The trees are killing me, and the Feed

I’m still having problems seeing because of this allergy attack, and weather.com says the only pollen in the area is tree pollen. To make things worse we are having a pretty stiff breeze in the area keeping the pollen flying around instead of letting it settle like it did last week when the mailbox was tinted yellow. The interesting thing about this year as compared to previous years is I can breathe pretty well, I just can’t see very well. Most of the time I can see the TV or the computer not too bad, but if I let my hydration drop below a certain point, that I don’t know where it is until I pass it, then all of a sudden I get a white veil across my vision. It’s super annoying.

Ted is taking a Mental Hygiene day so no Daily Ted. Sending best wishes to Ted.

Normally I would say still in CA. Buena Park bicyclist killed by pick-up truck identified Not a whole lot of information about this wreck, aside from a general location, the type of weapon vehicle, and the identity of the victim.

Also still in CA. Cyclist hit by car in Pacific Beach suffers head injury At this point LEO believe the cyclist ran a stop sign while the weapon vehicle was on a through street.

Still in CA (lots of links from CA). FiDi & North Beach Crime Roundup: Hit & Run, Stabbing, Violent Fight Over Tips I assume this “Munchery” is some kind of food delivery. I’m extremely happy the pedestrian was uninjured. From the limited narrative given the wreck was partially due to a congested intersection, and restricted sight lines.

And guess where we haven’t left? Bicyclist critically injured in collision with UPS truck in Baldwin Park Either a cross or hook movement given that the truck was turning into a driveway. Intersection protocols to reduce damages. Drivers watching where they are going to prevent.

Yep, still in CA. DEVORE: Bicyclist hit and killed by vehicle (UPDATE) Left cross wreck, the most frequent cause of death for motorcyclists, 3rd for bicyclists. Always the fault of the driver for not looking before turning.

From America’s Copenhagen. Bicyclist struck and killed in SE Portland Witnesses say the weapon vehicle was turning and going fast enough that the cyclist was thrown into the air. While no charges were made public in this link the driver was arrested and taken away in handcuffs.

And from the Portland on the other side of the country/continent from America’s Copenhagen. Portland police arrest man on suspension of fatally hitting cyclist This was really confusing for me because the two cities are both in counties of the same name, with neighborhoods of similar names. Nothing on the mode of wreck, but that bike in the picture looks like it was hit from behind, and the several charges involving impairment suggest the cyclist was hit from behind. And someone really needs to proofread that headline. Ugh!

Moving from ME to MA. Bicyclist killed in downtown Holyoke Friday morning and Bicyclist killed in Holyoke crash Friday The first link just says the cyclist hit the truck, second says this was a left cross wreck, which is always the fault of the driver for failing to wait until the lane is clear before crossing it.

Moving south to FL. Teen on bicycle killed after being hit by car in Apollo Beach Cyclist hit from behind, comments blaming cyclist for being there at 0239…

Still in FloriDUH. Victim in fatal Merritt Island hit-and-run crash identified Hit from behind, BOLO for a Chevy S-10 P/U with fresh heavy front end damages. Speculation the cyclist was either drunk or trying to get to safety after getting hit and run before…

And we got a lot of similar links from different outlets. Cyclists upset about lack of penalties for drivers who hit bikes and Cyclists seek heavier penalties on errant drivers also Amid Cycling Boom, Penalties for Errant Drivers Remain Light Totally expected calls for bicycle license plates with the NOLA link’s comments section.

Update on the victim of a CO hit-and-run. Cyclist injured in hit-and-run near Boulder released from hospital Wishing the cyclist a quick recovery from all injuries, not expecting anything like that.

Wreck in KS. Teen bicycle rider hospitalized after hit by Kansas driver and Teen bicylist struck by car suffers serious injuries in Riley County There was no excuse for this wreck, hit from behind in late afternoon with the sun off the driver’s right meaning the roof would have blocked anything from shining into the driver’s eyes. He should have seen the cyclist and either slowed down or moved over. Instead he just plowed right into the cyclist.

This SC infrastructure test is the absolute worst-case situation, installing a bike lane by removing a travel lane for motor vehicles with nobody using the bike lane (in this case because they aren’t allowing bicycles to use the blocked lane because it “isn’t safe”). Ashley River bike lane test set for April to May

From the Great White North. Birthday horror: ‘Shattered’ mom learns son killed by minivan while riding bike The wreck was so bad that there was no viewing at the wake or funeral.

