I need a new laptop, and the Feed

It’s looking like the Chromebook is about to be replaced whether I like it or not. I’m getting keyboard issues, things like keypresses not getting registered or keys getting stuck, and also the touchpad sometimes puts the cursor where I tell it and clicks when I click it, and sometimes it just does nothing. If I’m doing my sums right I got the Chromebook late March 2013, which makes it right at 3 years old now and used as much as 18 hours a day for work and recreation, an average of say 9 hours a day, every day since March 2013 so 3 * 365 * 9 gets roughly 9800 hours of use. That’s a lot of ham-fingered typing, clicking, and page views, so the little lap top has a right to be worn out. There are some things about Chrome OS that I’m [not thrilled] with, specifically their habit of doing OS updates without permission. This has caused me to lose functionality for certain things several times when I really needed that particular thing to work, like when I lost MP4 audio right before doing a presentation that was dependant on MP4 videos as emphasis for certain points of the presentation. I mean what good are music videos with no music?

Up first, affluenza killer Ethan Couch is transferred to the adult criminal system, which means his probation is about to get severely altered. Couch case transferred to adult court

On the far northwest corner of the same county WoaB World HQ resides, cyclists are getting tired of getting hit. Coppell Cycling Community Nervous After Rash of Accidents With Cars Yep, once again physics proves that what would be a minor fender-bender for a car or truck is an extended hospital stay when a cyclist subs for one of the cars or trucks. I’m really glad they are going with the BMUFL regulatory signs instead of the “Share The Road” advisory signs that are frequently interpreted by drivers as “Bicycles get out of my F&$(*&% way” signs.

Now Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: Koretz prevaricates on Westwood Blvd, possible 15 years in SD hit-and-run, and sing the joys of hi-viz

And Daily Ted Part 2. Ventura bike rider killed in midnight hit-and-run

Still in CA and still about hit-and-run. Suspect arrested in San Jose hit-and-run that killed cyclist This was the H&R where they found the weapon vehicle with major damage and minus license plates a few miles from the scene. So it’s not like the driver can claim lack of knowledge about hitting the cyclist.

Also still in CA, if they are going to pay people to buy ZEV, shouldn’t the one with the lowest full-stream emissions be part of the deal? Action Alert: Sign the Bike Rebate Petition

Trying to get FL out of worst-place ranking. Florida Launches Hit-and-Run ‘Bad to Worse’ Campaign When you look at how much more deadly a wreck becomes when the victim is denied access to quick intervention by medical personnel, preventing H&R and getting EMTs and ambulances on scene ASAP seems like a no-brainer for reducing the death rate.

Some good news on infrastructure in PA. Grant approved for Rail Trail expansion in Newville The expansion will take the rail trail right up to the local HS, providing a safe route to and from the school, meaning less motor vehicles on the roads around the school. It was fortuitous that the school abutted the old railroad when it was built.

More good news in PA. PHILADELPHIA’S NEW MAYOR PLEDGES 30 MILES OF PROTECTED BIKE LANES IN FIVE YEARS

Update on a NYC bike wreck victim. Family raising money for funeral of Staten Island bike victim struck by car This was the guy hit and killed by a driver on pot (and other medications) at the time of the wreck.

Moving to Jolly Olde, the driver that ran over a cyclist waiting at a traffic light has admitted to “careless” driving. Victoria cyclist death: Essex lorry driver admits killing Boris bike rider This has to be a plea deal.

More links to the wreck where a UK cyclist was assaulted by a road-raging driver. Witness appeal after male cyclist seriously injured after argument with female driver and Cyclist chased for 200 yards by road rage driver: I thought I was going to die

This time it looks like the glass was placed during construction, not thrown down as an act of terrorism. Has glass in the asphalt stopped the racing at Odd Down Cycle Circuit?

Remember that thing about Super Mario nude except for a helmet for a bike picture? Here it is an all its NSFW glory. Mario Cipollini baits helmet lobby – by wearing one, and nothing else Well technically he had shoes and socks on…Mrs. the Poet says he “Looks good. Needs to put some clothes on, but he looks good.”

A little bike infrastructure is about to be lost in the UK. South Cambs BikeBus scheme to close after lowpassenger numbers They were trying to get people out of the city for countryside rides, but they didn’t feel safe there either.

More legal infrastructure from Scotland. Drivers who hit cyclists should be ‘presumed liable’, says record breaker Mark Beaumont Another voice in favor of presumed liability.

Wreck in Enn Zed. Former Canterbury basketball player injured in crash I really can’t tell anything about the wreck from the crime scene pictures, what could be the weapon vehicle was probably moved by medical personnel to get better access to the victim.

And I’m outta links finally. Time to put the post and the writer to bed.

Billed @$0.02, Opus

Advertisement

I cooked dinner tonight, and the Feed

Well most of it anyway. We splurged and bought ³/₄ of a pound of chicken livers because I haven’t had chicken livers in years. Part of the reasons for that is Mrs. the Poet refuses to go through the mess and bother of cooking them, primarily because she can barely eat them. I wrapped about half a pound of bacon around the livers and fried them up, a preparation method that leaves the livers so that I love them, and Mrs. the Poet will at least have a couple of ounces total uncooked weight so she gets some protein in her meal. Anyway that takes a while to cut the bacon strips in half, wrap them around the livers, and fry them up. So I ended up losing about an hour from the filtering process preparing the blog post, but as this was Friday and I have to wait until after midnight to finish filtering I could afford to take the time out for cooking. And they were goooooood…

Up first is Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: Bike beats car in race to beach, Calbike wants your take on bike politics, and BMX legend dies

Still in CA. Bicyclist Suffers Major Injuries in Head-On Crash Near Jalama A person claiming to be the driver in the comment section said she was to the right of the centerline and the cyclist was on the wrong side of the road.

And speaking of that BMX legend, here’s a link off of my Twitter feed. Dave Mirra, BMX Legend, Dead At 41

Down in Houston a 3YO cyclist is run over by a driver that did not know he was there when the SUV started moving. Former UGA star Danny Ware fighting for body of son killed in Texas Again this is more of an issue with the blind spots of the SUV around kids.

In WI a kid-authored bill would make cycling the official state exercise. Kids Advocate for Biking to be State Exercise With two bike manufacturers in-state (Trek and Volae), this is really a no-brainer choice to make.

A bill presented to the FL legislature would strengthen the state 3-foot passing law and extend it to other road users. SPEAK UP FOR SAFETY OF PEOPLE ON BICYCLES, PEOPLE ON FOOT One of the major changes proposed is to put teeth in the law when a driver hits a cyclist from behind (or a pedestrian or any of the other classes of “vulnerable users”) substantial fines are levied against the driver.

More infrastructure news from FL. Recent accidents raises concerns for local cyclists It’s worth noting that of the recent wrecks listed none were the cyclist’s fault and would have resulted in the enhanced penalties in the proposed bill mentioned in the previous paragraph.

Update on an injured CO cyclist. Fort Collins cyclist hit by car remains hospitalized I do wish they would stop saying drivers don’t get hurt when they hit cyclists with their cars.

Death-defying report from NY. Police log: Dogs chase man on bike

Another link to the saga of the unlicensed driver in an HGV running over a cyclist wearing HiViz and blinky lights waiting at a red light. Lorry driver who killed cyclist jail appeal rejected Did he seriously expect to get a reduction in his sentence after having multiple driving convictions and driving without a license or insurance when he killed the cyclist? He’s lucky they didn’t find a way to increase the sentence.

Infrastructure-related wreck in Oz. Cyclist falls on deteriorating Bellarine Rail Trail amid calls for repairs It seems they can’t decide if the cyclist wrecked because the surface was bad, or because the surface collapsed underneath her.

New gadgets for the tool geeks out there. The 6 coolest accessories we’ve spotted this week That suction-cup bike carrier looks interesting.

And I think I don’t have any more links (checks) Nope, no more links.

Billed @€0.02, Opus

I’m a millionaire until the Powerball drawing, and the feed

Yep, I bought a ticket to that half-billion $ Powerball jackpot. I mean invest $2 for a potential payout of $500,000,000? With my luck I would be crazy not to. I mean how many people do you know who survived getting hit with a truck going 60 MPH? The odds are slightly better than winning the Powerball, but not by much.

Up first is our Daily Ted. Morning Links: Too much bike tech, cyclocross nationals, and riding your bike pony through an LA El Niño

Still in CA, an update on that Loma Linda wreck from earlier in the week. LOMA LINDA: Cyclist fatally hurt when elderly motorist turned left Left cross, one of the scenarios I had guessed at when this was last reported on.

Another cyclist is hit in the most deadliest state in the US to ride a bike (or walk). Cyclist injured in hit-and-run crash in Sarasota The narrative sounds like a left cross or right hook, or just posssibly a swoop and squat. If the latter, then this was an assault with a deadly weapon rather than a hit-and-run.

This driver in NYC was trying to go out with a bang. Suicidal Driver After Christmas Eve Hit-And-Run Rampage: “I Wanted To Go Out In A Glorious Way” The current condition of the cyclist hit during the rampage is undisclosed.

The depravity of this wreck is beyond comprehension. Drunk Developer Allegedly Tossed Dead Passenger & His Stuff From Porsche After Hamptons Crash The only thing I have to say is all the dead and injured in this wreck were inside the weapon vehicle. Oh, and the deceased had terrible taste in “friends”.

Who gets sued when the inevitable cyclist injury or wreck happens? City gives in to state demand to remove bike lanes from SE 26th Avenue Do they sue Dimwitty, or the head of PBOT, the entire city government, or ODOT?

Also in America’s Copenhagen. Hit by Uber driver? Portlander watches as car that hit him drives off The victim in this case was a pedestrian who did not suffer serious injury, but still… the driver of the weapon vehicle left the scene.

A little infrastructure news from WI. Unplowed Snow Reveals Overbuilt Streets The “sneckdown” will show where even rush hour traffic fails to tread leading to significant reductions in street space allocated to motor vehicles. Of course this method only works for places where it snows regularly, which leaves out the Beautiful Suburbs of Hell.

