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

Long day protecting my stuff, and the Feed

Today was a bit of a bust as far as getting things done. I had to do a bank visit, then the post office, then a haircut, and winding up with a trip to the hardware to get black iron pipe for the other rail for the back steps at the church now that we know this works and doesn’t cost too much. The kicker was that Mrs. the Poet was clearing out my stuff from the bedroom to my office, but she has been saying that she was just going to throw everything out instead of moving it to my office. So to prevent that I had to stay and keep an eye on my stuff instead of going to the bank et al. When Mrs. the Poet and our friend decided to quit for lunch I could finally take my leave, about 1:45 later than planned. I managed to get the bank and post office trips taken care of, but the haircut and the trip to the hardware were both derailed because of being late and missing the lady who knows how to cut my hair the way I want it so that I don’t look like a psycho serial killer or a homeless person, which is what I look like when I cut my own hair, from the day of the cut until it’s time to do it again respectively. Somewhere in the middle I look like a decent human being for a couple of days. The trip to the hardware for the pipe was derailed because by this time I had been on my feet for a couple of hours almost straight with a few minutes of sitting on the bus, and my feet were feeling like overcooked bangers (as in “about to explode”) so dragging 10 feet of iron pipe plus fittings home on the bus was about as appealing as smashing my feet with a hammer. Plus if I wait until later I can get 10% off the costs of the parts.

Up first is a bit of the old Daily Ted. Morning Links: Glendale bike rider attacked by SUV driver, and guilty plea in 100 mph Orange County DUI case

And Daily Ted part 2. An open letter to the LA Planning Commission about bike lanes on Westwood Blvd and Central Ave

Those happy rainbow crosswalks might be illegal. Feds Say Some Crosswalk Art Violates Guidelines There was research noted in the article that says it might not matter one way or the other because drivers don’t look for crosswalks before hitting pedestrians.

In far West Canuckistan. New West police investigating deadly crash From The narrative indicates that the locals feel that sub-standard infrastructure was a major factor in this wreck as a major corridor for cyclists was left without any room for cyclists and drivers just didn’t display any patience whan passing cyclists.

People actually ride to work all year round even in places not as warm as TX. International Winter Bike to Work Day February 12th 2016 Don’t forget your woolies out in the cold.

A bit of UK infrastructure. World’s first ‘park and cycle’ among multi-million pound plans for new Cambridge ‘western orbital’ This is how you eventually get completely rid of cars in cities. Sure some people will “have” to drive to get to the city, but we don’t have to let them drive “in” the city.

One has to wonder what the difference is between “careless” driving, and “dangerous” driving causing death. I always thought that causing death was the definition of “dangerous” driving. Derby cyclist’s family say they are ‘paralysed by grief and pain’ – as lorry driver admits guilt I suppose that the “careless” designation was to get more guilty pleas with the reduced consequences for being “careless”.

An almost entirely botched investigation absolves the driver of guilt in the death of a cyclist. Family of killed cyclist Marc Dunk in blood test demand The driver had been consuming codeine but the levels in his blood at the time of the wreck were unknown because there was no blood draw at the time of the wreck or right after.

UK paper covering a wreck in Oz? ‘They’ve stitched his head… he’s battered and bruised’: Avid cyclist Matt Tilley is hit by a car AGAIN after serious accident five years ago I know the feeling, I was hit several times after the one that killed me in 2001.

Keeping in the EU for the moment. Five cyclists injured daily in collisions Portugal isn’t that big, we got counties with more people and area than their entire country. Not both at the same time mind you, but both. Getting 5 cyclists a day hit hard enough to cause injury that is noted for report to higher authority is a lot.

Back in Oz, that guy that was “mysteriously” injured died. Man, 88, dies from injuries sustained in crash at Henley Beach I still don’t get why they aren’t calling this a hit-and-run.

Still in Oz a cyclist has been threatened for training on a deserted bike path that routinely gets overrun with pedestrians most times of day. Keen cyclists hit the Fernleigh Track before sunrise to train at speed despite fears for personal safety | video

Also in Oz. Cyclist killed metres from his home OK, bad joke incoming. If this is Townsville, why didn’t Blossom, Bubbles, or Buttercup save the day? Now that that is out of my system, why was a tandem trailer semi routed through a residential area? The cyclist never had a chance to avoid the wreck.

Moving on to Enn Zed. Christchurch cyclist killed after being struck by train My usual is to reiterate about how easy it is to avoid a train, but the article as it read when I filtered made it sound like this was something that the cyclist couldn’t avoid, and that the wreck had severely impacted the witnesses from the Girls High School so they couldn’t be more explicit.

And more news about the cycling group hit from behind by a drunk driver in South Africa. DJ’s cycling joke backfires and Phoenix plumber charged for cyclists’ death Yes, there is a Phoenix in Africa, several of them as a matter of fact.

And it’s late again, and I’m exhausted. From reading Gigi’s last review she’s going to get mad at me again for posting after her internet goes down. I mean seriously, what kind of person turns off their WiFi at night?. What if they wake up in the middle of the night with a great idea for a story and don’t want to lose it waiting for the WiFi to boot?

Billed @$0.02, Opus

It’s (almost) cold in Texas in August, and the Feed

I had to get up early for some church business and a chunk of arctic air has made it all the way down to the Beautiful Suburbs of Hell, leaving the morning low at what feels like 0°F but what was really 65°. I mean it was just a couple of days ago that we were experiencing 100°F temperatures, going from heat indexes of 109 to 65 is similar to stepping into the walk in freezer from a 72° room. Unfortunately since all the screens are torn out of the windows we can’t open any windows to enjoy cool air that hasn’t been artificially refrigerated, so the AC units are still running every so often to rid the house of the excess heat produced by two adult bodies, the computer and fridge. Add to that the heavy overcast means we have to turn on the lights to see where we are walking inside the house and we are still using more electricity than we should. Once again this is life in Texas. Update, today’s high was only 78°F.

Up first is the sad evidence of what a toll affluenza takes on a community. Teen who killed cyclist in DUI hit-and-run sentenced to 1 year, 10 days Kill a human while you drive drunk and stoned and rich and you get a lesser sentence than a poor person who kicked and injured a dog. Congratulations judge, you have now made human life worth less than an injured dog.

After that I need a palate cleanser to keep me from putting a fist through my laptop. Photos: Until Dogs Can Bike, Here’s The Best Use Of Dogs And Citi Bike The dogs (except the lazy little white one in the lower right corner) are dragging the cyclist down the street.

Still in NYC, NYPD says FU to a pedestrian killed by with a bus. Woman Fatally Struck By MTA Bus Driver In Midtown This Morning The picture is of a different wreck than reported in the article. It’s a stock picture for this outlet.

Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: The Mobility Plan bikelash has begun, and I go off on an unintended rant

A NE cyclist is killed at an intersection. Lincoln man dies in bike-van crash No word on how many “witnesses” who saw the cyclist running the red light were not driving the van that killed the cyclist.

More on the MI cyclist killed while on a charity ride. Memorial ride planned while investigation into Muskegon-area death of Lake Orion cyclist continues Still no word on a suspect, nothing on a weapon vehicle being processed.

A NM cyclist survives impact with a motor vehicle. Roswell boy riding bike injured in collision with car Hit from behind, cyclist blamed for not having “enough” lights or reflectors. “Police said the bike did not have adequate reflectors and lighting.” So in other words the cyclist is blamed for the driver not looking for bicycles.

A ME cyclist is left-crossed and then blamed for the wreck. Woman injured in bicycle-car accident in Belfast Note the narrative, the cyclist “ran into” the car, not the car cut off the cyclist.

Two years after a cyclist is killed by bad infrastructure in SC there are still no plans in place to fix the infrastructure. Mother pleas for changes to Carolina Forest Blvd. after cyclist is hit “The plans to add those bike lanes and walking paths and make Carolina Forest Boulevard a four lane road still have to be approved and added to a referendum that voters will see next year.”

Important infrastructure news from Portland OR. Portland Police now making Vision Zero part of standard procedure

First of two cyclists killed in OH. 14-year-old struck and killed while riding bike It appears to have been a hit-from-behind wreck, possibly a SWSS.

Second death wasn’t a crash. Teen Riding His Bike Shot and Killed in Linden Neighborhood Nothing you can do about getting shot riding in your own ‘hood.

The absolute worse thing that can happen short of death or dismemberment. Help injured North Providence cyclist who lost his bike to thieves Vultures, that’s the most complementary thing I can say about the thieves. There is a special sub-circle of Hell for bike thieves, where they are always late for getting out of Hell because someone stole their bike…

Why are they giving this scum any air time? Gainesville cast member Brian Bunting recently jailed, has multiple arrest history “In late March of 2011, Bunting was involved in an accident that took the life of an Arizona cyclist participating in a Bike Florida event.” He “dropped” his cell hone and drove his F250 into a crowd of cyclists. “(A)nd in February of 2012 was fined $1,000.” And this is why FL kills more cyclists and pedestrians per capita than every state almost every year.

Part of the reason why bicycle commuting is getting bigger in the Crescent City. New Orleans’ transit system still hasn’t recovered, 10 years after Katrina

Good infrastructure from the Great White North. Spotted: A utility vehicle blocking the bike lanes created a temporary bike lane

Also from the Great White North. Quebec City officer charged with dangerous driving causing death of cyclist Hey, it’s not like anyone actually told him that doing the PIT manuever on a cyclist could result in running over the cyclist, and you were supposed to actually catch the cyclist with your hands instead of chasing him down alone in a car.

More crap infrastructure in the UK is blamed for a cyclist’s death by semi. Tollbar Island inquest: Family of dead cyclist do not blame lorry driver Good thing about the infrastructure being blamed is you are allowed to sue the responsible government body for damages in the UK.

Now he’s sorry, at the scene he was blaming the cyclists for getting in the way and being slow, in the bike lane. Sydney driver Thomas Kerr apologises in court to seven injured cyclists I’m sorry, but when you hit 7 cyclists riding single file in the bike lane you are not allowed to say “Oops, I’m sorry!” and get away with it.

Last link is from Enn Zed. Tech savvy triathlete plotting safe cycle routes My fear is knowledge of these routes is going to be used against an injured cyclist in court.