And a serious Whiskey, Tango, Foxtrot moment for me when I read this link. No charges expected after Leamington cyclist killed on County Road 31 Are they seriously not going to charge the driver for overdriving their lights when they hit the cyclist from behind because the cyclist was wearing dark clothes? Do deer and moose wear reflective vests when they wander about at night?

This is just appalling. Bike courier launches fund to pay rent after hit-and-run driver left him too injured to cycle He should be getting some kind of temp disability while he recovers enough to do his job or gets another job.

This is one of the things I loathe about UK media laws. Cambridge woman stole 11-year-old’s bike as he and his mother gave chase Yeah, this would have been a good story, back in August when it happened, not in late March when she got sentenced for it.

A fitting memorial is in the planning stages. Syd Barrett memorial exclusive: spinning bike wheel artwork planned This is the song being commemorated with the artwork.

Wreck in Scotland. Teenage cyclist killed in collision with car on Moray road Typical UK report.

The money grab from cyclists doesn’t seem to have changed much in the first month. ‘Shock and awe’ tactic not helping in bicycle safety campaign

This is just low. Rebekka Meyer’s ghost bike disappears, found dumped nearby Who would do such a thing?

And I’m out of links finally.

Billed @€0.02, Opus

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Another Grocery Day! and the Feed

Yep, time to buy mass quantities again. This time we have a bit more money in the budget, and more than 10 minutes to shop. Also I need to get some really salty snacks…

While I was there I checked my BP and weight with the health tester in the store. I lost another 2 pounds, and managed to get my BP all the way up to 109/75. Woo!

Up first, Houston has a problem. Transportation officials to revive safety council They had several bicycle death or serious injury wrecks, and now they decide they have to “do something”. And one of the major impediments to “doing something” that might actually work is TX speed limit laws. The CROW manual suggests a 20 km/hr speed limit for streets where bicycles and cars share the lane, that’s 12.5 MPH, while the TX laws are that you need to have a dispensation from the legislature for any street or road to have a speed limit less than 30 MPH, which they will let you reduce to 25 MPH or basically twice as fast as the CROW manual would allow. And the laws only allow a limited number of streets to get the 25 MPH speed limit. And unless you tame cars, people on bikes and foot will continue to get killed.

Out Daily Ted. Morning Links: Effing around on the Orange Line, JSK at the Hammer, and LA cyclist guilty of pimping PEDs At least the guy driving the ³/₄ ton PU was backing away from the cyclist instead of blocking the bike path because “I’m bigger than you”.

Still in CA. Cyclist killed in Carlsbad crash and Cyclist Killed in Carlsbad Crash, Roads Closed When I read this story yesterday I didn’t have any pictures so I pronounced this a SWSS, but now I don’t think that’s true, partially because the wreck was in the lane next to the median between the bike lane and a left turn lane. Now I say that the cyclist misjudged either the speed or the distance away from the intersection for the weapon vehicle. Or maybe both, and either thought the car would pass before she got to the turn lane or that she would get to the turn lane before the car got there.

Also still in CA. Fresno burn center chief William Dominic, seriously hurt on bicycle, seeks help to find hit-run driver I think I might have mentioned once or twice about how much I hate hit-and-run drivers. If the victim lives then I can allow the driver to live and watch their vehicle go through the car shredder from the driver’s seat. This would actually be a very humane method of execution because by the time the pain sensations from the driver’s feet reached his brain, there wouldn’t be a brain there to interpret them as pain. It would be nearly instantaneous, unlike the lingering deaths many hit-and-run victims suffer through waiting for someone to find them.

Continuing with the theme of my least-favorite kind of wreck in MD. Driver spared jail time in hit-and-run with cyclist in Annapolis The cyclist was extremely lucky in this wreck. and so was the driver not to get charged with attempted murder for deliberately hitting a cyclist at a red light. This was not a typical hit-and-run this was a road rage assault. And the driver was very lucky the victim was so forgiving.

Another OH cyclist death. 79-year-old Lancaster man on bicycle killed in crash The cyclist was hit from behind with the sun just barely to his right, not in driver’s eyes at all. This was totally the driver’s fault, there is nothing in the conditions to even remotely excuse the driver for hitting the cyclist from behind.

This MO wreck just has no excuse either after the initial impact. Cyclist injured by semi during hit-and-run in South County WTF!?! You hit a guy with a semi and then leave him laying on the side of the road after you get out and look at him?

Wreck in FL. 71-year-old cyclist dies in Collier crash Things really are changing in FL. Not too long ago they would have blamed the dead cyclist no matter who was really at fault, because cyclists “didn’t belong” on the streets. Now if the driver is at fault they will be blamed just like any other kind of wreck.

Up in NYC there is “no criminality suspected” in a pedestrian getting hit in the crosswalk in spite of a law making hitting a pedestrian in the crosswalk a crime. No ROW Charge for Garbage Hauler Who Killed Woman in UES Crosswalk The driver’s excuse holds up about as well as wet facial tissue for anyone except NYPD, who have a bad cultural case of windshield bias. There’s no excuse really, the driver had to have had a clear view of the crosswalk if he could see out of the vehicle at all.

NYC infrastructure. Citing FDNY Concerns, DOT Removes Two-Block Protected Bike Connection It takes years of public hearings to get one of those put in, but only a few hours to get them removed? TANJ!

MA infrastructure. After Cyclist Death, Brother Pushes For Truck Side Guards Not only do the side guards prevent pedestrian and cyclist injuries and deaths, they also save fuel, so win, win, win, win!

Va. Beach infrastructure to enhance the experience of an arts district. Virginia Beach’s arts district could get $4 million infrastructure makeover Bike lanes and sidewalks to go with improved storm drains.

Infrastructure from West Canuckistan. Bike infrastructure pays off: SFU researcher Induced demand works for bicycles just like it does for cars, only there is also the factor of “latent demand” where people want to ride but won’t or can’t because the infrastructure isn’t safe.

From Jolly Olde, this driver was none too jolly. Woman accused of hitting a Chinese cyclist and a leaving him to die in a ditch overnight ‘hated Asians,’ her family tells inquest I would call this a case of murder, because the cyclist died from exposure caused by being left, and would have recovered had he been treated for his other injuries he got in the wreck. IOW the “run” part of “hit-and-run” is what killed him, not so much the “hit”. And she may have done it on purpose, both the hit and the run.

A little UK infrastructure that I’m not sure I like. Major plans to make Tamworth a ‘no-go zone’ for boy racers to be considered First of all there is the freedom of association aspect, second is the use of the commons aspect. I don’t like the hooning about, but this reeks of the “anti-cruising” ordinances from the late ’70s and early ’80s that were found to be unconstitutional here in the US. I do like the part about getting them to not drive like maniacs.

Still in Jolly Olde, still not very jolly. Four year sentence for driver who killed cyclist while driving at double the speed limit The perp was smiling at the light sentence he got for cold-blooded murder of a random person on the street.

This is just mean, but funny. Exploding saddle prank catches thieves unawares, and more of the best cycling videos I mean how stupid are these guys (and every last one of them was a guy) not to see the explosives duct-taped to the bicycle seat? They were lucky that stupidity only hurt a little and didn’t cause any serious injury, even if a couple of the bike thieves got racked up by the exploding air bag.

Moving north in the UK, are cobbles worth the effort when your streets are mostly used by cars? Edinburgh Aims to Fix Cobblestone Street Repair First of all let me say that when I was a kid I rode my bike on a street that still had the original paving from when the Romans built it around 100 CE, because they never let anything heavier than a light cart drawn by an ox drive over it, making it over 1800 years old and still in good shape. But roads built the same way are destroyed in a decade when motor vehicle traffic pounds them to rubble.

A truck driver in Oz pulled over and administered first aid to a fallen cyclist until paramedics arrived to take over. HANSON TRUCK DRIVER AWARDED FOR HELPING INJURED CYCLIST This was the exact opposite of a hit and run, a help and run. As they say,”Good on ya!”

The guy that helped a driver commit the run part of a hit-and-run in Oz gets charged. Second man in court over cyclist Gordon Ibbs killed in Anakie crash

Last but most definitely not least, a recall on hubs. High-end bicycle wheel hubs recalled for crash risk This was in the Daily Ted, but I thought this was too important to risk you not clicking from Ted’s article.

And I have to get up early again tomorrow.

