Tag Archives: Scotland

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

Advertisement

Happy President’s Day, and the Feed

Well I have a day off from one of my gigs today, because that gig is with the Feds and I don’t have access to my work materials on Federal holidays, so more time to drink coffee and read comics, Yay? This is another one of those tiny jobs I get that pays almost nothing for doing almost nothing, except for today when I get paid almost nothing for doing nothing at all. I win 😛

Up first is Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: Bikes banned from Burbank bridge; defaced signs led San Diego cyclists astray Those signs looked like they had been shot with acid paintballs, completely illegible.

Drivers in FL trying hard to live down to their reputation? Bicycle rider struck and killed by a car in Boca Raton The picture of the bike lends some credence to the claim that the cyclist was crossing the intersection, but the location of the bike and the age of the cyclist (84) make me doubtful the traffic light was red when he entered the intersection.

A wreck in GA. Grady High School freshman struck, killed while riding bicycle in Midtown While I’m reluctant to blame the cyclist on this one, I am willing to say she may have been at fault in the wreck.

Cyclist down in WA. Woman injured as pickup strikes her bicycle in Everett Hit from behind wreck not at an intersection certainly seems to point at driver at fault and the protocols for avoiding that kind of wreck are linked at the top of the page.

Wreck in NYC, now with more information. Cyclist Clings To Life After Being Hit By Truck Driver In Tribeca Well maybe not so much more information.

More on that MA cyclist. 15-year-old cyclist severely injured in hit-and-run crash in Lowell

What does the budget hold for those of us on two wheels and no motors? Obama’s 2017 Budget Request: What It Means for Cyclists I don’t think any of the “green” proposals will last long enough to return to Obama’s desk.

Crap infrastructure from Jolly Olde. Compensation for wheels damaged beyond repair in pothole is refused by council The “defect” was one that would only damage a bicycle, and which would be virtually invisible until you were on it and your wheel was in it.

Driver runs cyclists off the road and then gives them the finger, courts return the favor to the driver. Middle finger councillor appears in court after Devon cyclist incident I would think that a driver that gave the finger to the people he just ran off the road would get convicted of something far worse than “careless” driving. Just saying dudes. That is not the behavior of “careless” that is what someone who acted deliberately does. Does this seem like £140 and 8 points behavior?

Really? Really?! Forest Row cyclist: Truck driver could have killed me That could have gone so bad so quickly with a large truck of some description that close, literally he couldn’t have gotten any closer without killing or seriously injuring the cyclist.

More infrastructure from the Midlands (I think?). ‘Tram safety simply isn’t good enough’ says cyclist Put the trams where the bike lanes used to be and you guarantee there will be conflicts.

Legal infrastructure from Craig Ferguson’s homeland (Scotland). Cyclists’ petition to end David and Goliath legal battles nears 10,000 Still trying to get presumed liability in UK laws.

Blotter report of a bike wreck between two bikes has a rare death. Four people have died following four separate crashes on Victorian roads.

Crappy drivers in Oz are still crappy. Life-Threatening Injuries For Cyclists And Motorbike Riders Rose Significantly Between 2001-2010 As in every country keeping count, as cars get better fewer drivers and passengers are killed but more people outside cars are killed because drivers are not getting any safer but the insides of cars sure are.

Enn Zed bike culture. Cyclists rally for injured rider

And a wreck in Enn Zed. Ashburton and Dunedin cyclists critically injured Two wrecks, but only one narrative, of the driver failing to yield.

And we’re all out of links. finally. Program note I have another trip to the Lab Rat Keeper tomorrow afternoon so the post will be way late.

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

It took a long time to get in “Writing Head Space” and the Feed

You know how things get sometimes? When you are the only one who has to work and everyone else has the day off and wants to play? That was my situation this morning as I was trying to get my head into that metaphorical “space” where I can write. My daughter is visiting from Scotland, and had not made her appearance at Casa de El Poeta yet. But that did not prevent Mrs. the Poet from intruding on my preparations for composing this post pretty much constantly. I understand her point that I need to interact with my family, but I have to work, too. Especially after yesterday’s sloth-fest of more than 18 hours of uninterrupted TV motorsports, if I don’t get back to writing right away I will get lazy and just stop doing the blog. Then one more anchor I used to maintain my sanity will be down the tubes, or more precisely untied and abandoned. And I kinda like having this particular level of sanity, being attached to the “real” world and doing what I can to make a difference. I think this is just sane enough, and at the same time just crazy enough to think I can actually make a difference. I’m in the “sanity sweet spot” here.