And that’s all. I’m tired, my everything hurts, and I think I just cussed out my wife by accident. The semi-lethal cursing, the one that causes smoking hair and burning synthetic clothes. Remember, stop, drop, and roll. Then call for help because a woman in her 60s isn’t supposed to be dropping or rolling.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Unkillable Badass Poet

Ugh, Monday again? and the Feed

I used to like Garfield, back in the ’80s and early ’90s, but one thing I still like is the Monday hate from a cat that doesn’t do anything all week or during the weekend, but somehow still hates Monday. The irony could be used to build a bridge… My reasons for disliking Mondays are more concrete. If I don’t write about bikes on Saturday or Sunday then the links accumulate for 3 days and I have a monster to deal with come Monday. But as the alternative was never getting time away from injured or dead people who got that way on a bike, having a heavy workload on Monday beats a padded cell 7 days a week.

Up first because the computer is locking up and giving me fits and I need to clean out some links, Part 1 of Our Daily Ted. San Diego cyclist killed by distracted driver; fourth SoCal bicycling fatality in just the last four days This has been a rough stretch again for Ted.

And Daily Ted Part 2. Morning Links: Bike lane riding in the Biking Black Hole; Caltrans looks at active trans; hero cop saves a cyclist OK I thought I had a lot of links on Mondays…

As mentioned in today’s Daily Ted, there were some terrorist attacks on cyclists in the UK this weekend. Cyclist knocked down by ‘cut-throat’ wire stung up on bike path by twisted thugs Several thin wires set a various heights along a bike path by a golf course with injured cyclists finding most of them before LEO cleaned out the rest. And Cyclist crashes as tacks sprinkled on Velothon Wales route – but others praise local support Looking at the comments there were several cyclists injured after getting tires punctured by tacks, but only one “officially” injured. And for the UK commentariat here in TX something like this would be attempted murder if there was a possibility that someone could die because of it.

NYPD has a law that protects pedestrians and to a lesser extent cyclists, but they aren’t enforcing it. Tragic city bike accidents test new Right of Way law — as traffic incidents result in mixed legal recourse A big part of the problem is only 31 officers in all of NYC are allowed to issue those tickets for “failure to yield” that come with the big fines, and they are only called to the scene when someone dies or is likely to die, or is “seriously Injured”. Apparently getting one’s leg turned into hamburger doesn’t count as “seriously”.

And what if the US had nationalized health care that went all the way down to the guy in the ambulance? We would get stuff like this. The moment a cyclist bleeding to death was saved – by a balloon fed through her leg: Woman, 24, undergoes emergency procedure after paramedics decide she would not survive journey to hospital They can do this because there was a surgeon on the team that went in the ambulance. Here in the US that doesn’t happen. And so people die who don’t need to, because profits.

Considering all the technology used to catch speeders, and the fact that so many tech geeks ride regularly, this was practically predestined to happen. Police use ultrasonic device to make sure drivers stay 3 feet from cyclists Personally I would like to see gigawatt laser cannons used to keep drivers away from cyclists (get too close and lose the front of the car), but until that happens, tickets backed by video recording the illegal pass as measured with ultrasound will have to do.

This one hurts a little. Funeral set for Montevallo woman hit and killed while riding bicycle Cyclist killed in a hit-and-run after either getting robbed or escaping getting robbed and trying to get to a safe(r) place.

This one brought a tear to my eye, too. Hundreds of bicyclists ride to promote safety and honor teen killed, another injured This was in MS, not known as a particularly bike friendly state.

It shouldn’t take a dead cop to get moving on keeping cyclists safe, in fact nobody should have to die to get movement on keeping cyclists safe. Officials discuss bicycle ordinances and safety tips in light of Joplin police officer recently injured in bicycle crash Sorry, injured cop, not dead cop. And I noticed that all of the laws discussed were restrictive on cyclists, with none saying anything about not hitting cyclists or that there are more cases where the cyclist has the right to the entire lane than not.

More on the MA cyclist shot and killed. Surveillance video captured slaying of boy on bike, DA says Sorry about the auto-playing video.

They caught a hit-and-run driver in the Great White North after he turned himself in. Keswick man charged in fatal Yorkville hit and run Apparently he cleaned himself and the car up before turning himself in so that he couldn’t be charged with anything except the hit-and-run. Except now they can add “obstructing justice” or whatever they call it in Ontario.

I’m not seeing anything con in this pro and con article on bike trails except that maybe they don’t have enough of them. Let’s Talk About It, Trail Systems

First of many infrastructure articles from roundabout Jolly Olde. Cyclists Demand National Lorry Safety Crackdown When a single mode of travel killed roughly 40% of cyclists last year and 100% of cyclists this year it is a pretty safe assumption that there is something fundamentally wrong with that mode of transport as it pertains to bicycles.

Still on that subject but from another sort of Anglophone country. Campaign to warn cyclists of lorry blind spots There’s your problem, drivers can’t see out of the cabs of trucks well enough to not hit cyclists sharing the streets in the city. Or the pedestrians in the crosswalk either…

A possible solution to the urban chaos. Dublin City Council Poised to Ban Cars in City Center

While we are still doing UK news. WATCH: Chester Triathlon pays tribute to cyclist killed in road accident Yep, I got a little misty on that one, too.

You know the guy was liked by everybody except the killer when they name a bike club after you when you die in a wreck. New bike club set up in memory of cyclist

And from Oz by way of Road.CC in the UK, an idiot. NSW roads minister wants to CLOSE segregated bike lane in Sydney Really, close a bike lane that carries more people than the whole road next to it? You are an idiot.

And on that note I’m out of links, which means I’m also out of idiots. Hurray!

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet

This is gonna hurt, and the Feed

I am taking a break from filtering because 1) my butt is getting tired, and B. my brain is getting slightly crispy around the edges as I deal with some monumentally stupid/trollish comments left on some articles, and π) I need to go hit something. I figure a punch-a-pillow break is better than any of my alternatives.

Up first because “why not?” is Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: Hollywood bike parking becomes a homeless site; a blogger argues bike lane air is bad for LA kids While bike lane air is “bad” the consequences of sitting in traffic in a light armored vehicle are orders of magnitude worse.

And Pt. 2 of Our Daily Ted. 22-year old alleged sidewalk rider killed in South LA hit-and-run How do they know the cyclist “swerved” off the sidewalk in a hit-and-run? And every time I see the word “Slauson” I think this. I used to watch that stuff when it was new. Yes, I already know I’m old…

Another link to the driver banned from owning a cell phone for 2 years. Cellphone ban for driver who killed cyclist is ‘a reminder every day,’ judge says The driver is allowed to use WiFi devices, but anything that directly connects to any cell phone system.

One of the most deeply held tenets of WoaB is “Don’t hit the pedestrians.” Pedestrian Suing Cyclist After Collision On Dearborn Street From the comments section the entire suit is a pack of lies intended to prey upon the prejudices of the (potential) jury, the pedestrian in question walked into the cyclist’s path while walking in the bike lane instead of crossing it, the equivalent of walking down the middle of a street, and the bike was equipped with two independent braking systems, fixie with a front brake. Still, DON’T HIT THE PEDESTRIANS!

OK this one is bizarre beyond words. Bicyclist injured in downtown Woodland accident Adrenaline can be a scary thing. It can make you really stupid, so that you get up and run away from getting hit with a car hard enough to smash the windshield hard enough to spray broken glass on the front seat occupants… Something got this cyclist wound up on adrenaline before he got hit, because there wasn’t enough time for any adrenaline from the wreck to kick in so that he could get up and run away from the wreck like that.

This IL story is a bit better than the one in an earlier paragraph. The ‘Wheel’ Deal: Flossmoor Cop Gifts Bike Crash Victim with a New Ride

I’m including this for a single sentence from LEO, the most sane thing I have ever read credited to a LEO. Cyclist killed by tractor trailer was on way home from work Did you see it, or has it been deleted? “Police say Goodrow was not wearing a helmet but suspect it would have made little difference.” Really, a styrofoam hat against 50K pounds or more of truck and trailer? And regarding the lights and reflectors the VA Vehicle code reads “… shall be equipped with a headlight on the front emitting a white light visible in clear weather from a distance of at least 500 feet to the front and a red reflector visible from a distance of at least 600 feet to the rear when directly in front of lawful lower beams of headlights on a motor vehicle.” So the rear reflector (without a light) was within the law, and the cyclist was hit from behind so the headlight was moot. The truck driver should have seen the cyclist but failed to pass safely.

From NYC another pedestrian is mowed down. 5-Year-Old Boy Struck By Driver On Prospect Park West

More on the Trek QR recall. 3 Reasons Why You May Have a Trek Bicycle Injury Lawsuit And I have one very good reason why you don’t have a valid lawsuit: in order for the “defective” QR to cause the problem it did you have to leave the QR in the open position. The equivalent would be to fail to tighten the lug nuts on your Chevy and then sue GM when the wheel falls off…

While we are in the figurative WI courtroom. Homicide charges loom for driver who hit, killed 2 bicyclists in Muskego I thought there must be foul play in order to hit 2 cyclists and kill them both…

More on the cyclist killed riding USBR 36 in IL. From the view of a cyclist The comments section was toxic. Literally toxic.

From the Great White North. Battlefield bike ride across Europe to aid injured soldiers If any of my Canadian reader$ feel $o inclined…

And court news from Jolly Olde. Bus driver in court over Washington cyclist’s death Still don’t know anything about what happened because of UK media laws, except that LEO think the bus driver “did it” whatever “it” was.

More on those detection systems planned for testing in London. Thermal cameras will watch for waiting cyclists and turn traffic lights green Typical comments about cyclists not paying a tax that hasn’t existed since 1937 in the comment section…

And one wonders what will happen to the program in the last paragraph in light of this report. Tories withdraw £23m of promised spending for cycling in latest cuts

Remembering a cyclist killed by an overloaded semi in Oz. Family honours Brisbane cyclist as memorial mural unveiled at accident site on Annerley Road The truck hit the underside of the bridge and fell on the cyclist riding to the side as the truck passed.

And trying to make the death mean something. Cyclist’s widow calls for inner city truck ban I see a workable compromise: Trucks move in the ban area by trip permit only with bicycle outriders fore and aft to keep the truck from running anyone over. Truck moves no faster than bicycle speed so no cyclists would be endangered by them. Make the permits non-profit (just administrative costs only) and the costs for the cyclists either on a per-mile rate or a per-job rate with a mileage or time limit per job and a new permit required for each trip in and out of the ban zone, each permit good for one round trip in and out of the ban zone. Cyclists get full employment, other road users are protected, and goods are still delivered to destinations inside the “no truck” zone.

And I’m outta links and patience. I wanna watch some tube and veg out.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet

Let’s get on with this, and the Feed

OK as I begin filtering the Feed I still haven’t heard from the surgeon, and because I don’t know who that is I can’t call and find out what’s up. So instead of sitting and worrying about it, I’m doing a blog post. Doesn’t everybody sit down and write when they are worried? 😀

OK it’s after 1800, and if this was something to be really worried about I would have had a call already, I’m thinking that the surgeon or another doctor looked at the MRI and decided I lived with it this long, a few more days wouldn’t kill or permanently impair me. [crossing fingers]

Up first, I’m doing another wreck because this is another one of those rare wrecks where the driver takes himself out after killing the cyclist. 2 dead in Hinesburg car vs. bicycle crash Either this was a “punishment pass” that went super bad for both parties, or the cyclist was caught up in the driver’s LOC wreck. Doesn’t matter, there are still two bodies at the morgue…

Today’s Daily Ted shares some links with the Feed today. Morning Links: LA Times picks Ramsay, LA bike plan site pushes rug padding, and how to pass a bike respectfully Still worth the click for the links we don’t share…

Once again proof that NYPD does not know the laws they are enforcing. The NYPD Has Been Ticketing Cyclists for a Totally Legal Activity The statute specifically excludes all vehicles that are not motor vehicles.

Another angle on the story. Cops In Brooklyn’s Most Bike-Friendly Neighborhoods Are Cracking Down On Cyclists Yep, statute still says “motor vehicles” which excludes all vehicles without motors.

Still in NYC, teen criminals have discovered the tactical advantages of bicycles in an urban environment. Central Park Jogger Attacked By Teens On Bicycles

Another “Florida man” story about bikes. Coral Gables cops say man blamed for hit-and-run tried to cover up damaged vehicle

Perception is more about bias than reality. ‘Anti-social’? Cambridge cyclists responsible for just seven out of 4,400 anti-social incidents Either there are things not getting reported, or bias is coloring someone’s perception of reality. My take is bias. Problem is he’s the idiot in charge. And having a biased idiot in charge is almost never good.

A guy in charge of a trucking firm thinks truckers are super dandy neato keen, and cyclists are scum. Lorry drivers the best road users, cyclists the worst, says haulage firm boss Interesting that there were so many violations of driving laws from drivers in his employ. Again, bias coloring perceptions.

And why is it that the phrase “UK bicycle infrastructure” is synonymous with “crap infrastructure”? Family of cyclist killed by tipper truck considers civil action after inquest returns finding of ‘road traffic collision’ Maybe because there is nothing unusual about this intersection except that a cyclist was killed by an HGV and both were using the intersection exactly as intended by the design.

Bike protest in Scotland. Thousands take part in Pedal on Parliament in Edinburgh Excuse me, Massive! bike protest in Scotland.

Bike protest in Hungary. Eyewitness: Budapest, Hungary Again, excuse me, Massive! bike protest in Hungary.

Putting the cart before the horse on this one. Community encouraged to participate in Bicycle Month Infrastructure first, party second, you don’t party in a free-fire zone.

NE TN isn’t bike friendly? Twin Cities not bicycle friendly communities This is not MSP, this is Bristol TN/VA.

How do you rebuild a cyclist’s paradise after it gets overrun by cars? Reinventing the Wheel You make cycling self-expression, not just transportation.

Need something to keep the chill off your face and don’t feel like DIY? Face Shield There is a sale going on for end-of-season savings.

And I appear to be out of links again.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet

Whee! full moon service tonight, and the Feed

The local Sumerians are hosting the full moon service at SJF tonight. This is a mutually beneficial relationship, as they have a requirement that to graduate from one level to another the applicant must perform X number of public rituals and our ritualists had become completely burned out between two services a week and 8 solar celebrations and then 13 lunar services a year, plus most of us having full-time jobs on top of that (that comes to 125 services of one type or another per year, or about twice to 2½ times as many as your average Christian church pastor. Plus there’s the fact that Sumerian services are really fun and engaging. It’s a win-win for everybody, especially the people that come to services.

Up first tonight an iconic bridge converted to a bike/ped river crossing may stop a toll road that nobody knows how to pay for and has no real need to be constructed in the big city next to the Beautiful Suburbs of Hell. An effort to make Continental Ave. Bridge a Dallas landmark — and kill the Trinity toll road? I’m including this because this is the only bike-ped crossing for miles, and because if the toll road gets built it has the probability to suck the air out of bike projects that have been in the planning stages since before I got to Texas 26 years ago. I mean one mile of this boondoggle would pay for that bike project, and this is a 10+ mile highway from nowhere to nowhere. Unlike the similar Hunt bridge recently completed, it won’t even make for backdrops to pretty pictures.

Is that a big rig or a ticking time bomb next lane over? Yes! Big Rigs Often Go Faster Than Tires Can Handle That big rig could have just spent several hours at or above the safe speed for its tires and they could be ready to explode at any second. I admit it is unlikely here in urban areas of TX because the speed limits are lower, but one that just pulled off of one of the 85 MPH speed limit highways to the south and west of the Metromess could be ready to blow.

Police are still not sure if this cyclist was shot on purpose or hit by a stray bullet. Police identify Albany teen shot and killed on bicycle Don’t know why he was out riding at 0200, but the reasons are moot, he had a right to be riding just like he would have had a right to be out in a car.

Again, not something one can really plan for. Lawnmower rider injured in accident on bike trail, winds up in water Good thing that cyclists have much better visibility to the sides than people in cars, right? Because that is what eventually saved the maintenance worker, being seen.

The good news for this blog is that no cyclists died in the month of February in NYC. NYPD: Drivers Injured 816 Pedestrians and Cyclists in February, and Killed 11 That is of small comfort to the 11 pedestrians that died and the 816 cyclists and pedestrians injured that month. One thing I find interesting was there were only 137 wrecks where either the driver or the victim was drunk, but 2604 where the driver was not watching where the vehicle was going, and that does not include the 646 drivers going backwards illegally.

Infrastructure news from the coffee-drinking capital of America. Will an Overturned Fish Truck Hurt Seattle’s New Transportation Tax? If one wreck can shut down your transportation system for 4½ hours, you have the wrong transportation system and need to make changes ASAP. Like maybe putting in some bike paths so people don’t have to drive everywhere?

Speaking of infrastructure, what drugs were these guys taking when they designed this fustercluck? Cyclists say city has much work to do to improve safety I see the problem as they don’t run the proposals past real cyclists until the projects are near completion, when they expect the cyclists to “Oooh and aww” over the shiny new project while they brag about how much money has been spent for you ungrateful cyclists. And either the shiny new project won’t get used because it is inconvenient and visibly a death trap, or it gets used because it can’t be bypassed and cyclists get maimed or killed. Both things seem to be happening to these projects.

That door prize in Oz has consequences, good ones finally. Sydney Rd bike safety works fast-tracked The single most important thing they are doing in this project is removing on-street parking. There just is not enough room for parked cars, moving cars, a tram system, and bikes all in that one street. The least useful thing has to give, and that was storage for private motor vehicles not being used at the time.

The young man involved in this case was a kid when this wreck happened, and kinda needs this money yesterday (many years ago). Court Orders New Trial or Reduced Verdict for Injured Cyclist I would love to see a new trial and the damages increased by 50% or so instead of the 70% reduction ordered by this court. He just needs care for the rest of his life and is in constant pain… and this case pre-dates my starting this blog on the original site by more than 2 years.

The legal case over a cyclist killed about the time I started doing this blog here on WP is finally settled. Racecourse legal wrangle over cyclist’s death finally ends

Ghost bikes. I will keep building ghost bikes as long as cyclists’ lives are taken Little point of information, Ghost Bikes were first made in St. Louis MO.

Could your doctor help pay for your next bike? A Polaris® eBike May Qualify as a Medical Therapy Device in Medical Deductions for 2014 Federal Income Tax Check with your tax professional to be sure.

And I’m all out of links again.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet

OK the ice and snow is gone, and the Feed

By this evening the last of the ice and snow that has been dominating the weather in these parts finally went away. Good riddance! Finally we have temperatures our heating system was designed to cope with and Mrs. the Poet has divested herself of her coat and 2 of the 4 shirts she was wearing. Yep, she’s down to 2 shirts and 2 pairs of underwear and heavy wool socks, instead of the “everything in the drawers and closet” costume she was wearing yesterday and Saturday. I still keep getting awakened at night with her trying to keep getting closer even after she gets into full body contact under the covers. I mean at this point the only way she could get any closer would be to skin me and wear me as a coat, which is kinda hard to do in your sleep and messy besides. Outside of the house the roads are no longer coated in ice, just slightly damp, and the number of injury wrecks has declined to only slightly above “normal” for a weekday. Have I mentioned that TX drivers lose their minds when the roads are anything less than perfectly dry and smooth? You would think that given how low the state’s road maintenance budget is compared to how many miles of road we have people would be used to crappy roads by now.

Up first is the massive amount of links to various aspects of an Italian cyclist “winning” the “door prize” in Australia. Brunswick cyclist death: ‘Car-dooring’ fatality prompts calls for motorists to pay more attention and Chilling footage of cyclist’s road death sparks passionate debate I wonder if anyone was paying attention to the bike lane symbol peeking out from under the weapon vehicle at the bottom of the image? Alleged dooring death: cyclist launch Sydney Road parking ban petition and another one Sydney Road bicycle death: Labor minister Jane Garrett sets emergency meeting as Greens MP Greg Barber renews call for TAC-style dooring campaign not done yet Italian cyclist Alberto Paulon killed on Sydney Road, Brunswick, remembered by work colleagues and memorial ride still MORE! Brunswick cyclist’s car-dooring death a ‘wicked waste’ and easily avoidable, safety campaigner says are we done yet? Tougher dooring penalties call rejected after death of Italian cyclist Alberto Paulon As I interjected between links I noticed what appeared to be a buffered bike lane underneath the line of parked cars the cyclist was next to when he was doored and thrown into the path of the truck that killed him. What is going on that there was nothing mentioned about this in any of the hundreds of comments I read about this wreck?

Also generating a ton of links is ongoing reporting on the lawsuit filed against the driver of a car that was used to kill a cyclist and the owner of that car. Suit filed in death of cyclist hit by alleged drunk driver also Suit filed in death of cyclist hit by alleged drunk driver and Cyclist’s Family Files Wrongful Death Suit Against Alleged Driver As I have written earlier, they should also file suit against whoever is in charge of this piece of infrastructure for the third identical death in 5 years in nearly the same location, a drunk driver drifting into the bike lane and hitting two cyclists from behind at high speed. One such death is a tragic accident, two is a coincidence, three is a design defect. We are now in design defect territory.

I find this conviction unusual especially given the state it was obtained in. Judge to sentence man for death of Casper cyclist Seriously 16 years in prison for killing a cyclist in Wyoming? The state that recently decided they didn’t need to know how and how many cyclists were getting killed and injured on their streets and highways?

Another one of those links about a dead cyclist that I don’t have a good label for. BICYCLIST STRUCK, KILLED BY CAR IN FRESNO COUNTY LAID TO REST

And while we are talking about CA here’s Our Daily Ted. A giant falls — Alex Baum, the father of modern LA bicycling, dies at age 92 WoaB sends its condolences to the LA bicycle community.

And some people in CA are just bastards. Robin MIller: Grow up and put your helmet on Seriously, I wear a helmet every time I ride my bike (and the recent medical problem I have been having that has been keeping me from wearing my helmet is also keeping me off the bike), but I know my helmet is mostly to protect my heirs in the lawsuit they will file against the driver that kills me to show I did everything in my power to not get killed.

And in NYC a killer driver refuses to admit fault or even that he committed hit-and-run when he killed a cyclist. No Apology From Trucker 3 Years After Killing Williamsburg Cyclist The sad thing is even if they pull his license and he kills someone else, unless he is drunk or leaves the scene again the most he will get is a ticket for driving while revoked.

OK this is mostly a bike story because they stabbed this guy so they could steal his bike. Islington stabbing: Alan Cartwright, 15, killed while riding bike with friends and Islington cyclist stab murder inquiry begins

A little UK “infrastructure”. I use quotes because there is little to none for bicycles in this article. Cycling campaigner brands Westminster Council’s attitude to road safety as ‘neanderthal’

News of a driver actually facing charges for killing a cyclist in Enn Zed. Driver charged over fatal cyclist crash Another turning truck running a cyclist over from behind…

Seriously, what is wrong with some people? Cycle-route booby traps: a growing danger for Spain’s mountain bikers Barbed wire and heavy fishing like at face or neck height? Rocks big enough to require 3 people to cooperate in carrying and placing them? This is acts of terrorism, pure and simple. And that steel plate with spikes welded into it? Someone was trying to kill somebody.

And here is some real “Lifestyle” of the cycling kind. 2015 Twelve Hours of Santos: Riding to Help an Injured Racer

And thank [$DEITY] I have finally reached the end of today’s links.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet

$@*& Texas’ weather, and the Feed

OK there is a measurable accumulation of snow on the ground and slush filling the streets that will freeze into an unrideable mess come sundown, possibly an undrivable mess for going to RPG in the morning. You can see from this picture of the place our lunch guest was eating his squirrel yesterday that we do have what Mrs. the Poet refers to as “snew”.

Our guest from yesterday would have a hard time finding where his squirrel went in this mess.

Up first an example of why the Dutch have the best bicycle infrastructure. Dutch provinces to examine ‘rapid’ cycle paths What is being proposed here are real “cycle superhighways” that are grade separated even from other bicycle infrastructure, for riders and pedal-powered vehicles that cruise significantly faster than the 15-20 km/hr that cyclists average around town. This route runs over by David Hembrook but I don’t see anything there about the route…

A little closer to home the widow of a dead FL cyclist is suing over the 3rd nearly identical fatality in 4 years in nearly the same place (and by “nearly” I mean within a few feet). Widow of Key Biscayne cyclist files lawsuit and Wrongful death suit filed by widow of bicyclist killed on Rickenbacker Causeway The only thing that kept this from having 3 hit-and-runs was one of the weapon vehicles being rendered hors du combat by one of the bicycles in the wreck.

Our Daily Ted. Weekend Links: Own your own bicycle coffee café, slower driving works in Scotland, and WeHo candidate surveys

I really need to stop calling these “lifestyle” links, but my broken brain won’t let that word go. So what would be a better word to describe these? Family say cyclist killed in HGV collision was not ‘a risk taker on the roads’ Really, there has to be a better word for it than “lifestyle” because it isn’t lifestyle.

And over on this side of the pond a woman is killed riding home from work, but people remember more about how she lived than what killed her. Bicyclist killed in Plainfield Avenue crash remembered as ‘happy go lucky’

A UK driver facing actual consequences for killing a cyclist? Man to face trial over death of cyclist Terry Brown in Warrington

Update on the consequences of a wreck from years back (that we covered some here) in Oz. Truck driver jailed over cyclist’s Dutton Park railway bridge crushing death I remember this wreck as one of those I assigned to the “unavoidable by human cyclists” category. And the 8 month prison sentence is just beyond words for me. The cyclist involved didn’t even have time for an “Oh, shit!” before he died under a mountain or broken glass bottles.

We may never know what happened to Bono that day… BONO WORKING HARD TO RECOVER FROM BIKE WRECK, PREP FOR U-2 VANCOUVER CONCERT START When someone claims memory loss from a head injury (and Bono without a doubt had a severe head injury) there just is no point in asking what happened. Most of what I “remember” from my wreck is from people who were there telling me afterwards. My personal memory of the wreck ends with being yelled at just before impact.

WA decides to make a federal guideline law. Olympia Update: SSB 5438 – Faulty Traffic Signals Bill – Moves Forward This bill makes law the “Wait 2 minutes or 2 cycles” federal guideline.

IA decides to make sharing a lane with a bicycle illegal unless the bicycle rider chooses to do it. <a href="[Action Alert] Safe Passing Bill in Iowa House That’s right, a “change lanes to pass” bicycle law.

Not to be outdone SD also has a passing law wending its way through the process. Safety zone to pass bicyclists gains tailwind # feet to pass when the speed limit is under 35, 6 feet everywhere else.

More on the proposed CA helmet law. The Best Reasons Not to Support the Helmet Bill #SB192

Also in CA is this little slice of heavenly infrastructure. Why BART Bike Stations Are Actually Very Cool

And in the same city. SFPD Cops Shoot and Kill Suspected Bike Thief and SF OFFICERS SHOOT ARMED SUSPECT TRYING TO ROB CYCLIST IN MISSION DISTRICT As a victim of bike theft myself I say “If that’s the way he tried to do it, then that’s the way he made it go.”

An indictment of what passes for bicycle “infrastructure” in London UK. More than 20,000 cyclist accidents in London over five years That is 4600 people hit and injured severely enough to require a report to the police a year on average, or more than 12 injured cyclists a day, every day.

And a real lifestyle story, one that means something to the disabled vet writing the blog. Wounded Warriors ride together to heal

And I have run out of links again.

Billed @€0.02, Opus

We had a guest for lunch this afternoon, and the Feed

We had a very polite guest come for lunch here at Casa de El Poeta this afternoon, who just dropped in for a brief chat and even was polite enough that he brought his own food to match his dietary restrictions. Those dietary restrictions made Mrs. the Poet a bit squeamish but it was really awesome to have such a distinctive and reclusive guest for lunch.

As you can imagine we don’t usually serve squirrel tartare here at the World HQ of WoaB, and as this is not the season for squirrel we didn’t have any laying around. Hence our relief at Mr. Band-tail bringing his own lunch. Well everyone except Mrs. the Poet, who found his menu and table manners atrocious.

There are so few bike lanes yet out in CA that police using them to grab a cup of java and a doughnut hasn’t become as widespread as is common back east. Morning Links: Bike helmets alone don’t prevent injuries, scofflaw cops in bike lanes, and upcoming bike events Ted, there are entire blogs devoted to pictures of NYPD blocking bike lanes with parked cruisers and personal vehicles, you guys are late to the party.

One CA city is simultaneously the most dangerous and the least deadly. How de do dat? San Francisco Is Very Dangerous But Not Deadly for Cyclists, Report Says How they did that is there are a large number of bikes in a small area, and cars tend not to go very fast in streets originally designed in the mid-19^th Century. So while drivers blunder about in a target-rich environment, they generally have to really work at achieving deadly effects.

In the WTF were they thinking dept. School Bus Driver Arrested Months After Running Over Elderly Woman They did not arrest the driver until the victim died, which is not part of the statute.

IA discusses upgrading their bike laws. Bicycle light issue hits Iowa Senate Gee, you would think that there was no law requiring drivers to only drive as fast as they could stop in the distance they could see clearly.

This bit of news from the Emerald Isle on the behavior of a hit-and-run driver. Accused ‘went to UK on day cyclist killed’ It gets better than that, he also tried to move to Australia within the week before he was caught.

This little UK video shows that even cyclists can be stupid. Shocking moment cyclist in Cambridge is trapped on level crossing – VIDEO Not that there was all that much to worry about, there had to have been at least 4 feet of clearance after the cyclist got the bike over the barrier that dropped after he already crossed the tracks. I view this much like a stale green that turns into a red before the cyclist gets clear.

Also from Jolly Olde comes the demonstrator of a new generation of trucks designed to not run over “invisible” cyclists and pedestrians. ‘Cyclist friendly’ trucks unveiled to cut deaths on capital’s roads Is it just me or does that look like a bus door with full length windows on the passenger side of the cab?

Speaking of truck passenger side windows, another link to that shocking report that a trucking company deliberately obstructed driver’s view to the left by covering the passenger’s side window with advertising in Enn Zed. Coroner issues finding into cyclist death I just have no words.

Thai cyclists start making noise after another international cyclist is killed weeks before completing a round-the-world trip. Activists call on govt to safeguard cyclists and For safe roads, get tough on errant drivers

And I REALLY ran out of links this time.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet