Sleep deprivation is a &(%$&, and the Feed

I signed off last night about 0500 after finishing the writing part shortly after 0430. Yes it takes me about 25-30 minutes to proof spelling and links and tag after I finish the creative part. And then it usually takes a minimum of an hour to shut the brain down so I can sleep, usually closer to two hours. I was wakened slightly after noon by a loud vehicle (I’m assuming it was a garbage truck) and Mrs. the Poet yelling at “bad cats” and quit fighting to get back to sleep about 1400 and checked the mail. I’m still bleary-eyed as I type this at 1700.

And I’m watching the Sprint Cup practice when this commercial for Marathon gas comes on with the jingle about a “full tank of Freedom”. “Freedumb” indeed. 😛

Speaking of Sprint Cup, some of the drivers are some of us. NASCAR drivers pedal from St. Augustine for bike safety Four hour ride, so about 100km away from the track. I’m betting that lap around the track lasted a lot longer than the 45-47 seconds it took during final practice today…

Ted was a bit busy today with all the news coming at him. Morning Links: Temple City shoots down safe streets on Las Tunas; ridiculous and sublime new bike offerings

Part 2 of Daily Ted. Formerly homeless man dies five weeks after Yorba Linda collision

And an incredible Part 3. Fontana bike rider killed in early morning collision; no details available Poor Ted, this is what happens when you have lots of subscriptions to local media sites, you get to report the bad news quicker.

Still in CA. BART Struggles to Balance Current Needs with Vision for Future BART gets people off the streets in S.F. making a huge impact on bike and pedestrian safety. So this might not seem to be a bike link, but it’s totally a bike link.

Up in America’s Copenhagen, DIY DOT to the rescue! Bike lane in danger? Cone power to the rescue! Riders replace the cones when they get knocked over, unlike plastic bollards that require equipment and chemicals most cyclists don’t carry on their bikes.

Also from Portland, someone said something Really Stoopid. GOP candidate promises to end gridlock forever by adding a lane to each freeway There are no words for how Stoopid this is. This guy has literally never heard of Induced Demand until this article posted and someone emailed him a link on the subject.

And crap infrastructure is never so bad that it can’t be made worse, even in Portland. City proposes shifting future downtown bikeway from Alder to Taylor/Salmon Changing a direct, mostly flat route to one that adds about a mile to the total trip and completely routes the cyclist away from retail and other commercial destinations.

FloriDUH! strikes again. Bicyclist injured in Charlotte hit-and-run crash I’m sorry, but what do you call it when a driver swerves into an occupied bike lane, hits a cyclist, and then leaves the scene without stopping? Aside from attempted murder or assault with a deadly weapon that is.

Continuing on the “Stoopid driver” theme for the moment. NYPD: Cyclist fatally struck by car, driver arrested Driver impaired by drugs, not mentioned if they were medication or recreational drugs. But still “Stoopid” either way. More Allegedly Stoned Driver Charged With Manslaughter After Fatally Striking Staten Island Cyclist The later link says the driver was on pot at the time of the wreck.

And infrastructure news from NYC that will flat-out floor you. It did me. Astoria Will Get Three Protected Bike Lanes Despite Local Drivers’ Objections Yep, bike lanes in spite of driver’s complaints, because too many people were getting killed or injured. and to the idiot that said “at some point traffic calming becomes traffic impeding.” boo, hoo, hoo. You were extremely lucky your death machines were not banned outright, because that was on the table.

Good infrastructure news from IA. Bicycle safe passing bill clears Iowa Senate committee This is the most radical concept in bicycle safety that I have seen in a long time. “Change lanes to pass”, like you would a car or tractor or combine. Radical, I tell you.

A mandatory helmet bill in VA is killed in committee. Why bicycling advocates are happy legislators killed a helmet bill Combined with the studies that show that mandatory helmets don’t actually decrease the rate of head injury, just move it to a different part of the head that isn’t covered by the helmet or by impacts that exceed the survival envelope of the helmet.

Crap infrastructure in VT. A VICIOUS CIRCLE? STATE WANTS SAFER ROTARY IN BRATTLEBORO Note the comment that all the problems are caused by bicycles. SMH.

From Jolly Olde, really they are calling this a hit-and-run and not assault with a deadly weapon or attempted murder? Cyclist left seriously injured after hit-and-run following row with driver Motor vehicles are the only weapon that an obvious assault would be called an “accident”

And this cyclist has a case for police negligence as they refused to take a report for his wreck that smashed his bike. Cyclist feels he’s had a rough ride despite lucky escape in road smash The bike was rendered unridable, that makes this a reportable wreck under UK laws. Both vehicles were not able to leave the scene under their own power, that raises the wreck to reportable status.

And I am finishing up too late for Gigi to even read it before she loses her internet at 0300 my time. I mean it’s almost 0300 right now and I haven’t even proofed, much less tagged.

Advertisement

I’m fuzzy on Grocery Day, and the Feed

We are in the depths of Winter, and my bear-ness is approaching magnificent 😉
We spent more on cat food and kitty litter than we did on human foods at the grocery, but that’s OK because we has cats and they luvs us. We can eat $1 frozen pizza.

Up first NYPD actually finds a hit-and-run driver and arrests him. Cops Arrest Driver Who Allegedly Killed Brooklyn Cyclist & Kept Going and Hit-and-run truck driver kills Chinese immigrant riding bicycle in Brooklyn also Truck kills cyclist Can Reng Ma, Junior Hicks charged with hit-and-run: police this, too Driver Arrested in Brooklyn Hit-Run That Killed Father Bicycling Home After Work: NYPD TBH I am shocked that this much (read “any”) effort was expended on this wreck.

Infrastructure from NYC. Video: One Simple Trick To Stop NYC Drivers From Killing You Why is it drivers put so much effort into avoiding a hunk of plastic but not a fragile human body?

Still in NYC. Report: Vision Zero Won’t Meet Its Goal By 2024

Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: An in-depth look at PCH bike wrecks, helmets make you blow up balloons, and they’re onto us

Still in CA, LEO capture a bike thief with the “goods”. Police Grab Two Suspects With Pricey Stolen Goods

Also in CA a memorial ride for a fallen cyclist. Memorial bike ride held in honor of Loma Linda cyclist, ‘SteveO Eleven’

Infrastructure news from America’s Copenhagen. City’s latest experiment to protect NE Couch bike lane has failed I suggest something like this or some tire shredders like they use in pay parking lots.

Still in Portland. Bikeways, interrupted: Get ready for Gap Week This will get more links next week.

WI infrastructure news, as a law that had held out some hope for creating bike infrastructure turns out to be total crap in final form. Problems With Pothole Repair Act Since bike infrastructure is a part of the street I think the bill can be used to pay for it.

Cycling has a perceived attitude problem part 1. Chip on our shoulders?

Attitude problem part 2. Bicyclists Want to Slow Down Cars Even More

And attitude is shared on both sides of the windshield. It’s all fun and games until you honk at a LEO on a bike.. Ha Ha Ha!

Justice in Canuckistan. Southern Alberta man sent to jail for hit and run that killed cyclist Only 15 months, but that was about the limit allowed by the law.

Infrastructure from Jolly Olde. Cycling, congestion charge and a ban on big buses: John Hipkin’s solution to Cambridge growth agenda

Remember that guy that crashed into the ditch and drowned in Enn Zed? Family of killed cyclist Darrel Thomas works to make Hagley Park pathway safe

And I didn’t know Dallas had a women’s pro bike racing team. Visit Dallas DNA Pro Cycling announce roster, show off new kit – Gallery

And I’m finally out of links.

Billed @$0.02, Opus

Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and the Feed

This will be the last post of 2015, and I have to say that I’m slightly surprised at having survived this year as a blog and as a blogger. There were car wrecks and tornadoes, food poisoning, muggings and other mayhem, and none of it actually touched yr fthfl srvnt author. It all kind of swirled around me so that I could see it and report on it, but not have to suffer through it. Another bit of evidence that I’m a character in a story reporting back on what I see and feel as others live the story. I really need a better writer for my sex scenes…

Up first, the driver who killed a MD cyclist was violating two traffic laws to cause the wreck. ‘It’s Just So Unreal’: 19-Year-Old Cyclist Dies After Crash With SUV The two laws? Failing to obey a traffic control, and not stopping for a car stopped in front of a crosswalk. The cyclist had no chance to avoid this wreck as his view of the weapon vehicle was obstructed by the car that was following the law.

A NYS resident doesn’t have to leave the house to get above the legal limit for BAC. NY Woman Beats DWI Charge Because Her Body Is A Brewery This is an actual medical condition that I have been aware of for at least 25 years because I read about it before I moved to TX back in 1989, and again some time during the “Aughties”. So, rare, but not unheard of.

Cop hit cyclist in the most deadliest state in the US to walk or ride a bike. Cyclist, Patrol Car Collide In Miami Gardens Cop claimed to have the green light when the cyclist “pulled out in front of him”. The geometry of the wreck indicates the cyclist was in the intersection for several seconds before the patrol car got there, meaning this could have been a stale green crossing where the cyclist had the right of way over the cop car. But since the comments have been closed for the article the only place you will see that is in this blog.

A WV cyclist is blamed for getting right hooked. Keyser man injured in bike/van crash at Memorial Bridge Nothing more I can say about this.

CT LEO are asking the public’s help in finding a cyclist’s killer. Shelton PD Seeks Help Finding Hit-and-Run Driver Who Killed A Cyclist

DiYDoT in action in Portland. Activists use traffic cones to improve safety of bike lane along new Orange Line MAX Yay DiYDoT! Doing what the regular DoT can’t or won’t do to make streets safer.

Lastly, did anyone order a box of kittens?

And that’s it for 2015. Here’s hoping 2016 is at least a little better.

