Friday Morning Commute - Heart like a wheel

Happy equinox

• The Assault of Bicyclists Prevention Act of 2011 was introduced on Tuesday. And you can help get it passed by following the link and reporting any personal assault experiences.
• Could the Capital Bikeshare expansion be paid for with advertising revenue? "Chris Holben, the program's project manager for DDOT, said Capital Bikeshare is currently looking into ways to change how operating costs are met. One solution: A systemwide sponsorship "similar to the naming rights of a stadium." It might, Holben said....While the idea has yet to be formally proposed and no company has been approached, Holben said, "it could be [the company's] name on every bike, the website, the color scheme of the brand." That means the bikes' iconic red color might be abandoned."
• Also, a Bikeshare station tech helps to rescue someone's stolen bike. Has a zipcar employee ever recovered your stolen car?
• The 50 States Ride is tomorrow. I will not be going, but I will yell at you as you ride by my house.
• Bike to school day is October 5th.
• The women's heart health foundation and Vida Fitness are sponsoring an indoor bike riding event, Bike for the Heart, on October 15th.
• NPR's Brian Naylor rides around DC with Andy Clarke to discuss the federal Transportation Enhancement program. And they also did a related story on Complete Streets. 
• What if DC were really car-free for a day?
• "In 1897, it was another sport that drew crowds: bicycle racing. There were racing teams and leagues in big cities. The bicycle enthusiasts in Frederick, with such a fine facility as Athletic Park, decided to hold three days of racing at the park."
• Portland is starting to see "bicycle-oriented development."
• Biking is up in most cities, but not in the southeast or southwest. When I was in Vegas, it really did not look bike friendly (but we didn't leave the strip). 
• Not many numbers in this alarming story about how expensive rebalancing is in Montreal.
• I too prefer panniers to a messenger bag and enjoy a good kickstand, but regular readers know that I think bells are less than necessary. If I really need to warn you, I'll yell.

Comments

[Crickey7]

Did I miss something? Was today National Newb-free Day? I saw a grand total of 2 people this morning riding in on the CCT. Usually it's the first rainy day in November that weeds them out.

[Arl Rider]

"Has a zipcar employee ever recovered your stolen car?"

Funny you should ask: not quite Zipcar, but an Avis employee rescued my cousin from a carjacking.

[Michael H.]

The Bike for the Heart event in 2009 was great, one of the best events I've ever participated in. I was disappointed to see that they didn't continue on with a 2010 event.

I'm underwhelmed by this indoor spin session. I hope they decide to stage another outdoor event in 2012. Bike for the Heart was much more accessible than the current Eunice Kennedy Shriver event in the fall. (EKS has some seriously high minimums for fundraising. That shuts it out to most people except for those who have many wealthy friends or who want to spend the majority of their free time on fundraising.)

[Matt]

I hope CaBi can hook up a sponsorship deal. In London (where they use the same system as DC, Montreal, etc.) name sponsor Barclay's agreed to an extra £25m (!) contribution to extend the system out past Hyde Park.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/jul/28/london-cycle-hire-scheme-expand-west

Has anyone approached, for example, Wells Fargo? They just did this big rebranding from the old Wachovia, and they are miles behind BoA and Capitol One in brand recognition. (Plus red is their color.) Or maybe Herndon-based Volkswagen of America; I think the intermittently-outdoorsy are their target demographic.

[will]

On Las Vegas and the Southwest, the strip is terrible for cycling, but if you look below the ped overpasses and other out of the way places, you'll see a bunch of parked wal-mart bikes belonging to the guys handing out smut flyers to passers by. The main bike routes in Las Vegas and most of the Southwest follow the drainage system of natural arroyos. They are dry most of the year, and generally have paths near or in the flood plain. They work well for recreation, but not so much for transportation.

@Michael H., I second your enthusiasm for the 2009 bike for the heart, and agree that an indoor event just isn't going to cut it. 2009 was a great family friendly ride. Spinning on a trainer isn't going to be at all interesting for families.