My feet hurt, have to take a break from collecting crypto

Seriously, I put a lot of miles in this week for as old and decrepit as I have become. I know 59 isn’t old in an absolute sense, I mean there are turtles older than that, but as much abuse as I have put my body through it certainly feels old. And it isn’t the bottoms of my feet that are bothering me, it’s across the top of the arch. I think maybe I’m overdue for a foot massage and that’s why that part of my feet hurt.

On other things I just saw where a pedestrian bridge in FL collapsed during construction, and the thing that bothers me the most about it is I can’t see any rebar sticking out of the broken concrete where the bridge collapsed. It might just be the fact the reproduction of the video via Twitter is just not high enough resolution to see the rebar, but there are a lot of little pieces of concrete that should have some kind of reinforcement keeping the pieces together so they break in larger pieces. And I just got back (21:24) from watching YouTube video of the disaster, and even at full-screen I can’t see any rebar sticking out of broken concrete, leading me to believe there wasn’t any or if there was it was too small and not enough of it.

I wish I had something to report about the Sprint-T, but except for brief flashes of inspiration the only thing that will provide progress in this build will be $$ in large quantities. I did a quick check of weight and if I build the frame from aluminum except for the roll bar, we are looking at a weight of 37 pounds for the frame compared to 70 or so for the kit frame that flexes like wet noodles and has no rollover protection. So with a little here and a little there we are looking at a sub-1400 pound car that has 305 HP on regular gas and gets 20 MPG without even trying, while embarrassing Corvettes and Vipers at stoplights. Heck, if I can make it hook up it would embarrass Hellcats and Demons at stoplights. But the kind of tires I would need to use to do that don’t wear well, like less than 100 UTQG wear rating. In comparison Goodguys requires 200 wear rating or higher to compete and most consumer tires are higher than 350 and go as high as 500. Of the tires I have been looking at most of the 245/40-15 are 200-300 wear rated, and the 255/60-15 are 400-500. So wear ratings of zero might have good traction for a few miles, but then you have cords showing through the tread.

I have to go do email and other mundane things now, so this is all for this post.

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Finally got some money, and the Feed

The check came in this morning, so I’ll be out running around paying bills and making deposits and stuff tomorrow instead of going with Mrs. the Poet to shop for groceries. There won’t be a big difference for the blog, just for my selection of salty snacks. I think I might have to give up meditation to get my BP up high enough to make the grade for the new test med, because cutting my current meds in half doesn’t quite do it, and eating salty snacks doesn’t do it either. I’m barely at 110/80 now.

Up first, wait, what?!?

Another cow caught stealing a bicycle…… pic.twitter.com/7gtONxicdn

— classicretro (@classicretro) March 30, 2016

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And closer to home.

Crews Finally Add Last Block of 2-Way Protected Bike Lane in Downtown Houston pic.twitter.com/DyjHLsSstv

— StreetsblogTexas (@StreetsblogTex) March 30, 2016

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Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: Downtown bike lanes draw new brewery, new bollards on Vineland and a new LA Bike Fest video

Unknown mode of wreck in MN. Bicycle rider killed by car in Sartell and Bicyclist Struck, Killed In Sartell As of this posting all I know is there was a cyclist hit by an unknown vehicle and possibly left for dead making this a possible probable hit-and-run.

Victim blaming in the Great White North. Cyclists share responsibility for accidents More blaming the victim for not wearing the GITDCS that drivers seem to think every cyclist should wear 24/7 when riding. Instead of you know, actually looking more than 20 feet in front of the vehicle.

Right hook in far West Canuckistan. Cyclist dies in collision with truck in Victoria’s Chinatown and Cyclist, 73, struck and killed in downtown Victoria I zoomed in on the picture of the crime scene and the only truck visible was a COE with good forward and side vision. So, aside from using the standard protocols posted in the links at the top of the page what could be done to prevent this wreck? They were already using the delivery vehicle with the best outward vision, the cyclist was wearing clothing that made her visible, what else could be done? EDIT: As I was getting ready to move from the first link to the next link the page updated with a much better picture of the crime scene showing the actual delivery vehicle having a conventional cab that is blind to a large area in front and to the right where the cyclist was hit. So going back to the question, replacing the delivery vehicle with a COE flat van and a glass door to the right would be a massive help.

Speaking of the devil, here’s an article from Jolly Olde on just that kind of vehicle, this one in a trash hauler. Pioneering lorries with panoramic view hit the streets in bid to save cyclists’ lives

Also from the UK is this factoid from the trial of a killer driver. Janina Gehlau: Lorry driver ‘should have seen cyclist for up to five seconds’ before fatal collision The cyclist was using the infrastructure as designed, the driver of the weapon vehicle should have been looking in the direction he was planning on driving before actually proceeding through that space, I believe the colloquial phrasing is “Looked where he was going”.

This is an aspect of UK jurisprudence that I would dearly love to see here in the US. Cyclist injured in fall from bike due to road ‘hazard’ awarded damages after suing council for ‘negligence’ Injured or incur property damage because of crappy infrastructure? Sue the government body responsible for it not being crappy.

Now this just sucks. Man pushes cyclist off BMX and rides off on it I try not to wish harm to another human being, really I do, but this guy needs to get hit by an HGV turning left at a stop light since this is over in Jolly Olde where they drive on the wrong side of the road.

Another rider in Oz hits a parked car? Qld rider killed after hitting parked car Seriously this is two this week.

More on the 73 YO driver that killed a cyclist in Oz. Hit-and-run driver charged over WA cyclist

Back in the US, SF infrastructure! TWIN PEAKS FOR EVERYONE OK let me get this out or I’m going to explode: “That’s one fine cuppa coffee” .

And how do you get bike parking? How Portland’s oldest Buddhist temple got better bike parking Sometimes you have to DIY.

And here it is not even midnight and I’m outta links, Gigi is going to be so happy.

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

Not hitting on all cylinders, and the Feed

well, I tried. I set the alarm and tried to get up to go to the bank before the bad weather hit. I even dreamed that I did get up and made myself a nice hot breakfast, but what really happened was I hit silence on the alarm without ever fully awakening, and slept another 2 hours. How I did that is another mystery because I use my cell phone as my alarm clock, because I have trained myself to sleep through the alarm from the alarm clock after working 2nd and 3rd shifts while Mrs. the Poet got up at 0400 to go take the flavor out of children’s lunches. The thing is there is no button to turn off the alarm on the cell phone, just a red area on the screen that moves around depending on how you hold the phone so you have to look at the phone to figure out where the red button is before tapping that area of the screen. Somehow I managed to do that without ever coming fully awake from the dream I was having and just incorporated all of that into the dream. Anyhow, long story short I didn’t get to the bank to get money to buy coffee, so now I have to make do with other caffeine sources until tomorrow.

Up first is Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: The bi-coastal bikelash goes on, and good news on the medical and track racing fronts

Still in CA. Woman Riding Bicycle Struck, Killed by Car in Santee The narrative on this one screams SWSS. I mean “ she suddenly veered left across both northbound lanes,” is kinda the stereotypical “Suicidal Swerve”. Now assuming the narrative is correct and the cyclist did suddenly go from the curb to the inside lane in the blink of an eye, don’t do that, Seriously start making your lane change way early just so you don’t get caught out like this person.

Moving a little closer to home (but closer to Ted than to WoaB in the Beautiful Suburbs of Hell). Boy riding bike injured in crash The narrative is believable on this one, the kid went through the intersection without looking for cross traffic.

Remembering a MS cyclist. Kevser Ermin Tragedy Serves as Humble Reminder to Area Cyclists All that about how the victim was riding exactly as required by the law and the driver was 100% at fault, and the first hint about bike safety they give is to ride with traffic. SMH.

Our first link from WI for the day. Police: Man riding bike struck, killed in Milwaukee This is why you shouldn’t weave in and out of parked cars and should ride to the left of them instead, avoiding the door zone.

Another link about the infrastructure in WI. Traffic deaths in 2016 are up about 32% compared with last year Yay! more people getting killed with cars.

Update on a NM bike wreck victim’s recovery. Teen cyclist hit in South Valley says he doesn’t remember crash I remember everything up to the impact, them waking up after coming back to life and asking to be moved gently because I had broken the upper end of my femur. About the only thing I don’t remember was getting hit and then flying through the air and landing. This kid was spared even the little I went through.

More on the AZ wreck that killed NM cyclists. Ken’s Monday Ride honors two cyclist killed on Northwest side and Steller: Tucson’s obligation — to protect visiting cyclists

Looking very hard at the infrastructure in AZ. UA grad student seeks public opinion on cycling, pedestrian safety So, what changes would you make in your local infrastructure? For the Beautiful Suburbs of Hell I would like about a 15 MPH blanket reduction in the speed limits.

Another SWSS wreck in FL. Coral Springs bicyclist struck, killed in Parkland accident There are conflicting reports that put the wreck in the bike lane, or in the adjacent travel lane. Unfortunately the people relating the other reports did not provide links.

I get this as a straight male, I can’t even imagine how bad it would be for a woman. A Biker’s Guide to Dealing With Street Harassment

Infrastructure in Chicago. Curb-protected bike lanes rolled out in Chicago Still way shy of CROW Manual standards, but pushing the AASHTO Manual right against the wall and squeezing as hard as it can.

Another wounded veteran ride with a twist. Ft. Hood shooting survivor joins injured vets on biking journey The twist is that the guy who is the focus of the article was injured just about a day’s ride south of WoaB World HQ.

An example of how cyclists are considered in Oz. Woman falsely confessed to hitting cyclist to scare a man

And what that low regard can cause. Laws a win for cyclists everywhere That’s right, he actually thinks $400 fines for rolling a stop sign or red light on a bicycle and $300 for not wearing a helmet are a Good Thing. Stockholm syndrome cyclist.

And I was sent several variations of this, but since they all say the same thing I’m just including the first link in my inbox. Ostrich Goes Full ‘Road Runner’ To Chase Down Cyclists Seeing as almost the entire video showed the backside of the ostrich in front of the camera bike, yeah I’m not buying the “chase” scenario.

And I’m all outta links, Maybe I can get to bed at a reasonable hour. Nahhh.

Billed @€0.02, Opus

More stuff about making model cars, and the Feed

OK I don’t know how much you have been paying attention to the Mini Sprint-T build, but the exhaust that came with the engine kit is going away for something more like what the real thing will have. What the 1:1 Sprint-T will have is what used to be known as a Tri-Y header or now as the 4-2-1. The main reason for that is what I’m going to be using the car for and how. The car will be used for SCCA Solo and Goodguys Autocross racing, plus transit between races and general around town grocery-getting (that’s why I’m including a trunk with a locking lid). The “how” is the car will be geared to hit 60 MPH in 1st gear so no shifting during a run in Goodguys and very little in SCCA Solo, just gas, brake, steer (or gasbrakesteergassteergasbrakesteer…). The reason for the Tri-Y over the cheaper and easier to find 4-into-1 is torque curve, specifically the curve below the peak torque. Tri-Y headers use an effect of resonance to get more torque below the peak without hurting power above peak torque. They are also not the best-looking thing to have on an exposed engine, but I can fix that during fabrication.

But to do that I have to make a set of scale headers to fit the car, and to do that I have to decide which cylinders to pair up for most equal flow. On the SBC there are 2 cylinders on each bank that are right after each other in the firing order and would interfere with each other if they were on the same branch of the second Y of the header. So the trick is to set them up with a second cylinder that is as far apart as possible in the firing order so there is no interference (actually there still is unless you have a flat crank or a straight 4 engine). That is easy to determine, just write the firing order vertically twice in a row so that you have a column of 16 numbers. Even numbers are right bank, so you put a tick mark on the right side of the column next to all the even numbers, ditto the left side on the odd numbers. You will easily see the adjacent cylinders because there will be two tick marks in a row on the same side of the column.

Now the almost-tricky part. Since there are 4 cylinders per bank you have to start with one of the adjacent cylinders, and pair it with the non-adjacent cylinders and count how far apart they are in the firing order, then do it again for the other cylinder, then do it again twice more for the other adjacent cylinder. You will find there are two pairs that are 5-3 or 3-5 and two other pairs that are 2-6 or 6-2 and that if you pick the 5-3 pair for one adjacent cylinder then the other adjacent cylinder is 3-5 with the remaining non-adjacent cylinder. You now have which cylinders to pair up when you build the headers.

The tricky part after that is making it look good where the primary tubes join the secondary tubes, and not like a bundle of unhappy snakes. What I’m going to do is put the secondaries side-by-side so that from the side it looks like a short-tube 4-into-1 header.

Now if I had a big budget I would build 3 sets of headers, one using 3-5 5-3 pairs, one using the 2-6 6-2 pairs to see if there is any difference, and a third 4-into-1 with super long primary tubes to see what running the longest primary tubes I have room for will do in comparison. And maybe I would also build a pair that had the adjacent cylinders on the same branch just to see if what everyone says is true about the adjacent cylinders interfering with each other and killing torque. Because if it didn’t make any difference I would run the tubes the way it packaged easiest. Or I could do the same thing with different slip-on collectors for the 3-5 and 6-2 headers and the 4-into-1 and build a separate set for putting the adjacent pairs on the same branch. That would be a lot of header swapping at the dyno, but it would be an interesting experiment.

Up first is a wreck in TX. Bicyclist killed in Crosby, family seeks assistance Nothing about the mode, but with no intersection mentioned nor salmon cycling it seems like hit-from-behind is a good candidate for the wreck. If you have the inclination I suggest going ahead with the goFundMe donation.

Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: LA River bike path closed through Memorial Day, and biking & walking are booming in the US

Still in CA. Operation Firefly shines a light on night-time bicycle safety I am a big fan of lights for riding at night so you can see wheere you’re riding. Also because drivers are generally blind as bats and will run over anything not lit up like Times Square on NYE. And sometimes even if it’s lit like Times Square on NYE.

How in Hades’ name do you run into 4 cyclists waiting at a red light unless you aren’t watching the road in front of you? Two dead, two injured in Northwest cyclist involved collision Oh, he was chemically impaired, that’s how.

So the kid got hit because he wasn’t wearing a helmet, or because the driver was going too fast to stop in a residential area or? 8-year-old boy killed while riding bike in Indian Land The wreck scene was two turns inside the residential area and should have been traffic-calmed with a low speed limit since there were childrren playing in and near the street.

Not that the vote would change things as the petition was disallowed for lacking valid signatures, but the outcome was unexpected. BURLINGTON VOTERS SAY ‘NO’ TO KEEPING FOUR LANES ON NORTH AVENUE, SCHOOL BUDGET PASSES Really, who in their right minds puts a technical infrastructure upgrade to a popular vote?

CT wreck LEO are blaming on a salmon cyclist. Police: Wrong-way cyclist seriously injured in crash OK the narrative sounds really dodgy on this one, he was riding against traffic and then crossed to the opposite side of the road to get hit from behind? Does this sound like the wildest SWSS report since the cyclist hit on the right with the left side of the car after “swerving” from the right shoulder in Texarkana?

Hit-and-run in NYC. Hit-And-Run Driver Knocks Elderly Man Off His Scooter In Brooklyn Not a bike, but there was a bike nearly hit by the driver during his escape. You can see it in the video. Also sending healing to the victim on the mobility scooter.

Some parts of NYC are being dragged into the 21st Century kicking and screaming. The Boulevard of Life, Phase 2: DOT’s Plan for Queens Blvd in Elmhurst And people are fighting this because parking will be lost?!? How many lives is a parking spot worth? How many broken bodies?

Hard to make change in car culture when you still devote massive amounts of space to storing cars. Guest opinion: To make paradise, stop putting up parking lots

Another blow against automobile-centric hegemony by the DIY DOT. ‘Agents of transformation’ help spread traffic cone activism in Portland

They are trying to change things in FL. 3-Mile Bike Ride With Mayor Haynie Seriously, 2 years ago I would have dismissed a story like this as an opium dream, now it’s reality.

The country of Bermuda is too poor to stop killing people. Making roads safer ‘cost prohibitive’

Rider down in Jolly Olde. Father-of-three killed in cycling crash ‘after hitting pothole that had not been repaired despite repeated warnings’ The first report of this pothole was filed in 2009, seven freaking years ago. How many broken bodies can be attributed to this hole? And now a life has been lost.

How is killing someone while driving drunk “careless” and not “dangerous”?!? Van driver jailed for seven years after cyclist killed in multi-vehicle crash How many vehicles did this doufus hit and how many hit the cyclist?

This was a hard video to watch. Not because of the content, but because by the time I pulled this link up my laptop was stopping and eventually crashed while trying to load the video. I heard a lot of bleeping profanity, but the video wouldn’t show. Cyclist crashes avoiding pedestrians who were crossing when they shouldn’t have been

You’re riding your bike wrong, say scientists. How to ride a bike the right way, using science

And it’s almost 0400 and I’m feeling like I was run over. And believe me I know what that feels like, at least 3 times. Time for bed. If I hadn’t been tagging this as I composed it there wouldn’t be any tags.

Billed @$0.02, Opus

This looks like an easy day for posting the Feed

I know this won’t go out until after midnight so that I can catch that last update from the search service I use, but it also looks like I will get a break to watch TV or modify the vacuum cleaner so that even though the beater bar won’t work it will still get the loose stuff off the top of the rug. Modifying the cleaner is a temp step to clean things up a little until Mrs. the Poet can decide on what kind of new vacuum cleaner she wants.

OK I worked for a couple of hours on the vacuum cleaner and besides the beater bar belt constantly getting thrown and chewed up it turns out the real reason the cleaner stopped picking stuff off the rug was a clogged intermediate filter at the bottom of the debris canister that prevented any air from getting through. This prevented the vacuum cleaner from cleaning.

Up first we get an update on the supposedly salmon cyclist hit by a cop in Southeast TX. Cyclist injured in officer-involved accident dies Again, I will believe the salmon label when I see the wreckage and the coroner’s report on the cyclist’s injuries. I’m not saying that cyclists don’t ride salmon some times, just that without outside verification I refuse to accept the driver’s version of the story even if the driver was a LEO.

I have been following this one since day one and I always suspected the driver of trying to pull multiple fast ones to avoid going to jail. Judge Considers Tougher Sentence For Former San Ramon Attorney Who Killed Cyclist In Dublin and Judge considers tougher sentence for ex-local attorney who killed Dublin cyclist Seriously, the hit-and-run didn’t tip everyone off that this guy was scum from the get-go? And hiding the weapon vehicle inside his garage instead of parking it where he could show it off to the neighbors like he normally did? Or not telling anyone about the wreck until they found his wrecked car in the garage? Seriously fornicate this guy with a barbed-wire condom in a splinter-infested knothole, with a salt and alcohol based lube. Or just put him back in prison for a couple of years.

Since we are in CA anyway, let’s check our Daily Ted. Morning Links: Rio Hondo bike path closed, Glendale matches LA’s hit-and-run rewards, and way better wayfinding

And late-breaking Daily Ted Part 2. Breaking news: Bicyclist killed in Montclair hit-and-run

More news on the wreck of 4 cyclists hit from behind in NC. WOMAN WHO HIT 4 CYCLISTS NEAR ANGIER CHARGED The charges seem to be about as severe as they can get for a wreck not involving a dead cyclist. “In addition to the reckless driving charge, Williams is charged with improper passing in a curve and four counts of improper passing causing serious bodily injury.” I’m hearing that the oncoming car stopped before reaching the wreck scene when the cyclists were hit, which means the driver panicked about missing the car. I’m wondering what the tox screen will pick up.

Low-information wreck in the most deadliest state in the US to walk or ride a bike. Bicyclist struck and killed by vehicle in Fort Myers The video had even less information than the text, all it had was a bunch of pictures, most uncaptioned, of cyclists who were killed in the last 12 months.

CO letter about a cyclist hit. Adelaide Perr: Tears for injured cyclist

Still in CO they cited the cyclist injured in a wreck. Cyclist cited after being seriously injured in crash Looking at the street view and the narrative the cyclist was making a left turn and failed to yield. She must have misjudged the speed of oncoming traffic, or thought they would yield to her.

More on the NV cyclist killed by a drunk driving without a license in an unregistered vehicle. Brother of bicyclist hit and killed by ATV says, “he liked to make people laugh” I know there is the “halo effect” for people who are recently killed, but it almost always seems like the majority of cyclists killed by motor vehicles were good people with a record of trying to do good things.

More on the OH driver acquitted by a jury of drivers. Brecksville man found not guilty in crash that killed two cyclists

I almost fell out of my chair when I read this the first time. Commissioner Fritz floats another idea: Car-free streets This is the same person who said that cyclists didn’t “deserve” more infrastructure until every one of them obeyed all the traffic laws. Now the shoe seems to fit the other foot much better.

More OR infrastructure news. Oregon will phase out ‘Share the Road’ signs Again I favor the “BMUFL” regulatory sign than the “share the road” advisory sign.

Infrastructure news from NYC. Five Years Later & The Prospect Park West Bike Lane War Rages On I noticed that some of the people pushing this lawsuit are doing so from nursing homes or beyond the grave now.

More infrastructure this time from VT. COLCHESTER/RIVERSIDE AVE. INTERSECTION STUDY PUBLIC MEETING #1 Current state of affairs in an autocentric mess that nobody can navigate safely without a light armored vehicle. Suggested changes are improved pedestrian crossings and bike lanes.

Infrastructure from WI. State Infrastructure Spending Plummets This is not just bike infrastructure, but everything. Roads, bridges, water mains, the whole shooting match. Bike infrastructure has taken a bigger hit by percentage than roads and bridges, but everything has suffered. That’s the thing about “tax and spend”, you have to spend sometimes to keep things running, and you have to tax to get the money to spend.

News from far West Canuckistan. Friends gathered to bid a final farewell to a man killed in a freak cycling accident Hit by a thrown object that was tossed from a garbage can by a guy with his head still in the can. He probably never knew he hit anyone.

From the Great White North. Trending: Toronto boy, 5, makes heartbreaking posters in search of stolen bike His bike was stolen from the playground where he had ridden it to go play. D:

Also from West Canuckistan. Woman facing charges for hit and run in Vernon last fall They caught her because she only “ran” as far as the power pole she took out. This person should never drive again in her life.

Shades of “Stop de Kindermoord” protests in the Netherlands at the ends of the 1970s. Mum organises march to highlight traffic ‘dangers to children’ near Cambridge Railway Station

Sure crack down on the victims of road violence, not the perpetrators. Cyclists targeted in police blitz just days before major fines take effect And don’t forget the draconian fines for not wearing a silly foam hat.

Last link, this setup was actually an option that came with the kit for my SBC engine for the Mini Sprint-T. Potvin Supercharger Meets High Tech T-Bucket Seriously, there were 3 options for the kit induction one of which was the blower in that article.

And I’m outta links and getting sleepy again.

Billed @€0.02, Opus (Does anyone notice I switch back and forth between $ and € on this sig line?)

Nice weather for Grocery Day, and the Feed

I know it’s a little late now, but I should have tagged the Mini Sprint-T in yesterday’s post since so much of the first paragraph was devoted to it and there was a picture of it in the post. Anywho, we are having a nice spring day out, in the middle of February, in Texas. Birds are singing and I have already seen the crane flies (those things that look like huge mosquitoes) on the storm doors. Climate change! Woo!

I know some people are wondering why I spend so much time on the Mini Sprint-T when I’m a bicycle safety blogger and know how dangerous motor vehicles are around vulnerable users like pedestrians and cyclists? Well one reason is I need to build something. I would prefer to build a car or a recumbent bike but I don’t have the space nor resources to build something like that now. If Dad’s house hadn’t sold for $75K under appraisal I would have a lot more $$ for building the full-size car, but that water is way under the dam now. So I’m working with something I can afford with the resources I have now. I’m solving most of the problems I would face with the Sprint-T while working within my budget for the Mini Sprint-T. Also, model cars are very safe around vulnerable users so long as you don’t step on them. The cars, not the vulnerable users, don’t step on the model cars. You might cut your foot stepping on the model car.

Up first, an OH driver claims “blindness” from “sun glare” for driving about 100 feet on the shoulder to hit 5 cyclists head on. You won’t believe what happened in court. Bike Cleveland on Wolf verdict: ‘It is seriously regrettable that justice was not served’ Yep “Not guilty” of vehicular homicide. Once again proving that if you want to commit random murder, buy a car, not a gun.

Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: Killer SD hit-and-run driver has a bad night; next Griffith Park access meeting on Wednesday

Still in CA. Cyclist struck, injured by WES train in Tualatin When I filtered they were still trying to figure out how he got hit, stating the victim “rode directly into the path” of the train. As I have pointed out numerous times in the past avoiding getting hit by a train is laughingly easy, just don’t be on the tracks when the train gets there. Why this rider didn’t do that is under question at the moment.

More infrastructure in Portland. Opinion: If we’re serious about cycling, let’s get serious about cycling infrastructure

Hit-and-run in PA. Two people were in Jeep at fatal hit-and-run in Upper Milford, police say This is an update on the ICE-assist bike hit head-on by a vehicle cutting the left turn. And my speculation from yesterday was apparently correct that the cyclist was legally lighted at the tine of the wreck. The Street View of the scene shows the cyclist had a through road without a stop sign while the weapon vehicle was facing a stop sign before making that left turn. The really despicable part is they both got out and looked at the victim’s body and mangled bike in the road before leaving him there to die.

What other job could you (almost) kill someone and get a paid vacation. Cambridge officer cited for hit-and-run crash that injured bicyclist Seriously, leave someone to die in the street and get a paid vacation? I suspect DUI was involved, the cop knowing that leaving the scene would get him out of the worst of the charges by preventing testing.

In TN it appears we have a SWCC wreck. Bicyclist Injured On East Main Street After Colliding With Pickup On Tuesday The narrative would also fit with a buzz job or punishment pass that went way bad (for the victim).

I think MT stands for the amount of compassion for the victim in their hearts. Man sentenced to 6 months in jail for killing cyclist in 2014 accident Except no, he wasn’t. He got 90 days in jail and 90 days house arrest, not 6 months in jail. The cyclist is taking a dirt nap while the driver gets only 90 days in jail and another 90 days at home sleeping in his own bed and pooping in his own toilet and eating his own food not bought from the lowest bidder.

Up in West Canuckistan LEO add insult to injury for a salmon cyclist. Cyclist struck, then fined

Still in West Canuckistan. Suits filed in cyclist deaths The owner of the weapon vehicle is throwing the driver under the bus, all but claiming the car was stolen. And they are still trying to blame the cyclists for getting hit by a drunk driver on the wrong side of the road?!?

Still in West Canuckistan, a little infrastructure article. Vancouver Bike-Share Gears Up for Summer Launch

Meanwhile in Jolly Olde. Cyclist injured after car accident in Cobham Wreck, not accident. but anyway, from the picture it looks like hit from behind because of a failure to pass safely.

More on #Nohelmet-gate in the UK. Row breaks out on Twitter after police ‘blame’ injured cyclist for #NoHelmet Please comment, should I mention all the wrecks where the drive wasn’t wearing a helmet and firesuit and blame the wreck on lack of either? Or would that be (too) petty?

Another hit-and-run leaves a lucky cyclist injured but alive. Bid to trace car in cyclist hit-and-run Hit from behind protocols to avoid or reduce injury, crush and shred vehicles used to commit hit-and-run to prevent, with the driver inside in cases where the victim dies.

Today’s candidate for the “really crap infrastructure” tag. Potholes are a ‘disgrace’, says cyclist That road looks more like an obstacle course.

Cyclist down, UK. Cyclist killed in collision with Range Rover was ‘loving husband, father and friend’

Cyclist down in Oz. The Beat: Brisbane news, weather and traffic No details about the wreck or if any other vehicles were involved.

Brave women making a difference if they don’t get killed. A group of bicycling women are defying norms in the Middle East

And I’m out of links again.

Billed @$0.02, Opus

Well it is pretty outside now, and the Feed

It is about the same temperature today as it was Monday, but with the sun out it’s much more pleasant than then or especially yesterday with the rain. I’m still working on mocking up the Mini Sprint-T by installing the headers from the engine kit to the engine and reinstalling the engine to the body with the temp glue that will peel off from the plastic when it comes time to build the permanent parts and install them. The “weed burner” exhaust from the engine kit looks like it was made to use on the T Bucket body, which it might have. They are both from the same model kit company and there was lots of customization potential in the kit I got the bucket from.

Up first is a hit-from-behind wreck outside Houston. CYCLIST FATALLY STRUCK BY CAR IN NORTHEAST HARRIS COUNTY I couldn’t see if the bike had lights or reflectors, and the article and video did not mention them either which usually means the bike was legally lighted. What is far more likely is that the driver was not paying attention, and/or driving too fast for conditions. My take after looking at the weapon vehicle is too fast for conditions.

Now, Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: Cyclist nearly rammed by Laguna Cyn driver; man buys bike with bad traveler’s checks in OC

Update on a KC MO wreck. Man charged with hit-and-run accident that left Shawnee cyclist in critical condition My take is the driver’s priors are not pertinent to if he hit and ran. They are pertinent to if he’s a nice person or not.

Successful advocacy in America’s Copenhagen. Wonk Nights work! 30 months later, city kicks off bike parking reform It only took 2½ years to get that far. That doesn’t bode well for doing this in locations that are less hospitable politically to cycling.

Even in Portland you find some anti-cyclist Trotskyites. Bikes should rank beneath mass transit in city hierarchy, says Commissioner Fritz “Not everyone can drive. So let’s stop prioritizing driving.” Adam H. Indeed looking at the chart in the article the bike budget is about 1% that of the motor vehicle budget, less if you count transit spending as “public motor vehicles”.

What can only be called a minor annoyance for Portland cyclists. Why does Multnomah County allow auto parking on the Morrison Bridge bike path? The bridge operator parks his car there because it was constantly getting broken into when he parked off the bridge..

Meanwhile in NYC, they get street equipment left in the lane(s) for weeks completely blocking the lane(s) in both directions. NYPD Light Tower Has Been Blocking Brooklyn Bike Lane For Weeks Because Where Else Could It Possibly Go? I have been seeing the picture of the fire engine blocking the street and the light tower in the bike lane for weeks now, but the fire engine is long gone and so should the light tower.

More infrastructure news from WI. Bublr Bikes Network Proposed to Grow in 2016

And legal infrastructure news from IA. Proposed bicycle safety law much needed, North Iowa cyclists say I would be pushing my state rep for something like this except this is the election year for reps, and the lege meets on the other year. So here in TX you find out who’s going to represent you about 4 months before the legislative session, they meet with almost no public votes taken, and then you decide to keep them or not based on what they decide to tell you about what they did… Damned hard to get a bill like this through the session when you have no chance of voting the people who vote against your interests out.

Last US story is an update on a CO hit-and-run. Cyclist struck in hit-and-run north of Boulder remains in critical condition I kept saying there was more damage to the weapon vehicle than just a missing mirror, and now the LEO report backs me up on that.

First link from Jolly Olde, a driver lies after killing a cyclist. Woman hit and killed cyclist – then told police her car had been stolen I’m shocked that the driver would try to pretend she didn’t kill a cyclist.

And this guy. ‘Sorry’ driver who knocked down OAP left him in the road with another driver as he was running late Here in TX we have another definition for someone who is “sorry”. The alternative definition is someone deficient in character. I think this applies to someone who would leave a person to die in the street to avoid being late to pick up his wife from work.

American perspective on the legal changes in Oz. Australian Bicycling Advocates Worried About Tough New Laws

This was a different kind of bike, but this $&*^ is going on all over Oz. Boy injured after riding bike into wire stretched across road I keep saying this is an act of domestic terrorism when it happens to pedalcyclists, it is just as much so when the victim is riding a motorcycle.

Another kid on a bike hit in Oz. Teen cyclist seriously injured after being hit outside Melbourne school The kid didn’t even get off the block before he got hit by with a car.

And I’m out of links again. See you later.

Billed @$0.02, Opus

Not feeling well today, and the Feed

Yep, I’m in actual pain right now from a gum problem, there is exposed bone on the inside of my right lower jaw where my wisdom teeth were extracted about 30 years ago. I don’t know what could have caused this, and I don’t care because it is very uncomfortable. I mean we are not up to “broken fibula bouncing around in my leg” levels of pain, but above “post removed hardware holding bones together with a slide hammer” pain. I am only having issues with this because proximity is making my right eye water sometimes and that makes it hard to see what I’m doing. Mrs. the Poet looked at it and her interpretation is it looks more like a series of infected areas along a cut, which makes a little sense considering all the chips I have been eating the last 2 weeks.

Now what makes this really fun is I’m writing a service that I’m going to put on this Sunday on the subject of “Love”. It is really hard to get enthusiastic about love when one eye is watering from discomfort. But I will muddle through somehow.

Up first is this notice from Bike Friendly Garland about a local event. Bridge Dedication, Ribbon Cutting Set for Feb. 13 Unfortunately I will not be able to attend this event, as I will still be unconscious after completing the post around 0300.

Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: Planning Comm preserves Mobility Plan, PV bike lanes threatened, and register for River Ride

Still in CA. Police Update: Cyclist Killed This Morning By Hit-and-Run Driver on Winchester Blvd. I loathe, hate, despise and find drivers who hit-and-run appalling. Especially the one who just abandon their vehicles. If you drive home you could just claim blindness and stupidity (“I didn’t know I had hit anything”), but if you ditch the car you know damn good and well you hit someone and left them to live or die as their fate dictates. A suitable punishment would be hitting them in the abdomen with a 16 pound sledgehammer and then leaving them unconscious for 48 hours. If they die, that’s their karma, if they live then they get minimal medical care to keep them alive but nothing for repairing any non-life threatening injuries like torn muscles or spinal injuries. If you had been killed by a hit-and-run driver I’m sure you would feel similar to me. Not identical, but similar.

Also still in CA. A Problem We Can Solve: Commercial Vehicles Blocking Our Lanes My take can be summed up thusly:

Meanwhile in NYC… Bicyclist clings to life after being struck by crane truck in Tribeca and Cyclist Clings To Life After Being Hit By Truck Driver In Tribeca The driver of the wepon vehicle claimed the cyclist ran a red, but would you trust a driver to give an accurate accounting of a wreck? The back of the bike from the picture in the first link looked too smashed up for a cyclist who was crossing in front of the truck, but the TwitPic was less definitive about direction of impact with the bike still under the truck. So we have a classic SWCC wreck, unless someone has video of the wreck that shows the cyclist actually running the red.

Still in NYC. Driver Arrested For Killing Midtown Pedestrian, But Will Vance Follow Through? This was the same DA who let a truck driver off because the victim was 5’5″ and the driver couldn’t possibly see someone that short.

Speaking of that… Manhattan DA Drops Charges Against Coca-Cola Truck Driver Who Killed Pedestrian In UES Crosswalk

More hit-and-run in MA this time. 15-year-old cyclist severely injured in hit-and-run crash in Lowell See above for my feeling on hit-and-run (ugh!).

Legal infrastructure in America’s Copenhagen. Police write 15 citations for illegal driving during Clinton enforcement action 15 tickets/arrests for cars, 2 for bicycles (no lights after dark).

And more physical infrastructure changes in Portland. Update: City extends new bike lane on SE 34th Avenue The bike lane was advisory so that trucks could access the noodle shop (gotta have supplies to make the noodles from), but truck access was diverted to another street that still would get to the shop so now everything is just peachy.

Infrastructure news from the city my brother lives and works in. Ashley River exit ramp work beginning This is the first stage of installing the bike lane, but I’m doubtful of the second stage where they block off the right lane but don’t allow bicycle access and then see how the traffic moves. One of the benefits of bike lanes is they allow people to use a bike instead of a car and still have a modicum of safety.

Good news everybody [/Professor Farnsworth] The Truth About Cycling and Brain Injuries tl;dr if you don’t get brain damage in the wreck you are not likely to develop brain damage later as long as you have recovery time after the concussion.

This was in the feed and I’m not sure if I posted this particular link when it came out, so here you go. ‘Dooring’ charge laid in death of e-bike rider So glad to know that if someone kills me with the door of his car in Ontario he will face up to $365 (CDN) in fines and 3 points against his license.

Not-so-Jolly Olde. Learner driver’s guilt as cyclist hit by car “In a letter to the court Cooper stated that both she and her passenger had thought the cyclist was on the pavement and that he would stop.” This is a typical “roads are for cars” attitude. The cyclist is permanently maimed but will only have to come up with £702 and 5 points on her license. TANJ!

Crap infrastructure in the UK (do they ever do anything else?) “Failure of ambition” on London Quietways

Someone did something stupid with this company’s logo all over the vehicle so they are suing the… guy who took the picture? JM Clark Ltd threaten legal action over helmet cam footage after driver is filmed using phone at the wheel Yeah, that’s not gonna pass muster, at all.

And I’m outta links again, so time to proof, tag, and post. Gigi is gonna be mad at me because she won’t have time to finish reading before her internet goes off at 0300 my time. I’m trying to figure out where she is from that but I keep coming up with odd shutdown times or somewhere in AK or HI. If she’s in HI then I’m jealous…

Billed @€0.02, Opus