Still just plugging along and nothing much happening, and the Feed

I’m still prowling the web for raw stock to build the Mini Sprint-T after failing to find local sources for single-project size lots of sheet, rod/tube, and strip polystyrene. None of the local hobby stores carry anything in plastic raw stock, and the local plastics distributors won’t sell anything resembling hobby lots of supplies. Deja vu all over again, this was the same thing that happened a few years ago when I was buying raw stock for making custom bicycles that I couldn’t get by cannibalizing bikes left on the side of the street.

Up first, NYPD decides hit-and-run is legal. Cyclist killed in Brooklyn hit-and-run and Brooklyn Cyclist Killed By Hit-And-Run Rental Truck Driver also NYPD: Still Defending Hit-and-Run Drivers to the Press [Updated] Why is it that when a crime is committed with a car NYPD falls all over itself to absolve the driver of criminal charges? This wreck was a hit-from-behind wreck after the cyclist crossed the intersection with no escape route. the way to the left was blocked by the truck, the way to the right was blocked by a high curb.

Still in NYC is this counting of accumulated death and injury for last month. DOT: 1,445 Pedestrians and Cyclists Injured, 16 Killed in December [Updated] Vision Zero only works when LEO is signed on to enforce laws, but as we saw in the previous paragraph NYPD actively works to not enforce traffic laws that protect vulnerable users.

Our Daily Ted part one. Morning Links: Possible murder on Irvine bike path; public meeting tonight to discuss traffic in Griffith Park

That murder Ted was talking about. Police: Irvine man’s death on bike path is investigated as a homicide

Daily Ted part two. 69-year old bike rider killed in Calexico; first bicycling fatality in Imperial County since 2012

Still in CA. Caltrans seeks 5,000 volunteer motorists for mileage fee pilot program The proposed program will extract user fees from vehicles proportional to the damages done by the vehicle without depending on a gas tax since electric vehicles don’t use gas.

Also still in CA, red light running cyclists are a menace, drivers doing the same thing… [Update] State Senator Seeks To Reduce Fine For Red-Light Violation So the year after raising the red light fine on cyclists they reduce it for drivers who actually killed dozens of people in CA from failing to stop before making a right on red. RIiiiGHT

Seeing the MO flag on a 15 foot pole bill as the victim blaming it really is. WHY THE MISSOURI BICYCLE FLAG BILL IS NOT AS FUNNY AS YOU THINK

Up in the Great White North. Quebec coroner issues 3 recommendations after 2014 cyclist death

From Jolly Olde what appears to be a punishment pass. Maidstone cyclist captures near miss in Dean Street

Still in Jolly Olde, today’s our day for murder/attempted murder on the roads. Man arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after woman found injured in the road Don’t you just hate when the news outlet feels compelled to tell people that the person inside the light armored vehicle used to seriously injure someone was unharmed during the commission of the mayhem?

And burying the Big Story way down in the post, deliberate assault in Oz. Female cyclist injured in road rage attack on Beach Rd, Beaumaris and Coke bottles thrown at cyclists in shocking Beach Road attack also Woman hospitalised after shocking road rage incident Chuck a full bottle of cola soft drink at someone’s head should be classified as an assault, if not a terroristic act.

Are you worried that you are not as green as you could be on your bike? Is there such a thing as eco-friendly bike lube? As pointed out in the article, riding a bike is already seriously green even using the “worst” bike lubes, there is only a tiny bit to be gained by going to another kind of bike lube.

One thing heavily touted about driverless cars is eliminating drunk driving, but now you’re telling me that won’t happen? Are self-driving cars legal? And if so, can I drive home drunk in one?

More stupid infrastructure tricks. 12 of America’s Biggest Highway Boondoggles There are an uncomfortably large number of TXDoT projects on that list.

High hopes for e-assist bikes’ future. 1 in 3 bicycles will be an e-bike by 2023: Study Possibly too high hopes, the projections seem unrealistic.

Last link is something that is on every parent’s mind when their kid(s) is(are) out on two wheels. What to Do When Your Kid Crashes a Bike

And that’s all I got today. Apparently I missed Penguin Awareness Day, not that I need any more awareness of penguins with my name. More tomorrow.

Billed @$0.02, Opus

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Tomorrow will be wreck-free We had an OG grocery day, and the Feed

Let’s start with the program note first. I will be posting tomorrow, but I will not be posting anything from the Feed that has anything to do with a wreck. Nothing but good news and sunshine tomorrow. Consider it my gift to me that I share with you.

Second, that “OG” Grocery Day. That means that since our son was working the second worst day of the year for a grocery store and was not going to get off until late at night we had to walk to and from the store and only bring home what we could carry on our backs my back. I have a cargo bike that I still can’t ride because my neck is still not recovered from the ravages of “Chris Christy”.

Up first is another hit-and-run against a cyclist in the most deadliest state in the US to ride a bike. Woman on bicycle critically hurt in Vero Beach hit-and-run crash and Woman on bike injured in Vero hit-and-run crash That bike looks like it was hit from the right side at about 30 MPH. If the cyclist was northbound on the road was there a driveway she was passing when she was hit? I see one in the background but I don’t think the bike could have ended up where it did if that was the driveway in question. If you look at the left side of the picture there appears to be a bicycle headlight on the road, still lighted.

And I have NORAD Tracks Santa going in background while I compose this and I heard the strangest mashup I have ever heard. Vocal: Little Drummer Boy. Orchestra: Ravel’s Bolero. I commend their music person.

A wreck in CT. Ansonia Cyclist Badly Injured In Shelton A witness claims there was a silver Chevy involved, LEO are “said in a prepared statement there is no evidence to suggest a vehicle was involved.” So who are you going to believe, the cops or your lying eyes?

Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: Cyclist injured in apparent non-hit-and-run, and LA bicyclists appear to be fair game

Infrastructure from the Great White North. Cycling Infrastructure One of the Smartest Investments a City Can Make The cost per daily trip chart is staggering, at how little cycling infrastructure costs per trip compared to highways and transit.

A reason to be jolly in Jolly Olde. Robbery victim has no memory of harrowing attack – now crowdfunders raise enough to replace cycle

Another link to the pathetic sentence handed down for a drunken hit-and-run in the UK. Hit-and-run driver who left cyclist for dead banned from driving

This one’s from Oz. Hit and run drunk driver who killed cyclist in 2012 freed on parole The fact that the driver even spent any time in jail tells me this was taken as seriously as any bike wreck ever is.

And in Enn Zed, another hit-and-run. Driver flees after injuring a cyclist and Driver flees after injuring a cyclist

And I seem to have run out of links again, thank [$DEITY].

Billed @$0.02, Opus

Hephaestus came in second again, and the Feed

Well the deity I represented in the Patron Pageant came in second place again. That means I have to sit out another year, unless Lady Ghisallo can make it, and to be totally honest I have no illusions about Ghisallo’s mass appeal outside the cycling community. For better or worse, she’s ours and we are hers, and there’s not much hope of expanding that. I see the appeal now of niche deities like Heph and Ghisallo, that aren’t exclusive but who aren’t for everyone. The problem is when you have a deity like H or G the number of people you can share your rites and rituals with are limited to people who likewise share you activities that deity endorses or otherwise espouses. People who don’t go on regular journeys have little need for a god who protects travellers, people who seldom make things have no call to request assistance from the gods of creativity. That’s just the way of things and won’t change.

I have also been asked to post a Wish List to my blog some time this week, which will probably be either tomorrow or Wednesday. I will make a separate post from the Feed so that those who care can find it easier and those who don’t care about what I want don’t have to read through it to get to the stuff they do want to read about. I’m trying to make everybody happy here.

Up first is a hit-and-run I got off Twitter. Cyclists want changes after deadly Lombard hit & run and Police ID bicyclist killed in Portland hit & run also Cyclist killed by hit and run driver on Lombard; possible suspect in custody this too Bicyclist killed in hit-and-run on Northeast Lombard not done yet Fatal hit-and-run at NE Lombard and 42nd Ave – Updated still not done Updates and reactions to Saturday’s tragic fatality on Lombard The second BikePortland link comments are especially telling to this wreck. The cyclist was hit from behind when he as forced to merge with traffic going 45+MPH because there was no room to put 2 lanes of motor vehicles and bike lanes in each direction and they were not willing to reduce motor vehicle space nor speed to accommodate bicycles. Sure, the direct cause of death was a drunk driver, but the underlying cause was the total failure of the infrastructure design. 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.” This was the worst possible design for cyclists, suddenly getting forced into fast traffic with no escape route possible. More reaction to the killer infrastructure design. After fatal crash, BTA calls for continuous bike lanes on Lombard

Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: Still more big hearts for the holiday season, and driverless cars won’t solve LA’s traffic problems

Also off of Twitter. War on cars (Part II) If there was a war on cars then said cars would not be getting the lion’s share of infrastructure spending and acreage, nor would 35K people die from motor vehicle wrecks every year. Everyone remember the name Greg Crosby in case he ever hits a cyclist, this guy is either writing this dreck at orders or is mentally unbalanced.

Still in CA. Car hits and kills cyclist in South San Jose No clues as to what happened in this wreck.

Another NYC hit-and-run. Woman Critically Injured By Queens Hit-And-Run Driver The driver was driving without a license and there was a warrant out on the car for speeding because they didn’t catch it to identify the driver…

A NJ wreck. Cyclist injured in Howell hit-and-run crash BOLO for a brown PU with a missing headlight and passenger side body damage.

A mysterious wreck in MD results in injuries to both the cyclist and the driver of the weapon vehicle. Cyclist seriously injured in collision with car in Rockville I can’t tell from the condition of the bike what happened.

This is an update to the OH wreck from last week. Man killed in bike crash encouraged others in recovery They are still insisting the cyclist was riding salmon in spite of the back of the bike being smashed and the front only slightly damaged.

LEO in FloriDUH blame the victim for getting hit from behind on a straight stretch of highway with no shoulder. Bicyclist identified in fatal crash in Auburndale Gee, maybe if it was dark and foggy the river of the large vehicle should have been driving slower so he could stop in the distance he could see clearly? Like the law in FL requires (316.183 (1)No person shall drive a vehicle on a highway at a speed greater than is reasonable and prudent under the conditions and having regard to the actual and potential hazards then existing. In every event, speed shall be controlled as may be necessary to avoid colliding with any person, vehicle, or other conveyance or object on or entering the highway in compliance with legal requirements and the duty of all persons to use due care. and (4)(e) Any special hazard exists with respect to pedestrians or other traffic or by reason of weather or highway conditions.)

Another wreck in the most deadliest state in the US to walk or ride a bike. Fire Rescue: Cyclist killed in Lake Worth crash By all accounts this was either a hit-and-run or a murder, with the cyclist found lying dead in the road.

Another link to “that idiot” in FL. Hit-and-run suspect Randy ploughed into cyclist as woman ‘was giving him a blow job’ Yes, they said it.

Going way north to MN from that wreck to another train wreck. 2 people hit by Blue Line trains hours apart Monday and Update–Bicyclist Killed By Light Rail Train Identified Three people in a week? WTF?!?

Another link to the “hit and run cyclist” who hung around until the paramedics left and nobody took his contact information. Police searching for bicyclist who hit, seriously injured 85-year-old

Serious wreck in the Great White North. Cyclist injured in collision with tractor trailer near Brantford Looks like another driver not watching the road and adjusting speed to conditions hit a cyclist he didn’t see in time to stop or swerve.

Three years to sentence a killer driver to two years in jail? WTF Canuckistan?!? Two-year sentence handed down for drunk driver who struck, killed Winnipeg cyclist in 2012: reports They spent more time waiting on the trial than he’s going to spend in jail.

Gee, they agree with the French court that the cyclist was killed by a bad driver. Cyclist who got into the sport at 50 died riding Tour de France mountain stage when he smashed into car driven by British tourist and British cyclist who died on Alpe d’Huez was killed unlawfully, coroner rules also Cyclist from Surrey died riding part of the Tour de France when he was hit by fellow Brit in a car

Drunk driver was at fault in the wreck, really? Drink-driver knocked York cyclist off his bike Quote from the driver, who was deeply and genuinely remorseful. “I believe the cyclist was at fault,” he said. “He signalled as he moved out to the right. I gave him a minor bump.” That “minor bump” came within fractions of an inch of killing the cyclist, dude. Was attempted murder really only worth £355 total fines and 12 months without a license? and the driver’s quote doesn’t jibe with being “deeply and genuinely remorseful”.

Evidence is accumulating against the “justice” system in Malta. Institutionalised bias against bicycles

And what kind of bike was this Aussie cyclist riding when he “fell off”? Cyclist in serious condition after crashing ‘at speed’ in Hornsby

And I have been sitting at this computer for almost 12 hours, so I’m beat. I might not tag this much.

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

Getting another late start but planned a late finish anyway, and the Feed

We made another stab at getting some D&D in today, and managed to get two combats and a lot of RP done. My new character made short work of both the monsters in today’s session, an elemental and a half-dragon half-Marsh Lynx, but not before both of them nearly wiped out the party. The elemental had both a high AC and high DR that made most of my attacks nearly useless except the secondary electric damage which was not subject to the DR, so I had to make a lot of attacks on that. The hybrid Marsh Lynx had an absurd amount of HP and natural armor that made everyone else’s attacks just bounce off and required most of my attacks to be threatened critical to even hit, but when I confirmed a crit they did a metric buttload of damage. Then we had to rescue a party member from quicksand and that was where we ran out of time. I kinda like playing a melee fighter type like my Warblade. In RP I have to take the tactical lead and deploy the rest of the party so that they give max damage they are able with minimum damage received. This reminds me of squad exercises during what was called soldierization when I was in the Army. I was good at that then, and I’m still pretty good.

Before I start, there were about a half-dozen links to the same article about the ex-Bishop in MD pleading guilty, an article already linked in this blog yesterday. I’m not linking it again just so you can read the same article again 5 or 6 times. We don’t get the bandwidth to do that until you guys start clicking on the link to the actual blog post and reading here where the ads are posted. I have seen what the site looks like for regular readers, and there just aren’t that many ads, especially compared to the sites I link to. So, could you take the time to click through on your reader to the actual blog post?

Up first, the driver accused of killing a cyclist in VA has a long record of traffic and criminal violations. Man charged in death of cyclist has a record of wrecks, speeding There has to be some way of keeping repeat violators like this thing off the roads, for everyone’s safety.

Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: More bizarre Fix the City allegations, and even the LA Weekly supports the Mobility Plan

Still in CA. Bicyclist killed in Arleta hit-and-run The fact that the driver was reportedly injured in the wreck is an indication of how violent the impact was.

We have a lot more links from CA today. Woman riding bicycle dies after being hit by car on PCH in Huntington Beach The narrative for this wreck suggests that maybe the weapon vehicle was not “crossing” the highway but turning onto it and right-hooked the cyclist. Or just flat out passed too close to the cyclist and knocked her down.

Not done with CA yet. Vehicular Manslaughter Charge Filed Against Manteca Woman in Danville Cyclist Death Why is killing a human being not a felony? Seriously? You can get life without parole for possessing too much pot, but killing another human being is just a misdemeanor? Priorities are seriously out of line in CA.

Still not done with CA. Bicyclist in 50s killed by allegedly impaired driver This guy not only took out the cyclist, hitting him so hard the bike was broken in two, but also two parked cars and a telephone pole. There has to be a way of keeping drunk drivers off the roads that doesn’t violate the Constitution. Think about that today.

In CO a cyclist riding a recumbent tadpole trike is injured in a hit-and-run wreck. Cyclist seriously injured in hit-and-run crash

A winning bike racer is killed in a MN road wreck shortly after his win. Harvest Duathlon racer dies four days later in bike crash Hit from behind wreck, I don’t know what you can do about a driver that can’t keep their car on the road where it belongs.

The most deadliest state in the US to walk or ride a bike takes out another one. Man with bicycle hit by car, killed on U.S. 41 in Gibsonton The narrative does not make any sense on this one. The guy fell over pushing his bike on the side of the road? Sounds like a punishment pass that went bad, so the driver concocted a story that made him look to not be at fault.

Next state over also kills another one. Alabama cyclist killed in collision is sixth such death this year No mode but near an intersection say there may have been a right hook involved. Since the weapon vehicle was a semi, that makes it a very real possibility given the blind spots involved with big rigs.

More on a cyclist killed in VT. Rood & Riddle Veterinarian Killed in Vermont Collision Again what can be done about sleeping drivers? I should not talk because I used to sleep drive frequently back in the ’90s when I had a business in TN while living in TX, the usual time being between Little Rock and Texarkana on I30. Fortunately I never hit anything or went off the road, because there were several trips that I remember passing Alcoa and not remembering anything until I passed the welcome center on the AR side of the border. I may not have been “asleep” but I wasn’t fully awake either.

Pertinent information for MT riders. Filing a personal injury claim as a bicyclist in MT Face it if your bike makes contact with a car there is a very high chance you are going to get injured, and every state is different about how to recover damages.

Some more on the changes made to a MA intersection. Boston Makes Changes Where Cyclist Fatally Struck By Truck The problem is still there, but the bollards and planters make it more obvious that a bike lane is there even if you don’t see any bikes there at that very second.

This one is puzzling, as a cyclist is hit by a bus in the Great White North. Cyclist hit by city bus in Île Bizard Nobody can say exactly how the bus hit the back of the bicycle, but the cyclist riding next to her and the bus driver both had to be treated for emotional distress after the wreck.

A hit-and-run just outside Toronto, more or less. Guelph Police seek information regarding truck and driver in hit and run with cyclist Right hook and a huge vehicle so there may not have been enough impact for the driver to know he hit anything since the cyclist did not go under the wheels.

Still in Guelph. Guelph driver’s actions ‘thoughtless, selfish, cold and callous,’ after crash that killed cyclist They must not have thought it was all that bad, “She was fined a total of $2,000, had her licence suspended for one month, limited for another two months, was put on probation for two years and will have to do 120 hours of community service.” Only a single month without “driving” (as long as she doesn’t get caught), and then two months “restricted” whatever that means, a fine and some community service for leaving a man to die after mortally wounding him with the deadliest device most people come in contact with.

Still in the Great White North. Cyclist killed in Caledon This article is even tagged with the mode of the wreck “Right Cross”.

But for some reason in the UK they can’t seem to recognize that a crossing wreck is the fault of the vehicle that cuts off the wrecked vehicle. Verdict delivered on cyclist killed in Guernsey The narrative is a classic left hook (they drive on the “wrong” side of the roads). and yet they still say the driver was not to blame for turning in front of the cyclist such that he laid the bike down and still slid under the wheels. TANJ!

Surprise, the largest cohort of cyclists gets injured the most in Spain. Young male cyclists are the most likely to die after being involved in a traffic accident

Moving on to Oz. Cyclist injured in hit-run in Cobram Classic hit from behind narrative.

And I’m finally done, it’s 0301, and I’m beat. The post has been proofed and tagged, now it’s time to put it (and me) to bed.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet

Another Grocery day, now with less money! and the Feed

Don’t panic, it’s not an emergency, the people who pay Mrs. the Poet’s retirement just changed the day they put the check in her account so we are a bit short of cash this month because some automatic drafts went through before the deposit. Everything will be cleared up by the end of the month, but we are running a bit on the short side right now. I’m just peeved because we weren’t warned about this ahead of time and now we have a bunch of bounced check fees to cover. Had we been warned we could have stopped the autopay transactions and avoided those bounced check fees, now we have to eat them, instead of the groceries we would have bought.

Up first, this has been a bad day for Ted. Daily Ted, part 1 It Seemed So Normal Morning Links: Fix the City sues to keep it broken, Seleta Reynolds talks Vision Zero, and still more kind people

Daily Ted, part 2 The Uglifying. Update: Arleta bike rider killed by suspected wrong-way DUI hit-and-run driver

Daily Ted, part 3 The Rear End. Early morning crash kills cyclist on PCH in Huntington Beach

Still in CA. Alcohol believed to be factor in bicycle crash While I’m no fan of Bicycling Under the Influence (BUI), notice how many people in this wreck were injured but not drinking… Gee it doesn’t look like any of the injured were not drinking, all of the injured were drinking or drunk. That’s why if there is a choice between drunk pedaling or drunk driving, leave the car behind for the bike.

And here you get two classes of criminal behavior in one act. Bicycling While Black Triggers Call to Police in Marblehead, MA Black people bicycling in our neighborhood!!1!!1!! [faints]

More on that rear-end wreck in OR. Newberg woman, 44, killed in car vs. bicycle crash; husband critically injured and Bicyclist Killed, Another Injured in Newberg Crash Still hit-from-behind, and crazy people blaming cyclists for being there to get hit..

Still in OR a wreck at an intersection. Cyclist injured in crash with pickup Either the bike or the truck ran the red, someone said it was the cyclist. This is why you always ride with a video camera recording front and rear at all times. Sometimes you miss the light changing.

Bouncing over to the other side of the country they actually charged a driver in VA for killing a cyclist. Hanover deputies arrest man for killing cyclist “He was charged with involuntary manslaughter, failing to yield to a bicyclist and possession of a concealed weapon.” Any bets that the only charge that matters was the last one?

Coming back half way, they finally charged the MI hit-and-run driver that killed a cyclist less than 10 miles into a 150 mile charity bike ride. Man charged in hit-and-run that killed cyclist

Jogging a bit west from that LEO can’t figure out why a cyclist was hit riding on the shoulder. Cyclist killed while riding on shoulder of Minnesota highway and Cyclist killed as riding on shoulder Even LEO in this one say the cyclist was completely in the right and still got hit.

Sliding over to CO they finally charged the driver that failed to pass a cyclist with his dump truck. Driver who killed Fort Collins cyclist appears in court And look at the charges on this one, just a few years after a similar wreck resulted in nothing against the driver for running right over a cyclist from behind. He didn’t even try to change lanes or slow down until impact. This is a huge improvement.

More on the TN wreck that killed a cyclist on 31W. Woman on bicycle killed in crash and Loved ones remember Cross Plains cyclist killed in crash Situational awareness people, that is what would have prevented this wreck.

A CT wreck leaves an injured cyclist. Planfield accident leaves bike rider injured At this point they don’t know what happened besides the cyclist was hit and hurt.

This NYC rider was apparently in the wrong place at the wrong time when some foo’ decided a crowded street was his shooting gallery. Dad shot dead while riding bike in Brooklyn: police

The person who turned himself in for a hit-and-run in West Canuckistan doesn’t resemble the witness report on the driver? Witnesses say Kelowna driver who critically injured cyclist was drinking, distracted and lied to police The guy in jail is 23, the guy witnesses saw was: “When the old man got out of the truck to see if Trevor was okay he smelled like alcohol.”

Our first infrastructure link is from MD. Baltimore Officials Continue “Master Plan” To Make Roads Safer For Cyclists Watch out they have a plan.

Which leads us to our second link. Will Third Time Be the Charm for Baltimore Bike-Share?

The people who blamed a cyclist for getting hit by a drunk driver wonder why cyclists get hit? Police, advocates combate rising cyclist crashes

And I’m outta links again, and it hurts again like everywhere. I have to get another chair, one with a little more back support. I know I’m alive, because every time I move it hurts. 😀

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet

Well now that that is over I face another reminder of mortality in 3 weeks, and a huge Feed

Yep, it is an irony that I get two reminders of “OMG yur gonna DIE!!!” less than a month apart, but my birthday is 3 weeks from today. I’m still wanting those d6 or a working string trimmer (replacement for people not local, or come get the 2 I have that run but won’t run out fresh cutting string and get them repaired, if you can get to my house to pick them up). There were 17 messages in the Feed folder this morning, so I probably won’t get done until some time in the early morning…

The Big Story today is the death of 1 cyclist and 2 injured in a hit-from-behind wreck by a driver who admits distraction. Wife of prominent B’Ham contractor killed talks about his death and impact on Magic City and 1 cyclist killed, 2 injured after being struck by truck also Pickup truck strikes, kills cyclist; 2 others injured and this hot mess 1 cyclist killed, 2 others injured after being struck by pickup in Blount County In at least one of those links the driver admits dropping a lighter while trying to light up, and was also reading texts when he dropped the lighter. This, this is why we need a death penalty for drivers. Because they are guiding a freaking killing machine they are using to get from A to B. Many times when such a device is the worst possible choice to use to get from A to B. Late links Cycling community stresses road safety after man killed Saturday and 1 cyclist killed, 2 injured after being struck by truck also Recent fatal bicycle accidents spark concerns over bike rider’s safety

Our Daily Ted, Part 1. Today’s post, in which I remember a friend. Rest in peace, Howard Krepack.

And Daily Ted Part 2. Morning Links: OC driver faces DUI vehicular manslaughter charge, and a long listing of bike academic papers

Lots of links from the Most Deadliest State in the US. Cyclist killed in suspected hit-and-run and FLPD: Cyclist Dies In Hit & Run, Driver At Large also Bicyclist dies after hit-and-run crash in Fort Lauderdale Yeah if I saw a cyclist run over and then the weapon vehicle left the scene I would “suspect” hit-and-run too. BOLO for the weapon vehicle.

More on a DUI hit-and-run in KY. Memorial Created For Cyclist Killed In Crash, Suspect Pleads Not Guilty and Police Charge Man In Deadly Hit-And-Run That Killed Cyclist The driver had been drinking for several hours prior to the wreck but the BAC% has not been released. It has to be astronomical.

Right hook in NYS. Cyclist killed in collision in Geneva and Teenager Riding Bike Killed After Being Hit by Tractor Trailer Also Teen killed on bicycle mourned in two school districts The narrative does not say if the cyclist was stopped first and waiting to cross straight through, or waiting to turn right, or pulled up after the truck stopped or what, just that the truck turned right and ran over the cyclist. Without knowing who was there first I can’t really say what the cyclist could have done to avoid this wreck, if anything.

Another DUI murder, this time in WI. Beloit police say alleged drunk driver hit & killed bicyclist I can’t believe they are going to try to blame this wreck on the cyclist instead of the drunk driver. TANJ!

Another hit-and-run this time in IL. La Grange police blotter: La Grange teen on bike hit by tan SUV The geometry of that wreck does not make sense. If a vehicle is going north then east is on the right, not west. But this is either a cross or hooking wreck, and still a hit-and-run.

More on the cyclist hit head-on by a drunk salmon driver. Memorial held for cyclist killed by suspected DUI driver

A really bad wreck in CA. 79-year-old cyclist hit by multiple cars in Modesto identified and Cyclist killed after being hit by multiple vehicles in Modesto It sounds like the cyclist misjudged the speed of the first vehicle, then the hits just kept on coming, and coming, and coming. At this point LEO are not even sure how many times the victim was hit. Talk about your distracted driving…

This CT wreck must have been the cyclist’s fault, he wasn’t wearing a helmet. /snark GHS Football Player Severely Injured in Early Morning Bicycle Collision with Truck Intersection wreck, there are ways to avoid those listed below the header at the top of this page.

This wreck was in MI. Police identify bicyclist killed in alcohol-related crash OK who was drunk, the driver or the cyclist? I was wondering because they kinda seemed to be blaming the cyclist for getting hit by the drunk driver. Hit from behind wreck keep a close eye on your six to avoid. The driver “didn’t see” the cyclist. The helmet was completely destroyed in the wreck, demonstrating how effective they are in wrecks with motor vehicles.

Closer to home a woman is killed riding in LA. Troopers ask for help identifying woman killed in bicycle crash Another blame the cyclist wreck.

Another wreck in LA on the same highway but a different town. 60-year-old woman struck, killed while riding bicycle in Mandeville, MPD says Another wreck caused by bad sight lines. This intersection could use some way of alerting the cross street when there are no motor vehicles coming, or maybe there was some way of getting drivers to stop when someone needed to cross the intersection, like a signal of some kind.

OK you won’t find me here mostly because I still can’t ride, and Philly is too far to ride from WoaB World HQ in the Beautiful Suburbs of Hell. Naked, body-painted bicyclists ride through Philadelphia and 3,000 Philly Naked Bike Riders photo-bomb wedding shoot

This is why I keep saying that sidewalks are not bicycle infrastructure. Cyclist injured in Morristown crash; police investigating The sight lines in this wreck were so bad that neither party in the wreck saw the other until it was too late to avoid the wreck.

Infrastructure improvements on a national scale, but only the ones approved by the Feds. U.S. Transportation Officials Cheer On Ambitious City Planners

Infrastructure gets changed after a cyclist is killed by bad infrastructure and a bad driver. Fixes set for deadly Back Bay intersection

Getting to the other side of the Pond, more on the terrorist attack on a cyclist. Labour councillor seriously injured after bike brakes cut deliberately For those who think I exaggerate, what would cutting the brake lines on a car or truck be called?

More on the killer potholes in the UK. Cyclists being killed due to delays fixing potholes say CTC

Killer infrastructure is killer. Council admits new Oxford junction DID make cyclists ‘vulnerable’ Good of them to admit their mistake, now how about fixing said mistake?

Drunk driver gets a gentle tap on the wrist. Darron Gibson handed 20-month driving ban for hitting cyclist while drink-driving Drunk hit-and-run driver comes within millimeters of killing a cyclist, while almost hitting two others (so close they were injured by flying debris from the wrecked bike) and gets a “Bad boy, but he’ll recover so pay damages and take a time out and that will do you.”

I’m hoping I’ll have Francis/es fixed up in time for this ride. Injured Veterans Tackle Wounds of War in Soldier Ride Dallas

And I’m finally out of links, patience, and coffee. I think the last two kinda go together.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet

This was a long day even before I sat down to post today’s blog post, and the Feed

As the headline says, today has already been a long day. I had to go by the bank again and get out money to pay the bills that have to be covered by this weekend, then start paying them. A big part of the problem is I was using DART to get around instead of my bike that I can’t ride yet because I’m spending so much time getting around by DART I don’t have time to finish the extended stem so that I’m sitting up on the padded part of the seat like it was designed for. Let’s face it, Francis/es has the aerodynamics of a mid-’60s COE semi or a brick with the tall, wide side facing forward, and riding in the racing crouch is not going to materially affect the cruise speed of the bike over the “sit up and beg” position. I might as well be comfortable as I ride slow. But because I still don’t have that piece built and installed I can’t ride more than a couple of miles yet. And So It Goes.

The other thing that delayed the beginning of filtering and posting to the blog was tonight’s Full Moon service, which I had to help with. It was a nice service, but a little sparse on participants. That was OK as both I and the lady who was putting this on with me had to be someplace else as soon as the service was done, she to work and me to this blog post.

And tomorrow I’m going to get my neck rubbed some more in the hopes I can get that muscle that had been compressed by “Chris Christy” until it left “Arthur, Arthur Dent” loosened up so I can ride without pain and be able to turn my head all the way to the right. My new provider only charges $25 instead of the $60 (old charge) or $100 (new charge) of my old therapist, because this is a school and they need lab rats for their students to work on. Since I am comfortable in the lab rat role I have no problem paying $25 for the use of the building to keep the school open while some mostly-trained person hones their craft on my neck.

Up first the Big Story was a ex-Navy Seal taken out riding his bike in DC. Bicyclist killed on Massachusetts Avenue identified as Bethesda man And Former Navy SEAL killed in Bethesda bicycle accident Also Cyclist fatally struck by vehicle in Bethesda identified AFAIK the cyclist was hit from behind in or near the bike lane, and was more than legal in regards to lights and reflectors to the rear. More than that hasn’t been released yet.

More on the scum that ran down a cyclist in MI and left the scene. Man surrenders in crash that killed Lake Orion cyclist and Man charged in hit-and-run death of nurse bicycling across Michigan I never will understand why they give people who have already fled once to avoid prosecution bond or bail when they catch them. Especially a guy with failure to appear warrants in his history.

Here’s a break with Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: Honked at for riding sharrows, Vision Zero lost in Mobility Plan fallout, and upcoming bike events

In Jolly Olde, OMG potholes are going to kill us all! Cyclists face pothole peril as road repairs are delayed and Potholes blamed for increasing numbers of cyclist deaths If I’m reading this right over 3400 cyclists a year would be dying from potholes except for the level of care provided by the NHS (this being the reason for the KSI stat, the NHS provides the highest level of emergency care in the world, and most people survive wrecks that would have been deadly after a long hospital stay before). Man, is that a lot of pothole wrecks or what?

Back in CA, someone needs instruction on the meaning of a right hook. Cyclist In Critical Condition After Collision At Divisadero & Golden Gate Nevermind, this is the same bunch that blamed a woman for getting hit by a truck making a wide right turn, without a turn signal, across a marked bike lane.

Still in CA, a driver pleaded down from Murder and 20 years to Manslaughter and 4 years. Four-year prison sentence in Foresthill Road bike-death case Maybe this is 4 years more than he would have gotten in a trial, maybe not… But he was under the influence of a dangerous narcotic and he killed a man.

Over in UT, a salmon cyclist is hit by an SUV that apparently rolled a stop sign. 1 hurt in auto-bicycle collision; police urge caution Two wrongs here, but they only issued the ticket to the one that got hurt. Also the cyclist appears to have been riding in the sidewalk, and as I frequently say, sidewalks are not bicycle infrastructure.

NYS, where killing someone with a motor vehicle is “just one of those things, you know?” Too early to know if Hammond driver will be charged in Route 3 bicyclist death Seriously it is easier to charge someone with murder than it is to get a homicide charge on a killing with a motor vehicle.

And this juicy tidbit from NYC. Ask A Native New Yorker: Is It OK To Yell At Cyclists Who Run Red Lights? The comments section…

Another dead cyclist in ABQ. Bicyclist killed in Thursday crash Who saw the cyclist run the red, aside from the driver that killed him? SWCC wreck until proven otherwise.

Deadly hit-and-run in KY Bicyclist killed in hit-and-run on Newtown Pike The narrative makes it sound like the driver was impaired chemically or by lack of sleep.

Here’s hoping the CM tonight in Miami was safe. CRITICAL MASS RIDES TONIGHT IN MEMORY OF FALLEN CYCLIST AND AHEAD OF TROPICAL STORM ERIKA

A wreck in the Great White North. Crash southeast of Stratford leaves cyclist critically injured Prayers and energy for the injured cyclist hit by a goober on the wrong side of the road. Ain’t nothing you can do about that.

More from Jolly Olde as LEO say if you ain’t dying don’t call about your bike wreck. Police chief writes to cyclist to explain why he can’t investigate crash

And last link for this tired blogger, is this the bike that gets fat asses out of cars? Is This The E-Bike That Finally Gets Commuters Out Of Cars? Absent some tax or fee that disincentivises SOV commuting, I’m going to say no.

And tired blogger says “Good night”. Programming note there will be no wrecks in the 8/31 blog post, if I even write it. I may go out and get drunk instead. Or stay home and get drunk. Or have cookies and cupcakes. I have been told there will be cupcakes with dark chocolate bats on them (can’t stop, this is bat country) 😀

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Unkillable Badass 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

Another day playing Kinky D&D, and the feed

I have sad news from the dungeon. My Warlock8 was killed by a party member under a geas-like compulsion to love my apprentice and kill all other suitors. Even with the -5 penalty for a called shot while the target was in grapple with the person the geas required her to save, our half-ogre barbarian managed to behead my Warlock. At the moment I’m kibbutzing the party as a spirit that is only half heard, making suggestions from vantage points no one else in the party can get to, dispensing advice from the Great Beyond, until we find out if there is any chance at resurrecting my body. If we find that there is no way to bring me back in a timely manner my “spirit” will pass beyond the veil, and I’ll have to roll a new character.

Up first today, the worst injured victim of a serial hit-and-run driver has died. Cyclist in hit-and-run crash has died and Report: Driver accused of hitting cyclist nearly 3 times over limit also Cyclist in weekend hit-and-run on life support You know someone at the DA’s office is going to get two brain cells bumping together and connect 3 separate hit-and-runs against cyclists, and the probablity THAT IT WAS DONE ON PURPOSE and upgrade the charges to attempted murder on behalf of the surviving victims, and murder for the cyclist who died.

This just showed in my Twitter: Jeffrey Rowland ‏@wigu 9 hours ago
Chasing a flying bat down a hallway on my bike was a thing I did today. So, I guess that’s a thing now.

Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: LAPD handcuff South LA cyclist over traffic ticket; Taylor Phinney makes amazing comeback

Update on a wreck in NYC that just became fatal. 24-Year-Old Woman Dies One Week After Being Pinned To Light Pole By Midtown Driver This was a pedestrian, but because of the weapon vehicle crossing the bike lane it could just as easily have been a cyclist.

How much evidence does LEO need to arrest someone for hit-and-run? How Much Evidence Does The NYPD Need To Arrest A Hit & Run Driver? Well, apparently having video of the weapon vehicle, and a piece of the weapon vehicle that has been matched by forensic evidence that was left at the scene isn’t enough if the victim was a cyclist.

Update on the NY cyclist left-crossed by a bus last week. Congers bicyclist killed by bus was artist, musician And a fellow UU.

Meanwhile over in CT. Police say injured cyclist was at fault I suppose it is possible that a cyclist ran the red in the crosswalk.

A MI cyclist is injured by a drunk driver in this article I can’t finish because of the paywall. Bicyclist injured; man arrested after crash Yeah, drunk drivers still need to lose their cars, and also spend the rest of their lives in prison when they kill. If I were Emperor they would get taken out in a mass execution with a semi with a reinforced bumper once a month until they started getting the message and STOPPED DRIVING DRUNK! How many years do you think that would take?

An IL cyclist is hit so hard the driver had to go to hospital for treatment of injuries. 2 injured after crash involving bicycle, car in Grand Tower That requires either an older model car that does not have the second layer of transparent vinyl on the inside to prevent flying glass shards on the inside of the vehicle, or the cyclist is as tough as the writer of this blog when it comes to a heavy impact.

A western WA cyclist gets clobbered with a motor vehicle. Female Kirkland cyclist hit by truck on Market Street, in critical condition Yeah, there ain’t no “gentle taps” with a big truck. This was the “other” kind of crossing wreck, the cyclist was on the through street and the weapon vehicle was turning left from the cross street.

In the most deadliest state to walk or ride a bike. Bicyclist killed in North Fort Myers crash This one reads like two separate wrecks, one where the cyclist was hit by a vehicle that lost control in the bad weather and drove up on the sidewalk, and the other where the cyclist was crossing the road mid block and one driver stopped and the other driver went around the stopped vehicle and hit the cyclist as he came outt from the front of the stopped vehicle. And now the link has changed again removing the part about the cyclist crossing the road. Given that the weapon vehicle is sitting on its side there is a strong possibility that the “lost control in the rain and wrecked on the sidewalk” part of the report that is still up is the narrative that LEO are going with. And good luck trying to avoid that kind of wreck.

A little infrastructure news from Portland. City settles on diagonal design for diverter on NE Rodney This means one diverter can stop ratrunning on both streets of the intersection, reducing traffic volume through residential areas, for cheap.

Paradise says “What is your opinion?”. Honolulu Bike-Share Asks Users to Help With System Design

Remember that cyclist trapped under a car in Jolly Olde? Update on critically injured cyclist freed from beneath car on organised bike ride in Cotswolds Turns out getting stuck under a car is not good for your health.

Terrible drivers and terrible roads and what have you got? Why Manchester is a terrible cycling city

Some cities get that bicycles are not cars. The city that lets cyclists jump red lights

I’m not sure if this was an attempt at humor, or just a troll. Cyclist education would help to prevent accidents The reason I mention humor and trolling is the comments section pointed out the intersection mentioned in the letter does not exist.

And this is just so… special. Wes Anderson Spotted Riding Citibicycle Around Manhattan

And I’m outta links again.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Unkillable Badass Poet (11 more shopping days until my Death day)