Happy Beg-For-Candy-Day!

Happy Samhain for the Pagans and Wiccans out there, Beltain for those Down Under.

Rain again, and the Feed

This has been a very rainy October for the Beautiful Suburbs of Hell, we are getting wet again as I type this. The rain today has been the steady drizzle kind of rain locally as we get the fringes of more severe downpours that go to the north or south of Casa de El Poeta. That part has been mostly good. The dull light, and cool temps are mostly bad.

Up first is a wreck close to home, by TX standards. Local Teen Injured after Getting Hit While Riding Bike Claim is the cyclist ran the stop sign. If the impact was from the side then I would have to agree, if the cyclist was hit from behind by a driver not paying attention…

Infrastructure from down the road a bit in Austin. Postcard from Austin: curb extensions that don’t block bikes Make things easy for the pedestrians and cyclists while not making drivers too mad.

That insurance company in BC has gotten international attention from blaming the cyclist for getting hit head-on by a drunk driver driving on the wrong side of the road. Cyclist to blame for his own death near Whistler in May: British Columbia insurance authorities and ICBC blames highway bike death near Whistler on cyclist’s negligence also B.C.’s public auto insurer blames ‘careless’ cyclist for his own death in crash with alleged drunk driver Guys, you probably want to settle this quickly, and big, if you like keeping your jobs. Public opinion is turning against you very rapidly.

Also making news is the cargo container that crushed a cyclist in CA. Authorities Probe How Big Rig Container Became Loose, Crushed Cyclist To Death and Authorities offer clues in the case of bicyclist crushed by shipping container The company line fails to mention the truck driver’s strike at the port and the fact that scab drivers were hired from other companies not equipped to handle cargo containers properly, and that the combination of flatbed and cargo container is about 6″ taller than cargo containers on their proper trailer. When the cargo container struck the underside of the bridge it destroyed most of the straps holding it to the trailer with the few that remained unable to restrain the load. which would not have happened with the proper trailer designed to move the container because 1) it is shorter by about 6″ and 2) it does not use straps over the top of the container to restrain the load.

Another story still making the news is the former Episcopalian bishop in MD going to prison for killing a cyclist while DUI and texting while driving in the bike lane. Bishop who killed cyclist while driving drunk gets 7 years and Bishop Who Killed Cyclist While Driving Drunk Will Serve Seven Years

The news from NYC is don’t hit NYPD with your car even when they wander in the street not paying attention to traffic. Video: NYPD Traffic Agent Struck By Driver In Clinton Hill Well now we know what it takes to get a non-fatal pedestrian wreck taken seriously.

Update from the most deadliest state in the US to walk or ride a bike. Dough bakery rallying around injured co-worker Commuting should not be an extreme sport with possible deadly outcomes. For those readers local to the fundraiser tell me how the Bee doughnuts taste.

The Show Me state takes out another cyclist. Cyclist injured after being struck by pickup Hit-from-behind, the cyclist was lucky it wasn’t more serious.

More on the death of a PA cyclist in a pinball wreck. Blaming bicyclists There were 3 motor vehicles involved besides the cyclist who was waiting on a red light between the last two motor vehicles when the last motor vehicle was struck from behind and pushed into the motor vehicle in front, crushing the cyclist.

A CO cyclist is remembered and money raised in his honor. Cyclist’s death inspires 24-hour ride

Cyclist killed in the other Portland. Bicyclist seriously injured after being hit by pickup in Portland It was a cross or a hook, without directions of travel it is impossible to know.

The most deadliest state in the US tries to shed that title. New effort aims for zero pedestrian, bicycle deaths in Tampa

IL infrastructure news. CHICAGO BUILT THE BEST BIKE LANE OF 2013 OVER ITS STATE’S OBJECTIONS

Wounded Warriors roll through AZ. Injured Service Members Cycle toward Recovery and Healing

Hit-and-run in the Great White North. Male cyclist killed in hit and run in Brampton Why are they making excuses for the killer before they even start looking for him or her?

Disgusting infrastructure news from the GWN. City wants three-month limit on memorials for traffic victims This specifically includes Ghost Bikes.

UK man killed cycling in Turkey. Bradford man, 52, killed in cycling accident in Turkey

In spite of numerous witnesses not including the victim, they let this weasel go free. Halling man did not drive van into young cyclist, court rules WTF?!?

More magnanimous than I could manage. Widow’s court message: I forgive you This was the driver who was not supposed to be driving because of a medical condition that caused him to fall asleep at the wheel.

This wreck in Oz looks like a left hook, the “drive on the wrong side of the road” equivalent of the right hook. Cyclist suffers head injuries, fractures after collision with truck in Hobart

Nothing on the mode of this deadly wreck in Oz. NSW cyclist dies after crash

Another wreck not very far from the one in the paragraph above. Cyclist injured in crash – North Wollongong I put both wrecks in the sama paragraph at first because they were both in the same suburb of North Wollongong. I mean, what are the odds they would have two cyclist fatalities in the same rather small town within a couple of days of each other?