Infrastructure news from the coffee capital of the US (home for Starbucks and other coffee companies, but not Seattle’s Best, which is located in Texas). Dangerous, unnecessary Seattle bike lane project moving forward There are two things that make me think this might not be an unbiased article: the credit is given to a Jason Rantz from a radio station and this line from the article: “The only people who like this idea are the small group of loud bike activists and “urbanists-at-all-costs” who bully anyone who stands in their way.”

A legal saga from Canuckistan. Alberta driver who crashed into teen cyclist to be sentenced in February “The Crown is asking for a sentence of 12 to 15 months while the defence is seeking three to six months.” Of course they are, they’re not the one stuck in the living hell of a shattered mind.

A cyclist escapes death by a terrorist act only because he and his bike put his neck significantly higher than a normal rider. Cyclist is almost GARROTTED after yobs strung a piece of electric flex across a bike path The picture showed what could have been a serious boobly trap. This was no “prank”, this was an attempt to kill.

And some people will just kill with a car or truck instead of going to all the trouble to rig a bike path. Hailsham cyclist captures near-miss incidents on camera I couldn’t watch the videos because they failed to load when I clicked on them. The stills were less than spectacular.

More videos from the tiny island nation of Malta. Watch: Cyclists’ near misses in Malta

I’m out of links and ready to get some more work done on the Mini Sprint-T. I have just about finished the dam that will support the body filler that will make the kit bucket like the Speedway bucket only 1/25 the the size. There will need to be a lot of work done to the cowl especially in the firewall area to get the vacuformed body as narrow as the Speedway body, but I think I have the skills to do it. I’m still trying to figure out the best way to do it, but I know I can do it. One way or another I will have the T-Bucket of my dreams even if it’s only 1/25 scale.

Billed @$0.02, Opus

More stuff arrived, and the Feed

The new Crock Pot™, and the tires and engine for the Mini Sprint-T arrived via USPS this morning. I have already measured the tires and all I have to do to make them the perfect size is figure out how to inflate them on the wheels until the glue dries or otherwise hold the simulated beads of the tires up against the simulated flanges of the wheels. They are molded with the beads a scale 7″ apart (0.28) causing the sidewalls to be a scale 9″ wide (0.36) when they need to be 8″ apart and 10″ wide respectively. One way I can see of doing this would be to glue one bead to the outside flange of the wheel then put a tiny bit of AB expanding foam inside the tire to push it to the inside flange of the wheel, then glue it in place if needed.

The engine kit was fully chromed, as in everything on the sprue was covered in vacuum-sprayed aluminum. This will simulate a highly-polished aluminum block and heads which the 1:1 car will not have (as much as I would like to put an aluminum block SBC in the Sprint-T), but which will make the model stand out should I decide to put it in a car show.

Up first is a new world record that was set before I was born. Tarzan Rides the HAM’R Kurt Searvogel 75116 miles in one year. I have never even driven a car that many miles in a year. That’s 8.57 MPH average for the entire year, including all off the bike activity. That’s almost fast enough to make this a randonneur event of more than 120K km or 100 Paris-Brest-Paris rides.

Anyone need a cruiser bike for free? Let’s give someone a new bike, courtesy of Beachbikes.net Let me know if you’re the winner.

Still talking Ted. Morning Links: New laws are much ado about nothing, bad bicyclist behavior, and ride faster and save your sperm

Still in CA. San Jose: Downtown bicyclist killed in city’s first traffic death of the year The narrative does not indicate the cyclist was caught by a stale green.

Over in OR. Man hit while bicycling near Western Oregon University is last Oregon road fatality of 2015 This was the guy hit by a drunk driver then knocked into oncoming traffic by the impact.

Should we celebrate? NYC Traffic Deaths Decreased For A Second Straight Year In 2015 Now if they could just do something about the SUVs driving through crowded sidewalks and killing people, and the drivers not even getting a ticket…

Hit-and-run down in MD. Cyclist killed in collision with car in St. Mary’s County and UPDATE: Bicyclist in California Killed in Hit and Run Accident The picture shows a bicycle hit straight from behind, but I can’t read the speedlimit sign visible in the picture because of excessive glare from the camera flash reflecting from the sign.

There was also a DE wreck. Cyclist Injured in Crash on Bay Rd. in Frederica The street views show a highway with a 55 MPH speed limit and driveways running right into the road, or IOW a “stroad”. The wreck narrative indicates a cyclist trying to get to or from one of the commercial establishments on the opposite side of the road. There were not many crossing points in the median.

A Detroit-area cyclist is killed. Canton cyclist hit by car, killed Sunday I know riding a bike feels like magic, but we can’t “appeared all of a sudden“. The victim was there all along, just because you didn’t process his existence until impact doesn’t mean cyclists can violate the laws of physics. If the driver didn’t see the cyclist, then it is highly likely the driver was driving too fast for conditions. The video indicated the cyclist was “crossing”, but the text does not and there were no pictures of the bike that I can use to determine the direction of impact. So until otherwise treat this as a cyclist not allowing enough time to get clear of the street.

The most deadliest state to ride a bike kills another cyclist. Port Richey bicyclist killed in crash on U.S. 19 Again the cyclist was “in the intersection” but no direction of travel was given. So this could be any mode of wreck that just happened to be in an intersection. And I looked up the intersection claimed for the wreck and I strongly suspect either a stale green or excessively short green as a possible cause of the wreck because the one street is basically just an access road between shopping centers.

A PA cyclist appears to have been right hooked or left crossed. Elderly cyclist injured after being hit by car Friday night The narrative is not specific, but it is highly suggestive as the cyclist was not accused of either having not enough lights or running a traffic control and the driver was “trying to get on a ramp” to a highway.

A bit of the kind of bicycle infrastructure in Boston that we don’t think about until we need it. Boston Bike Cafe Has Transportation Equity on the Menu This is a local creation intended to support the commuting cyclists in the area who can’t affotd a car or even transit.

Speaking of “too poor”, lets not leave out “too stupid”. ‘Nervous’ cyclist found carrying drugs and knife is jailed to ‘wipe the slate clean’ Lights would have prevented a stint in the Grey Bar Hilton. Just sayin’.

Still in Jolly Olde a cyclist recovering more than 3 years after the wreck gets a hefty payout. Cyclist wins £100k payout for collision that left him in wheelchair for four months As in my wreck he was found to have torn ligaments long after the wreck.

Apparently the writer didn’t re-read his opening paragraph when composing the last few. Lycra lout cyclists, stop! On city streets bikes are for transport, not sport But in the opening paragraph she said,”Cyclists trundling along under 8mph had far more incidents and near misses than the fast mob.”

Still in Jolly Olde this cyclist repeats an epic charity ride. Larne cyclist to repeat epic 500km Swiss cycle challenge It’s not the distance, it’s the mountain passes climbed that make it “epic”.

And it’s almost midnight and I’m outta links.

Billed @$0.02, Opus

It’s here it’s here, and the Feed

I have on my desk one of the tires from the kit I bought off Amazon. I think maybe all that tracking put the USPS on notice and the package got here the day before the first day of delivery I paid for.

Here’s the kit.

The side panel of the box.

The end panel

The most critical component in the kit for making the Mini Sprint-T.

If you look at the back side of the bucket from the kit,

And then look at the same view on the real car,

You can see the work that needs to be done to make the part for the Mini Sprint-T right. Not an impossible obstacle, just a little work in the pattern-making stage that will be reversible for making the kit as designed. I’m thinking some duct tape and some putty will do the job, or some kind of barrier and modelling putty to make that outside contour as smooth as the full-size part for making the mold for the vacuformed body for the Mini Sprint-T.

This is also bean day, so I have been tending a pot of beans with another ham bone in the pot that was left over from Thanksgiving a couple of years ago, that we just identified in the freezer.

Up first because it’s in the same state, someone got a lawyer down in Alvin. CLEAR LAKE ATTORNEY KILLED IN CYCLING ACCIDENT IN ALVIN The mode was running into the back of a parked car, which is usually cop-blame speak for a door prize, but the location given was wrong for a door prize. It was right for the kind of wreck where a cyclist gets run off the road and into a parked car which several people suggested in the comments section.

More on the FloriDUH! man. Driver killed cyclist after losing control while receiving services from a The break in the headline wasn’t mine but the origin web site. Yes this is another link to the “I can’t wait” man getting oral sex from a woman he just met in a bar. This would be a much funnier story if the cyclist was not permanently injured and the woman bit the “member” off “I can’t wait” man because of the wreck.

Another NC wreck. Cyclist hit, killed by driver in Orangeburg County Saturday I think it might be possible to have less information in an article, but it would be really hard.

Infrastructure article from SC. Northern Hilton Head Island spot of most bike wrecks They have had a major surge in bike mode share without a concurrent surge in bike wrecks, they must be doing something at least kinda right.

Continuing the trip south we end up back in FL. Ghost bikes gone, but message lingers The DOT does not like reminders that they have failed a very specific segment of road user so conspicuously so Ghost Bikes have a limited lifespan on their roads.

Almost as if the left and right hands are not in communication with each other. South Florida Safe Roads Task Force kicks off initiative to save lives I keep calling FL the most deadliest state in the US to walk or ride a bike, and they finally agree with me. They are doing the absolute minimum they can about the situation, but I suppose almost nothing is better than nothing at all.

A MN cyclist is left crossed while riding in the sidewalk. St. Cloud man injured after bike was hit by car The bike was legally lighted when hit, the driver was legally blind as in “I can see fine but I’m not paying any attention to the roads,” legal.

Seattle has a ninja problem. Don O’Neill: I almost killed a bicyclist who wasn’t using a light After almost hitting the first one he noticed several more later, which goes to show they aren’t really invisible drivers just need to pay attention to where they are driving.

Now that the World Championships are over they love bikes in Richmond VA? Richmonder of the Year: Cycling

Another Ghost Bike in the ABQ. Ghost bike installed to remember Albuquerque cyclist They say the cyclist ran the red but since the only surviving witness was the driver of the weapon vehicle…

Our Daily Ted, part one. Morning Links: Bike traffic up in Santa Monica, and more bighearted people for the season of giving

And Parté dos. Describe Your Ride: Commuting to work on the beach path and tourist-lined streets of Santa Monica

Over in Jolly Olde. Cyclist hugs and forgives driver who nearly killed her and led to her losing a leg I must say she is much more generous than I would be. I think I still have a pair of steel toe boots for kicking the crotch of the guy that hit me back in 2001 if he turns out to still be alive. And then for kicking the crotch of the “detective” that covered up the fact that I was hit by a city vehicle until after the statute of limitations to file suit against the city had expired. “Paul-Ioan Mihacea was fined just £750 after Victoria Lebrec was seriously hurt in the crash and only saved thanks to pioneering treatment” Yep, they gave her some good drugs the day of the hearing.

A cyclist was assaulted with a deadly weapon and they tried to rob him while he was down, but bystanders intervened. Cyclist injured after attempted robbery in Norwich

Over in Oz, a horrendous wreck. Cyclist killed in car crash in Perth and Perth cyclist killed hours before surprise party also Family of killed Perth cyclist Tom Curtis make road safety plea

And another wreck in Oz. Cyclist killed in crash with car in Maroubra OK he was hit by/with a car and …

And I’m outta links, which is good because I have a trip to the Lab Rat Keeper tomorrow to get more meds.

Billed @$0.02, Opus

Post Turkey Day CARnage and apocalypse in the Feed

I hope everyone read my Sunday post. If I have ever written anything from the heart this came straight from my heart. Just so you know I’m not “just” a bicycle advocate. I am a “people” advocate.

Up first is this link predicting the turkey armageddon

Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: Daily News spins bike news badly, not getting it San Pedro, and a local bike rider needs your help

Still in CA. Woman injured in Escondido hit and run, police seek suspect and Cyclist badly injured by Escondido hit-run driver The narrative suggests a right hook as a car turning east from going north would be making a right turn. I hope they catch the driver of that Toyota and run the car through a shredder.

On the other side of the country the most deadly state in the US to walk or ride a bike kills another one. Canadian bicyclist killed in crash with van; driver charged Another right hook as bike infrastructure is placed next to car infrastructure and depending on drivers to pay attention without putting a high price on drivers for not paying attention. Because we know cyclists pay a high price when drivers don’t pay attention to what’s to their right.

Drivers are puzzled by bicycle infrastructure in Indianapolis. What’s the deal with those funky new bike lanes on Pennsylvania Street Downtown?

A peloton is taken out in MD. Four cyclists hurt in chain-reaction pileup in Potomac, Md.

Jurisprudence in the Great White North. Milton man pleads guilty in connection to cyclist’s death in July and Milton man pleads guilty careless driving in cyclist’s death This had to be the result of a plea bargain because there was a hit-and-run with an unregistered vehicle.

Victim report from the Great White North. Chatham cyclist killed by vehicle was working to build better life for family An 18 YO dad with a 3 YO daughter speaks to some bad choices early in life that he was working to overcome.

Another link to the protest against CARnage in Jolly Olde. ‘Coffin’ protest outside TfL over cyclists’ safety in London

Windshield bias in Malta as LEO claim things that are impossible to blame the victim. Malta is always on drivers’ side, insists injured cyclist

Cyclist killed in Enn Zed. Cyclist died after colliding with van in Nelson The weapon vehicle in this wreck was not just an ordinary car, it was actually “weaponized” with reinforced bars protecting the front end.

This is one of the few news outlets that covers without bias. Carless cities are Europe’s future

And now I’m out of links again.

Billed @€0.02, Opus

Feline interference with blogging, and the Feed

Clint and Clyde have been interfering with blogging this morning, mostly by attacking my feet, and my hands when I try to remove them from my feet. The rest of the time they spend chasing each other around the office and demanding head rubs. I would take a picture, but that would require at least one of them slow down long enough to point a camera at them, frame the shot, and push the button. I can manage the first two steps but by the time I get to the third the cat is out of the shot headed for parts unknown. So instead of pursuing a career as a cat photographer I shall fall back on something I sorta do well and write stuff.

On another front I managed to match 3 of 6 in yesterday’s Texas Lotto, scoring me a massive $3 payoff on odds of 148,824:1 against. It has been said that the lottery is a tax on people who are bad at math. I think it is a tax on the desperate and the dreamers and especially the desperate dreamers. As you can see, I can do math. I’m just a member of the third group. BTW I’m keeping $2.70 of this because I’m still following my agreement to give 10% of my lottery winnings to my church.

Up first from a fee that was mainly overseas today is a cyclist hit by a loose trailer in the most deadliest state in the US to walk or ride a bike. UPDATE: Stuart man in critical condition after bike wreck The cyclist was riding in the sidewalk when he was hit by a trailer that also took out a fence and 3 boats. This is not something anyone can avoid except to not be there.

Still in FL, they have an epidemic of blind drivers. UPDATE: Bicyclist dies in crash on 231; officer nearly struck securing scene How the hell do you “not see” a cop car with all the lights flashing? If they let that one slide, there’s no hope for anything as “small” as an adult human being with blinky lights.

KS cyclist hit by a car riding on the sidewalk, cyclist gets ticket. Injuries reported after woman’s bike hits car downtown Driver gets pat on shoulder for driving on sidewalk to hit cyclist, nothing for “failure to yield” to traffic on the sidewalk.

Another link to that awful story about the driver killing a cyclist and getting away with nothing more than a $260 ticket, or barely more than a cyclist gets for not putting a foot down at a stop sign. No criminal charges for driver in crash that killed Reed College grad on bicycle Running a stop sign on a bicycle gets a $220 ticket. Killing a cyclist should result in a much higher fine by at least an order of magnitude, not $40.

Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: Savvy cycling in OC, keeping bike theft petty, and riding with the Ovarian Psychos

Still in CA, a memorial ride. Memorial ride honors Redding bicyclist

Wounded Warrior ride in NV. Ride 2 Recovery hits the Strip

Drivers having a hard time dealing with a parking-protected bike lane in IN. “Protected bike lane” causes confusion What they need is to run some parking stoppers between the bike lane and the parking lane.

Memorial ride for the couple killed by a drunk driver while riding a tandem bike. Ceremony held to honor husband and wife killed on tandem bike

Another cyclist hit in the Great White North. Cyclist seriously injured after being struck by vehicle in North York I really can’t tell what happened from the bike wreckage picture because both wheels have a small amount of damage, but the frame is buckled and the fork is broken.

How do cyclists die in Jolly Olde? How are cyclists most likely to die? I find it interesting that cyclists killed 4 pedestrians in the UK were killed in collisions with cyclists, from the ranting and raving in the comments section of the Daily Mail you would think it was a daily happening.

A negative review of the Volvo LifePaint reflective coating. Volvo’s hi-vis paint for cyclists is not such a bright idea To be honest I expected this result when the spray finally made it to the “wild” away from photo effects and digital editing.

From Oz an expensive but ultimately futile campaign to stop dooring. TAC issues ‘Rider Reminder’ rubber tabs for door handles to stop ‘doorings’ Why do I call this “ultimately futile”? Because in a few weeks or days drivers will no longer notice the textured applique on the door handle.

Cyclists in Oz are threatened by a persistent road terrorist attack that LEO refuse to take seriously. Cyclists protest lack of CCTV amid Yarra Blvd tack attacks These terrorist attacks have been going on nearly daily since January 2014. That represents a serious investment in the means used. Good police work would say, look for someone buying large amounts of tacks on a regular basis.

Still in Oz, a cyclist is hit from behind on a straight road with excellent sight lines. Cyclist killed I see LEO are trying to blame the fact the cyclist was riding a ‘bent for the fact that the driver ran him over from behind. Face it, if a driver can’t see an adult human being in the road they have no business driving.

Over in Enn Zed, a cyclist pushing his bike is hit. Young cyclist killed after getting off bike and A pedestrian killed by a motorist near Mapua may have been a cyclist reported by concerned motorists earlier. Cyclist discovers he isn’t as visible as he thought and gets off to walk, then gets hit because he’s still not visible?

A sad story about a dead cyclist. Dead Hamilton cyclist hoped to mend marriage The cyclist was using cycling to get his head back together, and a motor vehicle destroyed that effort. The real kick in the head was that had they managed to get him out from under the truck sooner he might have recovered with no lasting effects beyond the orthopedic injuries. He died from the hypoxia caused by the chest compression.

And I’m finally out of links before I ran out of patience.

Billed @€0.02, Opus

I have found a 3D printer I can use for making parts for the Mini Sprint-T, and the Feed

OK one of the minor problems I have been facing building the Mini Sprint-T as a mockup for the full size car has been things like steering boxes, and brake discs in the right diameter, and power steering pumps and brackets. But I have found place that will let me make 3D printed 1/25 bits for $50 and the cost of materials, provided I can find or create a CAD file in the .dwg format, or a half-dozen or so other formats this printer understands. I could even make bits to make the front wheels turn and roll by printing spindles as well as hubs. Or using a printed spindle to cast a metal one that would make the wheels roll better.

Up first because reasons is the gun tragedy in CO. Two women and a cyclist killed after heavily armed gunman opened fire in downtown of Colorado spot voted ‘America’s best place to live’ and Colorado Springs neighborhood honors cyclist who was shot, killed also Cyclist begged for life while Colorado gunman fired I have been exposed to gun violence, to motor vehicle violence, and been the victim of a hate crime (someone thought I was a Mexican because I spoke fluent Spanish and rode my bike for transportation), but I have never seen this kind of depraved indifference to human life.

Getting to the rest of the stories with multiple links we get this drunk driver running over a MD couple on a tandem bike. Two Montgomery cyclists killed while on their tandem bike and 2 bicyclists hit & killed by drunk driver in Md. also Loved ones remember cyclists killed by possibly drunk driver Stories like this remind me of why I want to put drunk drivers back behind the wheels of their beloved vehicles for one last trip, through a car shredder. The cyclists were wearing about as much HiViz as a humans can wear and riding in bright sunshine but that didn’t keep the wasted driver from running right into them.

Hit-and-run in NV. Police Looking for Driver Who Hit and Killed Bicyclist and Bicyclist struck and killed by vehicle in Reno The narrative is hit-from-behind and then a hit-and-run. The ways to avoid a hit-from-behind are in the protocols link at the top of the page. The careful mention in both links of the cyclist’s lights are a clue that the cyclist was equipped well beyond the legal minimums, which means that the driver may have either fixated or deliberately targeted the cyclist.

From CA we get this hit-from-behind wreck. Cyclist killed in Road 99 collision and Coroner identifies Davis bicyclist killed in collision with SUV The narrative is interesting. It reads like the driver saw oncoming traffic first and slightly fixated on that and just didn’t process the cyclist out there on the shoulder/right side of the lane until just before impact. Since there was no mention about the cyclist’s lights and reflectors we have to assume they were there and operational because if they weren’t you know there would have been mention of that fact, prominent mention. The cyclist was not far to the right over on the shoulder that was just barely there, but might not have been far enough out into the lane for the driver to see him. The fact remains that the driver chose to hit the cyclist over moving into the other lane with oncoming traffic, a common trope among carhead internet commenters who don’t seem to realize there is such a thing as a brake pedal.

While we are in CA how about some Daily Ted? Morning Links: A reminder to lock your bike the right way, more kind people, and citing Cedillo as a bike expert

Why did this driver “lose control” and drive into a group of Halloween revellers? Halloween Tragedy: 3 Killed, 4 Injured When Driver Crashes Into Trick Or Treaters In The Bronx “No criminality suspected”

In the most deadliest state in US to walk or ride a bike we get a demonstration of “why”. Seminole woman hit, killed while riding bicycle The driver was crossing the sidewalk while not looking where he was going or for any traffic on the sidewalk at all.

Still in FL, a driver “forgets” how to change lanes to pass. Cyclist killed in Melbourne incident Several drivers saw and passed safely before the weapon vehicle ran over the cyclist from behind. The cyclist was doing it right, not her fault the driver forgot how to drive.

Over in Bayou Country an allegedly ninja cyclist is hit from behind. Lake Charles bicyclist killed in accident Not getting lighted like a Christmas tree is not an excuse for driving faster than you can stop in the distance you can see clearly in the light from your headlights. Still, lights and reflectors people, they can save your life.

PA cyclist is chased down and shot (?!?) POLICE ID TEEN KILLED ON BICYCLE IN STRAWBERRY MANSION

Over in IL there were 4 minor bike wrecks in one day. La Grange police blotter: Bike rider gets clipped, escapes injury

GA gets a USBR. U.S. Bike Route 21 will be one of the first of its kind in America If you want to ride from Cleveland to Atlanta via Chattanooga USBR 21 is your way to go. Not the shortest route, but the one route where drivers will be expecting to see cyclists.

Mapping where drivers and cyclists almost hit will predict where they actually do hit. Mapping Safer Streets for Bicyclists, Pedestrians in Portland This is important because the difference between a scare with no contact and a fatality can be fractions of an inch. Do something about the scares and you don’t have to worry about the fractions of an inch.

WY wants to fix their infrastructure so they don’t lose any tourists. Bike benefit bill ready to go to Wyoming House

Remembering a fallen PA cyclist. Cyclists remember Taylor Banks during memorial ride

Another SWCC wreck in the Great White North. Cyclist critically injured in Parc Avenue collision You can look at that bike and tell the driver does not have a firm grasp on reality. Can’t LEO look at a bike and see the directionality of the impact? Or is that a skill that I developed on my own?

Nothing a cyclist can do about a car on your side of the street, even in the GWN. Cyclist killed in head-on collision near Quebec City “The jaws of life were necessary to free the driver from his vehicle” says more about the severity of this wreck than I ever can.

After creating a controversy with the 3 month limit for ghost bikes they want to make a permanent memorial. Ghost bike debate: Permanent memorial for cyclists proposed. That’s wonderful, but a permanent memorial to killed cyclists does nothing to alert drivers about bad intersections or other bad infrastructure that gets cyclists killed by motor vehicles.

LEO have the time of a hit-and-run death down to a very tiny window. Police have narrowed time when cyclist killed to five minute window It sure seems like this has been a bad weekend for bicycles in the Great White North. More Brampton cyclist fell, then was run over by transport truck: police OK buzz job and then fell under the rear wheels of the truck. Why do they have to find ways of blaming the cyclist for falling first when Occam’s Razor says he got hit by the truck and run over?

Jolly Olde reacts to the US Bishop going to prison for killing a cyclist while driving drunk. Seven years for bishop who killed cyclist while driving drunk and texting

More on the driver who assaulted a kid with his car and was barely given a tap on the wrist. Motorist jailed for chasing down and hitting teenage cyclist in his car

A cycling hazard that’s unique to Oz. Cyclist seriously hurt after hitting kangaroo at Victor Habor There was a song popular when I was a kid that seems appropriate here.

Another one gets hit in Enn Zed. Cyclist seriously injured after being struck by car The cyclist was either hooked or crossed, from the damage to the weapon vehicle my money is on “crossed”. You can see the imprint of the handlebars in the doorskin leaning away from the direction of travel with obvious impact damage to the quarter window behind the door.

And I’m finally out of links today.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet

Rain again, and the Feed

This has been a very rainy October for the Beautiful Suburbs of Hell, we are getting wet again as I type this. The rain today has been the steady drizzle kind of rain locally as we get the fringes of more severe downpours that go to the north or south of Casa de El Poeta. That part has been mostly good. The dull light, and cool temps are mostly bad.

Up first is a wreck close to home, by TX standards. Local Teen Injured after Getting Hit While Riding Bike Claim is the cyclist ran the stop sign. If the impact was from the side then I would have to agree, if the cyclist was hit from behind by a driver not paying attention…

Infrastructure from down the road a bit in Austin. Postcard from Austin: curb extensions that don’t block bikes Make things easy for the pedestrians and cyclists while not making drivers too mad.

That insurance company in BC has gotten international attention from blaming the cyclist for getting hit head-on by a drunk driver driving on the wrong side of the road. Cyclist to blame for his own death near Whistler in May: British Columbia insurance authorities and ICBC blames highway bike death near Whistler on cyclist’s negligence also B.C.’s public auto insurer blames ‘careless’ cyclist for his own death in crash with alleged drunk driver Guys, you probably want to settle this quickly, and big, if you like keeping your jobs. Public opinion is turning against you very rapidly.

Also making news is the cargo container that crushed a cyclist in CA. Authorities Probe How Big Rig Container Became Loose, Crushed Cyclist To Death and Authorities offer clues in the case of bicyclist crushed by shipping container The company line fails to mention the truck driver’s strike at the port and the fact that scab drivers were hired from other companies not equipped to handle cargo containers properly, and that the combination of flatbed and cargo container is about 6″ taller than cargo containers on their proper trailer. When the cargo container struck the underside of the bridge it destroyed most of the straps holding it to the trailer with the few that remained unable to restrain the load. which would not have happened with the proper trailer designed to move the container because 1) it is shorter by about 6″ and 2) it does not use straps over the top of the container to restrain the load.

Another story still making the news is the former Episcopalian bishop in MD going to prison for killing a cyclist while DUI and texting while driving in the bike lane. Bishop who killed cyclist while driving drunk gets 7 years and Bishop Who Killed Cyclist While Driving Drunk Will Serve Seven Years

The news from NYC is don’t hit NYPD with your car even when they wander in the street not paying attention to traffic. Video: NYPD Traffic Agent Struck By Driver In Clinton Hill Well now we know what it takes to get a non-fatal pedestrian wreck taken seriously.

Update from the most deadliest state in the US to walk or ride a bike. Dough bakery rallying around injured co-worker Commuting should not be an extreme sport with possible deadly outcomes. For those readers local to the fundraiser tell me how the Bee doughnuts taste.

The Show Me state takes out another cyclist. Cyclist injured after being struck by pickup Hit-from-behind, the cyclist was lucky it wasn’t more serious.

More on the death of a PA cyclist in a pinball wreck. Blaming bicyclists There were 3 motor vehicles involved besides the cyclist who was waiting on a red light between the last two motor vehicles when the last motor vehicle was struck from behind and pushed into the motor vehicle in front, crushing the cyclist.

A CO cyclist is remembered and money raised in his honor. Cyclist’s death inspires 24-hour ride

Cyclist killed in the other Portland. Bicyclist seriously injured after being hit by pickup in Portland It was a cross or a hook, without directions of travel it is impossible to know.

The most deadliest state in the US tries to shed that title. New effort aims for zero pedestrian, bicycle deaths in Tampa

IL infrastructure news. CHICAGO BUILT THE BEST BIKE LANE OF 2013 OVER ITS STATE’S OBJECTIONS

Wounded Warriors roll through AZ. Injured Service Members Cycle toward Recovery and Healing

Hit-and-run in the Great White North. Male cyclist killed in hit and run in Brampton Why are they making excuses for the killer before they even start looking for him or her?

Disgusting infrastructure news from the GWN. City wants three-month limit on memorials for traffic victims This specifically includes Ghost Bikes.

UK man killed cycling in Turkey. Bradford man, 52, killed in cycling accident in Turkey

In spite of numerous witnesses not including the victim, they let this weasel go free. Halling man did not drive van into young cyclist, court rules WTF?!?

More magnanimous than I could manage. Widow’s court message: I forgive you This was the driver who was not supposed to be driving because of a medical condition that caused him to fall asleep at the wheel.

This wreck in Oz looks like a left hook, the “drive on the wrong side of the road” equivalent of the right hook. Cyclist suffers head injuries, fractures after collision with truck in Hobart

Nothing on the mode of this deadly wreck in Oz. NSW cyclist dies after crash

Another wreck not very far from the one in the paragraph above. Cyclist injured in crash – North Wollongong I put both wrecks in the sama paragraph at first because they were both in the same suburb of North Wollongong. I mean, what are the odds they would have two cyclist fatalities in the same rather small town within a couple of days of each other?

Terrible wreck in Enn Zed. Cyclist’s wife arrives minutes after Tauranga crash

Recall on a bike trailer for kid hauling. RECALL: Child bicycle trailers due to possible injury risk

Last link, even these bicycle designers say that the best bicycle design in the world is not as good at increasing mode share as getting the infrastructure right. Will A Better-Designed Electric Bike Change Commuting Habits? Biomega Thinks So

And I’m done for the week, Yay! See you Sunday.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet