1. Since I live on Capitol Hill, biking to baseball games is a breeze. It's the only way to go really. Parking is free, and right next to the door. And bike lanes on East Capitol make for an easy escape. So I'm curious to see what kind of bike parking goes in at the new stadium - where parking is likely to be more expensive and Metro will have less service.
the District hopes to “nudge people towards Metro in coming years and to incorporate pedestrian, bicycle, taxi and eventually even boats to broaden the possible entry points,” said Vince Morris, Mayor Anthony Williams’ spokesman.
Of course from what I've seen of the Lerner Group, it's more likely that parking will look like this
than this.
2. WABA is currently seeking a fulltime staff person for the position of Safety Education Program Coordinator. This position is open until filled, but applications received by August 15th 2006, will take priority.
3. Go Clipless reported that white van drivers buzz past cyclists on the road an average of four and a half inches closer than do other drivers. And he has the evidence to prove it.
“Why white van drivers overtake closer is not clear; it could be a range of things, from social or personality factors, to the length and width of the vans, or even the stereotypical machismo of white van man."
4. Several months ago, Eric Gilliland of WABA was on the Kojo Ndamdi Show to talk about cycling. I didn't realize WABA thinks of the WB&A trail as outside of their service area. It's a great trail and building the bridge across the Patuxent should be a top local priority.
5. As part of their tour coverage (Floyd Landis won by the way, but Thor won the final stage) the AP ran a "blog." One report was about the difference between cycling culture in the US and in Europe.
On a visit home last month, I.. took a spin...in downtown Rome, Ga., where I was at times greeted by honking pickup trucks and quizzical gazes of passers-by. I battled shoulders of gravelly five-lane roads just to ride to buy a newspaper (my mother would disapprove, no doubt). In Rome, it seems nobody rides a bike - aside from kids.
One American competitor on the Tour - Christian Vandevelde of Team CSC - says he thinks that cycling culture is changing at home, and hopes U.S. attitudes toward biking will evolve more.
"I mean, I get run off the road just as many times in Spain as I do in Boulder," he says, before catching himself with a laugh, "OK, that's a lie..."
6. It sounds like the pedicabs aren't making the kind of money the owners expected. They need to run them for more hours/day. And why aren't they moving people around the mall more?
Although the owners have been pleased with their budding company's success since its launch, it wasn't without snags. The bikes had some mechanical troubles at first, and rain washed out several of their opening nights. Also, taxicab drivers objected to a sign on the back of the pedicabs advertising "taxi rides." So the owners struck out "taxi" and replaced it with "bike!"
"We probably had some unrealistic expectations," said Guthrie, 31, of Rosslyn. "We thought the money would just come pouring in."
Nonetheless, I still believe these will be a success.
7. Bicycle sales continue to increase.
"We've been growing each year, but it's been pretty phenomenal this month," said Chris Davidson, manager of Capitol Hill Bikes at 709 Eighth St. SE. Mr. Davidson said sales have been 50 percent higher than the average each month. One recent weekend, the bike store sold 40 bikes, double the average of 20. "That's pretty big," he said.
In recent years, road-bike sales were linked to Lance Armstrong's success in the Tour de France, which is held every July. Even though Mr. Armstrong has retired, sales are increasing because consumers still see much coverage of the race.
"Baby boomers, who were at the park running, are now looking for something less exacting on their bodies."
Retailers also say more people are commuting to work on a bike, as studies suggest. In a 2002 one-day study, Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments officials tallied 2,024 bikers heading into the District during rush hour. In 1999, they counted 1,379 persons bike-riding into the District. They are conducting the same study this summer, but results won't be released until next year, said Michael Farrell, a transportation planner for the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments.
According to Fred Clements, executive director of the National Bike Dealers Association, bicycle sales are increasing nationwide, partly because of better biking facilities across the country. About 20 million bicycles were sold last year in the United States, compared with about 18.3 million in 2004.
8. CSX vexes other areas too. Though, whether they're in the wrong is debatable.
Balking at a price that's nearly eight times more than they had offered, Memphis and Shelby County officials have dropped their efforts to buy an abandoned railroad corridor for use as a recreational trail system and possible light rail conduit.
When they began talks with the railroad, local officials said they believed the price would be less than $2 million. Herenton and Wharton signed a letter of intent to buy the acreage.
But a CSX appraisal of the property last year set its value at $17.8 million. The local governments hired their own appraiser to counter that, but A.E. Balkin & Associates this spring arrived at a sum that's not much lower -- $15.7 million.
9. There's a new folding bike on the market. Industry Designer Ben Wilson demonstrates a folding bicycle A-bike, designed by Sir Clive Sinclair, at the launch of the bicycle outside the Design Museum in London, Wednesday, July 12, 2006, with the Tower Bridge in the background.
10. Tough, lucky kid survives crash with bus.
an 11-year-old boy was riding his bike when he was hit by the bus just after 4 p.m. He was dragged for about 20 feet and pinned under the bus for about 15 minutes, authorities said.
The boy was taken to Children's Hospital with minor injuries, authorities said. He was later released with only minor bruises and no broken bones.
It's pretty amazing that he survived such a crash. Maybe he'll grow up to be a star quarterback.
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