Weather has been here, wish you were beautiful

The title is the punchline to a very old joke from before I was born, and accurately sums up the situation here in The Beautiful Suburbs of Hell. The highs and lows have been swapping places with highs less than the previous day’s lows, and lows higher than previous highs. I went from long pants and long underwear to shorts and t-shirt for my daily walks on consecutive days and back again to long pants and underwear. Yesterday I went for a walk at night in shorts and t-shirt and was a little chilly, today I went in the middle of the day with a sweatshirt over a long-sleeve T and still my hands got cold, much worse than yesterday’s walk at night. Mrs. the Poet has a condition she calls “changing weather crud” that in the past she got once in the fall and again in the spring, this year she has had it the entire month of December with no end in sight.

In other news I spent the majority of my Xmas money buying parts I don’t have the equipment to fabricate to the level of precision required, at a reduced price because someone bought the wrong parts and returned them after trying to install. So I’m getting them at 20% off original price. Maybe more, there was a discount code I tried to use that wouldn’t work that would have taken another 10% off the already discounted price that will probably get refunded when they get real live humans reviewing the order next week. Anywho the parts are steering arms that attach above the axle on the reproduction early Ford spindles I got last year. The main difficulty with making these on my own is the thickness of the stock used, the arms made for bolting to the bottom of the spindle are cut from ¼” mild steel and bent so they bolt through tabs with nuts, the ones for the top look like they’re cut from 1″ plate and are threaded so they don’t need nuts or bent tabs. My cutting tools are pretty much maxed out at 3/16″ thickness plate or 0.125″ wall tubing. Sure they will cut thicker stuff but my ability to make the tool go where I want to go instead of where it wants to go declines sharply when I exceed those limits. And don’t get me started about my hole-drilling abilities with my 3/8″ capacity hand drill. And I picked up a big bottle of Shiner Holiday Cheer beer to toast in the New Year tomorrow for $3 at my local grocery store. Since Mrs. the Poet will probably only drink an ounce or two (30-60 ml) and I’m not a big drinker either so the 32 oz. bottle will be more than enough for our private little party.

Stay warm or cool as the case may call for this NYE, and consider every driver on the road a drunk stoner on 2 days without sleep, because they’re out there and you don’t want to be the one that gets hit. I’m an unkillable badass but it still hurts like a mutha’ to get hit. You most likely are not an unkillable badass. ‘Nuf said.

BTW I have a playlist loaded to You Tube, labeled “Opus’ fun junk”. It’s 71 pieces of all kinds of music with electronica, EDM, trance, Classic Rock, New Wave Jazz, and some stuff that just defies classification other than the origin of cartoon music themes.

Peace out, Opus the Unkillable Badass Poet

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My brain hurts, and the Feed

I tried to watch the GOP debate from yesterday before filtering the Feed, and then I filtered the Feed. Now my brain hurts from all the Stoopid and H8 to quote Gigi’s commentary from Facebook. Seriously, how can anyone believe the lies and half-truths that get spread around? How can people just run over cyclists like they aren’t even there? Like I said, it causes me pain to think about it.

Up first, can concepts and technology win the Nobel Peace Prize? Bicycle ‘should win Nobel Peace Prize’ I certainly hope so.

On the same idea, bicycles as vehicles for change (no pun intended). Designing a Bike Path to Global Health So, healthy for the driver of the vehicle, healthy for people not using the vehicle immediately outside, or people halfway around the world…

Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: Turning Vision Zero into an unfunny joke, adventures in traffic blocking, and CicLAvia the Musical

Still in CA. Two Bay Area Cyclists Cut Down By Drivers in One Day Why do allow this level of CARnage to continue?

Now that the relatives have been told we can finally know the name of the OR cyclist killed by the deadly combination of bad infrastructure and an impaired driver. Portland police identify 38-year-old bicyclist struck and killed in NE Portland The sentence that chills me was “There was a transfer of blue paint from his car on the guardrail near where the bicyclist was discovered.” after I posted this “And then there was this,”We may never know, but it’s entirely possible the victim knew he was about to be hit and was trapped against the guardrail.” So now we know that is what probably did happen. Basically the infrastructure would work only as long as the drivers paid full attention to not running into the cyclists at the pinch points, which means that every driver has to be awake and free of chemical or physical impairment. Fail even one of those criteria and add in a cyclist, you end up with a high risk of dead cyclist. A risk that failed this time.

And in the ABQ a cyclist killer gets caught driving drunk shortly after getting released from prison and still on parole from the killing. Drunken driver who killed cyclist in ’05 suspected of 7th DWI You think that after 10 years in prison/jail he would have stayed away from alcohol but that was not the case. Somehow he still managed to get hold of a vehicle and excessive amounts of alcohol. “He was arrested after failing several field sobriety tests, and breath tests later showed he a BAC of 0.21 or 0.22 percent.” So, how do we as a society keep confirmed deadly drunks from gaining access to the most deadly devices we have common access?

Another link to the wreck of the FloriDUH drunk motorcyclist running a red light into a cyclist. Two injured when motorcycle runs red light, hits bicyclist near Clearwater Mall Nothing changed, the motorcyclist is still a drunk idiot riding on a suspended license.

Oz infrastructure news. Brisbane City Council to announce cyclist clearways for Sylvan Road

And this was a friend of my son who got hit by a car in his apartment. Gamer Hit By Car While Playing Fallout 4 In His Home Survives I keep telling people that motor vehicles are artillery shells, and until something like this happens where a vehicle goes through 3 walls and still almost kills someone nobody believes me.

And I’m all out of links.

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

Cold pizza for breakfast, and the Feed

I got to have one of my favorite breakfasts this morning, cold pizza. I had leftover frozen pizza last night, so Breakfast! Yum. Usually when Mrs. the Poet is home we wipe one of the cheap pizzas completely out between the two of us and I don’t get my favorite breakfast, but today I did. I’m looking for every upside on this I can find.

Up first because nothing really struck me as super important today is Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: Map of closed Orange Line bike path, dangerous Rowena, and Stephany too high to be responsible There’s no such thing as being “too high” to be responsible, being high is what made you legally responsible for the wreck in the first place.

Still in L.A. Lowrider bikes as activist tools: General Dogon’s rolling art works are part of Skid Row history Not the first time bicycles have been used as adjuncts to political action, see the Suffragette Movement.

Still in CA. Bicyclist hit by vehicle in Huntington Beach “Suddenly veered into the bike lane” should be investigated as attempted murder first, then as a traffic wreck. But as the narrative is posted now it sounds like someone decided to murder a random cyclist.

Note done with CA yet. Murder by DUI Trial to Begin in Death of Bicyclist Unfortunately, that’s what it takes to get murder charges brought in the death of a cyclist, second DUI with the death.

Still not finished with CA yet. Bicyclist killed in collision with vehicle identified I hate when the only narrative was the wreck was at an intersection and the driver remained at the scene.

Closer to WoaB World HQ in the Beautiful Suburbs of Hell. Bicycles should top Austin transit priority list, group says Yes for less than the cost of 2 miles of urban freeway you can get a completely built-out urban bike network.

Near one of the places I used to live in UT a cyclist apparently runs a red light. Cyclist in critical condition after early morning crash There was a comment that the cyclist was hit in the crosswalk, which meant he was probably riding in the sidewalk before the intersection, and as I frequently say, sidewalks are not bicycle infrastructure.

Cyclist down in MA. Hudson man killed in hit-and-run Black Ford F-150 does a hit-and-run, why does that not surprise me? I think the only thing that would make me less surprised would be that it had dark tinted windows.

Another dead cyclist in DE. Bicyclist killed on Hazlettville Road This is about the wildest example of a SWSS I have ever had the displeasure of reading, a cyclist suddenly leaving a bike lane directly in front of a motor vehicle. The fact that the driver was facing the setting sun I’m sure had nothing to do with hitting the cyclist from behind./sarcasm I left the angle brackets off because WordPress still has not implemented the sarcasm HTML tags.

Moving on up to NYC we get another wreck with “no criminality suspected” by the NYPD. [UPDATE] Cyclist Killed By Truck Driver At Queens Intersection Check that, the updated report is the driver was arrested at the scene for violating the victim’s right of way. Color me flabbergasted, I never thought NYPD would actually apply that law when there was a cyclist as the victim. Look at the picture with the victim’s bike under the front bumper of the truck. The cyclist more than likely never knew the truck was turning until it hit her, because it was behind her until impact.

Cops who tasered a man riding a bicycle go to trial on federal charges. Federal trial lined up for police who Tasered Hillsboro man after bike infraction IMHO there’s no excuse for tasing a man on a bike.

A little physical infrastructure news from Portland. Why the new traffic signal at N Cook and Vancouver is such a big deal I think the really big deal from this is the signal was equipped from the outset with a sensor that can detect a bicycle without a bunch of crazy maneuvers to find the 1″ wide “sweet spot” that a bike will trigger the light.

More infrastructure news from the ATL. Streets Have Changed Before, and They Can Change Again People have such short memories. Things have not always been this way, and they will not stay this way in the future.

Unlike NYC right hooking a cyclist is not a crime in Canada, and may not even be an infraction. No charges to be laid after fatal cyclist/truck collision TANJ!

A wreck up in West Canuckistan injures a cyclist. Cyclist injured in crash Driver hit a cyclist and then hit a power pole, then ran away from the vehicle? No that’s not suspicious at all.

Cyclist down in far West Canuckistan. Injured cyclist in James Bay aided by passersby, emergency crews One minute you’re riding your bike, and a fraction of a second later you’re on the deck with your bell rung, missing one or more teeth and your helmet busted.

Cyclist in West Canuckistan gets doored on camera. Video of cyclist getting doored sparks debate Fortunately the cyclist was not seriously injured in this wreck, nothing beyond getting shaken by the suddenness of the situation. One second there is a clear way to the right of the vehicle to get to the beg button, the next it’s full of passenger side door.

More on a wreck in Enn Zed. Police name cyclist killed in crash Well now we know who was killed, but not if he was hit.

It’s a wreck, not an accident. Stop Calling My Daughter’s Death a Car Accident I remember this wreck, the little girl was holding her grandmother’s hand when the grandmother was brushed back and the little girl run over while crossing in the crosswalk with the light.

Getting there any way possible sometimes means taking a bike. Avoiding Risky Seas, Migrants Reach Europe With an Arctic Bike Ride Any way you can.

And I’m outta links today. Program note, I have a D&D game tomorrow so there may not be a post.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet

It’s Friday again, and the Feed

Well it’s Friday a little after noon as I start composing this post, but I won’t get done until well after midnight, with a break at some point for watching TV or reading a book or something. I found something I want for Solstice that isn’t RPG dice or a string trimmer, and costs about the same as the RPG dice.

A couple of sets of those would look nice with this.

The reason yesterday’s post went up so late was because of how hard it was to filter out bike links from the noise on Twitter. I got a lot of good links, but it took several hours to read all those tweets about yet another mass shooting to find the ones about people getting killed mostly in ones and twos. I still think that Twitter will be a regular source for links in the future.

Up first because I don’t have a lot of links to choose from but this one is still the best, our Daily Ted. Morning Links: Coronado bike lane madness hits big time, Rowena redux, and OC deputy gets bike law wrong

Over in OH the driver who hit 5 cyclists in a paceline of 8 and killed 2 pleaded not guilty. Brecksville man charged in crash that killed cyclists pleads not guilty and Brecksville man pleads not guilty in deadly cyclist-truck crash What more can I say except that this is simply a procedural step before trial or plea bargain. I still wanna see the driver’s social media profile, though.

Took them long enough. CHP releases name of bicyclist killed Sept. 18 on Highway 154 They are still sticking with the hit from behind “for unknown reasons” story.

More on the drunk driver that hit a cyclist with three kids in the car and left the scene. Pardo admits being ‘6 to 8 inches’ in cyclist’s lane The tune keeps changing, but the singer is still off-key. Earlier he was entirely within his own lane, now he was “6 to 8 inches” into the cyclist’s lane.

Hit and run outside NYC. Police: Man killed in hit-and-run, woman charged The DA is frustrated that the potential punishments are not in line with the seriousness of the outcome.

Looking at this rendition of a surface street in IN provoked a serious WTF? moment or three. Is This a Downtown Street or a Surface Highway?

More Wounded Warrior stuff. Kirk Middle students cheer as injured vets ride through Newark This was the U.S. Military Academy to the U.S. Naval Academy ride, West Point to Annapolis.

A blind driver gets some punishment for destroying the life and livelihood of a cyclist. Lorry driver banned from roads after seriously injuring cyclist in Moray Yeah, the cyclist is not coming back to “normal” from that wreck. The punishment is trivial, but at least something.

At least this driver got some jail time to go with the minimal driving ban. Texting driver gets 21 months’ jail after seriously injuring cyclist

Minimal information about a hit-and-run in Oz. Cyclist injured in Melbourne hit-and-run

And over in Enn Zed. Cyclist killed in Napier named

And that’s all I got today. See you Sunday with the “just life and thoughts” blog post.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet

Hoping I don’t lose this post, and the Feed

I really hope the auto-save function of this composing page doesn’t crap out on me, because my computer has been crashing all day trying to filter the Feed. I have had several links crash fortunately they could be reloaded. If this page crashes, on the other hand, I have to retype anything that doesn’t get saved. Given there are at least 24 links waiting to be collated commented and posted to the blog, losing this page could be a major pain in the grommet, to use an expression popular with my father. So here’s hoping the computer doesn’t trash the composing page.

Up first was a hard decision today as there were lots of stories with multiple links. I think this NYC hit-and-run “wins” the right to go first. 27-Year-Old Woman on Bike Killed in Hit-Run Crash and Officials ID woman killed in hit-and-run also YOUNG WOMAN KILLED BY CAR WHILE RIDING BIKE HOME FROM WORK; POLICE SEARCHING FOR DRIVER this too Cyclist on City Island killed by hit-and-run driver Part of the problem is either there were three different 27 YO victims killed by white cars on the City Island bridge who all worked in the same restaurant, or whoever gave out the reports to media changed the make of the weapon vehicle… But yeah, nothing the cyclist could have done to avoid this wreck besides live and work in the same building so she didn’t need to cross that bridge.

Also with lots of links is this wreck from the Great White North. Cyclist seriously injured in Oshawa and Cyclist seriously injured in Oshawa Well there were a lot of links that somehow disappeared from the links window, at least one as I was trying to copy the URL to post here. Funny thing is what wasn’t mentioned, the driver wasn’t charged with hit-and-run in spite of having left the scene, which is heavily implied by the driver “returning”. Can’t return if you never left.

This FL cyclist was killed off of the road waiting, in the median, to get a second break in traffic to complete crossing the street. FHP: 1 dead, 1 charged with DUI manslaughter and Driver charged with DUI manslaughter after cyclist struck, killed in Winter Park LEO are still trying to figure out what caused the driver to veer off the road to hit the cyclist. Well, DUH! he was drunk and probably angry at seeing a cyclist in “his” road.

Still in FL, the most deadliest state in the US to walk or ride a bike. Bicyclist dies after being hit by minivan in Pompano Beach “Authorities said the bicyclist did not have any proper working lights.” Of course not, they were smashed to bits in the wreck, that’s why the didn’t work after the wreck.

Moving one state over from FL we get this fatal wreck in AL. Alabama cyclist killed in collision is sixth such death this year For those of us who have to depend on the media to get accurate reports of wrecks reports like this are a nightmare. “The crash is being investigation.” Really? was this written by the same people as ‘All your base are belong to us’? At this point it looks very possible that this was a right hook by a driver who never saw the cyclist.

Still in AL we get a kid hit head on in a residential area. McCalla 9-year-old hit by car, injured while riding bicycle outside grandfather’s house The remains show a hard, but survivable impact, and also really bad welds in the fork. I’m being serious here, look at that wheel and you tell me if something really hit hard enough to break the steer tube on that fork. This is the bicycle builder coming out in me, which explains why it takes me so long when I build a bike. The steer tube broke between the crown race and the fork crown, which could only happen 2 ways, not enough heat to actually join the steer tube to the fork, or way too much heat welding in the crown race destroying the base metal in the steer tube without actually joining it to the fork… I know, TMI.

Our Daily Ted provides a breath of fresh air today. Morning Links: How the economy and bike lanes affect bike wrecks, and fight the bikelash over Rowena road diet

Still in CA. Long Beach woman killed in bicycle collision on PCH in Huntington Beach identified The wreck is still somehow a hit from behind wreck in an intersection they were both crossing.

Two reports on the same wreck in CA. Emmy winning sound editor one of two killed in Moorpark crash involving car, bicycle and motorcycle and Distracted driving may have been factor in fatal Moorpark crash That might be the only explanation of why a driver went from one shoulder to the other to kill two people on two-wheeled conveyances, absent some evidence the driver hated cyclists.

Maybe crap infrastructure contributes to bike wrecks? A Young Cyclist’s Death Spurs Changes, Lawsuit in Cupertino

NC cyclist killed in pinball wreck. Cyclist killed Sunday morning in east Charlotte collision He cleared the intersection, but not the killing zone when a left-turning vehicle sent another vehicle spinning through the shoulder area.

It just occurred to me today that the same group that was getting injured/killed the most at the beginning of the study period are the ones getting injured/killed at the end of the study. Cycling deaths, injuries rise as pastime grows in popularity The people getting killed the most at the start would be in the same age group as the ones getting killed the most at the end of the study, they just aged into the biggest group of cyclists as they got older.

I’m still trying to figure out how the truck got on the race course to hit the cyclist. Surely they closed the streets to traffic while the state championship race was running? Cyclist injured after hitting truck at Fort Smith race Comments say the course was closed and the driver of the weapon vehicle had been told twice to scram but went on the course anyway.

I strongly suspect this was a kid being a kid. Boy rides bike off embankment, suffers serious head injuries, police say I can’t say for sure, but this sounds like something I would have done at his age.

PA cyclists remember those taken too soon. Cyclists Pay Tribute To Slain Bike Riders, Hope To Raise Awareness

Making cyclists less “other”. Letters: Humanizing ‘cyclists,’ pope and refugees

Making drivers more aware that cyclists have a right to the roads and are going to be there. Signs of Our Times: Sharing the Streets I would prefer a sign that told drivers hitting a cyclist or pedestrian would cost them the car they hit said cyclist or pedestrian with, but hey, can’t have everything.

The cyclist who tried to get LEO to enforce the bike/bus lane restrictions gets hit by a car in the lane he was trying to get enforced. Cyclist who complained about Clifton Boulevard lane violators injured in bike-car clash We all know how loud a car horn can be when you are outside the car, especially a few feet in front of the car when the horn goes off. It can make you jump out of your skin if you are not expecting it. And there were a couple hundred comments when I filtered the links, but none as I posted the link here.

Signs of another kind. You Won’t Soon Forget These Photos of Ghost Bikes. That’s Exactly the Point.

A wreck in Canuckistan. Cyclist critically injured in collision south of Edmonton Ouch, cyclist hit head-on by a salmon driver. Nothing you can do about that. I hope the victim recovers.

Road.cc has the same opinion of a left hook wreck as I did. Accidental death verdict in case of Guernsey cyclist crushed by lorry Seriously, how hard is it to blame a driver for hitting someone on a parallel road when crossing that road?

A cycling hazard that is mostly confined to Oz, thank the lady Ghisallo for small favors. Where magpies swoop in Canberra: Cyclists fall prey to swooping birds I mean it sucks for the Aussies, but there are only a couple million cyclists there, compared to the billion or so in the rest of the world.

Programming note my friends have decided I need to get out of the house more and are taking me to do something not involving computers or cell phones. I think I’m going shopping or something.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet

Why I’m not making money, and the Feed

I checked out my subscriber list recently and I think I know why I’m not making money on this blog. Too many people are reading my blog posts someplace that is not my blog. If everybody reading my posts was reading here at my blog I would have more than enough clicks to get shared ad revenues, but I’m getting less than 10% subscriber click-through. Now I’m not dependent on blog revenue for anything except things I could live without, so I’m not going to starve or anything if you continue to read my posts where you read my blog posts now. But I could afford things like Starbucks, or a massage, or getting my toes done (that one is on the verge of becoming a necessity since my hips started acting up) if y’all clicked through and read the posts here. Seriously, a 75% click-through rate would get me all of those things, at least once a month. Again, I’m not doing this for the money, but getting paid would be icing on the cake.

Up first because it is close and reminds me of my wreck. One year later: Injured cyclist shares status of recovery Her wreck was in August like mine and she spent about 6 months off the bike like I did. She still has hardware after a year and mine didn’t come out until at least 2 years after my wreck.

The Big Story today is the backlash on the driver hitting 3 cyclists in AL while admittedly driving distracted. Grand jury to review death of prominent businessman killed in cycling crash and Prosecutor: Grand jury to review crash that killed cyclist also ‘William would want us to cycle:’ Memorial ride planned for cyclist killed in crash Convening a grand jury for a wreck usually indicates the driver was seriously in the wrong for the wreck and “i”s are being dotted and “t”s being crossed. Since there is already at least one recording of the driver admitting driving distracted I’m sure there will be some charges filed as a result of the grand jury investigation. Or the driver is not even a ham sandwich (internet meme).

The next biggest story is the cyclist hit from behind crossing a bridge in LA. Bicyclist killed in Tangipahoa Parish crash and Unidentified bicyclist killed on U.S. 190 Tangipahoa River Bridge: State Police also Troopers identify woman killed in bicycle crash OK I agree with blaming the cyclist for not having lights or reflectors, but there is no more a requirement to wear reflective clothing (the glow in the dark clown suit) than there is for the driver to wear a firesuit while driving. Lights and reflectors people, everyone needs them at night.

Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: New study says bike injuries increasing, but without context; comedian rants riding through LA

A NJ driver admits to killing a cyclist back in 2012. Man Pleads Guilty in Hit-Run Crash That Killed Dad Riding Bike OK he hit a cyclist while driving salmon on the oncoming shoulder, then conspired to hide the weapon vehicle from LEO and the most he can get is 8 years!?!?! While his co-conspirator gets 5 years of probation?!?!? TANJ! Talk about deterrents against others for the same crimes, this murder conspiracy doesn’t have much deterrent at all.

Meanwhile across the river in NYC, a driver driving backwards on a one-way street hits a pedestrian then drives away. Video: Driver Runs Over Pedestrian, Gets Out To Look At Her, Drives Away OK I want the pitchfork concession, let someone else deal with the flammable fluids for the torches.

Someone thinks making bus drivers face punishments for hitting pedestrians crossing with the right of way like everyone else is too harsh. Should Bus Drivers Get A Break From The NYPD When They Hit A Pedestrian? I think the NYPD should give bus drivers the exact same number of breaks the drivers give to pedestrians they hit, and in the same locations: Arms, legs, ribs, skulls… pelvises might be a little hard without using a big hammer or a baseball bat…

Update on the driver who hit-and-run the passenger in his car. Source: Drunk Driver Dragged Dying Passenger From Porsche After Hamptons Crash & Drove Away I really wish that was a link to The Onion, but no it was Gothamist. “Put a bicycle near the victim and claim the victim was riding it. That’s a guarantee of “no criminality suspected””

And crazy people can write letters too. Readers sound off on cyclists, lions and guns

Meanwhile in MI. Police identify man hit, killed while riding bicycle in Davison Township Once again the cyclist is getting blamed for not wearing the glow-in-the-dark clown suit thus “causing” the wreck. If you look through the pictures you can see the headlight on the handlebars but the back is too damaged to tell if there was a light or reflector there before the wreck. I’m going to assume that at least one was present given the headlight, but even then with the LEO adding extra-legal requirements for the cyclist…

More victim blaming in WA. SPU official struck, killed while riding bike in Central Wash. Cyclist was headed east into the rising sun, so of course the driver “couldn’t see” him.

And you think this will result in charges? Bicyclist struck by SUV later dies at hospital in Herndon I didn’t think so either, their still blaming the cyclist for not wearing the glow-in-the-dark clown suit.

Since there are more cyclists, more cyclists are getting hit, but nobody can say for sure what proportion of cyclists are getting hit. As More Adults Pedal, Their Biking Injuries And Deaths Spike, Too

Driving is a public health risk? Driving to work as a public health problem Lots of Meta-data there.

Carrying the charger with you makes for a harder ride on your e-assist. Woman completes solar-powered bike ride across U.S. The panel put out 240 watts, the bike used 250 max and the difference was made up during breaks. The only time outside electricity was used was once or twice after hard rides in cloudy conditions.

Solving the “Where are the next generation of cyclists?” problem in DC. Why D.C. Wants to Teach Every Kid How to Ride a Bike

Still trying to tame the monster trucks in Jolly Olde. Family of tragic Alnwick cyclist Eilidh Cairns vow to keep fighting for safer roads So far they have the ones in London taken care of, but that still leaves something like 90% of the population unprotected.

Last link, Google cars are having problems with human drivers who don’t follow the laws, sound familiar? Google’s Driverless Cars Run Into Problem: Cars With Drivers Sounds like bike riders, and also that bike riders are not the biggest problem for Google Car.

I’m outta links now, so ima go read comics after I proof and tag.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet

Trying to contain my displeasure, and the Feed

News outside the world of transportation has soured my mood today, requiring a trip to the living room to read actual printed on paper comics after I finished reading my web comics. I won’t elaborate on what set me off, I’ll just say that politics makes me want to set a bounty on certain people. But I was able to use the power of comics to reset my mood to “less homicidal”.

Up first for local readers is a notice from Dallas about repairs to a critical N/S bike route from Richardson to Downtown Dallas. Construction on Temporary Trail begins at White Rock Creek Trail And in a nutshell you know the main problem with bicycle infrastructure in N. Texas. See who is responsible for this main bike route? The Dallas Parks department, not the streets or transit departments, Parks.

Still pretty close to WoaB World HQ in the Beautiful Suburbs of Hell. CLOSE CALL! That picture shows a light armored vehicle being used to intimidate a cyclist riding legally on the road. I have experienced this behavior many, many times when I was riding intercity near here. Most drivers pass with care and courtesy, but there are always that 1% who are assholes. I just wish this picture had been clear enough to get the license plate of the weapon vehicle.

Another update on the murder of a cyclist in IA. Bicyclist in hit-and-run dies from injuries As I posted earlier in the week, there were 3 separate incidents involving hit-and-run on a cyclist, why is this waste of human skin not charged with one count of murder and two counts of attempted murder? Why are they letting him skate on homicide (not even manslaughter) charges just because he was drunk?

This is rare, but it does happen. Cyclist killed after colliding with pedestrian Nothing on how this happened, but I will extend myself on a large tree branch (avoiding getting this dinged by the proofreader as a cliché) and say uncertainty over who went where as they passed and both going the same direction stands out as a high probability.

Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: Bikeshare finally besmirches Santa Monica, and the disappearing American bike shop

A cyclist in MI is left crossed. Update: Injured bicycle rider remains critical after collision with pickup in Alma The usual MO, the cyclist was going straight and the driver turned left either in front of him or directly into him.

A MN driver is facing serious charges in the death of a cyclist. Driver accused of texting in Glencoe crash that killed cyclist Those are extremely serious charges for a death by motor vehicle, but considering the timing of the texts and the outgoing 911 call there is probable cause in this death. Now proving the charges is a whole ‘nother kettle of fish, but making them is required before prosecuting the charges.

That wreck in ME I called as a SWSS is getting further investigation. Lewiston police still investigating accident that critically injured 9-year-old cyclist There are undoubtedly other kids his age +/- in the other complexes along the street, he could have just been going to or coming from a visit with a school friend.

Another wreck in ME. Boy on bicycle hits moving car in Island Falls

A Ghost Bike is being installed for the cyclist killed in a right hook wreck in Boston. ‘Ghost bike’ tribute for surgeon set for Back Bay crash site

A memorial ride for a cyclist killed by a crazy homeless person while stopped for food. Kevin Adorno Memorial Ride: Cyclists to complete trip of bicycle rider killed on the Treasure Coast No insult meant to homeless people, or crazy people. The perp should have been in a hospital getting treatment, not wandering the streets. This death is Reagan’s fault for closing all the mental hospitals.

That West Canuckistan cyclist killer is formally charged after being released from hospital. Samuel Alec, charged in fatal Pemberton cyclist crash, appears at bail hearing I mean, wow. He killed two cyclists that he hit in a group of three, killed his passenger and injured himself, just how fast was he going at the point of impact?

One of the main reasons why UK media bike wreck articles suck so badly is they aren’t allowed to give details until after any court hearings have been held. This results in articles like this one. Cyclist Graham Cuthbert claims Stagecoach bus driver nearly ran over him and abused him Comments section was … interesting.

I think I have found another “statistical anomaly”. Doncaster cyclist ‘lucky to be alive’ after crash with 70mph car on A1 I see two strong similarities between our wrecks. The first was the cyclist went over the roof of the weapon vehicle instead of under the car. Second we both spent pretty much the same amount of time in hospital before discharge.

Just, ugh. Everton footballer Darron Gibson faces court date after ‘drunken hit-and-run that injured cyclist and left his £125,000 car with severe damage’ I wonder how much damage he left the cyclist with after his drunken hit-and-run.

Also from Jolly Olde, a reason to make sure your donor card is signed. Family speak of pride after cyclist killed in crash donates organs Unfortunately none of my organs will be transplanted because they will be dissected as part of the blood pressure study I’m a part of.

Almost done, here are two links about a wreck earlier in Oz. Cyclist’s family learned of death online and Two possibilities in cycling death of Danish student Rebekka Meyer, coronial inquest hears So, notification systems are inadequate in this case to prevent relatives from discovering the death from media rather than LEO, and they have no way of knowing if the cyclist or the truck that killed her was at the intersection first.

Last link, take the pledge. It’s a crash. Not an “accident”.

And I have to get up freaking early in the AM tomorrow to install an alarm system in the church after our second break-in and robbery in 3 weeks. So bye!

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Unkillable Badass Poet

Grocery day again, and the Feed

Back into the fray I go after the physically draining experience of yesterday. This time is just grocery buying using my new phone to keep the list legible. Given that Mrs. the Poet’s arthritis has made her handwriting worse than mine, and that I was given the options of passing penmanship, passing typing, or failing 8th grade, you can see how having the list kept in a neat sans-serif font would be an improvement. Putting the list on the phone has one major disadvantage, our normal shopping strategy is a divide and conquer of Mrs. the Poet doing shopping for the “core” part of the store, and I get the stuff at the “edges”. But with the list on my phone, and Mrs. the Poet being such a Luddite that working an Android phone is emotionally beyond her (she’s smart enough to do it, she just doesn’t want to bother learning how), I have to be with her to read the list off the phone and also the particulars of the various coupons and specials we are getting. This means we take twice as long as before.

My take on what’s important today says the then-17YO driver who tested 0.101BAC% more than 2 hours after the wreck, and more than 8 hours after the party she threw ended, when she ran over a cyclist while driving backwards in her truck, is probably the Big Story. Documents: House party, drug use preceded DUI crash that killed cyclist and Anchorage teen who hit, killed cyclist in court Friday also Prosecutor: Teen used drugs, alcohol before hit-and-run collision that killed cyclist The party ended about 0300 more or less, the cyclist was hit at 1000 or so, the driver was arrested at 1030, the blood draw was taken 1250, and the sample showed 0.101BAC%. To get that reading more than 10 hours after the party supposedly ended means she had to have been completely blitzed at the party. And apparently the defense has never heard of second-hand smoke, or THC retention, because they are blaming the cyclist for getting hit by a drunk driving a truck backwards at a high rate of speed as reported by witnesses. The defense story of the cyclist riding on broken pavement up a false flat at 30-35 MPH would be comical if the cyclist was alive to laugh at it.

Just a few miles west of WoaB, another cyclist executed by another drunk driver. Bicyclist Killed in Hit-and-Run Crash in Haltom City The crime scene footage shows a mangled bike that is so badly damaged I can’t actually tell which way the cyclist was going when she was hit. When I can’t tell if a cyclist was hit from the side or from behind or even head on, that bike is wrecked. I’m kinda sorta not convinced the cyclist was hit from the side, but I can’t even state she was hit either from the back or head on with more than a 50% level of confidence.

NYC drivers be crazy. 82-Year-Old Woman Fatally Struck By Dump Truck Driver In Bushwick At this point facts point to insufficient time to cross the street allowed before the light changed, and the dump truck driver failing to make sure there was nothing in front of the truck before driving over the victim. That said I put at least 50% of the fault for this wreck on the infrastructure, and the fact that they allowed the truck in the city in the first place.

Upstate are not much better. Bicyclist killed after crash in Kingsbury identified This wreck sounds very similar to the one that killed Larry Schwartz, mirror to the back of the head. Helmet or not you are dead in this kind of wreck.

Yesterday’s Daily Ted. Morning Links: LA’s Mobility Plan 2035 passes the council, but the fight isn’t over yet; cyclist critically injured in OC You didn’t think I would forget, did you?

Today’s Daily Ted. Morning Links: Newport hit-and-run driver turns himself in, and more fallout from the new LA Mobility Plan

Another CA wreck. 14-YEAR-OLD GIRL ON BICYCLE STRUCK BY HIT-AND-RUN DRIVER IN NEWPORT BEACH and NEWPORT BEACH MAN ARRESTED IN HIT-RUN INVOLVING 14-YEAR-OLD GIRL Incidents like this are what makes me glad that hit-and-run carries the same minimum sentence as DUI homicide in CA. Maybe if this gets more publicity people would stay at the scene and call 911 so the victim has a better chance of survival.

Another wreck in CA, this was a bad week for them. Cyclist killed in El Cajon collision Yet another SWSS, you would think that by now LEO would be wise to this after the two wrecks with onboard video showed the cyclists riding in a straight line while the weapon vehicle failed to move over to pass. There was a comment that the driver failed to react until after the cyclist was hit and flying through the air that somewhat backs this up.

The cyclist hit by a driver on a CA frontage road is recovering. Bicycle accident victim recovering

The 30th anniversary of the seminal NWA album has spawned a meme that not even cyclists can resist. The Slow Bicycle Movement (what, you thought I would show that in my blog? Click the link.) 😀

More on the MI cyclist killed by a hit-and-run driver. Lawyer, authorities talk in Lake Orion cyclist’s death I still say the statement from the lawyer shows the driver did it on purpose. And Family members organize charity bike ride to remember Lake Orion woman who was killed in hit and run

Another MI cyclist died. Bicyclist struck, killed in Grand Rapids The cyclist was killed while riding in the crosswalk in front of a stopped vehicle that didn’t stay stopped while he was in front of the vehicle.

OK this driver needs to be lost in the system for a century or two. Cyclist hit by alleged drunk driver in Hancock Co. dies; Teen held for OWI and Police: Teen accused of OWI in cyclist’s death tested at four times legal limit this, too 1 cyclist dead, another injured OK killer driver was drunk and underage to drink, there should be a nice comfy place under the jail for him. DEEP under the jail.

More on the acts of terror against cyclists in West Canuckistan. Aggressive acts towards cyclists discredits drivers I guess acts of terrorism could be called “aggressive”.

This video is now part of the UK driver’s ed curriculum. How to overtake cyclists – the video all drivers should watch well the new drivers will have to watch it, we can only hope the current ones will as well.

Another driver cursed with a wreck in Jolly Olde. Drink driver injured teenage BMX rider and four-year-old boy I say let him rot, but since this is the UK he will probably get community service, and points on his license.

Crappy infrastructure proposed in Oz. Cycling groups urge Moreland Council not to adopt double cycle lanes on Sydney Rd Seriously, they are going to paint two bike lanes and allow parking on one set part of the time, which is when the other lane is active? What are they on, and can they share?

These guys need to share, too. Surgeons urge ‘more responsible attitude’ to bike helmet laws You know you would think surgeons would be a little more reality-driven. Are they sure this isn’t a conservative terrorist front group?

And I’m all outta links.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Unkillable Badass Poet

I had errands to run on the Big Feed Day

Now that Mrs. the Poet is home I have access to her account for paying the bills that my income won’t cover (which is just about everything except groceries). So I spent a few 2½ hours out in the 99°F heat paying bills that had to be covered today or face huge late fees. I was fully hydrated before I left and did not stop to rehydrate until I got home, so I’m all hot and sweaty and thirsty now. That’s called “living in Texas”. 😛

Up first the biggest story continues to be the cyclist hit by a texting driver in OK. Young Teacher Biking Across America Senselessly Killed By Driver On Her Phone also Key Biscayne native killed riding bike on Oklahoma highway and this Schoolteacher Killed by Distracted Driver While Biking Cross-Country for Charity: Officials Wow a bike wreck covered by People magazine! NYC teacher killed during cross-country bike ride for charity And from Gothamist NYC School Teacher Biking Across Country Killed By Distracted Driver In Oklahoma and even this Teacher on cross-country charity bike trek killed by driver looking at cellphone in Okla. Am I allowed to say this was a senseless death? Because this was a seriously senseless death. This is even easier to avoid than a DUI murder: put the fucking phone away when you are behind the wheel or handlebars. BAM! your driving or riding abilities are improved 1000% over your on-the-phone state.

Our Daily Ted, Part 1. Morning Links: It’s Mobility Monday — contact your councilmember to support LA’s Mobility Plan as written

And Part Two. Update: 23-year old Newport Beach e-bike rider died after colliding with parked van and Corona Del Mar Cyclist Killed After Crashing into Parked Car Something caused that cyclist to be a couple feet off the curb at nearly the speed limit when he hit the back of that van. Seriously I have seen bikes hit by cars going 40 MPH on the wrong side of the road that had less front end damage than the bike in this wreck. Unfortunately the only witness in police custody has been transferred to the coroner’s custody…

Part three. An open letter to the LA City Council in support of the Mobility Plan 2035

And another wreck in Sooner Country. Cyclist killed in Pontotoc County crash If the street view of that intersection is to be believed, there is no way to safely cross that ramp as a cyclist, and no way to avoid the frontage road riding from northeast to southwest or vice-versa in certain areas. This is as much an infrastructure failure as a wreck between two vehicles.

Interesting response to a MI wreck. Boy seriously injured in car-bike accident in Lansing What is interesting about this report is in the comments section, where none of the comments blamed the cyclists involved, and at least one directly blamed the driver. And this is in spite of a Street View that shows the weapon vehicle had right of way and the cyclists were facing stop signs. I wasn’t able to follow the street view far enough to find a speed limit sign, but from the comments it can’t have been too high as this was in a residential area.

Another hit-and-run in PA. Cyclist injured in hit and run in East Liberty, police say If you see a car missing a mirror near Philly, call the number in the article.

More on that 2 vehicle bike wreck that was minus any motor vehicles in Philly. 68-Year-Old Man Seriously Injured After Collision With Another Cyclist While Riding Bike Not known if the victim was the one riding salmon or the other one.

Another bike wreck minus motor vehicles in MA. PMC Rider Seriously Injured In North Attleboro Bike Crash The PMC is a ride on the long direction of MA from NY to the sea going east. Neither of these guys finished the ride.

And in upstate NY they can’t figure out how a cyclist got hit from behind. Bike rider seriously injured in Kinderhook collision Seriously? “when a Hyundai Azera driven by Leah Tricozzi, 45, of Valatie, heading northwest on Route 28, struck Donald J. Wilber, 68, who was biking in the same direction in front of her, for unknown reasons.” When a car hits a car travelling the same direction do you try to figure out a way to blame the slower car for getting hit, or do you just write the damn ticket?

Another one killed in the most deadliest state in the US to ride a bike or walk. Fatal bicycle crash in Polk County and 2 Die in Separate Polk Crashes The cyclist appears to have been setting up to make a left turn on one of the intersecting streets in the area. I call this one an infrastructure failure, the cyclist was doing what it takes to make a legal left turn and appears to have had the legal requirements of lights and reflectors (not mentioned means everything legal 99% of the time).

Meanwhile in NC a drunk crosses the centerline and hits a cyclist head on. Driver charged with DWI after cyclist hit, killed in Hickory Remember what I said about the bike running into the back of the van in CA? This is the picture I was writing about. Notice the blood on the roof of the weapon vehicle, which sustained additional damage from hitting a pole after hitting the cyclist on the shoulder of the road. It almost looks like the driver was targeting the cyclist.

These kind of wrecks make me the craziest because they are almost always the fault of the cyclist and so easy to prevent. Huron: 15-year-old bicyclist killed by train See what I mean? All that is needed to prevent this wreck is staying behind the crossing guard.

Another hit-and-run in OH. Pickerington man injured in bicycle crash If my area readers see a vehicle matching the description of the weapon vehicle notify LEO at the number given in the article.

Read the article, then read the comments to see why the article fell on deaf ears blind eyes. Editorial: An open letter to cyclists, motorists Seriously, it is like they read the article and then completely dismissed it because it didn’t comply with their prejudices.

More of the same in a different accent. Bicyclists seek solutions following accidents

This is just one city among thousands in the US, albeit one of if not the largest city (depending on how you define “largest”) so multiply this by say, 100? NYC’s $138 Million Pothole Problem

Tragic story from the Great White North. Did vigilante kill Michael Sullivan for pretending to take child’s photo? Not a True Canadian then. And talk about jumping to fatal conclusions.

Ugghh! Cyclist struck by SUV in Oshawa intersection Who outside of the weapon vehicle is saying the cyclist ran the red light?

I was uncertain about including this one because it was so low-information. Cyclist dead after collision in Vaughan

Not a good ride in Jolly Olde. RideLondon 2015: cyclist dies from suspected heart attack while climbing steep Surrey hill I’m reading separate reports that I can’t link to at the moment that are blaming heat and dehydration for the death.

And here is one of the Good Guys. Cyclist going the distance to help terror victims

And I am out of links, hurrah!

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Unkillable Badass Poet (this will be my sig for the rest of the month to celebrate my upcoming Death Day 08/31)