor vehicles so much as tamed them and put them at lower priority.

This is one of the reasons I keep writing about sidewalks not being bicycle infrastructure even when designated as such. Pavement cyclist faces charges and media backlash after hitting toddler in incident caught on CCTV I also agree with the comment about now will we hear the same thing about people driving on the sidewalks? Because since this cyclist hit the little girl and skinned her face slightly 2 people were killed by someone driving on the “pavements”.

And something for your irony-poor blood. Cambridgeshire schoolgirl injured in crash during cycle route protest The kid was injured by a cyclist while protesting the non-existence of non-existent bicycle infrastructure…

Fund raising ride for a wounded soldier ride. Portman to bike in ‘Honor Ride’

And I’m not real sure of the point of this ride in Canada. Injured Workers Kick-Off 600 km Bike Ride in Ottawa to Draw Attention to a Compensation System Being Dismantled by the Liberal Government and Bike-riding injured workers to make stop in Cornwall Are they trying to say that the system that the government is trying to destroy allowed them to recover from their injuries to the point that riding 600 km is only slightly harder than it would have been before they got injured? Because I can see someone saying that if they can ride 600 km they must not be too injured and should not have gotten benefits.

And I think I have run out of links for today. Yep, nothing left in the other window.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet

Things just keep getting better for my neck, and the Feed

I can’t believe how much better my neck is feeling just 3 days post-op. It is like a whole world of difference between Monday and Friday in terms of pain and mobility. I can stand up straight, no back pain, and only a tiny bit of discomfort on the incision site. I am so glad I finally got this thing done. Even sleeping is better now…

Up first are a bunch of links to more RoS articles, this being that time of year. Cyclists blessed, ride in silence also Cyclists hit the road to honor past victims and Ride of Silence to Commemorate Death of Maui Cyclist not done yet Cyclists share message for drivers and another report from South TX McAllen event honors injured, killed cyclists and Event honors injured, killed cyclists from MI Holland Ride of Silence remembers, honors local cyclists killed while riding a bicycle and this even Ride of Silence to honor injured or killed bicyclists still more Ride in Silence draws 250-300 to Clermont not done yet Bicyclists ride in remembrance of those killed another one from Maui Bicyclists conduct silent ride to remember slain Kihei cyclist

Remembering one of ours killed in a terrible way. Funeral Friday in Windsor for murdered cyclist John Jacoby, service at Faith United Church of Christ Now they are calling the death a murder, but why not when a cyclist is just left to die after getting hit with a much more deadly weapon, a motor vehicle? A later report Funeral held for Windsor cyclist found shot, killed More Race Canceled Amid Anxiety Over Colorado Roadway Shootings This was not just about the cyclist who was shot, but all the other vehicles that got shot, too.

Our Daily Ted. LA County DA rules Gardena police were justified to shoot and kill the unarmed brother of a bike theft victim

Still in CA, we get another person failing to look both ways before crossing a train track with the crossing arms down. Woman Riding Bicycle Killed By Train In Riverside Not getting hit by a train is easy, you just have to not be on the track when there is a train on the track.

More on the teen killed in a MA pinball wreck. Driver in crash that claimed young man’s life unlicensed and Boston man held on $250,000 bail in death of cyclist

Had he survived, the teen driver in a VT wreck that killed a cyclist and the driver while driving nearly three times the speed limit would have been facing murder charges. With raw candor, Hinesburg chief opens up

Does an intersection that encourages trucks to make right turns without stopping cause drivers to hit cyclists on the through route? Widow’s lawsuit aims to make Route 75 safer for bicyclists People are getting hit regularly, and the widow is offering to pay for a traffic signal to prevent another wreck but nobody is taking her up on the offer.

NYC continues to not meet their Vision Zero goals monthly. NYPD: Drivers Injured 991 Pedestrians and Cyclists in April, and Killed Seven They’re 7 shy of meeting the goal for April…

You can’t fix it when you don’t know where the problems are. Cyclists, pedestrians lack a good crash reporting system If you don’t know where people are getting hit…

This Canadian rider uses their legal system to get compensation for neglected infrastructure. Injured cyclist sues city for $152,500 over potholes The pothole had been reported repeatedly over a period of months and not fixed even after the cyclist wiped out…

A cyclist in Jolly Olde gets hurt in an attempted bike-jacking. Cyclist injured in attempted robbery in Doncaster

In NYC a cyclist uses a Citi Bike to maneuver through the streets and rob people. Video of Man Believed to Be Bike-Riding Thief Is Released

In other infrastructure news, this is why TX will never see Vision Zero as a priority. Speed limit signs installed around Denison High School Yes that is a 35 MPH “School Zone”. Moving cars quickly is much more important than keeping children alive in TX.

And the DIY DOT begins operations in TX. Residents of Big Lake Take Fixing Potholes Into Their Own Hands

Ghost Bike in the UK. “What happens if you don’t come home?” The White Bike script to debut at Edinburgh Festival of Cycling

Total waste of time and resources. Cyclist invents handlebar lights to signal safer future on roads For these to be effective drivers would have to be looking, and if drivers wre looking then we wouldn’t need to use flashers. These might work a bit better if only because the shape attracts attention. Cyclists attach testicle shaped Bike Balls to seats to improve road safety

And there probably won’t be a Sunday post because of 18 hours of televised motorsports, between Monaco, Indianapolis, and Charlotte… and the pre- and post-race shows… And 1400 miles of oval and road (street circuit) races… (drool)

And I’m out of links tonight.

I have an interesting new development, and the Feed

Something interesting happened after losing “Chris Christie” off my neck, my abs started hurting. I have finally been able to sit and stand straight for the first time in months if not over a year, and my abs are complaining about the extra work. On the flip side I haven’t had any back pain since the operation, so when my abs get back to their original endurance (I have been working them pretty hard to make sure they were strong enough before the operation) I will be pretty much pain free. This will be territory I have not recently explored, as the lump had me leaning forward so much that if my neck wasn’t hurting my back was or they both were hurting, pretty much constantly. What will I do with myself now that I don’t have any aches and pains? One thing I do have to complain about is all the adhesive residue left behind by the bandage. It couldn’t hold the bandage on, so why is it still sticking to my skin? It’s icky and annoying.

The big story today seems to be the cyclist shot outside Denver. Windsor employee on bicycle fatally shot on Weld County Road 15 and Bicyclist gunned down near Windsor also Park caretaker for Town of Windsor shot and killed while bicycling and this blurb TODAY: More May Gray; Windsor Cyclist Fatally Shot; Yelp Review Lawsuit not done yet FBI joins Windsor cyclist fatal shooting investigation Friend Of Cyclist Shot & Killed In Windsor: ‘I’m Mad’ At this point they don’t know if this was a road rage killing or a random shooting, but they are saying it was probably deliberate because of the second bullet wound. And I don’t know what a cyclist could do to avoid either scenario because some people just seem to lose their minds when they see a cyclist on the road.

The other topic that is generating links is the Ride of Silence. The local report of the Mother Ride of Silence. Ride of Silence to be observed Wednesday across the World Another TX report from the RGV Cyclists Bring Awareness to Sharing Roads Bend Event to Honor Injured and Killed Cyclists and from NC Wednesday’s Ride of Silence to honor injured, killed bicyclists from DC Bicyclists riding in silence to honor those killed on roads From CA A ride to remember those killed riding bicycles More CA MOVING TRIBUTE HELD FOR CYCLISTS KILLED, INJURED IN SAN FRANCISCO From the most deadliest state to ride a bike “RIDE OF SILENCE” TONIGHT HIGHLIGHTS DEADLY DANGERS FOR CYCLISTS IN MIAMI From AL Ride of Silence honors cyclists injured, killed on roads; promotes bike safety From UT Provo Ride of Silence: Keep bicycling from PA with an additional protest Capitol protest highlights Pennsylvania bicyclists killed in 2014 From Midwest corn country Ride of Silence Wednesday evening From the Great White North Ride of silence will remember fallen cyclists and Local Cyclists To Remember Those Killed While Riding Their Bikes also Silent ride honours injured, killed cyclists You can tell it was Canadian because they spelled “Honour” with the “u” A San Francisco Cyclist’s ‘Amazing Renaissance’ — and Sudden Death Remembering a specific cyclist killed in SF to highlight the RoS.

Along with the RoS are Ghost Bikes. Ghost Bike Dedicated to Topeka Woman Killed in Bicycling Accident also ‘Ghost bike’ memorial to highlight bike safety

Another cyclist shot in CA this time. Updated: Bicyclist shot to death in Santa Ana was in confrontation earlier And TN Nonprofit gives away bikes in honor of man killed in shooting

A cyclist was killed in a pinball wreck while waiting for a red light. Man riding bike killed in Boston crash and Man arraigned after death of Dorchester cyclist also Driver Arrested In Dorchester Hit-And-Run That Killed Teen The driver of the vehicle involved in the initial impact that sent the second vehicle into the cyclist attempted to drive away but did not get far as his vehicle was too damaged, and he was caught.

A major problem for cyclists when they get hit. Tim Flynn: Bias undermines cyclists’ safety When you get hit using bicycle infrastructure that is supposed to be segregated and a motor vehicle hits you crossing it from a parking facility instead of stopping and waiting to cross when safe and the LEO does not know the bike infrastructure has the right of way over the driveway, well then you have a problem.

You may also have a problem in Oz with LEO bias. Cyclist seriously injured in alleged hit-and-run criticises Victoria Police who ‘never came’ to scene The ambulance came to the scene but LEO never did…

Also from Oz about LEO. Alarm bells as more children hit on Victorian roads Pedestrians and cyclists on their ways to school are placed at the mercies of drivers that don’t care or who don’t see anything smaller than a late-model Mini on the roads in front of them. This is a problem that needs to be corrected somehow.

Infrastructure from PA. City bike-share program off to fast start I like to read about successful bike share programs.

Infrastructure news from the Great White North. Cyclists on safety along the Rideau Canal They’re talking to the wrong people for this one. It’s not the people who continue to ride there that are concerned about safety, it’s the people who won’t ride there. The people who still ride there think it’s “safe enough”.

“Safety” festival from CA. Bike health and safety expo to be held in Redlands Mall parking lot

UK lawyers are all about the bad parts of cycling. UK Claim Lawyers illustrate road dangers for cyclists

And why cyclists ride in the road, Part I have completely lost count now. Why Cyclists Ride Two Abreast

Our Daily Ted came in a bit late today. Morning Links: Koretz reportedly kills Great Streets bike lanes in Westwood Village; new Redondo bike lanes paved

I think I’m out of links (checks) yep all done now.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet

Still not ready to deal with the Feed, so an update on my surgery instead

I got sliced and diced yesterday, but I got so dehydrated waiting for my surgery that I got held up from leaving post-op until I was hydrated enough to pass urine which was about 2 hours and 2 liters of water and IV fluids later. As I wrote, part of the issue was I was restricted from food and fluids from midnight before the operation but did not get into the OR until between 1130 and 1145. The last thing I remember was transferring out of the gurney to the operating table and then getting woozy from the pre-op drugs. Next thing I remember is waking up in post-op from the nurse shaking me gently.

Anyway, getting back to the dehydration, I was denied fluids for 12 hours before the operation so that I wouldn’t throw up during the operation, and I was given very dry O2 during the operation that dried me out even more. After the operation I had about 1500 cc of oral fluids (water and coffee) and 500cc of IV fluids and I managed to get a trickle of urine about 2 hours later.

After I got home I had iced tea and water pretty much solid for another 4 hours, until I was passing urine normally. Then I just hung out with my Peeps.

Mrs. the Poet was able to get a good picture of “Chris Christie” after removal.
I should tell you that this doctor does not have small hands, if anything they are larger than normal.

I was told that there would be a dent left behind when Chris was evicted from my neck, but I was not expecting anything like this dent.

That is a friggin huge dent, especially when you compare the “before” shot.

And a lump that large takes a large incision to remove.

With all that the relief in pain was immediate, from about a 2 or 3 to maybe a 1 on the 0-10 scale. And that was with no post-op pain drugs. I was forced to take 1 Hydrocodone after the operation because maybe I would have some pain after the shock of the operation wore off, or the last of the anaesthesia wore off or something like that, but I haven’t needed anything for pain at all. I feel less pain now than I have in months.

The only thing I regret is I will have to miss the Ride of Silence tonight because I can’t let the incision area get sweaty.

PSA, Opus the unkillable badass Poet

Going silent tomorrow, and the Feed

Because of the medical procedure I have scheduled for tomorrow I will not be doing a blog post for Tuesday, definitely, and maybe until Friday at the earliest. I know the last time I went under the knife I did not feel capable of writing for several days. And this operation is not as involved as my last operation as far as complexity, just taking off a lump from my neck as opposed to taking the Gamma Nail out of my hip for the last operation, but that operation I was on my back compared to this one where I will be getting anaesthesia through a hole in the table while I lie face down on the table. At least this operation there won’t be any power tools or slide hammers involved.