Terrible wreck in Enn Zed. Cyclist’s wife arrives minutes after Tauranga crash

Recall on a bike trailer for kid hauling. RECALL: Child bicycle trailers due to possible injury risk

Last link, even these bicycle designers say that the best bicycle design in the world is not as good at increasing mode share as getting the infrastructure right. Will A Better-Designed Electric Bike Change Commuting Habits? Biomega Thinks So

And I’m done for the week, Yay! See you Sunday.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet

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Now that bills are paid it’s Grocery Day, and the Feed

Yep, another day to spend money! We had a bunch of loyalty card savings and coupons that stacked with the loyalty card, so we ended up saving almost as much money as we spent. And we have an ample supply of candy for the kiddos this Halloween. And then for me 11/01 and later. 😀

Sad news from just up the road, the cyclist hit on a group ride in Allen back during the summer has died from his injuries. I don’t have a link, just a PM on FB from a relative who is aware of this blog. This link was the next ride he was to lead but couldn’t.

More news about the CA cyclist crushed by an errant shipping container. Long Beach Cyclist Dies in Freak Accident and Bicyclist crushed by falling shipping container was Long Beach resident As previously reported the container was loaded onto a flatbed instead of the trailer actually designed to haul shipping containers and was “secured” with cargo straps instead of getting mechanically attached to the trailer, because they were trying to break a drivers’ strike at the port.

Remember that time you found the remains of a dead cyclist half in the street and half on the sidewalk? ‘Disturbing’: Passerby recalls finding bicyclist killed in Ann Arbor hit and run Oh, that wasn’t you.[Emily Latella]Nevermind![/Emily Latella] More Police identify bicyclist killed by hit-and-run driver in Ann Arbor

Expensive justice is finally obtained in the death of a 3 YO crossing the street in NYC. Driver Who Killed 3-Year-Old Allison Liao Finally Admits Responsibility Allison would be entering kindergarten this year. The terms of this settlement are highly unusual, but as there is a video of the little girl walking with her grandmother in the crosswalk and the weapon vehicle just running right over the little girl while knocking the grandmother back on the behind, I think showing that to the jury would have head far worse results for the driver.

Still in NYC. Losing Your Fear Of Biking NYC: “Get Big” VC is not how to make cycling grow in mode share, VC is surviving the infrastructure we have to deal with now. Riding in NYC is mostly VC on steroids as drivers pretty much ignore the bike lanes except to park in them.

Not out of the city yet. In NYC, More Severe Injuries After Painted Bike Lanes Installed, Study Finds My take on the question: drivers in NYC are predominantly assholes who think any unoccupied spot of asphalt is “theirs” and flat out do not “see” cyclists as “occupying” that chunk of pavement.

From America’s Copenhagen in OR. Bike-friendliness and walk-friendliness are actually pretty different, study says My take: You can have bike-friendly, you can have walk-friendly, but the only way to get both is to make it not car friendly because you have to really slow down cars to mix all 3 modes in the same street.

Still in PDX, they are having similar problems as NYC, just not on the same scale because of fewer cars. People in Portland are driving cars where they don’t belong The lead picture is an SUV in the MUP of the Hawthorne bridge. There is a good 8-12 inch curb between the motor vehicle lane and the MUP. The people making the comments on the site think the front suspension is probably a jumble of twisted metal by now.

Still in OR they have discovered the joys of e-assist for going up hills. E-bike investment in Salem The secret is connecting the motor through the human gearing so the power stays pretty much the same even when hills make the going slower.

Time for Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: LA asks drivers to stay after they hit someone; suspect identified in North Fig hit-and-run

Some Letters to the Editor in CO. Cycling initiatives are beneficial to everyone

The ICBC keeps digging itself deeper and deeper. ICBC suggests cyclist at fault for colliding with allegedly impaired driver First rule of holes, when you find yourself unable to climb out STOP DIGGING DOWN! The ICBC does not appear to have heard of this rule.

More on the UK cyclist who injured a pedestrian and did not leave contact information. City police appeal after pedestrian seriously injured in collision with cyclist DON’T HIT THE PEDESTRIANS! If you do hit a pedestrian, don’t leave without making SURE that someone in charge (LEO or ambulance attendant) has your contact information. And don’t let them leave, either until that information has been exchanged.

A little infrastructure news from Scotland, where my elder daughter lives. Cycling accident map: Road incidents on the rise

The scourge is spreading to Switzerland. Road accidents: stay at the scene! Seriously, are we going to have to resort to doing to hit-and-run drivers what I have advocated for drunk drivers? Chain them to the steering wheel and run their car through a shredder?

Last link is perfect. Magic Hour Watch it in video form, it’s really good that way.

And I think I might be done.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet

I paid bills and now my feet hurt, and the Feed

I spent most of the afternoon walking around Garland getting bills paid and banking done. My feet are killing me, especially that spot on my left big toe that always has a huge callous removed when I get my toes done. My feet feel like I have been beating on them, which tells me I need more shock absorption in my footwear. Oh, well, something else I need to spend money on. It will go somewhere in the middle of the list of things to spend money on.

Up first because links, and a cyclist killer gets prison time. Former Episcopal Bishop Heather Cook sentenced to seven years in drunk-driving death of cyclist and Bishop who killed cyclist while driving drunk gets 7 years also Judge sentences ex-bishop who killed cyclist while driving drunk this too Ex-Maryland Bishop Sentenced to 7 Years in DUI Death of Cyclist not done Bishop Who Killed Cyclist While Driving Drunk Gets 7 Years

Next because it’s strange and bizarre, and also has lots of links. Bicycle rider killed by container falling from truck and BICYCLIST KILLED AFTER CARGO CONTAINER SLIDES OFF FLATBED TRUCK, FALLS ON HIM IN LONG BEACH also BICYCLIST CRUSHED BY CARGO CONTAINER IN LONG BEACH IDENTIFIED AFAIK the wreck was caused by an improperly secured container on a trailer that was not designed to haul cargo containers being driven by a scab driver hired by a union-busting conglomerate. tl;dr The cyclist was killed by corporate greed.

This looks like a good place to put the link to Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: Caltrans takes another step forward; CHP wants to improve bike safety, while cycling deaths up

Still in CA, more judicial bike news. Huntington Beach Man Convicted of Murder in DUI Hit-and-Run Death of Cyclist The minimum sentence is 16 years before parole.

More on the cop being in the right place at the right time to catch a DUI hit-and-run driver. Bicyclist killed in West Covina hit-and-run, driver arrested Pity he couldn’t have been in the right place and time to arrest her for DUI before she killed someone.

At least they didn’t call it a race this time. Injured veterans finish 500+ mile bike ride As a vet WoaB strongly supports our injured and wounded warriors.

Today seems to be the day for judicial news about bike wrecks, as this link from MI shows. Sentencing is Tuesday for Romulus woman who hit, killed boy riding his bike Killed while driving impaired by illegal drugs… Like the guy convicted of murder in CA a few paragraphs upstream.

Still in MI. Man on bike killed in hit and run in Ann Arbor overnight They are still examining the debris left from the weapon vehicle to try to identify it.

A couple of states over in MN they decided there wasn’t enough evidence to suspect another vehicle in the death of a cyclist. Ramsey Co. Sheriff: Vehicle No Longer Believed Involved In Cyclist’s Death “(D)octors determined that his injuries were not consistent with the bike accident.”

This CT link is just so full of “NO DUH!” Blunt trauma killed Torrington bike rider, state medical examiner says The guy was hit with a semi, that is pretty much the definition of blunt force trauma.

This NC wreck screams “assault with a deadly weapon” for the cyclist. Cyclist injured in Fayetteville crash Hit a cyclist, sideswipe a car, and hit a pole. The driver was either trying to kill the cyclist, or impaired.

Some Portland political news that could have an impact on other cities looking to Portland for guidance. Six bike-related issues that might take a turn with Hales out of the race

Still in Portland, something else that could impact bicycle safety in the rest of the country. At Wonk Night, County DA announces effort to change state law The change spoken of is the massive gap between a traffic ticket and vehicular homicide when someone with a car kills while breaking a traffic law. When the victim survives the gap is even worse as there is nothing that a driver can be criminally charged with.

Now this is an amenity. Portland Downtown Marriott adds in-room bike parking This would not work with Francis/es, but it might work with Blue or Gigi. I would bust a gut trying to get Francis/es up on that hook, cargo bikes are not meant to be lifted by the handlebars.

Infrastructure problems in SC. Charleston’s king tide floods are a sign of what the world will face as oceans rise Kinda hard to ride in the bike lane when the whole road is under water.

When they perfect driverless cars enough to replace human drivers, will they be allowed to drive? Will City Regulators Treat Driverless Cars Like They’ve Treated Uber?

Up north of Portland in far West Canuckistan. ICBC blames cyclist negligence for highway bike death Still trying to wrap my head around the concept that a cyclist hit head on by a vehicle driven by a drunk driver on the wrong side of the road while the cyclist is riding on the right side of the road with a chase vehicle(!) is at any way responsible for the wreck. The fact that the chase vehicle was hit and both occupants killed hasn’t even been entered into the equation yet.

Crap infrastructure is still crap in Jolly Olde. Killed Northumberland cyclist’s sister’s anguish as another bike rider hit This makes several cyclists severely injured since the wreck that killed the woman’s sister, all in the same intersection.

Surviving relatives of a UK cyclist killed by a driver who legally was banned from driving but the paperwork had not gone through yet speak out against what he did. Katy Charlton confronts driver Neil Urwin who killed her husband Andy

A rare cyclist-on-ped wreck in Jolly Olde. Schoolgirl injured after hit-and-run with cyclist in Sheffield DON’T HIT THE PEDESTRIANS! And especially don’t hit a pedestrian and leave the scene without making sure the pedestrian either isn’t injured or is getting care and you have left your contact information.

Last link is from Enn Zed. Cyclist critically injured in Tauranga crash This is the “We drive on the left side of the road” equivalent of the left cross.

And I really want to get to bed now and rest.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet

You won’t believe why the post is late, and the Feed

I had D&D this afternoon, which did not materially alter the filtering, but after that I was supposed to be interviewing for that modelling gig. The meeting was supposed to be at a local coffeeshop because the offices for this place are in a location that is not even close to public transit. I was supposed to meet with them at 1830, so I got there a bit early because that’s when the bus let me off, bought a large hot tea, and sat down out front to wait for about an hour, with no contact from the agency about the meeting. I sent them a text that I was going home and caught the bus home. As I was getting off the bus I got a response to my last text. They had been in a production meeting with a client for another account and it went way late, they had just gotten all my texts, and they were about an hour away from the coffeeshop if I wanted to go back. Long(er) story short(er), the next time the photographer would be able to talk to me was next week at the same time the meeting was set for today. I’m not sure I want to take this gig, but I really need the money since the clicks and the per-click payments have both dropped like a rock over the last year.

First up is Our Daily Ted, part 1. Morning Links: Stephany convicted of 2nd degree murder, KCRW can’t find bike riders to discuss Mobility Plan

Daily Ted, part 2. West Covina bicyclist killed in (alleged) drunken late-night hit-and-run

Daily Ted, part 3. Bike rider killed in Carson when shipping container falls off flatbed truck

Still in CA is another link to the wreck mentioned in part 2. Midnight bike rider killed in West Covina hit-and-run Nothing on the mode of the wreck, so we have to assume that there was nothing the cyclist could have done to avoid the drunk driver.

Left cross wreck kills another CA cyclist. Bicyclist killed in crash identified The available evidence says there was nothing the cyclist could have done to avoid this wreck.

Still in CA we have another cyclist shot. Redlands police investigating shooting that injured a man on a bicycle

More on the OH cyclist shooting death. Friends and neighbors express disbelief over murder of 60-year-old Akron bicyclist ‘Mr. Mike’ So far this appears to be a random shooting that didn’t target the cyclist for anything other than being there at the wrong time.

More on that NJ hit-and-run. Authorities ID bicyclist killed in Rockaway crash

Detroit is changing from the Motor City to the Bicycle City. Why Bike Commuting Is Taking Off In The Nation’s Car Capital Part of what is happening is the city is contracting as most of the car-making jobs get off-shored so they are more or less getting rid of the excess city and rebuilding it as a bicycle-friendly city.

Can Atlanta leverage cycling to keep the world from burning up? Mayor Kasim Reed Plans To Attend Paris Climate Talks There is a reason they call it “Hot-lanta”.

Cyclist killed in the Chicagoland. 60-Year-Old Portage Park Cyclist Killed in West Humboldt Park Crash Both vehicles had a stop sign at the intersection, basic logic says the weapon vehicle must have run its stop sign because of the level of the injuries suffered by the cyclist. They both might have run the stop signs, but the motor vehicle running it caused the death.

Another hit-and-run in the Great White North. Cyclist injured in Innisfil hit-and-run Not only did the driver of the weapon vehicle leave the scene, but so did potential witnesses.

Jolly Olde really ain’t so jolly. City cycling is too risky for me, says police chief Now why might riding in a city be “too dangerous” for a hardened police veteran to undertake? That leads us into our next paragraph.

Cycle death case handling ‘may need to change’ and “Very strong case for change” in way cycling death cases handled says ex-Crown Prosecution head There is not enough investigations of wrecks, not enough prosecutions when there is an investigation, and not enough convictions when there is prosecution, and sentences are not robust enough when there is a conviction, to make drivers afraid of hitting a cyclist or pedestrian. At the end of the day you’re more likely to go to jail for a minor offense like holding pot, than for killing another human being while driving.

More debate about the Idaho Stop. Should cyclists be allowed to run red lights? Or should we call it the Paris Stop in the EU?

First-person of a cyclist getting right hooked by a driver that failed to signal. Headcam footage captures the dramatic moment a cyclist smashes into the front wing of a car and goes flying – while overtaking it as it is turning right

Last link is from Oz. John Thompson-Mills: How the new cyclist overtaking laws affect all road users

That’s all I got except for a serious case of the “Tireds”. I’m not even going to tag this one except “too tired to tag”.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet

What’s that bright thing in the sky? And the Feed

In case you can’t tell from my sarcastic headline it has stopped raining here at Casa de El Poeta and the sun is shining. As I type this the “feels like” temperature is a delightful 74°F with almost no wind. If I had a bike I could ride and someplace to go I would be riding it, instead of sitting here pounding on this keyboard. Believe me if I could be out there instead of in here on this day I would be. But, alas, I don’t have a bike I can ride right now.

Up first because I have ridden that intersection in the last decade… 74-year-old bicyclist injured in Allen hit-and-run The cyclist was hit because the weapon vehicle failed to clear the entire line of cyclists when trying to pass. Nothing the cyclist could have done about the driver not driving to conditions.

Next up, a PA cyclist is killed in a pinball wreck as she waited in line at a red light. Cyclist Killed In Oakland Crash and Man whose SUV was involved in fatal Oakland bike crash says he tried to help victim also Memorial Held To Honor Cyclist Killed In Oakland As with any pinball wreck there was nothing the cyclist could have done to avoid this one except to not be there. The actual wreck was with the car behind the cyclist, everything else was just bad luck.

More on the CA cyclist killed by a vehicle pulling out from a parking lot. Family of Boy Killed While Riding Bike to School Needs Help and Paddle out held in memory of 12-year-old Oceanside boy What little I know about this wreck indicates the driver was not looking when he pulled across the bike lane. I have one (and only one) report that the cyclist was caught in the driver’s side rear wheel, none of the other reports say which side of the vehicle the cyclist was killed.

Since we are in CA why not check out the Daily Ted? Morning Links: Ask for your $1,100 road rebate, and SGV Bicycle Education Center officially opens

Still in CA. Bicyclist killed in Redding identified LEO can’t figure out why a driver would hit a cyclist from behind, and the cyclist isn’t alive to give his half of the story. And the wreck has to be the cyclist’s fault somehow because he wasn’t wearing a helmet.

Portland OR infrastructure. ODOT faces ‘incompetence or dishonesty at the highest levels,’ former Metro president says

More PDX infrastructure. New Orange Line crosswalk raises concerns in SE Portland The biggest problem with this intersection? Cars have priority and cyclists have to use inconveniently placed beg buttons to get a signal to cross. After that drivers in one direction literally can’t see what might be in the intersection until they are almost on top of it, particularly in the lane next to the retaining wall.

From the city where my kids’ first babysitter moved after reaching retirement and where I worked for a while. Bicyclist Killed In Hit-And-Run Crash Nothing about mode, but there was a mention that the cyclist’s death might be related to another wreck nearby.

Another cyclist is killed by gunfire in OH. Man shot and killed while riding bicycle in Akron and Authorities identify man shot Saturday while riding bicycle in Akron At this point LEO have no idea why someone would shoot a man riding a bicycle and then drive away.

Apparently killing a cyclist in WI while driving drunk “doesn’t count” if the cyclist was drunk, too. Alleged drunken driver won’t be charged in bicyclist’s death Umm, the drunk driving part isn’t “alleged”, that part is established.

More on a NJ hit-and-run. UPDATE: Authorities Seeking Vehicle That Struck Bicyclist in Morris County Friday

Cyclist on a cross-country tour for neuromuscular diseases has a wreck in AZ. Spooner injured in fall during bike ride Maybe riding a bike with ALS for extended distances every day is not such a good idea?

Small-time jock is killed riding a bike in Chuck SC. A.C. Flora graduate killed in Charleston wreck His major achievement was backup catcher on the local HS baseball team that won State in 2012. That and quitting a state school’s baseball team to return to the local 4-year college to concentrate on his degree. The wreck report doesn’t make sense mainly because it’s another variation of the SWSS. Instead of “swerving” this cyclist “fell over”.

The most deadliest state in the US killed another one. Belle Glade man killed in hit-and-run accident The detailed description of the driver tells me the driver stopped and got out before leaving the scene. Local cyclists should keep an eye peeled for this murderer before you become his next victim.

Wreck in Cape Cod MA. Police identify bicyclist killed in Eastham Another SWCC wreck, as indicated by the damage to the weapon vehicle. I could verify she wasn’t “crossing” if I could get a picture of the wrecked bike. Or conversely I could validate the driver’s story.

Remembering a cyclist killed in PA. Cyclists ride in honor of man killed in Kensington hit-run

Don’t hit the pedestrians! Pedestrian hit by bicycle, suffers serious head injury Nothing about the cyclist except that he or she hit the pedestrian. Nothing about the mode, except the pedestrian was hit by a cyclist. Looking at the other articles on the site makes me think this media outlet is not cyclist-friendly.

I’m still trying to wrap my mind around a driver cutting off a cyclist riding where the law tells her to ride is not at fault in her death. Apparently I’m not the only one. Memorial ride for Halifax cyclist killed in crash calls for changes to infrastructure, education I think the first round of “education” needs to be about bicycle law with the people charged with enforcing it. You can’t turn right and run over a cyclist without the driver being at fault.

They almost missed hitting the cyclist. Cyclist injured in near-miss collision with car near Queenstown Almost but not quite missed the cyclist, as the Black Knight said [Monty Python]”It’s just a scratch[/Monty Python]

Next time someone tries to give you grief about how cyclists don’t pay for the roads, give them this link. The True Costs of Driving Because of declining gas tax revenues combined with inflating materials costs and labor, the share paid by drivers has declined precipitously over the last decade. The last year that drivers paid for “their” streets and roads was 2 years before I was born. I was born in 1958, and drivers last paid their weight in 1956.

And I’m outta links, finally.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet.

Today’s agenda: Church, eat, Church, watch TV and then Church

Followed by blogging. Yep, I spent most of the day in the church building between services and congregational meetings. I did get home from the second trip to church long enough to catch Joey Logano’s victory circle celebration after the Talladega Sprint Cup race, but I have no idea who won the Formula 1 race down I-35 in Austin because I missed the whole race during the congregational meeting.

The congregational meeting was thrilling (not really) as we discussed the budget for the upcoming year. We then divided the budget into two parts, the “keep the doors open” budget required to well, keep the doors open, and the “everything else” budget, and used the “keep the doors open” budget to determine what the minimum pledge should be. With the number of members divided into the “doors open” budget we determined that we had to make the minimum pledge equal to $240/year, or about $5 a week. If we get more people we can reduce that, but I wouldn’t. We have additional bills that make us a church beyond just keeping the doors open.

The good news is we can make our budget, pay our national dues and still have money left over for building upgrades or buying a new building should we outgrow our current location. This is good.

On another front, I may be turning Mrs. the Poet around on buying a donor vehicle for building the Sprint-T. She can’t stand to lose the sunk costs of the items I needed to have to design the basic frame any more than I do. So I need to figure out how to build the car at the storage facility that has no electricity. Simple, huh?

PSA, Opus the Poet

It’s raining here, and the Feed

And by raining I don’t just mean a few drops or a light mist. I’m talking the kind of rain that comes down hard enough that we can feel the foundation move under the house. BTW the front door latches now without using the deadbolt. I’m talking streets flooded with runoff up over the curbs and us living more or less on the top of a minor rise in elevation. Typical Texas T-storm rains but of hours duration instead of the few minutes a typical Texas T-storm lasts. Weather.com says this is the leading edges of Patricia which made landfall in Mexico today. That’s a BIG storm, it’s making landfall on the west coast of central Mexico, and we are getting deluged almost a thousand miles away. It could be worse, Corpus and San Antone are getting much more rain than we are.

Up first because Holy Crap, She’s Not Dead! Bicyclist Killed At Busy Lincoln Park Intersection Thursday and Police now say woman on bike was not killed when hit by truck in Lincoln Park Let’s just say as one formerly-dead person to another “You go, girl!”

Meanwhile in OK. Guy Citi Biking Across America Punched In The Face Outside Tulsa The puncher then went on to attack the house of an ex with an axe, a baseball bat, and a small handgun… I don’t ride in OK any more.

This seems like an appropriate place to put this link. Guy On A Bike: Attacks On Cyclists & Staying Safe Learning how to be knocked off your bike and not get hurt? They have classes for that now?

Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: Amgen ToC route announced, Stephany trial goes to jury, and the state of cycling in Santa Ana

Still in CA, the video that went with this article was very hard to watch. Cyclist hit by AC Transit bus awarded $2.5 million settlement There was a bus stopped to the left of a bike lane when the other bus made a left through said bike lane as a bike came out from behind the bus that was stopped. The suit was basically won when it was decided the moving bus was going too fast, but I never saw any reason for the stopped bus to be stopped at a green light which definitely contributed to the wreck as it obscured the views of both of the vehicles in the wreck.

Still in the same city in CA. Bicycle Rider Killed By San Francisco MUNI Bus On Market Street: Why Do Buses Pass Bicyclists Who Are Riding Next To the MUNI Rails?

Still in CA more about a cyclist run over with a truck while he was riding to school. Community mourns young surfer killed while riding bike and 12-year-old boy killed riding bicycle in Oceanside A great deal of the injuries the victim sustained could have been prevented by the driver stopping when he heard the impact and not driving off.

The most deadliest state in the US to walk or ride a bicycle has injured another cyclist. Cyclist injured in Palm Coast crash and Flagler woman critically injured when she was struck while riding a bicycle This one looks like a case of poor situational awareness on the part of the cyclist, fortunately she will survive her mistake.

A CT cyclist is killed. Bicyclist Dies After Hitting Truck in Torrington This has elements of the SWCC/SWSS, since the cyclist “came off the sidewalk” to get hit. I don’t know how much of this wreck was the fault of the driver, and how much was the fault of the cyclist if any.

A NJ hit-and-run fatality. Bicyclist killed in hit-and-run crash in Rockaway, mayor says The wrecked bike looks like it was hit sideways on the front and the witnesses said the weapon vehicle was a dump truck, so maybe the driver did not even know he had hit anything, much less killed anyone. Not that lack of knowledge excuses anything.

A little infrastructure news out of KY. NKY Bike Trail To Spur Economic Development

Up in far West Canuckistan an insurance company blames a cyclist for getting hit head on by a driver who crossed the centerline?!? ICBC named as third party in civil suit over Whistler cyclist’s death They claim the cyclist could have avoided the wreck somehow. Sure, if the cyclist was prescient or had super-powers, maybe. But in the real world when the driver also hit and killed the people riding in the chase vehicle behind the cyclist…

The UK driver who was warned the day before to stop driving still tries to pin the wreck on the cyclist he hit from behind in a fake “apology”. Hexham motorist accused of dangerous driving over cyclist death apologises in court Trying the “He swerved in front of me!” lie(n).

This wreck is why bike lanes need to be separated from highways. Locking child cyclist death result of traffic collision She fell from the bike lane into a lane of 60 MPH traffic. Such a thing should not be allowed to exist.

UK infrastructure that I hope is better than what killed that kid in the last link. Council reveals draft plan to get Dundee people on their bikes

From Oz, it didn’t take long to find the driver that nearly killed a cop on a charity bike ride. Charity bike ride hit-run charges Yep, you do NOT want to mess with a cop even a cop riding a bike. Regardless I hope they throw the entire law library at this low-life.

And that’s all I got today.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet

Grocery day again, and the Feed

Yeah, one slight difference today is I have an interview for a modelling gig after I get done with the groceries. If I get picked I get some money for promoting a product, if the promotion does good I could get a steady source of income for a few years. I had to do an NDA before even getting the interview, but since they are coming to a neutral location for the interview (local coffee place I frequent because they have better coffee than the chain named after a Melville character) after seeing me on FB, I’m hoping this will be good. When this hits the web or whatever you can point to that and say “I read him when he was just a bike blogger”. Edit: Because of the weather warnings and the fact that it started pounding down rain right before they were to leave their office for the meeting the meeting got moved to Tuesday.

Up first because it’s in-state. Pasadena PD: Woman arrested in hit-and-run that killed cyclist Now she will get bail that can be paid in pocket change and if convicted maybe get community service. No, I’m not bitter, just a realist. Edit: the bond amount was announced after I filtered the link.

An unregistered car is used to murder a cyclist in CA. Cyclist Injured In Mission & Embarcadero Hit-And-Run [Updated] and Driver Of Plateless Toyota Strikes Embarcadero Cyclist, Speeds Off Deadly right hook compounded by a hit-and-run, doubly compounded by the weapon vehicle being almost totally anonymous. There is almost no chance of this car being found, much less the driver.

While we are in CA how about Our Daily Ted? Morning Links: Daily News finally gets it, and possibly the next-to-last report on the Stephany DUI murder case

And late entry Daily Ted part 2. Twelve-year old Oceanside boy killed in collision with pickup while riding his bike to school

More from CA. Chico veteran bikes 500 miles with injured vets group As a vet I would do this in a heartbeat.

Still in CA and rolling out of the same media outlet. Local cyclists reflect on recent deadly crash Green paint might help a little, but what will really help is the support of the local LEO arresting dangerous drivers and impounding dangerous cars.

Almost the last word on a killer NV driver. Man sentenced in east valley DUI crash that left cyclist dead

What happened to this MI cyclist? Injured Spring Lake man found in watery ditch and Officers ID bicyclist critically injured in crash

This SC cyclist gets a new bike after his old one was destroyed in a wreck. Cops buy new bike for Rock Hill boy injured in crash Again, way too much emphasis is placed on the helmet that would not have made any positive difference in the wreck that destroyed the kid’s bike.

NC infrastructure news. Fixit station installed at Patton Park Until we get bike repair parts and facilities as ubiquitous as gas stations and convenience stores cycling as transportation will always be an adventure.

I think these are new links to a wreck I covered earlier in the week. Updated: Woman killed after Grand Cherokee hits cyclist and <a href="GSP: Bicyclist Hit, Killed In Walker County Yep, same wreck.

More infrastructure from VA. Chesterfield Planning Commission recommends approval of bike plan

Some MD infrastructure news. Regional Biking Initiatives Picking Up Momentum With OC, Berlin, Salisbury Putting More Focus On ‘Red-Headed Step Child Of Transportation’

This guy is like me, only instead of telling other people that bike wrecks happen and we need to do something about it he creates a database about wrecks. Injured bicyclist creates webpage on bike crash data

Infrastructure news from the Great White North. Opinion: Cycling two-abreast isn’t sharing the road. It’s hogging it. But a single person riding around in a machine built to carry 7 is just the way things are, not “hogging” the road.

Does Rupert Morlock have any media holdings in Ireland? Tanya Sweeney: ‘Irish cyclists are lawless to the point of sheer arrogance’ Again all drivers are pure as the driven snow and cyclists are maniacs. Hmm, their wiki page shows a long history of conservative leanings.

Hit-and-run in Oz. Off-duty police officer seriously injured in Esperance hit-and-run I wouldn’t want to be that driver, the roads were full of cyclists when he hit those two and kept going. And he hit a cop.

I do not know what this writer’s point is this is so badly written. New laws won’t protect cyclists – but cultural change will I think he’s saying that Oz needs a cultural change that will never happen as long as he and people like him are pumping out anti-bike propaganda.

Last link is a bad penny. Volvo Cars LifePaint helps cyclists be seen when summertime ends Yes, they are pushing it again.

And that’s all I got, except bedtime.

Billed@€0.02, Opus the Poet

Mrs. the Poet is home, all is right with the world

Mrs. the Poet’s plane landed while I was drinking my morning coffee, and she managed to navigate the DART system satisfactorily so about noon today she walked in the door complaining I left the deadbolt locked. The deadbolt was locked because we live over black gumbo soil that has the highest expansion rate in the world and the foundation shifts every time it rains, leading to doors that won’t latch. The front door won’t latch but it will deadbolt so people can’t just walk in.

BTW, happy Back To The Future day. Now where are my hoverboard and flying car? And I want a Mr. Fusion to power my e-assist bike. Oh, yes, another thing, I downloaded the PDF instructions for that T-Bucket in Sunday’s WFS post and it comes with a quick-change rear as part of the kit, So all I need to do is build the frame and front axle, and cobble together some wheels to fit what I can find for either street tires or race tires.

The Feed today is infrastructure heavy and wreck light, thank [$DEITY]. I’m not a happy camper when I have to read too many wrecks.

Up first because hey, bike, and hey, web comic artist/author!

I'm going to start a new stoner metal project called Folding Recumbent Bike

— Mask of the Red Jeph (@jephjacques) October 21, 2015

//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

I know how this feels. A BIKE LIFE: CUSTOM FRAME BUILDER I prefer brazing over welding where that is a viable alternative, but I agree there’s nothing like TIG or acetyline welding a junction together.

Is this really from TX? Cyclist safety an issue in the Valley Given that the RGV has not shared the job “growth” of the rest of the state and that wages have been even worse there than the northern parts of the state it stands to reason there are more people riding bikes for transportation so they have more money to spend on things like rent and electricity. This is not just happening to “the poors” but has crept its way into the lower middle class (who are now technically part of “the poors”) and is working its way higher up the economic foodchain in south Texas. I have been reading FB reports of angry confrontations between RGV cyclists and rural drivers as the trend has been moving away from urban areas. Short term drivers and cyclists need to learn to get along, long term either the economy down there has to pick up, leading to more jobs at higher wages, or they are going to have to figure out how to move a bunch more bikes on the streets than they have been recently. I got this link 4 times in today’s Feed out of 5 pages in the folder.

We all know cycling can save the planet, did you know it can save your neighborhood too? L.A. Cycling Event Cited for Improving Air Quality It didn’t even take a full day, pollution on neighboring streets went down the day of the CicLAvia. “CicLAvia events should be held more frequently in the future,” suggested Shi Shu, the study’s lead investigator.

While we are talking about L.A. how about Our Daily Ted, part 1? Low Speed E-Bikes Given Bicycle Privileges This certainly bodes well for the e-assist market in CA.

And Our Daily Ted, part 2. Bicyclist killed in Compton collision

Another indictment of CA infrastructure. Walking in Southern California unsafe at any speed Interesting that the headline talks abot pedestrians, but the lead photo show cyclists? Because cyclists are orders of magnitude less dangerous to pedestrians than motor vehicles.

More on CA infrastructure. What a Bike-Crazy California Town Can Teach Us About Car-Free Cities

A case that WoaB has been following from the get-go (love that Texanism) finally winds down to the judicial conclusion. Driver sentenced to 15 years in hit-and-run with Atlanta cyclist They dropped the most serious of the charges in exchange for the guilty plea and a near-max sentence on the lesser charges.

More on the dog killed by a cyclist in WY. Army Veteran Wants Military Burial for Dog Shot by Cyclist I can certainly agree that as a combat veteran the dog deserves full militaty honors when he’s laid to rest.

Update on a handicapped cyclist in UT killed by a hit-and-run driver. Nevada man pleads guilty in hit-and-run death of Utah cyclist And we find out what murdering a cyclist is worth in UT “write a letter of apology to the victim’s family and pay a $2,500 court fee.” No jail time, no restitution, NADA. A letter and court costs. TANJ!

Getting back to infrastructure, Seattle rents a bike equipped with multiple accelerometers to assess the pave quality of their bike infrastructure. Seattle Is Improving Its Bike Trails With a Garage-Built ‘Frankenbike’ The bike has more computing power than the laptop I use to create this blog post. And that’s not counting the iPad on the handlebars.

SD is having infrastructure problems and a mild case of bikelash. My voice: City’s policy changes make bike riding safer The streets are safe, but they don’t feel safe so people don’t ride bikes on them.

More infrastructure news, this time from PDX. Bike lane blockage (and what you can do about it) Blocking a bike lane is way more dangerous than not having the bike lane in the first place. Without a bike lane you are in the lane constantly so drivers are not surprised by the sudden appearance of a bicycle in “their” lane. Blocking the bike lane requires merging into what may be fast-moving motor vehicle traffic from a very low speed because most of the time there is little to no warning that the lane will be closed ahead except how well you can see the obstruction.

This facility has only been open a few weeks, and they already have their first wreck. Woman walking near Tilikum Bridge suffers serious injuries in collision with bicycle rider The problem was identified about 2 days after the bridge opened, one would think experienced transportation professionals could have forseen this potential conflict. Like maybe installing a bigger, brighter signal on the bike side? The video linked in the article after I filtered the link shows just how little time the cyclist had to react, and the video camera had a much better sight line than the cyclist. This crossing needs a much larger signal and a stop bar so the cyclist knows where the crossing is. Unfortunately there is nothing much that can be done about the sight lines without major reconstruction of the station.

NYPD, this is why people hate you and shoot you in the streets. Good News: New York City Cyclists Have All But Achieved Vision Zero Look at how many people have been killed by bicycles compared to those killed by motor vehicles (although if they really wanted to get an honest comparison they would have used all motor vehicle victims, not just the ones that could have been killed by people riding bicycles), and ask yourself “Is this a good use of scarce police manpower?”

Also from Streetsblog is this story about wildly misplaced priorities. True Story: Ratings Agency Pins Dangerous Roads on Car-Free Young People Really? Blaming the kids who don’t drive for the crappy state of the roads? Are we blaming people living in Africa for the poor state of race relations in the US, too?

The entire state of Rhode Island is barely bigger than Dallas County…R.I.’s Bike Infrastructure a Disjointed Maze Dallas County 909 sq mi, Rhode Island 1,214 sq mi. So why are they having such a big problem with their infrastructure? You have less than half the population of Dallas fer cryin’ out loud.

Last link, a laser that projects a brilliant bicycle symbol against the road surface in front of your bike is now sold in the US. Blaze Laserlight now available in US Supposedly the idea is to give drivers a visual warning there is a bicycle in their blind spot.

And I’m all outta links and Mrs. the Poet is flaked out on the couch with the TV on, so this seems like the perfect time to stop.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet