NoRacer

Welcome!

HC203

Any of you guys get this message from Cardin? He's going to try and get that 3 foot bill passed into law by midnight Monday, end of session. Anybody free to ride to Annapolis on Monday? Bob?

Tragic Death of Bicyclist Highlights the Need For Legislation

The events in Annapolis were overshadowed by the tragic death of 11th District constituent Larry Bensky. Like me, he was an avid cyclist who rode upon many of the same roads on which my friends and I ride. I have championed legislation for five years in the Maryland General Assembly that would make the roads safer for bikers and drivers. It infuriates me that it took the death of a constituent for bike safety legislation to get the attention it deserves in the state legislature.

I introduced House Bill 461 for the 5th year in the House Environmental Matters Committee on Tuesday, February 16, 2010 to promote bicycle safety. While the cross-file - SB 51 passed the Senate unanimously two months ago, the Environmental Matters Committee of the House passed the bill just a few days after the fatal accident.

The intent of this bill is to provide a safe and enjoyable environment for both bicyclists and drivers on Maryland's roads and bicycle paths. By clarifying and codifying the responsibilities of both bicyclists and motorists while operating on Maryland's roadways, this bill will foster a safe environment for bicyclists to recreate, exercise and commute. Passage of this bill would put Maryland in the company of approximately twenty other states that have articulated a standard for passing distance between bicycles and motor vehicles.

The bike season is just getting started and already we have fatalities and accidents to remind us of how important it is to share the road and be careful. To that end, I have also been a vocal advocate for the hands-free legislation to ban hand-held cell phone use. No matter how inconvenient it may be, it is obvious how much hand-held cell phone use detracts from safe driving practices.

I will work very hard to pass this into law before session ends at midnight on Monday.

Sincerely,

Delegate Jon S. Cardin,
Maryland's 11th Legislative District
Annapolis Office: (410) 841-3833
Annapolis Fax: (410) 841-3373

greaterbrown

Damn. I'm supervising my niece after she's out of school on monday. Sounds like a good reason for a nice ride though.

HC203

Hey, this ride is happening on Monday. Can you guys check my route. I've done it before but the only part I'm unclear on is around Ostend.

Thanks,
h
https://www.mapmyride.com/route/us/md...26506240695109

Mr. Campbell,

I spoke to Delegate Cardin about your offer to come down on Monday. That is up to you and your group of friends, but we would happily welcome you if you are here.

If you do come down we can try and get media to cover the ride and we can get the group introduced by Delegate Cardin from the floor of the House of Delegates and Senator Raskin from the floor in the Senate.

If you have any questions please feel free to call my cell 410-960-0737 over the weekend.

Sincerely,

Jonathan Schwartz,
Legislative Aide to Delegate Jon S. Cardin,
Maryland's 11th Legislative District
Annapolis Office: (410) 841-3833
Annapolis Fax: (410) 841-3373

Senator Raskin thinks it would be great to have you all come down and he'd be happy to introduce you and talk to the press.

Alice Wilkerson
Chief of Staff, Senator Jamie Raskin
District 20, Silver Spring/Takoma Park
410-841-3634/301-858-3634

NoRacer

^^^^^
Harry, there's a very very slim chance I can make it--very slim. What is the approximate time you will be at the Hollins Ferry turn?

Btw, the list and calendar views on the BBC website don't show correct times for the ride you posted for Monday either.

maxine

Me as well -- normally it's kind of tough for me to take off work with no notice (and I didn't see this until after I left work on Friday), but I'm going to call my supervisor this weekend.

Interest seems to be picking up on the Facebook page invitation as welll. People are going to be joining in from different places and riding at different speeds, so I'd suggest that you pick a "gathering point" very near the end, at which everyone will pull up and wait until a certain designated time, at which time everyone will move out together and stay together, at the speed of the slowest, until you get to the State House. Maybe Jonas Green State Park, right before you cross the Severn River? (I've only been there on one occasion, a few years back when I was doing "bike SAG" duty for the MS Walk on the B&A Trail; I seem to recall that there was some minor traffic drama in either getting into or back out of the park and from/onto 450, so maybe that wouldn't be a great choice.) Isn't there a parking lot near the southern end of the B&A Trail?

greaterbrown

Way to go Harry. Looks like you got a serious group happening.
The route looks exactly right.

