I’m Schrodinger’s Millionaire again, and the Feed

Yes I am once again simultaneously filthy rich and dirt poor until 2045 local time when the Powerball drawing takes place. Seriously, Schrödinger didn’t need to use a cat in a box to illustrate something being two things at once, he just needed a lottery or sweepstakes drawing. And he could have saved the trouble of building a cat-killing chamber triggered by radioactive decay for his random event. But I suppose Schrödinger’s Sweepstakes wouldn’t be as memorable as the cat experiment. And I know that Schrödinger’s Cat was a thought experiment, not an actual physical experiment involving a real cat. That would be silly, and cruel to the person that had to put a cat in a box with all its claws. OK and cruel to the cat in the box too.

Up first is Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: 75-year old cyclist cuffed and ticketed for riding legally on I-15; Specialized says they’re sorry

Still in CA. DEVORE: Ghost bike honors cyclist killed in crash with car

This is going to be a major theme in today’s post. Parents of children killed in DUIs call for tougher laws Incredible as it may seem more than 40 years after the founding of MADD it is still only a misdemeanor no matter how many you get in the state of PA.

And over in AK, they’re having hearings in reaction to the death of a cyclist. Daughter of cyclist killed in 2014 hit-and-run testifies against bill to soften sentencing laws

And Bike Portland weighs in on language used to describe bike wrecks. Dear fellow journalists: This is why you should use #CrashNotAccident

And today we get 4 days of wrecks from NYC. Hit-And-Run Driver Fatally Struck Man Who Was Allegedly Lying In East Harlem Crosswalk Video of the crime scene posted showed the victim just “appearing” in the intersection. One second he’s not there at all, the next he is lying on the street, having been dragged from someplace as he slides into the intersection.

And another NYC ped is hit and killed in another crosswalk. City Blames Pedestrian After Cop Fatally Runs Him Over In Crosswalk The video of the fatal wreck is just nauseating when seen after reading NYPD blaming the victim for his own death.

Well one out of 3? Hit-And-Run Taxi Driver Says He Thought He Hit A Pothole, Not A Person I’m sure every pothole makes your car go up first instead of falling down into a hole.

A KY girl misjudges the speed of the cop car that stops in front of her. Young girl injured after riding bike into the side of a police cruiser Yeah, this has happened to me minus the impact. Approach the intersection with the belief that slightly slowing will cause you to pass behind the car, and the car stops. I had to slam on the brakes to prevent a wreck, the girl had no place to go and hit the car.

More on a wreck in Scotland. VIDEO: Tributes left at roadside for tragic teen cyclist killed on Moray road

More on an Oz truck driver who saved a cyclist. Ettalong Beach truckie recognised for heroic act on M2 motorway

And possible fun times. Polish Moon Ride Registration Open The post-ride festivities look to be as much fun as the ride. Enjoy!

And I’m out of links again.

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

Back to the salt mines, and the Feed

Gotta do something to bring my BP up for the new study med, maybe a massive increase in my sodium consumption will help. What you thought I was going to engage in manual labor? I’m going to try to eat my way through a metaphorical salt mine. Just like how a few years ago I drastically increased my consumption of fatty meats so that I could survive a non-statin cholesterol med that was being tested for interactions with other meds.

The 0.060″ square styrene rod that will eventually become the bottom frame rails arrived this morning. I can’t believe that I spent almost $10 (after tax and shipping) on a tiny package of plastic that isn’t even anything yet. And I can’t believe how tiny 0.060″ is.

Up first is a cyclist killed near Houston. Bicyclist dies after struck by hit-and-run driver on Beaumont Highway Apparently a hit-from-behind wreck, apparently a walking anal sphincter for a driver. Houston readers BOLO for an older Suburban with fresh front-end damage, call the local non-emergency police number if you see one.

Our Daily Ted, part one. Morning Links: Nine years for drunken West Covina hit-and-run; suspect wanted in Agoura Hills bike crash

Our Daily Ted part duh. Woman killed riding bike in Carlsbad when she reportedly veered out of bike lane Certainly sounds like a SWSS wreck to me.

Counting the toll in NYC. NYC Drivers Injured 1,191 Pedestrians and Cyclists, and Killed 13, in February And pedestrians and cyclists killed zero drivers. Cyclists killed zero pedestrians and pedestrians killed zero cyclists. The only mode that killed anybody was motor vehicles.