Billed @€0.02, Opus

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Billed @$0.02, Opus

Happy Pi Day, and the Feed

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Infrastructure from MD. Bicyclists and motorists sharing the roads

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Billed @$0.02, Opus

More stuff came in after Mrs. the Poet went to memorialize her sister, and the Feed

Maybe I could get a job writing headlines for UK newspapers, whadyathink? Anywho, Mrs. the Poet is now safely ensconced at O’Hare waiting for her connection to La Guardia where her dad and step-uncle will be picking her up for her trip to the boonies of Upstate NY. I expect to hear back from her when she gets to he mom’s house.

But the part for the Mini Sprint-T came in this afternoon and I couldn’t resist slapping the temp adhesive to some of them and mocking them up. The first thing I did was assemble the 700R4 transmission and mount it to the back of the engine, the second thing I did was add the EFI throttle body to the manifold. Then as soon as I could move things around without dislodging them I took a picture in front of the bucket in about the same orientation as the last mockup picture.

Can you see the problem? Look at the location of the transmission tailshaft assembly in relation to the body. Now can you see the problem? The end of the transmission is literally right next to the driver’s hip. Now in my case that’s not a problem because my ass is narrow and deep. I am literally 13″ wide in a 22″ space where the tailshaft is, so I have plenty of room to park my butt. Other people trying to drive my car are not going to be as comfortable. But wait! There’s more!

Can you see the other problem?

See how wide the transmission is all the way back? That’s going to impinge on lateral leg room almost all the way to the seat. I had previously measured the width of the footbox as 7.5″ to 8″ at the bottom with a little bit more room for the left foot as the tumblehome of the body went out as the side of the body went up. Taking the firewall out and sliding the transmission inside the body really shows how little room there is.

As you can clearly see the 700R4 was not designed for a severely dropped T-Bucket. I’m obviously going to have to provide a foot rest for the passenger and do a lot of contouring for the transmission tunnel to get everything and body inside the car. Ain’t engineering with pre-existing components fun? 😛 That thing in front of the engine is a combination of the timing cover, water pump, front engine mount, and alternator and power steering mounts all molded as a single piece. The balancer/crank pulley fits in the half-moon notch at the bottom that matches a hole in the front of the block, the water pump pulley goes on the water pump, and the alternator goes on the passenger side and the power steering pump goes on the driver side both at crank level.

Up first, a kid can’t even play in front of his own home without risking sudden death. 4-year-old boy hit, killed in parking lot in southwest Houston Seriously, are you in that big of a hurry that you run over a kid? The only “good” thing to come from this is “Police said, at this time, they do anticipate the driver will face charges.”

Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: CicLAvia previews, Cycling Without Age comes to El Monte, and ToC teams announced

Still in CA. Bicyclist Killed on Monday Identified as 16-Year-Old Hesperia Teen hit-from-behind by a driver not paying attention, I bet a dozen doughnuts that LEO figures out some way of blaming the cyclist hit from behind instead of the driver that hit him and left the body spread over the hood of the SUV.

Legal infrastructure in CA. How does the three-foot rule apply when there are already bike lanes in place? Move over to pass at least 3 feet away from cyclists. Whodathunkit?

More infrastructure in CA. CELEBRATING PAGE STREET I would be interested in finding out how this works out as far as safety and usability.

More infrastructure from America’s Copenhagen. City reboots plan for SE Ankeny traffic diverter, preps for others This was supposed to be a greenway mainly dedicated to bicycles with cars “allowed”, but they are taking it over.

More infrastructure, of the IT kind. City of Portland’s 823-SAFE hotline now offered online So now you Portlanders have choices on reporting dangerous conditions.

Another link to that cyclist with an ICE-assist bike getting hit from behind in FL. Police ID bicyclist hit, killed on Westside And another media outlet feels the deceased’s criminal record has something to do with the wreck.

CO hit-and-run wreck where the bike was resting neatly against the rider’s backpack on the side of the road. Pedestrian Hospitalized In Mysterious Hit & Run In Fort Collins Can you say “tampering with the evidence”?

Over on Jolly Olde people are losing their minds over a guy bringing a bike on a nearly-empty train. Another ‘selfish cyclist’ on a train row as passenger takes up SIX seats with bike

Screw up installing bike racks so that they can only hold a quarter of the bikes intended? It’s an art. ‘Useless’ bike racks by Tube station were intended as public art, north London council insists No, seriously, it’s art.

Bike mode share in Tokyo is a cultural thing instead of an infrastructure thing. Why Tokyo Is Home to So Many Cyclists But So Few Bike Lanes

And last link is an e-assist bike share system. Crunch Time for Madrid’s BiciMad Electric Bike Hire Scheme Apparently putting nice bikes in bike share leads to disappearing bikes?

Billed @€0.02, Opus

Things are a bit somber here, and the Feed

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Billed @€0.02, Opus

Another day spent pounding pavements, and the Feed

This was a rough one as I went to the bank to get some money out of the firewalled account, and then went grocery shopping for the stuff we couldn’t get yesterday because we didn’t have the $ in the non-firewalled account. And I still forgot the yogurt, so no yogurt for me and the poor little kitties. 😦 And I discovered that I really need to get my toes done because my toes hurt like mad from getting the too-long nails pressed against the inside of my shoes as I walked. I really wish I could still get to all my toes by myself to trim my toenails.

And I keep writing about the Sprint-T (both sizes) but many of you don’t know how long this desire has been fermenting in my brain. U.S. Speed Sport “Instant T” T-Bucket History Not quite this long, but not very long after this.

Up first in the bike links is Out Daily Ted. Morning Links: Notes from Neil Storm Stephany sentencing, and update on new Camp Pendleton bike policy

Still in CA is this infrastructure link. They’ve Invented An Ingenious New Type Of Intersection That Could Save Lives The don’t noticeably slow bike or car traffic and protect the cyclists from the cars. Good show.

With SnowmageddonII hitting the entire east coast north of FL this weekend here’s a cheery thought about the road conditions. Why rain is more dangerous than snow

This SC hit-from-behind wreck may have involved excessive speed. Woman Killed While Riding Bicycle to Work The driver had to be hospitalized, this usually means the cyclist caused a spray of glass inside the passenger compartment which requires a fair amount of velocity. LEO are not elaborating on this aspect at the time of filtering.

Meanwhile in NYC. 15-Year-Old Boy In Critical Condition Following Williamsburg Hit-And-Run When I filtered this link there was a bicycle in it, but I can’t find the bicycle now. Just a body in the street, and a red minivan.

Still in NYC a driver moving an SUV at a service garage manages to hit several parked cars in the street and two pedestrians pinning one to the side of a building. NYPD: Gas Station Worker “Lost Control” Of SUV, Ran Over Cop’s Foot, Pinned Woman To Wall I can’t believe they didn’t say “No criminality suspected” on this one. I guess that’s because he ran over a cop.

Not done with the city yet, here’s some infrastructure bad news. Say Goodbye To Jay Street’s Vital Bike Lanes “Do any of these lane designers actually ride bicycles in the city? Or is “bicycle lane” just a button in their CAD program?” j44ke. He (she?) said it better than I could. Making the street more dangerous so that cars had easier access to the BQE. (SMH)

Over in SD they are trying to force cyclists off the roads. Bicyclists Belong in the Traffic Lane

They finally got around to charging the driver in this case in MI. Suspect charged after hit-and-run death of cyclist in Ann Arbor At least they didn’t wait until the driver killed himself in another wreck like in my case. October to January…

Up there in West Canuckistan they gots an attempted killer on the loose. RCMP seek hit-and-run driver who injured cyclist in Willowbrook They turned the Mounties on him, and you know what they say about Mounties and suspects.

Still up there in the Great White North. Killer of LaSalle cyclist sentenced to nine months in jail I don’t think there is an “m” in years. There is a serious disconnect between the seriousness of the crime and the severity of the sentence.

When the building used to store your bike gets condemned, while you’re recovering from a severe chronic illness they might lose the bike. Disabled woman’s lifelong dream of cycling across Canada dashed after bike vanishes Woman has a relapse of the disease that left her riding a hand bike and had to put the bike in storage while she went home to recover and then the bike turns up missing.

In Jolly Olde a cyclist is stopped for having a flashing light 10 years after the law was changed to allow flashing lights. Police mistakenly stop cyclist for flashing rear light “We Googled it and we were wrong.” Really, the law changed in 2005 and you’re just now finding out about it?

Good news from the UK. Yeovil cyclist who suffered head and leg injuries thanks mysterious Good Samaritan When you’re hurt don’t try to “tough it out” like this guy. He had serious injuries that needed attention from medical personnel, not a home fix-up.

Rider down in Malta. Cyclist, 79, seriously injured in Birzebbuga traffic accident and Cyclist, 79, hit by car in Birżebbuġa And that’s about all LEO are saying about the wreck.

A bus hits a cyclist and takes out 3 more and leaves the scene in Oz. Gold Coast bus hits cyclists, one injured The hit-and-run is barely mentioned. “It is believed the Surfside Buslines driver was unaware he clipped the cyclist, with the bus continuing after the incident without stopping.” Seriously, WTF?

Useful art from discarded bike parts. These Awesome-Looking Chandeliers Are Made From Salvaged Bicycle Parts Used chains and wheels and a few eectrical bits, et voila! Let there be fashionable light.

Old post just brought to my attention today. So I Went Automobile Shopping… What if car buying was like bike buying? How many cars would get sold?

As the weather gets colder your e-assist bike (and your EV) will lose range because batteries don’t like cold> There’s a worrisome problem with electric cars that no one’s talking about For cars there are a couple of things you can do, pre-heat the car interior while the car is still on the charger so you are using grid rather than battery power to do the heating, and switch over to seat heat rather than cabin heat while on the road to stay warm without using as much battery power. On an e-assist bike you provide the heat inside your clothing, but the battery losing range because of the cold slowing down the chemical reactions inside the battery still applies.

Last link, this is why I have to take so many mental health days from this blog. Feeling More I know to some it seems like I can report on some serious $&(^ and it doesn’t phase me, but I have to take a lot of breaks and go read comics or other stuff between making links on this blog.

And on that note I’m going to throw a couple tags on this post and try to unwind a bit before bed.

Now we march into the dark, and the Feed

There’s nothing deep about that headline, it means I’m working late again tonight. I have another burn test of the new 1K lumen headlight running at the 500 lumen setting to get an average burn time on the lowest setting and see if it’s an improvement on the Cateye LED light I got as a gift back when Blue was a new arrival. Given that I’m testing on the lowest setting against a light that only had one setting, and that this light has a daytime strobe setting that will put your eyes out (or maybe that’s the “disco party” setting?) the winner is predetermined. As far as value is concerned the new light wins hands down as it comes with a battery pack and charger where the “old” Cateye required the purchase of AA batteries, and a charger if you wanted rechargeables, plus had (has? I don’t know if the light is even still available) a higher price, about twice as much as I got the light for from Amazon. On a quick web search I discovered the old light is no longer available and had a rated burn time of 90 hours with alkaline AA batteries. Converting the old light’s candlepower rating (2200) to lumens (27.6K!?! WTF?) (more internet searching) OK cp is not directly convertible to Lumen without doing a spherical target test. Let’s just say that after a side by side comparison the lowest setting on the new light is roughly the same as the old light. The main thing is the old light had to be disassembled to change or charge the battery pack, the new one I just unplug the battery from the light and plug it into the charger until the light on the charger changes from red to green them I plug it back into the light. So, progress right?

Up first because of proximity to WoaB World HQ in the Beautiful Suburbs of Hell, they actually charged a driver for hitting a cyclist in OK. Charges in bicyclist’s death bring ‘sense of justice,’ his father says The amuseing in a black humor kind of way is with all the other charges they filed they remembered to include the 3 foot passing law which was obviously broken when she ran the cyclists over from behind.

In the same vein in DE. Driver gets 8 years for Hockessin cyclist death For those of you not reading this blog back then, this was the wreck where the driver was speeding and taking his half out of the middle and assumed drunk because he ran from the scene after hitting the cyclist head-on in the cyclist’s lane, preventing LEO from knowing his BAC% at the time of the wreck or close enough to it to file those charges.

Another unusual case in LA, where the cyclist drowned before he could die from getting hit. Driver in hit-and-run that killed cyclist Lon Lomas to be tried Tuesday

Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: Koretz aid promises Westwood bike lane removal, and the Bieb nearly takes out bikers in the ‘Bu No, I don’t know why the Bieb ran out into traffic either.

Still in CA is this sad story. Elderly Bicyclist Hit, Killed in Novato The 16 YO driver failed to yield to traffic in the sidewalk. If the old guy had been walking instead of riding a bike the outcome likely would have been the same.

Is your city increasing the amount of driving by making parking almost universally available? The problem with too much parking I know that there are places I won’t ride to because there’s nothing to lock up to when I get there, so this has at least some validity on the bicycle level.

A subtle way to kill the poors in your city. The inequality of sidewalks Build your city so that if you don’t drive you have to walk a lot just to do things like buy food or clothing, then don’t provide safe places to walk or jobs that pay well enough to buy that car. You have to be rich enough to buy a car to get jobs that allow you to make enough to buy a car, locking people into a permanent underclass. Insidious, ain’t it?

Gee, riding a bicycle instead of driving actually reduces GHG emissions. Pushing cycling to cut carbon emissions This is published in an area that has been a hotbed of climate deniers until recently, but hot, dry, summers and cold, wet, winters in an area that has been notable by the lack of either of those extremes has caused some to change. Hence the repetition of already-known information.

That idiot from MO has attracted attention in Jolly Olde. Proposed Missouri law to make cyclists carry 15ft high flag As I have pointed out previously the law would make bikes 2’6″ taller than the Federal limit without having to get an oversized vehicle permit. This would effectively ban bicycles from the roads.

Some UK residents are upset that they will be charged for storing their private vehicles in public space. Tamworth residents set to pay to park outside their own homes Ain’t it awful? XD

First of several links from Malta. Protection for vulnerable road users (1) and Protection for vulnerable road users (2)

Then there is this one also from Malta. Saints on the road

A South African driver is convicted for killing a cyclist. Tucville man found guilty of dangerous driving that resulted in cyclist’s death For some reason I’m unsurprised the driver was not Caucasian.

And a more complete report on the motorcycle cop physically assaulting a cyclist on his bike and causing a wreck. Police officer ‘pushed cyclist off his bike’ Interesting that LEO are saying the cop’s helmet cam video does not show the cop pushing the cyclist but they don’t release the video, and two witnesses from very different vantage points say the cop rode right up and gave the cyclist a shot to the shoulder causing him to fall.

And I’m ready for bed. There may be some misspelled words that slipped by the spell check, but the links should go to the right places.

BIlled @$0.02, Opus

First post of 2016, and the anemic Feed

Yep, another barely there Feed today. And because my son had to work late yesterday and was off work today we did our grocery shopping. The MythBusters Marathon is still going on over on the Science Channel, and we are still hip-deep in Christmas chocolates. So by my estimation 2016 is getting off to a great start.

Up first is another link to the story about the MD teen killed by a driver disregarding both a traffic control and another vehicle stopped for that control at the crossing. Crash at risky Md. crosswalk kills teen on bike he received for Christmas Again, a big problem with this is the requirement for drivers to obey the law and the traffic control with no enforcement actions unless someone gets killed. So, until someone gets hit and killed nothing happens at the intersection.

Moving from MD to MA. UPDATED: Cyclist killed on Belmont Street raises concerns about street’s safety and Bicyclist struck, killed by car in Worcester Since lights and reflectors aren’t mentioned, but an after-sundown time of day is mentioned, we have to assume the cyclist met legal requirements before he was hit from behind in the middle of the lane. He was riding in the middle of the lane because there were large piles of snow blocking the bike lane according to the commentariat.

Down in NYC this bike-lane-blocker might just as well hang a sign saying “I’m a douche and I don’t care”. Photo: Park Slope Driver Pulls Off The Tightest, Dumbest Parking Job Of 2015 Bystanders were unable to get LEO in the area to issue even a ticket for blocking the bike lane. Much less tow the vehicle for illegally blocking the street.

Also in NYC, CitiBike was not the meat grinder it was predicted to be. Citi Bike Logged 10 Million Rides In 2015

Over in OR another driver gets away with manslaughter after hitting a cyclist from behind. Independence cyclist killed near Monmouth I don’t get it, to get knocked over into the oncoming lane the cyclist had to be riding directly in front of the driver, where a driver watching the road would have to see him. That means the driver was either super distracted, or he hit the cyclist on purpose. Again, no charges for killing a cyclist.

Down south from that OR wreck. In S.F., 25 Pedestrians and 5 Cyclists Were Killed in 2015, Despite Safety Efforts Until they start getting cops pulling over speeding drivers instead of spending hours giving cyclists tickets for rolling a stop sign without putting a foot down there aren’t going to be appreciable declines in vulnerable road user fatalities.

When a major international carmaker decides that making e-assist bicycles is the best way to survive as a company, then you know this blog has a future. How Ford Plans to Survive the Next 100 Years

And that’s all the links I had today. Billed @$0.02, Opus

Another rough day on the road, and the Feed

I took advantage of accidentally including the first report for today’s Feed having been used yesterday to go out and make a run through the “mall” with my cell phone to get as many of the high point targets as possible so I get that gift card quicker rather than later. And I stopped at the grocery store to pick up coffee, soda, and I grabbed some Christmas Tree Cakes for stockings.

Up first a cyclist is hit just feet before reaching the relative safety of a bike lane in Austin, a couple days’ ride south of WoaB World HQ in the Beautiful Suburbs of Hell. Man Killed in Crash Between Vehicle and Bicycle on Brodie Lane They didn’t say the victim didn’t have lights, just that they couldn’t verify the cyclist had lights on. Nothing confirmed about the mode but as the initial impact was just off the road on the shoulder and the bike ended up in the grass off to the side I would say there’s a real good chance he got hit from behind, so the usual protocols apply.

Over in NYC they killed another one, but wonder of wonders they actually arrested the driver. MTA Bus Driver Arrested For Killing Pedestrian In Brooklyn Crosswalk You would think that bus drivers would be more careful what with all the forward-facing video cameras recording every move.

Just outside NYC another hit-and-run driver kills another cyclist. Ramapo police ID bicyclist killed in Rt. 202 hit-run The description of the wrecked bike indicates either a right hook or a left or right cross, and the moment the driver left the scene it became his fault.

Over in Portland a demonstration of the biggest problem of bike infrastructure shared with motor vehicles: They tear shit up and it needs to be replaced. Paving project adds gravel, bumps and closures to 50s Bikeway route Again the biggest hurdle is motor vehicles tearing things up and getting in the way.

Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: LA cyclist dies from heart attack, Finish the Ride comes to the Valley, and I talk bikes on Bike Talk

Still in CA. Is a raised bike lane a protected bike lane? Why go through all this expense just to replicate what has been done in the Netherlands?

Victim statement from a trial in the Great White North. Parents, widow describe anguish over death of cyclist Tom Samson The words of the survivors are haunting.

Still in the GWN. Cyclist seriously injured near Grande Prairie At this point they know it was a hit-from-behind, but they haven’t determined why (aside from the fact that the driver was not paying attention to what was on the road in front of him).

Over in Jolly Olde a guy hits and runs against a cyclist. Hit-and-run driver Alexander William Coombes gets suspended prison sentence for A29 accident that left cyclist badly injured and Rustington driver left cyclist seriously injured in hit-and-run crash in Shripney also from Road.cc Speeding motorist who hit cyclist and left him at the side of the road sentenced I’m just going to quote a comment left at the second link: ““he was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months; ordered to complete 140 hours of unpaid work for the community; disqualified from driving for 15 months and required to take an extended re-test.
He was also ordered to pay £6,382 compensation to the victim and costs totalling £3,500.”
So he barely received any punishment for a collision that left someone with serious injuries. Mr Bumble was right: ‘the law is a ass – a idiot’ [sic].”

And on the same island. Man arrested over alleged hit-and-run in Corfe Mullen This article shows why I hate UK media laws, there is nothing in here aside from the fact the wreck happened, not even the names of the victim or the perp.

More on that bizarre package of laws passed in Oz. NSW cyclists face big increases in fines – and will have to carry photo ID

Still in Oz, a cyclist dies in mysterious circumstances. Cyclist found critically injured by Sunshine Coast road dies of his injuries They still don’t think he was hit by another vehicle, though.

It’s official, cyclists need to eat moar choklit. Official: Daily chocolate consumption makes you a better cyclist Curious that they used the exact same dose of dark chocolate as I got in the depression and BP trial. (BTW bitter chocolate works great at fighting depression and reducing blood pressure.)

There’s more to cycling than can be found in your philosophies, to mangle a quote. The Three Worlds of Cycling To answer the debate about working cyclists, I put them in a similar category to commuters trying to get from A to B so they could work, their work is going from A to B. Sometimes by going through points C through Z’ inclusive.

I can honestly say that I have never been in a situation where I could use any of this advice. Crash Course: How to Handle a Car-Bike Collision All of my wrecks have either been hit-and-run, something I could ride away from, or both. and most were from times when I didn’t have a cell phone, much less a cell phone camera.

And I think I’m probably done now.

Billed @$0.02, Opus