NoRacer

There's a parking lot on the right hand side of the road at the top of the hill at the traffic light after you cross the Naval Academy Bridge.

maxine

I won't be able to make the ride to the State House. I went in and checked our work calendar -- 3 of the 5 of us are already away from the office on Monday, including the boss, and I'm his only back-up for certain matters. Have a great ride! I'll be there in spirit.

NoRacer

Today's century in 2 parts: https://bimactive.com/ba/journal/post/10783/31812 - Part 1 / https://bimactive.com/ba/journal/post/10783/31813 Part 2

fletchh

Yep, I got it. I won't be able to make it, but best wishes for the passage of the bill. I will be out riding every day, either going to work or to the store, regardless of the outcome.

NoRacer

Apparently, HB461/SB51, the 3 foot rule, has already passed both the House and Senate floors!

greaterbrown

<eagerly awaiting pics and ride report from yesterday>

HC203

Bob, I'll do that asap, trying to get caught up on work as I have been consumed by this. It was a good day, the bill passed, it had not actually passed on Saturday, had but was ammended by the senate and the house had to approve those amendment. Apparently three other bike initiatives were passed. See carol Silldorf's message from bbc forum. It's always a good day when you get escorted into Annapolis by the police. Props to the MD Capitol Police, those guys are alright.

Everyone was amazing today! Thank you to the approximately 85 bicyclists who rode to Annapolis to honor Lawrence Bensky. This meant allot to Tammy, her mom and Larry’s parents. It is an incredible showing of strength that his family was able to attend today. Let’s continue, as the weeks and months pass, to reach out to them with compassion and support. I heard that Joel Wymen, who was riding with Larry last week, had a fourth leg surgery. I’d like to send him recovery wishes. Does anyone have his email address?

Also - thank you to the organizers of this successful event (I’d love your assistance with the Tour du Port as you did a fabulous last minute job!).

On a different note - it is time to celebrate! I returned from Annapolis a few hours ago where FOUR significant Bike/Ped/Transportation bills passed! The bicyclist’s show of support in regard to the bicycle safety legislation was meaningful. The following bills passed and are on the way to the Governor's Office for his signature:

SB624 - Shoulder Rule bill
SB51 - 3 Foot bill
HB 1155 - Transportation Transparency bill
HB 282 - Funding for Bike/Ped Access bill

I will produce a list of those Delegates and Senators (Cardin, Carr, Lafferty, Raskin, McIntosh, Malone, Pena-Melnyk and more) we will want to thank for their support of these important bike safety and bike/ped funding bills. A call or email from a constituent is a big deal to them – a few minutes of your time can make a BIG difference.

We must remember Larry and work together during the 2011 General Assembly session to make Maryland a safer place to live, work and play.

The One Less Car Legislative Agenda for the 2011 General Assembly session will be developed during the summer. A few of the items on my mind are:
• Strengthening the new 3 foot rule
• Strong focus on the manslaughter by vehicle bill
• Introducing a bill to increase tax credits for bicyclists
• Reintroduce the accident vs. crash bill
• There will be more to add to this list and your legislative assistance is appreciatively accepted.

To learn about One Less Car's events, volunteer opportunities and legislative agenda - go to www.onelesscar.org and click on the contact header.

Thank you all and please spread the word!

Carol Silldorff
Executive Director
One Less Car
1209 North Calvert Street
Baltimore, MD 21202
410-960-6493 direct
Carol@onelesscar.org This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
CarolSilldorff@verizon.net This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

The Human Car

This is a very endearing shot of Harry:

I'll let him tell the story.

More pics here: https://www.facebook.com/album.php?ai...5&l=1f466b0e94

The Human Car

Mini ride report: I started from the Starbucks near Harry's house and Harry started from the Starbucks near my house. The fastest lane on Roland Ave was the bike lane. I did some time warp to get to Cromwell by 9:30 (Normally it takes me about 2 hours from my house but I'm starting a bit further out but no Belmore.) I seriously lucked out every time a busy road narrowed so I would have to take the lane there was no traffic. More later.

HC203

Nice pics Barry. I'll post my limited shots.
Well this past weekend had to be one of my more manic episodes. As you all know there was a terrible tragedy on Butler Road last week that involved the death of Larry Bensky, father of two young girls, husband to a great and obviously stong woman, and as I learned one of seven brothers. I didn't know Larry or Joel, the other rider who was terribly injured, but like so many others this kind of hit deep. So there was a lot of e-mail chatter last weekm everybody shooting off e-mails to Cardin to get that bill passed into law, HB461, requiring motorists to give cyclists at least three feet when passing and to pass with due care. Larry wasn't passed with due care, far from it.
So I mention this idea of riding to Annapolis, it's a good excuse for a good ride. The original idea wasn't set for Monday. I got an e-mail from somebody that said something like "the session ends Monday, we'll never get this thing passed, not this session". I don't hear much from the limited list that I'm sending to so decide to drop it, f--- it. Somewhere along the line I had e-mailed Del. Cardin with my idea for a ride down on Monday. So I get a response back, not expected, he invites us down and says he'll get us into the chamber to speak, and then an e-mail from Senator Raskin stating same. So, you get an invite -you go. I would have gone if it was just me and a few others.
A couple people more connected than me catch wind of my idea and begin spreading the news, one being John Kelly who's father was senator for some time, the other is Marc Lefkowitz of Race Pace in Owings Mills. Marc knew and rode with Larry and Joel, had visited Joel in the hospital and was in contact with Tami, Larry's widow. He told me that Tami wanted to speak, not sure who's idea this was, whether it was hers or Marcs, but it was key. He said she was very eager to speak. There were only two days to try and get some sort of organized start together and really didn't expect too many people to get off on a Monday with no notice. So Friday night, Saturday and Sunday are filled with posting and e-mail and stress.
On Saturday I pre rode the route out to Cromwell, it had been a while and I wanted to be sure I knew the way. When I got down to the BWI I began to tell people about the ride, ran into two guys who already knew of it and said there was chatter up and down the B&A. Late Sunday I get a weird e-mail from a bike advocate stating that HB 461 has passed and he's tries very hard to discourage us from doing the ride, afraid that we'll cause trouble and derail other bike legislation not yet passed. Turns out 461 wasn't really passed on Saturday, it was amended and those amendments needed to pass the house. First and foremost this was a memorial ride for Larry and I told everyone to be cool, this is not a Critical Mass event. Well, cyclists in general are pretty independent souls and don't like being told what to do so I didn't say much, but everybody was cool. I also called the MD Capitol Police to let them know we had a ride forming and if it was big we may need an escort, also related that we didn't want trouble, didn't want to disrupt traffic, that it was a memorial ride. So the ride is a go despite somebody's last ditch effort to get us not to go. Monday morning I meet up with John Kelly and about six others at Starbucks on Roland , mostly Kelly race guys. We head down Roland to Falls, regular route, Ken from Kelly had another route and I was happy to let him take the lead. He took the Gwynns all the way past the garbage incinerator and onto Annapolis Blvd I believe, straight down to Cromwell, shaved off about 5 miles I think.
So were about eightto Cromwell where we pick up probably twenty more and then more on the B&A. On the B&A I try to ride while fielding calls from the television stations, there was another guy who got involved on Sunday, Greg Simmons, a law student, very well read on these bills. He put together a real deal press release as he used to be a reporter. I get a flat, I get a call, I try to changethe flat while holding my phone, Kelly guy (Ken) helps me out and finishes the job. After that I get stopped by a camera man, channel 2 I think, who does a quick interview as I'm out of breath because everybody is by now way ahead.
When we get to the end of the B&A we have around 40 or so riders, as a few local racers pulled up. The racer dudes have this cool persona thing down. Anyway, somebody asks me if I've called the cops, oh yah. So I call the police, who by te way are so accomodating and not hard ass at all. I say they may want to send a couple cars as our numbers have grown, we want this now mostly for the show, the publicity, as the tv stations all said they were going to film us on the bridge. It was very cool having an escort into Annapolis. I was towards the back but I could hear the siren every time we went through a light. I would look back and see the cruiser with lights behind me, giving me plenty of space and holding back traffic.
The police bring us literally into State House square. Larry's widow is there when we arrive, but I'm intercepted by Greg Simmons and another person, aide or something. I miss the beginning of Tami's speech but when I walk over she is talking through tears, still wearing black as she is in mourning. I park my bike and immediately start to lose it then regain my composure. I listen as she speaks but can't make out much, the Cardin speaks and says some of the things that I have been thinking, about how this is not all about cars and bikes, but about how citizens need to respect one another. John Kelly speaks, Cardin recognizes me and asks if I would like to say anything. Not sure what I said, it's all a blur at that point, cameras come up to me, my friend Scott Broom puts his camera on me. I enjoyed it but have no idea what I said.
That shot that Barry put up of me is with one of Larry's sisters in law, she is there with Tami as well as Tami's mother, Larry's mother and father, not sure who else. She was talking about how devastating this is to the whole family, how Larry has seven brothers or is one of seven brothers, his relationship with Tami and the children. I tried to just listen, I tend to talk over people, there I was just listening. I also talked to Larry's mom and dad for a long time, the pain and sadness in their eyes was just so heartbreaking, such sweet people.
We broke up for lunch, was going with Barry but lost him, ran into some ladies, sorry Barry. So the lady cyclists and I, one was Kristina who is a triathlete from the Stoneleigh group, had a nice lunch down by the water. We talked about how crazy things are in this country, how the speed limit is 50mph on Butler etc. I needed to get back to the statehouse and I think the girls were heading back to the B&A. I kind of got turned around, but as I headed back up the hill this big suv cuts me off, I had made eye contact with the guy, he then breaks hard for two pedestrians-thankfully, young women of course. So I ride up next to his passeneger side as we roll up the hill and I say-you stopped for them but not for me, he says "can you go 180 mph on that thing, I say of course not, he says, get this, well then there is no reason to watch out for you. Still can't figure the logic. I ask him how much he thinks his truck weighs? He says I know exactly how much my truck weighs. I say do you think it's any match? My biek against your truck? Not sure what he says next but I wish him a good day when what I really wanted to do.. well it wasn't the day for that.
So I get back to the SH and watch proceedings from the balcony, Cardin introduces Tami and the cyclists, many couldn't get in as they didn't have their id-s with them. We all hug Tami and tell her that there will be more done in the way of benefit rides for her kids etc. So now that needs to happen. I get back on the trail but am dead tired, I think I was finally just shutting down after being so stressed. Saw Barry and Don? on the side of the trail and it looked like a good idea. Had some coffee and cookies and back on the B&A. Took the lightrail from Cromwell to Camden Yards then biked from there. Crazy coming up Calvert during rush hour, watch a few cyclists run red lights, say nothing. On the one hand our roads and lights aren't bike friendly, in some states cyclists can proceed after stopping, so maybe we need to get a bill like that? But at this point it just pisses off drivers. I'm happy to tuck into the shortcut behind Notre Dame away from traffic and noise, get home and my wife and kids greet me as if I just finished a days work. If they only knew.

greaterbrown

That, my friend, is far better than a days work. Thanks for the good works and the nice write-up. -GB

NoRacer

+1000000000000000!

HC203

Thanks dudes. Felt better the other day than I have in a long time. Now if you receive a plea for money from me for The Ride for The Feast-please don't think I'm trying to capitalize on my minor tv fameit's just timing. The e-mail was supposed to go out last week before all this happened.

The Human Car

There is a quality I admire in Harry as shown in his report, from compassion to standing his ground against a 3 ton SUV who thinks he has superior rights because he can go 180mph (like where can he do that around Annapolis?) Harry you rock! So many things came together almost perfectly for this ride, There is what you did, the cyclists that did show up were very well behaved, there is what Jon Cardin did to coordinate and took every opportunity of introducing fellow legislatures in a positive light as they passed by and the cooperation of Annapolis police.

HC203

Thanks Barry. I was pretty calm with that dude in the truck. Under different circumstances I would have liked to have cleaved his skull or at least driven his big stinking truck into the river.

NoRacer

Just a reminder, folks, that the 18th is coming up this Sunday. We're suppose to do a ride with Barry.

Can someone re-iterate the info for the ride (i.e., using Bob's modification of Charlie's map? ( https://tinyurl.com/y8be5wg ) possible meeting places along the way to the start?)

balto charlie

Hey Folks: Just got back. Seems I missed a lot. Very sad to see the tragic cycling accident. My sympathies to the families of the cyclists involved. Harry, you manned up. Nice job. I haven't read everything but seems you got the ball rolling. Way to go!!! To all of those that went in support I also would like to thank you. It's nice to see the cycling community in support of fellow cyclists. We need to keep the fire burning.
Since I just got back I have lots to do at work but will post more later.
Barry's ride this Sunday!

EverydayElk

Hi all,

Hate to post something like this in the midst of things of much higher gravity, but I'm pondering a couple routes for a quick overnight tour this weekend:

Elk Neck: https://www.mapmyride.com/route/us/md...27126255866916

or

Catoctin: https://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united...27119919155392

Any thoughts?