Sleep deprivation is a &(%$&, and the Feed

I signed off last night about 0500 after finishing the writing part shortly after 0430. Yes it takes me about 25-30 minutes to proof spelling and links and tag after I finish the creative part. And then it usually takes a minimum of an hour to shut the brain down so I can sleep, usually closer to two hours. I was wakened slightly after noon by a loud vehicle (I’m assuming it was a garbage truck) and Mrs. the Poet yelling at “bad cats” and quit fighting to get back to sleep about 1400 and checked the mail. I’m still bleary-eyed as I type this at 1700.

And I’m watching the Sprint Cup practice when this commercial for Marathon gas comes on with the jingle about a “full tank of Freedom”. “Freedumb” indeed. 😛

Speaking of Sprint Cup, some of the drivers are some of us. NASCAR drivers pedal from St. Augustine for bike safety Four hour ride, so about 100km away from the track. I’m betting that lap around the track lasted a lot longer than the 45-47 seconds it took during final practice today…

Ted was a bit busy today with all the news coming at him. Morning Links: Temple City shoots down safe streets on Las Tunas; ridiculous and sublime new bike offerings

Part 2 of Daily Ted. Formerly homeless man dies five weeks after Yorba Linda collision

And an incredible Part 3. Fontana bike rider killed in early morning collision; no details available Poor Ted, this is what happens when you have lots of subscriptions to local media sites, you get to report the bad news quicker.

Still in CA. BART Struggles to Balance Current Needs with Vision for Future BART gets people off the streets in S.F. making a huge impact on bike and pedestrian safety. So this might not seem to be a bike link, but it’s totally a bike link.

Up in America’s Copenhagen, DIY DOT to the rescue! Bike lane in danger? Cone power to the rescue! Riders replace the cones when they get knocked over, unlike plastic bollards that require equipment and chemicals most cyclists don’t carry on their bikes.

Also from Portland, someone said something Really Stoopid. GOP candidate promises to end gridlock forever by adding a lane to each freeway There are no words for how Stoopid this is. This guy has literally never heard of Induced Demand until this article posted and someone emailed him a link on the subject.

And crap infrastructure is never so bad that it can’t be made worse, even in Portland. City proposes shifting future downtown bikeway from Alder to Taylor/Salmon Changing a direct, mostly flat route to one that adds about a mile to the total trip and completely routes the cyclist away from retail and other commercial destinations.

FloriDUH! strikes again. Bicyclist injured in Charlotte hit-and-run crash I’m sorry, but what do you call it when a driver swerves into an occupied bike lane, hits a cyclist, and then leaves the scene without stopping? Aside from attempted murder or assault with a deadly weapon that is.

Continuing on the “Stoopid driver” theme for the moment. NYPD: Cyclist fatally struck by car, driver arrested Driver impaired by drugs, not mentioned if they were medication or recreational drugs. But still “Stoopid” either way. More Allegedly Stoned Driver Charged With Manslaughter After Fatally Striking Staten Island Cyclist The later link says the driver was on pot at the time of the wreck.

And infrastructure news from NYC that will flat-out floor you. It did me. Astoria Will Get Three Protected Bike Lanes Despite Local Drivers’ Objections Yep, bike lanes in spite of driver’s complaints, because too many people were getting killed or injured. and to the idiot that said “at some point traffic calming becomes traffic impeding.” boo, hoo, hoo. You were extremely lucky your death machines were not banned outright, because that was on the table.

Good infrastructure news from IA. Bicycle safe passing bill clears Iowa Senate committee This is the most radical concept in bicycle safety that I have seen in a long time. “Change lanes to pass”, like you would a car or tractor or combine. Radical, I tell you.

A mandatory helmet bill in VA is killed in committee. Why bicycling advocates are happy legislators killed a helmet bill Combined with the studies that show that mandatory helmets don’t actually decrease the rate of head injury, just move it to a different part of the head that isn’t covered by the helmet or by impacts that exceed the survival envelope of the helmet.

Crap infrastructure in VT. A VICIOUS CIRCLE? STATE WANTS SAFER ROTARY IN BRATTLEBORO Note the comment that all the problems are caused by bicycles. SMH.

