“There's really nothing now that requires them (cyclists) to yield or move over. … This bill gives them full access to the road.”
That's an interesting reaction to passage of Colorado's bicycle safety bill from the county sheriff who oversees Boulder, a platinum-level Bicycle Friendly Community …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/04/29/quote-bicycle-fear-and-loathing-from-boulder-sheriff/
It's an encouraging sign that bicycle fatalities across the U.S. dropped for a second straight year in 2007 to 698 deaths, representing a 9.5% decrease from the previous year.
Of course, one fatality is too many.
Could it be that bicyclists and motorists are becoming more aware of each other and willing to share the road? We can only hope.
The annual report on bicycle fatalities from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration runs a few months behind, so we'll have to wait to learn if bicycle fatalities continued to drop in 2008 …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/04/28/bicycle-fatalities-dropped-in-2007-10-states-with-the-most-and-least/
National Bike Month is coming up in May, and you might be trying to convince some coworkers to join your bike commuting efforts for Bike-to-Work Week May 11-15.
The League of American Bicyclists refutes 10 common arguments for not commuting to work by bicycle in its manual for bike-to-work organizers. I've reprinted them below.
Also, “On Men” blogger Adam Voiland at US News & World Report reports the six most common excuses he hears for not commuting by bicycle, from “it's too dangerous” to “it will make me impotent.” A longtime bike commuter, he shoots them down one at a time.
Here's the League's list of Bike Month and Bike-to-Work week events — ….
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/04/23/mythbusting-10-common-excuses-youll-hear-during-bike-to-work-week/
Bicycling is changing the look and feel of cities, small towns and suburbs across the U.S., asserts Jeff Mapes in his new book, “Pedaling Revolution: How Cyclists are Changing American Cities.”
Mapes should know. He's a reporter at the Portland Oregonian newspaper and has watched the rise of the bicycle culture in that city. He's experienced much of it firsthand as a bike commuter.
According to reviews and publicity (I haven't read the book yet), Mapes writes about big cities, college towns and Portland to show how cyclists are taking to the streets. He looks at the history of bicycle advocacy and reports on the many styles of people — congressmen, bike messengers, spandex-clad recreational riders — who are behind it.
In the introduction, Mapes writes …..
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/04/19/book-reports-on-rising-popularity-of-bicycling-today/
What's the best way to celebrate Earth Day on Wednesday, April 22? Ride your bicycle, of course.
I don't mean to carry it by car to the local bike path or Earth Day parade and go for a ride. I mean use your bicycle for transportation to get to work, run errands, or visit a friend.
Using a bicycle reduces the burning of fossil fuels that create greenhouse gases, which are responsible for climate change. End of sermon.
There are many Earth Day events being held this weekend and next weekend across the US. …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/04/18/bicycling-and-earth-day-events/
The thought of an inebriated bicyclist weaving down the road conjures up a funny picture, but statistics show that drunken bicycling is no laughing matter.
A recent New York Times blog report says a New York City study found over a 10-year-period that 21% of bicyclists killed in traffic crashes had alcohol in their bloodstream.
Data in a National Highway Transportation Safety Administration report is even more sobering: In 2007, nearly one-fourth of cyclists killed in traffic crashes had a blood alcohol content of .08% or higher.
If you're behind the wheel of a car, a .08 blood alcohol level will earn you a drunken driving charge in all 50 states. …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/04/14/drinking-and-bicycling-is-no-laughing-matter/
Eugene might be called Track City because of its history with running events at the University of Oregon, but what caught my eye on a recent visit were the thousands of bicycles.
I've been on a whirlwind tour of some Northwest colleges lately with my high school senior son, and my unofficial observations found the University of Oregon to be the most bike-centric of any campus.
It stands to reason: Eugene has been judged a silver level bicycle-friendly community by the League of American Bicyclists …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/04/12/a-visit-to-bicycle-centric-university-of-oregon/
The Cascade Bicycle Club in Seattle is encouraging everyone to get involved in the annual “Jurassic Petroleum Drive to Work Day” on Wednesday.
That's right, it's time for bicycle commuters, bus passengers, pedestrians and even car-poolers to jump into their individual cars and experience the love of crawling along to work on a congested four-lane superhighway, spewing carbon emissions as they go.
If you look at the calendar, you'll realize that Wednesday is April Fool's Day, so I doubt if the announcement at the Great City blog or Cascade's Twitter is being made in all seriousness. But there is a serious point to be made.
Imagine the congestion on our roads …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/03/31/celebrate-drive-to-work-day-on-wednesday/
New Belgium Brewery's rollicking Tour de Fat bicycle festival hits the road again to 11 western cities this summer and fall.
The traveling circus-style event hosted by the Fort Collins, Colorado-based brewery preaches sustainability in its message to participants. That message is flavored with a healthy dose of suds.
This year, the festival starts by visiting Chicago, followed by Minneapolis, Seattle, Portland, Boise, Fort Collins, Denver, San Francisco, San Diego, Tempe and Austin (dates below).
Truckee, California, and Durango, Colorado, were dropped from last year's tour; Minneapolis and San Diego have been added …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/03/29/tour-de-fat-hits-the-road-in-2009/
The driver of a truck that sideswiped and killed Chattanooga bike framebuilder and cycling advocate David Meek earlier this month may avoid prosecution.
A grand jury decided not to return an indictment against the truck driver, and police earlier did not cite him — not even for a possible violation of the state's 3-foot passing law. The grand jury based its decision on crash investigator's conclusion, reported in the Chattanoogan newspaper:
“… the truck driver 'could have seen the bike, but it is not likely that he should have seen the bike.' “
What kind of tortured logic is this?
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2009/03/27/no-charges-in-death-of-bicycle-framebuilder-in-chattanooga/
Adventure Cycling Association Trail biking Rails to Trails Conservancy League of American Bicyclists
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