One of those days, and the Feed

Today is one of “those” days where I feel like strangling a politician, making it a good thing there aren’t any in reach. The Feed had a number of proposed bills for cyclists that did not actually do anything to protect cyclists but did make people feel like they had “done something”. Also Mrs. the Poet was out in the garage complaining about my stash of used bikes that I use to make art bikes and recumbents from. Then she started getting into some of the things that keep me from actually being able to use those bikes as I intended to when I got them, all the other people’s junk that keeps me from being able to get to my tools and workspace in the garage. Lots of cussing about that coming from the garage whilst I was trying to filter links.

Up first is one of those “What were they thinking?” laws I was reading about. Bill would require neon clothes, government ID for cyclists There are some things that would be a great idea, and others not so much. Rear lights, good idea, government ID, not so much. I see this bill being used mostly as a way to bludgeon the poor and homeless, not as an effective tool for bicycle safety.

A really bizarre case in NYC gets even weirder. Bag Of Rats Offers New Evidence In Fatal Williamsburg Hit & Run They recovered a plastic bag of “live frozen” rats from the weapon vehicle at the scene, with the defendant’s fingerprints on it. Also the defendant has a criminal history that includes killing people. The weapon vehicle was doing almost 70 in a 30 MPH zone when he hit the cab.

Another off-the-wall scene in an NYC court. Mother Of Unlicensed Teen Driver Who Killed 4-Year-Old Lashes Out In Court She’s lucky her unlicensed son was not charged with illegal possession of a deadly weapon.

Using mind-reading helmets to plan lower-stress cycling in NYC. NYC bike map based on riders’ brainwaves tells you which routes are the most stressful or relaxing How about building some Dutch-quality infrastructure for making low-stress routes?

Why has building infrastructure for active transportation become a political football? Koch-funded groups coalesce around axing all federal funding for walking, biking and transit and Koch-Funded Groups: Cut All Federal Funding for Walking, Biking, Transit I looked at the proposal and all it does is lock in transportation planning from 50 and 60 years ago to the exclusion of every other alternative, basically “Cars über alles”.

More on technical means of keeping drivers from running over cyclists and pedestrians. Here’s How Car Makers Are Trying to Make Streets Safer for Bicycle Commuters Some car-makers are using passive sensors that don’t require anything from the cyclist or pedestrian other than being there and potentially moving into conflict with the motor vehicle, while others are requiring vulnerable users to carry devices that warn the car of their presence, path, and velocity so the car can then warn the driver. If you don’t have these devices then the car doesn’t tell the driver you’re there…

Infrastructure news from America’s Amsterdam, Portland OR. Novick says PBOT will use state study to address speeding, lack of bikeway on Barbur The lane closures from the construction did not seriously affect the non-rush traffic except to slow it down slightly under the posted speed limit.

Some infrastructure news from OR. City issues bike parking code violation to Jantzen Beach Home Depot I am in awe and totally jealous that they even have a bike parking code. I have been lobbying the Beautiful Suburbs of Hell for a bike parking ordinance for almost 10 years now. We still don’t have one.

More infrastructure from across the Columbia from Portland OR. Damaged sections of waterfront trail reopen

Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: January was a good month for SoCal cyclists, walkability survey and still more bike events

Still in SoCal we get this lifestyle event. SLAIN CYCLIST HONORED AT ORANGE COUNTY MEMORIAL RIDE RIP rider…

Struggling to provide a connection for two trans-continental bike routes. PLEASE SUPPORT BICYCLE ROUTE 66 This is a vital connection for both the Southern Tier bike route and the Heartland bike route. BR66 is also a potential major tourist bike route. Having a big unrideable gap like that just east of LA just cuts too many people off from the rest of the country.

And I seem to have run out of links again.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet

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Still wondering about everything, and the Feed

And by “everything” yes I mean everything. Well, almost everything, I know why the sky is blue, and why sunsets are red. Things that can be explained by science I read about and I understand. Things that can’t be explained by science I wonder about. Like the current Congress voting against the best interests of the people they supposedly represent from their districts, or voting to prevent federal funds from being spent to save women’s lives by terminating hopeless pregnancies, pregnancies that will kill both the mother and the fetus. Terminate the pregnancy and the mother has a chance at trying again assuming she can overcome the psychological problems that come from having a pregnancy that could have killed her before she could give birth, or just not spend the money and both are going to die with no second chances. Seriously this was put to a vote in the House as part of a much larger bill along with (not) paying for rape victims or victims of incest (pretty much the same thing as a rape victim) to terminate unwanted or medically dangerous pregnancies. And they voted against paying to save lives if it means terminating a pregnancy. I think paying for any medical attention to anyone that voted in favor of this is against my religion maybe. Actually no, it isn’t, and given the choice I would give medical attention or allow medical attention to be administered (even with my tax dollars). But I do think that they should be given the “opportunity” to sweat about it possibly not happening for as long as it wasn’t medically dangerous to withhold medical attention. If it wasn’t medically dangerous to let them sit forever, just uncomfortable or potentially scarring, leave them sit, since another proposed bill would defund Obamacare so that poor people would be denied access to health care even when that care is required for living without pain or permanent scarring. Yes this is personal for me.

Up first, more fallout from the bizarre question on the Australian version of Family Feud. Twitter reacts to Family Feud’s bizarre question about cyclists This reaction was mentioned in earlier links, but directly referenced in this link. Personally the part about this question was allowing “everything” as an answer to what annoying thing cyclists do.

Back in the US, terrorist attacks against transportation infrastructure continue in OR. County more ‘vigilant’ on Hawthorne Bridge inspections as tacks claim more victims and Tacks again flattening bike tires on Hawthorne Bridge I’m sure if someone was putting out caltrops and causing flat tires on a bottleneck thoroughfare for cars there would be major police presence and investigation(s) going on.

Well, after that it’s time for Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: Justice denied and threats against cyclists, and it’s time to give up some of that good bike blood

A story also reported upon in the above link, the driver and the cyclist in this wreck are robbed during the confusion after the wreck. CYCLIST HIT IN WEST OAKLAND, ROBBED WHILE UNCONSCIOUS While the driver was trying to get the cyclist stabilized until the ambulance arrived he was robbed, and while the driver’s attention was diverted someone stole the cyclist’s bike and belongings.

Sometimes we win, even if it’s a Pyrrhic victory. Truck Driver Found Negligent in Death of Cyclist Amelie Le Moullac I consider this victory Pyrrhic because the driver was convicted in civil court, not criminal, and because the SFPD provided virtually nothing to the case except excuses for the driver…

Changing the legal infrastructure to favor cars less and people more in NE. Safety bill would clarify rules for bikes and cars

Still trying to figure out where the money came from on this one. Bishop charged in cyclist’s death released from jail on $2.5M bail The driver is returning to an “in-patient” treatment center for her alcohol addiction, after spending over $2 million to get out of a free one…

More on NYC traffic deaths by mode. Mayor says traffic deaths drop, cyclist fatalities spike Not sure what is going on here as fewer pedestrians get killed, while motor vehicle occupant deaths are flat and cyclists getting killed go up at a rate that exceeds the normal data noise.

A bit of news about the physical infrastructure in Portland, OR. A $10,000 solution to dangerous Springwater path intersection $10K to fix as major a problem as this is practically nothing, it’s a rounding error in most cities’ transportation budgets.

Moire Stoopid from the UK. Cyclists urged not to use Golden Valley Bypass after Gloucester man died in traffic collision Note that people using the same mode as the victim are being urged to not use the facility, not the people using the mode that killed the victim.

Potential victims must show proper deference to potential killers according to this schlock from News Corp, the parent company of Faux Nooz. Motorist and cyclist mutual respect key to road safety Yes I know that’s not what they say in the headline, it doesn’t come until a bit later in the piece.

Insurance companies in the Netherlands know that e-assist cyclists will reduce health care costs over those who don’t ride at all, but how to keep the assisted riders from increasing other costs is the question. Researchers at Delft University of Technology Target Risk Management (The safety of electrically assisted bicycles compared to classic bicycles) And it’s far cheaper to use free student labor than paid professionals when you are doing something like this.

More e-assist news from the US. Bosch rolls into Irvine to speed up eBike operation I like this particular system, 250 Watts through the cranks gets lots more performance than a hub motor, basically it’s like adding the power of another person without all the weight and bother of carrying that person with you, just a few pounds of batteries and the motor.

And I’m all out of links now.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet

Things are a little less hectic around here, and the Feed

An unstable détente has been reached between the tenants of Casa de El Poeta, but I’m still keeping the shovel handy for quick disposal of the bodies. Things have gotten more than a bit crazy around here as accusations and counter-accusations fly like hornets, but at the moment the metaphorical knives have been put away as most of the crew has gone to get dinner as the last of the laundry dries. Some of the stuff that happened was just crazy, and I wish I could tell y’all about it.

Up first, can people stop putting these things in internet comment sections when there is an article about bicycles? 9 Things Drivers Need to Stop Saying in the Bikes vs. Cars Debate I know this triggers that twitch from the “One Crazy Thing…” meme that people use to sell crap that doesn’t work, but this is the real thing.

A cyclist is killed by bad infrastructure in this edition of our Daily Ted. Morning Links: Dangerous SaMo corner, LA Calbike board members, East LA man killed in bike dispute In this case it’s bad car infrastructure, and some other links in there as well.

Mass protests against crap infrastructure are planned for the UK. Join us on Saturday to demand Roads Fit For Humans! WoaB heartily approves this event.

Even “crack” NYPD drivers sometimes find themselves unable to avoid a wreck when someone turns in front of them. Video: Teen Rescued After Being Struck & Pinned By NYPD Van Driver

NYPD Infrastructure FAIL! 70th Precinct Fines People for Choosing a Safe Place to Walk or Bike at Night Imagine closing down a street at dusk because crimes are committed on it after dark, instead of maybe catching the criminals or something?

I’m hoping this doesn’t devolve into another “helmets and hi-viz” program. Street Smart traffic safety program aims to protect cyclists, pedestrians

How to build a bike to go more than 80 MPH using the power of a single rider, from a guy that has been innovating bicycles for more than 20 years. Graeme Obree: We’re building a dragster The trick is to get the aero right, and then get the power production right with ergonomics, then get the handling right when you get the bike up to those rarefied speeds.

A problem with the legal infrastructure in BC. People seldom charged when cyclists get ‘doored,’ Vancouver data shows In spite of there being potential criminal charges when someone gets the “door prize”, LEO doesn’t want to get involved. Tough! “Getting involved” is their freaking job, ignoring this crime is discrimination against the victims.

This bit really gets to me, as the victim was trying to fix the world. Cycle death claimed health care champion This is Not A Wreck article.

A pop-up bike trailer that is a camper for 2 people. This foldable bicycle camper lets you live comfortably on the road Mrs. the Poet and I could sleep quite nicely in this for a few days at a time. I don’t see this working for much more than a long weekend though.

And those are all the links I could stand to read.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the unkillable badass Poet