The Big Story today is a driver charged with murder in the death of a cyclist in KY. Police: Driver charged with murder after hitting, killing bicyclist and Cyclist killed after being hit by vehicle also Authorities say Kentucky man killed after being hit by vehicle during cycling event and even Cyclist killed after being hit by vehicle and this Bicyclist hit by drunk driver during race, dies this also Cyclists remember man hit and killed during Georgetown’s Horsey Hundred I’m wondering if the driver in this case might have said to the LEO that stopped him or posted something publicly to the effect that he was going to deliberately run into a cyclist or group of cyclists. If either is true given the speed he was charged I would say that he probably admitted he was targeting the cyclists to the LEO that stopped him.

This CA woman still can’t bear to see where her husband and partner died. She can’t visit the ghost bike, not yet I understand this. I still have a problem with driving or riding past the site of my wreck, and that was 14 years ago. I can do it, I just would rather not. And her husband’s death was a heck of a lot more recent than 14 years.

Update on a cyclist injured in Portland. Schwinn, nurse help injured cyclist to get back This was the cyclist who lost a leg in a left-cross wreck a few weeks ago.

From NYC a child is severely injured going to get ice cream because “FU, Cars are more important”… 7-Yr-Old Getting Ice Cream Struck By Hit-And-Run Driver In The Bronx I mean seriously, you stopped and then you ran the kid over again? You deserve to spend the rest of your days listening to kids crying on an endless loop. Over and over again with no relief. I can see giving the driver some leeway if she had just stayed at the scene and helped with the first aid, but running the victim over a second time? Foxtrot Uniform Charlie Kilo Yankee Oscar Uniform with barbed wire.

I keep telling these people there is a simple way to do this, and the technical parameters are available for €90 translated to English. Greensboro officials, cyclists seek safer roads (VIDEO) Seriously dudes, the CROW manual is like 40 years of what works and more importantly didn’t work, distilled into one volume. They didn’t stop motor vehicles so much as tamed them and put them at lower priority.

This is one of the reasons I keep writing about sidewalks not being bicycle infrastructure even when designated as such. Pavement cyclist faces charges and media backlash after hitting toddler in incident caught on CCTV I also agree with the comment about now will we hear the same thing about people driving on the sidewalks? Because since this cyclist hit the little girl and skinned her face slightly 2 people were killed by someone driving on the “pavements”.

And something for your irony-poor blood. Cambridgeshire schoolgirl injured in crash during cycle route protest The kid was injured by a cyclist while protesting the non-existence of non-existent bicycle infrastructure…

Fund raising ride for a wounded soldier ride. Portman to bike in ‘Honor Ride’

And I’m not real sure of the point of this ride in Canada. Injured Workers Kick-Off 600 km Bike Ride in Ottawa to Draw Attention to a Compensation System Being Dismantled by the Liberal Government and Bike-riding injured workers to make stop in Cornwall Are they trying to say that the system that the government is trying to destroy allowed them to recover from their injuries to the point that riding 600 km is only slightly harder than it would have been before they got injured? Because I can see someone saying that if they can ride 600 km they must not be too injured and should not have gotten benefits.

And I think I have run out of links for today. Yep, nothing left in the other window.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet

Why do we have a for-profit health care system, and the Feed

Contact has been made with my PCP concerning the GOP presidential candidate sitting on the back of my neck (“ugly lump of useless fat” for the people not among my Facebook friends). There was a 3 working day delay caused by my HMO having to approve of the surgery and the surgeon I was getting sent to. Remind me again why we don’t have a single-payer system like the UK, where stuff like this only takes a day? I mean obviously, this thing has been on the back of my neck for almost a decade now so it probably isn’t going to kill me (again), but still the MRI came back as “atypical” so this also isn’t something that can be ignored until it goes away. I will hear back from the surgeon on scheduling later today or early tomorrow.

The Bug Story today is from Oz as a Fox Sports announcer is found guilty of hitting a cyclist. Bosnich pleads guilty to reckless driving which injured cyclist and Mark Bosnich pleads guilty to charge of reckless driving after road rage incident also Bosnich knocked cyclist down: court And of course they got a plea bargain that never mentioned assault with a deadly weapon when the driver turned his vehicle at the cyclist and hit him with it, knocking him to the ground with numerous injuries.

Our Daily Ted, round 1. Morning Links: LAPD ordered to turn over video of bike rider beating, and Redlands riders do the right thing Surprise, surprise, LAPD beat a cyclist half to death and he was not white.

Our Daily Ted, part the second. Guest post: BAC Vice Chair Glenn Bailey reports on efforts to undo the Chase Street road diet and bike lanes This was the meeting that may have had an illegal agenda item added at the last minute. In TX the item would have been illegal to discuss since the agenda had already been published.

In today’s NYC news, the DA actually grew a pair and indicted a killer driver. Driver Charged With Manslaughter For Killing LES Pedestrian The driver was doing 55 in a 25 zone and attempted to flee but hit a fire hydrant on a crowded sidewalk and could not continue driving. The hydrant probably saved having several more victims.

Usually “Take your kid to work day” does not include teaching bicycle theft. Stroller-Pushing Bike Thief Has Allegedly Stolen $16K In Bikes

And a bit Upstate from The City, drunk asshole in a Camaro takes out his and two other vehicles when he’s prevented from excessively speeding. Video: Sociopathic Camaro Driver Causes Terrifying Highway Crash The Camaro driver was tested at more than twice the legal limit for BAC%.

Apparently driving while blind is not a crime in NE. Prosecutor will not charge woman in crash that killed cyclist The cyclist was riding a recumbent tricycle with an 8 foot tall flag on the back. If you can’t see a normal-sized adult human with an 8 foot tall flag in the road, please stop driving immediately and seek medical attention.

Not your average wreck in South Africa. Cyclist trampled to death by giraffe in South Africa Usually the traffic I have to wrangle is more 4-wheel than 4-foot.

More on the Scottish clamor for presumptive liability in civil cases where a cyclist is hit by a motor vehicle. Cyclists call for ‘presumption of liability’ against motorists in civil cases Yeah, we cyclists are just throwing ourselves against light armored vehicles in the hopes of getting a huge lawsuit payout… And I have a bridge in AZ I want to get off my hands. Used to be owned by a nice English lady named Elizabeth…

After the second cyclist is killed by a truck turning across the bike lane at a badly-designed intersection in NOLA legislation to restrict truck traffic is considered. Cyclist’s death spurs bill to ban hazardous material trucks on St. Claude, North Claiborne Note that there was nothing done to change the bad intersection, just to restrict hazardous cargo from using it.

More infrastructure news from Portland. East Portlanders want one mode of transportation prioritized above all others, survey finds They just want to be able to cross the street without having to play “Frogger”.

There has been a paradigm shift in city planning while nobody was looking. End of the car age: how cities are outgrowing the automobile

It’s about that time again. National Bike Month: Hupy and Abraham celebrates safety and awareness and Community encouraged to participate in Bicycle Month Notional Bike Month, or as I see it National This Blog Is Important Month. I’m hoping I can get Blue up and running and be healed up from neck surgery by the Ride of Silence. Last year was terrible for me as I couldn’t see where I was going because my helmet was hitting the lump on the back of my neck.

Speaking of that lump, the surgeon did not call today, but I at least know his last name: Ritter. And thanks to the powers of the Internet I know something about him.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet

Let’s get on with this, and the Feed

OK as I begin filtering the Feed I still haven’t heard from the surgeon, and because I don’t know who that is I can’t call and find out what’s up. So instead of sitting and worrying about it, I’m doing a blog post. Doesn’t everybody sit down and write when they are worried? 😀

OK it’s after 1800, and if this was something to be really worried about I would have had a call already, I’m thinking that the surgeon or another doctor looked at the MRI and decided I lived with it this long, a few more days wouldn’t kill or permanently impair me. [crossing fingers]

Up first, I’m doing another wreck because this is another one of those rare wrecks where the driver takes himself out after killing the cyclist. 2 dead in Hinesburg car vs. bicycle crash Either this was a “punishment pass” that went super bad for both parties, or the cyclist was caught up in the driver’s LOC wreck. Doesn’t matter, there are still two bodies at the morgue…

Today’s Daily Ted shares some links with the Feed today. Morning Links: LA Times picks Ramsay, LA bike plan site pushes rug padding, and how to pass a bike respectfully Still worth the click for the links we don’t share…

Once again proof that NYPD does not know the laws they are enforcing. The NYPD Has Been Ticketing Cyclists for a Totally Legal Activity The statute specifically excludes all vehicles that are not motor vehicles.

Another angle on the story. Cops In Brooklyn’s Most Bike-Friendly Neighborhoods Are Cracking Down On Cyclists Yep, statute still says “motor vehicles” which excludes all vehicles without motors.

Still in NYC, teen criminals have discovered the tactical advantages of bicycles in an urban environment. Central Park Jogger Attacked By Teens On Bicycles

Another “Florida man” story about bikes. Coral Gables cops say man blamed for hit-and-run tried to cover up damaged vehicle

Perception is more about bias than reality. ‘Anti-social’? Cambridge cyclists responsible for just seven out of 4,400 anti-social incidents Either there are things not getting reported, or bias is coloring someone’s perception of reality. My take is bias. Problem is he’s the idiot in charge. And having a biased idiot in charge is almost never good.

A guy in charge of a trucking firm thinks truckers are super dandy neato keen, and cyclists are scum. Lorry drivers the best road users, cyclists the worst, says haulage firm boss Interesting that there were so many violations of driving laws from drivers in his employ. Again, bias coloring perceptions.

And why is it that the phrase “UK bicycle infrastructure” is synonymous with “crap infrastructure”? Family of cyclist killed by tipper truck considers civil action after inquest returns finding of ‘road traffic collision’ Maybe because there is nothing unusual about this intersection except that a cyclist was killed by an HGV and both were using the intersection exactly as intended by the design.

Bike protest in Scotland. Thousands take part in Pedal on Parliament in Edinburgh Excuse me, Massive! bike protest in Scotland.

Bike protest in Hungary. Eyewitness: Budapest, Hungary Again, excuse me, Massive! bike protest in Hungary.

Putting the cart before the horse on this one. Community encouraged to participate in Bicycle Month Infrastructure first, party second, you don’t party in a free-fire zone.

NE TN isn’t bike friendly? Twin Cities not bicycle friendly communities This is not MSP, this is Bristol TN/VA.

How do you rebuild a cyclist’s paradise after it gets overrun by cars? Reinventing the Wheel You make cycling self-expression, not just transportation.

Need something to keep the chill off your face and don’t feel like DIY? Face Shield There is a sale going on for end-of-season savings.

And I appear to be out of links again.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet

I got wrapped up in a gig yesterday/last night, and the Feed

As I was saying, I was involved in an activity yesterday and last night and did not get home until nearly midnight, and by the time I ate it was nearly 0100. So I decided to finish reading my e-mail, less the Feed folder and it was after 0200 when I got done, which is way too late to be filtering and reading links and composing a blog post. So I didn’t, sorry. And I’m going to be late again Friday because I’m going shoe shopping in the AM and there is a church function I have to attend in the PM. So Friday’s post will post sometime early Saturday morning as per usual, but later than usual.

I’m going to open again with several rounds of Our Daily Ted. Is California’s new three-foot passing law making a difference? and 13-year old boy killed while walking his bike in Boyle Heights and Morning Links: Bike share is booming, Finish the Ride’s Damian Kevitt prepares to run the LA Marathon

A link that I found separately from Ted’s links on the change in policy after a LASD deputy ran over a cyclist in the bike lane while on duty. Sheriff’s officials curb deputy in-car computer use Really, change the rules after you kill a guy!?!one If I had any give-a-damn left I would be outraged, but I think I mentioned back when I stopped linking wrecks here that my give-a-damn was depleted, and it has not yet returned in any quantity.

One of the reasons why I have such a hard time keeping up my give-a-damn is idiots like this, in Oz. Driver who mowed down seven Sydney cyclists in bid for lesser charges after new lawyer said allegations were ‘too harsh’ and Charges too serious in NSW cyclists crash Really, “too serious”? You ran down 7 vehicles from behind that were in the lane you should not have been driving in, and “dangerous driving” is too serious a charge? I would have charged you with 7 attempted murders because you obviously meant to kill the lot of them.

“Should distracted driving be as serious a crime as drunk driving?” Trial hears van driver Philip Sinden was texting before crash that killed cyclist Daniel Squire in Ringwould This is another case of SWSS because the driver did not pay attention to what was on the road in front of him. He was too busy texting his “lover”.

I’m sure most of my readers are no stranger to what a cyclist looks like after a wreck, but if you need something to show a bike-hating person you have to associate with, this is the link. Cyclist left covered in blood after collision in Sheffield This is what a cyclist looks like wearing a helmet in a wreck with a motor vehicle, notice that the top of his head is completely uninjured.

A little infrastructure news from Jolly Olde as they “do something” to reduce the CARnage in the streets. 20mph speed limit to begin on major London routes in radical plan to save lives

And while they try to “do something” to save lives you get imbeciles like this plod. Can your child cycle on the pavement?

Legal infrastructure under debate in Scotland. Mark Beaumont backs new law for cyclists and walkers This is another take on the “vulnerable road users” laws in some states and communities here in the US, based on the “presumed liability” laws in the Netherlands and other countries.

And another “blame the victim” proposal in Oz. Partner of cyclist killed on Kings Park Road in Perth calls for mandatory high-visibility wear And all motor vehicle occupants should be wearing helmets and fireproof coveralls, after all race drivers do both, so it just makes sense, right?

And thank [$DEITY] I’m finally done for the night.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet

I need a new writer for this story, and the Feed

The claim has been made that what we think of as the “real world” is merely the setting for a series of overlapping stories written by authors in another universe. Well I want a new writer because mine has jumped the shark. I mean seriously things have been goofy and barely believable since about 2 years after my wreck. I mean I don’t believe half of the stuff going down and it is happening to me. And if I’m having problems with the plot, why should anyone else believe it? Some of this stuff would not even make it in a bad sit-com because the pacing is so slow. I half expect to hear a laugh track at any second.

Up first, someone has more than 2 brain cells to rub together in the UK. London to ban HGVs without cyclist safety equipment as Safer Lorry Scheme comes into force this September When a very small segment of the traffic flow has a very large portion of the fatal wrecks, one has to start having a good long look at the wrecks. Both segments are allowed by law to be there, one as a right and the other as a privilege but that privilege is pretty well entrenched to the point that it is a “right” because of the essential nature of the service it performs. So since the victim can’t be banned, and the other can’t be banned, the only recourse is to make the one that kills less deadly than before in hopes that fewer people will get killed. More Lorries without cyclist safety equipment to be banned from London’s roads

Should America’s Amsterdam emulate crap UK infrastructure? Portland should be inspired by London’s ‘cycle superhighway’ Inspired, maybe. Do the same thing? Not on your or my life.

Our Daily Ted is a detailed look at a critical infrastructure question. Making the case for desperately needed bike lanes on embattled Westwood Blvd

More on the cyclist killed in Scotland by an unconscious elderly driver. Cycling wife’s death ‘not preventable’ after couple hit by OAP’s car Unless you are going to require annual medical certification for drivers over 60 there is nothing that LEO could do. More Judge rules out need for stricter medical checks on elderly drivers after Leicestershire woman’s death

This is a lot of money for getting run over by a horse. €50k for cyclist knocked off bike by horses The cyclist had some pretty nasty injuries, but nothing like he would have had if hit by, say a truck…

Followup on that man turning into a cyclist after getting a heart from one in a transplant. DJ Chris Evans considers joining Organ Donor Register – after reading about Bristol heart transplant patient How about that, a morning radio DJ thinks he still has a heart 😛 (j/k)

Lots of UK links for some reason or another, this one shows that good people will come to the aid of those in need, even when “need” is just a trip to the graveyard after getting killed. Londoners raise £6,000 funeral costs for Greek cyclist killed in Homerton This was the kind of wreck the cycle safety guards listed in the first links are supposed to mitigate.

Language is important. HOW SMART LANGUAGE HELPED END SEATTLE’S PARALYZING BIKELASH Non-confrontational language gets more bike lanes than otherwise.

A little bit of legal infrastructure in CA. Cycling Accidents in the San Fernando Valley

Last link, you have to be real careful around one of these, they are very quiet. So When Do We Get the Electric Victory Charger Cruiser? I like the e-motorcycles, but I am also leery because of how quiet they are, just like other EV without noisemaker add-ons.

And that’s all I got for today.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet

Ramen on Bean Day, and the Feed

I have someplace to go this evening (as I’m writing this) and I will probably have to finish the post after I get back from my gig. I’m going to do data entry for a political phone bank this evening, since I’m crap as an operator since the wreck. I have zero improv skills since the wreck and I knew my public speaking skills were gone the first spoken word gig I had after the wreck. I was speaking like I had never been on stage in my life and had never had any training in how to use my voice. I had some slight improvement for a few years then things have been steadily deteriorating ever since. So I take my laptop and transcribe phone sheets into a database. This saves the callers considerable time and also allows people without laptops to call as quickly as they are able.

The ramen bit is I needed something that could be whipped up in a few minutes for Mrs. the Poet before I left and also be done when I needed to go, so I’m using ramen in the traditional Japanese way rather than the American way of “noodles in pot and 3 minutes later in stomach”. I’m adding leftover veggies and a couple of whipped eggs to the noodles to make the pack of ramen into a meal for two. It’s quick, it’s easy and it uses up leftovers. That makes it perfect for tonight.

It looks like a hit-and-run in South Texas is today’s leadoff story. Driver kills cyclist then flees the scene in Harlingen Scene pictures show this as a hit-from-behind on the right side of the bike lane (making assumptions from what appears to be a puddle of blood next to the curb) which means the driver of the weapon vehicle left his lane and went almost to the curb to hit a brightly lighted cyclist. This means the cyclist was riding extra legal as in as legal as possible and also means that protocols are moot for this case, the driver would have just killed the cyclist further from the road had he bailed any further to the side than he already was. Dutch infrastructure standards would be to put the person that approved this design in jail because of the inevitability of exactly this occurrence. This was a highway with speed limits much too high for a simple bike lane to be safe. Without a barrier this wreck was inevitable, the infrastructure here is simple appeasement. Ask Neville Chamberlain how well appeasement works. Dutch quality infrastructure to prevent.

A little to the north of that a cyclist discovers that when you’re carrying drugs you need to not ride salmon. SAPD: Several drugs found on cyclist riding on Broadway St. Or at least just obey LEO when instructed to ride with traffic instead of dropping the bike and running away on foot.

Sometimes it seems like everything is out to get us, even the trees. Cyclist struck by falling tree, critically injured in Winnetka and this later link Chicago actress Molly Glynn dies after being struck by falling tree The duo was riding in the forest when a strong pop-up T-storm broke nearby and the outflow from the storm on the ground toppled trees. This is in the Whiskey, Tango, Foxtrot, Interrogative category or an act of [$DEITY] depending on your religious self-identification.

Still in the Chicagoland area we get a SWCC fatality. Bicyclist killed at Bridgeport intersection Note the narrative, the cyclist was unconscious a the scene and died after being transported and the driver of the weapon vehicle was operating without a license, but they still believed him when he claimed the cyclist was the one running a red light. Get the infrastructure “up to Dutch” and the driver of the weapon vehicle may have found cycling so convenient that he would not have been driving, saving two lives.

A bike-on-bike wreck in MA. Somerville Bicyclist Killed In Medford Collision With Motorcycle As of this posting with neither participant able to talk to LEO and very little evidence was left at the scene so I have no idea what to do with the built environment to avoid this wreck but since 90% of the wrecks I cover would be eliminated by Dutch quality infrastructure I’m going to go with that to prevent.

I’m not sure if this wreck was in MA or VT, but a kid paying more attention to his cell phone than where his Weapon of mass destruction was going managed to hit a cyclist from behind riding 3 feet away from the actual road. Cycling: Recent incidents a reminder of perils of riding Also a MTB cyclist pranged it a good one the same week. This is another one of “those wrecks” that human cyclists can’t evade because they are already at the limits of their escape route, and only a barrier or massive amounts of distance will prevent a similar wreck, or developing technology that causes a car to come to a complete stop if a cell phone is used in the car. Something that makes the phone catch fire if the car is in motion and the phone is in use? That might be a little safer than stopping the car while trying to call police because someone is trying to carjack you, then you can throw the flaming phone at the carjacker.

“Final” word on a CA wreck. No charges filed from Irvine cyclist killed in Newport Beach If the narrative is correct this wreck appears to be a cyclist that left-crossed himself, which is tragic but not the fault of the driver.

A SWSS wreck in CA results in a deceased cyclist. COLLISION KILLS 60-YEAR-OLD CYCLIST IN CHULA VISTA Hit from behind protocols to avoid or reduce damages, and infrastructure will prevent a similar wreck by removing the ability of the motor vehicle to get within striking distance of any cyclists.

Another CA wreck as reported by Ted Rogers. 61-year old bike rider killed in Huntington Beach; second cycling death in the city in just five days The wreck is known to have been in an intersection, and that’s about all they know as of this posting.

The initial criminal charges for a hit-from-behind wreck in ND. Man who struck deaf, blind Norwegian cyclist cited There were two people on that bike, the blind cyclist was just the stoker. And I’m thinking he wasn’t the only blind man on the road that day, knowhutimean?

LEO are hunting the weapon vehicle in this hit-and-run in AK. Troopers looking for driver in hit-run collision; 1 cyclist seriously injured The narrative reads that the weapon vehicle went off the road to hit 2 cyclists riding on the shoulder. This speaks of pre-meditation to me, or just general Dumbassery. Neither scenario leaves cyclists with much if any options to avoid the wreck considering they were already off the road on the shoulder so that leaves Dutch quality segregated infrastructure and presumed liability legal infrastructure to protect cyclists from drivers like this.

Tragedy in the Great White North as a rider on a charity ride gets hit. Ride the Rideau cyclist hit, killed by truck and Mother of two killed in Ride the Rideau cycling event Nothing about the mode, just the cyclist was hit by/with a dump or garbage truck while on the course raising money to fight cancer. I assume they do charity rides in the Netherlands, too, so get the infrastructure “up to Dutch” to prevent.

Cyclists in Scotland are in danger. Cyclist dies after Aberdeen crash and North Anderson Drive closed northbound after cyclist seriously injured in smash What I could see in the pictures was a hit-from-behind wreck, which means the pictures will probably be taken down shortly to comply with UK media laws. So, protocols to avoid or reduce damages, and get the infrastructure “up to Dutch” to prevent.

Another low-information wreck from Oz. Crash cyclist seriously injured The scant description of the wreck as a “two car crash” makes me think that this might not have been a wreck that a human cyclist could avoid.

Infrastructure! argument from about 80 miles east of WoaB World HQ in the Beautiful Suburbs of Hell. Readers take sides on bicycles on public roadways

Infrastructure argument in far West Canuckistan. Cyclists, pedestrians collide on Vancouver’s mean streets You know when infrastructure is properly designed for everybody there are no “mean streets”. Just sayin’, yannow?

Lifestyle in Seattle. Maj. Margaret Witt reflects on fallen cyclist’s legal legacy and Hundreds gather in Seattle to honor cyclist killed by truck No, no, no. The cyclist was killed by a dumbass politician, the truck was just the murder weapon. Remember, this project would have been completed a year ago if some dumbass hadn’t delayed it to score political points. That person should be in jail now.

Lifestyle in NV. Cyclists memorialize rider with ‘3 Feet for Pete’ ride

Lifestyle in NC. Friend talks about Greensboro man killed while riding bicycle

And what does the future hold for the lowly bicycle? FUTURE BIKE: TECHNOLOGY

And those were all the links that didn’t make me want to kill someone with my bare hands gave me fits or giggles.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the unkillable badass Poet

Running freaking late after seeing the doctor, and the Feed

I went to the chiropractor today. I left the house at 1200 and returned home by 2030. I could have left later except Mrs. the Poet and I see the same Dr. at the same time so I have to go to where Mrs. the Poet works to pick her up and then go to the Dr. And since it was after 1800 when the first bus of many we needed to take to get home got to the bus stop we decided to stop for dinner on the way home. Otherwise we could have gotten home earlier but then had to make dinner, which would have been a pain and taken longer than stopping for dinner. As it was we got home a little later, but fed as opposed to getting fed much later at home. It’s about a 2 hour trip from the school Mrs. the Poet works to the chiropractor, and mid-day about the same from Casa de El Poeta to Mrs. the Poet’s school. #Public transit is a time sink.

Up first is a story from the most deadliest state in the US to walk or ride a bike for so long that I have lost track of how many years in a row FL has held this “honor”. Investigators searching for a driver who hit a 12-year-old girl while she was riding her bike Intersection wreck but it appears that since the child cyclist is not getting blamed for this wreck the driver of the weapon vehicle disregarded a traffic control so protocols are moot, get the infrastructure right to prevent.

A wreck in GA. Macon attorney killed in Monroe County bike accident The cyclist apparently left-crossed himself. Intersection protocols to avoid and get the infrastructure right to prevent. Situational awareness always.

A fatal wreck in IN. Evansville teen killed while riding bike and Evansville teen killed after hit by vehicle while riding his bicycle Hit-from-behind protocols to avoid and get the infrastructure right to prevent, including making hitting another vehicle moving in the same direction the fault of the rear vehicle for going too fast for conditions. The weapon vehicle had headlights so the driver should have been able to see the cyclist if the driver was paying attention to what was in the road in front of them. “Dark clothing” does not give the driver a pass for driving too fast.

A hit-and-run in IL. West Point woman arrested for leaving scene of crash with cyclist Assuming hit-from-behind because no intersection was mentioned and he cyclist was not mentioned to have been salmon. Protocols to avoid or to mitigate damages, and get the infrastructure right to prevent.

Hit-and-run (maybe) in MO. Cyclist’s body found along I-70 The thought had occurred to me that the person might have been murdered and the body and bike gear dumped on the side of the Interstate for passing traffic to destroy. No mode possible to discern due to the damage to the body and gear. And one thing I find odd is aside from identifying the victim as a cyclist there was no mention of finding a bicycle at the scene. (Gigi found that odd, too)

A wreck in KS. Cyclist Hit And Killed Near Emporia Not a whole lot of useful information in this report. About the only thing that can be safely assumed beyond vehicle types and time is the cyclist probably had decent lights and/or reflectors on the bike, because any lack of them would be mentioned.

A CA cyclist on a charity ride was whacked by a goon in road rage mode. Cyclist severely injured in SR-67 crash and Passing Bicyclist Injured in Road Rage Dispute Hit-from-behind wreck, but from the narrative there was no way for the cyclist to avoid the impact and the built infrastructure would have been adequate had the drivers had the sense [*Deity] gave a grasshopper’s behind. Prosecute both drivers to the fullest extent of the law. Don’t stop at the book, throw the entire library at both of them.

A cyclist is blamed for being the victim of a right hook in OR. Cyclist Dies after Colliding with Car Right hook so intersection protocols might have been able to save this cyclist’s life, get the infrastructure right to prevent.

Major wreck in Oz. Cyclist killed in crash with bus and Cyclist hit and killed by tour bus on NT highway also Cyclist killed in crash with bus Driver exceeding the visibility of his headlights hits a ninja cyclist, and I’m seriously blaming the driver for this one because it could have been anything out there, large wildlife, disabled car, Fake Jesus pulling a cross on a wheel, you just never know what you’re going to run into at night… The cyclist could have used some lights and/or reflectors though.

A wreck report that could have used just one more piece of information to make it (more) usable to this blog. Bibra Lake cyclist killed in collision with car Did you figure out what was missing? It was the direction of the bike when hit. Looking at the Street View and seeing a divided highway that tells me the cyclist was making a right (backwards left) turn and that somebody ran a red light. Since they are not immediately blaming the cyclist I have to assume it is highly likely the driver of the weapon vehicle was running the red light. Anyway intersection protocols would have not helped in this wreck and if the built infrastructure had been used as designed the wreck would not have happened.

Infrastructure! news from Scotland. Scottish Parliament to debate ‘strict liability’ civil law protections for cyclists

Lifestyle in the Great White North. Ghost bike left on Spadina for cyclist killed by truck

And final link, just plain stupid from CA. Only 11 percent of children are wearing helmets during bike accidents, study finds Nothing on how many wear helmets vs have wrecks, making drawing a conclusion impossible, especially with a helmet law in place.

And those were all the links that gave me fits about bicycles today.

Billed @€0.02, Opus