Tag Archives: trains how not to get hit by

Mrs. the Poet is back, and the Feed

Amazingly enough with all the bad weather we had, Mrs. the Poet returned on time tonight to DFW airport. We stopped off at the Whataburger down the street to get dinner instead of heating up leftovers which would have been too much cooking for Mrs. the Poet after her day of travelling. I had a Bacon Jalapeño and Cheese Whataburger, Mrs.the Poet had a Grilled Whatachicken, and our son had the regular Whatachicken. And of course everyone had fries and a soft drink. I also ducked into the neighboring grocery store to get coffee and milk so that there would be caffeine in the morning.

Up first is Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: UCLA cyclist screwed by insurance company needs your help; team track cycling league comes to LA She should countersue for intentional infliction of mental duress, and triple the amount she would get for the initial wreck, plus attorney’s fees. No check that, the dollar amount should start with 6 zeroes between the initial digit(s) and the decimal point, plus attorney’s fees. Unless she gets allowed to meet them in a back alley with them blindfolded and her with a u-lock.

Still in CA, more on the cyclist hit by a trolley. Cyclist killed by trolley identified and Cyclist Wearing Earbuds Dies on Trolley Tracks in Barrio Logan I said all there is to say about this wreck yesterday.

Moving north and a bit east of San Diego to NV. 13-year-old cyclist critically injured after hit by car in southwest Las Vegas Kid trying to get to school and not adequately trained in how to use the road cuts off a car.

Portland debates implementing “Vision Zero”. No more road deaths by 2025? Here’s the latest on Portland’s Vision Zero progress Maybe by then there will be many self-driving cars to reduce human error, and take car of most of the problem for them without drastic infrastructure changes.

Second infrastructure link from America’s Copenhagen. County’s new mobile app tells you if the bridge is up or down For those of us who live in the flatlands this doesn’t sound like that big a deal, but knowing which bridges are going to be impassable because thay are up to allow tall river traffic to pass can literally be a life-saver.

Promises of small mercies for a hit-and-run driver in MN. ‘Come forward,’ Dakota County sheriff says to hit-and-run driver who critically injured cyclist Doctors think the cyclist will survive but with a drastically changed lifestyle.

Awaiting the governor’s signature in VA. ‘Dooring’ law in Va. would fine motorists who open car doors in front of cyclists

Infrastructure in NYC. NYC On Pace To Build A Record 15 Miles Of Protected Bike Lanes In 2016 Wow, 16 miles in only one year. Meanwhile here in the Metromess they rebuilt a freeway from 4 to 6 lanes in each direction in about the same time. It didn’t help, of course, and it cost billions of dollars to build, but hey, they were doing something to reduce congestion. And side-street congestion did go down on the through streets immediately adjacent to the freeway, so far. But, Woo! yeah, 16 miles of protected bike lanes.

More NYC infrastructure. Bratton: “We’re Not Going To Get To Zero” Traffic Deaths Not with that attitude billy boy.

And what is it with drivers who can’t stay off of the freaking sidewalk? Taxi Driver Hits Two People On First Avenue, Crashes Into Building

Still in NYC a man assaults a cyclist riding in the bike lane and gets bashed in the head. New Video Shows Pedestrians Ignoring Bloodied Bike Lock Assault Victim According to comments they were ignoring him because he instigated and took one to the head in response. Not that I advocate violence against pedestrians, but when one jumps out into the street to start wailing on you, you are within your rights to return the favor with prejudice. I mean the idiot went up against 3:1 odds, he can’t be all that bright.

A man in West Canuckistan is charged in the death of a cyclist. Man, 29, charged with causing Richmond cyclist’s death and Driver charged in Richmond cyclist’s 2013 death It took them 2½ years to charge this lowlife? It’s almost as if they were waiting for the SOL to run out or something.

A recurring theme in this blog is “Don’t hit the pedestrians” for a reason. Pedestrian hit by cyclist on Princess Parade Hythe As of this posting they don’t yet know if the injured person was the cyclist or the pedestrian.

Infrastructure demands made after cyclist hit, again. Repeated calls for traffic calming as young cyclist injured on “deathtrap” Horndean road I know this is another one because the previous call for infrastructure was from a city that started with an “M”, this one is a “P”.

And apparently driving while blind is still OK as long as you get a jury with no cyclists on it. Coach driver cleared of killing cyclist by careless driving How are they going to get drivers to pay attention to where they are going unless there is a substantial penalty for failure to do so?

The guy wasn’t even riding the bike yet. Hit-and-run driver kills cyclist on Madrid shared bike scheme The victim was just at the pulling the bike from the rack portion of the transaction when he was hit. I see this as much an infrastructure failure as a driver failure, because if you can get hit using the system as intended before you even get a bike, then someone has screwed up majorly.

Another link about Milan paying cyclists to reduce pollution in the city. https://nextcity.org/daily/entry/milan-italy-pay-bike-commute-smog-pollutionMilan Commuters Could Get Paid to Bike to Work If I didn’t work from home I would say this would be a great deal for me.

Two vulnerable road users were injured in Oz. Skateboarder and cyclist injured in two accidents last night Of course it’s now Friday night over in Oz… and I don’t know what led to the cyclist hitting the lamp post, if he had help from a motor vehicle “guiding” him or if he somehow did it in his own.

LEO are blamed in part for a wreck that injured a cyclist in Enn Zed. Police should have pulled out of pursuit that killed Whanganui man, report says The cyclist was not seriously injured in the first wreck according to the report, although I’m sure he would disagree with that.

And no more links. And I’m beat.

Billed @€0.02, Opus

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We had some wind damage to the trees, but are otherwise unscathed, and the Feed

Yep, it were windy out here in the Beautiful Suburbs of Hell, with one tree losing a branch to the wind. Otherwise things are just fine. Still doing good on edibles, I have about a half pot of beans and rice seasoned to my preference, plus Pop Tarts, ramen, Spam (I’m having the teriyaki flavor tonight with my ramen), and a fresh jar of peanut butter that I just opened this morning to put on my bagel. So food I got, and Mrs. the Poet will be returning from NY tomorrow evening.

Up first is Our Daily Ted, Part 1. Morning Links: LACBC wins national award for work on Mobility Plan; Sadik-Khan says the bikes have won That’s right, we won! All that’s left now is mopping up isolated pockets of resistance. So I guess I can quit this blog and go build models…

Part 2. San Diego cyclist killed in pre-dawn trolley collision and Cyclist hit, killed by trolley in Barrio Logan Damnit people, what did I just tell you yesterday about staying off tracks? Don’t cross when the arm is down, how hard is that to do?

Still in CA, but covered in one of Ted’s posts yesterday. Bicyclist Hit, Killed by Moving Truck in Rancho Palos Verdes Right hook but the cyclist was riding hard in the bike lane. At least I think that was a bike lane. The cyclist’s speed had a great deal to do with this wreck, both in the fact that it happened and in the severity of the wreck as to how for under the truck the cyclist got squished in the initial impact. The fact the cyclist was dragged for miles under the truck more than likely only changed the condition of the body, he probably died in the initial impact.

More Portland infrastructure. Counting votes at Metro: Will the region invest in walking and biking near schools? Don’t want the kids getting too independent and thinking they don’t need a car to get around.

Another update on the MN cyclist injured in a hit-and-run. St. Thomas student critically injured in bike accident returns to classThe St. Paul Police say that since January of this year a pedestrian or cyclist is hit by a driver in St. Paul every other day. And they think it’s the cyclists and pedestrians are the problem?

A little CT infrastructure change might be in the works. Connecticut Cycling Advocates Urge Stiffer Penalty For Drivers Who Don’t Share The Road The comments section is in rare form today. I lost count of the times I saw people complaining about cyclists “not paying” for roads, like riding a bike gets you a tax refund or something like that.

From CT to MT, a fallen cyclist is remembered. Tuesday morning vigil honors cyclist killed in wreck, reminds riders of traffic danger

I think this was national but reported by a PA media outlet. Early data suggests pedestrian deaths surged in 2015 There were more deaths across the board but it looks like peds took a larger share than previously lending more ammunition to the need to get drivers out from behind the wheel because the cars are great at protecting people inside the car but utter crap at protecting people outside the car.

Ran red, killed cyclist, needs to spend rest of life working to repay victim’s family after long prison sentence in the Great White North. Trial begins for man accused of running red light and killing cyclist For those not fluent in metric, bystanders estimated the speed before the wreck at 55-65 MPH, the reconstructionist put the speed at 41.6 MPH at impact with heavy braking.

More on Canada’s helmet fetish. Bike helmets are safe, but here’s what really makes cycling safer

From Jolly Olde a car doesn’t stop at the sidewalk, but goes right inside the building. CCTV VIDEO: Man ‘lucky to be alive’ after Coleshill crash – watch footage I though it was from NYC with the car driving at such a high speed on the sidewalk. 😛

One of the 12 people likely to get killed by a cyclist in Jolly Olde this year (if this is an average year). ‘Wonderful’ woman killed after crash with a cyclist at Old Street Nothing on what happened because it’s a UK media outlet, but so far no charges have been filed.

Another cyclist memorial. Family pays tribute to cyclist killed in ‘hit-and-run’ accident

Trying to find answers in a cyclist’s death. Inquest opens into death of cyclist killed in Doncaster Road crash The UK version of a left cross since the drive on the wrong side of the road.

Another blind driver takes out a cyclist. Coach driver accused of killing cyclist on A9 heard ‘a bang’ Never saw the cyclist until they were scraping him out from under the bus.

Well this can’t be good. Police investigate spate of cyclists being pushed into London canals Getting wet in winter in the UK is not as bad as getting wet in winter in MN, but it’s still not pleasant.

This is a frequent symptom of TBI from a traffic crash. Young cyclist ‘cannot remember’ how she got facial injuries in Crawley Much of what I know of my wreck is from the police reports and witnesses who ran into me later. Except the being dead part, that I remembered on my own.

Over on the Emerald Isle. Garda appeal for witnesses after cyclist (19) killed in road collision The narrative sounds like a SWSS at the moment with the driver failing to process the cyclist in front of the car until impact.

This sounds more like pressing the gas thinking it is the brake than brake failure, but hey I’m just a hot-rodder doing a bike safety blog. UPDATE: Taxi that slammed into traffic light knocked down cyclist prior to major crash I think this was South Africa, but I’m not sure.

What’s 130 miles on a bike when you have done a full Ironman? NASCAR’s Jimmie Johnson to join PeopleForBikes’ Ride on Atlanta

And last link if you think mash-ups are a recent phenomenon, here’s a mashup of “Rock And Roll, Pt.2” with the theme for Doctor Who from the ’80s. The Timelords (The KLF) – Doctorin’ The Tardis (12-inch mix)

And that’s all I go tonight. I’m going to try to get to bed early.

Billed @€0.02, Opus

Still foggy, and the Feed

Not the weather, me. I’m still a little foggy as evidenced by making of the morning caffeine, trying to get the tiny bit of coffee I have into the reusable Keurig filter without over filling or dumping it. I do this operation over the can to catch any spills (proving I’m not a total ditz) but it still took way too long to get caffeine this morning. And I think the local pollen level is “up there” as I’m getting itchy, burning, and watery eyes, and lots of yawns which are a personal quirk when assaulted by plant bukkake. Yes the trees are having a sex party, and I’m in the middle of it. If I’m remembering correctly this is just the preliminaries as my allergies get really cranked up later in the season.

And Happy International Women’s Day to all my distaff readers. Remember we are all here because of women. They have experimentally found a way to reproduce without men, at least in smaller mammals, but AFAIK there is no way to reproduce without women. So “Respect!” those women.

Up first is Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: Another sunny & successful CicLAvia; SaMo Spoke’s Cynthia Rose wins Inspiration award Unfortunately that is only Part 1.

Daily Ted Part 2. Update: Bike rider killed by moving truck in Rancho Palos Verdes

Still in CA. Ventura Police Release Photo of Vehicle of Interest in Fatal Hit-and-Run Also they held a memorial to the kid that died in that wreck.

Infrastructure from America’s Copenhagen. ODOT is repaving a key stretch of “Dirty 30”: Here’s what to expect What it all boils down to is “not much.”

More infrastructure from Portland. Construction begins on 1.3 mile section of Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail

Still in Portland, it seems that someone at Google Maps decided he preferred one of the final ballot names for the Tilikum Crossing other than the one selected. Google Maps prank renames Tilikum Crossing after Star Trek captain Yep, it’s the good old “Jean-Luc Picard Wunder Crossing” just as intended.

That wreck in Tucson is reverberating. Local cycling club talks safety after recent fatal crash Seriously, the guy driving the truck was drunk and (possibly) texting at the time of the wreck, what could the city do about that except jersey barriers on all bike routes? Still extending the conversation to the entire system and drivers would be a good start.

Meanwhile in Florida. Two teens, 13 and 14, critically injured in car-bicycle crash Let’s just say that the narrative on this wreck is highly suspicious because the narrator was the DUI driver. I think it is very unlikely that the kids would swoop all the way over the double yellow line just as a truck was passing, or in other words the SWSS is in.

Still in FL, the most deadliest state in the US to walk or ride a bike. Teen bicyclist hit, killed on Central Florida Parkway The narrative is of very little help in determining anything about this wreck. The location and direction of travel is only given for the victim, but we did get useless information like the victim’s bike had reflectors and the driver of the weapon vehicle was wearing a seatbelt and was uninjured in the wreck. Of course knowing that there were reflectors would be useful if we knew when the wreck happened, but that information was left out of the narrative. I guess “Sunday night” is as close as we are going to get.

Not out of FL yet, we get another cyclist not looking both ways crossing a train track. Bicyclist critically injured after being hit by Amtrak train I have posted this many times, it is very easy to not get hit by a train, just don’t be on the tracks when the train is coming. Heed any warning systems, and look and listen at uncontrolled crossings before proceeding after you are sure there are no trains coming. I mean trains are big, noisy even when they aren’t blowing the horn, and they are ONLY found on train tracks.

The ultimate infrastructure articles from NYC. Former DOT Head Janette Sadik-Khan Reflects On Bike Lane Battles: “The Status Quo Is The Problem” and Janette Sadik-Khan on Asphalt, Staten Island and the Adrenaline of Infrastructure My favorite quote comes from the second link: “Reporters started to figure out the counterintuitive fact that bike lanes and plazas were the budgetary equivalent of change found between the sofa cushions compared with our road infrastructure investment.

Infrastructure from Jolly Olde. Fresh calls to improve cycle safety in Cambridge after man ‘seriously’ injured on Newmarket Road

This is being treated as an assault, not a vehicular offense. Video: BMW driver caught on film trying to push cyclist from bike and Exclusive: First interview with Bristol cyclist who caught aggressive BMW driver shoving on camera The sad thing is that without the video it would have been just passed off as the cyclist’s fault for doing something to annoy the driver who crossed the street and assulted him. And there are those who find dark humor in the situation. Bristol Drivers: always giving cyclists a hand

More vidiots in the UK. Taxi driver caught filming at wheel by Traffic Droid Sad thing is the guy taking the video we see is using cameras that run all the time without operator aiming required, where this vidiot has to manually hold the phone to point it in the direction of the camera bike.

Last UK link is about their atrocious infrastructure. Triathlon coach says he could have been killed by ‘giant pothole’ Yeah, if the pothole causes the bike to come to a complete stop while the rider continues forward, you have crap infrastructure even if it’s only in that one place.

Hey know how to get people on bikes? Norway to invest $1bn to create 10 ‘bike superhighways’ and Norway Will Spend Almost $1 Billion on New Bike Highways To give you an idea of what we are dealing with, Norway has 1 million fewer people than the Metromess I live in, more commonly referred to as the DFW Metroplex. And somehow they have found roughly $1 billion to spend on 10 inter-city bicycle highways.

Report from Oz. Two cyclists injured after collisions with cars on Tuesday morning Notice the line that said both cyclists were operating completey within the law? And then the final line “Both bicycle riders were complying with safety requirements.” You think maybe that was a dig at the new bike regs going into effect in the neighboring state?

And we are out if links and time to find any more.

Billed @$0.02, Opus

Nice weather for Grocery Day, and the Feed

I know it’s a little late now, but I should have tagged the Mini Sprint-T in yesterday’s post since so much of the first paragraph was devoted to it and there was a picture of it in the post. Anywho, we are having a nice spring day out, in the middle of February, in Texas. Birds are singing and I have already seen the crane flies (those things that look like huge mosquitoes) on the storm doors. Climate change! Woo!

I know some people are wondering why I spend so much time on the Mini Sprint-T when I’m a bicycle safety blogger and know how dangerous motor vehicles are around vulnerable users like pedestrians and cyclists? Well one reason is I need to build something. I would prefer to build a car or a recumbent bike but I don’t have the space nor resources to build something like that now. If Dad’s house hadn’t sold for $75K under appraisal I would have a lot more $$ for building the full-size car, but that water is way under the dam now. So I’m working with something I can afford with the resources I have now. I’m solving most of the problems I would face with the Sprint-T while working within my budget for the Mini Sprint-T. Also, model cars are very safe around vulnerable users so long as you don’t step on them. The cars, not the vulnerable users, don’t step on the model cars. You might cut your foot stepping on the model car.

Up first, an OH driver claims “blindness” from “sun glare” for driving about 100 feet on the shoulder to hit 5 cyclists head on. You won’t believe what happened in court. Bike Cleveland on Wolf verdict: ‘It is seriously regrettable that justice was not served’ Yep “Not guilty” of vehicular homicide. Once again proving that if you want to commit random murder, buy a car, not a gun.

Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: Killer SD hit-and-run driver has a bad night; next Griffith Park access meeting on Wednesday

Still in CA. Cyclist struck, injured by WES train in Tualatin When I filtered they were still trying to figure out how he got hit, stating the victim “rode directly into the path” of the train. As I have pointed out numerous times in the past avoiding getting hit by a train is laughingly easy, just don’t be on the tracks when the train gets there. Why this rider didn’t do that is under question at the moment.

More infrastructure in Portland. Opinion: If we’re serious about cycling, let’s get serious about cycling infrastructure

Hit-and-run in PA. Two people were in Jeep at fatal hit-and-run in Upper Milford, police say This is an update on the ICE-assist bike hit head-on by a vehicle cutting the left turn. And my speculation from yesterday was apparently correct that the cyclist was legally lighted at the tine of the wreck. The Street View of the scene shows the cyclist had a through road without a stop sign while the weapon vehicle was facing a stop sign before making that left turn. The really despicable part is they both got out and looked at the victim’s body and mangled bike in the road before leaving him there to die.

What other job could you (almost) kill someone and get a paid vacation. Cambridge officer cited for hit-and-run crash that injured bicyclist Seriously, leave someone to die in the street and get a paid vacation? I suspect DUI was involved, the cop knowing that leaving the scene would get him out of the worst of the charges by preventing testing.

In TN it appears we have a SWCC wreck. Bicyclist Injured On East Main Street After Colliding With Pickup On Tuesday The narrative would also fit with a buzz job or punishment pass that went way bad (for the victim).

I think MT stands for the amount of compassion for the victim in their hearts. Man sentenced to 6 months in jail for killing cyclist in 2014 accident Except no, he wasn’t. He got 90 days in jail and 90 days house arrest, not 6 months in jail. The cyclist is taking a dirt nap while the driver gets only 90 days in jail and another 90 days at home sleeping in his own bed and pooping in his own toilet and eating his own food not bought from the lowest bidder.

Up in West Canuckistan LEO add insult to injury for a salmon cyclist. Cyclist struck, then fined

Still in West Canuckistan. Suits filed in cyclist deaths The owner of the weapon vehicle is throwing the driver under the bus, all but claiming the car was stolen. And they are still trying to blame the cyclists for getting hit by a drunk driver on the wrong side of the road?!?

Still in West Canuckistan, a little infrastructure article. Vancouver Bike-Share Gears Up for Summer Launch

Meanwhile in Jolly Olde. Cyclist injured after car accident in Cobham Wreck, not accident. but anyway, from the picture it looks like hit from behind because of a failure to pass safely.

More on #Nohelmet-gate in the UK. Row breaks out on Twitter after police ‘blame’ injured cyclist for #NoHelmet Please comment, should I mention all the wrecks where the drive wasn’t wearing a helmet and firesuit and blame the wreck on lack of either? Or would that be (too) petty?

Another hit-and-run leaves a lucky cyclist injured but alive. Bid to trace car in cyclist hit-and-run Hit from behind protocols to avoid or reduce injury, crush and shred vehicles used to commit hit-and-run to prevent, with the driver inside in cases where the victim dies.

Today’s candidate for the “really crap infrastructure” tag. Potholes are a ‘disgrace’, says cyclist That road looks more like an obstacle course.

Cyclist down, UK. Cyclist killed in collision with Range Rover was ‘loving husband, father and friend’

Cyclist down in Oz. The Beat: Brisbane news, weather and traffic No details about the wreck or if any other vehicles were involved.

Brave women making a difference if they don’t get killed. A group of bicycling women are defying norms in the Middle East

And I’m out of links again.

Billed @$0.02, Opus

Long day protecting my stuff, and the Feed

Today was a bit of a bust as far as getting things done. I had to do a bank visit, then the post office, then a haircut, and winding up with a trip to the hardware to get black iron pipe for the other rail for the back steps at the church now that we know this works and doesn’t cost too much. The kicker was that Mrs. the Poet was clearing out my stuff from the bedroom to my office, but she has been saying that she was just going to throw everything out instead of moving it to my office. So to prevent that I had to stay and keep an eye on my stuff instead of going to the bank et al. When Mrs. the Poet and our friend decided to quit for lunch I could finally take my leave, about 1:45 later than planned. I managed to get the bank and post office trips taken care of, but the haircut and the trip to the hardware were both derailed because of being late and missing the lady who knows how to cut my hair the way I want it so that I don’t look like a psycho serial killer or a homeless person, which is what I look like when I cut my own hair, from the day of the cut until it’s time to do it again respectively. Somewhere in the middle I look like a decent human being for a couple of days. The trip to the hardware for the pipe was derailed because by this time I had been on my feet for a couple of hours almost straight with a few minutes of sitting on the bus, and my feet were feeling like overcooked bangers (as in “about to explode”) so dragging 10 feet of iron pipe plus fittings home on the bus was about as appealing as smashing my feet with a hammer. Plus if I wait until later I can get 10% off the costs of the parts.

Up first is a bit of the old Daily Ted. Morning Links: Glendale bike rider attacked by SUV driver, and guilty plea in 100 mph Orange County DUI case

And Daily Ted part 2. An open letter to the LA Planning Commission about bike lanes on Westwood Blvd and Central Ave

Those happy rainbow crosswalks might be illegal. Feds Say Some Crosswalk Art Violates Guidelines There was research noted in the article that says it might not matter one way or the other because drivers don’t look for crosswalks before hitting pedestrians.

In far West Canuckistan. New West police investigating deadly crash From The narrative indicates that the locals feel that sub-standard infrastructure was a major factor in this wreck as a major corridor for cyclists was left without any room for cyclists and drivers just didn’t display any patience whan passing cyclists.

People actually ride to work all year round even in places not as warm as TX. International Winter Bike to Work Day February 12th 2016 Don’t forget your woolies out in the cold.

A bit of UK infrastructure. World’s first ‘park and cycle’ among multi-million pound plans for new Cambridge ‘western orbital’ This is how you eventually get completely rid of cars in cities. Sure some people will “have” to drive to get to the city, but we don’t have to let them drive “in” the city.

One has to wonder what the difference is between “careless” driving, and “dangerous” driving causing death. I always thought that causing death was the definition of “dangerous” driving. Derby cyclist’s family say they are ‘paralysed by grief and pain’ – as lorry driver admits guilt I suppose that the “careless” designation was to get more guilty pleas with the reduced consequences for being “careless”.

An almost entirely botched investigation absolves the driver of guilt in the death of a cyclist. Family of killed cyclist Marc Dunk in blood test demand The driver had been consuming codeine but the levels in his blood at the time of the wreck were unknown because there was no blood draw at the time of the wreck or right after.

UK paper covering a wreck in Oz? ‘They’ve stitched his head… he’s battered and bruised’: Avid cyclist Matt Tilley is hit by a car AGAIN after serious accident five years ago I know the feeling, I was hit several times after the one that killed me in 2001.

Keeping in the EU for the moment. Five cyclists injured daily in collisions Portugal isn’t that big, we got counties with more people and area than their entire country. Not both at the same time mind you, but both. Getting 5 cyclists a day hit hard enough to cause injury that is noted for report to higher authority is a lot.

Back in Oz, that guy that was “mysteriously” injured died. Man, 88, dies from injuries sustained in crash at Henley Beach I still don’t get why they aren’t calling this a hit-and-run.

Still in Oz a cyclist has been threatened for training on a deserted bike path that routinely gets overrun with pedestrians most times of day. Keen cyclists hit the Fernleigh Track before sunrise to train at speed despite fears for personal safety | video

Also in Oz. Cyclist killed metres from his home OK, bad joke incoming. If this is Townsville, why didn’t Blossom, Bubbles, or Buttercup save the day? Now that that is out of my system, why was a tandem trailer semi routed through a residential area? The cyclist never had a chance to avoid the wreck.

Moving on to Enn Zed. Christchurch cyclist killed after being struck by train My usual is to reiterate about how easy it is to avoid a train, but the article as it read when I filtered made it sound like this was something that the cyclist couldn’t avoid, and that the wreck had severely impacted the witnesses from the Girls High School so they couldn’t be more explicit.

And more news about the cycling group hit from behind by a drunk driver in South Africa. DJ’s cycling joke backfires and Phoenix plumber charged for cyclists’ death Yes, there is a Phoenix in Africa, several of them as a matter of fact.

And it’s late again, and I’m exhausted. From reading Gigi’s last review she’s going to get mad at me again for posting after her internet goes down. I mean seriously, what kind of person turns off their WiFi at night?. What if they wake up in the middle of the night with a great idea for a story and don’t want to lose it waiting for the WiFi to boot?

Billed @$0.02, Opus

Grocery day again, and the Feed

Still looking at a low-budget grocery day, but we’re still cool. Just waiting for Mrs. the Poet’s retirement check and all, taking the money out of my massage budget. I can live without massage for my neck a lot better than I can without food. And I made beans and rice again last night so we are good for food, except things like dairy and produce anyway. The budget will cover the stuff we need to buy this week. So don’t worry, I’m not going to starve, or anything like that.

Up first are two links to a little girl getting hit in CT. 10-year-old on bicycle struck by car, critically injured and 10-year-old on bicycle struck by car, critically injured in Bridgeport At this point I don’t know how many “witnesses” were not driving the weapon vehicle, so tentatively categorized as a SWSS with the option to downgrade to “kid acting like a kid”. I strongly suspect “kid”.

Solo wreck in CA, unknown if the rider just “fell down” or if he had help falling. Update: Bicyclist identified who was killed after crashing his bike, hitting light pole in San Clemente and Ted’s take on the wreck. Orange County bike rider killed in solo fall; 50th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year That’s one of the problems with bicycles, you can be killed in such a way as to leave zero evidence.

While we are at it Here’s Our Daily Ted part 1 (which came after part 3). Morning Links: A little LADOT bike lane slight-of-hand, more Rowena fallout, and how bicycling makes lives better Yeah, the Beautiful Suburb of Hell uses “lane miles” to count bike lanes as well…

Daily Ted part 2. Man walking bike killed by train in Placentia Monday night Did he not see the other train coming, or did he assume the first train would finish in time to get off the other track?

Speaking of bike/train wrecks. Police: Man, on bicycle struck, killed by train near St. Louis I have lost count of how many times I posted this, but avoiding getting hit by a train is easy-peasy: Just stay off the tracks until you are sure there are no trains coming.

The citizens of NYC won’t give up on finding the driver of the weapon vehicle that killed a cyclist on City Island Bridge. Who Killed Gabriela? And now we know why there were different vehicles listed in the early reports, nobody could tell what the weapon vehicle was. Even with a video.

Still in NYC. Interactive Map Helps You Publicly Shame Bike-Lane Blockers I’m afraid I’m going to have to agree with one of the comments, this will eventually just be a map of bike lanes.

Also in NYC is a strong demonstration of “correlation is not causation“. Spike in Tickets to Cyclists on UWS Leads to Drop in Injuries, Police Say While they are chasing down cyclists running red lights in a clear intersection, there are drivers violating pedestrian right of way and getting away with it, speeding and getting away with it, turning right on red through a crowded crosswalk and getting away with it…

Another article on the DIY DOT in Boston. A Guerrilla Bike Lane Made With Flower Pots Forces A City’s Hand That someone had to do this should be a deep shame to the city.

A MI driver sees a hit-and-run and calls it in while trying to do first aid. Traverse City Man Discovers Injured Cyclist After Hit and Run, Calls 911 The cyclist had a head injury and was walking away with the broken bike and refused assistance until LEO showed on the scene. They have a loose description of the weapon vehicle.

A wreck of unknown mode on OK. Prague bicyclist killed in evening crash Well it was an SUV and a bike at an intersection. And that pretty much covers all we know now.

More on the man killed in the NC pinball wreck. Man killed cycling just months after escaping homelessness Dang, that’s rough. Just got off the streets and into a safe place to live and gets killed on his way home…

And then there is this wreck in SC. Cyclist hit, killed Tuesday night on Wadmalaw Island SWSS wreck. What more can I say?

An IA cyclist is remembered. Ankeny ride remembers killed biker

This wreck is reminiscent of Larry Schwartz’ wreck lo those many years ago. Cyclist injured after being hit by a truck’s mirror The thing this cyclist had going that Larry didn’t was the relatively low speed of the weapon vehicle.

“Debate” on restricting cyclists because there may have been one pedestrian death from a cyclist some time in the past. Cyclist debate for Faversham town centre and road.cc’s take on it Faversham councillors keen to rid town centre of ‘arrogant and fast’ cyclists Interesting that the only mention anyone can find on the web of this pedestrian fatality is the article from Kent Online about the debate where the councillor brought it up. Not saying he was lying, just not being specific about the century this fatality took place.

Someone took this guy’s picture, and they were the last ones to see him alive except for the driver who killed him. Poignant last picture of cyclist before he was fatally injured

Meanwhile in Oz. Vic man arrested over cyclist hit-and-run Typical, hit a cyclist then hide out for a while untill all the drugs and alcohol are gone from your system so all you get will be a gentle caress upon the wrist.

This is a future that can’t come soon enough for me. Self-Driving Cars vs. Cyclists: What Does the Future Look Like? Basically autonomous cars are going to drive like we all think the stereotypical grandma does, and cyclists and pedestrians are going to be safer for it. I would even give up the right to my Sprint-T if it meant that I could get anywhere I wanted by bike safely.

And I’m all outta links now, whee!

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet

I had errands to run on the Big Feed Day

Now that Mrs. the Poet is home I have access to her account for paying the bills that my income won’t cover (which is just about everything except groceries). So I spent a few 2½ hours out in the 99°F heat paying bills that had to be covered today or face huge late fees. I was fully hydrated before I left and did not stop to rehydrate until I got home, so I’m all hot and sweaty and thirsty now. That’s called “living in Texas”. 😛

Up first the biggest story continues to be the cyclist hit by a texting driver in OK. Young Teacher Biking Across America Senselessly Killed By Driver On Her Phone also Key Biscayne native killed riding bike on Oklahoma highway and this Schoolteacher Killed by Distracted Driver While Biking Cross-Country for Charity: Officials Wow a bike wreck covered by People magazine! NYC teacher killed during cross-country bike ride for charity And from Gothamist NYC School Teacher Biking Across Country Killed By Distracted Driver In Oklahoma and even this Teacher on cross-country charity bike trek killed by driver looking at cellphone in Okla. Am I allowed to say this was a senseless death? Because this was a seriously senseless death. This is even easier to avoid than a DUI murder: put the fucking phone away when you are behind the wheel or handlebars. BAM! your driving or riding abilities are improved 1000% over your on-the-phone state.

Our Daily Ted, Part 1. Morning Links: It’s Mobility Monday — contact your councilmember to support LA’s Mobility Plan as written

And Part Two. Update: 23-year old Newport Beach e-bike rider died after colliding with parked van and Corona Del Mar Cyclist Killed After Crashing into Parked Car Something caused that cyclist to be a couple feet off the curb at nearly the speed limit when he hit the back of that van. Seriously I have seen bikes hit by cars going 40 MPH on the wrong side of the road that had less front end damage than the bike in this wreck. Unfortunately the only witness in police custody has been transferred to the coroner’s custody…

Part three. An open letter to the LA City Council in support of the Mobility Plan 2035

And another wreck in Sooner Country. Cyclist killed in Pontotoc County crash If the street view of that intersection is to be believed, there is no way to safely cross that ramp as a cyclist, and no way to avoid the frontage road riding from northeast to southwest or vice-versa in certain areas. This is as much an infrastructure failure as a wreck between two vehicles.

Interesting response to a MI wreck. Boy seriously injured in car-bike accident in Lansing What is interesting about this report is in the comments section, where none of the comments blamed the cyclists involved, and at least one directly blamed the driver. And this is in spite of a Street View that shows the weapon vehicle had right of way and the cyclists were facing stop signs. I wasn’t able to follow the street view far enough to find a speed limit sign, but from the comments it can’t have been too high as this was in a residential area.

Another hit-and-run in PA. Cyclist injured in hit and run in East Liberty, police say If you see a car missing a mirror near Philly, call the number in the article.

More on that 2 vehicle bike wreck that was minus any motor vehicles in Philly. 68-Year-Old Man Seriously Injured After Collision With Another Cyclist While Riding Bike Not known if the victim was the one riding salmon or the other one.

Another bike wreck minus motor vehicles in MA. PMC Rider Seriously Injured In North Attleboro Bike Crash The PMC is a ride on the long direction of MA from NY to the sea going east. Neither of these guys finished the ride.

And in upstate NY they can’t figure out how a cyclist got hit from behind. Bike rider seriously injured in Kinderhook collision Seriously? “when a Hyundai Azera driven by Leah Tricozzi, 45, of Valatie, heading northwest on Route 28, struck Donald J. Wilber, 68, who was biking in the same direction in front of her, for unknown reasons.” When a car hits a car travelling the same direction do you try to figure out a way to blame the slower car for getting hit, or do you just write the damn ticket?

Another one killed in the most deadliest state in the US to ride a bike or walk. Fatal bicycle crash in Polk County and 2 Die in Separate Polk Crashes The cyclist appears to have been setting up to make a left turn on one of the intersecting streets in the area. I call this one an infrastructure failure, the cyclist was doing what it takes to make a legal left turn and appears to have had the legal requirements of lights and reflectors (not mentioned means everything legal 99% of the time).

Meanwhile in NC a drunk crosses the centerline and hits a cyclist head on. Driver charged with DWI after cyclist hit, killed in Hickory Remember what I said about the bike running into the back of the van in CA? This is the picture I was writing about. Notice the blood on the roof of the weapon vehicle, which sustained additional damage from hitting a pole after hitting the cyclist on the shoulder of the road. It almost looks like the driver was targeting the cyclist.

These kind of wrecks make me the craziest because they are almost always the fault of the cyclist and so easy to prevent. Huron: 15-year-old bicyclist killed by train See what I mean? All that is needed to prevent this wreck is staying behind the crossing guard.

Another hit-and-run in OH. Pickerington man injured in bicycle crash If my area readers see a vehicle matching the description of the weapon vehicle notify LEO at the number given in the article.

Read the article, then read the comments to see why the article fell on deaf ears blind eyes. Editorial: An open letter to cyclists, motorists Seriously, it is like they read the article and then completely dismissed it because it didn’t comply with their prejudices.

More of the same in a different accent. Bicyclists seek solutions following accidents

This is just one city among thousands in the US, albeit one of if not the largest city (depending on how you define “largest”) so multiply this by say, 100? NYC’s $138 Million Pothole Problem

Tragic story from the Great White North. Did vigilante kill Michael Sullivan for pretending to take child’s photo? Not a True Canadian then. And talk about jumping to fatal conclusions.

Ugghh! Cyclist struck by SUV in Oshawa intersection Who outside of the weapon vehicle is saying the cyclist ran the red light?

I was uncertain about including this one because it was so low-information. Cyclist dead after collision in Vaughan

Not a good ride in Jolly Olde. RideLondon 2015: cyclist dies from suspected heart attack while climbing steep Surrey hill I’m reading separate reports that I can’t link to at the moment that are blaming heat and dehydration for the death.

And here is one of the Good Guys. Cyclist going the distance to help terror victims

And I am out of links, hurrah!

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Unkillable Badass Poet (this will be my sig for the rest of the month to celebrate my upcoming Death Day 08/31)

Another day “interrupted” with D&D, and the Feed

I took part in another D&D session today, and as I was the only one that had to work today I filtered while I played and let everyone else just play. My 5th Ed. Warlock3 was not challenged by the encounters because everybody was suffering a case of mediocre dice. Nobody rolled any 1s when it counted, but that was about the best thing we could say about the game today. I have never seen so many 2s and 3s on attack rolls as we had today. And it just dawned on me that I was using the wrong column for computing my attack rolls because “Eldrich Blast” is a spell attack in 5th Ed and calculates as Performance Bonus + Charisma Bonus + 1d20, where in D&D3.5 it was Attack Bonus + Feats Bonuses + 1d20 and I was leaving the Charisma bonus off the attack. That meant I was rolling 1d20+2 when I should have been rolling 1d20+7. Considering the number of times I missed by 2 or less, I could have done a lot more damage than I did (none).

Up first, a cyclist disposing of used toilet paper may have caused a massive wildfire. Pooping Cyclist Blamed for 73-Acre Idaho Wildfire Maybe digging a cathole latrine and burying the paper would have been a better idea? Do they even teach digging a cathole latrine any more?

We cyclists know roads were not built for cars, and neither were cities. European Mobility Week: The capital cities that are banning cars from their roads – for one day So for one day cyclists in a few European cities will get a few streets that are blissfully free of death machines.

LEO are “aware” of a video showing an assault on an Irish cyclist. Gardai ‘aware’ of video showing thug knocking cyclist off bike As was pointed out in the comments, that shirt is very distinctive and shouldn’t be too hard to locate. Now if “aware” translates to “give a shit” we might see some charges, maybe even some prosecutions.

Over in Jolly Olde a particularly egregious hooking wreck sees a trial date set. Trial date set for lorry driver from Willesden accused of killing cyclist at Ludgate Circus I’m sure the defense is going to use “activating an automatic speaker system which said ‘this vehicle is turning left’” as an excuse for running the cyclist over as the truck passed. This is especially egregious because the signal did not activate until the weapon vehicle was already making the turn across the cyclist’s lane, leaving less than zero reaction time to the signal.

This Brazilian cyclist hulks out over a car parked in the bike lane, and then does something about the car. Hero cyclist picks up and moves car blocking bike lane I think that might be the rear bumper cover in the foreground of the video that the cyclist removed from the car to get a better grip on the subject.

Our Daily Ted. Update: 36 year old bike rider killed in Newport Coast From the later comments this appears to have been a solo wreck on a trail near the highway. No word on exactly how or where the wreck happened.

Guess who has a bike culture now? Detroit Bike Culture Is Unstoppable It’s a lot easier to keep up two 5 foot bike lanes than a 70 foot wide street, especially when there is almost no traffic on the street anyway.

One of the biggest problem facing cyclists is getting the light to change so that running the red becomes optional rather than mandatory. City and state working to help bicycle users get the green Maybe if they put beg buttons on the side of the street for drivers to use as well as cyclists… Make the infrastructure as convenient for drivers as it is for cyclists. Or even better put a detector in a protected bike lane and make cars wait until a cyclist shows up to trigger the light. Or is that schadenfreude on my part?

Language is important. We don’t say “plane accident.” We shouldn’t say “car accident” either. Changing the language of crossing the street caused what was once normal behavior to be criminal. See “jaywalking”. So, don’t call them “accidents”, call them “wrecks”. Or “death machine tangos” 😀 “Death machine tango leaves two injured, one seriously” has a lot more impact than “Traffic accident leaves…” And how about “Death machine tango with cyclist causes life-threatening injuries”? “Death machine tango in crosswalk leaves two pedestrians dead, another seriously injured”. You don’t even need to be specific about what kind of vehicle any more, because they are all “death machines” to one degree or another.

More Portland infrastructure. City advisory committees oppose TriMet’s plans for swing gates on Orange Line Remember that article two paragraphs ago about making the signal change for cyclists like it does for motor vehicles? Same theory on this one. They want cyclists and handicapped people to work their way through spring-loaded gates trying to not get caught on any protuberances on either the vehicle or the gate that slams shut behind them and hoping a train doesn’t pass while they are trying to get unhooked from the gate on the train side of the gate.

NC residents say “Nuts” to 45 day limits on Ghost Bikes. Residents spurn policy for removing ‘ghost bikes’ As it is now, one determined bike hater could get any ghost bike removed 45 days after it goes up.

Things are very different when a local celebrity is the one injured in a bike wreck. KXLY radio host Ken Hopkins recovering from bike accident I like they are spending $$ to remodel the studio to make it ADA compliant, but why wasn’t it compliant already?

Dude, you got way too much anger about this. Thief Hacks Down 25-Foot Tree to Steal Bike, Locals Say That’s $thousands of tree destroyed to get a bike that will fence for $20.

Last link, BMW designed an e-assist that could be installed on full suspension bikes and retain the clean benefits of a Gates belt drive, but wasn’t in the e-assist business. BMW i Develops Drive Unit Swing Arm For Heisenberg XF1 E-Bike So, shared technology. Yay!

And that’s all I got and I had to do some crawling around to find that much.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet.

Things just keep getting better for my neck, and the Feed

I can’t believe how much better my neck is feeling just 3 days post-op. It is like a whole world of difference between Monday and Friday in terms of pain and mobility. I can stand up straight, no back pain, and only a tiny bit of discomfort on the incision site. I am so glad I finally got this thing done. Even sleeping is better now…

Up first are a bunch of links to more RoS articles, this being that time of year. Cyclists blessed, ride in silence also Cyclists hit the road to honor past victims and Ride of Silence to Commemorate Death of Maui Cyclist not done yet Cyclists share message for drivers and another report from South TX McAllen event honors injured, killed cyclists and Event honors injured, killed cyclists from MI Holland Ride of Silence remembers, honors local cyclists killed while riding a bicycle and this even Ride of Silence to honor injured or killed bicyclists still more Ride in Silence draws 250-300 to Clermont not done yet Bicyclists ride in remembrance of those killed another one from Maui Bicyclists conduct silent ride to remember slain Kihei cyclist

Remembering one of ours killed in a terrible way. Funeral Friday in Windsor for murdered cyclist John Jacoby, service at Faith United Church of Christ Now they are calling the death a murder, but why not when a cyclist is just left to die after getting hit with a much more deadly weapon, a motor vehicle? A later report Funeral held for Windsor cyclist found shot, killed More Race Canceled Amid Anxiety Over Colorado Roadway Shootings This was not just about the cyclist who was shot, but all the other vehicles that got shot, too.

Our Daily Ted. LA County DA rules Gardena police were justified to shoot and kill the unarmed brother of a bike theft victim

Still in CA, we get another person failing to look both ways before crossing a train track with the crossing arms down. Woman Riding Bicycle Killed By Train In Riverside Not getting hit by a train is easy, you just have to not be on the track when there is a train on the track.

More on the teen killed in a MA pinball wreck. Driver in crash that claimed young man’s life unlicensed and Boston man held on $250,000 bail in death of cyclist

Had he survived, the teen driver in a VT wreck that killed a cyclist and the driver while driving nearly three times the speed limit would have been facing murder charges. With raw candor, Hinesburg chief opens up

Does an intersection that encourages trucks to make right turns without stopping cause drivers to hit cyclists on the through route? Widow’s lawsuit aims to make Route 75 safer for bicyclists People are getting hit regularly, and the widow is offering to pay for a traffic signal to prevent another wreck but nobody is taking her up on the offer.

NYC continues to not meet their Vision Zero goals monthly. NYPD: Drivers Injured 991 Pedestrians and Cyclists in April, and Killed Seven They’re 7 shy of meeting the goal for April…

You can’t fix it when you don’t know where the problems are. Cyclists, pedestrians lack a good crash reporting system If you don’t know where people are getting hit…

This Canadian rider uses their legal system to get compensation for neglected infrastructure. Injured cyclist sues city for $152,500 over potholes The pothole had been reported repeatedly over a period of months and not fixed even after the cyclist wiped out…

A cyclist in Jolly Olde gets hurt in an attempted bike-jacking. Cyclist injured in attempted robbery in Doncaster

In NYC a cyclist uses a Citi Bike to maneuver through the streets and rob people. Video of Man Believed to Be Bike-Riding Thief Is Released

In other infrastructure news, this is why TX will never see Vision Zero as a priority. Speed limit signs installed around Denison High School Yes that is a 35 MPH “School Zone”. Moving cars quickly is much more important than keeping children alive in TX.

And the DIY DOT begins operations in TX. Residents of Big Lake Take Fixing Potholes Into Their Own Hands

Ghost Bike in the UK. “What happens if you don’t come home?” The White Bike script to debut at Edinburgh Festival of Cycling

Total waste of time and resources. Cyclist invents handlebar lights to signal safer future on roads For these to be effective drivers would have to be looking, and if drivers wre looking then we wouldn’t need to use flashers. These might work a bit better if only because the shape attracts attention. Cyclists attach testicle shaped Bike Balls to seats to improve road safety

And there probably won’t be a Sunday post because of 18 hours of televised motorsports, between Monaco, Indianapolis, and Charlotte… and the pre- and post-race shows… And 1400 miles of oval and road (street circuit) races… (drool)

And I’m out of links tonight.

Adult toys for big boys (and girls), and the Feed

Someone sent me this link as a funny. Razor Presents: The all new CRAZY CART XL!!! [HD] Now I know what I want for Christmas this year, something that can get slideways! Seriously, this looks like an absolute blast to drive. Pity it can’t go over 17 MPH. I have been thinking about doing this on my own with scooter parts and casters from Harbor Freight, but the cost of doing this on my own and the cost of the Crazy Cart XL are about the same. Of course if I make it there is no reason to limit the speed to 17 MPH (except for the sanity of the driver/builder).

Up first is the continuing drama in Thailand. Cyclists call for harsher punishment and Police step up safety measures for cyclists That last link was blaming the victims harder than the drunk drivers that killed them Dreaming of the police making our roads safe for cyclists

The other big international story is the driver that hit a cyclist while running from police in Enn Zed and then crashed into a truck, killing himself. 25-year-old driver killed in car fire – after hitting cyclist and crashing into truck and Fleeing driver killed in fiery crash also One dead in crash between car and truck and finally Fleeing driver killed in fiery crash named At least this one won’t be a burden to the courts as he proclaims innocence because he “didn’t see” the cyclist he hit.

Still in Enn Zed, another blinded driver gets away with murder. Sunstrike blamed for cyclist’s death on Summerhill DriveThe sun was in my eyes, I couldn’t see the road!” And the prosecution believed him enough to not charge him with manslaughter or murder after he admitted he saw the cyclist more than 200 meters before he hit her dead center with his truck. Jocelyn Goodwin cyclist death: Jason Paul McGahey sentenced [facepalm] One hundred fifty hours of community service for killing a human being with a WMD. No jail, no fines, and only a 6 month suspension of his driving privilege. TANJ!

And local news, you can legally text and drive in TX. It’s Still Legal To Text And Drive In These 4 States I remind people this is the state where ZZ Top released Arrested for Driving While Blind. Which is what you are doing when you text at the wheel, driving while blind because you can’t see the road with your face in a phone. BTW that is the extended live version with the guitar solo in the middle.

A cyclist killer is caught and jailed in LA. Woman arrested in hit-and-run that killed cyclist Glad to see LEO taking vehicular mayhem seriously.

Our Daily Ted is pretty good today. Weekend Links: Sentencing delayed in emotional drugged driving case, rider reportedly robbed on Ballona Creek

Still in CA, sometimes us old folks don’t hear so good when a cyclist approaches and we walk out in front of them as they pass. Pedestrian injured in collision with cyclist on path The cyclist called out he was passing, then the pedestrian was startled when he passed. We aren’t allowed to have air horns on bikes, so how are we going to get through to old people who won’t wear hearing aids (like my Dad, $4K worth of hearing aids sat on his dresser most days the last few years of his life), or wearing headphones or earbuds at any age?

Is there anything easier to avoid than a train on tracks? Police: Bicyclist Hit, Killed By Light Rail Train At College Greens Station Just look and listen for a train ans if you see or hear a train stay off the tracks. How hard is that?

And of course there are no charges for a driver that turned into and ran over a child cyclist in NC. No charges in death of 9-year-old hit, killed on bike ride

Sometimes you really need to watch where the other guy is going. Four riders injured in multi-bicycle crash This was a group ride that went down because two cyclists at the head of the line touched wheels.

Legal Infrastructure for cyclists in the Great White North. Legal Matters-I was struck by an automobile while riding my bicycle. Can I receive compensation?

And physical/legal infrastructure news from Jolly Olde. Campaigners oppose plan to send riders on ‘zigzag’ around Cambridge Circus The legal part comes from this being the intersection where they refused to accept the money to redo the intersection to be safer for cyclists, and even now they are doing everything but make the intersection safer for cyclists.

Last link, could e-assist bikes be better? What’s Wrong With Electric Bicycles I wouldn’t say all hub motors are fragile, but there are a few that are of such low quality that reputable retailers refuse to sell them.

And I’m outta links again.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet