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

Yeah, I used that headline once before so sue me. I just opened the Feed folder and … UGH! Just the headlines from the first story in each report makes my stomach churn. I might have to take another Mental Hygiene Break shortly.

On another note there will be a break coming this summer. My 40^th HS reunion is coming up the first part of August, which will require I take a trip to Salt Lake City. I haven’t been back to SLC since 1978, it will be interesting to see the changes since then. There was a local hamburger chain called “Arctic Circle” that was everywhere back then, I want to find out if any are left.

Up first is Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: Belgian cyclist killed in wreck with race moto; 7 of the 8 most dangerous Valley intersections

Remember the psycho attacking cyclists last year in the Twin Cities? Police: Bicyclist Hit, Critically Injured Near Uptown Mpls. I can’t say this had anything to do with what went down last year, but with the lack of any reporting from LEO that’s still on the table. 🙂

When the criminal courts won’t prosecute, you have to resort to the civil courts. Bicyclist’s family files wrongful death suit When a person goes blind but doesn’t stop driving even after several wrecks, and finally kills someone because they are driving blind there should be greater repercussions than just losing your driver’s license. Just saying, it was already illegal for this guy to be driving, and all they did was make it illegal for him to be driving, how is that any kind of punishment? Did they put him on “double, secret, probation” to go along with the loss of the already-lost license?

A wreck in DE. Bicyclist killed in crash along U.S. 13 in Dover and Del. police investigate crash that killed cyclist The geometry of this wreck screams stale green/yellow for the cyclist, and a driver not paying attention to what is in front of him. Or that he was lying about which vehicle ran the red light.

Another SWCC wreck in the most deadliest state in the US to walk or ride a bike. Bicyclist Struck and Killed in Jackson County Since I can’t see the wreckage I can’t say for certain this is a crock, but the smell is certainly there. The cyclist being hauled unconscious from the scene means the only voice in this story was the driver’s.

Crap infrastructure in the UK is unlikely to get better. Government’s laughable cycling blueprint does nothing to boost safety You can’t make world-class bicycle infrastructure when you have literally no budget to build anything. I mean 2.1% of the motor vehicle budget (unless they are using “billion” as “million million” in which case that is .0021%) would build 1 project per year in the entire UK for the next 5 years as long as that project was just paint on existing pavement, otherwise it’s one project for the 5 year span.

Instead of proper infrastructure, cyclists get accused of “hogging” the roads. Cycling groups in Cambridge area told to stop hogging roads by police but riders hit back at drivers Can’t ride in the road, can’t ride on the sidewalks, are cyclist supposed to just float?

Are cats the vector for road rage? Study: Parasite hosted by cats may cause road rage I can confidently say my kitties have never caused me to lose control.

People have been saying that if something wasn’t done about the massive caravan that follows and mingles with the back of the peloton at pro races someone was going to get killed. Tragedy strikes pro peloton: Belgian rider Antoine Demoitié killed by race moto at Gent-Wevelgem “Someone” is named Antoine Demoitié.

More on the ghastly hit-and-run murder attempt in Oz. Australian driver ‘deliberately swerved’ to mow down cycling dad and Car seized in relation to running down Victorian cyclist If they don’t charge the driver with attempted murder… TANJ!

And the same weekend as the incident in the previous paragraph. Bottle hurled at cyclists along Bruce Highway The only thing that prevented a tragedy in this case was the total lack of athleticism of the passenger in the ute. I have seen children throw with better accuracy than that idjit.

Crap infrastructure is not helped by squads of crap drivers. Torquay’s Horseshoe bend needs safety works, say cyclists after latest crash And cue the comments section for brainless demands for cyclist taxes, registration, and insurance to “pay for” the roads that cyclists are already overpaying for. I say when drivers can stop speeding, running red lights and stop signs, running in to other vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians, then they should start to get roads paved and potholes repaired. And maybe a freeway or two. There was one good comment:”@Velo Velo, you need to sign up to the ATO’s cyclist rebate scheme. They assessed my taxable income last year as $0 and handed back all the GST i paid. The ATO also let council know you’re a cyclist and boom. No rates. And then if you buy a house, the state government waive the stamp duty. It’s pretty sweet. No wonder the anti cycling mob are furious.”

And things are just bad for everybody in this part of Oz. Horror start to year on Mornington Peninsula with six people killed on roads since January Really 6 people in less than 3 months is a “horror”? We had 16 people killed here in TX this weekend Complete Texas accident reports and news.

And why there are ghost bikes in Oz. The haunting purpose of Rebekka Meyer’s ghost bike

This Li-Al battery looks like it might make e-assist bikes practical. Chinese researchers develop new battery technology Putting the Lithium into the electrolyte and using carbon and aluminum electrodes means the lithium never has to form a lattice while charging, drastically increasing the energy storage and cycle life.

And I finally ran out of links.

Billed @€0.02, Opus

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We’ve been here 7 years now, and the Feed

November 23rd is significant for a number of reasons beyond being the day JFK was shot in 1963. It’s also the day I started posting my blog here after getting more or less kicked off of MySpace for having excessive links 7 years ago. I dual posted for about a month with the link to this blog at the bottom of the old blog on MySpace and went from 800 readers per day to about 50 (but on the other hand I’m still going, has anyone heard anything about MySpace in the last year?). I have gotten some recognition from my peers since moving to WordPress, sometimes had enough readers to actually get a few bucks from advertisers, and gotten some free stuff to review a few times. Overall it has been fun, but there have been a few times when it got so overwhelming I just wanted to walk away and read web comics and ride my bike. But I persevered, got some counselling, and just put my head down and kept going. Which brings us to today. But before I do today, 52 years ago I was rudely awakened from my nap in the kindergarten class of Iliahi Elementary School in Wahiawa, HI to be told that the President had been shot and killed in Dallas. My immediate question was what country was Dallas and when were we going to go to war with them.

Ordinarily I start inside the US and work my way out, but today the story closest to WoaB World HQ in the Beautiful Suburbs of Hell is in Mexico City. Protesters demand traffic safety in Mexico City after cyclists’ deaths and Mexico City made itself more bike-friendly—and cycling accidents went up Part of the problem seems to be drivers as one of the cyclists was hit from behind by a bus in the shared bus/bike lane. I don’t see how cyclist education would do anything to prevent that.

Baby steps towards justice for a cyclist killed in NYC. City Fires Contractor Responsible For Tree That Killed Cyclist In Red Hook This is the first stage, firing the contractor. Then comes charges, prosecution, and eventually a brisk rap on the wrist, followed by a lawsuit that bankrupts the contractor.

Still in NYC a local newspaperfishwrap wets its pants over the prospect of an Idaho Stop law. The NY Post Is Terrified Cyclists Might Someday Be Allowed To Cautiously Run Red Lights Not the best picture to illustrate the article, a salmon cyclist holding a demitasse of espresso while riding with one hand and holding a shopping bag to the handlebars.

And in the meantime real killers are allowed to stalk the streets unimpeded. MTA Bus Driver Strikes Pedestrian In LES Crosswalk Since the victim was in the crosswalk I’m going to assume he had the right of way until proven otherwise.

Back to the other side of the country for Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: LAPD still looking for hit-and-run cyclist, and a bike rider critically injured in SoLA hit-and-run That “hit-and-run” should be in quotes in the headline, because the cyclist hung around until everybody else left and nobody took his contact data… Even the cop looking for him says as much.

Still in CA a memorial to a 9 YO cyclist killed with a van. Irvine grieves for boy, 9, struck and killed on bicycle Apparently they are assigning a large part of the blame to the driver on this wreck, because every time they mentioned motor vehicle operators the words “slow down” were in close proximity.

A bit of infrastructure news from the war zone in CA. Vineland Bike Lanes: So Much Space, So Much Failure It’s really hard to ride in bike lanes when they are full of cars. Too bad CA isn’t a “Stand Your Ground” state so that cyclists could shoot drivers in the bike lanes with their deadly weapons deployed against the cyclists.

A ninja cyclist is hit in PA. Cyclist injured in State College The cyclist had the right of way, but because he was riding ninja the driver couldn’t see him to yield he got hit and blamed for the wreck.

A driver failed to take care of his diabetes and killed a cyclist during a hypoglycemic blackout. Delivery driver who hid the fact he was diabetic from his employers at Currys PC World killed a cyclist when he blacked out at the wheel during a hypoglycaemic attack Yes they spell it with too many vowels, I think it’s to make up for the lack of them in Wales. Anywho they gave him almost 4 years (44 months) in prison for the killing (and I suspect for withholding the information about his diabetes).

A government official in the UK who seems to get most of his news from Fox gets called out on his misinformation. Cyclists pose more dangers than motorists, claims transport minister Fortunately, more rational heads prevailed and called his BS. There are in fact 63 pedestrians killed by motor vehicles for every one killed by cyclists, and 46 injured by motor vehicles for every one by cyclists. And even on sidewalks the ratio is highly skewed in favor of cyclists by more than 34 to one.

They caught a hit-and-run driver in Oz, and they don’t seem likely to let him go cheap or easy. Geelong man charged over alleged hit-and-run that killed cyclist “Azzopardi was remanded in custody and scheduled to appear again in March.” So Aussie cyclists will at least get most of the Austral Summer minus this threat to life and limb.

Another article on how your city could save $$ by increasing the bike share of traffic. Planning for Less Driving, Not More, Would Lead to Big Savings And it doesn’t take much to realize these gains, just enough people on bikes to slow down motor vehicle growth 1% will do it.

And vehicles like this will help it happen. HISTORY BICYCLE CAR

And I’m outta links again. Program note, I will be away from the internet for tomorrow and Thursday so no post until Friday.

Billed @€0.02, Opus

It’s raining here, and the Feed

And by raining I don’t just mean a few drops or a light mist. I’m talking the kind of rain that comes down hard enough that we can feel the foundation move under the house. BTW the front door latches now without using the deadbolt. I’m talking streets flooded with runoff up over the curbs and us living more or less on the top of a minor rise in elevation. Typical Texas T-storm rains but of hours duration instead of the few minutes a typical Texas T-storm lasts. Weather.com says this is the leading edges of Patricia which made landfall in Mexico today. That’s a BIG storm, it’s making landfall on the west coast of central Mexico, and we are getting deluged almost a thousand miles away. It could be worse, Corpus and San Antone are getting much more rain than we are.

Up first because Holy Crap, She’s Not Dead! Bicyclist Killed At Busy Lincoln Park Intersection Thursday and Police now say woman on bike was not killed when hit by truck in Lincoln Park Let’s just say as one formerly-dead person to another “You go, girl!”

Meanwhile in OK. Guy Citi Biking Across America Punched In The Face Outside Tulsa The puncher then went on to attack the house of an ex with an axe, a baseball bat, and a small handgun… I don’t ride in OK any more.

This seems like an appropriate place to put this link. Guy On A Bike: Attacks On Cyclists & Staying Safe Learning how to be knocked off your bike and not get hurt? They have classes for that now?

Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: Amgen ToC route announced, Stephany trial goes to jury, and the state of cycling in Santa Ana

Still in CA, the video that went with this article was very hard to watch. Cyclist hit by AC Transit bus awarded $2.5 million settlement There was a bus stopped to the left of a bike lane when the other bus made a left through said bike lane as a bike came out from behind the bus that was stopped. The suit was basically won when it was decided the moving bus was going too fast, but I never saw any reason for the stopped bus to be stopped at a green light which definitely contributed to the wreck as it obscured the views of both of the vehicles in the wreck.

Still in the same city in CA. Bicycle Rider Killed By San Francisco MUNI Bus On Market Street: Why Do Buses Pass Bicyclists Who Are Riding Next To the MUNI Rails?

Still in CA more about a cyclist run over with a truck while he was riding to school. Community mourns young surfer killed while riding bike and 12-year-old boy killed riding bicycle in Oceanside A great deal of the injuries the victim sustained could have been prevented by the driver stopping when he heard the impact and not driving off.

The most deadliest state in the US to walk or ride a bicycle has injured another cyclist. Cyclist injured in Palm Coast crash and Flagler woman critically injured when she was struck while riding a bicycle This one looks like a case of poor situational awareness on the part of the cyclist, fortunately she will survive her mistake.

A CT cyclist is killed. Bicyclist Dies After Hitting Truck in Torrington This has elements of the SWCC/SWSS, since the cyclist “came off the sidewalk” to get hit. I don’t know how much of this wreck was the fault of the driver, and how much was the fault of the cyclist if any.

A NJ hit-and-run fatality. Bicyclist killed in hit-and-run crash in Rockaway, mayor says The wrecked bike looks like it was hit sideways on the front and the witnesses said the weapon vehicle was a dump truck, so maybe the driver did not even know he had hit anything, much less killed anyone. Not that lack of knowledge excuses anything.

A little infrastructure news out of KY. NKY Bike Trail To Spur Economic Development

Up in far West Canuckistan an insurance company blames a cyclist for getting hit head on by a driver who crossed the centerline?!? ICBC named as third party in civil suit over Whistler cyclist’s death They claim the cyclist could have avoided the wreck somehow. Sure, if the cyclist was prescient or had super-powers, maybe. But in the real world when the driver also hit and killed the people riding in the chase vehicle behind the cyclist…

The UK driver who was warned the day before to stop driving still tries to pin the wreck on the cyclist he hit from behind in a fake “apology”. Hexham motorist accused of dangerous driving over cyclist death apologises in court Trying the “He swerved in front of me!” lie(n).

This wreck is why bike lanes need to be separated from highways. Locking child cyclist death result of traffic collision She fell from the bike lane into a lane of 60 MPH traffic. Such a thing should not be allowed to exist.

UK infrastructure that I hope is better than what killed that kid in the last link. Council reveals draft plan to get Dundee people on their bikes

From Oz, it didn’t take long to find the driver that nearly killed a cop on a charity bike ride. Charity bike ride hit-run charges Yep, you do NOT want to mess with a cop even a cop riding a bike. Regardless I hope they throw the entire law library at this low-life.

And that’s all I got today.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet

Mrs. the Poet is out of town again, and the Feed

Mrs. the Poet decided she missed seeing the leaves turn colors as the seasons changed, so she’s taking a week to do some leaf-peeping on her relatives’ dime. So I’m batching it again for the next 8 days. Fortunately we have frozen pizza and ramen and plenty of dry beans and brown rice in the pantry, and since I’m the only one going to eat them I can make beans and rice as spicy hot as I want. So I will tomorrow. I had to make sure Mrs. the Poet had some spending money for her trip so I had to spend about 90 minutes going 7 miles round trip to the bank. But I got her the money and everything is hunky dory financially for her.

The Big Story today was the cyclist hit from behind by a bus in SF. Berkeley Cyclist Killed in Market Street Collision With S.F. Muni Bus and Cyclist Dies In Market Street Collision With Muni Bus also Muni Bus Hits & Kills Cyclist On Market Street [Updated] At this point I still don’t know what really happened except the cyclist fell and the bus ran him over from behind. We will all know more when the video from the bus is released, if it ever gets released.

Still in CA and still in SF. Cyclist Injured In Collision At Haight & Steiner The cyclist was observed by several witnesses to run a red light and hit an SUV waiting to make a left turn.

And still in CA our Daily Ted. Guest Post: A detailed look at commuting mode share in Los Angeles, and how bikes lanes fit in Gee I wish I could get guest posts instead of just leaving dead air when I can’t post.

Experiments in how to prevent bus wrecks ongoing in CA. Driverless Bus Testing Coming to Bay Area I don’t know how it would handle a bicycle falling over in front of it. The wreck from earlier this week would have been an interesting test for the AI.

Not out of CA yet. Cyclist Injured in Coast Highway Collision Survivable right hook situation, but only just barely.

Yep, more news out of CA. Murrieta Cyclist Killed by Suspected Drunken Driver in Lake Elsinore Another drunk runs another cyclist from behind 😛

Closer to home a cyclist rides up on a murder in progress on a bike path in Dallas. Cyclist witnesses man hacking at a jogger on a popular Dallas biking, jogging trail I have ridden this trail many times day and night and can vouch for how scary it is at night where the homeless people have broken the few trail lights. That underpass is especially dark and scary at night, and not all that nice during the day.

On the subject of cyclists and edged weapons, they grow some seriously hardy cyclists in KS. Lawrence man seriously injured in apparent stabbing, rides bike to hospital Yeah, that is like comic book tough there.

More on the OH cyclist killed in a hit-and-run. 70-year-old cyclist killed in hit-and-run and Lorain County fatal hit-skip witness: ‘The driver absolutely knew that he had hit this gentleman’ I’m going to go out on a limb here and predict that this driver has stated that instead of passing cyclists safely by slowing down and waiting for oncoming traffic to clear he would just run over the cyclist. I have seen too many people put that in public under their real names to not think it could happen IRL.

One of the good guys in the religious debates was hit by a car while riding his bike. Richard Dawkins debate organizer Larry Taunton injured in bike wreck The narrative sounds like a left cross wreck.

Over in MO we get a hit-from-behind wreck. Southwest Missouri bicyclist killed in collision with car Not much more information than that in the link.

Moving over to LA we get more information about that cyclist run over from behind on the shoulder of the road. Police identify cyclist killed in crash and Update: Baton Rouge police identify bicyclist struck, killed Sunday while riding on Plank Road; pickup truck driver accused of DWI Not much new information here.

Over in GA a cyclist is killed with a busload of school kids. Atlanta cyclist, 21, killed in collision with school bus and Bicyclist struck, killed on Ga. 400 Report is that this was a salmon cyclist going the wrong way on a freeway exit ramp for some reason. I just wish he hadn’t done it in front of a bus full of kids.

Moving up to MA. Cyclist seriously injured after pickup, bike collide on Bernardston Road Monday afternoon The wreck almost didn’t happen. Notice the lack of damage to the bike, the one good picture of the bike it looks like the chain is still in place. The driver in this wreck just barely tapped the cyclist. Kudos to the driver in this wreck on making it much less worse than it could have been.

This VT wreck was caused by a guy bombing a MTB trail and not knowing where the road crossings were. Cyclist injured after being hit by car in East Burke I know it’s fun, but you have to do a reconnoiter of the trail so you don’t go blasting through a road crossing in front of a car or worse.

When I filtered this NYC wreck they still didn’t know what happened. [UPDATE] Woman Killed By Tractor-Trailer Driver While Crossing Bushwick Street Now we know the victim was crossing with the light in the crosswalk when hit by a truck making a left turn.

Still in NYC, a person waiting at a bus stop is killed in a pinball wreck. Pedestrian Killed By Truck Driver “Didn’t Have Time To Run” SUV hit the truck, truck jumps the curb, the lady waiting on the bus is sitting on the bench where the truck went after it jumped the curb.

Hit-from-behind wreck in IL. ‘Incredibly energetic’: Belleville teenager riding his bicycle killed after car struck him I’m still trying to figure out how hitting a cyclist from behind is not a violation on the part of the driver.

Injury wreck in NV. Cyclist Injured in Accident With Car They say he ran the stop sign, but the geometry of the wreck says the cyclist misjudged the speed of the weapon vehicle. The bike was almost all the way across the intersection when the cyclist was hit.

Infrastructure changes at an intersection where a through cyclist on the main road was hit by a truck turning right. Improvements coming to intersection where bicyclist died Note that they don’t put a cop there to write ticket after ticket until the truck drivers stop running the stop sign at speed, they put in a bigger stop sign like the truckers couldn’t see the other one. And this one just floors me,”Carroll County asked the state to reconsider the bike route designation for Route 75.” Don’t make it safer for people who are using it, try to keep the bicycles away.

And final link is a bit of uncommon sense from Oz. More people will cycle when everyone accepts cyclists’ right to be on the road

And I’m done for today.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet

Large hunks of links are from Twitter, and the rest of the Feed

It takes longer to filter, but I’m finding more and better links on Twitter than I do in my Feed Folder in my e-mail. I think that may be due to having humans directly sending me the links from the articles as they post. Whatever the reason, I’m glad I can give you better links than I used to.

Up first, LEO have found the driver who killed a cyclist earlier this week. PD: Police identify woman who struck, killed bicyclist in Pasadena They haven’t arrested her, just “talked” to her.

More on the cyclist killed in MN by a driver who crossed the entire road to hit him. UMD mourns staff member killed while bicycling in Hermantown and SUV fatally hits bicyclist in Hermantown heading other way on shoulder I’m still trying to figure out why the driver is not in jail for this.

Since we are in “old wreck” mode at the moment, more on the cyclist killed in CA during a time trial event. In the News: Cyclist killed by car in California TT race and CHP Finds a New Way to Blame the Bicycle Rider Yep, getting blamed for the driver that hit you in your lane is pretty low, even for the CHP. Seriously, what would Jon and Ponch say? More Cyclist killed in Esparto was experienced Foster City rider

Still in CA, a hit-and-run driver attempts murder when the victim catches back up to him. Driver charges at cyclist, carries him on hood and Caught On Camera: San Francisco Cyclist Ends Up On Windshield In Apparent Hit-And-Run So two hit-and-run incidents, one that might have only cost the driver a ticket for violating the 3-feet-to-pass law, and a second that might end up with assault charges.

Another AZ cyclist hit from behind in the bike lane. Bicyclist killed in northwest Tucson collision I have lost count of the number of cyclists hit from behind in the bike lanes of AZ this year, but it seems to be too common even if there were only two. The danger zone in this wreck was the mixing zone before the turn lane. The driver failed to yield to the vehicle in front (the cyclist) and killed the cyclist as a result. I know what will stop wrecks like this, but I don’t know how well it would fly in the current legislative climate. When you hit a cyclist you lose your car, 90 days if there was no or non-serious levels of injury, a year for transport to hospital wrecks, and forever if the cyclist dies from injuries or in case of hit-and-run.

Not a bicycle wreck, but indicative of what you could expect as a cyclist if you get hit. NYPD: “No Criminality” as Cab Driver Runs Over Kids on Bronx Sidewalk and TLC: Driver Who Hit Children on Bronx Sidewalk Works for Uber [Updated] The car went completely across the sidewalk and bounced off the building that a commenter stated was 20-25 feet away from the curb, and in the video I thought I saw the left front wheel pointed towards the camera which means the suspension was broken when it hit the curb. I estimate the vehicle speed at 40-50 MPH. But the NYPD doesn’t suspect any criminality for driving 40-50 MPH on the sidewalk full of kids… TANJ!

Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: Cedillo condemns calls for safer streets, Coronado madness round 3, and more bighearted people Cedillo needs to be charged as an accessory for all the people killed and maimed since he stopped the North Figueroa project literally days before it was to begin for no apparent reason. I still say follow the money.

A restaurant named after the great Eddy Merckx. The Cannibal, a restaurant and butcher shop coming to Culver City, with bike valet Free beer when you wear your bike kit into the establishment.

A CT cyclist gets injured and he’s the guy responsible for getting other people to live more healthy. Norwalk Director of Public Health injured in bicycle accident over weekend This sounds like a buzz job to me. Or maybe a “punishment pass” for daring to ride in the street.

There are good people in this world. Woman injured riding bike wants to thank stranger who helped her Fortunately they filled the pothole but unfortunately not until after her wreck.

Another buzz job in NC kills another NC cyclist. Cyclist dies in road accident Another driver driving too fast to stop in the distance he could see clearly blames the victim for not wearing a glow-in-the-dark clown suit with body armor.

If you are going to carry cocaine on your person, know that you don’t have to submit to a search until after you get arrested, and put some lights on your bike. Bicycle stop leads to cocaine arrest “The pill bottle contained 0.2 grams of powder cocaine” or not enough to get a chihuahua high, much less an adult human being.

Another Wounded Warrior ride north of WoaB. Injured Service Members Ride toward Recovery in Oklahoma’s Capital City If you’re in the area give these guys a cheer when they ride by.

A wreck in Oz involving two cyclists and a car and they can’t figure out who was where and which way they were going. Cyclists injured in Monaro Highway crash How crazy is that?

Also in Oz they have another wreck they are trying to decipher. Police appeal for witnesses after cyclist injured – Dora Creek

Last link, I’m sure you are the kind of person who always makes sure the quick releases on your bike are done up tight, but you brother-in-law hasn’t checked his since Clinton was in office so he might want to check this out. Thirteen bike companies recall models over disc brake/QR concern This is the same QR as the Trek recall only on other manufacturer’s bikes.

And I’m out of links again for the day. Grocery day tomorrow.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet

Why I’m not making money, and the Feed

I checked out my subscriber list recently and I think I know why I’m not making money on this blog. Too many people are reading my blog posts someplace that is not my blog. If everybody reading my posts was reading here at my blog I would have more than enough clicks to get shared ad revenues, but I’m getting less than 10% subscriber click-through. Now I’m not dependent on blog revenue for anything except things I could live without, so I’m not going to starve or anything if you continue to read my posts where you read my blog posts now. But I could afford things like Starbucks, or a massage, or getting my toes done (that one is on the verge of becoming a necessity since my hips started acting up) if y’all clicked through and read the posts here. Seriously, a 75% click-through rate would get me all of those things, at least once a month. Again, I’m not doing this for the money, but getting paid would be icing on the cake.

Up first because it is close and reminds me of my wreck. One year later: Injured cyclist shares status of recovery Her wreck was in August like mine and she spent about 6 months off the bike like I did. She still has hardware after a year and mine didn’t come out until at least 2 years after my wreck.

The Big Story today is the backlash on the driver hitting 3 cyclists in AL while admittedly driving distracted. Grand jury to review death of prominent businessman killed in cycling crash and Prosecutor: Grand jury to review crash that killed cyclist also ‘William would want us to cycle:’ Memorial ride planned for cyclist killed in crash Convening a grand jury for a wreck usually indicates the driver was seriously in the wrong for the wreck and “i”s are being dotted and “t”s being crossed. Since there is already at least one recording of the driver admitting driving distracted I’m sure there will be some charges filed as a result of the grand jury investigation. Or the driver is not even a ham sandwich (internet meme).

The next biggest story is the cyclist hit from behind crossing a bridge in LA. Bicyclist killed in Tangipahoa Parish crash and Unidentified bicyclist killed on U.S. 190 Tangipahoa River Bridge: State Police also Troopers identify woman killed in bicycle crash OK I agree with blaming the cyclist for not having lights or reflectors, but there is no more a requirement to wear reflective clothing (the glow in the dark clown suit) than there is for the driver to wear a firesuit while driving. Lights and reflectors people, everyone needs them at night.

Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: New study says bike injuries increasing, but without context; comedian rants riding through LA

A NJ driver admits to killing a cyclist back in 2012. Man Pleads Guilty in Hit-Run Crash That Killed Dad Riding Bike OK he hit a cyclist while driving salmon on the oncoming shoulder, then conspired to hide the weapon vehicle from LEO and the most he can get is 8 years!?!?! While his co-conspirator gets 5 years of probation?!?!? TANJ! Talk about deterrents against others for the same crimes, this murder conspiracy doesn’t have much deterrent at all.

Meanwhile across the river in NYC, a driver driving backwards on a one-way street hits a pedestrian then drives away. Video: Driver Runs Over Pedestrian, Gets Out To Look At Her, Drives Away OK I want the pitchfork concession, let someone else deal with the flammable fluids for the torches.

Someone thinks making bus drivers face punishments for hitting pedestrians crossing with the right of way like everyone else is too harsh. Should Bus Drivers Get A Break From The NYPD When They Hit A Pedestrian? I think the NYPD should give bus drivers the exact same number of breaks the drivers give to pedestrians they hit, and in the same locations: Arms, legs, ribs, skulls… pelvises might be a little hard without using a big hammer or a baseball bat…

Update on the driver who hit-and-run the passenger in his car. Source: Drunk Driver Dragged Dying Passenger From Porsche After Hamptons Crash & Drove Away I really wish that was a link to The Onion, but no it was Gothamist. “Put a bicycle near the victim and claim the victim was riding it. That’s a guarantee of “no criminality suspected””

And crazy people can write letters too. Readers sound off on cyclists, lions and guns

Meanwhile in MI. Police identify man hit, killed while riding bicycle in Davison Township Once again the cyclist is getting blamed for not wearing the glow-in-the-dark clown suit thus “causing” the wreck. If you look through the pictures you can see the headlight on the handlebars but the back is too damaged to tell if there was a light or reflector there before the wreck. I’m going to assume that at least one was present given the headlight, but even then with the LEO adding extra-legal requirements for the cyclist…

More victim blaming in WA. SPU official struck, killed while riding bike in Central Wash. Cyclist was headed east into the rising sun, so of course the driver “couldn’t see” him.

And you think this will result in charges? Bicyclist struck by SUV later dies at hospital in Herndon I didn’t think so either, their still blaming the cyclist for not wearing the glow-in-the-dark clown suit.

Since there are more cyclists, more cyclists are getting hit, but nobody can say for sure what proportion of cyclists are getting hit. As More Adults Pedal, Their Biking Injuries And Deaths Spike, Too

Driving is a public health risk? Driving to work as a public health problem Lots of Meta-data there.

Carrying the charger with you makes for a harder ride on your e-assist. Woman completes solar-powered bike ride across U.S. The panel put out 240 watts, the bike used 250 max and the difference was made up during breaks. The only time outside electricity was used was once or twice after hard rides in cloudy conditions.

Solving the “Where are the next generation of cyclists?” problem in DC. Why D.C. Wants to Teach Every Kid How to Ride a Bike

Still trying to tame the monster trucks in Jolly Olde. Family of tragic Alnwick cyclist Eilidh Cairns vow to keep fighting for safer roads So far they have the ones in London taken care of, but that still leaves something like 90% of the population unprotected.

Last link, Google cars are having problems with human drivers who don’t follow the laws, sound familiar? Google’s Driverless Cars Run Into Problem: Cars With Drivers Sounds like bike riders, and also that bike riders are not the biggest problem for Google Car.

I’m outta links now, so ima go read comics after I proof and tag.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet

Grocery Day again, and the Feed

OK today’s opening paragraph is both non-bike and non-humor. There was another theater shooting yesterday, only this time I know the location. Know as in have been to that theater several times to see various movies. The “shooter” this time was a real loony, he only brought a non-lethal training rifle, pepper spray, and a hatchet to the theater, and a fake bomb. The theater was showing the new Mad Max movie, the “feminist” one. I don’t know if any of my friends from when I lived in the area were at the theater or anyone I knew even tangentially because, well it has been close to thirty years now and my memory for names is pretty bad. You can ask my kids how many times I have used one of the cats’ names while talking to progeny. So, anyway, prayers and energy to the wounded in body and spirit.

Up first is more on the murder of a cyclist in NC (yes, I went there). Memorial created for cyclist killed by motor vehicle Drugged out driver crosses several lanes of traffic to hit a cyclist riding on the sidewalk? YES I’m going to call that a murder.

Our Daily Ted comes back after a day off with medical issues. (Writer’s block is a medical issue, right?) Morning Links: Mobility Plan passes but defers battles, Tito’s Tacos owner battles Culver City over CicLAvia The taco stand is going to be inundated with hungry cyclists unless the owner manages to totally piss them off before the event.

There aren’t enough bike lanes in the Beautiful Suburbs of Hell to make parking in them an issue, but I “get” the rest of this comic from Bikeyface. Whatever “Dude, you almost got me killed there!” “Whatever.” [cyclist beats driver to death with u-lock] “Whatever, dude.”

And the most deadliest state in the US to walk or ride a bike adds another fatality to the total. Teen on bike killed by hit-and-run driver in east Orange County and Teen killed on bicycle – search for hit&run driver also, late to the Feed FHP finds car that may be fatal hit-run vehicle Apparently a witness to the wreck was a car guy and was able to identify the make and model of the weapon vehicle. Debris at the scene verified the ID.

LA (the state, not L.A. the city) has some seriously bad drivers. Returning from memorial for bike rider who was struck and killed, another bicyclist is hit Hit by a driver running a stop sign. The irony here is the cyclist would not have been there to hit if he had not stopped for his own stop sign… More Bicyclists remember friend who was killed in crash

From a little south of that wreck. After 5th cyclist death, increased safety on City Council agenda

From down the road from where I used to live, a survivor. MTSU AD Massaro injured in bike accident, back at work The guy broke his neck in two places and rode home… I think I may have found competition for my “unkillable badass” title. Actually there is no competition for that title, you either are or you are not an unkillable badass.

Joisey is seriously not bicycle friendly. Cyclist from N.Y. injured in collision with car at Clark Street and Route 46 in Wharton Another classic left cross wreck, but watch it get blamed on the cyclist (again).

An injured VA cyclist has the $$ to offer a reward for the driver who left him to die in the road. Augusta County Cyclist Injured in Hit and Run Offers Reward for Suspect “This person won’t be able to keep their mouth shut, since they evidently did it on purpose, so eventually they’ll have to brag about it and that will lead to their demise,” Steve.

A low-information report from the Great White North. Cyclist struck, seriously injured in Mississauga Love the comments section (not).

A cyclist in Canuckistan crashes next to a road. Invermere cyclist with no ID in coma after being found at the side of the road I keep harping on having wearable ID (not so much any more, but there is a limit to repetition). Seriously, this happens all the time it just doesn’t always make the news.

Remember that driver who spent several seconds looking at his phone instead of the road out his windshield? Lee Mill cyclist-death trucker cleared of dangerous driving Apparently driving with your nose in a phone instead of looking where you’re going isn’t “dangerous driving” when you are driving a semi.

The cyclist who went over the edge of a bridge is memorialized. Tributes paid to Ilkley cyclist killed in bridge fall I still think they need to fix that bridge.

No government in the world has ever made bicycle licenses work. Australia: Licensing cyclists will not ease the pain of being hit by vehicles But that doesn’t keep the crazies from trying, over and over.

Way back when, driving was considered anti-social. Before “Accident,” Deadly Driving Was “Homicide By Automobile”

Bob Mionske (as usual) is on it. Legally Speaking: At least three feet

Hydration with a full-face helmet is a problem, but this system can keep you from dehydration. No-drill Motorcycle Helmet MotoGP Hydration Mod One of the things I had the most trouble with was getting a drink while riding with my full-face helmet was getting the water bottle around the chin bar.

And I’m all out of links.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Unkillable Badass Poet

Ghisallo! it was a hot day to be out walking, and the Feed

In case you are wondering, the Lady Ghisallo is my personal feminine deity, a pre-Roman mountain goddess whose worship survived mostly intact at least into the 8th Century in the mountains north of Rome, when a nobleman set upon by bandits retreated into one of Her temples and was granted sanctuary by the bandits, who respected Her temple. The noble was so impressed by the devotion shown by the bandits that he lobbied the Vatican to declare her a Madonna or a Pagan mother of Jesus. This was the same way that Bridget became St. Bridget in Ireland, couldn’t stomp her out so she was made a part of the church. She is a protector of travellers and the RC patroness of cyclists.

And the reason I was out wandering in this heat was I had to change my phone provider, so that I could upgrade my phone to something smarter. And in the process I got a better plan, unlimited texts and calls, with 1 GB of 4G LTE data and unlimited 3G data, none of which I touch while connected via WiFi like I am now while listening to a 10 hour Derpygroove video while composing this post. whoops I got an ad in the middle of the first go around of the song so now I’m listening to Plastic Beach from the Gorillaz. I’m still learning how to use the phone so there may be interruptions in the composing of the post.

Up first, just like the Energizer Bunny, he keeps going and going… Brian Koonz: Marine loses legs, finds strength in bike ride across America And going and going… Keep on trucking Marine dood. Is it just my imagination or has his chest gotten bigger since he left Sandy Eggo?

Normally these two-wheeled modes are not in conflict with each other. BICYCLIST, MOTORCYCLE RIDER CRITICALLY INJURED IN NORTHWEST SIDE CRASH and Bicyclist, motorcyclist injured in Old Irving Park crash this too Bicyclist Injured In Crash With Motorcycle In Old Irving Park [UPDATED] As I read the reports now, the guy on the motorcycle was speeding and hit the cyclist from behind, causing both to go down hard. No word on how the two conflicted because there is plenty of room for both modes to share that stretch of street unless the motorcyclist was excessive speeding.

Still in the Windy City a drunk driver who killed a cyclist while driving 50 MPH on a city street with a 0.127 BAC% will not face one of the many charges against him because expensive defense lawyer. Driver Who Killed Cyclist Bobby Cann In Alleged DUI Won’t Face Homicide Charges According to the comments this was one of the lesser charges and since IL doesn’t “stack” sentences it wouldn’t have made much difference in how long he stays in prison.

Another cyclist hit by a drunk driver in NYC. Cyclist In Critical Condition After Getting Hit By Allegedly Drunk Driver In Long Island City and Cyclist Seriously Hurt in Collision With Car Near Queens Plaza, FDNY Says The pictures pretty much tell the story, drunk driver (and passenger?) hit cyclist from behind because nobody was paying attention to what was in front of the vehicle…

More on that CO dump truck driver hitting and killing a cyclist while passing illegally. Dump truck driver charged for fatal cyclist crash The cyclist was killed because the driver literally could not wait for the 20 seconds it would take to clear the bridge and pass safely. Hang the driver. And possibly a few of the people leaving comments on the article. Gigi would love the “Stoopid and H8” there.

Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: Busting on Beverly Hills and its San Diego soulmates, and a Chitown writer busts on bikes

Meanwhile in eastern WA. Cyclist found dead on State Route 2 near Leavenworth I like whoever is running this investigation. Dead cyclist beside the road, suspect a hit-and-run.

And in Seattle. Cyclist’s Helmet Cam Captures Moment SUV Hits Him Then Speeds Away That was a scary wreck.

Another link to the ride for a cyclist killed winning the “door prize”. Patricia Keenan, P.E.I. cyclist killed in B.C. crash, honoured at rally

I would like to see our state level politicians doing a city-to-city ride, just to see what it’s like to use the built environment. Duceppe, Peladeau kick off 100-km pre-election bike ride through Quebec

Bad infrastructure link of the day. NZTA abandons cycle safe trial after a day I think someone needs to read that CROW manual again. Bike lanes on either side and a single car lane is for 20 MPH speed zones or slower.

Better, but still crap. Is Vision Zero Skimping On Bike Lanes? There is too much real estate devoted to storage of private motor vehicles. One lane of parking should go for a decent bike lane protected by parking.

Dangerous crap. NYC’s Most Dangerous Area for Cyclists Is Fort Greene-Clinton Hill

More UK crap infrastructure, systemic this time. Calls for action to halt rise in cyclist casualties

I think I have run out of links (checks, nothing on the other window except a Twitter Feed) Yep, all gone.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet

I’m including a funny link today that had nothing to do with bicycles, and the Feed

OK I was sent this link from the source, and I thought it was freaking hilarious, especially the funny looks the marchers gave the guy playing the Sousaphone… and the other comments from people walking with them… See? I DO have a life outside of bikes and D&D. Kinda sorta. I mean it’s a “life” like ramen is “food” right?

Up first is Our Daily Ted because Why Not? Morning Links: Suit filed in death of Granada Hills teenager; Biking Black Hole considers SaMo Blvd bike lanes

I’m “sceptible” of this article about the PROK. Un-icyclists rejoice: North Korea installs bike paths throughout Pyongyang as pedal power grows in popularity among citizens Let’s just say that some (most?) of the pictures look like Photoshop or the people in them do not look even remotely Asian, so probably fake.

Remember that guy that basically scraped a cyclist across a brick wall and spun the tires off the rims of the weapon vehicle? Well the media outlet that blamed his drug cocktail on pot has another article about the story. $250,000 bond for driver in fatal bike crash Reefer Madness was disproven years decades ago dudes, you lost, let it go.

Another driver three sheets in the wind when they hit a cyclist makes a stupid claim about the cyclist. Driver pleads not guilty to DUI in crash that killed cyclist And LEO insist that a 0.12BAC% and prescription drugs had nothing to do with the driver hitting the cyclist from behind, that it was the cyclist’s fault for “pulling in front” of the drunken spouse of a LEO.

Update on that cyclist injured by a hit-and-run driver on a charity ride in OH. Family of VeloSano cyclist injured in hit-and-run issues statement and Bicyclist injured in hit-skip during VeloSano ‘Bike To Cure’ event recovering I’m still trying to figure out how the cyclist failed to yield when there were no witnesses and the driver left the scene, it could just as easy been a driver turning onto the road where the cyclist was hit from either direction of the road he was riding on, left cross or right hook.

OH just was not the place to be on a bicycle this past weekend. Cyclist Injured In Hit And Run Not much on the second wreck but plenty on the hit-and-run that sounds like a buzz job gone very south.

This sounds like someone got beaten up and robbed. Police trying to identify woman found in Milwaukee park No cars in the area and the woman was missing her wallet and phone when she was found with facial wounds and bruises.

CO has a dangerous infrastructure and attitude problem that has gotten several cyclists killed. Kechter I-25 overpass dangerous stretch for cyclists You can see the infrastructure in the pictures with the article, and read about the attitude problem in both the article and the comments to the article.

They caught the GA driver doing doughnuts in the middle of the street and jumping the curb to hit a sidewalk cyclist in Hotlanta. Alleged Hit-and-Run Driver Kills Atlanta Cyclist and Suspect charged in fatal hit-and-run crash with Atlanta cyclist The driver appears to be caucasian and was injured in the wreck. There is a possibility the driver may have been under the influence of some intoxicating substance at the time but there are no reports verifying the truth of that statement from early on in the story.

From the most deadliest state in the US to walk or ride a bike, these kids survived. Girl, 7, boy, 11, injured when pickup strikes bike in Zephyrhills Other than blaming the kids for not stopping at a stop sign there isn’t much to report in this wreck.

A little NY state legal infrastructure under construction. These Four Bills Do Deserve a Vote in the Assembly I don’t see what the holdup is on some of these bills, especially the one on making NY e-assist laws comply with federal regulations defining an e-assist bike. That was passed early in the BushII administration, shortly after 9/11 and we are approaching 14 years since that. And I still don’t see what the problem is for raising the sentencing for killing while driving without a license, that just seems like a no-brainer.

Some good news from the Great White North. Critically Injured Days Apart, London Cyclist, Skateboarder Both Out of Hospital I’m glad they are both on the mend and doing as best as can be expected.

I know I’m getting tired of refuting these lame memes, how about the rest of you? 5 Anti-Bike Arguments That Should Be Retired

Last link, two new battery chemistries for EV and e-assist bikes. Challenging Lithium-Ion Batteries With New Chemistry The Lithium/Sulfur is more energy-dense, but the sodium ion has the advantage of being able to run all the way to flat without damaging the cells and being cheaper. Which one will win? Who knows, certainly not me.

And today wasn’t too bad, I only felt like gouging my eyes out over one link.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet @opusthepoet

Still dealing with pedal extremity edema, and the Feed

Well the swelling went down in my good foot, the one on the end of the leg that didn’t get mangled. The bad news is the one on the other leg the swelling did not go down. It’s uncomfortable to walk with it and I still can’t get a shoe on it. 😛 And now I have these tiny divots under the scars where my shoe got ripped off my foot in the wreck. They look very strange…

Up first is Our Daily Ted, Part One. Morning Links: LA advocates sue over Glendale-Hyperion redesign; bike lanes and bikeshare dominate the news The number of unanimous votes from the council is not out of the usual for here in TX as most issues are pretty cut-and-dried before they ever get to a council meeting, but the unanimous votes for a general plan then voting against specific parts of that plan when it comes time to implement them is kinda dodgy.

Daily Ted, Part Two. Guest Post: Provoking, Scaring and Piercing the (Driver’s) Reptile Brain Part 1

It was a wreck like this that caused me to stop doing wreck analysis in this blog. Family and friends mourn bicyclist killed in hit-and-run on Elysian Fields Avenue Sounds like a genuinely nice guy. I’m sorry to hear of his passing, the world needs more artists to show us what is beautiful in this world. More Police search for driver who killed bicyclist and fled

And 3 days ride from WoaB LEO blame a cyclist for crossing an exit ramp on a highway built more like a freeway and the only way through for the cyclist. BCSO: Fatally struck cyclist may have been at fault I can’t get an accurate location, just “Hwy. 90 west of San Antonio” so I can’t say if there was a route that kept the cyclist off the highway. But to blame a cyclist for not seeing a turn signal on a vehicle behind him by more than a quarter of a mile is absurd. At that speed (60 MPH) a vehicle would travel almost a half mile in the time it takes to cross an offramp.

One got away in the most deadliest state in the US to walk or ride a bike. Bicycle may have saved boy in van crash Apparently the bike made the kid a little more mobile than he would have been afoot and prevented the stolen van from running him over.

And in another neighborhood, a child cyclist’s death is met with “You want infrastructure, you have to pay for it.” Rubonia faces cost of sidewalks after child’s death Now where are they going to get that kind of money, and why aren’t tax dollars being spent on the commons? (Aside from the fact that this is a non-white neighborhood?)

Remembering a cyclist killed in the Great White North. Oakville cyclist killed in Milton remembered for his passion and devotion to his family and teaching

Road.cc weighs in on the laughable sentence for the driver who killed a cyclist while texting non-stop behind he wheel. Driver who killed cyclist had been checking WhatsApp messages leading up to collision

Why the UK needs better bicycle infrastructure. Cyclist deaths: Why you are 17 TIMES likelier to be killed on a bike than in a car And that picture of the remains of deceased cyclist Ying Tao was just horrifying.

They came desperately close to killing another cyclist in London. Cyclist injured in west London crash as bike snaps in two under wheels of lorry Did you see where the cyclist was hit? In the “bicycle box” at the front of the intersection, exactly where he was supposed to be, and on the driver’s side of the truck.

Really now! Injured cyclist has bike stolen while being treated on ground

After reading the contents of the last three links I certainly can believe this headline. Law firm calls for protection for cyclists after nearly 500 injured on roads in Bath, Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire And with 3 out of 4 cyclists not at fault for their wrecks something needs to be done.

An act of terrorism against cyclists in Oz. Wire strung across road could have seriously injured This could have been fatal if the rider had been a few inches shorter or the wire a few inches higher. I hope they charge the miscreants with acts of terrorism meant to kill.

And I’m all outta links again. I’m going to go elevate my foot.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the swollen Poet