Blogger's Forum - Biking it and Liking It

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/shopping_blog/2009/09/sram-bike-chain-recall.html

I have started a bicycle club,

The Glen Cove Bicycle Club (Long Island , New York).

Please visit our home page:

http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/GlenCoveBicycleClub/

You know, every time one of these road-ragers makes a comment against the bicycle lanes, he or she is actually proving that the bicycle lanes ARE needed.
Example: " I still drive with the flow of traffic on them. Which is usually 55 MPH at night ..."
That comment just makes the argument for bike lanes even stronger.

But what I want to say is that most bicyclists, ninety nine percent, have a car too, so they pay just as much taxes as everyone else.

I ride a bicycle , but I drive a car too. I wear a reflective vest when I ride because I know what's visible to me when I drive.

There is no law requiring a bicycle to be equipped with a rear-view mirror. If there was such a law, it would be shot-down on account many cyclists have a small mirror attached to their helmet or glasses. But I strongly recommend that every bicyclist get a rear-view mirror. When you see that the driver of the car behind you has his or her head turned and isn't looking, get out of the way!

2. Cycling should be taught in school. as part of the Physical Education class. Not only would the kids learn the rules of the road early, but they could build bikes in the Industrial Arts class, and learn how to weld, use a hacksaw, and turn a wrench. The health benefits would be worth it alone.

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?Category=pluckcomments&key=20090914.desmoinesregister.D2909140310.article.NEWS&s=d&page=1#pluckcomments

I wonder if this accident occurred before dawn, and darkness was a factor? Did the bike have lights?

As for those of you who say cycling is dangerous and we should quit, I say "phooey".
There can always be safety improvements. The road could be widened for one, the speed limit could be lowered, or maybe the existing speed limit could be enforced.

Maybe every car, truck and bike will be equipped with an enhanced GPS device twelve years from now- an alarm will sound whenever another vehicle comes within half a mile.

Maybe more vehicles will be equipped with video recorders. Video evidence can be used in court, and bad drivers could be removed from the roads.

Safety * Improvements * have to be considered, for the future, as technology becomes more advanced and more available and affordable.

(As for the car with six airbags, I call it a "Rubber-Room-on-Wheels".)

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/144352

Mr. Patterson was struck from behind. They say that being struck from behind is not how most fatal bicycle accidents happen, but it was this time.
Yes, I can ride a bicycle and look ahead, and look left and right, but I don't have eyes in the back of my head. So I bought a rear-view mirror. Now, it's not mandatory for a bicycle to have a rear-view mirror, but no one can sneak up behind me anymore.
The fact is, motorists are supposed to watch where they are going.
I hope the Judge gives the driver the maximum. It would be a waste of taxpayers money to paint the bike lanes if vehicular homicide laws are not enforced. I don't think it would fill up the prison system either, because other motorists will think about the jail-time, before driving in the bike lane. It won't be a joke anymore.
My condolences to Mr.Patterson's family.

http://www.columbian.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090917/NEWS02/709179947/No%20safety%20issue%20with%20bicycle%20lane%20at%20accident%20scene%20%20city%20says

Note: The swirly says Processing Comment, but the computer must be stalled, nothing is happening. I tried two computers at different locations, and it's stalled.

Note: I have been watching Youtube a lot lately, so I haven't visited bikeforums everyday. Besides being a cyclist/custom bike builder, I am also a railfan. I have a special fondness for shortline railroads, and have been viewing them a lot on Youtube lately. My theory is that if more people rode trains and bikes, there would be a lot less cars on the roads.

Bikes are not as old-fashioned as you people think. Bicycles are made of welded steel, and are a product of the Industrial Age. A bicycle can enable a person to travel four times further than he or she could walk. This is due to the drive-train, which gears-up the input, whereby one turn of the pedals moves the bike forward by four or five paces, and the wheels, which allow conservation of momentum. Cargo bikes can haul hundreds of pounds of goods or material without putting a strain on the cyclist.
And the previous poster , minithirty, is wrong. In China today, Electric Assist Bicycles are outselling cars by a wide margin.
Worldwide, only about 10 percent of people have a car, 25 percent of have a bicycle. So most people are *walking*- You are lucky if you have a bicycle.
In the U.S., most cyclists have a car! We are so rich in this Country, that instead of choosing between a bike or a car, we can have BOTH!

http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2009/10/small_companies_spurn_gas_pump.html

"Bike Lanes" are a conundrum. If we build bike lanes on a rural (country) road, it's because the cars go faster. But on Urban (city) streets, the cars are gridlocked, or in traffic jams, and the bicycles go faster.
Uphill, bikes may be slow, but downhill. a bicycle can reach the speed limit.
Road shoulders and sidewalks (or the lack thereof) are the real issue.

How about a Law (signs) saying: "DO NOT DRIVE IN THE GUTTER WHEN BICYCLES ARE PRESENT" ?

PS-Texting while driving has become a greater menace than drinking while driving.

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami-dade/story/1264268.html

Bicyclists have got to do their part-Reflective Vests, Rear View Mirror, Lights, Helmets, etc...
But the burden of responsibility lies with the motorists. Maybe, if the motorist can't see a bike 250 feet ahead, he needs to have his vision checked by an optician. Some people have to wear glasses to drive.
The motorists have to learn a few things about bicycles too. Lot's of motorists are unfamiliar with bikes. Can you remember what it was like riding a bike, when you were a child? Did you know most cyclists also have a car? Is a car a status symbol to you? I pity you if you have to choose between a car OR a bike; Most people have both, cars AND bikes. Don't be haughty with the cyclists, you'll show a lack of class if you let on that you can't afford a bike. The cyclists will take umbrage if you treat them like second-class citizens.
Bicycle in motion tends to stay in motion, thanks to very efficient wheels, a bike rolls easier than your car. Bike a complete stop takes a little time to get going again, especially if the cyclist had to stop short and didn't have time to downshift, and then a bike has to be going at least six miles per hour before the balance is steady. Be careful not to crush anyone to death with your car.
Engineers are working on a two-way GPS system that will alert bike riders and motorists about other vehicles in their vicinity.

http://www.boston.com/sports/other_sports/cycling/articles/2009/10/11/memorial_ghost_bicycle_appears_at_longwood_fatal_accident_scene/?comments=all

If you will review the Executive Order #12988, signed by George W. Bush in August 2001, you will see that the Federal Law is specifically worded to make Electric Bicycles legal, and classified as bicycles; and shall over-ride any State or Local laws to the contrary.
We haven't seen one word, not one peep, from anyone claiming this is a violation of States Rights.
Indeed, this Law was put into effect specifically to bring to United States into conformance with the Kyoto Protocol. Electric Bikes are averaged into the total fuel economy statistics, which raises the overall fuel economy of all the vehicles in the United States.
Example, if you buy an SUV which gets 15 Miles per Gallon, and your next-door neighbor buys an Electric Bike, then the *average* fuel economy between you two is 30MPG.
If it weren't for the E-Bike, your SUV would have to be banned outright, overnight.

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/20/despite-ban-electric-bikes-gain-favor-on-city-streets/#comment-549367

About half an hour ago, there was an interview with David Byrne, author of "Bicycle Diaries", on the local NPR radio station, WNYC, 820, here in New York.

I missed the start, but I went to the site and found the archives:

http://blogs.wnyc.org/lehrer/2009/09/21/30-issues-in-30-days-the-schedule/

It would be the show for October 22nd, although the interview is not in the archive right now, it can be expected within a few hours. ( I suppose they are preparing the audio file for uploading right now).

http://www.wnyc.org/shows/bl/episodes/2009/10/22/segments/142951

This is the Bicycle segment of the show, but it does NOT have the interview with David Byrne.

(At the last twenty seconds, the "upcoming" David Byrne interview is mentioned).

The Bicycle is a marvelous invention, it enables people to travel 4 or 5 times further in a day than they could walk. And just with the legs they would otherwise be walking with, no motor required. Theoreticaly, our nation could save milions of barrels of oil if more people bicycled.
There is no excuse for motorists to be harassing bicyclists.
Bicycling can be a sport or a form of transportation. If one rides for sport, they might assume they will be safe from being hit (from behind) if they are doing the speed limit. But the speeders go twenty over the limit!
Sure , you see a few angry young men riding bicycles. Most of the women, children and old people are too scared to ride a bicycle, on account of the maniac car drivers.
Motorists need to obey speed limits. I drive a car (in addition to bicycling) and when I see a bicycle ahead, I slow down to the speed limit. You can see a bicycle 250 feet ahead of you, you have plenty of time to slow down.

I have to say that the motorists need to be reminded that bicyclists have the right to use the streets (except for limited access roads, like Interstates).
How does a motorist even get such a notion? Most complaints from cyclists result from aggravated harassment by motorists.
Sweep the roads, fill the potholes, cut back roadside vegetation. I'll ride my bicycle on the road shoulder, if the road has one.

There is a dichotomy between types of bicyclists. A bicyclist can ride slow, knowing that the bicycle enables one to cover four or five times the distance that one could otherwise walk. Or the cyclist can ride fast, knowing the bicycle can go a lot faster than anyone who runs, and even keep up with the posted speed limit.
The fast cyclist pays lots of money for the best, lightweight bicycle parts. He or she might even buy a recumbent bike (most of which are made in America).
The slower bicyclists need bicycle lanes. ( You can't have a fast lane without a slow lane.) It might be better to ride a bike slow, because if you ride fast, you will have drivers accusing you of "holding up traffic", even if you are doing the speed limit. Streamlined bicycles (those with a fiberglass, carbon fiber or Kevlar body shell, also known as velomobiles) can go in excess of 55 MPH. So the bicycle lane has to be engineered for bicycles that travel at or above the speed limit.
I don't mind trucks temporarily parked in a bike lane downtown to make deliveries. Those deliveries are always at a certain time of day, and therefore predictable.
It is necessary to build bike lanes, but keep in mind that they must be built to allow bikes that are only doing slightly less than the speed of traffic. And the speed of traffic can be a lot higher than the posted speed limit. That means straight, with wide curves cleared of vegetation for line-of-sight.
I will say this: When I ride my bicycle, it's only one motorist out of ten-thousand who careens into my path. So would it cost less to society to build bike lanes, or to revoke the license of the one-in-ten thousand motorists?
I have not had any encounter with a road rager since shortly after I returned from Military Service, the first Gulf War, in 1993.
My 2 cents.

I started a local bicycle club, but I have to do all the dirty work myself. I have to "Patrol" instead of just "Ride". I have to sweep up and remove debris from the roads. I have to cut back roadside vegetation with a pair of Lopping Shears. I have to maintain the Clubs membership roster. I have to act as the timing official, I'm the only one who can read a stopwatch. I have to write down license plate numbers of motorists who are a.f.u.
I didn't understand how the title of this article relates to the bicycle club in question; how do their skills have anything to do with their responsibility to the bicycle club?

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/nov/16/bicyclists-varied-skills-roll-informal-club/#comments

I used to ride a bike in Jax, while I was stationed there with the Navy. I had to stick to side streets, because Roosevelt Boulevard has cars going too fast.

I had lots of lights on my bike, even turn signals powered by a solar panel.

I had a box on the back of the bike, and it was covered with red and white reflective tape, so it looked like a Florida East Coast Locomotive. The railroad changed it's color scheme since then, I've heard.

It would be nice if some of the abandonned railroad tracks were turned into bike paths. But most of the tracks in Jax are still in use by the Railroads.

Compared to where I live, Jacksonville is flat. There are no real hills to speak of in Jacksonville, so people can ride bikes all day without getting tired. I was surprized that there weren't more cyclists. The lack of hills is something that can make bicycling easy. I rode 65 miles a day, two or three times a week.

I haven't ridden in a week. Last week I rode 17 miles on Sunday, and 18 miles on Tuesday. Today, I think I will check the air in my tires.

The menace is leaves, falling off the trees. I went out and cleaned a few storm drain gratings, which also was good exercise. Today I bought some garbage bags, on account there's more storm drains to clean.

I have a car and five bicycles. All my bicycles are insured by the company that issued my auto insurance policy. (Allstate) The insurance company has on record the serial numbers of my bicycles, and will be willing to work with the Police if any of my bikes are stolen or involved in an accident. Therefore, registration would be redundant, unnecessary, and a waste of taxpayers money, since public employees would be required to keep this duplicate information on file.

Okay, here's an URL:

http://view.exacttarget.com/?j=fe5e167276660d757412&m=ff001572766c05&ls=fdeb13757c61047976127971&l=fe5c157572650178771d&s=fdeb157570600c7d7d1d7673&jb=ffcf14&ju=fe2c16757160077f711374&WT.mc_id=

Now, this is a page about MOTORCYCLES. Why did I post it here? Well, If you remember, I built a series of prototype Human Powered Vehicles (or Electric Mopeds, I had the intent of adding motors), and I did not name them, instead, I gave them numbers; Types 1,2,3,4,5,6,7, and 9 and ten...

But I left out the number eight (8)!

I was saving 8 for last, so I could call it "The Eight Ball". (In the game of billiards , or pool, the eight ball is the last ball to fall in the pocket).

Now, Victory Motorcycles is producing a Bike called "The Eight Ball"!

So this forces me to change my plans, and I will never name a bike "Type 8".

I hope someone remembers this, in case someone researches my Electric Mopeds someday, maybe a hundred years from now, and can not find photographs of the mysterious Type 8.

So if you are reading this (archive) in the year 2127, looking for the "NFA Vehicles Type 8", go no further, it does not exist. I'm sorry if you wasted time looking for it.

James Donohue

NFA Vehicles

hotbike@hotmail.com

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/money_co/2009/12/curries-beach-cruiser-electric-bicycle-is-priced-right-goes-the-distance.html

I would like to stop the spread of misinformation. While Electric Bicycles do not require registration, they DO Require Insurance!
An Electric Bike can be added to an existing Auto, Homeowners, or Renters Insurance policy.
I built a Prototype Electric Bike while I was an Engineering student, back in 1986, and I had my bike Insured with Allstate as an "Experimental Vehicle". Today, the term "Electric Bicycle" is used.
I just wanted to correct this error, as I wouldn't want to see anyone get in trouble (or get sued) if there's an accident.

Posted by: First | December 05, 2009 at 09:06 AM

(When I login via my Yahoo account, I somehow get the screen name "First". I do not know why. My Yahoo screen name is "AviationMetalSmith")

Texas Ave is a wide road. Let the bikes have the right lane and pass them on the left. It's labeled "6" on the map, so it's a State Road?
The bad drivers put the bikers in a bad mood sometimes. The bikes don't stop for red lights , but neither do SUV's.
There are bicycle racers who can do the speed limit, and there are others who haven't got a clue. Get a rear view mirror and move over to let traffic go by! Other bicyclers may be taking an entire lane, but they are moving twice as fast as you! Consider your bike to be a "Slow Moving Vehicle". If you use a bicycle for transportation, you are not a racer, different rules apply.
I ride a bicycle, but I also have a gas-powered van. As a driver, I don't know what problems other drivers could have passing a bicycle on Texas Ave, it's straight and has 6 lanes. Where there are 5 lanes, you could fudge it a little without having a head-on collision.
Most bikers have a van or a car.
Get a bike, it's easier than walking.

http://www.kbtx.com/local/headlines/79025897.html?storySection=comments

Since we are on the subject of bikes and snow, I've got a question, it's a real brain twister:
The plows clear the roads and leave the snow on the side of the road (road shoulder). The road shoulder is covered with snow most of the winter, and cars can't use it. But when the spring thaw comes, the snow melts , and bicycles resume riding on the shoulder, right where the snow was. Question: How are the bikes in anyones way, when the motorists got through the winter without using the snow covered shoulder?

Myself, I've got a mini-van, in addition to my bicycles. I do have a set of carbide studded tires for one of my bikes, I should put them on my 21 speed soon. I also like to shovel snow for the exercise, so I shovel snow for people who can't shovel it themselves.

I think my question is a good one, and it points out the fallacious arguments of many motorists.

http://www.wickedlocal.com/lexington/news/x1508039668/Bikers-enjoyinging-smoother-commute-through-Lexington

Quote:
"LEXINGTON - Last week, early morning bike commuters were whizzing down Lexington's stretch of the Minuteman Bikeway despite the three inches of snow that had fallen the day before.
Their smooth coasting was made possible by a plow that swept the area two days before. It’s a relatively new effort that, at least for this season, means many more snow-free rides to come.
“Last year, everything that could go wrong, went wrong,” said Bicycle Advisory Committee Chairman Peggy Enders. “We were convinced we were jinxed.”
Last year, the town required the organization to pay town contractors to do the plowing, and required the contractors to clear all town streets and sidewalks first. Gates to some sections remained locked, which meant only a snowblower could access portions of the bikepath.
This year, Friends of Lexington Bikeways was allowed to hire its own contractor to clear the path. Enders now has a key to the gates on the eight major roadways crossing the path. Once the gates are opened, a plow can access it.
The Friends of Lexington Bikeways has agreed to foot the bill for the plowing this winter. It is expected to cost approximately $2,000, depending on the number and severity of snowstorms.
The plow operator charges $70 an hour. It took him four hours to do two passes of the 5.5-mile bikeway...."

Ditto on Alek F's comment. Rear view mirrors can save a cyclists life, and ease tension, as the cyclist can move over to let cars go by.
Rear view mirrors are not required in any state, but if you ride a bicycle, you should consider purchasing one.
There is a new kind of bicycle mirror that attaches to the handlebar with a Velcro strap. The Velcro strap has an advantage over "nut and bolt" mount because one doesn't need to carry a wrench to keep the mirror adjusted. Also, the mirror extends from the end of the handlebar, so the rider can actually see the cars behind, and not just his or her clothing. The Velcro mounted mirror makes the overall width of the bike wider, but the mirror can be removed easily to fit the bike through a doorway or other narrow passage- and then re-installed easily.
I think I have a few pictures of this mirror on my daughter's bike:

From above, looking down:
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q119/hotbike/22_20A.jpg

From the seated position:
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q119/hotbike/23_21A.jpg
(Note how this mirror extends from the left handlebar, making the bike wider.)

Mirror un-mounted, on a shelf, showing the Velcro strap:
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q119/hotbike/photo_0022-1.jpg

Also this mirror has a slightly convex shape, so the rider can get a wide-angle view of the road behind. Several manufacturers make mirrors in this style, now days.

http://www.presstelegram.com/news/ci_14033691

I was working on the Type 10 last light. I won't have pictures for a while, but I am installing rear panniers. The type 10 has a "shark fin" made of fiberglass, that the banana seat is mounted to.

I had some enamel coated steel tubes handy, that I salvaged- 1/2 inch by 3/4 inch. I shortened them to 28 inches long, drilled holes, and mounted them to the fiberglass seat post. Now I have some protection for the rear wheel. I had to take the tail lights and directional lights off to facilitate the mounting. I am contemplating removing the Suzuki fairing and replacing it with a coroplast box. I plan to use this bike to haul gravel for trail building , in the Spring.

Follow up:
the Type ten works fine with the new hard panniers. All I had to do was top off the air in the tires.
I started a test ride with only 20 pounds of air! I went back and topped them off to 100. (I use Maxxis hook-worms).
Three speed hub is a charm.

Blast from the Past:

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q119/hotbike/OriginalNFA.jpg

Before the internet, computers only had 80 dpi resolution, and the only way to send the document was to print it and send it with a 29 cent stamp affixed. Now stamps are 44 cents.

My advice, as an experienced cyclist: Don't "Race" and get a rear-view mirror.
When I say don't race, I mean forget about doing the speed limit, even if you are physically fit enough to do it. When you go 30MPH ( in a 30MPH zone), you think you are doing the motorists a favor, by not holding up traffic. The motorist doesn't care what the speed limit is ( certain motorists, that is). If you get their plate number, make sure you share it online with the local motorcycle club's message board, and not just the bicycle clubs message board. These drivers are a menace to motorcyclists as well as bicyclists.
I quit racing my bicycle, and started a bicycle club. I named myself the "Safety Marshall". The riding style would be called a "Patrol". I write down plate numbers when drivers drift off the roadway and onto the shoulder. I got a 10 megapixel camera last week, so I will be photographing the offending motorists cars.
I wear a reflective vest, and I stay on local and county roads. If I happen to venture onto a state route, I make sure the bike has a reflective farm triangle sign on the back ( required for slow moving vehicles).

Remember, if you get hit from behind by a car, even if you are doing the speed limit, you'll be dead, and the Jury probably will believe the motorists story, that you were going less than 5MPH or weren't moving at all.

(Todays letter to the Chicago Tribune)

Don't make jokes about the fauna- there have been numerous underpasses built for everything from deer to turtles, costing millions of dollars.

Anyway, bicycle lanes are built because someone got run over by a car. The other cyclists said it was a vehicular homicide, but the Judge couldn't hear both sides of the story, on account that one of the parties was dead.
Just remember, the average bike lane, costing 3 or 4 million dollars, wouldn't have to be built if no one got run over. So if you don't want your taxes to go up- THEN DON'T Run anyone over!
We're still screaming it was a vehicular homicide- Bloody Murder!

(todays letter to the Rutland Herald, which looks like it won't load.)

Get a rear view mirror for your bicycle! I can't believe there's no law mandating rear view mirrors for bicycles, but it's a darn good suggestion, that you should install one. Get a convex mirror, which gives a wide-angle field of view. With a mirror, you can actually see that the driver behind you is talking on a cell phone, and swerve the bike out of the way, into a ditch if necessary, and thus avert an accident.
Second, try riding slower, so you won't kill yourself if you have to swerve off-road into a ditch. Bicycle speedometers give you a false sense of security- you know you are doing the speed limit, but a car can come up from behind doing 20 over the limit. Then you're dead, and the driver tells the Police he wasn't speeding. It's your word against his, but your dead.

http://www.kbtx.com/local/headlines/82172582.html

Fitzgerald is doing something positive, don't get me wrong, but this perpetuates the myth that bicycles are "free", or "cheap". Bicycling is, and will remain, a very expensive sport. A bicycle made of Carbon Fiber will typically cost over $6,000.
I don't think you are going to find any Recumbent Bicycles at this bicycle cooperative, either. One nice thing about Recumbents is, I've never heard of a Recumbent Bike getting stolen. The thieves can't figure out how to ride the thing! If the seat is too low on a recumbent, just put a phone book on it! Ha ha!

It's a nice thing to do, making bicycle available to the poor. But the donated bikes will be 20 or 30 years old, and will not have the technical merits of the latest bicycle technology.

Also, by the time one invests in all the safety accessories; lights front and rear, a horn, a rear view mirror, turn signals, battery charger, reflective vest, safety flag, and a helmet, the accessories will add up to maybe $400.
So how are these bikes going to be outfitted with the safety equipment?
I don't mean to sound pessimistic, but riding without lights can get you run over by a truck.

http://cjonline.com/news/local/2010-01-23/man_helps_form_tccp#new

Fitzgerald is doing something positive, don't get me wrong, but this perpetuates the myth that bicycles are "free", or "cheap". Bicycling is, and will remain, a very expensive sport. A bicycle made of Carbon Fiber will typically cost over $6,000.
I don't think you are going to find any Recumbent Bicycles at this bicycle cooperative, either. One nice thing about Recumbents is, I've never heard of a Recumbent Bike getting stolen. The thieves can't figure out how to ride the thing! If the seat is too low on a recumbent, just put a phone book on it! Ha ha!

It's a nice thing to do, making bicycle available to the poor. But the donated bikes will be 20 or 30 years old, and will not have the technical merits of the latest bicycle technology.

Also, by the time one invests in all the safety accessories; lights front and rear, a horn, a rear view mirror, turn signals, battery charger, reflective vest, safety flag, and a helmet, the accessories will add up to maybe $400.
So how are these bikes going to be outfitted with the safety equipment?
I don't mean to sound pessimistic, but riding without lights can get you run over by a truck.

http://cjonline.com/news/local/2010-01-23/man_helps_form_tccp#new

There's a good reason for bike lanes; sometimes, you are riding a bicycle, as far to the right as possible , and a car comes by too close and "buzzes" you. (Really, only one car in a thousand does this.) So the cyclists have taken a new position, further to the left, on the theory that the motorist couldn't see the cyclist, and the bike needs to be further from the roadside to stand out, visually.
a.)Enforce speed limits
b.)Lower the speed limits
c.)Make a rear view mirror mandatory on all bicycles
d.)Encourage everyone to carry a video recorder at all times, so that there's some evidence, and not just your word against his when it goes to court.
e.) Teach cycling like any other sport, in schools phys.ed. program.
f.)Cut back on roadside vegetation, to insure a clear Line-of-Sight, especially on curves.
g.)Fill the potholes, or repave the road, and sweep the road twice a week.
h.)Clarify the distinction between Bicycles driven for Sport, and those driven for Transportation.

http://www.lohud.com/comments/article/20100125/NEWS01/1250322/Cyclists-Sharrows-make-mark-locally

capo689,
You should be crying about the lack of Light Rail, and the demolition of the Trolleys. Why not take a Pacific Electric train? That would solve your commuting headache.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Electric_Railway

In the meantime, get a bicycle. (If you can't beat them, join them).
http://www.smartcycles.com/stage_bikes.htm

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-outthere26-2010jan26,0,3205517.story

I have ridden a bicycle over 140,000 miles since 1972, and I drive a car too. When I drive my car, I don't have any problems with other people bicycling; maybe on account of the fact that I know how to anticipate the cyclists next move?
Bicycle lanes are nice, if there is enough room to actually widen the road. But I think the bike lanes are being built because of the bad habits of a small percentage of motorists. Some motorists are inattentive, and some are downright aggressive.
More and more cyclists are wearing small video cameras on their helmets, recording the actions of the drivers along their route. I think the video camera is a better solution to the problem, since it's only one driver in a thousand who creates a problem.
The cyclist can also wear a reflective vest, and install a rear-view mirror and a blinking light on his or her bike.
A couple of times a year, I ride my route with a pair of lopping shears in my basket, and I cut back any vegetation that blocks my view from my mirror looking back. I suppose this also gives the approaching motorists a better view too. But the Highway Department should do this job.

http://www.redbluffdailynews.com/news/ci_14316995

I ride a bicycle and drive a car too. I really have no problem getting past bicycles when I drive. And when I ride my bike, it's very rare to encounter a motorist having trouble getting past me. I would venture to say that the small number of motorists who create trouble (maybe one in a thousand, or one in ten thousand), are homicidally insane, and are trying to run the cyclist over on purpose.
Bike lanes don't make sense unless the road is physically widened. Painted lines don't make more room, lines actually force the motorist to squeeze closer to the centerline, even when no bicycles are present.
A bicycle lane is like a slow lane. You can't have a fast lane without a slow lane, right? But when downtown traffic jams occur, it's the cars that slow down, and the bikes whiz past the obstruction.
No, I can see by the photos that both these roads are wide enough to ride a bicycle on without getting hit by a car. The bicyclists should wear reflective vests, of course, they come in orange and lime green. Highway workers are required to wear reflective vests; if a DPW worker shows up for work without a reflective vest, the foreman can not allow him to work.
Bicyclers should also have rear-view mirrors, and have a blinking tail light, I have all the safety gear on my bike, so should you.
Some cyclists are attaching digital cameras to their helmets, which take 2 to 4 pictures every second. It would cost less to equip 20 or 30 volunteer cyclists ( maybe college students) with digital helmet cameras, than to paint stripes on the road. That way, we catch the offending motorist, instead of restricting everybody.

http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/story?oid=oid:951290

Helmets are good to wear during a Bicycle Race, but a lot of people ride bikes just to get around, and aren’t really going that fast. A marathon runner can go 17MPH, but he or she is not required to wear a helmet. Some bicyclists ride because a bicycle is faster than running. But some people ride because it is easier than walking, and they don’t go over 15MPH.
Another thing my Daughter pointed out to me-Women’s Hairstyles- What does a woman do with hair curlers? Is she expected to flatten her hair, which she spent hours curling? Can you imagine what would happen if a woman with a bouffant hairdo tries to put a bicycle helmet on? Her hair would be ruined!

http://www.studlife.com/forum/2010/02/05/make-bicycle%E2%80%8B-helmets-mandatory/

Mr. Kuffner:

You have not made one suggestion, but four suggestions. Only one is needed.
Licensing and Registration both require more Government Bureaucracy, which will cost the taxpayers money. Forget License and Registration.

Insurance! Insurance is the answer! All the necessary information is held by the Insurance company- It would be redundant to have the bicycles registered. And the Insurance companies have personnel on staff to handle the paperwork. No need to add to Government Bureaucracy !

I have my bicycles insured with Allstate. We need to get the word out that insurance companies will add your bicycles to an existing policy.

Let's just get the bicyclists to insure their bikes. It won't cost the taxpayer any money, and all the information is on file. No need for redundancy.

( As for inspection and Safety Regulations, it is the bicyclists duty to inspect the bicycle- lift the bike and shake it to see if the wheels fall off, the nuts that hold the wheels on might need tightening. And there are laws requiring lights at night, if only the Police would enforce those laws.)

http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2010/02/the_portland_bicycle_plan_its.html

Mr. Kuffner:

You have not made one suggestion, but four suggestions. Only one is needed.
Licensing and Registration both require more Government Bureaucracy, which will cost the taxpayers money. Forget License and Registration.

Insurance! Insurance is the answer! All the necessary information is held by the Insurance company- It would be redundant to have the bicycles registered. And the Insurance companies have personnel on staff to handle the paperwork. No need to add to Government Bureaucracy !

I have my bicycles insured with Allstate. We need to get the word out that insurance companies will add your bicycles to an existing policy.

Let's just get the bicyclists to insure their bikes. It won't cost the taxpayer any money, and all the information is on file. No need for redundancy.

( As for inspection and Safety Regulations, it is the bicyclists duty to inspect the bicycle- lift the bike and shake it to see if the wheels fall off, the nuts that hold the wheels on might need tightening. And there are laws requiring lights at night, if only the Police would enforce those laws.)

http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2010/02/the_portland_bicycle_plan_its.html


I've bicycled 140,000 miles since 1972. I've never been hit by a car. I haven't had any near collisions with cars in a long, long time. If I think back, it's almost like they were trying to run me over on purpose, but I always look over my shoulder, so I made an evasive maneuver... Two or three times, the evasive maneuver forced me to hit a pothole, which in turn destroyed a $70 seventy dollar wheel, and the Police wouldn't listen to my complaint.

What about the money cyclists pay to repair or replace expensive wheels, destroyed by potholes, which maniac drivers forced us into?

I paid lots of money to replace wheels, including sales tax. And the more expensive the wheel costs, the lighter and more fragile it is.

Nowadays , I ride a beefy mountain bike, because I can't keep up with the cost of expensive lightweight racing wheels. So when I'm going 16MPH, and you're stuck behind me, just think, I'd be going 32MPH if it weren't for the potholes, and the homicidal maniacs who drive cars.

I want someone to pay for the wheels that were ruined- I owe you money? NO, you owe ME money. Simple as that.

When the Police take seriously the complaints of cyclists being run off the road, and the potholes are filled, then, and only then, will I be willing to pay government fees.

http://neighbors.denverpost.com/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=14495214&p=1317628#p1317628

We plugged this in the Denver Post.

http://neighbors.denverpost.com/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=14495214&p=1317628#p1317628

We plugged this in the Denver Post.

In 1975, when Bicycle Helmets were a new thing, they cost around $500.00. Good thing the price has come down! There was one guy who wore a football helmet, who deserves credit for planting the idea in peoples heads that a helmet would be a good idea when biking.
The Bicycle Helmet was very slow to catch on at first. I was a kid, I had to get a job raking leaves to get the money to buy one. My parents wouldn't lay out the money, and the school wouldn't let me have a football helmet. By 1977, I bought my first Bicycle Helmet, with money I earned myself.

Anyway, the next big piece of safety equipment is going to be a protective shield, known as a fairing (a.k.a.-motorcycle windshield). I think it's going to be slow to catch on, much as the bicycle helmet was, and the price is always going to be higher. If a Fairing becomes mandatory, bicycle companies will go out of business... But the Fairing has the potential to prevent injuries, it's like a car's bumper on the front side, and the cyclist is protected by styrofoam on the inside. And the Fairing is what the Motorcycle's lights and turn signals are wired to.
I have some pictures of prototypes:
http://s134.photobucket.com/albums/q119/hotbike/IMG_0008-1.jpg
http://s134.photobucket.com/albums/q119/hotbike/00000024-4-1.jpg
The Fairing on the top bike is from a 1982 Suzuki. The Fairing in the lower picture was designed by my Daughter, and is based on the spoiler of a Kenworth diesel truck.
The point I'm trying to make is that safety equipment is expensive, whether it's a Helmet or a protective shield (Fairing) for a bicycle. It's also a matter of style (beauty is in the eye of the beholder). And as my Daughter says, a helmet limits the ways a woman can wear her hairstyle. And maybe we need to teach youngsters not to laugh at kids who wear bicycle helmets.
So one can extrapolate there are many factors involved when it comes to bicycle safety. The Fairings I showed you may look silly, but so do helmets. Someone wants to know if it comes with an airbag, etc.

The Type 10 has gotten more stuff added to it's frame. Just to give a brief overview, it started as a 2000 model year Diamondback 6061 alloy BMX frame. A front platform was added in 2002, followed by a fiberglass seat post and banana seat. Then a Fairing was placed on the front of the front platform (recycled; from a 1982 Suzuki). The bike was converted to three speeds with a Sturmey Archer Hub.
Lights were installed, but had to be disconnected for the latest modifications. A set of rear panniers were made of Coroplast.
Now, a set of roll bars have been installed. There is a reflective triangle on the back, and another small plastic crate below the triangle.
Here we go with the pictures, which were taken with a mirrored wall back drop:

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q119/hotbike/IMG_0039.jpg
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q119/hotbike/IMG_0040.jpg
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q119/hotbike/IMG_0036.jpg
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q119/hotbike/IMG_0037.jpg
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q119/hotbike/IMG_0038.jpg

If I missed any camera angle, look at the mirror in the background.
This bike is really a heavy hauler. The front platform is mounted to the head tube and can hold 100+ pounds, and now the bike has rear panniers. There is also a small set of Coroplast boxes in the front, which are new, so the lead/acid batteries don't need to be strapped down with "bungee cords" anymore.

http://www.easy-share.com/1909572856/IMG.pdf

This is a link to a map of an abandoned trolley route. It will expire in 90 days if no one views it.

As this was a new bike, I would look at the brakes. Sometimes a bike leaves a bicycle shop without the brake cables being fully tensioned. Or more commonly, if the bike is bought at a mass-merchandise store (Target, Walmart, Kmart) the store doesn't have a qualified bike mechanic to assemble the bikes, aqnd it is very common for a new bike to lack working brakes.
But it's also possible that the boy had not learnt to use hand-brakes yet, and was used to the kind of bike that has coaster brakes.
I hope the Police examine the bike carefully. I doubt the brakes were removed for the purpose of performing stunts (such as spinning the handlebars 360 degrees), as the boy only had the bike for a hour or so.
I am in sympathy with all those involved, this was an awful tragedy.

http://blog.lehighvalleylive.com/cgi-bin/mte/mt-comments.cgi

Just took the studded tires off the bike. For the summer season, I have reinstalled a Tioga CitySlicker on the rear. The other City Slicker was chewed up, would have had at least five flats if I hadn't been using thorn resistant tubes. The LBS was out of Tioga City Slickers ( a 26x2,125 slick), so I bought a Schwinn AutoPilot, which has a rain tread, and is actually made by Cheng Shin. The LBS also had tires made by Kenda, but I'd choose a Cheng Shin over a Kenda any day of the week.
It's been cold this weekend, brrrr...

Here's how the mirror is positioned on my handlebars, Note that it attaches to the END of the handlebar, so I can see around myself. The mirror is on the LEFT end of the handlebar, and in this view, you can see the corner of a ceiling light fixture in the mirror:
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q119/hotbike/23_21A.jpg
( I have a white plastic box for a handlebar basket).

Here is the mirror off the bike, you can see the Velcro strap. In this photo, the mirror is dark, on account I didn't catch the light in it (it was a flash photograph, and made everything else look darker):
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q119/hotbike/photo_0022-1.jpg

As for lane position, you could ride in the middle of the road, but pull over -and STOP- if a bus is behind you. After the bus goes by, check the mirror again, and if there are no cars coming, pull out and start riding in the middle of the road again. That's how I would handle it. I wouldn't trust the soft gravel at the side of the road- there might be a big rock buried in the loose gravel, which could pitch you in a different direction.

I will look at the Google Maps view of Wewoka, OK, and if I see anything, I'll post an additional reply.

As I said, I use a Blackburn mirror, which is wide angle. I would not trust a flat mirror.

"They're still useful to remind drivers that bicycles... have a right to be on the roads,"
I quoted the last line of the article, and I'd like to reply to the comment posted by LongTimeResident;
Bicycles do indeed have the right to be on the road. How can anyone forget? Most drivers can remember, but there are a few drivers (a small percentage), who can't remember. We call them "bad drivers". A motorist may hold an opinion that bicycles should be disallowed on certain roads, and the driver can write a letter to his Congressman , urging him to pass a law which would ban bicycles, but no such law has ever been passed. Such a law would have a heck of a debate in Washington DC. I doubt it would ever get passed, after all, cars started to out-number bicycles in the 1930's. Bicycles have been around for 125 years , they are not going away. The League of American Bicyclists has been petitioning for bike lanes on ALL roads since 1934. (The Interstate highways didn't come along until the 1950's, and the motorists got their way. But other than the Inter-states, the bicycles are allowed on all roads.)
Myself, I have a car and five bikes. When I drive my car, I yield to bicycles, and when I ride a bike, I yield to cars. I don't have any confrontations, altercations, escalations, or revocations. Thank You. I always yield to the other guy whether I drive or ride a bike. Courtesy is contagious. I don't believe in demanding the right-of-way. Here's a conundrum: "If I yield the Right-of-Way, I must have had had the Right-of-Way, Or Else I couldn't have yielded it?" True or False?

http://www.lemarssentinel.com/story/1622038.html

WHAT HAPPENED to Youtube? The Descriptions are GONE! The Comments look different, and I don't know about the annotations, I don't use them.

But the Description sidebar is gone. I am very disapointed.

WHAT HAPPENED to Youtube? The Descriptions are GONE! The Comments look different, and I don't know about the annotations, I don't use them.

But the Description sidebar is gone. I am very disapointed.

I was somewhat taken aback by the new YouTube page look. What I miss is the "Description", in the top right corner of the screen. Could YouTube at least put a clickable button on the screen; "Description"? Some videos need a little description, such as the Date the video was shot, and the Location, or a clue as to what we are looking at-maybe a time in minutes and seconds that something comes into view.
The old screen had a short description, with a clickable "More Info". I would ask YouTube to please put in a clickable icon or button, so that we might be able to access the Description.
Actually, it might be an improvement. The "more info, less info" wasted screen space , because sometimes you don't need the description, or the poster didn't supply one.
Please, YouTube, could you give me a clickable icon so that I can read the description of the videos that have descriptions?

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20100404/BIZ/704049933

Yes, I believe the rising sun was a contributing factor in this accident. I've bicycled 140,000 miles since 1972, and I have never been hit by a car. But I do drive a car too, and I know that when the rising or setting sun is directly in a driver's eyes, it is almost impossible to see where you are going. One thing a cyclist doesn't have to deal with is the glare from the windshield. Most bicycles don't have windshields. ( For a possible exception, do a web search for "Fiberglass Ladies Bicycle".) Myself, I would refrain from riding until the sun is a little higher from the horizon. (like 9:20 AM).

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1264144/British-pensioner-killed-bicycle-hit-car-Australia.html?ITO=1490#ixzz0kSLGzUiC