1. Operation Lifesaver has good advice for cyclists:
In the wake of the controversy surrounding bicyclists who cycled around railroad crossing gates to cross in front of a train during the Paris- Roubaix cycling race, Operation Lifesaver (OL), urges bicyclists to ride safely when at railroad crossings or near train tracks
-- Bicycle wheels can get caught in rails. To minimize catching wheels in the rails, always try to cross at a 90 degree angle to the tracks, and if your approach is at less than a 45 degree angle, dismount and walk your bike across.
-- You should not rely on your own senses to second-guess warning signals. It is a misconception to believe track vibration or train noise will warn of a train's approach. And beware -- one train may have passed but another could be behind it, or coming from the opposite direction on the next track.
-- You can't accurately gauge the speed of a moving train. An optical illusion makes trains appear to be farther away and slower-moving than they are.
-- Trains are wider than their tracks. To ensure safety and to ensure that you are not struck by anything hanging from the train (or dragged by anything hanging from you), keep yourself and your bike at least 15 feet from the tracks and behind any gates or "stop lines" marked on the pavement.
-- It is not only dangerous, it is illegal in the United States to go around railroad crossing arms, whether on foot, in a car, or on a bicycle. It is also dangerous and illegal to bicycle on railroad tracks and on most gravel or green space beside railroad tracks.
2. Great letter about Metro Parking, but I really do believe this is going to get better.
I had navigated rush-hour traffic and reached the Vienna Metro station at 8 a.m., confident that I'd find parking. Not so: In the small space allotted, every spot was taken. The parking facility provided was old, and apparently some people had abandoned their vehicles. I parked in an unapproved, probably illegal spot and hoped for the best.
The twist? I'm describing the rusty bicycle racks on the south side of the Vienna station.
BTW, if you ever see a group of 4ft x 7ft x 3ft boxes near a metro entrance, those are bike lockers and you can rent them for $70 a year, as available.
3. Chain Reaction Bike Shop reopened June 1st at their new location at 1416 North Capitol Street NW (between O and P). They're asking for volunteers to complete work on the new shop.
4. The President goes biking with his new ambassador to Sweden, who promptly broke his collarbone. Boy, that has got to look bad in front of your boss.
5. Here's a disturbingly effective German ad for wearing your bicycle helmet. "Be careful when transporting fragile goods."
6. This sounds crazy, but few things can make one insane with rage like having a bike stolen (or the more perplexing front wheel theft). It's enough to turn anyone into a vigilante.
Chevy Chase resident Evan McAnney ran across an article about a man who installed a tiny radio transmitter into a bicycle and then, with the help of police, left it unattended and unlocked in order to entice a thief.
It sounded like a worthy strategy to McAnney, who's had five bicycles stolen in three years of living in the District. “I will never be able to afford a car. A bike is my only personal means of transport, and an important element in maintaining morale,”
7. The Gazette covered the Ride of Silence in Frederick.
According to the Frederick Police Department 2005 Accident Analysis, Frederick city saw 13 bicycle accidents last year. In 10 of the 13 accidents, the bicyclists were at fault for not following traffic signs and signals, said Lt. Kevin Grubb.
8. Taipei, Amsterdam of the east?
Taiwan is planning to construct 2,600km of bicycle lanes by 2011 to help promote the use of bicycles rather than motor vehicles.
9. B.I.K.E at Silverdocs Saturday Night at 10:15. Who wants to go and report on it? I'll be out of town.
The New York City chapter of Black Label Bicycle Club is a surly but lovable crew of punks, artists and activists. Fighting capitalism, dumpster-diving, sitting drunkenly atop six-foot bicycles with big sticks-these are high-intensity guys (and occasionally gals) that drink hard and playfully joust each other and rival gangs, but still hug and cook each other vegan food.
10. Oh no he didn't!
Mark Rabinowitz notes many environmental groups were fooled into focusing on proposed bike paths to accompany these highways while ignoring the majority of the funding was going for the roads. A Washington, D.C.-area bicycle group, for example, is urging its members to demand inclusion of a bicycle path with the $3 billion Inter County Connector superhighway in Maryland. This flies in the face of other environmental groups there who have spent years fighting this highly destructive project.
Them's fighting words. I'd like to point out that WABA is technically not an environmental group (though biking has environmental benefits) and that trying to stop a project that is unstoppable is not always the best policy. Sometimes you have to take what you can get. There's nothing wrong with saying, "You shouldn't build this, but if you do, you should do it right."
11. There's a WABA gear swap this Saturday, so stop by before going to the film festival (Seriously, if you go, I'll post your review of the movie).
9am-2pm, Parking lot behind the Bicycle Place at 8313 Grubb Road in Silver Spring, MD. Have breakfast, coffee or lunch at Parkway Delicatessen or Red Dog Café and talk shop with some of the most knowledgeable cyclists in the Washington region.
12. Baltimore almost ready to formally present its Eastern Baltimore County Pedestrian and Bicycle Access Plan.
The Planning Department hopes to formally present its 68-page proposal to the Baltimore County Council in the fall for a vote, making the document officially part of the county’s master plan for development. The plan addresses hundreds of specific problems, large and small, that community activists and the Planning Department have identified as hindrances to increasing pedestrian and bicycle activity.
13. Finally, DCist followed around a bike messenger all day.
I soon begin to marvel at the subtle efficiency employed by Ian and other messengers. Locks, phones, and radios are all attached to a shoulder strap for easy access while playing in traffic. Keys are worn around the wrist, identification badges are clipped in visible holsters -- nearly everything has a specific place. I begin to wonder how much of an idiot I look like, fumbling around in my shoulder bag for my keys and ID. I finally resolve to keep my lock on my belt instead of in my bag
parkway deli is a family favorite
in the winter we eat the matso ball soup as much as we can factor in
yes
the ICC need to have a bike path along side of it
city planners can not see past their steering wheel
that photo of the egg cracked skull....
helmets... a no brainer
I thought you were talking about legal prostitution when you mentioned amsterdam and taepai
as far as bicycle and car interaction...
there has to be an issue of contributory neglect
if a car is exceeding the speed limit by one mile per hour
they are breaking the law with the same level of modification as a cyclist rolling through a stop sign
I was in a motorcycle accident a million years ago
the car was 100 percent at fault
there was a judge who felt that I was at fault for not having enough wheels
that my being on a two wheel vehicle caused my injury
as my arm would not have broken had i been in a car
(I am simplifying that story)
Posted by: gwadzilla | June 13, 2006 at 05:43 PM
Rabinowitz is kind of nutty and your reply was right on. I've been accused of working against environmental groups myself for supporting the ICC trail. Some points:
1. As you said, the project is almost a done deal. Someone needs to help shape it.
2. Bike groups remained decidedly neutral on the ICC itself. We also remained neutral on abortion, the Iraq War, immigration...
3. All roads should be built with bikes in mind, even roads we don't like (which for environmental groups is all roads, as far as I can tell)
4. Many groups who are fighting the ICC, including the Sierra Club, also fight bike paths not next to roads. They're still trying to kill the Matthew Henson trail and in 2002 tried to ban all path construction in Montgomery County stream valleys. One SC leader said the ICC path isn't needed because bike accommodations aren't important outside of the city and inner suburbs. At one anti-ICC rally a big parking lot was full with cars driven by opponents. I'm not convinced they really care about non-polluting transportation.
Posted by: gecko | June 17, 2006 at 02:14 PM