Up first are a bunch of links to Rides of Silence across the US and other countries. Ride of Silence for cyclists to be held in Medford and Special ride remembers injured and killed cyclists also Ride of Silence to commemorate fallen cyclists more Ride of Silence hopes to draw raise awareness of cyclists another Ride of Silence in Ypsilanti to promote bicycle road safety still more Ride of Silence to be held in Delray Beach, West Palm Beach, Miami still more Silent riders to mourn cyclists killed on roads not done yet Ride of Silence returns to Bend I will not be making the RoS Mother Ride this year because I will still be recuperating from the surgery and I don’t have a bike I can ride. I have lots of bikes now, I just can’t ride any of them.

After that link blast, Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: Ramsay endorsement, a way to measure 3-foot violations, and Sagan takes the AToC by 3 seconds

From NYC, my jaw hit the floor when I read this headline. Taxi Driver Charged After Critically Injuring Woman In Midtown That’s right, a taxi driver was charged with a crime for running over a pedestrian in a crosswalk and the victim didn’t even have to die. Maybe pulling the medallion off a cab that hits a pedestrian will cause owners to be a bit more picky in who they hire to drive? Or maybe requiring the owner of the medallion drive 51% of the time or miles the taxi is on the road so that medallions get more reasonable in costs. Nope, both.

Just a reminder that this is still Bike to Work Month, not day. Your guide to this week’s Bike to Work events

Should there be a mandatory 12 step program for non-professional drivers? Can a Classic Counseling Technique Get People Out of Cars?

And WTF? Another cyclist shot? Man riding bike shot and killed in Salinas Don’t people realize that running over a cyclist with the car you’re doing the drive-by from is less likely to get you in trouble even if there was a beef between you and the cyclist?

A different kind of cyclist memorial in AZ. Memorial for killed Gilbert cyclist on Sunday That’s the way for cyclists to remember someone, free food!

Really? It took three people to try to kill a cyclist and then to cover it up (badly). Three charged after hit-and-run crash that seriously injures cyclist in Clay Nope, it took FOUR people to cover it up. 4th person charged in cover-up of hit-and-run in Clay that critically injured bicyclist And if the cyclist dies, there is a possible murder charge pending partially because of the cover up.

I wonder who thought cyclists were not intimately familiar with the state of the roads? VIDEO: CYCLISTS TOUR HUDSON TO EXPERIENCE ROADS FIRST HAND Apparently this is Hudson OH, not NY.

More on a cyclist killed in Jolly Olde as they release the victim’s survivors’ statements. Widow of cyclist killed by rogue driver’s tipper truck: ‘My life used to be in colour…now it’s black and white’ All this, and they still only gave the stupid driver 3½ years in prison?

Another victim’s statement is published from another cyclist’s death. Family of cyclist Mark Robinson killed in collision with car say he was “number one son and mate”

From Oz, where human life actually means something, kinda. Man charged over hit and run Nice to see some jailable offenses were charged for leaving an injured person on the side of the road to live or die.

Infrastructure news from CA. How We Ran Off the Road It all can be traced back to the late ’30s when GM, Firestone, and Standard Oil conspired to buy up and dismantle public transportation in CA…

infrastructure from the Great White North. Cyclists on the sidewalk Sidewalk cyclists are an indicator group. They indicate you need bicycle infrastructure, and that you are not providing it. The only thing worse than sidewalk cyclists is no cyclists, that’s when you really have a problem.

I wonder where TX fits in on that survey? Where does N.J. rank among the best states to bike?

A little LEO lifestyle. Police Week: ICE cyclists honor officers killed in line of duty

Another Whiskey. Tango. Foxtrot. moment from China. Electric Bicycle is a Viper SRT 10 in China For those not up on cars, the Viper SRT10 in the US is a race-ready street car, especially in the ACA version made for a spec series (the Viper Cup) that ran a few years ago. It had performance levels that were just below the limits for a street vehicle at the time. A 250 W e-assist bike is the antithesis of a Viper SRT10…

And I think I have run out of links… Thank [$DEITY]

Billed @€0.02, Opus the unkillable badass Poet