Another senseless death in NYC. Driver Backing Up to Park Kills Lin Qinyun, NYPD Blames Victim [Updated] “Since May 2015, motorists have killed five pedestrians while driving in reverse on New York City streets.” And I bet every one of those deaths was met with a “no criminality suspected” statement from NYPD, just like this one.

Still in NYC. Pedicab Drivers Sue City For Allegedly Trying To Destroy Them The only transit mode greener than the carriages (that the city is also trying to shut down) and the city is trying to make operators lives miserable.

Almost as crazy in still in NYC. Brooklyn Cyclists Fear New Bike Lanes On Jay Street Still Won’t Keep The Cop Cars Out and Sneak Preview: The Jay Street Protected Bike Lane

Infrastructure change in VT. HOUSE BACKS REFORM OF DRIVER’S LICENSE SUSPENSION SYSTEM How is this an infrastructure change? As it stands now a license can be suspended for any number of reasons, including things unrelated to driving ability or maintaining a safe vehicle or anything to do with vehicles at all. Just one point, using LEO writing tickets as a revenue-generating tool was one of the triggers for the problems in Ferguson, MO.

Speaking of MO. Local cyclists ready to protest HB 2046 with organized ride This was the bill that would have required bicycles on certain roads be equipped with flags on 15′ high poles, making the bikes illegal to use on the US Highway System because they would be over the legal height limit.

Jog up to WI for this lovely news. Traffic Deaths Increasingly Involve Pedestrians Cars are safer, drivers not so much. This is going on pretty much world-wide.

Infrastructure from America’s Copenhagen. Finally! ODOT acknowledges need for a road diet on SW Barbur Blvd How many injured cyclists did it take before this was started?

Still in Portland. Northeast Portlanders call enthusiastically for traffic diverters, greenway on 7th Avenue If the comments are to be believed (and why not?) this is a long overdue change.

A little north of Portland. Seattle Council Approves $1.5 Million Bike-Share Save Now get rid of that stupid helmet law and you might keep the thing in business.

They found the driver and vehicle that killed a cyclist in OH. First vehicle that struck, killed Franklin County teen bicyclist found I know the commenter NRWM isn’t going to read this blog, but none of the reports mentioned a lack of lights so the bike probably met or exceeded legal minimums. And the driver needs another vision test, maybe at night.

Wreck in IL. Woman on bicycle injured in accident with car This story had almost as much information as the usual UK reports.

Another wreck in CT. Cyclist injured in collision with delivery truck in Waterbury Assuming the narrative is accurate and the delivery driver didn’t do a “swoop-and-squat” then you need to be careful about brake system maintenance, along with the usual ABCQ check before riding (you do perform an ABCQ check before every ride, right? Particularly after leaving your bike unattended in public).

Terrible wreck in CO. Former pro cyclist injured in crash near Boulder I wouldn’t call losing an arm an “injury though. More like “permanently maimed”. But he will survive the wreck, and LEO still don’t know who was on the wrong side of the road.

A Canuckistan rider is killed on a trip to Mexico. Penticton Okanagan Rotary founder killed in Mexico Hit from behind wreck, to keep it from happening to you use those protocols to avoid.

Infrastructure from Jolly Olde. Getting people cycling on residential streets needs more than 20mph limits Maybe some diverters to prevent anyone except cyclists from using the streets as through, or bollards blocking the lanes at mid-block?

Jurisprudence for cyclist killers in the UK. Lorry driver who killed Derby cyclist by driving carelessly to be sentenced today The reason he was convicted was he turned across an active lane of traffic without making sure it was clear to do so.

And just UGH! ARC16: Delegates back call for society to lead cycling safety campaign Another helmet fetishist.

More on that multi-cyclist wreck in Oz. Truck driver charged over crash which killed cyclist in Solomontown and SA truckie charged over cyclist death I would say hitting 3 cyclists riding on the side of the road counts as “dangerous” driving, I guess murder and attempted murder would be a bit much. Only a bit though.

If they can standardise the plug for cars, then maybe it could be used for e-assist bikes, too? Volvo Calls on Industry to Adopt Single EV Charging Standard I’m being serious here. Mopeds can recharge the same way and at the same locations as cars and trucks, e-assist bikes should be able to get “away from home” recharges the same as other EV, right?

And why the previous paragraph is important to unassisted cyclists. Our Horrifyingly Unhealthy Environment Is Killing Millions Of People Every Year and The Planet Just Obliterated Another Heat Record We here in TX actually had a colder-than-normal winter, but paradoxically we didn’t have any real cold weather. It just stayed slightly below-average for much of the winter.

And it’s late (or early depending on your POV) and I’m ready for bed. Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

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

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

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

The Feed looks a little weak today

I just opened the Feed folder and there are hardly any links in it (before filtering even!) or I should say there are hardly any reports (links are in the reports, I get up to 4 reports daily). There should be about 11 reports today but I only had 7 in the folder. So that means I don’t have as many reports to filter, which (probably) translates to not as many links. And now that I have finished the filtering I can tell you there were not as many links as is normal for a Monday. There were not as many reports as usual, and there were not as many links in each report as usual.

Up first is Gabrielle Giffords tackling a 40 mile ride on a recumbent trike after getting shot in the face during a mass shooting in AZ 4 years ago. Gabby Giffords riding 40-mile charity bike tour in Arizona and Gabrielle Giffords, rebounding from shooting, does 40-mile bike ride Go girl!

“ If I am struck by a motorist (heaven forbid), it’s not going to be because I didn’t have Volvo’s effing sparkly paint on my bike.” Vehicular Violence and Victim Blaming I can back that up with saying that at least 5 out of the six times I was hit since 2000 had nothing to do with my being invisible and everything to do with them not driving like they had any sense.

Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: Serious sentence for a serious crime, memorial for 9-year old victim, and blame drivers, not bikes

Still in CA. Irvine boy, 9, is struck and killed while riding his bicycle Nothing on the mode of this wreck even the location does not give any real clues about what happened.

Another link to the CA cyclist killed riding the only route in or out of his workplace. Deadly midnight bicycle ride on Vincent Thomas Bridge This is as much an indictment of auto-centric infrastructure as it is anything else.

How did they know this CA cyclist was intoxicated before the tox screen came back? Cyclist struck and killed in San Jose Making this statement was at best inflammatory.

This MO wreck blames a cyclist for having the right of way when he hit the weapon vehicle. Two injured in accident south of Carthage The wreck in question is in the second listing. Ignore the car running the stop sign and hitting a truck.

More on the NYC cyclist hit by a falling tree. Report: Contractor In Fatal Brooklyn Tree-Cutting Incident Didn’t Follow Basic Guidelines “95 Sports Guy > The News reported that one of the two men on the crew was working as a flagman, tasked with waving people away from the danger zone, but it is not clear where he was or what he was doing when Liu rode up.> Literally, YOU HAD ONE JOB

This poor, poor GA driver just can’t handle bike lanes on Her Street! Keep bike lanes off Peachtree

More on the MD ride and Ghost Bike for a couple killed by a drunk driver while riding their tandem bike. Memorial ride and ceremony to honor cyclists killed near Chesapeake Beach and ‘Ghost bike’ honors couple killed while cycling

FloriDUH! killed another one in the most deadliest state in the US to walk or ride a bike. 69-year-old woman hit and killed while riding bicycle on S.R. 434 I don’t see the “hill” she lost control riding in the video.

Infrastructure news from OR. Unattainable but worthy

News from the Great White North. Cyclist, 2 pedestrians injured in separate incidents and Halifax pedestrians and cyclist injured in 3 separate collisions Notice who had the right of way at the intersection ? That’s right, the person riding the bicycle. And you can see the headlight on the handlebars in the picture… Damn all those blind drivers!

And I’m out of links.

Billed @€0.02, Opus

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Billed @€0.02, Opus

Now that bills are paid it’s Grocery Day, and the Feed

Yep, another day to spend money! We had a bunch of loyalty card savings and coupons that stacked with the loyalty card, so we ended up saving almost as much money as we spent. And we have an ample supply of candy for the kiddos this Halloween. And then for me 11/01 and later. 😀

Sad news from just up the road, the cyclist hit on a group ride in Allen back during the summer has died from his injuries. I don’t have a link, just a PM on FB from a relative who is aware of this blog. This link was the next ride he was to lead but couldn’t.

