My neck feels better, and the Feed

I took advantage of the slow season for links and the warm weather to go do a little stocking stuffer shopping and get a massage. The massage tech had to get on top of my back and use her knees on most of my back and upper legs because I had such thick, tight muscles. She was leaning on me with the full force of her arms and not even making a literal dent. That included working “Arthur Dent” on my neck. So I would say I was a little overdue for a trip to the table. She was a skinny little thing though, maybe 40 Kg at most.

Up first, another link to the death in Austin earlier this week. Pickup hits rider; 2nd bicyclist killed in Austin traffic this year They’re still not sure of the direction of travel for the cyclist, and I still can’t find any pictures of the wrecked bike to tell them.

Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: Still more new bikes for good girls and boys, and real Long Beach UPS workers deliver by bike

Another hit-and-run in IN (I still love that pun). Police searching for driver who hit cyclist in South Bend The picture of the wrecked bike wasn’t much help in determining the direction of impact, so I’m going to assume this was a buzz job or punishment pass that went wrong. That’s the mode that best fits the picture of the bike.

In NYC, the next of kin of a person run down by a car on the sidewalk want stiffer charges filed. “It’s Murder”: Family Of Woman Killed By Reckless Driver In Fort Greene Seeks Justice “Marlon Sewell made a conscious decision to get behind the wheel and drive his vehicle without a license. He should be held responsible for any and all consequences that are a result of that action.” Really responsible, not just a ticket with about the same fine as driving without a seatbelt. Seriously, he would have had a stiffer fine for riding a bicycle on the sidewalk without hitting anyone than he’s facing driving a 3 ton SUV and hitting 3 people, leaving one dead, and one seriously injured.

Meanwhile in Portland they are getting going on upgrading their bicycle infrastructure. Advisory group backs bike lane separation on outer Powell, co-chair says The comments section for this article has a much better grasp of the situation than most such.

Better infrastructure in the Great White North. Toronto Showing the Way With Year-Round Cycling Network – Raise the Hammer

Feel-good story from the UK. ‘Cambridge still has my heart’, says charity cyclist Callum Fairhurst on return to UK for Christmas

You don’t have to have known the cyclist to do this. We Dare You: Honor a Fallen Cyclist with a Ghost Bike

And a last-minute gift idea for someone who is both a cyclist and a wine drinker. THE CAMPAGNOLO CORKSCREW GETS A MAKEOVER It’s beautiful, isn’t it? Shame “I don’t drink… wine.” /Boris Karloff

And that’s everything in the Feed for today. I’m just enjoying the relative peace and quiet before the inevitable slew of “kid hit on brand-new bike after X-mas” stories.

Billed @$0.02, Opus

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Another rough day on the road, and the Feed

I took advantage of accidentally including the first report for today’s Feed having been used yesterday to go out and make a run through the “mall” with my cell phone to get as many of the high point targets as possible so I get that gift card quicker rather than later. And I stopped at the grocery store to pick up coffee, soda, and I grabbed some Christmas Tree Cakes for stockings.

Up first a cyclist is hit just feet before reaching the relative safety of a bike lane in Austin, a couple days’ ride south of WoaB World HQ in the Beautiful Suburbs of Hell. Man Killed in Crash Between Vehicle and Bicycle on Brodie Lane They didn’t say the victim didn’t have lights, just that they couldn’t verify the cyclist had lights on. Nothing confirmed about the mode but as the initial impact was just off the road on the shoulder and the bike ended up in the grass off to the side I would say there’s a real good chance he got hit from behind, so the usual protocols apply.

Over in NYC they killed another one, but wonder of wonders they actually arrested the driver. MTA Bus Driver Arrested For Killing Pedestrian In Brooklyn Crosswalk You would think that bus drivers would be more careful what with all the forward-facing video cameras recording every move.

Just outside NYC another hit-and-run driver kills another cyclist. Ramapo police ID bicyclist killed in Rt. 202 hit-run The description of the wrecked bike indicates either a right hook or a left or right cross, and the moment the driver left the scene it became his fault.

Over in Portland a demonstration of the biggest problem of bike infrastructure shared with motor vehicles: They tear shit up and it needs to be replaced. Paving project adds gravel, bumps and closures to 50s Bikeway route Again the biggest hurdle is motor vehicles tearing things up and getting in the way.

Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: LA cyclist dies from heart attack, Finish the Ride comes to the Valley, and I talk bikes on Bike Talk

Still in CA. Is a raised bike lane a protected bike lane? Why go through all this expense just to replicate what has been done in the Netherlands?

Victim statement from a trial in the Great White North. Parents, widow describe anguish over death of cyclist Tom Samson The words of the survivors are haunting.

Still in the GWN. Cyclist seriously injured near Grande Prairie At this point they know it was a hit-from-behind, but they haven’t determined why (aside from the fact that the driver was not paying attention to what was on the road in front of him).

Over in Jolly Olde a guy hits and runs against a cyclist. Hit-and-run driver Alexander William Coombes gets suspended prison sentence for A29 accident that left cyclist badly injured and Rustington driver left cyclist seriously injured in hit-and-run crash in Shripney also from Road.cc Speeding motorist who hit cyclist and left him at the side of the road sentenced I’m just going to quote a comment left at the second link: ““he was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months; ordered to complete 140 hours of unpaid work for the community; disqualified from driving for 15 months and required to take an extended re-test.
He was also ordered to pay £6,382 compensation to the victim and costs totalling £3,500.”
So he barely received any punishment for a collision that left someone with serious injuries. Mr Bumble was right: ‘the law is a ass – a idiot’ [sic].”

And on the same island. Man arrested over alleged hit-and-run in Corfe Mullen This article shows why I hate UK media laws, there is nothing in here aside from the fact the wreck happened, not even the names of the victim or the perp.

More on that bizarre package of laws passed in Oz. NSW cyclists face big increases in fines – and will have to carry photo ID

Still in Oz, a cyclist dies in mysterious circumstances. Cyclist found critically injured by Sunshine Coast road dies of his injuries They still don’t think he was hit by another vehicle, though.

It’s official, cyclists need to eat moar choklit. Official: Daily chocolate consumption makes you a better cyclist Curious that they used the exact same dose of dark chocolate as I got in the depression and BP trial. (BTW bitter chocolate works great at fighting depression and reducing blood pressure.)

There’s more to cycling than can be found in your philosophies, to mangle a quote. The Three Worlds of Cycling To answer the debate about working cyclists, I put them in a similar category to commuters trying to get from A to B so they could work, their work is going from A to B. Sometimes by going through points C through Z’ inclusive.

I can honestly say that I have never been in a situation where I could use any of this advice. Crash Course: How to Handle a Car-Bike Collision All of my wrecks have either been hit-and-run, something I could ride away from, or both. and most were from times when I didn’t have a cell phone, much less a cell phone camera.

And I think I’m probably done now.

Billed @$0.02, Opus