My brain hurts, and the Feed

I tried to watch the GOP debate from yesterday before filtering the Feed, and then I filtered the Feed. Now my brain hurts from all the Stoopid and H8 to quote Gigi’s commentary from Facebook. Seriously, how can anyone believe the lies and half-truths that get spread around? How can people just run over cyclists like they aren’t even there? Like I said, it causes me pain to think about it.

Up first, can concepts and technology win the Nobel Peace Prize? Bicycle ‘should win Nobel Peace Prize’ I certainly hope so.

On the same idea, bicycles as vehicles for change (no pun intended). Designing a Bike Path to Global Health So, healthy for the driver of the vehicle, healthy for people not using the vehicle immediately outside, or people halfway around the world…

Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: Turning Vision Zero into an unfunny joke, adventures in traffic blocking, and CicLAvia the Musical

Still in CA. Two Bay Area Cyclists Cut Down By Drivers in One Day Why do allow this level of CARnage to continue?

Now that the relatives have been told we can finally know the name of the OR cyclist killed by the deadly combination of bad infrastructure and an impaired driver. Portland police identify 38-year-old bicyclist struck and killed in NE Portland The sentence that chills me was “There was a transfer of blue paint from his car on the guardrail near where the bicyclist was discovered.” after I posted this “And then there was this,”We may never know, but it’s entirely possible the victim knew he was about to be hit and was trapped against the guardrail.” So now we know that is what probably did happen. Basically the infrastructure would work only as long as the drivers paid full attention to not running into the cyclists at the pinch points, which means that every driver has to be awake and free of chemical or physical impairment. Fail even one of those criteria and add in a cyclist, you end up with a high risk of dead cyclist. A risk that failed this time.

And in the ABQ a cyclist killer gets caught driving drunk shortly after getting released from prison and still on parole from the killing. Drunken driver who killed cyclist in ’05 suspected of 7th DWI You think that after 10 years in prison/jail he would have stayed away from alcohol but that was not the case. Somehow he still managed to get hold of a vehicle and excessive amounts of alcohol. “He was arrested after failing several field sobriety tests, and breath tests later showed he a BAC of 0.21 or 0.22 percent.” So, how do we as a society keep confirmed deadly drunks from gaining access to the most deadly devices we have common access?

Another link to the wreck of the FloriDUH drunk motorcyclist running a red light into a cyclist. Two injured when motorcycle runs red light, hits bicyclist near Clearwater Mall Nothing changed, the motorcyclist is still a drunk idiot riding on a suspended license.

Oz infrastructure news. Brisbane City Council to announce cyclist clearways for Sylvan Road

And this was a friend of my son who got hit by a car in his apartment. Gamer Hit By Car While Playing Fallout 4 In His Home Survives I keep telling people that motor vehicles are artillery shells, and until something like this happens where a vehicle goes through 3 walls and still almost kills someone nobody believes me.

And I’m all out of links.

Billed @$0.02, Opus

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As I pondered weak and weary and awoke with eyes so bleary, and the Feed

Apologies to Poe for butchering his poem about an obnoxious bird, but yesterday’s massive linkfest took forever to filter and then another half-forever to compose into something that kinda-sorta made sense and I didn’t get to sleep until nearly 0500 because that’s how long it took to wind down my brain and get to sleep. Part of that was because I was thinking about how to make the negative cavity mold for producing the bucket for the Mini Sprint-T, and how to do the build for the chassis and if I wanted to have the fender/tea-tray/running boards as part of the chassis build or do it separately (both IRL and in the model).

AND I was thinking about my Christmas/Yule list because there is little that I really need and not much that I realistically want to get either. I’m starting to either get that old, or I have become that accustomed to poverty that beyond food, shelter, and meaningful work I really don’t want much. As I posted yesterday I have been requested to post my Wish List on my blog again this year so that people will know what to get me that I will like and possibly use and be able to get to it on their phones.

I’m going to start with the “Things to get me if you have no financial limitations” AKA Ridiculous List. I’m going to start with the drivetrain for my Sprint-T, an LS7 engine and 4L70-E transmission to make everything go, really fast. I decided to go with the larger displacement LS7 over the slightly more powerful LS 376-525 because they are within a few pounds of each other and the LS7 has better low-RPM manners than the highly-cammed and even higher-strung 525. For autocrossing and SCCA Solo Racing pulling off a single-pylon hairpin in first gear without having to argue with the car about who is in control is faster than all-out horsepower that is surging and/or bucking, lugging, or otherwise non-linear. And the transmission is because there ain’t room in the footbox for three pedals with enough space between them to only push one at a time when you only want to push one at a time. As it is I’m going to have to install a heel stop to keep my left foot from dragging the brakes all the time.

Also I’m going to need a rear axle with aluminum tubes with Wide5 snouts set to provide a 57″ hub-to-hub width and a differential that will hold up under street and Solo Racing abuse, built as light as possible to improve the sprung/unsprung weight ratio. And that pretty well covers my Fantasy List.

Getting to things that are realistic in costs and desires, I could always use another Starbucks card, Jack in the Box card, TGIFriday’s card, or any other dining gift card. Mrs. the Poet and I have also determined that we will need a new slow-cooker soon. The one we have now is 10 cup capacity and makes a perfect pot of beans and rice that will serve us heartily for at least 2 dinners together, or 5 solo dinners for myself, but the plastic lid is about to fall apart after about 20 years of service and the crock part is getting really hard to clean. Mrs. the Poet has asked for a broom and dishcloths, and would likewise appreciate dining gift cards, for either her birthday this week or Yule next week. She is also seeking a replacement for our dying vacuum cleaner that we can’t get consumables for any more. I think that’s the thing she really wants the most, a working vacuum cleaner.

Also something that happened was I got a PM on FB from a fan that has basically given up on riding on the road. “Opus. Thank you for writing your bike articles. They are important. Cycling was important to me. It is still an important philosophical point for me.
But I have moved on to my motor scooter, for a few of the reasons that you point out.
Im now a “part of traffic” moving with them, not fighting them.
Im tired. The constant battle for a 2ft wide space on a bicycle on public streets was wearing me down.
Life should be more than that. So, while I loved cycling. I still do. But can’t do it. The stress is too much any more.
On my scooter, I can flow WITH the traffic. Not be overwhelmed. Damn” Papa Balloon

Up first is breaking news that Ethan Couch has gone missing and a warrant has been issued for his arrest. Warrant For Arrest Of “Affluenza” Teen Ethan Couch This meeting he missed was supposedly going to be for an explanation of the video showing him at a party he was not allowed to attend as part of his probation, according to the broadcast report I was watching.

Next we get two links to another FloriDUH! man on a motorcycle. Police: Motorcyclist ran red light, struck bicyclist near Clearwater Mall and Two men injured in Clearwater motorcycle, bicycle accident The drunk had 11 prior suspensions and reportedly was under suspension again at the time of the wreck. This again leads to the question “How do we keep recidivist drunk drivers from driving again?” because they caught this guy 11 times before and he’s still out there driving. How many times do they suspend a license before putting the guy in jail? There was a comment on the first link to the effect that the drunk’s relatives were convinced that his license had been restored in spite of the records saying it was still suspended. This leads me to deduce the driver is a lying bastard who continued to drive after losing the privilege to drive and telling his relatives he had paid to get his license back. Spoiler, it doesn’t work that way.

Well here’s one deadly FloriDUH! driver that won’t be killing anyone with a motor vehicle any time soon. Bradenton woman sentenced to 30 years in prison for killing bicyclist while fleeing police in stolen car The facts in the case are such that she should never be allowed out until her mental illness is cured or controlled.

More on the moron who ran into a cyclist from behind while stoned on pot. Family of man charged with killing cyclist say it was an accident

After that we need Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: They Drive Among Us part deux, and Marina del Rey rider stopped for biking while black

Still in CA. Cyclist killed, driver arrested in head-on crash in S.F. The narrative shows a scenario that was impossible for a human cyclist to avoid. The driver was basically driving the wrong side of the street in such a way that the cyclist had no place to go.

Not done with CA yet. WOMAN FATALLY STRUCK BY VEHICLE WHILE RIDING BIKE IN SAN JOSE Another blind driver claiming “sun was facing the driver” blinded her to the cyclist.

NYC demonstrates how strongly they care about traffic safety. NYPD Will Briefly Crack Down On Reckless Drivers Near Senior Centers Move it Gramps! You’re holding up traffic.

And something else that will have little to no effect on wrecks or even hit-and-runs. NYC May Double Fines For Hit-And-Run Drivers Gee, doubling the fine for the 1% you actually prosecute…

And the latest wreck this was responding to. Unlicensed Hit-And-Run Driver Critically Injures Woman In Queens Unlicensed driver and a hit-and-run as far as the car would continue to run… Remember that statement about killer drivers and high speed car shredders that turn a Suburban to metal confetti in 1.4 seconds? It should apply to wrecks like this one too.

First-person account of a motor vehicle brandishing incident. Shifting the bike vs. car paradigm The actual article is about infrastructure and sharing the roads, but I’m stuck on that brandishing incident in the opening paragraph because I had a similar incident a few years ago that ended with me on the road instead of my bike.

Another WOW moment. Bystanders lift car off trapped cyclist in China

Last link, TX cyclists get together to restore trees to an area denuded of them. WIMBERLEY RETREET

And I’m outta links again.

Billed @$0.02, Opus

It took a while but I got my neck rubbed, and the Feed

I got up early this morning to go to my massage appointment a few miles west of Casa de El Poeta, about an hour by bus. I could get there faster if I could ride my bike there, but if I could ride my bike there I wouldn’t need to go. Anywho, I get there and the office is locked and nobody is answering the phone. a few minutes later the other therapist gets there and says my therapist isn’t in (duh!) and she’s booked solid for the whole day, and BTW the price of the hour session I have been getting has gone from $60 to $100, no haggling. I barely have the budget to pay for the original price, the 67% increase is just not gonna work. The place where I get my toes done has a neck and shoulder massage for $30, but it ignores most of my muscles to concentrate on “Arthur, Arthur Dent” and supporting muscles. It is leaps and bounds better than nothing, but about the same distance away from the benefits of a full massage. I will have to see if I can get massage at a better location/price before next week.

Up first because of proximity and number of links initially during filtering is this wreck. SANTA FE POLICE RECOVER PICKUP BELIEVED TO HAVE FATALLY STRUCK TEEN ON BICYCLE That link was completely different when I was doing the filtering, and another link from the same source turned into this link after filtering. Teen bike rider struck, killed by hit-and-run driver Two things to note here: First is even though this was late at night LEO are not making an issue about the cyclist’s visibility, or helmet, second is there was a witness that reported the driver left the road to hit the cyclist before driving off. This was not a wreck that a cyclist could avoid, in fact the victim in this wreck had done everything in his power to not be in the wreck, other than not being there. And as he was returning from his girlfriend’s home to his there wasn’t anything he could have done to “not be there”.

More on another possible case of “affluenza” in AK. Anchorage teen who hit, killed cyclist in court Friday and Sentencing for killer of bicyclist begins in Anchorage This was the princess who “celebrated” getting out of drug rehab by throwing a party with alcohol, pot, “molly”, and cocaine. She was still drunk and high according to toxicology results of a blood draw taken almost 3 hours after the 1000 wreck.

Another link to that brutal hit-and-run a few hours west of WoaB World HQ in the Beautiful Suburbs of Hell. Bicyclist killed by hit-and-run driver in Haltom City Again, the bike in this wreck was so mangled by the driver driving away with it trapped under her vehicle that I can’t determine any useful information from it.

Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: Reflections on crappy cyclist, sailor charged in fatal hit-and-run, and more Mobility madness

Another nighttime hit-and-run where cyclist visibility was not mentioned. Bicyclist killed in Phoenix hit-run crash In fact about the only thing known for sure in this wreck was the driver left the scene and left enough bits and pieces around that they were able to find the weapon vehicle in short order.

Another Upstate NY cyclist is killed. Cyclist Killed In Accident Identified and Update: No Charges in Hammond Bike Death Given the narrative I’m shocked! (not shocked) that there were no charges in this wreck. It’s as if nobody in this burg had ever heard about the oldest traffic law on the books, not to drive any faster than you could stop in the distance you could see clearly.

Update on the psychopath who has been assaulting Mpls cyclists with thrown objects, usually chunks of concrete, thrown from either a Ford Bronco or a short-bed pickup truck with a bed capper and one rear window replaced with plywood. Police reveal new clues in hunt for driver hitting Mpls. bicyclists with concrete and as People magazine discovers the story Spree of Attacks on Bicyclists in Minneapolis

Hey they caught the guy that killed the kid in NJ. Arrest Made in Hit-Run That Killed Teen Riding Bicycle in New Jersey It is no surprise that the killer did not have a valid license when he left the scene. Maybe this time they will take his vehicle instead of the license that he does not have.

I’m not the only one to notice that SFPD has different standards for people on bicycles and people in cars. The SFPD’s campaign against biking There have been 2 deaths caused by cyclists hitting pedestrians this century (or in the records of the SFPD going back to the big quake), but obviously the problem is bikes, not cars.

Just weeks before the World Cycling Championships, motor vehicle mayhem in Richmond VA. Cyclist injured after being hit by oncoming car The only witness never mentions seeing a weapon vehicle just the aftermath, so I’m going to say this was probably a hit-and-run, and since the bike was hit from the side at the back of the bike I’m thinking the driver of the weapon vehicle failed to obey a traffic control or they would have stayed at the scene.

Just because an idiot driver almost kills you and then jumps out of the weapon vehicle to make it personal doesn’t mean you should keep hitting him until he stops trying to hit back. Corte Madera man sues cyclist over road-rage beating in Mill Valley It gets even better, the driver of the truck that hit the cyclist was drinking the day he hit the cyclist.

Well, at least this GA cyclist gets a little compensation for her pain and disfigurement. Injured Athens cyclist lawsuit settled for $850,000 I wonder what my lawsuit would be worth, had they ever caught the driver tht almost killed me?

There may be some infrastructure changes coming for Beantown. After Fatal Bike Crash, One Expert On How To Make Boston Safer For Cyclists and Plans Underway to Revamp Boston’s Seaport Traffic If I make a small suggestion, severely restrict semis with long trailers, they seem to be over-represented in the death statistics. I would go with the bicycle outriders mentioned in earlier posts about the cyclist hit by the deadheading semi towing the flatbed trailer as the best compromise over an outright ban. Also this would lead to higher employment for people who can ride a bike fast.

While we are discussing infrastructure, here’s a shitty “deal” offered Portland by ODOT. State’s proposal to improve bike crossings of Powell: Remove bike lane from 26th

And thanks to helicopter parents the child death rate on bicycles has gone down. Report: Bicyclist Death Rates Fell for Kids, Rose for Men

Drivers in West Canuckistan forget they are supposed to be “nice” Canadians. Cyclist hit on Lower Springbank Road shows clashes are continuing with drivers Combine this with the several earlier reports of deliberate assault with motor vehicles, and things look grim.

Things are getting nasty over on the Emerald Isle, too. Experts warn 100 people could be killed on our roads before end of year If that seems like a rather low number remember that Ireland is about 3/5 the size of Arkansas (32,595 sq mi compared to 53,179 sq mi) and 100 deaths would be … not very much for Arkansas .

Are cyclists treated differently by the courts in Oz? Canberra cyclist appeals against order to pay fellow rider $1.7 million for crash Let me get this straight, a cyclist hits some road trash and wrecks out and takes a second cyclist with him and the second cyclist is hit by a car, and the first cyclist is out $1.7 MILLION?!? How much did the driver of the car have to pay?

An art installation/bicycle repair station honors a fallen CO cyclist. Duggan: Trail-side sculpture honors man gone too soon

And I’m outta links finally. Sleep now, Opus tired at 0346

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Unkillable Badass Poet

Gonna go dance to drums tonight, and the Feed

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet

Running late again with a bank run and an RPG session, and the Feed

I had to go to the bank today so I had money for groceries tomorrow, then we had a character-creation session for the ShadowRun game this Saturday so I didn’t even get started creating the post until 2100 tonight. So, yeah you might not get to see this until after midnight…

We got two entries from Ted today, one that I’m glad I can just link to his site instead of having to create the links myself, and our Daily Ted. Daily Ted first. Guest Post: Beeline Bikes Expands Fleet of Mobile Bike Shops to SoCal, Offering a New Path for Mechanics. If I lived in L.A. I might enquire about this opportunity…

And this is the story I dreaded reading all the articles to create the links. Gardena police video released in shooting of unarmed man looking for his brother’s stolen bike Notice the races of the victims and the LEO. #BikePeopleMatter.

And while we are in that part of the country. Hundreds mourn Afghan refugee killed in Sacramento while biking This rider never should have been hit, much less died.

And speaking of hit-and-run drivers. Mother of Philadelphia Hit-&-Run Victim Remembers ‘Good Boy,’ Asks How Driver Didn’t See His Bicycle The scary part is she is not even considering the possibility the driver did see her son but decided he should “get out of the way” instead of the driver moving over to make a safe pass.

This effort would not even be necessary if we had single-payer health care in the US. Website set up to help injured Sugar Grove cyclist

From the UK another reminder that (your) life is cheap if you get killed riding a bicycle. Aspiring film star who killed cyclist, 18, in a hit and run crash while speeding in Audi he was not insured to drive is jailed for 20 months Considering this was a Daily Mail link the comments section was extremely anti-driver.

I am hopeful that this driver will be found guilty if she was in fact the driver of the weapon vehicle, and that she will get a much sterner sentence than the previous paragraph’s driver. Young woman, 21 charged over Kalamunda cyclist ‘hit-run’ The driver was drunk and unlicensed… Just shoot her and get it over with.

An outside agency is taking a hard look at NYC bicycle infrastructure. Six cyclists dead in NYC: where are the most dangerous spots for bikes? No conclusions released about the infrastructure, some about the relative vulnerability of cyclists when hit by cars. I need an actual sarcasm HTML tag for this next sentence: Did you know that a bicycle has no protection for the rider against getting hit by a motor vehicle? /s

Cycling is fun for us older people. Lynn Magdol: Love of bicycling rolls on unabated Yep, if I could still ride like I used to before “Chris Christie” grew on my neck I would love it too. I’m getting there.

And last link is to an e-assist bike that was built to handle the “first/last mile” problem with public transit. Tiny e-bike weighs 12kg and folds away in seconds The tiny battery lacks range, but this is a bike that range is not why it exists. The reason this bike exists is to get commuters to and from public transit, no matter what the terrain looks like between home or work and the transit station or stop, and then ride with the commuter on transit to be used on the last mile to the final destination for that trip.

And I managed to finish before midnight, now to proofread and tag and publish before midnight.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet

Really want/need to get my neck rubbed, and the Feed

I’m working around “Arthur, Arthur Dent” as much as I can, and constantly working my neck to extend my range of motion, but DAAAaaaannnnng! do I need a massage right now… I need to get out and pay some things tomorrow, so I might get it done then. It’s not like the problem will go away by itself overnight. Working on the blog does not help matters any, also. My posture while typing is practically guaranteed to cause a neck problem from supporting my head while I type.

And this just in Yr Fthfl Srvnt was declared Next City’s Smartest Reader of the Day yesterday for my comment on the Seattle commuter dilemma.

Up first because of the many links to the story, and because of the high WTF factor involved. Pedestrian killed by falling hydro pole following collision in Concord and Cyclist killed after pole topples in collision of 2 cars also Toronto man charged after cyclist killed in Vaughan crash This was a serious level of pinball wreck that got both cyclists almost square on, as you can see from the crushed bicycles in the pictures with the articles. From watching the videos it seems the cyclists were waiting at the corner for the light to change when the wreck began and dodged one of the cars only to be crushed by the falling power pole. The bike that I assume belonged to the fatality victim was caught right in front of the seat, I can’t tell where the other bike was struck because it was removed from under the pole to treat one of the victims.

Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: An early endorsement for state senate, registration gets bikes back, and OCTA swims upstream

A literal hit-and-run in Philly. Police seek suspect who struck, killed cyclist with car in Juniata Park And this is the first time I recall seeing a F-150 called a “car”.

Another Philly wreck, where the victim’s survivors are not vindictive. Cyclist’s Family Says They Have No Ill-Will Against Driver Who Killed Him

OR road users are concerned about a recent spike in wrecks. With 40% rise in roadway deaths, activists plan to target ODOT That is an unexplained jump at a time when trends have been sharply down, so what has changed?

A Ghost Bike for the victim of that SUV buzz job in CO. ‘Ghost bike’ memorial to be held for dead cyclist

More on the alligator wreck. Weston cycling crash caused by alligator carcass sidelines spirited two-sport competitor Wow, he really is in bad shape.

A notice to GA riders. Bryan County public safety brief – Agressive Pitbull injures bicycle rider

Some people in the Great White North understand physics. There’s so much more to bike safety than helmets

More from the Great White North. Bike monument and memorial ride honour fallen cyclists This was done at about the same time as the pinball wreck discussed above.

Still more as LEO search the Great White North for a hit-and-run driver. Police seek white pickup truck in fatal hit-and-run

Last Canadian link, is your insurance valid when you are riding a bicycle? Do You Have Insurance Coverage as a Cyclist?

I was wondering what took so long after the driver was found to be driving without a license while driving a big rig involved in a fatal wreck. Freight firm bosses banned after unlicensed, uninsured driver killed cyclist

Also from the UK is another protest at the intersection where crap infrastructure and a blind truck killed a cyclist. Stop Killing Cyclists stage vigil at ‘murderous’ junction and Stop Killing Cyclists to host candlelit vigil to honour life of cyclist killed in midnight crash in Forward Drive

Back a few months ago we all thought this waste of human skin was going to be off the roads for a decent amount of time, not true. Widow of Sheffield cyclist killed by drunk driver lashes out over jail time served Six months into a 4 year sentence and she’s already at a halfway house? TANJ!

They had the only vehicles that could get through, and they were already there. Nepal’s national mountain bike team turn rescuers Another tally in the plus column for bicycle disaster drills. Sometimes the only things moving on the ground are people on foot and bicycles. Give those bicycles some cargo capacity and a mission and see what can be done.

And I’m out of links and I need to go fix dinner.

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.

Still getting sidetracked by outside distractions, and the Feed

And by “outside distractions” I mean little things like making sure the account we use to pay our taxes actually has money in it, which takes a bit of time and somehow wound up taking up most of the day. I think that the big reason why transferring money from one account to another took more time than yesterday’s trek to find Blue was today I used DART and yesterday I was given a ride by one of the tenants renting a room here. The bad thing about DART is the low frequency of the busses out here in the Beautiful Suburbs of Hell. It took about an hour and a half of transit time to get 3.1 miles from the house and back. One of the reasons I’m looking forward to getting Blue back is drastically cutting that time down when I have to go downtown or to church, especially church. When I go to evening services I have to depend on there being someone who can take me home after because the last bus leaves the station about 20 minutes after evening services begin. When I ride my bike I already have a ride home.

Up first today is another bit of schadenfreude over a killer driver finally getting a sentence commensurate with the serious nature of what they did. Unlicensed, intoxicated driver who killed 2 cyclists during bike ride gets 15 to 40 years I was afraid this would end up being another gentle caress on the wrist like I have seen so many times, but this judge seemed to get the message that as many people are killed with cars as with guns so the punishments for killing with a car should be similar to killing with a gun.

I was invited to this event over on FB, I guess because I’m an internationally known bicycle safety “expert”. Vigil and ‘die in’ held to mark the death of cyclist Stephanie Turner and Hundreds stage ‘die-in’ protest over cyclist killed in Stamford Hill

I can’t imagine what it would be like trying to ride a bike when there are people who want to kill you just for being out on public. Egyptian female cyclists pedal for acceptance

Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: Bikes could sway the race in LA’s CD4; WeHo candidates debate banning sidewalk riders

I was sent this link as a FB message, so I have to include it somehow… Eleven geeky tips that will ever-so-slightly improve your bike life Besides, this guy is a Real Geek, you can tell from the name of the company. And if you don’t know what I’m talking about, well it isn’t that important for you to know. It’s just a little “thing” between geeks so that we can exclude those not in the know.

A little infrastructure news from NYC. NYPD: 1,399 Pedestrians and Cyclists Injured, 10 Killed in December The only bright spot in the report was the 0 in the death column next to bicyclists. The rest of it was very depressing. It once again shows the most vulnerable mode of traffic in NYC is walking, followed very closely by cycling.

Sin City is having an infrastructure problem. Lamb cyclist accidents prompt road review With as many cyclists as have been hit in the last few years on this road it is patently obvious that many cyclists cannot avoid this road if they want to get places, but that it is not safe for them to be there. It needs to be redesigned and rebuilt with either slower motor vehicle traffic or physically segregated bicycle infrastructure.

A reaction to that link from yesterday about the new tram tracks causing cyclists to crash in droves because they put the trams in the freaking bike lanes. Cyclists need to toughen up

More UK infrastructure, as they put in actual infrastructure instead of just putting down advisory blue paint that cars are not required to stay out of. Boris Johnson gives go-ahead for ‘Crossrail’ cycle superhighway through central London Boris, please stop painting grandiose names on your bike projects. They range from criminal in planning and execution to just bad, and putting a name like “superhighway” or “Crossrail” on them is worse than putting lipstick on a pig. At least lipstick on a pig doesn’t get anyone killed. The same can’t be said about “cycling superhighways” in London.

South Africa struggles with wanting to be a bicycle superpower, and not having the physical or legal infrastructure to support the aspirations. Will more cyclists make the sport safer in 2015?

And that’s all I have today.

Billed @€0.02, Opus the Poet