Billed @$0.02, Opus the Poet

Another grocery day, and another Feed

Life is continuing on. I got up Too Early this morning to get the stock for the stair railings for the church paid for and documented, and later this afternoon I’m going grocery shopping. So, Nothing New going on outside of the blog, just things continuing on. I’m two days out from getting the $1 gift card on that silly phone game I have been playing, and almost halfway to getting the $10 card.

Up first is a report on a cyclist killed several days ride south pf WoaB World HQ in the Beautiful Suburbs of Hell. Organ Donation Ceremony Held For Man Killed In Bicycle Accident I’m biased, but I think cyclist transplantable organs are of higher quality than your average couch potato.

Continuing in the “cyclists are better people” meme. LSU doctoral student killed Saturday night while riding bicycle remembered as focused, compassionate Once again a blind driver is given a free pass to kill. TANJ!

Our Daily Ted part 1. Morning Links: Confronting LA’s diabetic drivers, and bike thief’s mom gives back bike her son stole

And Ted part 2. Bike rider killed in Riverside; no details available

Still in CA. Cyclist injured, driver jailed in Marin County road-rage incident The cyclist was the victim of a “Swoop and Squat” something that used to be a favorite manuever for insurance scams. The driver admitting to it was unexpected, although it may have been more of “bragging about” than “admitting to”.

Unhappy update on the cyclist hit but a tree in NYC. Cyclist Dies Days After Tree Fell On Him In Red Hook The contractor completely ignored all safety protocols that might have prevented this tragedy.

Also in NYC. Speeding Hit & Run Driver Runs Red Light & Kills Brooklyn Woman The comments section blew up big time on this one.

More on the IL driver that killed a cyclist while DUI and got off with a gentle tap on the wrist. Stroger executive gets 100-day sentence for DUI, fatality of bicyclist Hospital exec with lots of political connections trumps middle-class veteran. So it wasn’t entirely the failure to wear the glow-in-the-dark clown suit by the victim that got this guy off of murder charges…

Meanwhile in Portland. Most of those new traffic victim memorials will be gone soon: Here’s why Again ODOT and PBOT don’t like reminders of how they failed to do their jobs.

They aren’t convinced yet that diverters are necessary? Let the city know (again) if you support diverters on SE Clinton For those not familiar SE Clinton is a bicycle boulevard that is seeing increasing motor vehicle traffic as a cut-through, placing cyclists at risk because the cars and trucks are going much faster than the speed limit.

Still in OR they have an app that allows them to ignore safety problems at a single place. State’s ORcycle app is now a one-stop shop for reporting road safety issues If you think I’m being overly cynical about this I suggest you go back to the first BikePortland link 2 paragraphs ago.

More crowd-sourcing of traffic information in the Great White North. CYCLISTS CROWD-SOURCE CLOSE CALLS ON TWITTER This is a job for the DiY DOT!

Not much information on this wreck in the Great White North. Cyclist in Bible Hill seriously injured after collision with vehicle At this point all we know is the wreck was at an intersection.

A permanent memorial to cyclist victims of motor vehicle violence in Canada. Permanent national monument for downed cyclists planned for Ottawa The idea is to somehow make cycling look fun and safe while remembering the people killed while doing it. That sounds like an oxymoron to me, too.

Meanwhile a cyclist is assaulted with a motor vehicle in Oz. Bunbury cyclist forced off the road in deliberate act The driver crossed the road and made a head-on pass at the cyclist in a deadly game of chicken.

Would you like to save your city tons of money? How Much Can Bicycling Help Fight Climate Change? A Lot, If Cities Try The benefits are more to coastal cities (especially closer to the equator), but everyone benefits from reduced noise and pollution from motor vehicles.

And that’s all I have tonight, be back tomorrow.

Billed @€0.02, Opus

I really need to get some new shoes, and the Feed

I had to do some banking today so I did a little walking around to score as many points on my cell phone game as I can so I can collect another Amazon card like I did today. I deposited $11 to my Amazon account this morning from playing a game on my phone, how neat is that? The downside is I now have a blister on the bottom of my foot, again. So, new shoes?

Up first is a charity rider getting hit going across TX. Cyclist on national tour for veteran rights dies in crash Nothing explicit on the mode, but the location suggests a hit-from-behind wreck. But I’m more concerned with the mission of the ride, the number of homeless veterans.

Infrastructure and culture clash in LA. Bikelash in Baton Rouge LA drivers are some of the most entitled SOBs in the world.

More information on the cyclist killed by the crazy gunman in CO. Bicyclist Killed on Colorado Street Was Iraq War Veteran and Police release names of 3, including bicyclist, killed in shooting spree near downtown Colorado Springs Survived two war zones, but not the home front.

Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: Yet another attack on federal bike funding, workshops on providing park access in LA County

Still in CA we get a wreck with lots of information about everything except the wreck. Bicyclist Struck, Killed By Car Near Palo Alto and Fatal Los Altos Hills accident claims Palo Alto cyclist At this point we know from the pictures is the impact was very close to an on or off ramp for a major highway, suggesting the cyclist was hit in a right cross, or the driver merging across the cyclist’s path from the left as the cyclist went straight at the edge of the road. I will keep an eye on this wreck for more information.

Not done with CA yet. Grieving Mom Calls for Safer Streets After Fatal Market Street Bike Collision SFPD cited the wrong law in this wreck report, much like they blamed the cyclist who was hit by a truck making a right turn where she was riding instead of calling it the right hook it really was. This wreck they were blaming the cyclist for leaving the bike lane that isn’t there to leave. That’s right, they blamed the cyclist for leaving the bike lane that does not exist on that street.

And another cyclist is blamed for not riding in the bike lane that isn’t there. Bicyclist critically injured after being hit by car in Santa Ana Oh yeah, another freaking blind driver hits a cyclist that “came out of nowhere”.

From the most deadliest state to walk or bike in the US we get “FloriDuh! man” on trial. Trial Begins for Man Accused in 2012 Broward Cyclist Deaths Running from cops he kills two people out for a Sunday ride. In TX that’s murder, apparently also in FL.

Still in FL another link to the guy who forgot how to move over and pass a cyclist. Bicyclist Struck, Killed In Melbourne I hope they put the driver under the jail (and about 20 feet of concrete).

More about the drunk driver that ran over a couple riding a tandem in MD. Docs: Drunk driver lied about fatally hitting cyclists The comments section was livid that the driver had such a low bail. Me, too.

More on the cyclist shot in PA. Loved Ones Remember Philly Teen Gunned Down While Riding Bike Too many shooting victims this week…

An OH cyclist pushing his bike up a hill gets hit by a blind driver. Joseph Mundy, Daniel Brown Jr.: 1 pedestrian killed, another hurt in evening crashes I don’t know what the cyclist could have done to not get hit, the narrative tells me he would have been hit riding or pushing the bike.

The DIY DOT does it again in NYC. Brooklyn Cyclists Ticket Cops Parked in Bike Lane Yeah!

Still trying to understand why tossing a few pennies at bike/ped infrastructure is such a problem for the current Congress. Funds for Walking and Biking Under Attack in Congress This Week Are they really that mad at “the poors” that they don’t want them to be safe in anything less than a 3500 steel box that they can’t afford?

As I was saying it doesn’t take a lot of money to make really great bike infrastructure as proven with this link. 2015 TIGER Grant Standouts for Cities Go to BRT, Bike Trails and More

A little personality profile. Meet Team Reeve Cyclist Christine Markow

Another cyclist gets hit in the Great White North. Cyclist struck by car, seriously injured on Sunday More Family thanks strangers for helping injured cyclist

And I’m outta links.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet

One last day of batching it, and the Feed

Yes, Mrs. the Poet returns from her leaf-peeping expedition mid-day tomorrow, so I can quit with the frozen pizza and Ramen (not on the same days) for dinner. I’m making a pot of beans and rice for tonight so that there will be food available for dinner tomorrow that Mrs. the Poet doesn’t have to cook, and she likes my beans.

Up first more on the cyclist hit from behind riding on the shoulder, apparently by a drunk driver. Bicyclist from Orange struck and killed on Highway 12, alcohol suspected as a factor and ORANGE MAN KILLED IN BICYCLE/AUTO CRASH I don’t think I need to expound on how much I hate drunk drivers, I think drunks that kill need to be chained to the steering wheel of their car as the car gets run through a car shredder.

A cyclist is hit in MD. 82-year-old cyclist critically injured after hit by vehicle Part of the problem is mis-assigned priority between the bike facility and the road. The bike path feels like a limited-access highway for bikes, and riders expect the same kind of accommodations as limited-access highways get, not stopping at every side-street and back alley. That said until such changes are made, stop at the stop signs.

Justice delayed for a cyclist killed by a drunk driver in GA. Two years later, family still seeking justice for cyclist’s death Give him a fair trial and a decent hanging, or in his case put him back behind the wheel of that Mustang for one last ride through the car shredder.

Our Daily Ted part 1. Morning Links: gofundme for HB bike victim, bike lane and salmon cyclist signs in Santa Ana, and more CicLAvia

And Daily Ted part 2. Breaking News: Bike rider dies following wrong way collision in Boyle Heights last week

Another cyclist killed in America’s Paradise. Lahaina Man Succumbs to Injuries in Deadly “eBike” Crash Wrecks like this are one of the reasons why cyclists need to get out of the gutter and take the lane, where they belong as vehicles, and where drivers can see them and not run into them. This kind of wreck is unusual, but not unforeseen.

The DIY DOT is out in force in NYC. Will These Flowers & Cones Keep Brooklyn Cyclists Safe? You know what will absolutely keep cyclists and pedestrians safe in NYC? Mandatory confiscation of any vehicle that hits a cyclist or pedestrian until it can be checked for mechanical defects. Put one mechanic on the job, without any help, and forbid him to work more than a 40 hour week, which will result in a backlog of vehicles needing to be checked meaning people will have to wait for weeks or even months to get their vehicles back, and drivers will stop hitting cyclists and pedestrians, I guarantee it.

And I seriously can’t believe this guy. Man with sleep disorder who killed cyclist ‘shouldn’t have been on road’ and North Shields cyclist ‘hit and killed by sleep apnoea sufferer who had been warned not to drive’ This is kinda like the taxi driver who had an epileptic seizure and killed 4 people in NYC. If you know you have a medical condition that could cause you to no longer be in control of your vehicle without warning, don’t fucking drive! As far as I am concerned this was murder, pure and simple.

Not bicycles in this wreck, but cyclists played a part in the aftermath as one started first aid and another directed traffic around the wreck victim and the motorcycles. Moment passers-by rush to help injured motorcyclist after two ‘speeding’ motorbikes crash in south London Notice how the woman wearing the orange jersey secures her bike and then goes to work controlling the victim’s bleeding?

Some infrastructure news from Jolly Olde. Andrew Gilligan: detractors of cycling programme will be embarrassed once they see benefits Motor vehicles are already slightly in the minority because of economic pressures, so why continue to give them priority when it comes time to hand out the infrastructure funding?

Someone needs to tell The Age that stringing a rope across a trail isn’t a “prank”, it is an act of terrorism against trail users. Boy has neck slashed by rope while riding his bicycle

Notice that the onus is on cyclists being “visible” not on drivers looking out the windshield and not hitting cyclists? How cyclists and drivers can share the road safely Blinking lights and reflectors are of no use if the operator of the murder machine is not looking out to see where said murder machine is going.

You can improve your transportation and urban design vocabulary the way I did by reading thousands of articles on the subject (boooo-rrrring!) or you could play this game a few times. How a Not-Entirely-Polite Card Game Is Changing Urban Planning

Are you buying what you think you’re buying? BUY ORIGINAL PERFORMANCE AND SAFETY! CAMPAGNOLO AGAINST FORGERY IN DEFENSE OF SAFETY How to spot forged Campy products.

And last links, there is a pretty good (power and reliability and cheap) fuel-cell powered e-bike available. We Shouldn’t Be Afraid of Hydrogen Fuel — The H2 Electric Bike Is Proof and Linde AG: Linde’s hydrogen-powered bike shows new way towards electro-mobility (news with additional features) The biggest advantage of this system is the 5-6 minute refuel from empty, the biggest drawback to date is the total lack of hydrogen refueling stations in the US.

And I’m done for today.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet

I was social again today, and the Feed

I went out this afternoon with one of the members of the kinky D&D group for another recon on costume supplies. We found remaindered fabrics and a sewing pattern for a costume she liked, but the cost for the pattern alone was more than the cash on hand. So we put everything back for better days, and slunk off with our tails between our legs. Not one of my good days.

Up first is Our Daily Ted. Any links that may be shared are a result of converging sources, not because I copied Ted. Morning Links: New El Monte Bike Hub opens, let CD4’s David Ryu know what you think, and sexist socks at Interbike I admit I had to follow the link to the sock story.

I have to say I don’t think this would ever happen in the US. Police say sorry for ‘not wholly satisfactory’ probe I mean really, US police apologizing? Ain’t gonna happen.

Now we get to see how much the vaunted reputation of Canadians for politeness is deserved. Move Over! The main benefit of the law is that it provides a nearly unshakable reflection of blame from the cyclist to the driver. All that’s required of the cyclist is complying with light and reflector laws, any hit from behind is now solidly the fault of the driver.

I think this is probably a casual correlation to cars becoming safer for the occupants rather than formerly drunk rivers switching to weed and staying home. Since Colorado legalized marijuana, highway fatalities are way down

I’m sure this would have been hilarious as a scene from a Hollywood RomCom, but IRL this would have been terrifying. CYCLIST KILLED, ANOTHER HURT WHEN BOAT BREAKS FREE FROM TRUCK ON STATEN ISLAND Edit to add, The proofreading program tried to correct STATEN to SATAN. One thing that bugs me is they aren’t even willing to say the trailer wasn’t properly secured when the trailer is in a different lane than the towing vehicle. Seriously? More Bicyclist Killed, Another Seriously Injured When Boat Slips Loose From SUV

Speaking of RomComs, how about this video of a BMX street rider for Nike riding in NYC? Watch This Pro BMX Rider Terrify All Of NYC There is a few seconds of the rider doing a nose manual on the hood of a taxi parked in a sidewalk, I would have liked a lot more of riding over cars blocking bike lanes. And seriously could you not tell this was staged?

Even when you are doing everything right as a cyclist, it just takes one driver with a case of the dumbshits to ruin your life. Artist injured in bicycle crash talks about recovery, dangers And because of the destructive power of motor vehicles, it doesn’t even take a real bad case of the dumbshits, because even a momentary lapse of concentration on the part of the driver can leave a greasy stain where the cyclist used to be riding.

Drivers ignoring the bike lane? Buy them flowers. Boston Cyclist Crowdfunds for Tactical Urbanism “Tactical Urbanism” is another phrase for calling out the DIY DOT.

Another article on the study that found that drivers see “Share the Road” as “Bicycles Get Outta the Way”. A Simple Change to Road Signs Could Help Cyclists and Drivers Finally Get Along You think they could have found a better picture of a “cyclist” than a HD screen grab from the video for “Motherfucking Bike”?

Make the bike smarter and you can make the kiosks really stupid, or do away with them altogether. Portland Will Get “Smart Bikes” in 2016

Is your town trying to kill you? The government is trying to make walking American again

And now we are done for the day, because there ain’t no more links. Today’s post was about half the size of yesterday’s by word count.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet

It’s Friday only one last blog post before my day off, and the Feed

I love all you guys out there, but my personal life this week has been such that I’m looking forward to being able to just NOT MULTITASK for 18 hours this weekend. I have been dealing with house guests all week for one reason or another, nothing malicious on anyone’s part just people staying the night EVERY SINGLE NIGHT this week, and maybe I will have a night alone tonight while I blog and sleep late Saturday. Like I wrote earlier I love my readers, and I love the people who were forced to spend the night, but I love being alone more. I don’t know what it is but if there’s someone in the house while I’m trying to work I MUST INTERACT WITH THEM. I think I know the source of this, from when I was a kid and my undiagnosed Aspie tendencies would show when other kids would come over and I would retreat to my room to cool off from excessive interactions during my normal decompressing and alone time. But my mother would force me out of my room to “be with my friends” when other people came over and interact with them (even when I was forced to be in a dark room because I had sunburned my retinas from being at altitude in a mountain range in North Africa and just wanted to not talk to anybody). But to get back to it I went from needing to be alone to being compelled to interact with people because they are there, usually both at the same time. I like people when I can deal with them at a time of my choosing. And then hole up in my office until the next time I choose to be with people. That was one of the nice things about riding my bike, I was alone but I was out of the house and “doing things” so Mrs. the Poet was not on my back about sitting inside and “doing nothing”. And now you know way too much about my early life.

Bikeyface captures the insanity that keeps some people from cycling to work. Fear of Sweat I love how she made the second panel the cover art for her blog.

Our Daily Ted, because I need to clear out space and Ted’s BikinginLA blog was like the second thing in the queue. Morning Links: LA River bike path gets greener, more on Gardena shooting, and analysis of York Blvd bike wrecks

And just a few miles from WoaB World HQ in the Beautiful Suburbs of Hell, another TX driver drives off with the victim embedded in the windshield. Man Hits Bicyclist, Keeps Driving With Him Stuck in Windshield: DPD Now you see why I say I live and work in a suburb of Hell. As I wrote, this is not the first time this has happened near WoaB World HQ. Motorist given 50 year-sentence in windshield murder trial I don’t know what it is about TX and drivers, but we raise some mean ones. And I didn’t even mention the guy that tried to kill me…

More on the victim of that driver that had a “seizure” and went speeding up the wrong side of a NYC street. UPDATE: Brooklyn Cyclist Killed by SUV Identified as Alejandro Moran-Marin The driver stopped when he ran into the concrete-filled steel bollards protecting the pedestrian plaza in front of the Barclay’s Centre. If those bollards were placed between the bike lane and the motor vehicle lane then there would have been a wrecked SUV and a live but frightened cyclist.

More on the WI cyclist killed training for RAGBRAI. First-time RAGBRAI cyclist killed by car during training RAGBRAI is on my bucket list, but not this way. More Eighth Bicyclist of Year Killed by Motorists

One of the big problems across the country is not taking away a driver’s license when there is a clear need to do so. Repeat Hit-And-Run Driver Has Killed Two, But Judge Won’t Permanently Revoke License How high does the body count have to get before they take this guy off the roads permanently?

And yet they arrested this guy. [UPDATE] Truck Driver Who Fatally Struck 78-Year-Old Man On Canal Street Was Taken Into Custody Apparently it is more who you know than who you killed.

This NE judge knows what’s what. Hickman man goes to prison for Lincoln cyclist’s death More than twice the legal limit two hours after the wreck means absolutely blitzed at the time of the wreck. Twelve to 16 years seems about right, a little light for killing a man, but harsh for killing a man with a car. We need to work on getting killing a person treated the same regardless of the weapon.

I suspect the news outlet that published this has an agenda. Two crashes, including fatality, involve drivers who admit marijuana use One driver was obviously on something other than pot when he killed a cyclist, and the other driver admitted he was drunk. I mean “One officer said that Hargrave kept pressing down on the gas even after he crashed, causing his truck tires to dig a trench in the grass. As they continued to spin, the tires were ripped off the wheels” is not a person on pot, that’s a person on some kind of hallucinogen, or some other drug that impairs perception. Still this was another one of those wrecks that could only be prevented by some kind of barrier like those bollards that stopped that NYC driver having a “seizure”.

First of two links out of FL. MIAMI BIKE CRASHES ALMOST DOUBLED FROM 2005 TO 2013, ANALYSIS FINDS Usually you get a safety in numbers thing, but I am suspecting this is more due to getting numbers because of decent infrasructure that makes cyclists feel safe to ride.

And second link shows how to get that decent infrastructure. Miami Designers Counter Florida DOT With Their Own Plan for Little Havana Corridor First of all you fire the DoT and replace them with the DoM, the Department of Mobility. Get rid of all the “highway builders” who have overrun cities with miniature Interstates with wide lanes and gradual curves, and replace them with people who understand the needs to build spaces for people and a way to get there without destroying the spaces for people elsewhere. If they insist that they need a manual give them a CROW manual for €90 each.

Or you could hire this guy, I have a sneaky feeling he’s going to be needing a job soon. IOWA DOT CHIEF: THE SYSTEM IS GOING TO SHRINK Looking at the stats it does look like IA has become the most overbuilt highway system with one mile for every 27 people. Unless you get a lot more 1%ers living there and somehow convince them to pay their fair share of taxes as a percentage of wealth there is just no financial base to support that kind of system. We gotta lotta extremely rich people and corporations in TX and we can barely sustain our current highway system with current tax revenues.

People are finally starting to figure out that cars are the problem, and the answer to that problem is not to let more cars in an area but to force more out. Traffic trouble: Neighborhood concerned after family pet death, cyclist injured At this point about the only thing that would work immediately they haven’t done yet is to start towing cars.

The first link out of several from BikePortland concerns crosswalk safety. 58 traffic stops in four hours at latest PBOT crosswalk enforcement action That works ou to be about 15 tickets per hour, not good. Maybe if they didn’t announce the day before on the evening TV news where the enforcement action was going to be, or put up signs on the sidewalk warning drivers to watch where they were going and pay attention to the crosswalks, then they would actually act as a deterrent to crosswalk violations.

Some infrastructure improvements coming to a busy bit of bikeway? TriMet announces big changes to SW Moody cycletrack Sorta, they have straightened out the lanes and cyclists and pedestrians no longer have to mix at either end of the path.

Eventually they are going to install this as a permanent feature, or maybe put in a sidewalk and forbid putting barriers across the sidewalk during festivals. Better Naito is back: Bike/walk path will return for Brewfest

Horrifying news out of the Great White North. Driver charged after two children injured in crash between car, bicycles and Ottawa driver charged after 2 kids, mother hit on bikes The bicycles involved were a regular adult cruiser with a tagalong trailer bike, and a child-sized cruiser bike. The weapon vehicle was some kind of motor vehicle driven by a homicidal maniac running a stop sign. To see if your lane has to yield to the oncoming lane look to your left and check for the back of a stop sign. If there is no stop sign then crossing traffic does not stop.

As if to back the previous paragraph up we have this link from a nearby city. MEAN STREETS This is as thorough a indictment of crappy infrastructure in North America as I have read.

UK infrastructure news. MPs tackle Prime Minister over recent deaths of cyclists [slacker]Hey dude, you have like really bad infrastructure that’s getting a lot of little dudes and especially the dudettes killed, and you should have already fixed it with the money we gave you ages ago. What’s the deal man?[/slacker]

And just what might be the consequences of not spending enough to build working bicycle infrastructure? Bristol law firm sees 200% rise in injured cyclist enquiries

Meanwhile over in Ireland. Cyclist hit by car waits over an hour for an ambulance This is being investigated because nobody should have to lay on the road waiting an hour for transport from a wreck.

Another useless magic foam hat, with turn signals. Could the high-tech Lumos helmet help reduce the number of cyclist deaths on Britain’s roads? Could publicly executing drivers that kill reduce the number of cyclist deaths? My way tackles the source of the problem, drivers who “don’t see” cyclists because they aren’t looking and “I didn’t see him” is allowed as a defense to preclude even getting charged. Instead hitting a cyclist could get one shot in the public square and your body left to rot. Now which do you think would be more effective at getting drivers to stop hitting cyclists? A magic foam hat with flashy lights, or the knowledge that one’s corpse would be left as food for the local feral dog and cat population? As an alternative to public executions, I would allow executing the car instead, by shredding.

And at least he didn’t get killed. Cyclist cops abuse from truck driver for being on a narrow country road Noted in the article was that this is a popular cycling route, has been for years, and that recently sprawl has increased the amount of traffic on this route.

This looks like a great cycling destination. Abandoned States: Pennsylvania’s Abandoned Turnpike Pavement’s a little deteriorated after more than 40 years of disuse and having been laid in the 1930s, but it’s not too bad really, any touring bike that you would use on a gravel trail would work just fine.

He’s almost there! Injured veteran defies the odds to take part in cross-country bike ride (PHOTOS and VIDEO) This was the guy that started in San Diego back at the start of the summer and he’s in Joisey now. Kinda out of the way to go to NJ to get to VA from CA.

Last link is like a huge DUH!!! from me. Mental, physical ailments linger for cyclists injured in crashes The blogger with brain damage from a 2001 wreck concurs.