From Jolly Olde, really they are calling this a hit-and-run and not assault with a deadly weapon or attempted murder? Cyclist left seriously injured after hit-and-run following row with driver Motor vehicles are the only weapon that an obvious assault would be called an “accident”

And this cyclist has a case for police negligence as they refused to take a report for his wreck that smashed his bike. Cyclist feels he’s had a rough ride despite lucky escape in road smash The bike was rendered unridable, that makes this a reportable wreck under UK laws. Both vehicles were not able to leave the scene under their own power, that raises the wreck to reportable status.

And I am finishing up too late for Gigi to even read it before she loses her internet at 0300 my time. I mean it’s almost 0300 right now and I haven’t even proofed, much less tagged.

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Gonna go dance to drums tonight, and the Feed

Tonight is the monthly drum circle at my church, so I’m going to stop and take a break in the middle of composing this post to get my Pagan on and shake it to the beats. I meditate to polyrhythmic drumming, so this is a calming experience for me. Just FYI, my favorite meditation CD is the first Blue Man Group CD, Audio. I pick out the different rhythms from the music as focal points for my meditation. It sure beats how I learned to meditate, focussing on my arthritis pains as a kid. Now I barely feel pain…

Up first, have you ever looked at pictures or videos from places like anywhere in the Netherlands or Copenhagen and just drooled? Lane Envy

Rough day at work for Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: Good news on Mt. Hollywood Dr; Calabasas driver busted for DUI after injuring two cyclists

The Stoopid is strong with this one. Officials ID Cyclist Killed in Carlsbad Crash “No fault has been determined” means “we still haven’t figured out a way to blame a cyclist for using the infrastructure the way it was designed for him to use it, without also blaming the poor defenseless driver”.

Someone must have hit WY LEO with a clue-by-four. Authorities charge Casper man for hit-and-run that injured bicyclist This is the third wreck in a row where criminal charges have been filed against the driver in an injury wreck with a cyclist. This was the idiot that claimed he wasn’t driving when it happened when two passengers said he did, and made the claims on Facebook… Speaking of Stoopid, this one is death-penalty Stoopid except for the grace of his victim surviving the wreck.

OH LEO aren’t quite up to RCMP standards, but the got their man this time. Troopers identify suspect in hit-and-run of VeloSano cyclist As someone suspected, he was driving illegally when the crime happened. “He’s charged with false statements, tampering with evidence, driving under suspension, fictitious registration and leaving the scene of the accident.” Basically there was not one thing legal in his being there to hit the cyclist.

When a driver swerves off the road in front of you do you go to their aid? Albemarle Co. Cyclists Happen Upon and Help Driver After Accident Well these cyclists did, but I check the license plate against my list of drivers that buzzed me before I do anything… 😛

And after that Monday report we got all the way through to Thursday before another report of a wreck at RAGBRAI. RAGBRAI riders injured in separate Linn County crashes One was a cyclist hitting the back of a truck that stopped unexpectedly, the other a hit-and-run.

This wreck was about a half day’s ride to the east of WoaB World HQ in the beautiful suburbs of Hell. Teenager killed on bicycle identified Another hit-and-run on a barrier to human-powered transportation.

Cyclists in NOLA protest bad infrastructure and worse drivers. Bicyclists memorialize killed bikers No word on how many of the deaths were due to bad infrastructure and how many were due to bad driving, my guess is about 50/50.

This was a hard article to read. Two bikers harassed by driver on Butler Street, biking advocates seek improvements Yelled at and pushed to the ground, or “assault and battery” in the “throw the book at him” language.

Update on a VA wreck. Stratford Hall’s executive director dies from injuries suffered in accident I can’t believe it has taken so long to charge the truck driver. VA has a 3 foot law. I think this is definitely a chargeable wreck, if you hit a cyclist you obviously did not have the required clearance.

If you think hit-and-run is bad for cyclists in the US… Revealed: 1,000 cyclists injured and two killed in London hit-and-runs in last year alone and More than 1,000 cyclists in London injured in hit-and-run collisions in 2014 this, too Number of cyclists injured in London hit-and-runs up 13% More than 20% of all London cyclist collisions were hit and run, higher than any US location except CA.

