We got Mrs. the Poet to her shot, and other stuff

Well, one of us here at Casa de El Poeta has their first COVID 19 vaccination. For some reason I’m still not eligible in my county for the shot, but Mrs. the Poet was, and our son in the neighboring county was. But I’m not old enough or have bad enough co-morbidities to qualify for the shot in my county. Apparently our governor is literally that small-minded that he is allocating the vaccines based on how the county voted for President during the 2020 election, because red counties are already into the general population, while blue counties just finished EMTs and critical care nurses and are moving to senior citizens.

So far all Mrs. the Poet has in the way of side effects are a little stiffness and some discomfort a little more than 24 hours out. She’s basically in a good mood and disposition. I’ll keep tracking her condition, because SCIENCE!!! and, I love her, too.

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Negative campaign ads just make me want to shoot all of them

Seriously, the politicking this year makes me want to just go out and kill every one of them. I’m just reaching the limits of my endurance and tolerance for my fellow-man. But there is a huge gap between want and do. So if you read about some political rally blown up with a mini nuke, I don’t have the money to buy the parts to do it. Nor the supply chain to get the parts even if I had the money. Nor the foggiest notion of where to look. So if it happens, I didn’t do it. I have been thinking about building other things, mostly.

Now what I have been thinking about when I’m not thinking about using WMD to level the political playing field has been another A-Mod build using the Predator 670cc V Twin from Harbor Freight and a “torque converter” CVT. The great thing about this is the engine and torque converter are right at 100 pounds together, and all the CVT needs to survive the 22 HP V-Twin is an upgraded aftermarket belt and adjusting the engagement speed via weights and springs. I can hang this in front of the right rear tire and move the driver left of center to balance the car and stay under the 900 pound minimum weight leaving room to ballast up and adjust the front-to-rear balance and also keep the CG low.

One thing I’m not going to do is use a steel straight tube axle. After my last post where I either calculated, actually weighed, or weighed “at the catalog” every part in the front suspension for the Sprint-T/TGS2 and discovered I had an absolutely ghastly sprung/unsprung ratio at the front end of the TGS2, I’m going for light weight over “stout” when it comes to front end bits. I’m going back to my composite days and using moldless foam core composite construction to create a flyweight straight tube or double a-arm front suspension. Now if I wasn’t concerned about banging off curbs or potholes I could make an axle you could carry with one hand and still have two or three fingers left over, unlike the 23 pound behemoth I bought for the TGS2 that takes all 5 fingers and careful handling to prevent wrist damage because of the polar moment from its 58″ length. I might do that anyway because it would be easy to make and not super expensive when compared to steel. For this build steel fabrication would be the economic benchmark, because of raw material costs and fabrication costs. And because I have the most experience recently with steel fabrication, that also makes the process my benchmark. At this point my composites experience is about 30 or more years old. I built some parts for the CVCC race car. And if you know what CVCC means you know the car would now be eligible for vintage plates.😁 And this was also the first car I bought new back in 1978…

Everything for this car would have to be built except consumables like tires, wheels, and brakes, plus brake pads. Virtually nothing could be bought “off the shelf”. Even the steering would have to be made because available boxes are too heavy and slow and rack and pinions are either heavy, slow, big or all of the above. What I envision for this build is basically a go-kart with power steering that has the pitman arm on a pivoting shaft connected directly to the steering wheel through an electric assist, with stops mounted to prevent more than about 80° motion in either direction. I see the prototype made from steel, with subsequent versions made from aluminum or composites, or a combination of materials. Get the clearances and motion paths and the places that needed more material worked out first, then build the expensive version from exotic materials, like unobtanium and noweightium. Even the chassis I’m looking at welding up the tub from sheet steel as a mockup then pulling a mold off that and building a composite tub. In fact back in the ’70s I sketched up an idea of laying up composites in a female mold, then injecting expanding foam to make a foam core and also press the laminate together and into the details of the mold, but before I could sell the idea the state of the art passed me by, making the idea interesting but ultimately useless. But getting back to that welded sheet steel tub, if it’s under the minimum weight I’m just going to leave it at that. No sense building an expensive lightweight chassis just to bolt lead in it. Or tungsten because lead is too plebian for a composite chassis. But if it’s floppy and flexible then the foam and fiberglass come out to replace the steel, because I know they are rigid from working on airplanes and other people’s completed airplanes. The process is also used on things like boats and surfboards. It was possible to buy pre-molded cores to apply your own fiberglass skin and make your own surfboard back in the day. but we kids just used the cores as floats…

And 1) I’m starting to wander about the verbal landscape and 2) I have a Shadowrun game later and I need to get up early-ish for it. so this would be a good place to call it a night…

Lab Rat Keeper tomorrow

I get to go out and about with nothing but water until lunchtime tomorrow because I have a visit to the Lab Rat Keeper about the new study. I have been medication-free (including antidepressants) for about 2 weeks. My BP meds I have been out of since the end of July, and I have to be fasting since midnight when they take my blood.

I have been feeling a little better in my back since yesterday’s little walk to get the pain pills. I can actually bend over and tie my shoes without spasms. I think part of that is from staying in bed until 1500 and managing to get in a comfortable position early after going to bed. Also this particular brand of ibuprofen works better for me than the pills we just ran out of. As I have posted earlier this particular pain in the back is highly dependant on how tired that particular muscle is. Better rest means way less pain.

I looked up tomorrow’s payout for the TX Lottery after taxes, then sat down with Mrs. the Poet to discuss exactly what we wanted to do with it. She doesn’t want to move, not surprising, but she does want to travel some. She wants the house fixed but not torn down and replaced. She wants the AC fixed, the floors done, the bathrooms completely redone, the kitchen plumbing fixed… And she wants a new bed. I want a Japanese style bathtub, basically a hot tub without jets, done in tile with a bench inside to soak on. And a place to build things, I want to have for my place to retreat to what is basically a garage with a bedroom and bathroom attached to it within walking distance of a place to eat. And a place on the beach at Waikiki for wintering over, because Hawaii is wonderful if you have enough money, having lived there for three years. Of course I was only 4 when we moved there and 7 when we left, so a lot of what I remember is colored by the perceptions of a child. So we will be spending most of our time here in the Beautiful Suburbs of Hell even after winning the lottery. We are just so exciting as a couple, aren’t we? The big thing for me is I would have the resources to actually make things instead of just thinking about making things. That would be so strange to actually be able to pay for materials and tools and skilled artisans to make things.

What brought this on is Mrs. the Poet got her statement from SSA about what she’s going to make when she starts getting Social Security. It’s not the same as winning the Lottery, but it is a huge jump up from what we make now as a couple. My pension doesn’t start for another 7 years, so until then we get to live on what she’s earned. Unless we win the lottery. Then we start to live like people who don’t have to worry about money.

Now, about the things I’m supposed to be writing about. I’m afraid I don’t have anything about that because of laying in bed for my back, and talking about pensions, Social Security, and Lottery jackpots, with Mrs. the Poet, and getting ready for going to the Lab Rat Keeper tomorrow. I haven’t even had time to check Twitter yet and … Oh My Gawds he fucking did it. Trump just deported almost a million people whose only crime was being brought here without proper papers. Who have been paying taxes, serving in our military, paying an extra fee on top of that just to stay here legally.

Excuse me I have to find something to beat on that won’t cost me anything to destroy, because Trump just got rid of DACA.

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

Another day another $0.70 after Medicare and SS, and the Feed

For the self-employed even when we don’t make enough money to actually pay taxes, we still have to pay taxes on income specifically the Social Security and Medicare taxes, which come to roughly 30%. Interestingly enough if I made enough money I wouldn’t have to pay any SS or Medicare taxes… But my income is so low that I’m almost off the bottom of the scale for paying it. My income from wages is so low that I’m not actually paying all that much in SS or Medicare, I think maybe $2 or $3 a year, and the rest doesn’t count as “wages”. Kinda like those hedge fund guys that pay a fraction of the income tax and none of the SS and Medicare tax on their incomes because they don’t count it as “wages”. I mean really, the amount quoted in the headline is about how much I make in “wages”.

Up first, a TX man gets so drunk he forgets that he has the perfect weapon and uses a gun instead. Texas man went on deadly shooting spree while drunk driving in Oklahoma, killing two motorists I would say he’s a dumbass, but he would have to gain about a dozen IQ points to get that smart.

Meanwhile in Sin City. Car Mows Down Pedestrians On Las Vegas Strip, Killing 1 And Injuring Dozens and Driver who mowed down crowds on Vegas Strip asked valet to call 911, police say More than 50 injured or killed, and people scoff at me when I call motor vehicles WMD.

The driver that ran down a cyclist in S.F. CA is in court on murder charges. Man accused of murder in Tenderloin car theft collision back in court

Since we are in CA anyway, here’s Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: Hard-hitting real-life safety PSA, and Big Blue Bus leaves bike-riding boy stranded in the rain

Still in CA. On the Mobility Plan and rush hour bus bunching: equity for bus riders? Good transit helps make streets safer for cyclists, too.

Over in KY. Family of Lexington cyclist killed in accident donates bikes to kids

US infrastructure on the Federal level. U.S. Gov’t. May Get More Serious About Cyclist/Pedestrian Deaths in 2016 They still don’t know if the problem is huge, really huge, or enormous, and when they find out they might actually do something about it. Or they could just buy the CROW manual and follow that and everything would be wonderful.

Low information article about a bike wreck in the Great White North. Cyclist struck, injured at Dufferin and Davenport The headline contains most of the actual news in the article, which is kinda sad, really.

Three years, and they still haven’t reached sentencing yet? Man in 2012 hit-and-run that killed cyclist could face year in jail The really annoying thing is the maximum sentence is still less than half the time the cyclist has already been dead. He died more than 3 years ago, the maximum sentence is 18 months, which he won’t even start serving until next year.

More on the insane suggestion that cyclists should be charged congestion fees when there are too many cars for the roads. ‘Cyclists should be considered for a Cambridge congestion charge’, says highways boss Since you can move 8 people on bicycles in the same space as one in a car, if there is a congestion charge for bicycles it should be ¹/₈ as much as for a motor vehicle, or since bicycles are smaller than motorcycles charge what they would charge the motorcycle, which was nothing. And that right there shows the hypocrisy of charging bicycles for congestion. It has been suggested the “expert” who said bicycles should also pay congestion charges was Keith Peat, noted anti-cycle motorist.

Meanwhile in Oz, they are almost s insane but they carried through. Cyclists in NSW can now be hit with massive fines and have to carry photo ID and NSW cycling laws: metre passing laws a win, but others are bewildering I’m trying to figure out why “raising of the fine for riding without a helmet from $71 to $319 – an increase of 350 per cent” is a good idea while the fine for failure to wear a seat belt remains the same… What is it about the Aussies and their weird compulsions about bicycle helmets?

And that’s all I got today.

Billed @$0.02, Opus

We’ve been here 7 years now, and the Feed

November 23rd is significant for a number of reasons beyond being the day JFK was shot in 1963. It’s also the day I started posting my blog here after getting more or less kicked off of MySpace for having excessive links 7 years ago. I dual posted for about a month with the link to this blog at the bottom of the old blog on MySpace and went from 800 readers per day to about 50 (but on the other hand I’m still going, has anyone heard anything about MySpace in the last year?). I have gotten some recognition from my peers since moving to WordPress, sometimes had enough readers to actually get a few bucks from advertisers, and gotten some free stuff to review a few times. Overall it has been fun, but there have been a few times when it got so overwhelming I just wanted to walk away and read web comics and ride my bike. But I persevered, got some counselling, and just put my head down and kept going. Which brings us to today. But before I do today, 52 years ago I was rudely awakened from my nap in the kindergarten class of Iliahi Elementary School in Wahiawa, HI to be told that the President had been shot and killed in Dallas. My immediate question was what country was Dallas and when were we going to go to war with them.

Ordinarily I start inside the US and work my way out, but today the story closest to WoaB World HQ in the Beautiful Suburbs of Hell is in Mexico City. Protesters demand traffic safety in Mexico City after cyclists’ deaths and Mexico City made itself more bike-friendly—and cycling accidents went up Part of the problem seems to be drivers as one of the cyclists was hit from behind by a bus in the shared bus/bike lane. I don’t see how cyclist education would do anything to prevent that.

Baby steps towards justice for a cyclist killed in NYC. City Fires Contractor Responsible For Tree That Killed Cyclist In Red Hook This is the first stage, firing the contractor. Then comes charges, prosecution, and eventually a brisk rap on the wrist, followed by a lawsuit that bankrupts the contractor.

Still in NYC a local newspaperfishwrap wets its pants over the prospect of an Idaho Stop law. The NY Post Is Terrified Cyclists Might Someday Be Allowed To Cautiously Run Red Lights Not the best picture to illustrate the article, a salmon cyclist holding a demitasse of espresso while riding with one hand and holding a shopping bag to the handlebars.

And in the meantime real killers are allowed to stalk the streets unimpeded. MTA Bus Driver Strikes Pedestrian In LES Crosswalk Since the victim was in the crosswalk I’m going to assume he had the right of way until proven otherwise.

Back to the other side of the country for Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: LAPD still looking for hit-and-run cyclist, and a bike rider critically injured in SoLA hit-and-run That “hit-and-run” should be in quotes in the headline, because the cyclist hung around until everybody else left and nobody took his contact data… Even the cop looking for him says as much.

Still in CA a memorial to a 9 YO cyclist killed with a van. Irvine grieves for boy, 9, struck and killed on bicycle Apparently they are assigning a large part of the blame to the driver on this wreck, because every time they mentioned motor vehicle operators the words “slow down” were in close proximity.

A bit of infrastructure news from the war zone in CA. Vineland Bike Lanes: So Much Space, So Much Failure It’s really hard to ride in bike lanes when they are full of cars. Too bad CA isn’t a “Stand Your Ground” state so that cyclists could shoot drivers in the bike lanes with their deadly weapons deployed against the cyclists.

A ninja cyclist is hit in PA. Cyclist injured in State College The cyclist had the right of way, but because he was riding ninja the driver couldn’t see him to yield he got hit and blamed for the wreck.

A driver failed to take care of his diabetes and killed a cyclist during a hypoglycemic blackout. Delivery driver who hid the fact he was diabetic from his employers at Currys PC World killed a cyclist when he blacked out at the wheel during a hypoglycaemic attack Yes they spell it with too many vowels, I think it’s to make up for the lack of them in Wales. Anywho they gave him almost 4 years (44 months) in prison for the killing (and I suspect for withholding the information about his diabetes).

A government official in the UK who seems to get most of his news from Fox gets called out on his misinformation. Cyclists pose more dangers than motorists, claims transport minister Fortunately, more rational heads prevailed and called his BS. There are in fact 63 pedestrians killed by motor vehicles for every one killed by cyclists, and 46 injured by motor vehicles for every one by cyclists. And even on sidewalks the ratio is highly skewed in favor of cyclists by more than 34 to one.

They caught a hit-and-run driver in Oz, and they don’t seem likely to let him go cheap or easy. Geelong man charged over alleged hit-and-run that killed cyclist “Azzopardi was remanded in custody and scheduled to appear again in March.” So Aussie cyclists will at least get most of the Austral Summer minus this threat to life and limb.

Another article on how your city could save $$ by increasing the bike share of traffic. Planning for Less Driving, Not More, Would Lead to Big Savings And it doesn’t take much to realize these gains, just enough people on bikes to slow down motor vehicle growth 1% will do it.

And vehicles like this will help it happen. HISTORY BICYCLE CAR

And I’m outta links again. Program note, I will be away from the internet for tomorrow and Thursday so no post until Friday.

Billed @€0.02, Opus

Ghisallo! it was a hot day to be out walking, and the Feed

In case you are wondering, the Lady Ghisallo is my personal feminine deity, a pre-Roman mountain goddess whose worship survived mostly intact at least into the 8th Century in the mountains north of Rome, when a nobleman set upon by bandits retreated into one of Her temples and was granted sanctuary by the bandits, who respected Her temple. The noble was so impressed by the devotion shown by the bandits that he lobbied the Vatican to declare her a Madonna or a Pagan mother of Jesus. This was the same way that Bridget became St. Bridget in Ireland, couldn’t stomp her out so she was made a part of the church. She is a protector of travellers and the RC patroness of cyclists.

And the reason I was out wandering in this heat was I had to change my phone provider, so that I could upgrade my phone to something smarter. And in the process I got a better plan, unlimited texts and calls, with 1 GB of 4G LTE data and unlimited 3G data, none of which I touch while connected via WiFi like I am now while listening to a 10 hour Derpygroove video while composing this post. whoops I got an ad in the middle of the first go around of the song so now I’m listening to Plastic Beach from the Gorillaz. I’m still learning how to use the phone so there may be interruptions in the composing of the post.

Up first, just like the Energizer Bunny, he keeps going and going… Brian Koonz: Marine loses legs, finds strength in bike ride across America And going and going… Keep on trucking Marine dood. Is it just my imagination or has his chest gotten bigger since he left Sandy Eggo?

Normally these two-wheeled modes are not in conflict with each other. BICYCLIST, MOTORCYCLE RIDER CRITICALLY INJURED IN NORTHWEST SIDE CRASH and Bicyclist, motorcyclist injured in Old Irving Park crash this too Bicyclist Injured In Crash With Motorcycle In Old Irving Park [UPDATED] As I read the reports now, the guy on the motorcycle was speeding and hit the cyclist from behind, causing both to go down hard. No word on how the two conflicted because there is plenty of room for both modes to share that stretch of street unless the motorcyclist was excessive speeding.

Still in the Windy City a drunk driver who killed a cyclist while driving 50 MPH on a city street with a 0.127 BAC% will not face one of the many charges against him because expensive defense lawyer. Driver Who Killed Cyclist Bobby Cann In Alleged DUI Won’t Face Homicide Charges According to the comments this was one of the lesser charges and since IL doesn’t “stack” sentences it wouldn’t have made much difference in how long he stays in prison.

Another cyclist hit by a drunk driver in NYC. Cyclist In Critical Condition After Getting Hit By Allegedly Drunk Driver In Long Island City and Cyclist Seriously Hurt in Collision With Car Near Queens Plaza, FDNY Says The pictures pretty much tell the story, drunk driver (and passenger?) hit cyclist from behind because nobody was paying attention to what was in front of the vehicle…

More on that CO dump truck driver hitting and killing a cyclist while passing illegally. Dump truck driver charged for fatal cyclist crash The cyclist was killed because the driver literally could not wait for the 20 seconds it would take to clear the bridge and pass safely. Hang the driver. And possibly a few of the people leaving comments on the article. Gigi would love the “Stoopid and H8” there.

Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: Busting on Beverly Hills and its San Diego soulmates, and a Chitown writer busts on bikes

Meanwhile in eastern WA. Cyclist found dead on State Route 2 near Leavenworth I like whoever is running this investigation. Dead cyclist beside the road, suspect a hit-and-run.

And in Seattle. Cyclist’s Helmet Cam Captures Moment SUV Hits Him Then Speeds Away That was a scary wreck.

Another link to the ride for a cyclist killed winning the “door prize”. Patricia Keenan, P.E.I. cyclist killed in B.C. crash, honoured at rally

I would like to see our state level politicians doing a city-to-city ride, just to see what it’s like to use the built environment. Duceppe, Peladeau kick off 100-km pre-election bike ride through Quebec

Bad infrastructure link of the day. NZTA abandons cycle safe trial after a day I think someone needs to read that CROW manual again. Bike lanes on either side and a single car lane is for 20 MPH speed zones or slower.

Better, but still crap. Is Vision Zero Skimping On Bike Lanes? There is too much real estate devoted to storage of private motor vehicles. One lane of parking should go for a decent bike lane protected by parking.

Dangerous crap. NYC’s Most Dangerous Area for Cyclists Is Fort Greene-Clinton Hill

More UK crap infrastructure, systemic this time. Calls for action to halt rise in cyclist casualties

I think I have run out of links (checks, nothing on the other window except a Twitter Feed) Yep, all gone.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet

“Chris Christie” is becoming a real pain in the neck, and the Feed

There, I said it. This lump of useless fat sitting on my neck has literally become a pain in the neck. I can’t wait until the surgeon cuts me open and peels that thing off my neck, because it has reached the point that the lump is restricting my range of motion to the point that I get a pain every time I try to turn my head in any direction. It feels like the bottom of my skull is hitting the lump but it is probably the muscles not being able to get out of the way because the lump is already there, although when I check with my finger the finger gets caught between the lump and my skull, so a little of both, maybe? Anyway, I want this useless lump of ugly fat gone from my neck and my life. In this picture I leaned as far forward as I could so “Chris” would be more visible.

Up first because this is THE major issue of riding a bike in the Beautiful Suburbs of Hell, an observation from WoaB hero Bikeyface. FOR LACK OF A RACK That’s right bike parking. There are nearly no bike racks in Garland except for a few near the square, and a couple tucked behind buildings at our “mall” that isn’t a mall.

Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: Injured SD cyclist needs your help, CA keeps dopers on the road, and Winnipeg ups the ante on ciclovías Good links in that one.

What is a sports icon to do when he can no longer play his sport? BARRY BONDS IS SHIFTING GEARS

I have long suspected that what is depicted here was exactly the case. Bicyclists Belong in the Traffic Lane

I feel like quoting “Patton” (the movie) when I read this. Jobst Brandt, cyclist, inventor, author and industry influencer, dies at 80 You know the quote I’m talking about, right?

Update on the cyclist killed by a driver on the wrong side of the road in GA. Funeral Scheduled For Thursday To Honor Cyclist Who Died Following Accident Yes, this is the cyclist killed by Smirking Man. Smirking Man still had not made bail last time I checked.

Kids watching too much TV and not getting enough exercise? No TV unless you exercise! My version used a car alternator and an inverter running off a battery charged by the alternator, but this will work for people who have TVs that won’t come back on after the power goes off until the remote turns it back on. The trick for mine was to use a very small battery and an inverter with an adjustable low-voltage cutoff, set between the alternator output and the resting voltage of the battery. That way you always had full voltage to make the alternator work, and the TV would only work as long as you pedaled. Keep the pedals turning and you could watch TV, stop pedalling and you had to get off the bike and find the remote, find someone to turn the TV on while you pedaled, and go through the startup sequence on the bike/inverter combination.

National infrastructure news from DC. Clock ticks down on highway funding The gas tax was last raised in 1993. Clinton was POTUS at the time. In the last 10 years we have had to bail out the Transportation Trust Fund 5 times that I remember… Because the gas tax does not pay enough for new construction, and don’t get me started on maintenance. This has a direct impact on the funds needed to pay for things like bicycle infrastructure that would not be needed if there were no cars or heavy trucks clogging the streets and roads.

A cyclist documents the hazards of a busy street to NYPD, NYPD responds by blocking the cyclist from being able to tell them about people parking in the bike lane or making illegal turns from it. Cyclists Demand A Safer Jay Street, NYPD Doesn’t Want To Hear It

A UK city begins a safety campaign that doesn’t automatically blame cyclists and demand styrofoam hats. Look Once, Look Twice … Think Cyclist and Think Bike Motorcycles are having a similar problem with blind drivers “not seeing” them, so they are part of the campaign as well.

The recent deaths in Thailand have gotten the attention of the media and government. How to make our roads safe for cyclists and Thai editorial: How to make our roads safe for cyclists also Cyclists need more support

Another Lifestyle article from FL. Tallahassee Officers to Bike Hundreds of Miles to Honor Those Killed in the Line of Duty

And I’m out of links again.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet

I’m back in shorts and a T-shirt, and the Feed

Well the headline pretty much says it all concerning life here at Casa de El Poeta, the outside temperature has risen to what the heating system was designed to cope with (low 40s-high 30s at night) so I’m back to wearing shorts and a T-shirt in the office, and Mrs. the Poet is still wearing her sweatshirt over a T-shirt and long pants. I am comfortable in a very wide range of temperatures wearing the shorts and T-shirt, and do much better than Mrs. the Poet when things get really cold, mostly because I have real cold-weather gear because I hung on to my issue cold-weather gear when I left the Army, and bought more of it when it hit the surplus market. Mrs. the Poet hates mil-surplus clothing because of the way it looks, but I’m the warm one in winter. And I have a selection of gear that I can wear riding a bicycle as well, so I stay warm on my bike. Or I would be warm if I could actually ride my bike.

Up first is some good news from Brownsville, as they discover that they can stuff a lot of bicycles into the space that used to house just one car. Brownsville installs downtown bike corral They replaced one car spot with 14 bike spots, greatly increasing the revenue potential for that parking spot. Sure shoppers that arrive by bike don’t spend as much money per trip, but they make 2-3 times as many trips and now they have the potential to serve 14 times as many customers.

Pedestrians are still getting killed same as they always were with Texas right out there in a battle for the “lead”. Pedestrians killed at about the same rate last year as they were in 2013 This mirrors UK statistics showing cars are getting more forgiving about bad driving, what with air bags and crumple zones and being required to have doors that open after running into a concrete wall at 35 MPH, but drivers are just as crappy as they always were if not worse now that the consequences for them are so much lower.

More on the Houston bike cops going undercover to get drivers who drive poorly around cyclists. Undercover Houston Cops On Bikes Are Nabbing Drivers Dangerous To Cyclists Houston passed a law against buzzing cyclists in 2013 when they discovered how many cyclists were getting knocked down by cars passing too close, then instructed bike cops to run stings against the drivers breaking the law. Nobody is getting ticketed for passing between 2 and 3 feet away (just warned), the (big) tickets are going to the ones passing less than a foot (300 mm) from the cop. So far no word on how many cops have been hit doing these stings, but you know it is just a matter of time before some Bubba decides to “teach a lesson” to one of the undercover cops and misjudges how wide his F-150 really is, like the guy who broke his mirror off on my elbow a few years ago.

Why is this news in NYC? Cops Are Giving Out Speeding Tickets To Drivers Who Are Speeding Really now, cops giving tickets is “Man bites dog” rare in NYC?

If you have a young-looking bike-riding friend in SF please check on his whereabouts and if you can’t find him call SFPD. Young cyclist unconscious, and police don’t know his name The wreck was early Monday morning to give your young man a time frame to be missing, if you saw him after 0800 or so on Monday it is pretty much guaranteed that this is not the same guy.

They have some bad infrastructure over in NOLA, so bad it kills people. Cyclist death shines light on dangerous intersection And cue the H8ers complaining about cyclists taking the lane for visibility when this was a crossing wreck at an intersection and LEO admit they have no way of knowing who ran the light. Check out the comments section.

When the state refuses to act in AZ municipalities take charge. San Luis to enforce ban on cellphone use for drivers It seems there are certain people in the AZ legislature blocking driving while using cell phone bills from getting to the floor, not naming names because I don’t know who is doing it, just that the bills never seem to get a vote.

It seems that providing even barely usable bicycle infrastructure has a positive effect on car ownership (if you are trying to reduce traffic congestion). Multnomah County car registration is down 8% since 2007, and isn’t rebounding They had a steep drop during the recession but people discovered they didn’t need to have a car for everyone so the number of people replacing cars sold during the recession has been very low. Also there is the possibility that they are just not registering their deadly weapons like they are supposed to.

Along the same lines just up the coast a bit. The Remarkable Drop in Car Commuting to Downtown Seattle They expect to see even further reductions when their bike infrastructure gets built all the way into the Downtown area.

Another link to that SD bill that would require drivers to not hit cyclists they are trying to pass. Bill Aiming To Keep Cyclists Safe On The Road 3 feet at 35 MPH and under, 6 feet on faster roads. And the bill has passed the Senate and goes on to the governor to be signed into law.

Cyclists in the Emerald Isle are discovering that protecting the head just seems to move the injury to some other part of the body. Soaring popularity of pedal power leads to 200% rise in spinal injuries That energy has to go somewhere, and when you protect the skull the next thing in line is the neck, which this report seems to indicate is the part taking the abuse.

And whadda you know, crap infrastructure is crap. Are Southend’s roads safe for cyclists? If you have to ask, then the answer is probably “NO!”.

I think I’m done taking Boris Johnson seriously. Cyclists should wave like Simon Rattle to avoid being hit, says London mayor Really, get out in front of a heavy truck and wave your hands around in the vague hope that the driver will see you and not run you over? And how is that begging for your life at the base of the guillotine working out for you, Boris? 😉

Speaking of stupid things in the UK. Cyclists vs motorists – 3 STUPID acts committed by the frustrated car driver

Dealing with the rather arcane legal infrastructure in Oz. TAC admits cyclist claim rules are confusing after host of anomalies in rules exposed If I had to deal with a mess like this with my wreck I would be pushing a walker or a wheelchair still.

This is stupid, bike 4 months, skate 4 months, and 4 months transition when you can’t safely do either. Canadian ‘freezeway’ could let residents skate to work And what about people who can’t skate, like yr fthfl srvnt blogger? Aside from the fact that I’m 2027 miles from Edmonton by bike that is.

The kind of lifestyle article I like to link to, because nobody had to die first. For injured veterans, bike ride helps heal body

Our Daily Ted was a little late posting, but I got it. Morning Links: Endorsing Ramsay and O’Grady in CD4; and a blind bike rider needs your help to regain his sight

Some infrastructure news out of Dallas as they debate adding a bypass Interstate (I 345) or enhancing the existing grid. Why the Grid Has More Latent Capacity Than a Highway The thing about I 345 that I object to is they are putting it through existing neighborhoods, unlike its northern counterpart I 635 which was built on what was mostly semi-rural farmland (there is still an active Future Farmers of America at Garland HS in the Beautiful Suburbs of Hell, which is located outside the 635 loop).

And a Texan I would be proud to share the designation with. 76-Year-Old Man Bikes 300 Miles To Raise Money For Planned Parenthood

I’m outta here.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet