We had pizza for dinner, it must be Grocery Day, and the Feed

Yep, grocery day means cheap frozen pizza for dinner. Not that that’s bad, just routine. We didn’t have to buy much this week because of all the stuff we got last week.

The Big Story today is a hit-and-run in WA. BELLEVUE POLICE SEEK VEHICLE THAT HIT, BADLY INJURED BICYCLE RIDER and Bellevue cyclist nearly killed by hit and run driver also Injured woman found on Bellevue bike path; police searching for hit-and-run driver and the one that grabbed my attention Motor magazine readers help police ID hit-and-run car Yep, a bunch of gear-heads went out of their way to identify the weapon vehicle used to injure a cyclist on a bike path. If I’m reading the narrative correctly the cyclist was either hit standing in the bike path waiting to cross an intersection, or hit crossing with the right of way. Whichever mode was in effect, I really don’t see any way for a human cyclist to avoid this wreck, especially the one where she was waiting to cross. BOLO for the weapon vehicle, a 2013-15 Honda Accord with a broken headlight.

Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: Connecting the dots in LA doping scandal; bike routes through Camp Pendleton closed next week I ask you, would car drivers tolerate the only safe route through an area getting closed with no alternative designated?

First of several infrastructure articles from America’s Copenhagen. Neighborhood association demands immediate investment in Cully Blvd after latest fatality The street in question is basically a speedway built when engineers were applying highway construction standards to city streets to make then “safer”.

More infrastructure on a larger scale of mind. Janette Sadik-Khan replays her ‘Streetfights’ to a sold-out crowd You can’t think small when planing bike infrastructure, you have to think in terms of networks and interconnectedness. Individual projects to move that forward can be done in small bites, but there has to be a full meal in the plan.

And why we (and Portland) can’t have nice things. New Seasons customers visit new store — and park their cars in state’s new bike lane – UPDATED A big part of the problem is ODOT don’t know how to build a bike lane. To. Save. Their. Lives. (Or anyone else’s.)

Deadly hit-and-run in NOLA. Bicyclist killed in hit-and-run on Leon C. Simon Drive; NOPD seeks black SUV and Bicyclist dead after hit-and-run I think my antipathy towards hit-and-run drivers who kill is well established. This is one of those situations that I would strap the driver back into the driver’s seat and give him or her a last ride through a car shredder.

Halfway through the legal process on a MI wreck. Plea agreement reached for teen accused in bicyclist’s death while civil suit remains in court I’m of the opinion that the charges were way too lax, but I’m not the one extracting justice from the perp’s wallet.

Speaking of extracting justice through the wallet. Attorneys reach settlement over cyclist killed in 2013 Again, in a situation like this the only way to get any justice you have to go through the wallet.

Some (sorta) good news from AZ. Woman arrested in Gilbert hit-and-run that killed bicyclist Given the situation this was about as good as news could have gotten. I don’t know what the perp being pregnant has to do with locking her up… Don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time.

FloriDUH! Cyclist, 54, struck, badly injured on St. Pete Beach If the driver “never saw” the cyclist, how do they know the guy was riding across the street? And ugh! “dark clothes” again.

OH infrastructure. City report recommends keeping Central Parkway bike lane issued, then quickly recalled I love when they try to hide good news about bike infrastructure.

CT cyclist becomes the voice of an entire population. Clinton cyclist finds herself ‘a voice for others’ after truck-bike accident I can relate to her situation.

A bit of US national infrastructure. Safer Streets Ahead for Bikers and Walkers with New Federal Safety Rule

How is your transit system running? A Mexican athlete races Mexico City’s subway in the latest man vs. machine showdown This can happen in a system with good walkability between stops, here in the Metromess there are only a couple of stops where this is even imaginable.

More infrastructure, now from the UK. Plans for dangerous Stamford Hill junction slammed in wake of crashes Crap infrastructure is crap. Whodathunkit?

And one thing that usually goes with crap cycling infrastructure is members of the political class who hate cycling. Senior Liberal Democrat says “Cyclists do not belong in towns” That sure is a funny way to spell “cars” innit?

Also infrastructure from Jolly Olde. Traffic lights that detect cyclists coming to York

Over on the Emerald Isle, a cyclist and a semi have an unfortunate meeting. Cyclist injured in collision involving articulated lorry and Female cyclist rushed to hospital with serious injuries after being hit by truck

Another cyclist in Ireland is hit, and unfortunately killed, by a semi. Cyclist dies following collision with lorry in Lisburn This was an intersection that has been previously identified as needing improvement, but which hasn’t been done.

One driver takes out 2 out of 3 cyclists on a ride. Two cyclist hurt in Vic hit-and-run crash

And the lawyer thinks the new laws in NSW are just peachy. New cycling laws ‘controversial but safe’ Stockholm syndrome? Maayyyyy beeeeee?

And it is late and I got up early this (yesterday?) morning. In fact it’s after Gigi’s “bedtime” when she loses her internet (0300 CT) so she’s going to be mad she doesn’t get to review the post while it’s still “fresh”.

Billed @€0.02, Opus

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My BP meds are getting cut in half because reasons, and the Feed

What a day! First the cat tries to apologize for clawing huge gashes in my hand and arm by waking me up after only 1 hour of sleep and crawling into the bed to purr loudly at me, then I spent all day getting to and from the Lab Rat Keeper, then I find out my meds are getting cut because my BP is a bit on the low side, like 100/60. For a guy whose pressures topped out at 200/145 10 years ago this could lead to dizziness, confusion, and loss of consciousness. None of that is especially good. The good news is if my pressures come back up with lower dosages I get to participate in another side-effect study before the end of this year.

Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: Reminder to expect the unexpected on bike trails; Feds decide bike/ped safety matters, too

Still in CA. Bicyclist killed in Santa Ana hit-and-run identified

From my neck of the woods. How tracking police data by race can make unfair laws look like the cops’ fault Among other things this article identifies one of the main problems of the Metroplex: People don’t work where they live nor live where they work in the main. When only 5% of drivers stopped in a town are residents of that town, you have a problem with sprawl, and auto-centrism because everyone drives even if they don’t want to. So much of this area is a transit desert where if you don’t have a car you are trapped.

Remember that girl driving drunk and backwards when she ran over a cyclist in AK? Anchorage woman will finish college semester before going to jail for cyclist’s death Really? Let her finish school before a summer (maybe) in jail?!? Oh the ignominy. Have to finish college before prison…

Do you feel like you are not welcome among other bike riders? Project highlights stories of people who feel like outsiders in bike scene

Infrastructure in America’s Copenhagen. Active Transportation Summit dispatch: Vision Zero and the myth of freight Except for a tiny few places that are import centers like Long Beach or Houston or Corpus Christie truck traffic just is not that vital to the economy. And even Houston is trying to make more of its street network bike friendly.

If you don’t know where you’re coming from how can you know where you’re going? Unearthed: 1975 City of Portland “From here to there by bicycle” map

More infrastructure news from NYC. Prospect Park West Bike Lane War Continues: “New York City Is Not Amsterdam” and IT’S ALIVE: Judge Revives 5-Year-Old Prospect Park Bike Lane Lawsuit They LOVE bike lanes, just not the one in front of their building, which has raised the value of the units in said building substantially. Maybe that’s the problem, their taxes went up with the rise in property values…

Another dead pedestrian in NYC. Woman Fatally Struck By Sanitation Truck Driver On Upper East Side And for all those wondering why I have so many links from Gothamist and Bike Portland,it’s because I visit those web sites pretty much daily. Anywho, this was another blind driver just proceeding into space that was already occupied, and killing said occupant. And the Universal Get Out of Jail Free card shall be used, “I didn’t see her” and all will be forgiven.

More on the MA hit-and-run killing of a cyclist. Man charged with DUI in hit-and-run that injured cyclist

PA infrastructure story. Holly residents drill council for answers over roundabouts Seriously, you can’t figure out how to use a roundabout?

Another link to the guy looking to ride from BC to Panama getting taken out ²/₃ of the way through WA. Cyclist on B.C. to Panama ride injured in crash Interesting picture they used for the “touring bike”.

More on the CO man getting prison for killing a cyclist. Man gets 10 years for DUI crash that killed bicyclist And I hope he has to do every day of it.

It’s just better reporting on the wrecks, honest! Alan Solot: Tucson bike vs. car crashes aren’t increasing

It’s not really good news, it is a symptom of austerity. Fall in road offences due to reduction in traffic police says Transport Committee

And while we are on the site. Barbed wire booby trap found on Kent cycle trail Either some farmer is missing a section of fence, or all they need to do is ask who bought barbed wire recently at nearby farm supply stores.

And I got this video sent to me by several people from many different sources. Video: How to teach bus drivers to give cyclists space I thought the ones where the “riders” clothes wer actually ruffled by contact with the bus were good, unless the driver was not actually trying to get that close in which case they were fucking terrifying.

Speaking of close passing, this was also terrifying over on the Emerald Isle. Cyclist was thrown over the bonnet of car Cold they have gotten any closer without actually killing the cyclist? I think not.

Another link to the guy who killed a well-liked cyclist going to jail. JAILED: Driver who mowed down Oxford graduate cyclist in head-on-crash

[Facepalm]Cyclists maimed and killed by blind driver, but it’s OK because a cyclist ran a stop sign once.[/Facepalm] Pontevedra cycling tragedy raises concerns over elderly drivers

More on the Ozzie drunk driver killing a cyclist. Cyclist killed by allegedly drunk driver and Qld cyclist killed by intoxicated driver

A really ugly wreck in Oz, more than one link. Port Pirie cyclist killed when truck and riders collide near city and Truck crashes into three cyclists on Germein Rd at Solomontown near Port Pirie You can see the impact site on the passenger side of the truck bumper where the bumper was bent.

And this was just wrong. Holiday blues after woman arrives home from overseas trip to find a parking ticket because her street was rezoned while she was away There were no permits available before leaving, and tickets papering the car when she got back. I mean they hadn’t even decided on the date it was to be implemented when she left…

And have you heard the latest scandal in the pro peloton? Professional cycling’s latest scandal: unshaved legs I used to shave my legs back before I rode a bike with fenders.

And it’s 0430, I have been up 19 hours now on 1 hour of sleep. I’m going to bed, and the cat is staying in the bathroom with his food and litterbox until I get up.

Billed @$0.02, Opus

Happy Pi Day, and the Feed

For the non-geek non math nerds in my readership, today is Pi Day (3/14) where because the greek letter π is pronounced the same as the English name for a pastry crust baked in a pan with a filling we celebrate by eating pie. This year I’m having apple. Pi Day is like my fifth or sixth favorite holiday in the year, because I like pie! So go to your favorite gastro pub and have some pie! I hear the “Eat what I give you or I’ll go back in time and kill your grandparents as babies” pie is delicious.

