Bob Mionske gives legal advice for cyclists (from 2008) about what to do if you've been in an accident. He talks about contributory negligence and notes that some juries are sensitive to the fact that finding a cyclist 1% to blame for an accident will bar them from any recovery [That may help cyclists who are very little to blame, but what of a cyclist who is 30% to blame?]. He also says DC, Maryland and Virginia are great places to ride. He talks about product warnings; about the prejudice against cyclists by motorists that means you might be better off, in a lawsuit, if you were wearing a helmet; about Kansas' four foot passing law and about the future of advocacy.
A week after the snow ended, the Custis Trail is still not cleared. [More on this coming]
Silver Spring Trails has more on the advocacy push for more balanced transportation cuts in Montgomery County.
The County Council T&E Committee is tentatively scheduled to take up the bikeways portion of the proposed FY11-16 CIP budget on their March 2 work session. What the T&E Committee recommends to the full Council will have a big impact on whether the County will “walk the walk” on supporting better bicycling and walking options in our communities, or instead will continue to mostly just talk.
DC's first LEED Gold registered fitness center inside an office.
Another green bonus: Tenants tell us more people will bike to work now that they have access to showers
We're all hypocrites
A total 76 percent say it is important to walk or bike instead of drive, but only 15 percent often or always do.
Photo by M.V. Jantzen
Cycling advocates from Mont. Co. are working with WABA to release an action alert to get a big email and letter response to the Council T&E Committee before their bikeways program work session on March 2. WABA will be sending it out early next week.
Posted by: Wayne Phyillaier | February 20, 2010 at 07:53 AM
I was all over ddotdc about the MBT this week (via twitter, ha ha). They replied a couple of times to me, saying they were looking into the status of it before finally admitting they had no plans to clear that either. (I don't know if you can link direct messages, so here's a screenshot
meanwhile, despite all the MD poo- pooing, they have totally cleared their portion of the trail.
It is so frustrating to sit on the red line and see all that virgin snow. If they could run a bobcat down the 15th street lane, why can't they do it there too? arg...
Posted by: JTS | February 20, 2010 at 09:47 AM
Don't be so quick to give Montgomery County and MCDOT so much credit for clearing their part of the MetBranch.
The approx. 0.3 mile section of the MetBranch immediately north of the D.C. Line is in the Town of Takoma Park, and would have been cleared by the Town.
The other 0.3 mile section of the MetBranch immediately north of the Town of Takoma Park is on the campus of Takoma College, and would have been cleared as part of the college sidewalk clearing operations.
I'm not aware of any sidepaths or trails that are the responsibility of MCDOT to clear having been cleared. The Georgetown Branch Trail is untouched. What is the status of the Bethesda Trolley Trail, the sidepath along Great Seneca Highway, the sidepath along MD 28 in front of MCDOT headquarters, others?
Posted by: Wayne Phyillaier | February 20, 2010 at 10:07 AM
Kansas has a four-foot passing law? That gives me an idea. Maybe next year in Virginia, we could push for a four-foot passing law. Explain that four feet is the new standard, that although we were asking for three before, even three really isn't enough. When the VA house balks at the idea, say "fine, but at least give us a measly three feet." Good negotiating strategy... maybe?
Posted by: Scott F | February 20, 2010 at 11:48 AM
BTW, it sounds like 39% of us (15% do bike/walk often, 24% don't advocate it) are not hypocrites.
Posted by: Scott F | February 20, 2010 at 11:50 AM
@Wayne
Good info. Thanks. Still a disappointment about DDOT though.
Posted by: JTS | February 20, 2010 at 12:17 PM
Regarding clearing trails, does anyone know what they do in places that get a lot of snow that tends to stay for a long time. e.g. Upper midwest, Rockies, Canada, etc. Do they just spread sand/grit?
Posted by: SJE | February 20, 2010 at 03:07 PM
Anyone notice that the snow behind the bike has a yellow patch? Sorry, that's the first thing I saw in the picture.
Posted by: Michael H. | February 20, 2010 at 03:55 PM