Talk about victim blaming. Cyclists banned from stretch of A19 after several serious accidents in last few years Do they make women stay indoors so as to not get raped in the streets? Geez that is offensive to the victims and their survivors, especially when all the victims were hit from behind while riding legally. Basically they are punishing an entire class of road users because other classes can’t stop hitting them.

Drivers in OR are getting quite the shock. Injured cyclist sues driver who waved truck through Since drivers who “direct traffic” from inside the vehicle are going to be blamed for resulting wrecks, I see a good chance that not many will continue to do it.

I can think of a couple of dozen things that drivers do that are wrong and could get cyclists killed…The dangerous mistakes bicyclists (and drivers) make on the road The main thing is that when drivers make mistakes cyclists and pedestrians die. When cyclists make mistakes cyclists and (rarely) pedestrians die.

Sometimes it really does feel like a war zone out there. ‘Real Sports’ Examines the War Between Cyclists and Drivers Between the potholes and the crumbling road surface, and the small but not zero number of drivers that want to kill cyclists, it is a wonder that anybody rides in the streets and roads.

Speaking of riding in a war zone. Bike Rider Describes Perimeter Built By Marines During Shooting

One Of Us. Patricia Keenan, killed cyclist, honoured in Critical Mass ride

Infrastructure from S.F.CA. S.F. Spends $5 Million to Make Pedestrian-Friendly Freeway Fix It is a small thing, but it is a thing that makes both human-powered modes (cycling and walking) safer.

I keep saying this and posting this, and writing letters to the editor about this, and finally someone who has the credentials to back it up agrees with me, sorta. #CityCycling: ‘There are accidents where helmets are a great thing. There are others where a helmet doesn’t work’ – hospital consultant A bicycle helmet is built to a 20 km/hr impact standard when human skulls can normally endure a 15 km/hr impact without breaking. That does not require a great deal of impact protection, and the soft shells on most modern (cheaply made) helmets don’t slide like the separate shells of the helmets used in the ’80s and ’90s that a lot of studies used in determining relative safety. I want everyone to know that when I get my neck mobility back I will be wearing a full face BMX helmet with a heavy polycarbonate plastic shell that can slide over pavement on every ride I don’t need my ears free to troubleshoot a problem.

And I’m outta links, patience, and my back hurts. See you Sunday.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet

I’m out nearly $300 getting my taxes done, and the Feed

I had to fork over almost $300 getting my taxes done (because I don’t know how to handle the long form needed to report my part of the income from the trust my parent’s left after they died). And getting back from the preparer’s office was a major pain, because the bus was delayed over 20 minutes in rush hour traffic. Mrs. the Poet and I were standing on the side of the road for over 30 minutes waiting for the bus after we got done doing our taxes. The good news is we are getting over $1k back this year.

Tomorrow I will be making another trip to the bank to get my money out for the bike parts I need to repair Blue, which will be another all-day affair. Fortunately Tuesdays are slow days for links, so I should be getting the post out before midnight tomorrow.

Up first is some good news on an old wreck from Portland. Serious injury crash near Ladds Circle (photos) – Updated You might need to do a search for it but there is a comment from the victim in this wreck, which considering the extent of his injuries back in 2010 is nothing short of a miracle.

Another stab at the 3-feet to pass law that Gov. Goodhair vetoed in 2009. New road rules in Texas? Watch out for bicyclists Perry vetoed the law because he did not want to create a new class of protected road user. I wonder who paid for that veto? And I wonder if Greg Abbott will get a similar payment to similarly veto this bill.

The bike share program in SA is not doing well. San Antonio Bike-Share Threatens to Close Without Major Sponsor Apparently like a bus company in the US, you can’t run a bike share without outside funding, either selling advertising or getting Gov’t money.

Our Daily Ted has a disturbing opening link today. Morning Links: Cyclist hit by two cars in Beverly Hills, cobbles of Paris-Roubaix, and Orlando Bloom’s bike shorts

More mis-information promulgated from the GHSA “report”. Disturbing Statistics Regarding Bicycle Fatalities Again they go with the “65% not wearing helmets!!1!!11!one!” breathless meme, disregarding the fact that even the cyclists who died from head trauma would also have died had there been some kind of magic hat that prevented all head trauma. In other words people who get hit riding with a helmet will still die when hit by a motor vehicle, and most will still die from head trauma, but even if they didn’t there would have been other fatal injuries in the wreck. I swear, this is almost as hard to kill as “Benghazi!!!” is from the wingnut right.

The probably drunk driver doing over 70 MPH in a 35 zone when he hit and killed a young couple and their unborn baby in a cab will spend a significant portion of the remainder of his life behind bars. Hit-And-Run Driver Who Killed Williamsburg Family Gets 25 to Life Now if there was only a way to do the same thing for drivers that kill cyclists, or pedestrians walking on the sidewalks…

We are never going to get reasonable sentences for killer drivers as long as people keep doing this: Family asks for leniency in cyclist’s death

After that I needed something lighter to clear my head, so here is a guy riding a skateboard in a taco costume into traffic. Video: Drunk, Skateboarding Taco Careens Into Car In Williamsburg This is funny because the guy was stupid and did not get hurt. Acceptably funny at any rate because the guy didn’t get hurt.

There are good, decent people in the world. Off-duty anaesthetist ‘helps save life of cyclist’ after crash with Land Rover in Barnes Good idea to do basic life support when someone gets hit by an SUV. Even better idea when that’s your day job.

Sometimes it’s hard to keep up with all the cyclists getting killed in Jolly Olde. Cyclist killed in London was royal designer Apparently this person’s employer was germane to the story?

More on the suggestion that when an HGV runs over someone on a bicycle they are liable unless they can prove the cyclist was breaking the law in the UK. When lorries hit cyclists the driver should have to prove they are not liable says Green Party leader This is the law in many Northern European countries, why not the UK? Or the US?

Why is it so hard to keep bike lanes in street plans after the professionals put them in? Cyclists fight for dedicated lanes while Darebin Council back-pedals on proposed junction master plan This happens all over the Anglophone world, traffic professionals put bike lanes into street plans because they are needed to keep cyclists safe and traffic flowing, and politicians pull them out because cars damnit!

Are you a Big Guy (or Gal)? Are you having problems keeping your bike running because things keep breaking like wheels, forks, and frames? The Heavyweight Guide to Bike-Buying I had that problem back in 2001, but I found out that was because the fork was made for a 100-150 pound kid who would ride maybe 500 miles on the bike and throw it away after 3 years, and I was riding at a 5000 mile/an pace before the bike was hit with a truck. Seriously, don’t trust the suspension forks on a BSO to last past the end of the block.

And I’m finally out of links.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet

OK the ice and snow is gone, and the Feed

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet

Bean Day, Monday, and the Feed

What can I say, it’s another Monday, and another Bean Day. I was supposed to get a paying gig to go work on another bike but this is one of those bikes that cannot fit inside a heated room, and the current weather situation is such that I dragged a hoodie out of the closet so I have a decent chance of keeping my fingers warm inside the house. I’m still wearing shorts but the combination pf the long sleeves and hood trap enough heat in my core that my fingers can function normally. And yes I know how silly long sleeves and shorts look. I don’t care about that, I just want to be comfortable when I’m working.

Up first Ellen DeGeneres is one of us as she teaches an actress in a show I don’t watch how to ride a bike. Ellen Makes Sarah Hyland Ride A Bike – See The Pics!

Our Daily Ted may not be visible to some as the site has been up and down all day resolving a server issue. Morning Links: Gloria Molina wonders where all the poor cars will park, and KFI’s John and Ken go on the attack If only there was a way to get back at people who lie and encourage illegal activity on the air, like maybe a license to use the airwaves, a broadcasting license for example…

And the Stoopid is strong with these. Should California cyclists be required to wear helmets? Question of the Week

And what is the problem here, cyclists or the people in cars that kill them with no fear of prosecution? Report: S.F. Is One of the Few Cities Where Cyclist Deaths Are Increasing

Along the same lines. Jeff Jardine: ‘Ghost bikes’ reminders of cyclist tragedies There was some misinformation in the article, mainly the bit about riding single file. Riding two up when there are many cyclists taking the lane both makes cyclists more visible and also easier to pass by reducing the amount of time needed to pass a group of cyclists.

I’m shocked that this is even being seriously considered. Should Bus Drivers Be Arrested For Failing To Yield? The question is making bus drivers immune from the law making death by failure to yield a misdemeanor and arrestable offense, instead of the previous maybe a traffic ticket only.

A little CA lifestyle article. Tour De Ed on Feb. 22 helps injured bikers I hope they rake in buttloads of money, Metric buttloads even.

Lifestyle in AZ, as cyclists remember one of our own who switched to handcycling after hip replacement. Bicyclists remember Rose Peters, rider killed in crash

A little UK lifestyle that I was also invited to attend/report on. Hundreds expected at vigil for cyclist killed in Holborn I’m still not sure of why I get invited to these things, I think I got on someone’s list by mistake. There is no way I could make it there to participate.

A little infrastructure news from the Emerald Isle. Cyclist urges council to repair road From the number of filled but still crumbling potholes I would say there is a word missing from the headline: “properly”.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet

Grocery day again, and the Feed

This is another week of short rations until we get more money coming in later in the month. The taxes just about wiped us out this year. Fortunately we will have more money coming in later to cover such things as taxes and cable bills, etc. but for the moment we are diving into the strategic ramen reserves and the $1 frozen pizzas until that happens. That also means I get to make more than one pot of beans and rice per week, so yay? for that.

Up first is another link to the impact statement from the surviving cyclist of a pair hit by an insanely drunk driver. Cyclist who survived deadly crash gives victim impact statement The cyclist was still nearly wiped out and barely able to ride more than 3 years later, and the driver was still more than 3½ times the legal limit for being drunk and at the point that non-alcoholics would be unconscious. That is the part that gets me the most mad, because you KNOW this turd had to have made a habit of driving drunk to be capable of starting the vehicle and putting it in gear with that much alcohol in his system. How many times was he caught and let go before he killed one cyclist and destroyed the life of the other? More Cyclist says his life was ruined by crash

This strongly reminds me of the guy that tried to kill me, fortunately he is safely dead and buried. Salinas cyclist intentionally doored In case you didn’t see it the driver in this case drove over a curbed median in the process of crossing 4 lanes of traffic to get to the bike lane on the other side of the street just to assault the cyclist with the driver’s side door.

Another assault with a motor vehicle and then a second assault after knocking the cyclist down, this time in FL. Woman alleged to have hit then spit at cyclist arrested The bail on this was only $5K for what amounts to an assault with a deadly weapon. And somehow it took from November to February to act on the arrest warrant. Is it any wonder that FL is the most deadliest state in the US to walk or ride a bike.

Misdemeanor charges have been filed in the death of a cyclist outside DC. WSSC driver charged in crash that killed bike rider Oops, I’m sorry, those are traffic tickets, so he may get fined a couple to a few hundred dollars for killing another human being with a light armored vehicle.

And a legislator in CA wants to have the first statewide helmet law. Senator calls for mandatory helmets for California cyclists Now get a helmet law for drivers and we’ll be all set.

And last link is a change to some CA infrastructure so that people not in motor vehicles can use it, too. Bike path gets green light on Richmond Bridge The really annoying thing is they are piggybacking another car lane in on this which costs twice as much as the bike/ped part of the deal, and barely mentioning that part of it.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet

Hoping my words don’t stop again, and the Feed

Well yesterday’s post was an embarrassment. I just wasn’t sure if putting up the post was more embarrassing than not, but I put up a post every Sunday unless physically prevented from doing so. Nothing was physically preventing me yesterday, except the lingering effects of getting hit with a truck 13 years ago. So, you got a “post”. Also this morning I went on a quest for light, so that Mrs. the Poet would stop complaining about how dark it is in the bathroom, so I bought the dimmest possible LED lights that fit the fixture in the bathroom and filled every socket. The effects can be seen here.

Picture from another room with normal room lighting.

Picture from the bathroom with all the sockets filled.

Notice how much light is reflected from the hat in the second picture. Both pictures are of the same hat. And same guy wearing the hat, but the less said about that, the better. The doctors did miracles putting my face back together, but they really didn’t have much to work with from before the wreck.

And I hit Publish instead of Preview to check to make sure both pictures came out, so some of you are looking at this and wondering where the Feed went. Sorry.

Up first are two links from Houston. Sentencing in Chelsea Norman case won’t end debate over cyclists, safety and Bikes, cars and Chelsea Norman’s death Those articles look very similar…

Another hit-and-run from the Show-me state this time. Woman Sentenced to 7 Years in Prison for Fatal Hit-and-Run The guy that was chasing her is still facing a murder charge…

The perp who ran into 4 cyclists riding on the opposite shoulder of a bridge approach is getting a great plea bargain, if she takes took it. N.H. woman accused of killing 2 cyclists must plead today The article is from Friday morning, and was posted in Saturday evening’s Feed. More N.H. woman in deadly bike crash to plead guilty

You know I can’t be quiet about this subject. Time to use your head and wear a helmet when cycling The head injury rate for drivers is higher than for cyclists, where are the articles about helmets for drivers? The article leads off with a story about a cyclist with great hair getting hit by a van and going into a coma. Note that he suffered life-threatening injuries to most of his body, and was only saved by the use of advanced medical techniques, but no mention was made of the lack of airbags and crumple zones on a bicycle, just the miraculous effects of wearing a magic styrofoam hat on a small part of your head.

Our Daily Ted. The Danger in Dog Day Afternoons

And finally a cop that knows the law. Ask a Phoenix cop: Who has right-of-way: bike or car? The answer is Yes, and It Depends.

I’m pretty sure my readers don’t buy bikes from big boxes, but you might tell your friends about this link. Major retailers put to safety test when building bicycles for kids I have worked on bikes that only had the pedals on finger tight, the CRANKS only on finger tight, brake cables, seat posts, and handlebars that were, you guessed it only finger tight. And tires that had about 5 pounds of pressure, that’s another common one…

And those were all the links I had today.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the unkillable badass Poet

Updates, synopses and new wrecks, it’s a perfect Feed

OK I don’t know about “perfect”, but it is a pretty informative Feed today, and nicely compact after removing articles about skateboarders and bull riders. I’m not unsympathetic to your plight guys, but I just do bikes here, no skateboards, and definitely no bull(s).

Up first is the hometown paper reporting on the death of a cyclist hit from behind. Virginia Beach doctor dies in bicycle crash in Harrisonburg They are saying now the vehicle that hit him was going so fast the cyclist was probably dead before his body stopped moving from the impact. How fast do you have to be going to do that?(!) Information I’m getting back-channel says the driver was speeding at the time of the crash, enough that charges might be upgraded. Unfortunately my person communicating on this back channel does not have any say in any charges.

From the information in this article, you would think it was written in the UK. Bicyclist injured in crash No word in the article about who was at fault in the wreck or even what kind of a wreck it was, but that didn’t keep the haters in the comments section from blaming cyclists, for existing in their world. 😛

Another salmon cyclist gets hit, but as he was not actually in the road at the time the driver was cited. Bicyclist injured in crash You read that right, it happened in FL, and the driver was cited for violating the cyclist’s right of way in the bike lane. I guess someone has decided if they want cyclists to stay in the bike lanes they should punish drivers that drive in the bike lanes.

A synopsis of old but recent wrecks in UT near my old stomping grounds. 3 killed, jogger hurt in separate accidents Nothing new here, but a re-hash of events to refresh the memory never hurts.

A new wreck from the same source. Bicyclist hit by FrontRunner train dies Another cyclist and another train, what’s up with this? It’s big it’s loud and normally it is garishly colored so you can’t miss it, and yet people are still getting killed by this embellishment on 19^th Century technology. This is not acceptable people. I don’t care if it’s a human interface issue or an engineering issue, or just a Darwin issue, whatever the problem is somebody has to fix it, short of summary executions. This can’t be allowed to continue.

And finally, the Deseret News decides to report on the bike wreck in Park City that the Tribune reported on yesterday. Park City man dies after bike crash Day late and a dollar short, but they did finally get a report in. At least now we know without a doubt the cyclist hit something on the street that caused him to fall, and before someone makes the comment, this is exactly the kind of wreck a bicycle helmet is supposed to prevent injury in.

That’s all you get today, stay tuned for more rants and rambling.

Billed @$.02, Opus