Up first because OMG at the links. 1 Cyclist Dead, 7 Injured in Spain, Octogenarian Driver Held and Police say a 52-year-old cyclist has died and seven others have been injured, three of them seriously, after being slammed into by an SUV near the northwestern town of A Guarda also 1 Cyclist Dead, 7 Injured in Spain, Octogenarian Driver Held this too Police say a 52-year-old cyclist has died and seven others have been injured, three of them seriously, after being slammed into by an SUV near the northwestern town of A Guarda not done yet 1 cyclist dead, 7 injured in Spain, octogenarian driver held I would have really liked to know the nationality of the driver, or something besides “octogenerian”. I hope part of his new identity is “non-driver”.

Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: Entrada Drive to get a little narrower, a call for safer driving, and your next bike may not need you

Still in CA, crap infrastructure. VIDEO: Magnolia Off Ramp – The Danger of Bad Design

Also in CA. Light Up the Night community ride teaches bike safety Nice bit of victim-blaming going on there, about the helmets and reflective clothing.

Still not out of CA. 2 Women Arrested For Hit-And-Run After Cyclist Struck In Sausalito One for driving under the influence and hit-and-run, the other for DUI and obstructing justice accessory to a felony. Guess which one is facing the greater amount of jail time?

This guy didn’t get very far on his trek across the US and Central America. Cyclist on B.C. to Panama ride injured in crash in Forks Another driverless car involved in a serious wreck? I though the only wreck like that was a bus hit at 2 MPH. Next-to-last paragraph of the article mentions the SUV had a driver… Anywho, hit-from-behind wreck, use the protocols to avoid. Crush and shred the SUV to prevent another wreck.

Wreck in AZ. Tolleson hit-and-run involving cyclist closes road There are no pictures, so I can’t determine the mode from evidence, and LEO aren’t saying. Hopefully the weapon vehicle shed some identifying parts so LEO can find it.

AZ infrastructure news. Tucson bicyclist using data to thwart fatal crashes Before the tumor took me off my bike I was getting a scary pass every time I rode, and a near-death experience about once a week. That might have something to do with the slow pace of my recovery.

Under age DUI killer sentenced in CO. Man Gets 10 Years For DUI Crash That Killed Bicyclist and 20-year-old drunk driver gets 10 years in death of cyclist I’m sorry but there is a terrible mistake in the first link, 0.204 is not more than twice the legal limit, it’s more than twice the legal limit for people old enough to drink. For a 20 YO it’s infinity times over the limit.

Another hit-and-run in OH this time. Teen bicyclist dies after struck by 3 vehicles on Harrisburg Pike The hit-and-run (or hit-skip as the call it in OH) was the first weapon vehicle involved, the one that hit the cyclist from behind with the left side of the vehicle. I know it was the driver’s side because the cyclist was launched into oncoming traffic. There are only two ways for that to happen, hit with the left side of the car or be sharply aimed to the left at the time of impact. Both require the cyclist to be riding primary as our UK brothers call it. Well I suppose the driver could go completely off the road and come back on right where the cyclist was riding at the edge, but how likely is that?

Hit-and-run in PA this time. Police: Suspect in custody in Harveys Lake hit-and-run At least the victim survived the wreck this time, and they have a suspect in custody.

Another hit-and-run, MA. Cyclist Injured In Hit & Run In Wellesley and Wellesley Man Charged With OUI After Hit And Run Seldom do I get the pleasing combination of posting a link to a hit-and-run wreck with injury, and the driver’s arrest on multiple charges in the same post.

Wreck in CT caused by AFRAP laws. Cyclist injured in Morris fall flown to hospital by Life Star What do I mean by this wreck was “caused” by As Far Right As Practicble laws? the cyclist was hugging the right side of the road and went over the edge and fell, which would not have happened if the cyclist was allowed to take the lane at all times.

Hit-from-behind in MS. Bicyclist killed on Highway 98 Most of the article is behind a paywall so what little I know says the cyclist was in no way at fault in this wreck: Daylight, hit from behind and not at an intersection (yet).

Ugh! FloriDUH! Tampa police search for driver in hit-and-run that injured bicyclist and Tampa Man Charged in Hit and Run of Bicyclist Two hit-and-runs with links to the arrests of the drivers in one day!

Still in FL, a SWCC wreck. Pompano Beach bicyclist, 57, killed in collision with car The geometry for this wreck is right for a stale green wreck.

Infrastructure from MD. Bicyclists and motorists sharing the roads

I thought I heard all the stupid excuses for hitting a cyclist. Jail sentence for driver who killed cyclist when he was ‘running late’ Well I heard that one before. Trying to get there just a fraction of a second faster so he cut the corner on a blind turn and hit a cyclist head on. And just what would have happened had there been a semi truck around the corner instead of a man on a bicycle?

Nothing about the wreck, but they got their man. Man charged over death of cyclist by ‘careless driving while under influence’ and ‘How I tried to save cyclist’s life in Outland Road tragedy’ – by photographer at the scene I’m still trying to wrap my head around any death caused by a DUI being “careless” instead of “dangerous” by definition.

So they weren’t hurt in the wreck but fell down after? Cyclists injured after incident Cut off by the driver pulling out in front of the group and wrecking trying to avoid hitting the car.

Almost no information about this wreck in Oz. Victoria’s road toll climbs as motorbike rider, cyclist and 88-year-old woman die in separate accidents “Went off the road” is not a very specific wreck narrative…

National US infrastructure! It’s Time for U.S. Cities to Ban Right Turns on Red
Actually I would like to see a nationwide ban at the state level (kind of how they got seatbelt laws passed).

Last link is preventing gentrification with bicycles. How I Stopped Gentrification in My Neighborhood

And I have to get up early to go to the Lab Rat Keeper tomorrow, so off to bed.

Billed @$0.02, Opus

We had some wind damage to the trees, but are otherwise unscathed, and the Feed

Yep, it were windy out here in the Beautiful Suburbs of Hell, with one tree losing a branch to the wind. Otherwise things are just fine. Still doing good on edibles, I have about a half pot of beans and rice seasoned to my preference, plus Pop Tarts, ramen, Spam (I’m having the teriyaki flavor tonight with my ramen), and a fresh jar of peanut butter that I just opened this morning to put on my bagel. So food I got, and Mrs. the Poet will be returning from NY tomorrow evening.

Up first is Our Daily Ted, Part 1. Morning Links: LACBC wins national award for work on Mobility Plan; Sadik-Khan says the bikes have won That’s right, we won! All that’s left now is mopping up isolated pockets of resistance. So I guess I can quit this blog and go build models…

Part 2. San Diego cyclist killed in pre-dawn trolley collision and Cyclist hit, killed by trolley in Barrio Logan Damnit people, what did I just tell you yesterday about staying off tracks? Don’t cross when the arm is down, how hard is that to do?

Still in CA, but covered in one of Ted’s posts yesterday. Bicyclist Hit, Killed by Moving Truck in Rancho Palos Verdes Right hook but the cyclist was riding hard in the bike lane. At least I think that was a bike lane. The cyclist’s speed had a great deal to do with this wreck, both in the fact that it happened and in the severity of the wreck as to how for under the truck the cyclist got squished in the initial impact. The fact the cyclist was dragged for miles under the truck more than likely only changed the condition of the body, he probably died in the initial impact.

More Portland infrastructure. Counting votes at Metro: Will the region invest in walking and biking near schools? Don’t want the kids getting too independent and thinking they don’t need a car to get around.

Another update on the MN cyclist injured in a hit-and-run. St. Thomas student critically injured in bike accident returns to class “The St. Paul Police say that since January of this year a pedestrian or cyclist is hit by a driver in St. Paul every other day. And they think it’s the cyclists and pedestrians are the problem?

A little CT infrastructure change might be in the works. Connecticut Cycling Advocates Urge Stiffer Penalty For Drivers Who Don’t Share The Road The comments section is in rare form today. I lost count of the times I saw people complaining about cyclists “not paying” for roads, like riding a bike gets you a tax refund or something like that.

From CT to MT, a fallen cyclist is remembered. Tuesday morning vigil honors cyclist killed in wreck, reminds riders of traffic danger

I think this was national but reported by a PA media outlet. Early data suggests pedestrian deaths surged in 2015 There were more deaths across the board but it looks like peds took a larger share than previously lending more ammunition to the need to get drivers out from behind the wheel because the cars are great at protecting people inside the car but utter crap at protecting people outside the car.

Ran red, killed cyclist, needs to spend rest of life working to repay victim’s family after long prison sentence in the Great White North. Trial begins for man accused of running red light and killing cyclist For those not fluent in metric, bystanders estimated the speed before the wreck at 55-65 MPH, the reconstructionist put the speed at 41.6 MPH at impact with heavy braking.

More on Canada’s helmet fetish. Bike helmets are safe, but here’s what really makes cycling safer

From Jolly Olde a car doesn’t stop at the sidewalk, but goes right inside the building. CCTV VIDEO: Man ‘lucky to be alive’ after Coleshill crash – watch footage I though it was from NYC with the car driving at such a high speed on the sidewalk. 😛

One of the 12 people likely to get killed by a cyclist in Jolly Olde this year (if this is an average year). ‘Wonderful’ woman killed after crash with a cyclist at Old Street Nothing on what happened because it’s a UK media outlet, but so far no charges have been filed.

Another cyclist memorial. Family pays tribute to cyclist killed in ‘hit-and-run’ accident

Trying to find answers in a cyclist’s death. Inquest opens into death of cyclist killed in Doncaster Road crash The UK version of a left cross since the drive on the wrong side of the road.

Another blind driver takes out a cyclist. Coach driver accused of killing cyclist on A9 heard ‘a bang’ Never saw the cyclist until they were scraping him out from under the bus.

Well this can’t be good. Police investigate spate of cyclists being pushed into London canals Getting wet in winter in the UK is not as bad as getting wet in winter in MN, but it’s still not pleasant.

This is a frequent symptom of TBI from a traffic crash. Young cyclist ‘cannot remember’ how she got facial injuries in Crawley Much of what I know of my wreck is from the police reports and witnesses who ran into me later. Except the being dead part, that I remembered on my own.

Over on the Emerald Isle. Garda appeal for witnesses after cyclist (19) killed in road collision The narrative sounds like a SWSS at the moment with the driver failing to process the cyclist in front of the car until impact.

This sounds more like pressing the gas thinking it is the brake than brake failure, but hey I’m just a hot-rodder doing a bike safety blog. UPDATE: Taxi that slammed into traffic light knocked down cyclist prior to major crash I think this was South Africa, but I’m not sure.

What’s 130 miles on a bike when you have done a full Ironman? NASCAR’s Jimmie Johnson to join PeopleForBikes’ Ride on Atlanta

And last link if you think mash-ups are a recent phenomenon, here’s a mashup of “Rock And Roll, Pt.2” with the theme for Doctor Who from the ’80s. The Timelords (The KLF) – Doctorin’ The Tardis (12-inch mix)

And that’s all I go tonight. I’m going to try to get to bed early.

Billed @€0.02, Opus

I sent the order off today on Grocery Day, and the Feed

I ordered some resin engines, and parts to detail the SBC for the main version (AKA the “this could get built” version) from VCG Resins today. Plus we have money to restock the pantry and a vehicle large enough to carry that much food so grocery shopping. I’m going to try to get this post done before midnight so I can get to bed at a reasonable time.

Up first a TX program originally intended to pay for hit-and-run victims’ medical expenses turns into a gigantic tax on being poor, whodathunkit? Texas driver offense fee program gets bipartisan blistering I have a solution for how to pay for hit-and-run: Raise the costs of registering a vehicle so that hit-and-run victims are paid for out of the costs, and label that increase so that people know they are paying for other people’s stupidity. Once people get a feel of how much hit-and-run is costing them personally there will be a much greater drive to investigate and arrest hit-and-run drivers so that they can pay instead of everybody else.

I might have to look into attending one of these sessions, I’m not as young as I used to be. Want to Be a Better Bicyclist? First, Learn to Fall This would be useful in solo falls where the cyclist has some control of their body, but in any collision with another vehicle YMMV.

Howabout Our Daily Ted? Morning Links: New app for navigating LA, advice on running for your local NC, and pointing the finger in Westwood

Still in CA. Honeymooning cyclist injured in Jan. 20 hit-and-run near Barking Dog also Cyclist injured in Sonoma Valley hit-and-run crash Classic left cross narrative. Get well quickly, honeymooner.

Still in CA comes this conundrum. Which Are More Dangerous: Scofflaw Cyclists, Or Bad-Mannered Drone Flyers? In sheer numbers it’s a draw, there are more drones than cyclists, but cyclists have about a 60 year head start over “drones” (which now seems to apply to all R/C airplanes and helicopters), and while records on people getting killed by R/C airplanes, helicopters, and multicopters is a bit difficult to come by, there have only been 2 recorded fatalities in SF history caused by bicycle riders hitting someone. That’s according to SFPD records that go back as far as the big quake at the beginning of the 20th Century.

Over in ABQ a cyclist was hit from behind in what looks like a punishment pass. Injured teen cyclist is still in a coma There were 3 cyclists riding a tight paceline with the middle and front riders getting hit, and the lead rider taking the brunt of it. This has a very strong flavor of a buzz job or punishment pass.

Another infrastructure article from WI. Highway 41 and Lisbon Is a Mess Basically 90% of the problem with this intersection is it is the last remnant of a failed freeway project that was not integrated into the urban grid.

And driverless cars may fix parking but leave roads hopelessly gridlocked. Driverless cars: Utopian idea could lead to commute from Hell If people continue to insist on SOV commutes then about half of all trips will be “deadhead” with nobody in the car. VMT will basically double (maybe 1.5 if we are lucky).

There are easier ways of seeing that your employees are doing their jobs. Freak accident left Valerie Morton impaled on a bike near St Neots – and thankful to her rescuers The victim was a high-placed executive of the ambulance service that was assigned to the wreck.

Still in Jolly Olde. Motorist who deliberately drove at cyclists jailed for two and a half years Not that it will make much difference but he will have a 2 year driving ban that starts with the completion of his sentence. Because of course he can’t drive for the 2½ years he’s in prison. Having his driving ban run while he can’t get to a car to drive anyway would just be stupid. Along with the actual enforcement of the ban, if he can just curb his antisocial tendencies he could get away with driving for 2 years. Oh who are we kidding? I would be shocked if he managed 6 months without making a swipe at a cyclist. I wouldn’t be surprised that he blames the cyclist with the camera for his arrest and imprisonment, not the act of driving at them on the wrong side of the road.

First I agree that it’s not good that he had to pay for getting his teeth put back in after the wreck. Injured cyclist angry he had to pay NHS to repair his teeth Second, do you know how much that would have cost here in the US? In 2001 I was quoted a cost of about $5k to repair my teeth after my wreck which is why they are falling out right now.

You might wonder what this has to do with my blog. Drone maker seeks UK fuel cells Well as the guy who sent it to me wrote, the cell package for this drone would also work pretty good for an e-assist bike and have the same advantages for e-assist biking as it does for drone work.

Speaking of e-assist biking. Review: Cube Touring Hybrid 400 electric bicycle It must be terrible to have something that works so well for you and then you find something that just ruins it because the new works so much better than what you had.

Another e-assisted bike review, but not quite as glowing. Cruz E-Bike A little too fast and at $5K a little too expensive. But if you govern it down to the Federal limit of 20 MPH that would help the anemic range of “up to” 30 miles.

And we are done for the night.

Nilled @$0.02, Opus

Unlike Garfield I have a reason to hate Mondays, and the Feed

I love my job, but I really hate to do it on Monday, mainly because there is a whole weekend of accumulated links to filter through and analyse. That means there is a lot of death and destruction to wade through, only some of which applies to the topic of this blog.

And I did notice the big mess over in Paris (I got my first report from the Eagles of Death Metal Facebook page). I’m not doing a big thing because first, I’m not that big a deal in the blogosphere, and second my personal feelings about generalized terror attacks are not really pertinent to the blog. If they had attacked a Velib station I would have said something because that was a specific target of bike infrastructure. But a heavy metal concert and a soccer (football) game are just generalized terror attacks.

Up first is a subject that has been bouncing around the bicycle blogosphere like a ping-pong ball at supersonic speed, what is appropriate criminal punishment for a death from vehicle wrecks? Cyclists Question Decision Not to Press Criminal Charges Against Driver Who Hit, Killed Bethesda Bicyclist I put the link to the BikePortland article on a similar wreck on this blog late last week, and now we have this link to a wreck in MD. And drivers in both cases basically get away with a homicide because there is a huge gap between the mens rea required to prosecute a vehicle operator and a person with a gun. If you read this blog for long you know which one is the more deadly.

Similar questions on a CA wreck. Fatal crash in which Sacramento judge struck cyclist prompts questions First we have to overcome windshield bias of investigators to get charges, then the bias of prosecutors to get to a trial, then the bias of potential jurors to get a conviction.

The drunk driver who killed a cyclist “making a u-turn” in VT is sentenced for the death. Woman sentenced for driving drunk in crash that killed cyclist

Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: Bikes aid Paris healing, Calbike wants to know what you want, and Wilshire bus/bike lanes open Not as many CA links as I have been getting lately.

More on the tour bus that went on a killing spree, seemingly all on its own. Tourists injured in San Francisco bus crash I keep reading reports that the bus was practically driving itself against the inputs of the driver. Was this a case of a hacked computer-controlled vehicle used as a weapon?

A bit closer to WoaB world HQ in the Beautiful Suburbs of Hell is this from the Big Easy. NOPD investigating bike attack in the Bywater The article says this has been escalating over the last several months.

Still in LA, away from NOLA. Bicyclist dies after being hit by vehicle Saturday night on Lee Drive Assuming the damaged vehicle in the pictures was the vehicle that struck the cyclist it looks like the cyclist was about 2 feet off the edge of the road when he was hit from behind.

A climate zone away from NOLA we get this MN wreck. Bicyclist critically injured in Mac-Groveland collision Nothing from the article about the mode but one of the comments said the cyclist was riding on the sidewalk and failed to stop for the motor vehicle on the main road he was coming up on.

A cyclist killed in NYC restores the vision and visage of a firefighter in MS. FACE OF CYCLIST KILLED IN CRASH TRANSPLANTED ONTO DISFIGURED FIREFIGHTER I hope when I go there is enough useful tissues left after the autopsy to do someone some good. And yes I am sure there will be an autopsy because of the latest study I’m working to find out some basic science for hypertension. I get a free autopsy so they can study my brain and kidneys.

Infrastructure news from DC. Why are bike lanes such heated symbols of gentrification? I have no idea why bike lanes that do nothing to the buildings on a street are fought more than freeways that destroy entire neighborhoods. I mean they are mostly stripes on the street, not bulldozers gouging out the pavement.

That study in Canada continues to reverberate around the world. Female cyclists less likely to be injured than men finds study Now we find that this study mirrors other studies of vehicular violence that also report female drivers are less likely to get killed or injured.

Several links from the Emerald Isle today, including these about a cyclist killed in County Kerry. Cyclist killed after horror crash with car in Co Kerry and Cyclist killed in Kerry collision Other than the fact the cyclist was hit and killed without harming the occupants of the weapon vehicle LEO are very tight-fisted on this one.

Talk about LEO making up new laws, they have just decided to make wearing headphones illegal in Ireland. Cyclists face €40 on-the-spot fines if they’re caught using earphones while on a bike. “Minister Paschal Donohoe confirmed that although it is not a specific offence under road traffic legislation, using headphones could be seen as dangerous to other road users.” If there is no legislation saying it is illegal, why are you handing out fines on the street for doing it? There are laws against running red lights, riding on the sidewalk, and the other things but unless they also start fining drivers with the radio playing which has been proven to cause wrecks they have no business fining cyclists for doing something that is not technically illegal. In fact driving with earphones is legal, but much more dangerous than cycling with headphones. IOW they are fining cyclists for doing something that is legal while allowing drivers who are controlling much more lethality to do the same thing unimpeded.

Still in Ireland the families of the victims of road violence come together. Families gather to remember loved ones killed on our roads

Meanwhile in Jolly Olde a cyclist responds to the constant clamor for registering cyclists. LETTER: No other country has legislation requiring cyclists to have registration plates “You know who really liked bicycle registration schemes? The Nazis during World War Two. They were also extremely keen on cars.” I also like the question of the size of the license plate required to be readable on a bike when combined with the number of letters and numbers needed to have a unique combination for every one of the 27 or so million bicycles in the UK now plus the ones that will be bought in the future. My calculations are that 4 letters and 4 numbers would handle the current population of bicycles, which would require a plate about 9″ wide and 2″ tall, but it would not handle the expected number of bikes to be sold in the next 2 years so the plate put into use would have to be even wider.

Cyclist without ID found lying in the street in Oz. Do you know this tattoo? Police want help identifying critically injured cyclist Considering the number of reports I have gotten this year of cyclists’ wallets getting stolen after they get hit this report does not come as any surprise to me.

We may see a practical H2 powered e-assist bike sooner rather than later. General Motors Sending Fuel Cell Research Vehicle to U.S. Army For Use as Reconnaissance Vehicle

And I’m all outta links tonight. Tomorrow I check other sites that I don’t do on Mondays and also Twitter. “Bleah”, to quote Peanuts.

Billed @€0.02, Opus

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

It took a while but I got my neck rubbed, and the Feed

I got up early this morning to go to my massage appointment a few miles west of Casa de El Poeta, about an hour by bus. I could get there faster if I could ride my bike there, but if I could ride my bike there I wouldn’t need to go. Anywho, I get there and the office is locked and nobody is answering the phone. a few minutes later the other therapist gets there and says my therapist isn’t in (duh!) and she’s booked solid for the whole day, and BTW the price of the hour session I have been getting has gone from $60 to $100, no haggling. I barely have the budget to pay for the original price, the 67% increase is just not gonna work. The place where I get my toes done has a neck and shoulder massage for $30, but it ignores most of my muscles to concentrate on “Arthur, Arthur Dent” and supporting muscles. It is leaps and bounds better than nothing, but about the same distance away from the benefits of a full massage. I will have to see if I can get massage at a better location/price before next week.

Up first because of proximity and number of links initially during filtering is this wreck. SANTA FE POLICE RECOVER PICKUP BELIEVED TO HAVE FATALLY STRUCK TEEN ON BICYCLE That link was completely different when I was doing the filtering, and another link from the same source turned into this link after filtering. Teen bike rider struck, killed by hit-and-run driver Two things to note here: First is even though this was late at night LEO are not making an issue about the cyclist’s visibility, or helmet, second is there was a witness that reported the driver left the road to hit the cyclist before driving off. This was not a wreck that a cyclist could avoid, in fact the victim in this wreck had done everything in his power to not be in the wreck, other than not being there. And as he was returning from his girlfriend’s home to his there wasn’t anything he could have done to “not be there”.

More on another possible case of “affluenza” in AK. Anchorage teen who hit, killed cyclist in court Friday and Sentencing for killer of bicyclist begins in Anchorage This was the princess who “celebrated” getting out of drug rehab by throwing a party with alcohol, pot, “molly”, and cocaine. She was still drunk and high according to toxicology results of a blood draw taken almost 3 hours after the 1000 wreck.

Another link to that brutal hit-and-run a few hours west of WoaB World HQ in the Beautiful Suburbs of Hell. Bicyclist killed by hit-and-run driver in Haltom City Again, the bike in this wreck was so mangled by the driver driving away with it trapped under her vehicle that I can’t determine any useful information from it.

Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: Reflections on crappy cyclist, sailor charged in fatal hit-and-run, and more Mobility madness

Another nighttime hit-and-run where cyclist visibility was not mentioned. Bicyclist killed in Phoenix hit-run crash In fact about the only thing known for sure in this wreck was the driver left the scene and left enough bits and pieces around that they were able to find the weapon vehicle in short order.

Another Upstate NY cyclist is killed. Cyclist Killed In Accident Identified and Update: No Charges in Hammond Bike Death Given the narrative I’m shocked! (not shocked) that there were no charges in this wreck. It’s as if nobody in this burg had ever heard about the oldest traffic law on the books, not to drive any faster than you could stop in the distance you could see clearly.

Update on the psychopath who has been assaulting Mpls cyclists with thrown objects, usually chunks of concrete, thrown from either a Ford Bronco or a short-bed pickup truck with a bed capper and one rear window replaced with plywood. Police reveal new clues in hunt for driver hitting Mpls. bicyclists with concrete and as People magazine discovers the story Spree of Attacks on Bicyclists in Minneapolis

Hey they caught the guy that killed the kid in NJ. Arrest Made in Hit-Run That Killed Teen Riding Bicycle in New Jersey It is no surprise that the killer did not have a valid license when he left the scene. Maybe this time they will take his vehicle instead of the license that he does not have.

I’m not the only one to notice that SFPD has different standards for people on bicycles and people in cars. The SFPD’s campaign against biking There have been 2 deaths caused by cyclists hitting pedestrians this century (or in the records of the SFPD going back to the big quake), but obviously the problem is bikes, not cars.

Just weeks before the World Cycling Championships, motor vehicle mayhem in Richmond VA. Cyclist injured after being hit by oncoming car The only witness never mentions seeing a weapon vehicle just the aftermath, so I’m going to say this was probably a hit-and-run, and since the bike was hit from the side at the back of the bike I’m thinking the driver of the weapon vehicle failed to obey a traffic control or they would have stayed at the scene.

Just because an idiot driver almost kills you and then jumps out of the weapon vehicle to make it personal doesn’t mean you should keep hitting him until he stops trying to hit back. Corte Madera man sues cyclist over road-rage beating in Mill Valley It gets even better, the driver of the truck that hit the cyclist was drinking the day he hit the cyclist.

Well, at least this GA cyclist gets a little compensation for her pain and disfigurement. Injured Athens cyclist lawsuit settled for $850,000 I wonder what my lawsuit would be worth, had they ever caught the driver tht almost killed me?

There may be some infrastructure changes coming for Beantown. After Fatal Bike Crash, One Expert On How To Make Boston Safer For Cyclists and Plans Underway to Revamp Boston’s Seaport Traffic If I make a small suggestion, severely restrict semis with long trailers, they seem to be over-represented in the death statistics. I would go with the bicycle outriders mentioned in earlier posts about the cyclist hit by the deadheading semi towing the flatbed trailer as the best compromise over an outright ban. Also this would lead to higher employment for people who can ride a bike fast.

While we are discussing infrastructure, here’s a shitty “deal” offered Portland by ODOT. State’s proposal to improve bike crossings of Powell: Remove bike lane from 26th

And thanks to helicopter parents the child death rate on bicycles has gone down. Report: Bicyclist Death Rates Fell for Kids, Rose for Men

Drivers in West Canuckistan forget they are supposed to be “nice” Canadians. Cyclist hit on Lower Springbank Road shows clashes are continuing with drivers Combine this with the several earlier reports of deliberate assault with motor vehicles, and things look grim.

Things are getting nasty over on the Emerald Isle, too. Experts warn 100 people could be killed on our roads before end of year If that seems like a rather low number remember that Ireland is about 3/5 the size of Arkansas (32,595 sq mi compared to 53,179 sq mi) and 100 deaths would be … not very much for Arkansas .

Are cyclists treated differently by the courts in Oz? Canberra cyclist appeals against order to pay fellow rider $1.7 million for crash Let me get this straight, a cyclist hits some road trash and wrecks out and takes a second cyclist with him and the second cyclist is hit by a car, and the first cyclist is out $1.7 MILLION?!? How much did the driver of the car have to pay?

An art installation/bicycle repair station honors a fallen CO cyclist. Duggan: Trail-side sculpture honors man gone too soon

And I’m outta links finally. Sleep now, Opus tired at 0346

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Unkillable Badass Poet

Today’s delayed blog post brought to you by new shorts, and the Feed

I had to go out in the heat again, this time to buy shorts (outerwear) because the ones I have now are well on the way to becoming rags. I have one (1) pair that is not split up the back and only useful for wearing around the house when I don’t want to bother getting dressed, and that pair is developing huge holes where the pockets used to be. The corners of the pockets started to tear away from the then pants, and even though the pockets have been removed the holes continue to grow with every wearing. So I go to the store to buy new shorts I can wear on the bike or just “around”. Back soon, I swear. 😀 OK, I bought 3 pairs of shorts on sale at the Old Navy across the street from the sporting goods store I shopped first and rejected for costing too much, total costs $21.01 including tax. I got one black, one medium grey, and one light green pair in my size on sale for 50% off. So now I don’t have to wear raggedy shorts outside just to have pockets for stuff.

The Big Story continues to be the impaired driver who crossed 4 lanes to hit a sidewalk cyclist head on. Driver charged after cyclist hit and killed in Hickory and Police: Driver charged after cyclist hit, killed in Hickory and this one that was very hard to track down ‘I’ve never seen anything like that’ That last one I had to do an archive search at the paper because the URL and headline had changed. That “nobody would have done something like this on purpose” quote is exactly what makes me think he “done it on purpose”, or as Mrs. the Poet says, “Only someone who did it on purpose would say it that way.”

Remember that woman killed on USBR 36? Charges filed in Alton bicycle death

Someone wanted to show that this death was not an accident. MAN SHOT AND KILLED WHILE RIDING BICYCLE IN WYNNEFIELD Got out of the car to stop the cyclist and shoot him in the face, then got back into the car. That pretty much defines “not an accident” for me.

A cyclist in MA finds that drivers do not pay attention to bikes anywhere. Cyclist injured after colliding with car in Brockton Cyclist negotiating a parking lot and driver not looking for bicycles in the parking lot. And a miraculous transformation took place, “The man was riding a bicycle in the parking lot of the Westgate Mall about 10 a.m. when he turned into a car.” I wish I could turn into a car sometimes. Does anyone remember Turbo Teen?

Commentary on bicycle infrastructure in MN. Thoughts on danger and biking The chances of getting hit are low but non-zero, and the consequences fall mainly on the cyclist because there is little likelihood of prosecution in a wreck. And the article that brought on this article. Hit by a car (again) in Downtown St. Paul, or why we need the bike plan The cyclist was taking the least-awful route between destinations, not the “best”.

And a less local look but still from the same city. Is a safe bike ride too much to ask?

And it isn’t limited to drivers vs. cyclists, either. WATCH: Horrifying video as man is struck by car and thrown into the air in road rage brawl They hit the guy with his own car after failing to hit him with their fists.

I think this might be infrastructure-related, seeing as this was the scene of one of the UK’s worst motor vehicle wrecks before this bike wreck. Cyclist dies after falling from notorious bridge in North Yorkshire Dales The bridge has been in existence at least since 1925 when they had a big wreck there that killed 7, but that is no excuse especially since they had the wreck in 1975.

This door prize was within inches of being fatal. Heart-stopping moment cyclist falls into path of a black cab after swerving to avoid car door Cyclist injured, bike and cab damaged, all because the driver of the weapon vehicle failed to maintain a proper lookout.

And this from the Emerald Isle of my ancestry. High death and injury rates among cyclists alarm road safety campaigners Maybe adopting the CROW manual instead of trying to reinvent the wheel would do the job?

And I’m outta links again. Only 26 more days until my Death Day celebration! I think I want some new dice this year, I don’t have enough d6 for my D&D3.5e Warlock10 that I’m playing, and none of my digital rollers will let me roll damage in one roll either. I have magical devices that give me a total of +13 to hit with Eldritch Blast (ranged touch attack), and a total of 10d6 damage when I hit, which I do anytime I roll a 2 or higher against almost all enemies.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Unkillable Badass Poet

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Billed @€0.02, Opus the tired Poet