I’m Schrodinger’s Millionaire again, and the Feed

Yes I am once again simultaneously filthy rich and dirt poor until 2045 local time when the Powerball drawing takes place. Seriously, Schrödinger didn’t need to use a cat in a box to illustrate something being two things at once, he just needed a lottery or sweepstakes drawing. And he could have saved the trouble of building a cat-killing chamber triggered by radioactive decay for his random event. But I suppose Schrödinger’s Sweepstakes wouldn’t be as memorable as the cat experiment. And I know that Schrödinger’s Cat was a thought experiment, not an actual physical experiment involving a real cat. That would be silly, and cruel to the person that had to put a cat in a box with all its claws. OK and cruel to the cat in the box too.

Up first is Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: 75-year old cyclist cuffed and ticketed for riding legally on I-15; Specialized says they’re sorry

Still in CA. DEVORE: Ghost bike honors cyclist killed in crash with car

This is going to be a major theme in today’s post. Parents of children killed in DUIs call for tougher laws Incredible as it may seem more than 40 years after the founding of MADD it is still only a misdemeanor no matter how many you get in the state of PA.

And over in AK, they’re having hearings in reaction to the death of a cyclist. Daughter of cyclist killed in 2014 hit-and-run testifies against bill to soften sentencing laws

And Bike Portland weighs in on language used to describe bike wrecks. Dear fellow journalists: This is why you should use #CrashNotAccident

And today we get 4 days of wrecks from NYC. Hit-And-Run Driver Fatally Struck Man Who Was Allegedly Lying In East Harlem Crosswalk Video of the crime scene posted showed the victim just “appearing” in the intersection. One second he’s not there at all, the next he is lying on the street, having been dragged from someplace as he slides into the intersection.

And another NYC ped is hit and killed in another crosswalk. City Blames Pedestrian After Cop Fatally Runs Him Over In Crosswalk The video of the fatal wreck is just nauseating when seen after reading NYPD blaming the victim for his own death.

Well one out of 3? Hit-And-Run Taxi Driver Says He Thought He Hit A Pothole, Not A Person I’m sure every pothole makes your car go up first instead of falling down into a hole.

A KY girl misjudges the speed of the cop car that stops in front of her. Young girl injured after riding bike into the side of a police cruiser Yeah, this has happened to me minus the impact. Approach the intersection with the belief that slightly slowing will cause you to pass behind the car, and the car stops. I had to slam on the brakes to prevent a wreck, the girl had no place to go and hit the car.

More on a wreck in Scotland. VIDEO: Tributes left at roadside for tragic teen cyclist killed on Moray road

More on an Oz truck driver who saved a cyclist. Ettalong Beach truckie recognised for heroic act on M2 motorway

And possible fun times. Polish Moon Ride Registration Open The post-ride festivities look to be as much fun as the ride. Enjoy!

And I’m out of links again.

Billed @€0.02, Opus

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This is such an ugly Monday, and the Feed

The weather today is just ugly, with flat grey skies and chill, humid air. It’s not even the good kind of cold, the dry cold that invites outdoor activity and isn’t really all that bad if you keep covered up. This is the kind of cold that still feels cold no matter how much you put on and even when you are red-faced and sweating from being over-dressed you still feel chilled to the bones. Seriously it’s warm enough to go get the mail in shorts and slippers without danger, but you still feel cold wearing a parka. Ugly cold is what it is.

Up first, an injured kid instigates installation of really, REALLY, crappy infrastructure on the street where he was hit (did I mention this infrastructure was super crappy?) Days after injury to child, a new lane for cyclists on Mesa Not a bike lane, on street parking for cars that bikes will have to weave in and out of or ride in the door zone while getting buzzed and harassed by angry drivers wondering why the cyclists are not in the “bike lane”.

Our big story is 4 cyclists hit from behind in NC. CYCLISTS IN HOSPITAL AFTER BEING HIT BY CAR IN ANGIER and Four bicyclists in hospital after being struck by car in Angier also Cyclist injured in Angier crash questions how accident happened I’m seeing another blind driver nearly killing 4 cyclists because “it all happened so fast”. Fortunately “Highway Patrol officers said charges are pending against Williams and are expected to come down later in the week.” This is also a good example of why AFRAP laws kill cyclists so they do not inconvenience drivers.

Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: Victim’s family calls for compassion as hit-and-run driver gets time served; bike thief faces 27 years The SUV in the distracted driver video had some pretty major front end damage, this was obviously not the first time this driver was driving around with his or her nose buried in a cell phone.

Still in CA we get a Ghost Bike installation. Friends mourn Buena High football player at roadside memorial

PA wreck takes out a pedestrian walking in the bike lane/shoulder (the preview said bike lane, the actual article says shoulder). Police investigate fatal crash involving a pedestrian The car left tracks showing a path off the road onto the shoulder and impacting the pedestrian, meaning that if she was a cyclist using hit from behind protocols she would have had a fraction of a second to make that dive for the cover of the ditch if there was any place to dive to.

Still in PA, a driver is sentenced in the death of a cyclist. Drunk driver gets up to 13 years in cyclist death Up to 13 years, probably closer (much closer) to the minimum 4½. And seriously 0.29% BAC is almost at the point of alcoholic anesthesia, how could she even stay on the road? She had to be an alcoholic to even be conscious at that BAC level.

Another hit-and-run in CO. Bicyclist seriously injured in hit-and-run on U.S. 36 north of Boulder If you see a black sports type car with a missing pasenger side mirror and front end damage call the LEO number in the article, and stay out of range of the driver.

Wreck in east TN. Cyclist struck, killed by car near Seymour From articles I have linked here at this very site, I know that hitting a cyclist from behind is a crime in TN, but I don’t see any mention of an arrest in this case, what gives? Oh yeah “Criminal charges are pending, according to the report.” I just hope they don’t pend too long and the drive gets away because of the statute of limitations.

Something that has bothered me for years. Trailer Side Guards Make Difference Between Life and Death for Cyclists and Pedestrians These things not only prevent vulnerable user deaths and serious injury, they also save more than their costs in fuel savings, why do people resist installing them?

Up in the Great White North a driver is arrested for killing a cyclist, months after the cyclist’s memorial service at the site of the crime. Police charge driver in Claremont Access cyclist’s death and Hamilton motorist charged after local cyclist, teacher killed in December Took them long enough, you know there is such a thing as being too polite.

First UK article, would you jump out of an airplane carrying one of these folding bikes? The British Paratroopers Who Parachuted Into Enemy Territory with Folding Bicycles

Also from the UK they actually arrested a driver that killed a cyclist. Man arrested after cyclist killed in crash with 4×4 near Harbury Yep, killing someone with a motor vehicle is pretty much the definition of “dangerous driving”.

I’m still trying to figure out what the Sky Ride on closed roads has to do with a cyclist getting hit from behind by an idiot at the controls of a car, but that’s the first video on this link. Veteran road race cyclist seriously injured after being hit by car while training Just read the text and ignore the videos and pictures which have zilch to do with the report.

I think I know what it takes to get a serious sentence for killing with a motor vehicle in the UK. Drug dealer jailed for causing Swanley man’s death by dangerous driving First be a convicted criminal, second don’t kill a cyclist, kill someone sympathetic like a pedestrian. The drug dealer got 12 years prison for hitting the pedestrian…

“Wreck not accident”. Air ambulance takes cyclist to hospital after “accidental injury” in Sevenoaks Weald There was no context given for the wreck except “accident”.

Some potentially good infrastructure news from Jolly Olde. Chisholm Trail will give Cambridge’s cycling couriers ‘competitive advantage’ in city

And last link, bike share can make your city great(ish) How Bike-Sharing Can Gain Popularity

And I’m outta links with 9 minutes to spare before midnight.

Billed @€0.02, Opus

Not feeling well today, and the Feed

Yep, I’m in actual pain right now from a gum problem, there is exposed bone on the inside of my right lower jaw where my wisdom teeth were extracted about 30 years ago. I don’t know what could have caused this, and I don’t care because it is very uncomfortable. I mean we are not up to “broken fibula bouncing around in my leg” levels of pain, but above “post removed hardware holding bones together with a slide hammer” pain. I am only having issues with this because proximity is making my right eye water sometimes and that makes it hard to see what I’m doing. Mrs. the Poet looked at it and her interpretation is it looks more like a series of infected areas along a cut, which makes a little sense considering all the chips I have been eating the last 2 weeks.

Now what makes this really fun is I’m writing a service that I’m going to put on this Sunday on the subject of “Love”. It is really hard to get enthusiastic about love when one eye is watering from discomfort. But I will muddle through somehow.

Up first is this notice from Bike Friendly Garland about a local event. Bridge Dedication, Ribbon Cutting Set for Feb. 13 Unfortunately I will not be able to attend this event, as I will still be unconscious after completing the post around 0300.

Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: Planning Comm preserves Mobility Plan, PV bike lanes threatened, and register for River Ride

Still in CA. Police Update: Cyclist Killed This Morning By Hit-and-Run Driver on Winchester Blvd. I loathe, hate, despise and find drivers who hit-and-run appalling. Especially the one who just abandon their vehicles. If you drive home you could just claim blindness and stupidity (“I didn’t know I had hit anything”), but if you ditch the car you know damn good and well you hit someone and left them to live or die as their fate dictates. A suitable punishment would be hitting them in the abdomen with a 16 pound sledgehammer and then leaving them unconscious for 48 hours. If they die, that’s their karma, if they live then they get minimal medical care to keep them alive but nothing for repairing any non-life threatening injuries like torn muscles or spinal injuries. If you had been killed by a hit-and-run driver I’m sure you would feel similar to me. Not identical, but similar.

Also still in CA. A Problem We Can Solve: Commercial Vehicles Blocking Our Lanes My take can be summed up thusly:

Meanwhile in NYC… Bicyclist clings to life after being struck by crane truck in Tribeca and Cyclist Clings To Life After Being Hit By Truck Driver In Tribeca The driver of the wepon vehicle claimed the cyclist ran a red, but would you trust a driver to give an accurate accounting of a wreck? The back of the bike from the picture in the first link looked too smashed up for a cyclist who was crossing in front of the truck, but the TwitPic was less definitive about direction of impact with the bike still under the truck. So we have a classic SWCC wreck, unless someone has video of the wreck that shows the cyclist actually running the red.

Still in NYC. Driver Arrested For Killing Midtown Pedestrian, But Will Vance Follow Through? This was the same DA who let a truck driver off because the victim was 5’5″ and the driver couldn’t possibly see someone that short.

Speaking of that… Manhattan DA Drops Charges Against Coca-Cola Truck Driver Who Killed Pedestrian In UES Crosswalk

More hit-and-run in MA this time. 15-year-old cyclist severely injured in hit-and-run crash in Lowell See above for my feeling on hit-and-run (ugh!).

Legal infrastructure in America’s Copenhagen. Police write 15 citations for illegal driving during Clinton enforcement action 15 tickets/arrests for cars, 2 for bicycles (no lights after dark).

And more physical infrastructure changes in Portland. Update: City extends new bike lane on SE 34th Avenue The bike lane was advisory so that trucks could access the noodle shop (gotta have supplies to make the noodles from), but truck access was diverted to another street that still would get to the shop so now everything is just peachy.

Infrastructure news from the city my brother lives and works in. Ashley River exit ramp work beginning This is the first stage of installing the bike lane, but I’m doubtful of the second stage where they block off the right lane but don’t allow bicycle access and then see how the traffic moves. One of the benefits of bike lanes is they allow people to use a bike instead of a car and still have a modicum of safety.

Good news everybody [/Professor Farnsworth] The Truth About Cycling and Brain Injuries tl;dr if you don’t get brain damage in the wreck you are not likely to develop brain damage later as long as you have recovery time after the concussion.

This was in the feed and I’m not sure if I posted this particular link when it came out, so here you go. ‘Dooring’ charge laid in death of e-bike rider So glad to know that if someone kills me with the door of his car in Ontario he will face up to $365 (CDN) in fines and 3 points against his license.

Not-so-Jolly Olde. Learner driver’s guilt as cyclist hit by car “In a letter to the court Cooper stated that both she and her passenger had thought the cyclist was on the pavement and that he would stop.” This is a typical “roads are for cars” attitude. The cyclist is permanently maimed but will only have to come up with £702 and 5 points on her license. TANJ!

Crap infrastructure in the UK (do they ever do anything else?) “Failure of ambition” on London Quietways

Someone did something stupid with this company’s logo all over the vehicle so they are suing the… guy who took the picture? JM Clark Ltd threaten legal action over helmet cam footage after driver is filmed using phone at the wheel Yeah, that’s not gonna pass muster, at all.

And I’m outta links again, so time to proof, tag, and post. Gigi is gonna be mad at me because she won’t have time to finish reading before her internet goes off at 0300 my time. I’m trying to figure out where she is from that but I keep coming up with odd shutdown times or somewhere in AK or HI. If she’s in HI then I’m jealous…

Billed @€0.02, Opus

It’s nice to have money on Grocery Day, and the Feed

Well all the checks cleared this week, so we had basically an unlimited budget for grocery day today. I finally have a full week worth of yogurt, enough for both me and the cats, and there was a 12 pack of Shiner in the cart as well. That will probably last until mid-March as much as I drink. We splurged on the mid-priced frozen pizza, on sale for about $2.50/pizza before we redeemed a coupon that took $0.33⅓ off each one. Some habits are hard to break, we bought the $1.99/gal milk instead of the $5.99/gal. The strategic ramen reserves are topped off, and the $0.79 instant meals are likewise at reserve levels. Those make a great light lunch or dinner when it’s just me or Mrs. the Poet and we don’t feel like heating the kitchen to make something more substantial. The spicy shrimp cup meal will probably be just for me. We spent roughly $125 on groceries that overflowed the trunk of my son’s car and into the back seat. Seriously we couldn’t get the lid closed and had to put some next to Mrs. the Poet in the back seat to get it all home.

Up first is this Big Story from Jolly Olde as in spite of multiple videos from the cyclist, LEO are unable to prosecute a hit-and-run driver. ‘Brutal’ cyclist hit-and-run captured on video – but police say there is still not enough evidence to prosecute and Shocking moment hit-and-run driver rams into the back of a cyclist and leaves him unconscious in the road before fleeing this too Police rule there is ‘not enough evidence’ to prosecute hit-and-run driver caught on camera (video) Simple really, bring them both in and tell them one will get charged and convicted of attempted murder for the hit-and-run, one will get the same amount of prison for obstructing justice for failing to identify who was driving at the time of the wreck but gets to keep his/her license, and give them 15 seconds to work it out. If nobody gives up the driver they both lose their licenses for life and go to prison. Now here in the great PX, Home Of The Free, all we would need to do is just have the NSA turn over their location via the constant GPS tracking of their phones to figure out who was there or not. Or just charge the people who rented the car out as accessories.

Next is Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: Long Beach cyclist killed in Mt. Baldy hiking fall, and bike safety classes in Orange County

Also in L.A. CA. The Story Of The New York Citi Bike That Traveled To Los Angeles That was an Epic Ride, driving a 3 speed 45 pound tank more than 3000 miles. Who knew that the metal basket on the front of a Citi Bike could hold a useful amount of camping equipment?

Still in CA. Cyclist hit, dragged by alleged drunken driver near UC Berkeley yep, another link to the (attempted) murder of a cyclist. I’m sincerely hoping this stays at “attempted” and the cyclist survives to kick the driver in the face.