And now I’m going to get something to drink that isn’t caffeinated, and go get some sleep. I’m also thinking that an allergy pill might be in the offing because my nose is getting stuffy.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the tired Poet

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And I’m out of links tonight.

Missing Pagan Fellowship Night tonight, and the Feed

The tight financial situation of the last couple of months has had a negative impact on my social life tonight. We have a tax preparer appointment on Monday that both of us have to be present for which means that both of us will need a bus pass, which means that I can’t spend $5 for a pass to get to the gathering at church tonight. I will be so glad when I get the money to repair Blue so I don’t need to keep dropping $ on bus fare for a slightly over 3 mile trip each way, plus when I take the bus I have to leave early, which won’t happen when I have Blue back on the road. Speaking of Blue, I’m currently putting some charge cycles on the cells in the headlight to try to save the one cell that was drawn down to 0.2V during the time the bike was stolen. The first test I had 3 cells at over 1.3V with that bad cell at 0.2V when I stopped the test and recharged. I’m working my 6th cycle now and I have 2 cells at 1.22 and 2 at 1.20 and I stop the test when the first cell reaches 1.1V or less. The 6th cycle has already gone twice as long as the first test, so things are looking better on that front.

Up first, just down the road from WoaB World HQ in the Beautiful Suburbs of Hell the folks in Austin say you can’t depend on drivers actually driving at a safe speed around people unless the infrastructure forces them to slow down. Neighbors want safety improvements after cyclist’s death And the first comment was asking if the cyclist cut off by the truck was wearing a helmet… TANJ!

Our Daily Ted came late today, and was not pleasant. 44-year old bike rider killed near LAX I still feel sorry for Ted whenever he posts these, because he rides those streets

One thing that has been consistent ever since I started this blog was admonishment to “Don’t hit the pedestrians”. Northampton marathon runner has cut the ‘size of tennis ball’ after being knocked over by cyclist at Pitsford At this point I can’t say for sure if this was a collision or a close pass, but either way, stop and render aid.

The recent action to exclude MTB from an area that had been one of the few places in Portland where a person could ride MTB inside the city before the city bought it has raised many questions about what happened to the process. Closed-door Parks bureau committee was set to recommend bike trails at River View So, up to the last meeting of the advisory committee MTB were good to go, then Amanda Fritz declared in March that MTB would not be allowed anywhere in the park that MTBers had invested hundreds of thousands of man hours in maintaining up until the city bought it and after. Something is rotten in the state of Portland.

Other people are wondering what’s going on with their infrastructure. Tucson and the Case of the Missing Bus Lanes Bus lanes in the plan right up until concrete and asphalt are poured then all of a sudden Whiskey, Tango, Foxtrot?! no bus lanes. Just like the parks that Dallas voters voted for back in the ’90s where the Trinity Tollway is being planned for right now.

Some good news from the US DOT. DOT Rule Change Lets Transportation Dollars Stay in Local Communities Instead of outsourcing the labor this will keep the money circulating in the community longer. That’s a good thing for the local economy.

Some infrastructure issues from the Great White North. Egan: High time the NCC looked at Canal’s low cycling curbs I love that people are demanding licenses and registration were first in line to comment about this hunk of bike/ped infra.

This just makes me think of criminal charges that should be filed. Cyclist killed at roundabout where Westminster Council rejected safety overhaul When money is offered to rebuild an intersection that gets refused, and then a very predictable death occurs at that intersection, are the politicians involved culpable for the death?

Other UK infrastructure news, proposed changes in the legal infrastructure. Lorry and cyclist accidents: HGV drivers must prove innocence, says Green Party leader Natalie Bennett The HGV industry has fought changes to their vehicles tooth and nail for the last several years, so payback should be expected.

Still more legal infrastructure from Jolly Olde. PedalSure offer cyclist insurance policy focused on you, the rider

Moving on we have a bit of real lifestyle. 13TH ANNUAL FILMED BY BIKE TRAILER PRESENTED BY ORP See what I mean? This is Bicycle Lifestyle, the essence of riding a bike as part of your life. Lots of beer in that film 🙂

Another Wounded Warrior event. Inspirational Cycling Event Helps Injured Service Members Heal

More on the response to a Canadian cyclist’s death. Bowmanville’s Roman Manko’s death ‘a huge loss’ to cycling community

The Canadian version of the Wounded Warrior project. Tribute to British invasion of a musical variety

A Philippine lifestyle story. Police chaplain on nationwide solo bike ride to honor SAF 44

One of the limitations on e-assist bikes is the rate at which the batteries can accept charge. New aluminum battery for smartphones can be charged in a minute This shows the cell can accept a C60 charge rate (60 times the ah rating of the cell), which is a good indication of how it would work as an e-assist battery. At this point the chemistry is only being developed as a power source for mobile devices, but then again so was all the Lithium chemistry at first, except the LiFePO4 and a couple of other chemistries.

And I’m all out of links.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet