Things are a bit somber here, and the Feed

Even the cats are a bit subdued as we here at Casa de El Poeta were informed that Mrs. the Poet’s youngest sister died this morning from respiratory arrest. This was totally unexpected to everyone except the deceased sister who had been telling people she wasn’t going to be alive to see any of the festivities this summer ever since last summer. She leaves behind a bereaved partner of more than 2 decades whom she never married. Mrs. the Poet will be leaving for the memorial service Wednesday, and the cats and I will hold down the fort here.

Up first is a driver left crossing 8 (eight!) cyclists down in Austin. Bicyclist team hit by van in Lakeway Three cyclists were injured while many bikes were damaged. Driver given ticket… Lawsuits to follow.

On the other side of the state from that wreck a cyclist is hit by a train while waiting for another train to clear the tracks. Bicyclist struck, killed by train in Canyon Wrecks like this are why I state in the protocols to NOT BE ON THE TRACKS when there is a train in the area, you can’t hear the other one coming if your attention is absorbed in the one crossing first.

Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: New women’s hour record, Ed Begley Jr. bikes the Oscars, and no more $10k tech bikes

Daily Ted Part 2. Bike rider killed in early morning Victorville collision; SB County deaths already exceed total for all of last year

Still in CA. Montclair police search for hit-and-run driver that struck, killed bicyclist and Candlelight vigil held for Montclair bicyclist killed in hit-and-run My opinions on hit-and-run drivers are well-documanted on this blog. The driver deserves no mercy when caught, as he showed no mercy on the deceased.

Also in CA. Fontana bicyclist’s death serves as reminder of how drunk driving can cause tragedies There are tags for this blog that explicitly convey my opinions of drunk drivers. That would include the tags for this post.

Hit-from-behind wreck in WI, multiple links. Lena bicyclist killed after struck by truck and UPDATE: Bicyclist struck and killed by SUV in northeast Wisconsin is ID’d also UPDATE: Man identified in bicycle crash this too Cyclist’s death warns drivers & riders to share the road At this point there has been nothing released on the mode of the wreck other than both vehicles were going the same direction. So it might have been a buzz job or punishment pass or the driver could have just failed to process the existence of the cyclist in the road.

Serious injury wreck in MO. Carthage cyclist sustains serious injuries in accident The wreck is being blamed on a ninja cyclist.

From CO comes a plea for drivers to pay attention to cyclists on the roads. Letter: Cyclists have right to be on Fort Collins’ roads Comments typically blame the cyclist for being on the road where he was killed.

A UT hit-and-run driver is seriously undercharged. Collision injures cyclist, driver cited for leaving scene The driver removed the weapon vehicle from the scene and then tried to hide it from LEO, why wasn’t she charged with interfering with an investigation?

Memorial service in WA. Memorial ride honors Yakima bicyclist killed in crash This wreck was caused by a driver believed to be impaired and charged with vehicular manslaughter.

We have a bunch of links to a very busy NYC wreck factory this weekend. 3 Killed and 2 Injured in Hit-and-Run Crashes Across New York City and Three People Killed In Separate Hit-And-Run Incidents also NYPD Releases Video Of Hit-And-Run Driver Who Killed Cyclist In Park Slope this too UPDATED/CORRECTION: Pedestrian Killed On 5th Avenue This Morning In Apparent Hit-And-Run, Cops Say not done yet Man Killed By Driver Who “Felt A Large Bump” You will have to just read the articles in the links. There are way too many wrecks with no actual cyclists involved.

Memorialization of a cyclist killed by another drunk driver. Family, friends dedicate ‘ghost bike’ to cyclist struck on Richmond Road See the tabs, again, for what I think of drunk drivers.

Last NYC link is infrastructure. Councilman Admits Mischaracterizing Prospect Park West Bike Lane During Battle Over It This remains ridiculous.

Infrastructure from West Canuckistan. Stanley Park Causeway improvements complete three years after tragic death of cyclist This wreck was caused by a pedestrian pushing a cyclist in front of moving traffic.

Legal infrastructure in Oz. New cycling laws come into play today including increased fines Highly questionable legal infrastructure changes making cycling infractions more expensive than driving infractions. I mean when you think about how many people get head injuries in cars, why don’t they have helmet laws for drivers and passengers in motor vehicles? And have $300 fines for not wearing them?

And final link is a repeat that needs repeating. How to Pass a Bicyclist

And I’m all out of links, now I have to console Mrs. the Poet about her sister’s sudden demise.

Billed @€0.02, Opus

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Nice weather for Grocery Day, and the Feed

I know it’s a little late now, but I should have tagged the Mini Sprint-T in yesterday’s post since so much of the first paragraph was devoted to it and there was a picture of it in the post. Anywho, we are having a nice spring day out, in the middle of February, in Texas. Birds are singing and I have already seen the crane flies (those things that look like huge mosquitoes) on the storm doors. Climate change! Woo!

I know some people are wondering why I spend so much time on the Mini Sprint-T when I’m a bicycle safety blogger and know how dangerous motor vehicles are around vulnerable users like pedestrians and cyclists? Well one reason is I need to build something. I would prefer to build a car or a recumbent bike but I don’t have the space nor resources to build something like that now. If Dad’s house hadn’t sold for $75K under appraisal I would have a lot more $$ for building the full-size car, but that water is way under the dam now. So I’m working with something I can afford with the resources I have now. I’m solving most of the problems I would face with the Sprint-T while working within my budget for the Mini Sprint-T. Also, model cars are very safe around vulnerable users so long as you don’t step on them. The cars, not the vulnerable users, don’t step on the model cars. You might cut your foot stepping on the model car.

Up first, an OH driver claims “blindness” from “sun glare” for driving about 100 feet on the shoulder to hit 5 cyclists head on. You won’t believe what happened in court. Bike Cleveland on Wolf verdict: ‘It is seriously regrettable that justice was not served’ Yep “Not guilty” of vehicular homicide. Once again proving that if you want to commit random murder, buy a car, not a gun.

Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: Killer SD hit-and-run driver has a bad night; next Griffith Park access meeting on Wednesday

Still in CA. Cyclist struck, injured by WES train in Tualatin When I filtered they were still trying to figure out how he got hit, stating the victim “rode directly into the path” of the train. As I have pointed out numerous times in the past avoiding getting hit by a train is laughingly easy, just don’t be on the tracks when the train gets there. Why this rider didn’t do that is under question at the moment.

More infrastructure in Portland. Opinion: If we’re serious about cycling, let’s get serious about cycling infrastructure

Hit-and-run in PA. Two people were in Jeep at fatal hit-and-run in Upper Milford, police say This is an update on the ICE-assist bike hit head-on by a vehicle cutting the left turn. And my speculation from yesterday was apparently correct that the cyclist was legally lighted at the tine of the wreck. The Street View of the scene shows the cyclist had a through road without a stop sign while the weapon vehicle was facing a stop sign before making that left turn. The really despicable part is they both got out and looked at the victim’s body and mangled bike in the road before leaving him there to die.

What other job could you (almost) kill someone and get a paid vacation. Cambridge officer cited for hit-and-run crash that injured bicyclist Seriously, leave someone to die in the street and get a paid vacation? I suspect DUI was involved, the cop knowing that leaving the scene would get him out of the worst of the charges by preventing testing.

In TN it appears we have a SWCC wreck. Bicyclist Injured On East Main Street After Colliding With Pickup On Tuesday The narrative would also fit with a buzz job or punishment pass that went way bad (for the victim).

I think MT stands for the amount of compassion for the victim in their hearts. Man sentenced to 6 months in jail for killing cyclist in 2014 accident Except no, he wasn’t. He got 90 days in jail and 90 days house arrest, not 6 months in jail. The cyclist is taking a dirt nap while the driver gets only 90 days in jail and another 90 days at home sleeping in his own bed and pooping in his own toilet and eating his own food not bought from the lowest bidder.

Up in West Canuckistan LEO add insult to injury for a salmon cyclist. Cyclist struck, then fined

Still in West Canuckistan. Suits filed in cyclist deaths The owner of the weapon vehicle is throwing the driver under the bus, all but claiming the car was stolen. And they are still trying to blame the cyclists for getting hit by a drunk driver on the wrong side of the road?!?

Still in West Canuckistan, a little infrastructure article. Vancouver Bike-Share Gears Up for Summer Launch

Meanwhile in Jolly Olde. Cyclist injured after car accident in Cobham Wreck, not accident. but anyway, from the picture it looks like hit from behind because of a failure to pass safely.

More on #Nohelmet-gate in the UK. Row breaks out on Twitter after police ‘blame’ injured cyclist for #NoHelmet Please comment, should I mention all the wrecks where the drive wasn’t wearing a helmet and firesuit and blame the wreck on lack of either? Or would that be (too) petty?

Another hit-and-run leaves a lucky cyclist injured but alive. Bid to trace car in cyclist hit-and-run Hit from behind protocols to avoid or reduce injury, crush and shred vehicles used to commit hit-and-run to prevent, with the driver inside in cases where the victim dies.

Today’s candidate for the “really crap infrastructure” tag. Potholes are a ‘disgrace’, says cyclist That road looks more like an obstacle course.

Cyclist down, UK. Cyclist killed in collision with Range Rover was ‘loving husband, father and friend’

Cyclist down in Oz. The Beat: Brisbane news, weather and traffic No details about the wreck or if any other vehicles were involved.

Brave women making a difference if they don’t get killed. A group of bicycling women are defying norms in the Middle East

And I’m out of links again.

Billed @$0.02, Opus

No D&D today, and the Feed

I was supposed to go to a D&D game this afternoon, but once again the logistics didn’t work out and I’m stuck at home. There is a Friday the 13th Classic Monster Movie party at church tonight, I might go to that just to get out of the house. I have been trying to teach the fur kids that my legs are not to climb on with some success (after all they are just babies). I’m also playing that mobile phone game that hands out money as hard as I can. I’m almost a third of the way to my next $10 gift card, and ²/₃ of the way to my next $1 gift card (those are separate quests that are somewhat intertwined but require different things to accomplish). At this rate I shall reach my goals by Christmas.

Up first how about our Daily Ted? Morning Links: Bad news isn’t the problem, a Breeze-y day in SaMo, and bikes aren’t a priority in Beverly Hills

Aaand Daily Ted part two. BOLO ALERT: Driver of blue car fled the scene after dooring woman near Fairfax and San Vicente Thursday night

Still in CA we get Infrastructure. Safety at a crossroads The person who sent me this link pointed out the SUV using a bike lane to make an illegal left turn in the lead picture.

And more infrastructure from the same city (and newspaper). City officials grapple with who – and what – belongs on the beach bike path Here’s what I think belongs on the bike path: bicycles, tandem bicycles, e-assist bicycles, tricycles, tandem tricycles, e-assist tricycles, and velomobiles. And maybe skateboards and pedicabs. Definitely NOT Segways and hoverboards.

Over in Frisco, a bus takes out most of a block, including a cyclist. San Francisco tour bus crashes in Union Squre, multiple injuries This has to be the ultimate pinball wreck.

The legal infrastructure has been failing cyclists down in NOLA. Cyclists injured in hit-and-run accidents find minimal aid from police, state law TBH this is about what I expect from LEO in the deep south.

The AL restaurant where a cyclist bought breakfast regularly collects for her funeral. Bojangles employees raising money for funeral of customer killed while riding bicycle in Cullman

IL cyclist is killed JRA. Man Killed While Riding Bicycle in Joliet The narrative doesn’t say nor allow for deduction of the mode of the wreck. It does say there were multiple injuries that could have been the fatal injury so the plastic foam hat brigade is foiled in this one. Even if he had been wearing the perfect helmet that prevents every head injury he still would have been dead.

NYPD isn’t the only government agency blocking the bike lanes. Sleepy DOT Workers Block 2nd Ave Bike Lane To Take A Nap But you would think the guys that built the bike lanes would know better.

More infrastructure news from NYC. Plan For Amsterdam Avenue Bike Lane Met With Little Pushback From Residents Only one “I can’t stay in business without free parking in front of my store!!1!!”

Who died from motor vehicle violence in Staten Island? Heartbreaking profiles of 8 pedestrians, cyclist killed on Staten Island in 2015

Another link to the study that showed the best indicator of not getting killed is a pair of ovaries. Joint UBC, U of T study finds that women are less likely to be injured than men on their bikes No I’m not going through surgery to reduce my risk of getting hit.

Taking the lead from the insurance company lawyers the BC driver who ran into a cyclist head-on driving in the wrong lane. Driver accused in cyclist’s death denies responsibility for crash The comment section was wisely deleted from this article.

The Mounties got their man, or at least his car. Police seize vehicle in connection with Lorraine hit and run

Over in the UK they decide that a cyclist who was lighted and reflectored about 250% more than legal requirements was invisible. Cyclist, 42, died in accident on the A40 despite being warned not to ride on busy roads and Coroner: Lorry driver “would not have expected” to encounter cyclist he killed Yeah, I know.

Another cyclist hit in Enn Zed. Cyclist injured in Willis St crash Which just goes to show cyclists are more morally developed than drivers. How many times have I read comments along the line of “Given a choice of hitting a cyclist or hitting a car I’m hitting the cyclist”, and this guy picks a car over hitting a pedestrian.

And I’m out of links for the night.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet

Happy Canada Day, and the Feed

First let me wish my Canadian Readers a happy independence day. I know I make fun of where you live (The Great White North, East Canuckistan, West Canuckistan, Far West Canuckistan) but believe me when I say I do it out of love. You guys are awesome (you had same-sex marriage 10 years before we did as just one example) and I have loved your country ever since my baby brother was born in it 53 years ago (St. John’s Newfoundland, right after it was declared a separate province) and every time we lived there since. I haven’t been back since the early ’70s, but I stay current as I can given how little news comes from north of the border. I mean besides Rob Ford, he’s sorta like your Chris Christie only on drugs, and not trying to take over the country.

Second the reason why this post is going up so late with so few links is I went to get “Arthur, Arthur Dent” rubbed on and transit to the new therapist killed about an hour each way, plus waiting for the bus, plus having to get money from the bank to pay for the massage, and then an hour for the massage. But it was worth it. My range of motion is temporarily only limited by the bones and ligaments in my neck, not by the muscle binding up and not allowing more contraction or extension. I can already feel the muscles starting to tighten back up, but for the moment it’s wonderful.

Since we started out talking about Canada and everything, here’s another link to that pinball wreck that caused a pole to fall on two cyclists. Greater Toronto Area cyclist dead after violent crash More Driver arrested after cyclist, 47, killed in Dufferin St. collision No new facts in the case, just new reports that makes it doubly sure that the cyclists were just waiting on traffic to clear and the lights to change when the power pole fell on them.

Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: 19-year old bike rider shot in Commerce; more naked folks on bikes; and mobile LA bike repair Included was a link to an attempted murder by motor vehicle on 3 cyclists hit near Sacramento. I’ll include that link if I see it in the Feed, but Ted gets CA news a day ahead of me.

Hey, a bunch of links about cops doing the right thing in Seattle. Police: Intoxicated driver killed cyclist Saturday night and Seattle police: Driver who hit and killed cyclist was intoxicated also DRIVER ARRESTED AFTER KILLING BICYCLE RIDER IN SEATTLE The driver stopped, was suspected of being drunk since he was falling down and other suspicious behavior, and he was arrested.

Another shocker as LEO are looking for “enhancements” to a hit-and-run in WY. Police still investigating Casper hit-and-run that injured bicyclist Find as many “enhancements” as you can, boys, hit-and-run should be treated like attempted murder when the victim survives, and murder if the victim dies…

Another WTF moment in Detroit. Man on bicycle shot and killed during robbery on Fenkell on Detroit’s west side Nothing you can do as a cyclist to avoid this, as you can’t outrun a bullet and unless there is heavy traffic you can’t outrun a motor vehicle.

Back to the Great White North for this little infrastructure blurb. THE QUICK, THE SAFE AND THE CYCLIST Another “death vs speed” chart to go with the hundreds of other charts that say pretty much the same thing.

The tide is turning against drunk and distracted drivers that kill cyclists in Jolly Olde. Jail for woman who killed cyclist after using phone while driving Now we have to hope that she doesn’t spend 6 months in jail and then go to a halfway house.

And just when it was starting to look like things are improving. Community order, driving ban and fine for driver who caused cyclist’s death Yep another round of “community service” for killing a cyclist.

So, who gets to go to jail for this death? Cancelled plans for a safe roundabout ‘could have prevented’ cyclist’s death, says politician The planned changes would have added at most a couple of seconds to clearing the junction while saving cyclists’ lives and bodies, but apparently a few seconds is too great a cost to pay for a cyclist’s life.

And they wonder why cyclists do this? Cyclists stage another mass ‘die-in’ protest at Bank in continuing battle to raise awareness of cycling safety in London

Or why they do this? Cyclist Jeremy Vine reveals he films bad drivers and sends footage to police This is the guy that says a camera is more important than a helmet for a cyclist in London.

Another useless “safety” gadget. Introducing the Varia™ Line of Smart Cycling Devices from Garmin® – Rearview Bike Radar and Smart Bike Lights to Help Create a Safer Riding Environment Alerting starting at 140 meters means the alert is going to be pretty much constant when I ride to church for example.

Bosch expands their crank assist motor line. Bosch Announces More Torque, More Battery and Other New eBike Technologies More power storage at the same weight/volume? How much empty space did they have with the old batteries?

A solar-assisted recumbent trike with a “swamp cooler” AC. Solar Assisted Air Conditioned Tricycle with Unlimited Range

When you get hit you need a good lawyer on your side. Meet the Chicago lawyer who represented cyclists before it was cool

And I’m out of links and patience as my legs decided they haven’t been annoying enough lately and just swelled up and started itching, so I’m going to finish this up and have a lie-down and then do dishes.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet

I rode a bike today, and the Feed

I pumped up the tires on Francis/es and took a lap around the block to see how my neck is doing. And let’s just say my neck is doing better but still not ready for prime time yet. One lap around the block is about all I can manage without a helmet on today. I’m still running into the limits of motion where I can’t contract that muscle under “Arthur, Arthur Dent” enough to quite get my head up enough to see where I’m going yet. It pretty much takes all I can do just to get up enough to see, then by the time I get ³/₄ of the way around the block it’s exhausted to the point that I can’t even hold it up enough to sit up straight… So time to dust off the welder and my fine detail cutting tools and build that stem extension.

Up first because I had to stop filtering and clear out some links and there are a bunch of links to this wreck. Cyclist Killed In Collision With Truck Driver In Ditmas Park and Cyclist dead after swerving into truck also Cyclist Dies After Box Truck Runs Him Over Near Prospect Park, NYPD Says even Cyclist killed when collides with a box truck in Brooklyn and don’t forget Cyclist killed in collision with truck The driver reported the cyclist “lost control” and rolled under the rear wheels of the truck. The only problem with that is that area is a blind spot not covered by mirrors.

Our Daily Ted, Part 1. Hemet mountain biker found dead on trail after being reported missing Sad, but it looks like natural causes or maybe heat-related.

And Part 2. Morning Links: Safer streets spread, except in Congress; aliens attack; and a non-dog hero saves a young cyclist The “non-dog” was that cat that ran off a dog attacking a kid riding a bike in the driveway of his home last year.

You would think that LEO would have more sense than this. Lawsuit claims Allentown police hit cyclist with stun gun Yeah this would be like using a stun gun on a driver of a moving car. And if they caught up to a guy riding a bike on foot he wasn’t trying very hard to get away, lending credence to the victim’s statement he didn’t know he was being pursued by LEO.

Update on the VT cyclist killed by a drunk driver. Cyclist killed on Ferrisburgh road; local woman cited for DUI

While we are in that part of the country. New Milford man charged in cyclist’s death Kill a cyclist, spend 6 months in jail and maybe get a $1k fine… TANJ!

And back in NYC for this fine example of driving prowess. Graphic Video Shows Drivers Running Over Man In Crown Heights, Driving Away The victim in this case violated NY’s door law, standing next to the car for too long but at any rate this comment seems to capture the emotions of the incident. A second part of the problem is the initial weapon vehicle has huge front blind spots, and should never have been allowed in a city in the first place.

At least this door prize winner will get some $ for his suffering. Staten Island Powerball Winner Sued For Dooring Park Slope Cyclist

More on the cyclist killed in London yesterday. Cyclist killed at Bank is London’s eighth fatality this year Eight fatalities, 7 HGV involved, and 6 women victims… Things are not so jolly in Jolly Olde.

Maybe if UK bicycle infrastructure wasn’t so universally crap when it even exists, people would stop dying? London cyclist deaths: What other cities could teach the capital Probably, but it still won’t get fixed.

Getting back to the US for more infrastructure news. San Diego Joins Vision Zero Ranks The problem with announcements like this is this is usually the last we see of anyone caring if anyone in a car lives or dies.

I wonder if this bill extends to bicycles or just stops with motor vehicles and Amish buggies? Committee clears bill to help motorcyclists stuck at red lights

Can a massive corporation change the infrastructure to suit its employee base? Google’s New Bike Plan Wants Silicon Valley to Be More Like Copenhagen

And last link, a GPS equipped bike share system let researchers track cyclists using regular bikes and e-assist bike to see if there was any difference in behavior. UT Study Could Improve Safety for Cyclists, E-Bikes Sadly, there wasn’t, both groups rolled red lights and stop signs, and went the wrong way on one-way streets.

And today was rather long because of mowing the lawn and because I had to help Mrs. the Poet get ready for her vacation. My vacation $ got spent on kicking “Chris Christie” offa my neck and leaving behind “Arthur, Arthur Dent”.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet

The other “long day” of the week, and the Feed

Yep, this day is gonna be long because I wait until the last lump of the Feed comes through about 0001 in the morning. This does two things, first of which is it keeps Monday a little more manageable, and second is it reduces the age of the oldest links on Monday, which keeps it “news” and not “recent history”. But what this allows is a break in the middle to do “other things” like Pagan Fellowship night at church tonight. This is mainly our Heathens and Wiccans getting together and either drumming or dancing (to a CD if no drummers show up), and sometimes beer or mead is shared. Alcohol consumption is generally low-key and the home-made selections are judged on taste and drinkability over alcohol content (one offering was severely down-graded because it obviously went for alcohol content over flavor). But mostly drumming and dancing. I’m not much of a drummer and these days I’m mostly just a “sway to the rhythm” dancer, but I go and I participate to the fullest of my abilities.

Up first because it’s awesome, Germany has found a solution for both employing people approaching retirement age and getting local food to city dwellers. In Germany, elderly bike messengers will deliver your local veggies From the article, it’s not just veggies but a host of items that are locally produced and sold, and the web site does not take orders on the weekend so that people can get out of the house and see the products in person…

Down the road about 2 days’ ride from WoaB, they caught a stupid one. Man arrested after cyclist killed in hit and run He “thought he hit a deer” in that neighborhood? Give me a break! I mean yeah I would have kinda sorta accepted “big dog”, but “deer”? Getouttahere! He knew what he hit and still left the victim to die in the stroad (that’s a thing that can’t decide if it’s supposed to be a street for people or a highway for getting things outta there in a hurry, so it sucks at both jobs).

In NYC we have another pedestrian injury with a hit-and-run cyclist. Hit & Run Cyclist Leaves Woman Severely Injured On The UES Given what happened to the cyclist that hit a jaywalker in Central Park last year I can see why he left the scene (remember him? Pilloried by the press, “no criminality suspected” by NYPD because that’s exactly what they say when a driver does the same thing) but still DON’T HIT THE PEDESTRIANS! and if you do stick around until they get transported, or until LEO tells you to leave. Leave information as required.

Our Daily Ted is … daily, today. Bike rider killed in Mid-City LA crash by apparent drunk and/or stoned driver If you look at the video linked in the article you can see the bike lighted like a Christmas tree, front, back, and sides. There was no lack of conspicuity on the cyclist’s part. This wreck will get the “blind driver” tag as well as a tribute video from ZZ Top.

Because reaction is better than no action. Bill in memory of killed cyclist would toughen law on repeat DUI offenders The two bills would double the amount of time the authorities could “look back” for a previous DUI and double the maximum sentence for second and subsequent DUI. They still let them keep their cars though… I postulate that multiple DUI would become much harder if the vehicles involved were turned into scrap metal even if there was no wreck. And the “need” for a motor vehicle for whatever should just be that much more incentive to not drink and drive.

Another wreck involving alcohol abuse and injured cyclists. Saint Malachy Parish School: Principal, vice principal injured during bike ride This is an update on a wreck where the drunk driver ran into a vehicle waiting at a stop sign and pushed that vehicle into the cyclists, except now they are saying the drunk’s vehicle hit the cyclists after hitting the vehicle at the stop sign.

And this report from Jolly Olde sounds a bit familiar, especially after the paragraph above. Pedestrian seriously injured in collision with car which had already struck cyclist in Sheffield Here’s sending good vibes to both victims of the drunk driver.

And [$DEITY] this is terrifying. Cyclist injured by wire across Brighton woods track If I saw something like this I would hunt the perp down and string him up with his own trap materials. This was an act of terrorism against cyclists.

And this is not much better. [TRIGGER WARNING] Cyclist hit and run victim describes moment motorist just waves and drives off This is why you ALWAYS get an ambulance ride to check you out after you hit the deck in a wreck. Shock and adrenaline are anaesthetic.

And after yesterday’s links to a cyclist killed almost a year ago in St. Louis, here’s some to one killed this week. Vigil held to remember cyclist struck, killed

Infrastructure news from “Joisy”. Montclair Named Top Among Bicycle Safe New Jersey Municipalities The fact that so many municipalities in NJ are spending $0/an on bicycle safety is really the most frightening thing in the article.

An infrastructure story from Portland. Cyclist sues for $21M over skinny bike lane in Portland Basically the bike lane has no escape route when the wall comes next to the sidewalk and curb, and the curve causes drivers to use a smidge of the bike lane to maintain their speed.

A little infrastructure from the far eastern Great White North, I mean after you leave Maine you have to go east some more to get there. Halifax hopes to double the number of cyclists in 10 years Another lovely toxic comments section blaming cyclists for potholes when the bike budget would not even pay for a single traffic signal. And don’t make the damn potholes in the first place.

A bit of UK infrastructure news. Number of middle-aged Bucks cyclists involved in road accidents soars due to Bradley Wiggins ‘popularity’ I would say the leap they made to reach this “conclusion” would have readily cleared the Grand Canyon, but I might be understating the thing a bit. A similar “conclusion” would be linking motorway wrecks with Lewis Hamilton leading the F1 standings. Both being Brits and both doing well in their sport and everything.

More UK infrastructure of the legal sort this time. Cyclists Demand National Lorry Safety Crackdown When one kind of vehicle is responsible for 100% of the deaths in a large city and a substantial percentage of the deaths in the rest of the country, that vehicle needs to be stringently regulated.

And frightening infrastructure news from Oz. Bus drivers speeding across NSW putting lives at risk What makes this report especially frightening for cyclists is the number of shared bike/bus lanes.

Two cyclists are on a great adventure. Why I ride: For hope As a person suffering from brain damage, I feel honored that these two are on this adventure..

Another lifestyle story, this one from MS. COAST CYCLISTS HOPE RIDE WILL BUILD AWARENESS

And Lifestyle from the UK again as another rider from Wales gets killed for no good reason. (is there ever a “good” reason to kill a cyclist?) Tributes to cyclist Alan Cronin after Wrexham death

And that’s all I got today. No wrecks this Sunday.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet

This shouldn’t take too long, and the Feed

Well we did the groceries today, and I won’t have to eat beans every day when Mrs. the Poet visits her relatives. We got a half-dozen Totino’s pizzas that are a big meal for me by myself and probably good for two meals with some kind of leafy greens. So I will be buying lots of salad kits to go with my beans and rice and cheap pizza. [s]Whoo![/s] (That’s the code of “snark” btw.)

Up first, Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: LA City Council does the wrong thing, Metro picks a bike share vendor, and Sir Bradley didn’t cheat

I wonder who this driver annoyed enough to change a traffic ticket for failing to pass safely to a murder charge? Chanute man charged in wreck that killed Kansas cyclist The driver was charged with 2nd degree murder in the wreck. Now I’m no expert in KS law, but I think that is the one that you didn’t know the person before the incident that killed them, but you just killed them “because”. Combine that with the driver that “didn’t see” the cyclist last week getting charged and you would think that suddenly cyclists were human beings in the eyes of LEO.

And apparently they can’t charge the owner of the weapon vehicle with obstructing justice for withholding the name of the driver that hit a cyclist driving 70 MPH in a 25 zone. After a year without answers, family of cyclist killed by speeding driver offers reward and Family of cyclist who was killed pleads for witnesses to come forward Maybe they should have just kept the weapon vehicle as “evidence” in the case until the owner said who was driving that night?

More on another IN wreck that injured two cyclists. Driver facing OWI charges in Madison Co. crash that injured 2 bicyclists Drunk driver runs into car stopped at a stop sign and pushes the car over one cyclist and hits a second cyclist. This wreck is an example of why I have a tag that says “drunk drivers need to die”. I’m mellowing a bit though, I no longer demand they die by being chained to the steering wheel as their cars are sent through a car shredder, while on fire.

Another cyclist is shot in MA. Teen shot, killed while riding bicycle in Dorchester What little I can find out about this says the shooters either could not afford or just plain could not get a car to kill the cyclist with, but they got a gun…

More NYC infrastructure news as we have another link to the High Bridge reopening. New York’s “Eighth Wonder” Reopens to Fanfare There seems to be a lot of competition for that 8th place in “Wonders of the World”.

More infrastructure, this time from IN. Bangert: Why Harrison Bridge, bikes don’t mix Basically the bridge needs to be rebuilt with a new deck if they want to mix cars and bikes or get bikes across at all, because making the sidewalk a MUP isn’t going to work either. The sidewalk is too narrow to share without risking one mode or the other getting pushed off and into motor vehicle traffic. So the only other alternatives are build a bike ped bridge or fix the existing bridge so that cyclists aren’t risking life and limb as they dodge holes, cracks, and huge bumps to get across the river.

Things are not much better in CO. Drivers vs. cyclists in Colorado Springs This is more on the cyclist who was assaulted with a motor vehicle and the driver left the scene.

This lifestyle event had more than its share of problems. Death and injury trail Heart Across America cyclists They made it, but not with the full crew. The only good thing was the cyclist that died, died in his sleep and not as the result of vehicular mayhem.

More “blame the victim” “safety” advice, this time in the Great White North. Experts urge safety for cyclists with summer surge of riding approaching You don’t think maybe Rob Ford’s years-long campaign against cyclists and bicycling has anything to do with GTA having a higher than average rate of cyclist death and injury?

And last link a cyclist injured by a tree falling on him gives a portion of the compensation he got from the tree trimmers to a registered charity. Injured cyclist donates part of compensation to children’s hospice

And that’s all I got today.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet

Glad I dodged that bullet, and the Feed

Remember that camping trip I was going to go on and couldn’t? They are under a severe weather watch/warning for the second day in a row, and I’m reading reports that some camps have already been inundated once by flash floods with more wild weather forecast for tonight. I’m kinda glad I’m not in that weather tonight. I don’t mind getting wet in the rain but I prefer to enjoy communing with Nature while I’m warm (not hot) and dry. So anyway, it’s nasty out there and I’m not there to experience it.

Up first, I have been feeling a bit stressed because I haven’t been able to ride, so I can really relate to this video. SHED THE MONSTER I can vouch that a good bike ride is good for dealing with stress. Feeling angry? Go for a bike ride.

Followup to that article about the appeal of the weak sentence for killing a cyclist. Novi man’s jail term in fatal cyclist crash challenged Like I wrote yesterday, one year in county jail for killing a human being is ridiculous.

The drunk driver that ran head-on into a cyclist had drunk friends in the car. Passenger in fatal bicycle-car crash facing charge I am unsurprised that a chronic alcoholic has alcoholic friends.

The UK is starting to administer more severe sentences to killer drivers. Jailed: Man who killed cyclist, 26, in hit-and-run crash in Clapham and Careless BMW driver, who evaded police for five months, jailed for killing cyclist in Clapham crash Three years and four months I suspect is mostly for trying to hide the evidence. Consider the MI case posted above with the one year in county compared to the 3¹/₃ years in this case…

So what do you do when the infrastructure runs into you? Cyclist injured in collision with Bixi truck near La Fontaine Park The truck is part of the Bixi system in Montreal, that takes bikes from where people leave them to where people need them.

More on the failure to change deadly infrastructure before it killed again. Cyclist death: Why did Westminster Council put the brakes on safety scheme?

The politics of cycling in the UK. Election: What the political parties are saying about cycling Not going to make any suggestions here, but the Greens seem to have a better grasp of the situation with the UKIP seeing conspiracies on every bike path. There are many issues in every election, bike infrastructure is just one of them.

Looking at the lead picture it is indeed a wonder that nobody has been killed there. ‘Coldharbour needs to slow its cyclists’ says husband of hospitalised pub landlady See that doorstep only inches from the street? She stepped off that and got hit. I’m sorry injured pedestrian, but where you got hit you are screened from view until you step on the street. But, I will reiterate DON’T HIT THE PEDESTRIANS!

This wreck was made to sound a lot worse in the headline than what actually happened. Two-year-old puppy dragged along pavement by cyclist As was pointed out in the comments a 2YO dog is not a puppy, and the wreck happened when the bike got tangled up in the extended lead which was invisible in the dark.

And a little UK lifestyle. Tiverton cyclist takes on the Big Battlefield Bike Ride to give Help for Heroes

Nothing like victim blaming/shaming to get more people riding bikes. /s Getting back on the bike? Responsible riders recognize the rules of the road Another “safety” article that most prominently mentions helmets…

With all the years FL LEO have been doing this ride you would think they would have more empathy towards cyclists. Florida Tour de Force bike ride helps fallen officers’ families

And I’m out of links tonight, thank [$DEITY].

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet

Setting up for a long day, and the Feed

Well I have 4 days worth of links to read and filter, and Mrs. the Poet giving me a bad time about my headspace preparations for writing the blog post. I read web comics before opening the Feed folder so that I’m not already angsting about something before I read the first link. It gets my mind in a writing configuration, not in a normal conversation configuration. Before my wreck I could do both at the same time, converse and write, but now I have to stop talking to write. And certain people don’t seem to realize that, or to recognise that writing is my work, what I do every day. It’s not just my wife, there are many people in my life that don’t seem to realize that this is what I do with my life now. I can’t go out and get a job, so I do this. And now “this” is going to be opening many links of terrible and horrifying things and saying “nope, not for my blog” and closing the tab and opening another link. I get about a 3:1 ratio of deleted links to usable links. And every so often I just look at the headline and snippet in the Feed folder and say “I’m not even going to click on that.”

Up first because it gives me two more slots for other links and because I frequently open with this because, reasons, here are yesterday’s and today’s Daily Ted. Free bike registration and stolen bike alerts now available on BikinginLA and now today’s Morning Links: Survey asks what residents really think about Westwood bike lanes; cars vs. cyclists in Flanders

And this one is just because I liked it. Try explaining this one to your insurance company Yes I know, I’m a bit… twisted at times. Wait until you get to the end of the post

While I am in a good mood. Truck driver fined after close call with bike police in Glen Burnie “I’m so sorry the cyclists I harassed were on-duty bike cops, and I will never harass and threaten on-duty bike cops ever again” But just us plain ordinary cyclists are still fair game…

Another reason why I’m in a good mood. Safe Cycling Australia This sign needs to be added to the MUTCD. Make it as large as a roadside sign is allowed to be so that everyone can see and read it.

Are you better off riding with cars, or not riding at all? Not Riding a Bicycle is Hazardous to Your Health Surprise, statistically we are better off as a population with longer and healthier lives that end up costing less to take care of than if we just stick to our cars for every trip instead of riding a bike.

This one came up several times in the Feed today. Harvard Study: Better Police Reports On Bike Crashes Could Save Lives Because so many LEO do not know how to investigate a bike wreck, data that could be used to design new infrastructure is lost Also check this link. Better Police Reports on Bike Accidents Might Save Lives

An example of why this is needed is this article. After a Fatal Crash, NYPD’s Initial Version of Events Often Turns Out Wrong Anyone remember the Lefevre hit-and-run? NYPD insisted the cyclist ran a red light with total obliviousness that the truck that ran him over would have had to run the same red light.

SFPD shows that when there are living cyclists and damaged cars involved they can do a much better job of investigating and pursuing a culprit. SFPD Finds Owner of Car in Wiggle Hit-and-Run That Injured 3 Cyclists But who is the asshole elected official making excuses for the deliberate assault with a deadly weapon on three people and 3 cars?

This UK incident shows the need for competent legal help when dealing with a recalcitrant legal system. Help for cyclist injured in door opening accident

Some people just really don’t care about anyone but themselves. ‘Ghost bike’ for killed cyclist stolen from Lake Overholser And I loved (not really) the anonymous threat posted in the comments section.

A cyclist killed Sunday will be remembered by his peers this upcoming Sunday. President of Durham Cycling Club killed in Easter collision to be honored in Newcastle The wreck does not make any sense. The cyclist was making a left turn and was hit by a driver passing to the left in the oncoming lane. It sounds like an impatient driver not wanting to wait for the cyclist to complete his turn just driving right through him. Things like this are why I stopped doing the wreck analysis.

A college newspaper writer from NC has a pretty firm grasp of the situation. Cyclists face a genuine threat; drivers don’t care

A cyclist killed by a driver on the wrong side of the road will have a regionally big race named after him in TN. Marshall Co. bike race named in memory of dentist killed in crash The thing I can’t understand is why there have been no criminal charges placed yet.

Some mis-information about the laws from our side. 9 Tips for Sharing the Road With Cyclists Just FYI 6 is sometimes true but not often (Only Idaho and a few towns in Colorado allow Idaho stops), and 8 is never true even when drivers are really at fault. Nine on the other hand is mostly true.

While this article says many good and true things there was one sentence that set me off royally. Bicycles are not toys, keep safety in mind I’ll give you a hint: it wasn’t the sizing advice or the tire inflation or seat height advice…

What kind of race is it when you get hit-and-run by a support vehicle? VINE: TWO CYCLISTS INJURED BY SERVICE CARS AT TODAY’S TOUR OF FLANDERS EVENT Wanna bet on if this guy loses his job?

I’m not really sure what this UK letter writer is trying to say, are you? Cycling debate I think the only coherent statement was the paragraph where he stated that cyclists’ bad behavior only kills cyclists, where drivers’ bad behaviour kills other people but has very little chance of causing even minor harm to the driver.

I was unaware of this actually being a problem these days. Cyclist’s 1,000-mile ride through France to raise money to fight condition which almost killed his dad AFAIK sepsis was nearly eradicated in the US with the widespread introduction of antibiotics more than 50 years ago.

Victim-blaming nonsense from Enn Zed. Cyclists warned ‘be seen’ and ‘see’ Once again drivers are allowed to drive as fast as they want regardless of how dangerous they are to everything else on the roads, while cyclists are expected to accommodate them.

But given that they are allowing this man back out being careful is not such a bad idea. Full parole for Kensington man who killed cyclist while driving drunk

Want those expensive tubes to be usable when you get a flat? 4 Ways You’re Destroying Your Bike’s Tubes Things to NOT do to your tubes.

Do drivers where you live need a refresher on how far away to pass a bicycle? Here’s one way of showing vehicle drivers how much space they should give cyclists, to ensure their safety.

So you’re thinking about buying an e-assist bike? The next big thing in cycling and Should I buy an electric bicycle? Here’s everything you need to know to get started! Point of reference: I have experimented with both “through the gears” and hub drive motors and the ability to run the motor at higher RPM at low speed (gears), really reduces energy consumption and extends range while maintaining speed or even increasing speed for heavy loads and small motors.

Remember what I said about being in a wacky mood at the beginning of the post? Lawn Chair It’s not a chair to put on your lawn, it’s a lawn that fits on a chair.

And now I really want some tortilla chips, but we are out and they aren’t on my diet anyway. No salty snacks until all of the Easter candy is eaten, in a responsible way of course. no binges.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the unkillable badass Poet (I need to remind you every so often)

Well, now I have two “I Voted” widgets up, and the Feed

I just looked at my blog again and now there are two of the I Voted widgets over in the Widget Bar, one top and one at the bottom. I shall have to do something about that tonight. Or maybe not, as the widgets don’t significantly change the site load time. I’m only going to leave them up until the week after the election anyway.

Up first is another stolen bike report from Ted Rogers, posted right after I published last night’s post. BOLO Alert: New Linus bike stolen from Lincoln Blvd Ralph’s in Santa Monica

Also from Ted is this report of a DUI victim dying after the driver was already in prison for the wreck. Finally, the Foxen Canyon tragedy is complete, as a mother sits behind bars and a cyclist slowly slipped away The real tragedy in this is the then 8 month-old strapped in the car seat during the wreck, but the dead cyclist is right up there, too.

NYPD oversaw pedestrian injuries hitting a 5 year high last year. NYC Pedestrian and Cyclist Traffic Injuries Hit Five-Year High in 2013 My hypothesis is drivers know they won’t get charged in a wreck as long as they are sober and remain at the scene so the only thing protecting cyclists and pedestrians is the inconvenience of filling out the reports and the basic decency of the driver.

Infrastructure! news from the DFW area. (long) BICYCLE PUBLIC HEARING
SUMMARY REPORT

Back to CA, with infrastructure news. Newport approves $22 million bike-safety plan a week after latest death and Days after cyclist’s death, Newport Beach OKs $22-million safety plan

And infrastructure news from the UK. Shock figures show cyclists injured daily Quelle suprise, when presented with crappy infrastructure that is frequently unusable cyclists tend to get injured frequently while attempting to use said infrastructure.

And that’s all I got today.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the unkillable badass Poet