It’s strange what will pop into your head sometimes

I was reading my web comics today when totally out of nowhere came the thought of reducing my NO_x output on my hot rod without affecting my fuel economy, complete with graphs of NO_x output over a range of fuel/air ratios and spark advances and NO_x outputs compared to other pollutants (HC, CO, and CO₂).

Basically NO_x is the odd man out when it comes to reducing pollution. It is almost possible to get rid of everything except NO_x with the same fuel economy tune and nothing else because what prevents making all the other pollutants is the ideal environment for creating NO_x. What you need to prevent unburned HC and CO and to get best fuel economy is a high temperature combustion with excess O₂. And guess what you need to make that nasty NO_x that causes acid rain and smog? You guessed it, high temperatures and excess O₂. And NO_x is not just a progenitor for other forms of pollution but harmful in and of itself. That shit can burn the lungs, and irritate people who are already predisposed to breathing problems. I was exposed to high levels of NO_x during industrial processes while I was in the electronics industry, I mean levels that were far beyond what you would see even on the worst days outside, and let me tell you that shit is NASTY!

So, what I can do is go ahead and tune for best fuel economy for part-throttle operation, best power for WOT situations, do an interpolation between the two with bias to fuel economy at lower power settings with a knee transition to WOT and a lot of transient enrichment to cover going between the two settings in a hurry. That covers the tuning. I would also need a reducing catalyst on the exhaust to take care of the NO_x from the high temp modes the engine would operate in most of the time at cruise. Now the real fun part is getting a pair of those in the proper size for the engine. That will take more than a Google search, I’m afraid. Too big a catalyst would turn my CO₂ back into CO and other pollutants, too small and it creates a restriction in the exhaust without cleaning up the NO_x.

TBH I’m tempted to just tune for best economy and best power and just ignore the small amount of NO_x I generate at best economy, because it’s just the one car, and I’m not required to meet any emission tests, but if I did that what kind of example would I be? After all transportation is the biggest contributor to the high NO_x in the DFW airshed, but it doesn’t come from one vehicle, it’s the cumulative effect of millions of vehicles in the area. Even though my car would be exempt from pollution controls because it is a replica 1923 vehicle (kinda sorta) and I can almost eliminate my HC and CO emissions without a catalyst, I’m still going to install one to take care of my NO_x.

So, how was your day?

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Unkillable

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Back to the salt mines, and the Feed

Gotta do something to bring my BP up for the new study med, maybe a massive increase in my sodium consumption will help. What you thought I was going to engage in manual labor? I’m going to try to eat my way through a metaphorical salt mine. Just like how a few years ago I drastically increased my consumption of fatty meats so that I could survive a non-statin cholesterol med that was being tested for interactions with other meds.

The 0.060″ square styrene rod that will eventually become the bottom frame rails arrived this morning. I can’t believe that I spent almost $10 (after tax and shipping) on a tiny package of plastic that isn’t even anything yet. And I can’t believe how tiny 0.060″ is.

Up first is a cyclist killed near Houston. Bicyclist dies after struck by hit-and-run driver on Beaumont Highway Apparently a hit-from-behind wreck, apparently a walking anal sphincter for a driver. Houston readers BOLO for an older Suburban with fresh front-end damage, call the local non-emergency police number if you see one.

Our Daily Ted, part one. Morning Links: Nine years for drunken West Covina hit-and-run; suspect wanted in Agoura Hills bike crash

Our Daily Ted part duh. Woman killed riding bike in Carlsbad when she reportedly veered out of bike lane Certainly sounds like a SWSS wreck to me.

Counting the toll in NYC. NYC Drivers Injured 1,191 Pedestrians and Cyclists, and Killed 13, in February And pedestrians and cyclists killed zero drivers. Cyclists killed zero pedestrians and pedestrians killed zero cyclists. The only mode that killed anybody was motor vehicles.

Another senseless death in NYC. Driver Backing Up to Park Kills Lin Qinyun, NYPD Blames Victim [Updated] “Since May 2015, motorists have killed five pedestrians while driving in reverse on New York City streets.” And I bet every one of those deaths was met with a “no criminality suspected” statement from NYPD, just like this one.

Still in NYC. Pedicab Drivers Sue City For Allegedly Trying To Destroy Them The only transit mode greener than the carriages (that the city is also trying to shut down) and the city is trying to make operators lives miserable.

Almost as crazy in still in NYC. Brooklyn Cyclists Fear New Bike Lanes On Jay Street Still Won’t Keep The Cop Cars Out and Sneak Preview: The Jay Street Protected Bike Lane

Infrastructure change in VT. HOUSE BACKS REFORM OF DRIVER’S LICENSE SUSPENSION SYSTEM How is this an infrastructure change? As it stands now a license can be suspended for any number of reasons, including things unrelated to driving ability or maintaining a safe vehicle or anything to do with vehicles at all. Just one point, using LEO writing tickets as a revenue-generating tool was one of the triggers for the problems in Ferguson, MO.

Speaking of MO. Local cyclists ready to protest HB 2046 with organized ride This was the bill that would have required bicycles on certain roads be equipped with flags on 15′ high poles, making the bikes illegal to use on the US Highway System because they would be over the legal height limit.

Jog up to WI for this lovely news. Traffic Deaths Increasingly Involve Pedestrians Cars are safer, drivers not so much. This is going on pretty much world-wide.

Infrastructure from America’s Copenhagen. Finally! ODOT acknowledges need for a road diet on SW Barbur Blvd How many injured cyclists did it take before this was started?

Still in Portland. Northeast Portlanders call enthusiastically for traffic diverters, greenway on 7th Avenue If the comments are to be believed (and why not?) this is a long overdue change.

A little north of Portland. Seattle Council Approves $1.5 Million Bike-Share Save Now get rid of that stupid helmet law and you might keep the thing in business.

They found the driver and vehicle that killed a cyclist in OH. First vehicle that struck, killed Franklin County teen bicyclist found I know the commenter NRWM isn’t going to read this blog, but none of the reports mentioned a lack of lights so the bike probably met or exceeded legal minimums. And the driver needs another vision test, maybe at night.

Wreck in IL. Woman on bicycle injured in accident with car This story had almost as much information as the usual UK reports.

Another wreck in CT. Cyclist injured in collision with delivery truck in Waterbury Assuming the narrative is accurate and the delivery driver didn’t do a “swoop-and-squat” then you need to be careful about brake system maintenance, along with the usual ABCQ check before riding (you do perform an ABCQ check before every ride, right? Particularly after leaving your bike unattended in public).

Terrible wreck in CO. Former pro cyclist injured in crash near Boulder I wouldn’t call losing an arm an “injury though. More like “permanently maimed”. But he will survive the wreck, and LEO still don’t know who was on the wrong side of the road.

A Canuckistan rider is killed on a trip to Mexico. Penticton Okanagan Rotary founder killed in Mexico Hit from behind wreck, to keep it from happening to you use those protocols to avoid.

Infrastructure from Jolly Olde. Getting people cycling on residential streets needs more than 20mph limits Maybe some diverters to prevent anyone except cyclists from using the streets as through, or bollards blocking the lanes at mid-block?

Jurisprudence for cyclist killers in the UK. Lorry driver who killed Derby cyclist by driving carelessly to be sentenced today The reason he was convicted was he turned across an active lane of traffic without making sure it was clear to do so.

And just UGH! ARC16: Delegates back call for society to lead cycling safety campaign Another helmet fetishist.

More on that multi-cyclist wreck in Oz. Truck driver charged over crash which killed cyclist in Solomontown and SA truckie charged over cyclist death I would say hitting 3 cyclists riding on the side of the road counts as “dangerous” driving, I guess murder and attempted murder would be a bit much. Only a bit though.

If they can standardise the plug for cars, then maybe it could be used for e-assist bikes, too? Volvo Calls on Industry to Adopt Single EV Charging Standard I’m being serious here. Mopeds can recharge the same way and at the same locations as cars and trucks, e-assist bikes should be able to get “away from home” recharges the same as other EV, right?

And why the previous paragraph is important to unassisted cyclists. Our Horrifyingly Unhealthy Environment Is Killing Millions Of People Every Year and The Planet Just Obliterated Another Heat Record We here in TX actually had a colder-than-normal winter, but paradoxically we didn’t have any real cold weather. It just stayed slightly below-average for much of the winter.

And it’s late (or early depending on your POV) and I’m ready for bed. Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Billed @€0.02, Opus

That was a waste of time, and the Feed

Mrs. the Poet called for a plumber to come fix the kitchen sink today, and nobody showed up. So it is fortunate that I didn’t get to the bank to get money for the plumber. Tomorrow I’m going to get my hair cut and buy more bits to build rails for the church stairs, after visiting the bank and post office.

Up first is Our Daily Ted part the first. Morning Links: A moving look at Dave Mirra and the need to succeed, and bike racers get blown and disinvited

And also part the second. Describe Your Ride: Nearly run down by a speeding driver — with a twist

Two links of very good news from ABQ. Teen cyclist wakes from coma and Teen cyclist injured in distracted driving crash out of ICU Very glad to read that the cyclist is recovering.

More on the OH wreck where an impaired driver killed a cyclist with her car. Prosecutor: Crash that killed cyclist ‘absolutely senseless’ The prosecutor in this seems willing to throw the entire law library at the driver.

First link from KS today. Bicyclist injured in hit and run Again, I H8 hit-and-run drivers.

And another link from KS and another hit-and-run. Man injured in hit-and-run accident looking for answers The cyclist was hit from behind, but investigators were unable to tell the debris from the wreck from the junk already at the scene.

The home of the world’s largest bicycle party proposes a common-sense change to bicycle law. ACTION ALERT: Change Lanes To Pass Bicycles Filed in Iowa Senate That’s right, they want to make passing a bicycle just like passing a car or any other motor vehicle, by changing lanes to pass.

Speaking of changing legal infrastructure. Lawmakers hear testimony on bill that would fill driving’s “negligence gap” This proposed law would bridge the gap left between the Vulnerable User Law for cyclists killed by drivers and a traffic ticket when a cyclist is severely injured but not killed.

More infrastructure from America’s Copenhagen. City installs new high-tech counter on Eastbank Esplanade path This is a data collecting instrument, and data is good.

And this is one reason why that data is necessary. Got polluted air? A good biking network helps, PSU study says

A complex article about infrastructure and driver behavior from an ex-pat Scot in NYC. Christmas Eve harassment, a sociopath in Greenwich Village – and how design can cut out honking

This story shows how important it is to get checked out by medical professionals after a wreck. Elderly cyclist dies one week after Richmond Hill collision The cyclist died from internal injuries a week after the wreck.

Scheduling issues affect infrastructure in Jolly Olde. Cambridge station bike park plan triggers fresh backlash from cyclists The switchover from the temp parking to the permanent parking was scheduled during a period when many cyclists would be out of town and wanting to leave their bikes parked at the station.

Still in Jolly Olde, a closed bike shop is becoming a bike-themed pub. ‘The Old Bicycle Shop’ set to become Cambridge’s latest pub

E-assist bikes have been around a very long time. Video shows hidden motor in 1970s steel racing bike

I must admit I sometimes have this fantasy myself. No VWs for this gang: Bicycling arsonists in Berlin target Mercedes, BMWs and Porsches

LEO issue hundreds of tickets to cyclists without helmets in Oz. South Australian police fine more than 300 cyclists in safety blitz

And I’m outta links, go ride a bike!

Billed @€0.02, Opus

I’m really tired of seeing the same links 4 times a day, and the Feed

Yep, getting really tired of seeing the same links 4 times in the Feed for one day, especially when they were there 4 times yesterday. And I’m really frustrated when they are wreck links, because I really really stopped doing wrecks here last month. I have seen the same links to a wreck in Lubbock at least 6 times, and maybe 4 more times from another media outlet in Lubbock. And the only witness to the wreck was the driver of the weapon vehicle, as the cyclist died at the scene… so naturally the cyclist was at fault for the wreck. But I don’t do wrecks any more so I will put those links out of my mind…

Up first, did you know cycling made more jobs in Europe than cars? Cycling is a bigger job creator in Europe than anything we are doing here in America Oh yeah, also than anything in the US. Sorry ’bout that, chief. And pop culture bonus points for knowing where that came from, and who played the “Chief” referred to.

Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: The Times looks at the need for real bike data; and a crowded weekend calendar of bike events

A link that also appears in the Daily Ted, if you don’t know what the numbers were before, how do you know you made an improvement after? Getting a firm grasp on L.A.’s bicycling data

This is a little dense reading but worth the time. Systematic review and meta-analysis of reduction in all-cause mortality from walking and cycling and shape of dose response relationship tl;dr: Active transportation infrastructure saves lives and money at a far faster rate than the money spent for it.

Tone deaf PSA from major metropolitan transit agency times 3. MTA Warns Cyclists Not To Crash Into Buses Considering the number of cyclists injured running into the backs of buses = 0, number killed by right hooks = unknown because transit agency will not allow numbers to be released; this is beyond tone deaf. As called out in this tweet

As if anyone needed an excuse to heat up the car-bike conflicts anywhere. Hamilton car-bike conflict heats up after cyclist charged in collision

Paris is starting to get a handle on what is causing their air pollution. Paris plans to ban cars from its city center

Other parts of France don’t seem to have as great a grasp of reality. France plans crackdown on rogue cyclists Is it just me or do the English news outlets in France have pretty much the same anti-cyclist bias as the majority of media outlets in most Anglophone countries?

And those were all the links I could stomach reading to use to create a link here.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the unkillable badass Poet

Answer to pop culture question: Get Smart Edward Platt