Infrastructure from America’s Copenhagen. PBOT wants to make W Burnside at 18th/19th safer for biking and walking So far nothing has been made public as to the plans.

More infrastructure, this time from NYC. Dangerous Stretch Of Sixth Avenue Will Finally Get A Protected Bike Lane Door zone bike lane swapped for a larger parking protected bike lane (and an army of parking monitors paid by the ticket to catch drivers encroaching the lane).

If you happen to be in Bermuda with your bike this weekend. Sign up for cycle charity event It looks like there is one ride that is a mix of on and off-road, and another that is a mix of single track and swamps.

Another link to that truck driver in the UK who killed a cyclist while driving a truck without a license trying to get his sentence reduced. Tipper truck driver who killed cyclist Alan Neve fails in appeal against sentence as I said before he should get at least double that if not triple, he should thank his lucky stars and shut up.

This at least has a better outcome in the end even if the cyclist died. Family hand over cheque to charity in memory of their son

Malta is one of the former UK colonies that has as bad cycle culture as the UK. Man fined for knocking down cyclist, magistrate calls for more road awareness Wow/s… €1000 fine and 8 days he can’t get caught driving…

I’m sure this is just coincidence, right? eBike World Championship set for same venue where hidden motor found There is a class for exactly the kind of bike that was found in the cyclocross championships.

And I’m out of links again, but I have Girl Scout cookies.

Billed @€0.02, Opus

Another long day on the road, and the Feed

I had another long day out paying bills today, but I’m finally through for the month. Now all I have to dump money on is getting the plumbing fixed. And the day-to-day living expenses, like the $15 I dropped on dinner last night. That’s a lot of money on our budget, but lordy that was a lot of food! Something else I dropped some $$ on was renewing my membership in the HRC, supporting them as they move on from marriage equality to other forms of discrimination (did you know a person can be fired for being gay in TX?)

Up first is Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: Beach bike path closed, slap on wrist in Glendale hit-and-run, and six years for drunken OC driver

Still in CA a story that originally had the weapon vehicle posted as a motorcycle. Cyclist critically injured by suspected DUI driver in Berkeley I’m not sure if this was deliberate or just a slight error in editing: “Police said witnesses who saw the crash stayed with the woman until help arrived, and were able to provide statements.
“Unfortunately this circumstance is more common than we’d like,” observed Lt. Montgomery.” I’m glad they caught the driver immediately, but that might have had more to do with the weapon vehicle being rendered undrivable by the wreck, than anything the driver intended to do.

Also in CA 5 Things Cyclists Do You Didn’t Know Are Perfectly Legal Well I knew, but that is partially because I see stuff about one or more of the list every year.

Meanwhile in NYC they finally get bike lanes and traffic calming on one of their most deadly streets. Amsterdam Ave Bike Lane Approved After Heated UWS Community Meeting Gotta love the tears shed for parking while arguing over people getting killed.

Speaking of people getting killed over infrastructure here’s a report from America’s Copenhagen. Victim of collision at notorious Greeley/I-5 intersection comes forward That has to be the worst bike lane crossing I have ever seen either IRL or on the Internets.

More on the dangerous and ADA non-compliant swing gates at a railroad crossing in Portland. Activists (temporarily) take the swing out of TriMet’s swing gates TriMet was complaining about this disrupting their “data gathering”, so I’m wondering what kind of data they are gathering and how.

And after all that crap infrastructure here’s some done right. Detour done right: 21st and Belmont shows how construction zones should work

Opinion piece in OH Please give cyclists more room on the road OH drivers are about the same as drivers in every other anglophone country.

And some good news from WI for a change. Traffic deaths in January were the second lowest since WWII Of course there is also the statistic that road fatalities mirror the local economy…

Over in Jolly Olde is a none-too-jolly cyclist. Call for review into EMAS after injured cyclist left 2 hours at roadside I was left in the road for only a few minutes after my wreck back in 2001. But then they thought I was dead until I told them I had a broken femur.

I think about the only thing that can be as bad as being in a wreck is being the first person on-scene after one, particularly when the victim dies or bleeds profusely. UPDATE: Driver traced after man killed in lorry hit-and-run in Greenwich And in this wreck the victim did both for the cyclist waiting in line directly behind the weapon vehicle. Condolences to the victim’s family and the cyclist who saw the wreck.

This cyclist shows a lot of heart after almost getting killed. Cyclist consoles woman driver seconds after she almost kills him

Another good-hearted cyclist. Cyclist’s 1,000-mile trek in memory of tragic cousin

And this one just makes my blood boil. Elderly driver who killed charity cyclist is spared jail due to age and Elderly driver who killed mother-of-two cyclist spared jail So she was old. That shouldn’t hamper making an example out of her.

And I’m out of links finally, so proof, tag, and publish then off to bed sometime after 0300 since it’s 0311 now.

Billed @$0.02, Opus

I hope the cats are happy, and the Feed

After picking up the parts to build the new railing for the church steps, we discovered that the drill bit we used to make the holes in the concrete for the anchors had gone AWOL. After spending almost an hour going through the church tools looking for the bit, we decided that we didn’t have the time to get another bit and install the rail that I had just assembled, so we come back Sunday after morning service and drill holes and pound in anchors then run the nuts and bolt down the rails.

After coming back from the failed attempt to install the rails, I had to walk to the store to buy cat food. “The store” in this case is a mile away, resulting in a 2 mile round trip. On the to the store leg I found some bad infrastructure, beg buttons that failed to trigger the pedestrian crossings, so I called Garland Streets to complain aboutnotify them of the situation. On my return trip all the beg buttons functioned perfectly. So that was a win.

Speaking of win, I bought two quick-picks for the PowerBall tonight, one annual payments and the other cash option. Should I be so lucky as to win tonight there will be a major shift in tone and subject matter for this blog as I will be spending my money on getting bike infrastructure done to CROW Manual specs installed in the Beautiful Suburbs of Hell. That would be Monday-Thursday. Friday-Sunday would be building my Sprint-T and Mini Sprint-T, a step-by-step recounting. So my two favorite subjects, keeping people safe from cars, and building cars, in alternating segments. Crossed fingers. XD

Up first is a SWSS down the road a piece from WoaB World HQ in the Beautiful Suburbs of Hell. Cyclist killed in Killeen fatal accident At least this was a more sophisticated way of saying “swerved”: “began riding his bike diagonally“.

Our Daily Ted, Part 1. Morning Links: Expo bike path meeting tonight, and bikes may or may not be banned from Camp Pendleton

Ted part 2. 47-year old bicyclist killed in collision with semi in Downey Wednesday am Surviving a collision with a semi is really dicey.

Still in CA. Family of cyclist killed on Page Mill seeks witnesses I place at least half of the blame for this wreck on infrastructure that had cyclists crossing highway traffic to get from one bike lane to the next in the same direction.

Infrastructure from America’s Copenhagen. Martin Greenough died one month ago: Here’s the latest from ODOT, the BTA and his girlfriend

Also from Portland, the battle for trail access continues. With River View access in the balance, NW Trail Alliance urges attendance at council meeting The vest reason why this is improtant is this quote: “Commissioners Fritz and Fish trashed an inclusive public process to remove cycling from the list of approved activities in the Park. There’s no scientific evidence against allowing bikes, and the community listening process clearly showed that there is very high public interest in allowing them.”

From NYC we finally find out what it takes to get a killer driver thrown in jail for more than a few days. Serial Reckless Driver Who Killed UWS Woman Sentenced To Up To 3 Years The dude drove from 1982-99 without a license, and gathered in the following convictions: 1 hit-and-run, 3 speeding (including 2 aggravated speeding in excess of 30 MPH over the limit), 5 disobeying a traffic control, 1 failure to yield to an emergency vehicle, 2 no license, 2 running red lights, 2 no insurance, 1 unsafe lane change, 1 improper signalling, and a separate conviction for aggravated unlicensed driving. “In the six months prior to the killing, Mercado had hit three other pedestrians, including a 13-year-old boy in Queens.”

Then again they have “stuff” like this. Driver Who Killed Fort Greene Pedestrian Doesn’t Even Get His License Suspended Yeah, it was suspended when he drove into the sidewalk to avoid hitting a bus, but they took the car so it won’t hurt anything to give him his license back. /s (where is that sarcasm html tag? It has been promised for years)

From the most deadliest state in the US to walk or ride a bike comes news they are going to “Do something about it”. St. Pete Police trying to prevent pedestrian, cyclist deaths So they are apparently criminalizing splitting the crossing to make sure you can get from one side to the other by waiting for traffic to clear on the other side after crossing in the gap from the near side. You know instead of criminalizing hitting pedestrians and cyclists.

More on a MD cyclist killing. Neighborhood activist grapples with son’s alleged role in murder

You may be forced to connect your car to a device that sends your driving data on things like braking and acceleration to your insurance company. The big data of bad driving, and how insurers plan to track your every turn Forced as in sure they will “sell” you insurance, but only people who can afford to pay someone else to drive will be able to afford it.

Serious infrastructure news. New Mode Choice Model Helps Officials Make Stronger Case for Transit Improvements Better transit means fewer drivers means better cycling even without infrastructure improvements, but it also mean infrastructure improvements to handle the “last mile” problem.

Your assist bike might really be able to die some day. IU scientists develop biomaterial for fuel cells That’s right, living fuel cells that are more efficient than what we have now. Just add hydrogen and get electricity.

And it might be made by this company. Yes, Ford is Serious About Electric Bikes (Still)

From the Great White North is another report on that ridiculous sentence for killing a cyclist. Cyclist’s parents rip sentence for driver in hit-run and Driver who hit and killed cyclist Tom Samson sentenced to six months in jail I keep seeing “3 months served on weekends” and I also keep seeing things like 15-22 weekends and they just don’t mesh. By my math 3 months is 46 weekends. Just saying.

I really don’t know how to classify this tidbit from Bermuda. Retro-style bicycles prove a St George’s hit The only comment was a complaint about the bikes blocking the sidewalk outside the store.

More on the ridiculous sentence of a driver assaulting a cyclist with his car. Angry war vet who mowed down and killed cyclist jailed for nearly 5 years Five years for a deliberate murder? TANJ!

Another SMIDSY wreck only this one actually got prosecuted. Man avoids jail after hitting cyclist who came ‘close to being killed’ with his lorry Nothing near enough for the seriousness of the wreck, but better than nothing which is what it would have gotten a few years ago.

More on the situation in Malta. Cyclists and motorists The driver blames all road sins on cyclists, or the fact that cycists exist.

And it’s not your imagination, drivers really do think that all cyclists break the law on a regular basis. What Do Drivers Really Think About Cyclists?

And I’m outta links again.

Billed @$0.02, Opus the Poet

My nation thanks me, and the Feed

I’m in the process of being released from the SPRINT study that recently announced that if you can stand the side effects it’s better to have your systolic pressure under 120 mmHg than 140 mmHg. I was in the <120 mmHg group as were most of the survivors. As I understand it now I'm going back into testing for side effects in new meds or combinations of meds. The sad thing is now I won't get that free autopsy 😉 but the good thing is I didn't need it.

Up first is a hit-and-run in IN. Cyclist killed in hit-and-run crash in Lawrence and Police say suspect in deadly hit-and-run of biker attacked girlfriend before causing two crashes also Driver in stolen car hits, kills cyclist in Lawrence, both identified The driver was at the controls of a stolen vehicle (but this may have been a vehicle he bought not knowing it had been stolen) had just beat his GF, and had two other wrecks during the incident. I thought I read that he was drunk at the time but I couldn’t find that reference after I finished filtering. No way for a human cyclist to avoid this wreck.

An unrepentant drunk driver and crazy guy gets a long prison sentence (but not long enough) for killing a cyclist several years ago (they had to wait for him to be sane enough to aid with his defense before they could try him). Lyons driver sentenced to 8 years in prison for Boulder cyclist’s death and Driver gets 8 years for Boulder cyclist’s death I say the driver should have gotten more for repeat DUI causing death, like taking one last ride in the vehicle on the way to a car shredder, but I have a slight bias after getting hit (and killed) by a drunk driver back in 2001.

MD infrastructure story that goes back to a recent wreck. Friends call for safety after 19-year-old cyclist killed The more I read about this wreck the more I think the person who signed off on this design needs to be in prison. The warning signals for the intersection were not even located at the intersection but rather were located up the hills on either side. And they risked people’s lives with this? Seriously this was just a wreck waiting to happen, the only wonder is how it didn’t kill sooner.

Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: Dockweiler Beach bike path still closed, fund for homeless man who saved bike rider’s life

Also in CA. Cyclist, vehicle collide at Oxnard intersection I don’t think they could have said less with more words unless they really tried, other than the fact that there was a wreck. We don’t even know if there was a driver in the “vehicle” much less anything about the geometry of the collision.

This is why infrastructure should be left to engineers, not politics. EILEEN RODGERS: NORTH AVENUE LANE CHANGE DESERVES VOTE BY ALL She wants to put a road diet up to a vote? Is she crazy, stupid, or a Republican?

The GOP-led WI legislature refuses to raise taxes and fix the roads, but cities and counties are allowed. The Pothole Repair Act So the GOP dominated lege won’t fix things, but the mostly Democratic local bodies have to raise taxes to do things the state should have been doing like fix the roads, and when the time comes the GOP will point at the Dems and call them “Tax And Spend” because of it… I try to not be political but…

Ugh, this was just a Republican infrastructure barf-fest. Vision Zero a bust with the law (commentary) I hope I don’t need to tell you not to read the comments? Good.

GA infrastructure news. Atlanta’s First Chief Bicycle Officer Is Going to Have a Busy Year

Bikeface explains n+1 in woman terms. New Shoes

Justice finally in the Great White North. Jail sentence for hit-and-run driver in cyclist’s death Wait, this is “justice”? Fifteen weekends in jail and having to drive really carefully for 2 years so he doesn’t get caught driving without a license? For killing a person and leaving them to die alone. TANJ!

From Jolly Olde, more on the driver going more than twice the speed limit when he hit and killed a cyclist. 70mph driver who killed cyclist on Commercial Road ‘should be jailed for life’

This is why you should always ride around puddles. Cyclist killed after being thrown into road ‘by a pothole that was filled in days later’ There could be a Canadian Trap Door Alligator in that puddle, or just a square-edged pothole that will break a wheel and cause you to wreck.

Still in Jolly Olde, where is your bike most likely to be stolen? Where are Britain’s railway cycle theft hotspots? We crunch the data

Infrastructure woes as parents turn the school run into a gantlet. Safety fears outside Cambridge school after 12-year-old breaks her leg in collision She’ll be perfectly safe once Mummy puts her in a light armored vehicle instead of letting her walk to school.

I still don’t know what happened, did the guy get hit by a car while working on his bike, or get run over by his own car? Hopes for first cyclist memorial to be put in Cambridge inspired by World Naked Bike Ride organiser

Inattentive cyclist hits car stopped at crosswalk. Cyclist runs into back of car on Tamaki Drive What more can I say except watch where you’re riding?

Last link also from Enn Zed. Car versus cyclist on Hutt Rd Another driverless car hits a cyclist?

And I’m dine and way too tired to do any tagging.

Billed @$0.02, Opus

My neck feels better, and the Feed

I took advantage of the slow season for links and the warm weather to go do a little stocking stuffer shopping and get a massage. The massage tech had to get on top of my back and use her knees on most of my back and upper legs because I had such thick, tight muscles. She was leaning on me with the full force of her arms and not even making a literal dent. That included working “Arthur Dent” on my neck. So I would say I was a little overdue for a trip to the table. She was a skinny little thing though, maybe 40 Kg at most.

Up first, another link to the death in Austin earlier this week. Pickup hits rider; 2nd bicyclist killed in Austin traffic this year They’re still not sure of the direction of travel for the cyclist, and I still can’t find any pictures of the wrecked bike to tell them.

Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: Still more new bikes for good girls and boys, and real Long Beach UPS workers deliver by bike

Another hit-and-run in IN (I still love that pun). Police searching for driver who hit cyclist in South Bend The picture of the wrecked bike wasn’t much help in determining the direction of impact, so I’m going to assume this was a buzz job or punishment pass that went wrong. That’s the mode that best fits the picture of the bike.

In NYC, the next of kin of a person run down by a car on the sidewalk want stiffer charges filed. “It’s Murder”: Family Of Woman Killed By Reckless Driver In Fort Greene Seeks Justice “Marlon Sewell made a conscious decision to get behind the wheel and drive his vehicle without a license. He should be held responsible for any and all consequences that are a result of that action.” Really responsible, not just a ticket with about the same fine as driving without a seatbelt. Seriously, he would have had a stiffer fine for riding a bicycle on the sidewalk without hitting anyone than he’s facing driving a 3 ton SUV and hitting 3 people, leaving one dead, and one seriously injured.

Meanwhile in Portland they are getting going on upgrading their bicycle infrastructure. Advisory group backs bike lane separation on outer Powell, co-chair says The comments section for this article has a much better grasp of the situation than most such.

Better infrastructure in the Great White North. Toronto Showing the Way With Year-Round Cycling Network – Raise the Hammer

Feel-good story from the UK. ‘Cambridge still has my heart’, says charity cyclist Callum Fairhurst on return to UK for Christmas

You don’t have to have known the cyclist to do this. We Dare You: Honor a Fallen Cyclist with a Ghost Bike

And a last-minute gift idea for someone who is both a cyclist and a wine drinker. THE CAMPAGNOLO CORKSCREW GETS A MAKEOVER It’s beautiful, isn’t it? Shame “I don’t drink… wine.” /Boris Karloff

And that’s everything in the Feed for today. I’m just enjoying the relative peace and quiet before the inevitable slew of “kid hit on brand-new bike after X-mas” stories.

Billed @$0.02, Opus

Another rough day on the road, and the Feed

I took advantage of accidentally including the first report for today’s Feed having been used yesterday to go out and make a run through the “mall” with my cell phone to get as many of the high point targets as possible so I get that gift card quicker rather than later. And I stopped at the grocery store to pick up coffee, soda, and I grabbed some Christmas Tree Cakes for stockings.

Up first a cyclist is hit just feet before reaching the relative safety of a bike lane in Austin, a couple days’ ride south of WoaB World HQ in the Beautiful Suburbs of Hell. Man Killed in Crash Between Vehicle and Bicycle on Brodie Lane They didn’t say the victim didn’t have lights, just that they couldn’t verify the cyclist had lights on. Nothing confirmed about the mode but as the initial impact was just off the road on the shoulder and the bike ended up in the grass off to the side I would say there’s a real good chance he got hit from behind, so the usual protocols apply.

Over in NYC they killed another one, but wonder of wonders they actually arrested the driver. MTA Bus Driver Arrested For Killing Pedestrian In Brooklyn Crosswalk You would think that bus drivers would be more careful what with all the forward-facing video cameras recording every move.

Just outside NYC another hit-and-run driver kills another cyclist. Ramapo police ID bicyclist killed in Rt. 202 hit-run The description of the wrecked bike indicates either a right hook or a left or right cross, and the moment the driver left the scene it became his fault.

Over in Portland a demonstration of the biggest problem of bike infrastructure shared with motor vehicles: They tear shit up and it needs to be replaced. Paving project adds gravel, bumps and closures to 50s Bikeway route Again the biggest hurdle is motor vehicles tearing things up and getting in the way.

Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: LA cyclist dies from heart attack, Finish the Ride comes to the Valley, and I talk bikes on Bike Talk

Still in CA. Is a raised bike lane a protected bike lane? Why go through all this expense just to replicate what has been done in the Netherlands?

Victim statement from a trial in the Great White North. Parents, widow describe anguish over death of cyclist Tom Samson The words of the survivors are haunting.

Still in the GWN. Cyclist seriously injured near Grande Prairie At this point they know it was a hit-from-behind, but they haven’t determined why (aside from the fact that the driver was not paying attention to what was on the road in front of him).

Over in Jolly Olde a guy hits and runs against a cyclist. Hit-and-run driver Alexander William Coombes gets suspended prison sentence for A29 accident that left cyclist badly injured and Rustington driver left cyclist seriously injured in hit-and-run crash in Shripney also from Road.cc Speeding motorist who hit cyclist and left him at the side of the road sentenced I’m just going to quote a comment left at the second link: ““he was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months; ordered to complete 140 hours of unpaid work for the community; disqualified from driving for 15 months and required to take an extended re-test.
He was also ordered to pay £6,382 compensation to the victim and costs totalling £3,500.”
So he barely received any punishment for a collision that left someone with serious injuries. Mr Bumble was right: ‘the law is a ass – a idiot’ [sic].”

And on the same island. Man arrested over alleged hit-and-run in Corfe Mullen This article shows why I hate UK media laws, there is nothing in here aside from the fact the wreck happened, not even the names of the victim or the perp.

More on that bizarre package of laws passed in Oz. NSW cyclists face big increases in fines – and will have to carry photo ID

Still in Oz, a cyclist dies in mysterious circumstances. Cyclist found critically injured by Sunshine Coast road dies of his injuries They still don’t think he was hit by another vehicle, though.

It’s official, cyclists need to eat moar choklit. Official: Daily chocolate consumption makes you a better cyclist Curious that they used the exact same dose of dark chocolate as I got in the depression and BP trial. (BTW bitter chocolate works great at fighting depression and reducing blood pressure.)

There’s more to cycling than can be found in your philosophies, to mangle a quote. The Three Worlds of Cycling To answer the debate about working cyclists, I put them in a similar category to commuters trying to get from A to B so they could work, their work is going from A to B. Sometimes by going through points C through Z’ inclusive.

I can honestly say that I have never been in a situation where I could use any of this advice. Crash Course: How to Handle a Car-Bike Collision All of my wrecks have either been hit-and-run, something I could ride away from, or both. and most were from times when I didn’t have a cell phone, much less a cell phone camera.

And I think I’m probably done now.

Billed @$0.02, Opus

Another day another $0.70 after Medicare and SS, and the Feed

For the self-employed even when we don’t make enough money to actually pay taxes, we still have to pay taxes on income specifically the Social Security and Medicare taxes, which come to roughly 30%. Interestingly enough if I made enough money I wouldn’t have to pay any SS or Medicare taxes… But my income is so low that I’m almost off the bottom of the scale for paying it. My income from wages is so low that I’m not actually paying all that much in SS or Medicare, I think maybe $2 or $3 a year, and the rest doesn’t count as “wages”. Kinda like those hedge fund guys that pay a fraction of the income tax and none of the SS and Medicare tax on their incomes because they don’t count it as “wages”. I mean really, the amount quoted in the headline is about how much I make in “wages”.

Up first, a TX man gets so drunk he forgets that he has the perfect weapon and uses a gun instead. Texas man went on deadly shooting spree while drunk driving in Oklahoma, killing two motorists I would say he’s a dumbass, but he would have to gain about a dozen IQ points to get that smart.

Meanwhile in Sin City. Car Mows Down Pedestrians On Las Vegas Strip, Killing 1 And Injuring Dozens and Driver who mowed down crowds on Vegas Strip asked valet to call 911, police say More than 50 injured or killed, and people scoff at me when I call motor vehicles WMD.

The driver that ran down a cyclist in S.F. CA is in court on murder charges. Man accused of murder in Tenderloin car theft collision back in court

Since we are in CA anyway, here’s Our Daily Ted. Morning Links: Hard-hitting real-life safety PSA, and Big Blue Bus leaves bike-riding boy stranded in the rain

Still in CA. On the Mobility Plan and rush hour bus bunching: equity for bus riders? Good transit helps make streets safer for cyclists, too.

Over in KY. Family of Lexington cyclist killed in accident donates bikes to kids

US infrastructure on the Federal level. U.S. Gov’t. May Get More Serious About Cyclist/Pedestrian Deaths in 2016 They still don’t know if the problem is huge, really huge, or enormous, and when they find out they might actually do something about it. Or they could just buy the CROW manual and follow that and everything would be wonderful.

Low information article about a bike wreck in the Great White North. Cyclist struck, injured at Dufferin and Davenport The headline contains most of the actual news in the article, which is kinda sad, really.

Three years, and they still haven’t reached sentencing yet? Man in 2012 hit-and-run that killed cyclist could face year in jail The really annoying thing is the maximum sentence is still less than half the time the cyclist has already been dead. He died more than 3 years ago, the maximum sentence is 18 months, which he won’t even start serving until next year.

More on the insane suggestion that cyclists should be charged congestion fees when there are too many cars for the roads. ‘Cyclists should be considered for a Cambridge congestion charge’, says highways boss Since you can move 8 people on bicycles in the same space as one in a car, if there is a congestion charge for bicycles it should be ¹/₈ as much as for a motor vehicle, or since bicycles are smaller than motorcycles charge what they would charge the motorcycle, which was nothing. And that right there shows the hypocrisy of charging bicycles for congestion. It has been suggested the “expert” who said bicycles should also pay congestion charges was Keith Peat, noted anti-cycle motorist.

Meanwhile in Oz, they are almost s insane but they carried through. Cyclists in NSW can now be hit with massive fines and have to carry photo ID and NSW cycling laws: metre passing laws a win, but others are bewildering I’m trying to figure out why “raising of the fine for riding without a helmet from $71 to $319 – an increase of 350 per cent” is a good idea while the fine for failure to wear a seat belt remains the same… What is it about the Aussies and their weird compulsions about bicycle helmets?

And that’s all I got today.

Billed @$0.02, Opus