More news about the CA cyclist crushed by an errant shipping container. Long Beach Cyclist Dies in Freak Accident and Bicyclist crushed by falling shipping container was Long Beach resident As previously reported the container was loaded onto a flatbed instead of the trailer actually designed to haul shipping containers and was “secured” with cargo straps instead of getting mechanically attached to the trailer, because they were trying to break a drivers’ strike at the port.

Remember that time you found the remains of a dead cyclist half in the street and half on the sidewalk? ‘Disturbing’: Passerby recalls finding bicyclist killed in Ann Arbor hit and run Oh, that wasn’t you.[Emily Latella]Nevermind![/Emily Latella] More Police identify bicyclist killed by hit-and-run driver in Ann Arbor

Expensive justice is finally obtained in the death of a 3 YO crossing the street in NYC. Driver Who Killed 3-Year-Old Allison Liao Finally Admits Responsibility Allison would be entering kindergarten this year. The terms of this settlement are highly unusual, but as there is a video of the little girl walking with her grandmother in the crosswalk and the weapon vehicle just running right over the little girl while knocking the grandmother back on the behind, I think showing that to the jury would have head far worse results for the driver.

Still in NYC. Losing Your Fear Of Biking NYC: “Get Big” VC is not how to make cycling grow in mode share, VC is surviving the infrastructure we have to deal with now. Riding in NYC is mostly VC on steroids as drivers pretty much ignore the bike lanes except to park in them.

Not out of the city yet. In NYC, More Severe Injuries After Painted Bike Lanes Installed, Study Finds My take on the question: drivers in NYC are predominantly assholes who think any unoccupied spot of asphalt is “theirs” and flat out do not “see” cyclists as “occupying” that chunk of pavement.

From America’s Copenhagen in OR. Bike-friendliness and walk-friendliness are actually pretty different, study says My take: You can have bike-friendly, you can have walk-friendly, but the only way to get both is to make it not car friendly because you have to really slow down cars to mix all 3 modes in the same street.

Still in PDX, they are having similar problems as NYC, just not on the same scale because of fewer cars. People in Portland are driving cars where they don’t belong The lead picture is an SUV in the MUP of the Hawthorne bridge. There is a good 8-12 inch curb between the motor vehicle lane and the MUP. The people making the comments on the site think the front suspension is probably a jumble of twisted metal by now.

Still in OR they have discovered the joys of e-assist for going up hills. E-bike investment in Salem The secret is connecting the motor through the human gearing so the power stays pretty much the same even when hills make the going slower.

Time for Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: LA asks drivers to stay after they hit someone; suspect identified in North Fig hit-and-run

Some Letters to the Editor in CO. Cycling initiatives are beneficial to everyone

The ICBC keeps digging itself deeper and deeper. ICBC suggests cyclist at fault for colliding with allegedly impaired driver First rule of holes, when you find yourself unable to climb out STOP DIGGING DOWN! The ICBC does not appear to have heard of this rule.

More on the UK cyclist who injured a pedestrian and did not leave contact information. City police appeal after pedestrian seriously injured in collision with cyclist DON’T HIT THE PEDESTRIANS! If you do hit a pedestrian, don’t leave without making SURE that someone in charge (LEO or ambulance attendant) has your contact information. And don’t let them leave, either until that information has been exchanged.

A little infrastructure news from Scotland, where my elder daughter lives. Cycling accident map: Road incidents on the rise

The scourge is spreading to Switzerland. Road accidents: stay at the scene! Seriously, are we going to have to resort to doing to hit-and-run drivers what I have advocated for drunk drivers? Chain them to the steering wheel and run their car through a shredder?

Last link is perfect. Magic Hour Watch it in video form, it’s really good that way.

And I think I might be done.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet

This is going to be a busy night on All Star weekend for NASCAR, and the Feed

There are a bunch of races tonight because of the All Star race tomorrow, there is the Sprint Showdown to get in the race tomorrow for drivers who did not meet the criteria to get in the race before. Then there is the truck series race after that, which promises to be another barn-burner. So I’m going to be as happy as a pig in cool mud on a hot day tonight with all the NASCAR action.

Up first, the article is fairly straightforward about this wreck and the rider’s projected recovery, but the comments, whoo boy the comments… Injured cyclist Alistair Corkett talks about crash that cost him his leg My favorite crazy comment was the guy that blamed the wreck on Obamacare. Really, dude? How do you get from a driver making an illegal left turn and running over a cyclist riding straight through the intersection to Obamacare?

As we get closer to Memorial Day we get more “Injured Veterans” rides. Wounded veterans flock to KC for empowering cycling event and Bush’s Three-Day Bike Ride with Wounded Vets also Wounded Warriors Canada Battlefield Bike Ride rolls out in June with help of Cérvelo

First link from NYC, a driver who ran over a person on the sidewalk may get away with it. NYPD May Not Charge Hit-And-Run Driver Because She Lives In NJ Apparently NYPD is unable to use insurance claims from NJ as evidence in a hit-and-run. TANJ!

Still in NYC. SUV Driver Who Killed UES Man Says Victim “Ran Into My Car” The pedestrian version of the SWSS.

Yesterday’s Daily Ted. Bike rider killed in Hollywood collision Some supporting information Cyclist Killed Riding Through Hollywood Blvd. Crosswalk

Another link to the protest in Portland about the cyclist that lost his leg. Portland protesters call for cyclist safety improvements

Some minor measure of justice in Jolly Olde. Wife of cyclist killed by lorry describes her grief to court and Lorry driver jailed for London cyclist Alan Neve’s death and Death crash driver pleads guilty to causing fatal collision which killed cyclist in Dorset

infrastructure in NYC. Here’s How The DOT Plans To Make The Area Around The Manhattan Bridge In Chinatown Safer I don’t see anything about keeping cars out of the area, so they can’t be too serious about it [/s]

L.A.’s bike week celebrations and informational links. Watch A Cyclist’s Nerve-Wracking Commute Without Bike Lanes I can’t believe how many driver refuse to get over and pass with 3 feet of clearance on Broadway Bridge… Good Samaritan Hospital Holds Its Annual Blessing of the Bicycles The opening does sound like the setup to a bad joke.

On the face of it this sounds like a major improvement in pedestrian safety, but without knowing how many tickets they issued before it may mean next to nothing. S.F. Is Nailing a Lot of Drivers Who Don’t Yield to Pedestrians

Maybe they could do something about the cab drivers? Two Cars Crashing Into Each Other Injure San Francisco Bicyclist

More Bike to Work in CA. Bike to Work ride in Stockton

Still in CA. 10 tips for safe cycling Another article full of factual mistakes, like the “21% of fatalities” and “85% reduction in head injury” lies.

What is the deal with NOLA and bikes? Nicholson Drive crash involving 3 cyclists raise questions of ‘respect’ on the road The evidence indicates the driver was not legally allowed on the road so he took off as soon as LEO attention was distracted.

This is sad. Bicyclist killed in hit-and-run accident had dreams of being car mechanic Many cyclists-by-necessity are working to get out of poverty.

Riding a bike is still tense in NH. Hudson: A cyclist’s plea for civility If the comments section was open it would be “Blah, blah, blah, red lights, blah, blah, blah, taxes, blah, blah, blah, insurance, blah, blah, blah, licenses…”

Infrastructure and culture clash in NC. 2 incidents prompts NCDOT to stress bicycle safety

And trying to get away from the stereotype of “hick AL driver”. Cyclists looking to educate, increase awareness among drivers

Lifestyle in WY. Bike Safe Wyoming raises awareness with 24-hour ride

The driver that killed a cyclist also killed another man the day before he killed the cyclist. Vic widow vows to learn truth from killer Is killing cyclists a “gateway” to general murder?

Weather.com confirms what this blog has been saying for years… The Deadliest States for Bikers FL “wins” again.

Speaking of FL, that’s today’s link about the Ride of Silence. Fort Myers, Sanibel to hold Rides of Silence

Some people have really strange things happen on the roads, and this one wasn’t me. South African Cyclist Hits Dead Buffalo in City Suburb I can honestly say that large livestock has never died in my path while cycling.

Last link from Bikeyface. TWO MILE TOURING This is similar to what I have planned for my rehab, except about 3 miles each way as I go to church as often as I can, and shorter trips to the bank and library.

And I’m all out of links. See you Sunday.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet