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Iowa Bicycle Safety and Responsibility Bill

Efforts to make Iowa roads safer for bicyclists are still alive.

This week, an Iowa House subcommittee approved the Bike Safety and Responsibility Bill, and it goes before a House Human Respirces Committee next week. The Iowa Senate passed the bill last winter, but the bill stalled in the House last year before the subcommittee took up the issue.

Here's a summary of what the bill would do, according to the Iowa Bicycle Coalition:

• Motorists would have to give bicyclists and other vulnerable users of Iowa highways at least 5 feet of clearance while passing.
• Require bicyclists to obey applicable traffic signs and signals.
• Prohibit people from throwing objects at cyclists and other vulnerable users.
• Prohibit motorists from intentionally driving their vehicles toward or close to cyclists and other vulnerable users.

The bill would create a wide range of fines and punishments, KCCI-TV in Des Moines reports the most serious of which are if a cyclist is injured, the driver must pay $500 and lose his  license for three months. If the cyclist dies, the fine increases to $1,000 and the suspension increases to six months.

"I don't think you can put a price on a life, but there has to be something that's a little bit more doling out of justice that acts as a deterrent," Ken Sherman of the Coalition told KCCI.

No doubt, the bill will face opposition if it advances to the full House. A group that calls itself the Citizens for Safety Coalition of Iowa wants to ban bicycles from most country roads. During this week's subcommittee meeting, Rep. Clel Baudler, R-Greenfield, says the 5-foot requirement may not be practical on some country roads.

As an alternative to the bicycle safety bill, Baudler would like to see a requirement that a cyclist's jersey must be at least 50 percent yellow or hunter orange to make the cyclist more visible on the road.

“(With) deer hunting in Iowa, we had fatalities, we had injuries. When the legislature required ‘hunter orange’ from the waist up basically, our fatalities (and) our injuries plummeted,” Baudler said at the Bike Iowa site.

The Coalition tries to counter some of Baudler's arguments at its blog.

Labels: advocacy, Iowa, safety

Roger 0 comments links to this post 1:17 PM

Monday, January 18, 2010

UPDATE: Matt Wilhelm's parents on Oprah

UPDATED (JAN. 18): The parents of Matt Wilhelm. the Champaign-Urbana area cyclist who was killed in 2006 when he was struck by a car driven by a woman downloading cell phone ring tones, appeared on today's episode of Oprah Winfrey's TV show.

Gloria and Chuck Wilhelm briefly described how their son died and how they worked to get Illinois laws changed, culminating in the texting ban that went into effect Jan. 1.

"If you get a ticket, you can blame it on us because we were the ones who went to Springfield to work with the senators," Gloria said on the show.

You can see the video of the Wilhelms and other families who lost loved ones in accidents involving distracted drivers at Oprah's Web site.

Oprah launched her "No Phone Zone" campaign on Monday's show. According to an Associated Press story last week, Oprah said she wants people to know "how absolutely stupid it is that we continue to text and drive." She's asking drivers to take a pledge to avoidt text-messaging or talking on cell phones while driving.

Oprah's show is aired at 4 p.m. CST on KSDK-TV, Channel 5, in St. Louis and WCIA-TV, Channel 3, in Champaign-Urbana. You can check where the show appears in your area here.

Matt Wilhelm's death prompted some changes, including better education about cyclists' right to the road and a task force that recommended more laws to protect users of Illinois highway. While progress has been made, more progress needs to be done, including laws that would make it a felony if a distracted driver kills or critically injuries a cyclist, pedestrian or motorist.

You can see a public service announcement about Matt at the News-Gazette.

Labels: advocacy, Illinois, safety, television

Roger 0 comments links to this post 1:30 PM

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Meetings on Route 66 Trail

Bicycle advocates in Macoupin and Montgomery counties are seeking your support of a proposal to convert a portion of an old alignment of historic Route 66 between Staunton and Litchfield, Ill., into a bicycle trail.

This particular alignment -- the final alignment of Route 66 used before the completion of Interstate 55 -- was a four-lane divided highway between the two communities and also skirted the community of Mount Olive. Today, only two of the lanes are being used. The other two lanes, which are paved with concrete, are partly covered with dirt and grass, which can be easily removed to reveal the concrete surface.

Trail advocates will be meeting Thursday (Jan. 14) with the Route 66 Trail Southern Region Committee to show their support for the bicycle trail. The meeting takes place at 10 a.m. in Room L104 of the Administration Building at the Lincoln Land Community Southern Region Education Center, 1 Lincoln Land Trail in Litchfield.

The Southern Region Committee is expected to bring its recommendation to the Route 66 Trail Executive Council meeting at 10 a.m. Jan. 21 at the Prairie Vista Golf Course in Bloomington.

The advocates, led by Macoupin County native John Fritsche, is asking individuals, village boards and city councils, school districts, counties and chambers of commerce to support the bicycle trail. Here's a sample resolution that people can use to show their support:

"I or We, hereby endorse and support the development of a 17 mile Historic Route 66 Recreational Trail from Staunton through Mt Olive to Litchfield for the health and welfare of the citizenry in our region.  This unique trail would utilize the long abandoned and unused northbound lane of the Historic Route 66 “Mother Road” from Staunton, through Mt.Olive to Litchfield, Illinois."

If you can't make it to the meetings, you can express your support of the trail project by writing John at hroute66rectrail@gmail.com


The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is working with the Route 66 Trail Executive Council to develop programs and projects along Route 66 alignments between Chicago and St. Louis.


The roadway where the trail is proposed still belongs to the Illinois Department of Transportation. One thing that should work in the trail advocates favor is that the current IDOT director, Gary Hannig, was a longtime state representative who served Macoupin and Montgomery counties.

Labels: advocacy, Illinois, Route 66, trails

Roger 1 comments links to this post 2:50 PM

Monday, January 04, 2010

Facebook Page takes aim at cyclists

One of my Facebook friends who just happens to be a St. Louis cycling advocate today brought to my attention a Facebook Page that doesn't take very kindly to bicyclists.

The page -- There's a perfectly good path right next to the road you stupid cyclist! -- sadly has more than 31,500 fans. The picture shown here is the page's profile photo. Here's a message from the group, which appears to be based in Australia.:

"No matter how far to the left you are, you're taking up my road. My car is hard, and i am not slowing down!"

It's also disheartening that a wall post that read "saw a cyclist stack it today" had 399 people liking the post.

Certainly, people who object to the way some bicyclists ride certainly have a right to have a Facebook Page to express their views. But when they cross the line and encourage behavior that could kill or seriously injure a bicyclist, something needs to be done.

If you're a Facebook user and object to the page, you can report it to Facebook. The "Report Page" link is at the bottom of the left column of the page.

Labels: advocacy, safety

Roger 2 comments links to this post 12:27 AM

Friday, January 01, 2010

New laws that affect Illinois cyclists

With the start of the new year, there are at least three new laws that go in effect today in Illinois that affect bicyclists.

You're probably aware of two of the new laws -- a ban on text messaging while driving and a ban on cell phone usage in school and construction zones.

You're probably not aware of the other law. As of today, no one under the age of 16 may operate a gas- or electric-powered bicycle in Illinois. In addition, you can't ride a gas- or electric-powered bicycle on a sidewalk, and you can't ride those bikes any faster than 20 mph on Illinois roads.

As for the texting and cell phones. they are moving violations with fines up to $1,000 depending on the circumstances. Texting and cell phone usage during emergencies or if the car is stopped and placed in park or neutral are legal.

"Upon conviction, it would be a mark against your driving record. Three of those means a suspension of your driver's license," Dave Druker, a spokesman for the Illinois Secretary of State, told WLS-TV in Chicago.

The texting and cell phone bans were prompted at least in part by the 2006 death of bicyclist Matt Wilhelm. Matt was riding on Illinois 130 east of Urbana when he struck by a car driven by a woman who was downloading a cell phone ring tone.

The News-Gazette reports that Matt's mother, Gloria Wilhelm, will appear on a January episode of Oprah Winfrey's TV show, but no date has been set for the segment to air.

"We finally have laws on the books that say it's wrong to be driving and texting and using a cell phone. We never had a law before that said it's wrong. The texting applies to all age groups, which is really great," Matt's father, Chuck Wilhelm, told the News-Gazette.

Labels: advocacy, bicycles, Illinois, safety

Roger 1 comments links to this post 2:28 PM

Sunday, December 27, 2009

Illinois Share the Road license plates

Once again, the League of Illinois Bicyclists will be offering "Share the Road" license plates in honor of National Bicycle Month. The plates can be legally displayed on licensed Illinois vehicles during April and May.

LIB is trying to take the concept one step further. LIB is pushing to make permanent, year-round "Share the Road" plates. Twelve already have the year-round plate, but LIB would have to convince Illinois lawmakers to pass a law allowing the plates and would have to sell a minimum of 1,000 plates to offer them.

If successful, customers could order the plates from the Secretary of State at a cost somewhat higher than the cost for their regular plates. From the incremental cost, the Secretary of State gets $15 the first year and $2 each year thereafter. The rest would go to LIB for statewide educational "Share the Road" campaigns.

Efforts to approve the plate this year were stalled because of financial concerns. LIB hopes to reintroduce the legislation in 2010.

LIB is taking a survey to determine interest in the "Share the Road" plate. Perhaps we in Illinois can join our friends in Kentucky, Ohio, North Carolina, Colorado and eight other states in displaying "Share the Road" plates all year long.

Labels: advocacy, bicycling, Illinois

Roger 1 comments links to this post 2:26 PM

Share the Damn Road jerseys

Professional cyclist Phil Gaimon has created a series of cycling jerseys under the name Share the Damn Road.

Phil says on his Web site he was "tired of being honked at, buzzed, and cussed out while he trained, and frustrated that the speed of motor vehicles made witty and insulting replies impossible. To solve that problem, he set out to create a line of jerseys that express what he's always wanted to say to passing cars."

Phil says his goal is to convey messages of safety and cyclists' rights by using humor. He warns these jerseys aren't for "wimps." In addition to "share the damn road," you can buy jerseys with the messages"don't honk at me," "don't run me over" and "slow down."

I agree with Phil the jerseys are funny, at least from the cyclist's point of view, and I've felt many of the same sentiments over the years.

But call me a wimp if you must. I'm not convinced all motorists will find the humor in those messages. I fear a motorist with a case of road rage will treat the messages the same way a bull responds to a waving red cape.

There are two messages I do like -- the "Infinite MPG" and the "3 Feet" jerseys -- that are less likely to draw ire from motorists and get the message across.

Labels: advocacy, cycling, safety

Roger 0 comments links to this post 1:59 PM

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Nude bicycle protest planned for today

Bicycling advocates who oppose the elimination of a bicycle lane in one of New York City's Jewish neighborhoods are planning a nude protest bike ride.

The Associated Press reports the removal of clothing is meant as a protest over the removal of a bike lane in Williamsburg, an Orthodox Jewish neighborhood in Brooklyn.

The activists want to go topless in front of Hasidic residents who "can't handle scantily clad women" on wheels, bike messenger Heather Loop told a local newspaper earlier this week.

Members of the Satmar branch of Judaism "don't want to see women in shorts," says Baruch Herzfeld, who runs a bike-sharing program in a community where Jewish women wear hefty skirts and blouses with long sleeves and men heavy coats and hats, even in summer.

The paper, the Brooklyn Paper, later reported that a bike advocacy group, Transportation Alternatives, wants people to keep their clothes on.

“A bike lane on Bedford Avenue is about transportation and road safety,” the Transportation Alternatives’ statement said. “Rhetoric or acts that pit neighbors against one another are not just irrelevant to this discussion, they are flat-out offensive. A bike ride of people in provocative undress doesn’t make Bedford any safer, and undermines efforts to bring north Brooklynites together to solve this problem.”

Cyclists -- whether they're nude or fully clothed -- may have a real challenge today. Up to 10 inches of snow are forecast to fall on New York City today.

Labels: advocacy

Roger 1 comments links to this post 1:33 AM

Saturday, November 07, 2009

Capital city cycling controversy

At first glance, the fact that Springfield -- the capital city of Illinois -- has formed a Bicycle Advisory Council sounds like a major victory for cyclists in the city.

In September, Mayor Tim Davlin named nine people to the advisory panel, which will "act as an advisory body on bicyclist issues; analyze routing, operation and the safety of bicycles and their riders. Members will also evaluate and make recommendations for signed shared roadways, the use of and installation of bicycle racks and signalization."

But the appointment of David Sykuta as the panel's chairman has raised the ire of the Sangamon County Organization for Reform of Cycling Habitat, according to an article this week in the Illinois Times. SCORCH describes itself as "the radical wing of Springfield area bicyclists, propagandists and participants of local Critical Mass rides and other cycling events."

Sykuta is a member of the long-established Springfield Bicycle Club, but what concerns SCORCH is that Sykuta also is the executive director of the Illinois Petroleum Council. SCORCH sees of conflict of interest having someone promoting the interests of the petroleum industry serving as the head of a cycling advisory board.

“Because of his position as a lobbyist for big oil, I can only assume that he is interested in promoting biking as a form of recreation and not as a means of transportation," SCORCH member Wes King told the Illinois Times.

Sykuta, who told the Illinois Times that he's a recreational rider, said his goal is for the advisory panel to look beyond politics and work on improving bicycling facilities in Springfield.

“The real challenge is that bicycling is everyone’s third or fourth most important thing,” Sykuta told the newspaper. “It’s not the top of anyone’s agenda. Everyone likes it, but our job will be to move it up there so it is a more important choice for more people.”

The Springfield area has 13 miles of trails, the 5-mile Interurban Trail that links Springfield and Chatham, the 5-mile Lost Bridge Trail that links Springfield and Rochester, and the 3-mile Wabash Trail in the southwestern part of Springfield. The League of Illinois Bicyclists also has developed a map of local road cycling routes (PDF file) based upon the recommendations of Springfield-area cyclists.

SCORCH members are advocating more official bicycle routes that would allow people to easily commute to state government offices, more bicycle racks in the city and bike racks on city buses. Advisory board members are seeking many of the same things, including a route that would link the city's Abraham Lincoln attractions.

Labels: advocacy, bicycling, Illinois, Springfield IL

Roger 4 comments links to this post 11:47 AM

Friday, November 06, 2009

Interstate 64/Highway 40 to open early

Good news is ahead for cyclists who travel along the Interstate 64/Highway 40 corridor -- and for the thousands of motorized commuters who use the road. The Missouri Department of Transportation announced today that the highway will reopen Dec. 7 -- 24 days ahead of schedule!

Last year, MoDOT allowed bicyclists and pedestrians on the rebuilt stretch of the Highway between Interstates 170 and 270 the day before it open, and MoDOT is planning a similar event for Dec. 6. Last year's event was conducted by the St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation, but MoDOT is going on its own this time.

From noon to 4 p.m. Dec. 6, bicyclists will be allowed on the eastbound lanes of the highway between Kingshighway and Hanley Road. You better enjoy it while you can; once the highway reopens to motorized traffic, bicycles won't be allowed on the road.

Big Shark Bicycle Co. is sponsoring a cycling time trial race on the highway from 7:30 to 10 a.m. that day, and you can sign up for the time trial through Big Shark.

The new section of the highway will be dedicated at 3 p.m. near the Tamm Avenue overpass. No doubt the highlight of the ceremony will be designation of  I-64/Highway 40 between McCausland and downtown St. Louis as the Jack Buck Memorial Highway as MoDOT honors the legendary St. Louis Cardinals broadcaster, who died in 2002.

In a related item, cyclists who regularly ride Clayton Road in the city of Frontenac may want to have their voices heard in a meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Frontenac City Hall about the future of the road.

Because of the I-64/Highway 40 construction, a two-lane road with wide shoulders used by cyclists became a three-lane road with a center-turn lane to accommodate additional vehicles on the road. The city is considering whether to keep the center-turn lane or go back to the original striping. If you have questions, you may call City Administrator Bob Shelton at 314-994-3200 or e-mail your comments to lross@cityoffrontenac.org before Thursday.

Labels: advocacy, bicycle rides, St. Louis

Roger 0 comments links to this post 4:11 PM

Monday, October 26, 2009

St. Louis gets more national attention

St. Louis ' efforts to make its streets more friendly to modes of transportation other than cars and trucks are getting more national attention.

On top of its recognition last week by the League of American Bicyclists as a Bronze-level Bicycle Friendly Community, The Architect's Newspaper and Wired's Autopia have recognized efforts by Great Streets St. Louis  to bring the Complete Streets concept to the South Grand business district.

Great Streets St. Louis is an initiative by the East-West Council of Governments, a region planning agency that serves the St. Louis Metropolitan Area, to "trigger economic and social benefits by centering communities around interesting, lively and attractive streets that serve all modes of transportation."

Autopia reported that about $2.7 million in federal stimulus funds have been earmarked for the project. The new design reduces four traffic lanes to three, changes the timing of traffic lights, adds curb “bulb-outs” to reduce the amount of yardage pedestrians need to cross from 56 to 40 feet, and increases lighting and landscaping.

South Grand, the test site, is a busy street lined with restaurants and shops. But traffic, signage, and aging infrastructure have been a problem. Drivers routinely speed, and the street saw 80 accidents and one pedestrian death in the first eight months of 2009, according to The Architect's Newspaper

Although the city's Bike St. Louis routes do not use South Grand between Arsenal and Utah streets, where the work is taking place, it goes nearby. The changes especially are intended to help pedestrians in the business district, but I'm sure it will benefit cyclists as well.

After a test run of the new street configuration this year, Alderman Steve Conway says the feedback he's received has been running 10-to-1 in favor of the changes.

“I was concerned about getting 25,000 cars a day through at Grand and Arsenal,” Conway told The Architect's Newspaper.. “And now, we’re getting the cars through, and we’ve slowed the traffic.”

Labels: advocacy, safety, St. Louis

Roger 0 comments links to this post 1:35 PM

Friday, August 21, 2009

Bicycles can run some red lights in Missouri

Starting next Friday, Aug. 28, bicyclists and motorcyclists can legally run -- well, sort of run -- some red lights in Missouri.

The so-called "Dead Red" law (PDF file) signed last month by Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon allows bicyclists and motorcyclists to proceed through red lights under these conditions:

• They come to a complete stop first.

• The signal continues to show a red light for an “unreasonable time.”

• The signal is malfunctioning or failed to detect a bicycle or motorcycle.

• Traffic on the cross street doesn’t pose a hazard.

The Kansas City Star says Missouri will be one of eight states that have similar laws, which are intended to address occasions when motorcycles or bikes aren’t detected by traffic signal sensors in the road.

I live in one of the 42 states -- Illinois to be precise -- that doesn't have the law. It seems like a commonsense approach to me. There are simply a lot of intersections where there's no way my aluminum bicycle with only a small number of steel parts is going to trigger magnetic traffic sensors.

I proceed through those intersections following the steps described above. It sure would be nice to be able to do so legally.

Labels: advocacy, Missouri, safety

Roger 0 comments links to this post 1:39 PM

Sunday, August 16, 2009

World Naked Bike Ride photos!

No, sorry, they're not here. I had to work Saturday night and once again missed all the raw glory of St. Louis' second version of the World Naked Bike Ride.

However, you can find photos of the 2009 ride at the Riverfront Times. A word of caution: Many of the photos are not suitable for the workplace or children.

Labels: advocacy, bicycle rides, St. Louis

Roger 0 comments links to this post 10:00 AM

Friday, August 14, 2009

League of Michigan Bicyclists boycotts radio stations

On Thursday, the League of Michigan Bicyclists posted an open letter boycotting Greater Media for comments made on radio station WCSX in Detroit by morning show hosts Jeff Deminski and Bill Doyle. LMB has extended its boycott to other Greater Media stations, including WRIF and WMGC in the Detroit area.

Here's some excerpts from the letter:

Greater Media’s radio station, WCSX, aired deplorable remarks the morning of August 6, 2009 that encouraged violence against bicyclists.

These reprehensible comments not only belittled cyclists for enjoying a healthy legitimate form of transportation, they made reference to Grand Theft Auto, an intensely violent video game where players run over and maim people.

Greater Media has failed to take appropriate corrective measures to date. I request that Greater Media immediately publicly retract these statements, as well as publicly censure the employees involved in these appalling comments. ...

The on air diatribe went on for over eight minutes and at one point even ridicules the use of bike helmets. A sampling of the intolerable comments made by radio hosts Jeff Deminiski and Bill Doyle are:

“How many of us drivers are disgusted with how bicyclists take to the road. … I’m sorry, they’re jerks. I doubt very much that any cyclist would have the gumption to call us, but how many of them have seen a bicyclist and would just LOVE to lob something at their heads? … God forbid we try to get by them! The guy on the bike is doing 19 mph., they won’t get over, … and it is just flat-out arrogance. … OH GOD, you just want to go Grand Theft Auto on them. … Just move over. That’s all I’m saying. … I don’t see why they are so arrogant. They are riding something which against your 4,000 pound vehicle could launch them like an acorn.“

You can listen to the diatribe here: http://tinyurl.com/lffvvs and http://dd.wcsx.com/?p=4324

LMB is urging cyclists to sign an online petition showing their support for the boycott and its urging businesses to drop their ads on General Media stations until the company retracts the statements and censure the employees involved in the diatribe. LMB urges people to boycott businesses that continue to advertise with General Media stations before corrective action is taken.

Deminski and Doyle did talk this week to Paul Alman of the Washtenaw Bicycling and Walking Coalition about their discussion about bicyclists and safety, and you can listen to the interview. They did they did not condone throwing violence toward cyclists and that they were simply drawing attention to the tension between bicyclists and motorists and noting cyclists often don't obey traffic laws.

Labels: advocacy, Michigan, radio

Roger 0 comments links to this post 12:10 AM

Sunday, August 09, 2009

Upcoming St. Louis-area rides a diverse lot

If you live in the St. Louis area and can't find a bicycle ride the next few weekends, you're not looking hard enough.

The most provocative of the rides will be Saturday, Aug. 15 -- St. Louis's second version of the World Naked Bike Ride. Cyclists will start gathering at Tower Grove Park's Stupp Plaza at 7 p.m. and take off at 9 p.m. for a route that ends at the Atomic Cowboy. Cyclists are encouraged to "bare as your dare," although it should be noted that publicly exposing certain parts of the anatomy is against the law in St. Louis. The goal of the ride is to protest oil dependency, promote a comfortable body image and to raise awareness of cyclists. A slideshow from the 2008 ride is available at the Riverfront Times. (Note: Images on the site may not be appropriate for children or the workplace.)

If you're into scavenger hunts, the Urban Assault Ride on Sunday, Aug. 16, is for you! New Belgium Brewing is behind the ride, which requires teams of cyclists to take on physical and mental obstacles at checkpoints along the route. The ride begins at 9 a.m. in Forest Park, and proceeds will be used to benefit Trailnet and BicycleWORKS.

Also, Trailnet is doing its I Scream for Ice Cream Ride on Aug. 16 out of The Cyclery and Fitness Center, 2572 Troy Road in Edwardsville. Registration is from 7:30 to 9 a.m., and the routes of 22, 34 or 43 miles include a stop at Annie's Frozen Custard in Edwardsville. And as we all know, ice cream is the rocket fuel of cycling!

The following weekend is a big one for charity rides. On Saturday, Aug. 22, the 15th Operational Weather Squadron at Scott Air Force Base is putting on Miles for Marty, a benefit in honor of Master Sgt. Edward Martin, who suffered a massive stroke while on duty in 2006. Money from the ride will go to the Disabled Amercan Veterans. Routes of 6.5 miles on the base that can be repeated and a 30-mile route from the base to Freeburg and back are available.

Also on Aug 22, the Missouri Chapter of the Lupus Foundation of America will hold the WolfRide 2009 at Bolm-Schuhcraft Park in Columbia, Ill. Routes of 50 and 100 miles are available, and the $45 registration includes food, entertainment and free massages after the ride.

For those of you who want to start riding at the crack of dawn, the Illinois Center for Autism in Fairview Heights is planning the Bike at Dawn ride on Sunday, Aug. 23. Cyclists will start registering at 5 a.m. at the Illinois Center for Autism, near Longacre Park in Fairview Heights, and take off at 6 a.m. on routes of 8 and 15 miles.

Summer festivals are a big part of the lifeblood of Southwestern Illinois Catholics, and one of the region's biggest church festivals is the Kirchenfest, the annual celebration at St. Paul Catholic Church in Highland. This year's Kirchenfest will include the first-ever KirchenRide, which will include routes of 17 and 40 miles in the rural countryside around Highland. Registration begins at 7 a.m. Aug. 23 with an 8 a.m. shotgun start.

The climax -- at least in terms of numbers -- of the St. Louis cycling calendar is the 45th annual Moonlight Ramble on Aug. 28-29 in downtown St. Louis. The ride routinely draws more than 10,000 riders, who take off on the streets of St. Louis shortly after midnight Sunday. Proceeds from the ride benefit the Gateway Council of Hostelling International.

No excuses! Get out and ride!

Labels: advocacy, bicycle rides, St. Louis

Roger 1 comments links to this post 11:21 PM

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Speeding cyclists, beware!

If you're a cyclist who likes to ride fast on the 8-mile trail in Creve Coeur County Park in west St. Louis County near Maryland Heights, Mo., you may be facing a ticket and a fine.

KSDK-TV, Channel 5, in St. Louis reported today that starting next week, speeding cyclists could get a ticket, be fined up to $1,000 and may get time in the county jail.

"If I see you traveling at a high rate of speed and you're passing people, not being considerate of others and causing almost collisions, you can get a ticket and possibly go to jail for it," Park Ranger Keith Kaiser told KSDK.

A series of complaints and accidents have led to the crackdown, Kaiser said. This week, bicylists are receiving citizen complaint alerts about the fines for speeding.

Some bike trails have speed limits, but the KSDK report doesn't say whether the Creve Coeur trail has a speed limit.

One bicyclist, Ruth Marner, says there has been increasing resentment.

"People don't want us on the roads. They swear at us when we're on the roads and then they don't like us on the trails so I think we need to compromise and be courteous," she told KSDK.

Labels: advocacy, safety, St. Louis

Roger 0 comments links to this post 7:29 PM

Iowa group pushes bicycle ban

The Citizens for Safety Coalition of Iowa has started a petition drive that asks the Iowa legislature to create a ballot initiative for the November 2010 election that would ban bicycles on "farm-to-market" roads.

This is how Iowa law defines "farm-to-market" roads: "Farm-to-market roads" or "farm-to-market road system" means those county jurisdiction intracounty and intercounty roads which serve principal traffic generating areas and connect such areas to other farm-to-market roads and primary roads. The farm-to-market road system includes those county jurisdiction roads providing service for short-distance intracounty and intercounty traffic or providing connections between farm-to-market roads and area service roads, and includes those secondary roads which are federal aid eligible.

Here's what the group's petition has to say:

We the undersigned are Iowa residents who urge our Legislature to support a ballot initiative for the November 2010 election which will prohibit bicyclists from using state and county defined farm-to-market roads.

A farm-to-market road is a state or county road which serves to connect rural or agricultural areas to market towns.

Over the past ten years the number of bicyclists using these farm-to-market roads for recreational purposes has increased dramatically as have the number of preventable accidents and fatalities.

Rural commerce and citizens are significantly impacted when forced to share the farm-to-market roadways with bicyclists. Because of the growth of today's commerce and agricultural business, shared roadways are no longer safe or practical in today's society.

So please if you are a resident of Iowa join us and lets make our roadways safe. Thanks for your time and your support.

All questions and comments can be sent to cfscofiowa1@yahoo.com.

A spokesman for the group, Dan Jones, told Radio Iowa that bicyclists create problems on the roads. He says some of the smaller highways or rural roads don't have shoulders, and don't have a place for motorists or cyclists to get out of the way to avoid a problem.

"We're tired of it, we think that the bicyclists should be held to the same laws that motorists are. They should have to have their license and insurance, anything that I've ever known that's been on these highways has to have insurance on it," Jones told Radio Iowa.

Needless to say, the Iowa Bicycle Coalition is opposed to it. The Coalition opposes the ban, but shares the concern about safety on Iowa highways. Here's what that group has to say:

Iowa governments have tools to address roadway safety for motorists and bicyclists. Safety improvements are accomplished with roadway design changes, improved signage, better enforcement, education programs and awareness building. Bike bans are not the answer.

Existing traffic laws provide a framework for different modes of traffic to share the road. State traffic laws provide consistent expectations for safe behavior on public roadways throughout the state for all roadway users.

Bike bans would have an extreme economic impact. A recent economic impact study of RAGBRAI showed $24 million during the week-long bike ride. Bicycle tourism, including charity fundraisers, are estimated to generate as much or more than RAGBRAI during the other weeks of the year.

Bicycle bans would have an extreme impact on the health of Iowans. Recent studies by the Alliance for Bicycling and Walking have shown relationships between states with high rates of bicycling have a healthier population including lower rates of diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity.

Supporters of the bicycle ban petition drive, in comments on the petition drive page, have one legitimate argument" that sometimes we cyclists don't obey the rules of the road. Other arguments -- such as cyclists should be relegated to bicycle paths, that cyclists don't pay registration fee and taxes and that cyclists aren't required to have insurance -- are the same tired arguments the anti-bicycle crowd loves to use and don't hold water.

This is the second effort in recent weeks to ban bicycles from some roads. Recently, commissioners in Jefferson County decided to ask Colorado lawmakers to approve a laws that would give counties the right to ban bicycles from country roads. You can read more about that effort at the Biking Bis and Cyclelicious blogs as well as Bicycle Colorado and the Columbine Courier.

Labels: advocacy, Iowa, safety

Roger 0 comments links to this post 9:52 AM

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Cross-country bicyclist killed in accident

The Belleville News-Democrat reports that a 65-year-old man who was riding his bicycle from California to Washington, D.C., to protest government bailouts was killed Sunday by a suspected drunken driver in a hit-and-run crash on U.S. 50 near Carlyle, Ill.

Jim Gafney left his home in Chula Vista, Calif., on April 27 for his "Mad As Hell Bike Ride Across U.S." with the goal of hand-delivering a petition opposing government bailouts to lawmakers sometime in July. Gafney had completed about two-thirds of his 3,000-mile ride, and collected about 500 signatures, before he was killed about 12:40 a.m. Sunday.

The newspaper reported Gafney spent Saturday near Lebanon, and most likely was riding at night to avoid the heat. He was on U.S. 50 at Diamond Springs Road -- about 60 miles east of St. Louis -- when he was struck by a 1997 Nissan Altima driven by Leon K. Marcum, 27, of Centralia, according to Illinois State Police.

Marcum told police he was driving over a hill and saw Gafney, but was not able to stop. He left the scene and later was arrested near Sandoval.Marcum was charged with aggravated DUI, leaving the scene of a fatal crash and failure to reduce speed. He was being held Wednesday at the Clinton County Jail on $100,000 bail.

The San Diego Union-Tribune account of the accident also quoted Illinois State Police Master Sgt. Chris Trame as saying U.S. 50 in that area is just two lanes with no shoulder, Trame said. He described it as “pretty isolated” and “not well lit.”

“We were so worried. We begged him not to go But he had a mission and he was determined to make that dream come true," Gafney's daughter, Colleen Uhden of Temecula, Calif., told the Union-Tribune about her father's decision to ride in the middle of the night instead of throu

The Southwest Free Press, a publication that was supporting Gafney's ride, hopes to complete Gafney's goal of getting 500 to 1,000 bicyclists to ride to Washington and hand-deliver the petition against the bailout to lawmakers.

Here's the last video Gafney posted on YouTube before he died:

Labels: advocacy, bicycling, fatal accidents, Illinois

Roger 0 comments links to this post 9:57 AM

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Gutless wonder in Colorado

It never ceases to amaze me how easy it is to say stupid things when you're hiding behind the cloak on anonymity.

The latest example of this is in the Boulder, Colo., area. An anonymously written flier is calling upon residents of rural mountain communities in Boulder County to stage a blockade of the return leg of the Sunrise Century ride on July 25. Here's what the flier says, according to the Daily Camera newspaper in Boulder:

“On July 25, in celebration of driver’s rights, many cars will use the Left Hand Canyon Road, drive slowly and many may break down unexpectedly, blocking areas to the cyclists on the return leg of the ‘Sunrise Century.' Many cars and safe drivers all working together can send a message to the Statehouse to restrict cycling on our roads which are our only alternatives during family emergencies, commuting and required duties.”

The Daily Camera reported the the fliers started being distributed days after a Boulder driver was ticketed on suspicion of endangering a cyclist on Lee Hill Road.

Officials in Boulder County say conflicts between cyclists and motorists have been increasing in recent years, but have intensified this year. On Aug. 5, a new law goes in effect in Colorado that increases cyclists' rights. Based upon information from Bicycle Colorado, here's a summary of the law:

• Requires motorists to give at least 3 feet of clearance when passing a bicyclists. (A similar law went into effect last year in Illinois.)
• Allows cyclists to ride side by side as long as they don't impede the normal flow of traffic.
• Makes throwing items at cyclists and intentionally driving toward a cyclists offenses.
• Allows cyclists to ride as far to the right as safely possible.
  

Bikerpelli Sports, the organizer of the Sunrise Century, has this response to the controversy:

"A special thanks to all our supporters during this interesting time. ... And remember we will do whatever it takes to create a safe, fun & enjoyable ride for all our dedicated athletes regardless of the obstacles that others may try to create. We don't shy away from a challenge any more than you would!"

I've always contended problems would be minimized if motorists -- and cyclists -- simply follow the rules of the road. In this case, I hope common sense prevails and that cyclists and motorists will share the road in Boulder County.

Labels: advocacy, Colorado, safety

Roger 0 comments links to this post 11:11 AM

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Columbia, Mo., passes bicycle harassment ordinance

Fresh off its designation as a Silver-level Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists, Columbia, Mo., has adopted an ordinance that makes harassment of bicyclists — including throwing objects, verbal assault and other offenses — a misdemeanor offense punishable by a $1,000 fine or one year of jail time.

On Monday, the Columbia City Council approved the new ordinance unanimously.

The Columbia Missourian reported that residents cited a number of reasons for their support and shared horror stories from bike riding. The tales ranged from waking up face down in ditches to having ashtrays dumped on their heads. The consensus among supporters was that the ordinance would help protect them on the streets.

“Unfortunately, there are people in our community who believe that roads are for automobiles and bicyclists who dare ride on the road should be honked at, yelled at or even have something thrown at them,” PedNet Education Coordinator Robert Johnson was quoted as saying in the newspaper.

Columbia's ordinance is modeled on similar ordinances in South Carolina and Colorado. Next month, the City Council will decide whether to expand the ordinance to include pedestrians.

Labels: advocacy, Missouri, safety

Roger 0 comments links to this post 10:41 AM

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Ride of Silence

Tonight is the Ride of Silence, a slow-paced bike ride in honor of those who have been injured or killed while cycling on public roadways.

The Ride of Silence will take place at 7 p.m. at numerous locations nationwide, and St. Louis is no exception. The St. Louis edition of the ride begins at the Missouri History Museum in Forest Park and is slated to go 10 to 12 miles, according to the Ride of Silence Web site.

Other Missouri communities hosting a Ride of Silence are Kansas City, Springfield, Sedalia and St. Joseph. Illinois communities hosting a Ride of Silence are Arlington Heights, Champaign-Urbana, Charleston, Chicago, Downers Grove, Evanston, Joliet and Peoria. To find out more details about those rides or about Ride of Silence in other states, visit the Ride of Silence schedule.

I won't be able to attend tonight's Ride of Silence in St. Louis because I'm riding with the Belleville Area Bicycling and Eating Society tonight in Mascoutah, Ill. However, I do plan to ride in honor of Gerry "Chief" Frierdich tonight. Gerry continues to make great strides in his recovery from an August 2007 accident that left him paralyzed from the chest down.

Labels: advocacy, bicycle rides, safety

Roger 0 comments links to this post 11:47 AM

Wednesday, May 06, 2009

Help sought for Complete Streets

Yesterday, I received a note from League of Illinois Bicyclists Executive Director Ed Barsotti urging me to contact my lawmaker, Rep. Jerry Costello, D-Belleville, to support language to requiring states to adopt Complete Streets legislation to receive federal funding for highway projects that receive federal money.

He also asked me to spread the word among the cycling community, and I'm glad to oblige.

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is considering the transportation authorization bill, and bicycling groups are asking for the inclusion of Complete Streets requirements as part of the bill. People are urged to contact lawmakers on the committee by early Thursday to include the requirement.

Generally speaking, Complete Streets rules require transportation officials to consider all users -- including bicyclists, pedestrians and the disabled -- while planning highway projects. Illinois adopted Complete Streets two years ago, while Missouri bicycle advocates are facing an uphill battle to get that state to adopt Complete Streets.

The St. Louis area is well-represented on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Costello is the third-ranking Democrat on the committee, and Reps. Russ Carnahan, D-Mo., and Phil Hare, D-Ill., also are on the committee. You can see a full list of committee members on its Web site.

Costello's Washington office can be reached at 202-225-5661.

Labels: advocacy, bicycling, League of Illinois Bicyclists

Roger 0 comments links to this post 9:23 AM

Friday, May 01, 2009

Missouri now has a Bicycle Friendly Community

The League of American Bicyclists today released its Bicycle Friendly Communities for 2009. For the first time, a Missouri city made the list.

Columbia, the home of the University of Missouri, earned a Silver designation on the strength of the city's engineering of bicycle routes and encouragement of bicycling. As the Missouri Bicycle Federation has noted, bicycle trips in Columbia more than doubled--increasing from 3.4% to 8.7% of all work/school trips. The GetAbout Columbia program has succeeded in increasing the number of bike trails and bike lanes.

Three Illinois cities also made the list. Chicago earned a Silver designation, while the suburbs of Schaumburg and Naperville received Bronze.

What are this year's most Bicycle Friendly Communities? Davis, Calif; Boulder, Colo; and Portland, Ore. All three communities received the Platinum designation.

Earning Gold are Corvallis, Calif.; Fort Collins, Colo.; Jackson and Teton County, Wyo.; Madison, Wis.; Palo Alto, Calif.; Tuscon, Ariz.; San Francisco, Seattle and Stanford University.

As far as Bicycle Friendly States are concerned, Illinois ranked 12th, while Missouri ranked 17th.

Illinois earned its rating because the state "passed a complete streets law in 2007 and has a statewide bike map with suitability ratings. However, there are no performance measures or project lists in the state bike plan."

Missouri's status was because "Missouri has a bike route map with suitability ratings, but no bike master plan and no cell phone use restrictions."

Wisconsin took second place, trailing only Washington state. Other nearby Midwestern/Southern states and their rankings include Iowa (6), Michigan (15), Indiana (28), Kentucky (27), Kansas (33), Arkansas (38) and Tennessee (43).

What state is at the bottom of the list? Alabama. Here's that LAB has to say about Alabama: "Alabama promotes bicycling through its tourism board, yet lacks a state-wide bike route network and still has dated, discriminatory mandatory sidepath laws on the books. The state also falls behind the majority of the country in Safe Routes to School programming."

Labels: advocacy, League of American Bicyclists, Missouri

Roger 0 comments links to this post 6:47 PM

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Columbia, Mo., makes strides as bicycling city

The Missouri Bicycle Federation is tooting its horn about the strides the city of Columbia, Mo., has made as a cycling and pedestrian and for good reason.

MoBikeFed Executive Director Brent Hugh noted over on the organization's Web site these facts:

• Single-occupant vehicle trips to work and school have dropped by 15% in a single year.
• Bicycle trips more than doubled--increasing from 3.4% to 8.7% of all work/school trips. (Nationally about 0.5% of commute trips are by bicycle.)

In a note to MoBikeFed members, Brent noted, "That's above the latest figures from Portland, Chicago, Minneapolis, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington, D.C., and comparable or even higher
than the latest figures I can find for cities like Madison, Wis., and Berkeley, Calif."

GetAbout Columbia program gets much of the credit for promoting bicycling and walking as transportation in the community, home of the main campus of the University of Missouri. You can read more about Columbia's strides at MoBikeFed's Web site.

Labels: advocacy, bicycling, Missouri

Roger 0 comments links to this post 10:34 AM

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

In defense of bicyclists

Last week, I wrote about Zack Colman's anti-bicyclist column in The State News, the student newspaper of Michigan State University. Today, I point out a rebuttal column by State News copy editor Scott Myers that was published Monday.

Myers' column is written in the same style as Colman's original column. For example, here's the opening salvo:

White 2009 Motobecane Fantom Cross Uno.

That’s the bike I ride — and if you’re a motorist on the road and plan on running me over, I hope you have a good lawyer, because I might sue you.

Intentionally.

Because you see, with all these dangerously inattentive motorists on the road nowadays, doing things like changing songs on their iPods, sending text messages while driving or falling asleep because they can’t get enough sleep to function on the same schedule as 90 percent of the rest of the world, I’m tired of getting run over.

And, considering I’m exactly where I should be, I’ll win the case.

Not surprisingly, Myers' column got a lot of praise from the cycling community, at least judging by the comments. It also got a lot of comments from the anti-cyclist crowd, complete with the stereotype that all cyclists disobey traffic laws because a few do. While some cyclists do disobey traffic laws, so do some motorists.

As for the original Colman column, word about the column has spread far and wide. The League of American Bicyclists even has included Colman's column in its Trash Talk feature. "In what we can only hope is a sorry attempt at satire, the author says that bicyclists should get off the road. If they’re not in bike lanes or on sidewalks, Colman promotes distracted drivers running over bicyclists with “big, people-killing cars” to show who rules the road," LAB pointed out.

Labels: advocacy, Michigan, newspapers, safety

Roger 0 comments links to this post 11:38 AM

Monday, April 13, 2009

St. Louis County helmet law: Who knew?

In December, St. Louis County enacted a law effective countywide that requires children 16 and under wear a helmet while riding a bicycle, a scooter, roller skates, roller blades or a skateboard.

But the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported Monday that only two citations have been given out since the law went in effect. A reporter's survey of the St. Louis County communities of Kirkwood, Maplewood and Maryland Heights indicates that many police departments are unaware that the law applies to their communities.

A couple of departments questioned the practically of enforcing the ordinance. Here's one example:

"Is it practical to enforce if you come across three or four kids out riding bikes without helmets?" Maryland Heights Police Chief Tom O'Connor told the Post-Dispatch. "What the hell do you do, confiscate their bikes and then drive them all home to tell their parents? It ought to be the parents' responsibility in the first place."

The helmet law does not affect the city of St. Louis because the city is a separate entity from St. Louis County.

Labels: advocacy, bicycling, Missouri, safety

Roger 1 comments links to this post 6:37 PM

Saturday, April 11, 2009

Bicyclists need to stay on sidewalk

I'll give Zack Colman credit for one thing. At least he has the courage to put his name and photo to asinine comments about bicycling.

Unlike most of the clowns who post comments anonymously or under fake names on newspaper articles about bicycling, Colman didn't hide his identity in a recent column that appears in the State News, the student newspaper for Michigan State University. Here's what he said about bicyclists:

Black 2001 Saturn SC2. That’s the car I drive — and if you’re a bicyclist on the road but not in a bike path and you see my car, I hope you’re wearing a helmet, because I might run you over.

Maybe not intentionally.

But you see, with all these things I can do in my car nowadays, such as choose a different song on my iPod, send a text message while driving or fall asleep at the wheel because I had to wake up for a worthless 8 a.m. biology lab, I might not notice you.

And, considering you are where you should not be, I might hit you.

Not surprisingly, the column has drawn a lot of comments. Mary Dougherty of the League of Michigan Bicyclists is urging people to e-mail Colman and set him straight.

In the column, Colman is under the mistaken idea that bicyclists should ride on sidewalks rather than streets, where they have a legal right to be in Michigan. In many Michigan communities, it's illegal to ride a bike on sidewalks. It's even illegal to ride bikes on sidewalks on Michigan State's East Lansing campus!

Here's another choice nugget from Colman's attempt at writing a column:

Bicyclists on the road are a driving hazard to people in automobiles, since many bicyclists make turns without using hand signals and ride too close to other vehicles when there is no designated bike path.

For example, I was driving to work Tuesday when a bicyclist pulled up in front of my car in the right lane on Farm Lane going northbound where it intersects with Shaw Lane. There is no bike path at this portion of the road, and I needed to be in the right lane to avoid the left turn only lane, but the bicyclist was in the way.

Some will say I could be more patient on the road.

But roads are for cars, not bicyclists. The bicyclist should not have been in the car lane.

Some people have come to Colman's defense, saying that it was intended to be satire. If it was, it was a pretty poor attempt. I speak from experience. I once attempted satire while I was still a college student writing for the Southwestern Journal, a weekly in Brighton, Ill. I failed miserably. Satire is a difficult form of writing to master, and satire clearly isn't one of Colman's strong suits.

I hope Colman learns from his mistake and grows up to be a responsible columnist.

Labels: advocacy, Michigan, newspapers, safety

Roger 3 comments links to this post 2:18 AM

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Wheels of Glory III

The last (at least for now) of Will Cycle for Charity's Wheels of Glory indoor cycling series takes place Wednesday (March 11) at the Atomic Cowboy, 4140 Manchester Ave. in St. Louis. The doors open at 5 p.m., registration begins at 7 o'clock, and racing begins at 8 o'clock.

Registration is $5, and proceeds will go toward the St. Louis City Open Studio and Gallery, a non-profit arts organization located in Tower Grove Park that is dedicated to providing accessible arts education to children in a safe environment. Funds generated from the Wheels of Glory race will go toward operational expenses and scholarship awards.

Will Cycle for Charity is a nonprofit group of St. Louis cyclists who are donating their time and skills for St. Louis-area charitable organizations through cycling events.

Labels: advocacy, St. Louis

Roger 1 comments links to this post 7:06 PM

Thursday, March 05, 2009

It's time to Share the Road

We're going to get a sneak peak of spring here in the metro-east in the next few days. That, along with the switch to Daylight Saving Time on Sunday morning, means there should be more cyclists out on the road.

I'm passing along some tips from the League of Illinois Bicyclists, with commentary from me in italics:

For those who want to ride their bicycles on the road, it’s good to be reminded of the rules of the road. Bicyclists are legal vehicles on the road and have all the rights and responsibilities of motorists. They should observe traffic signs and traffic laws, signal turns, ride with the traffic and ride in a straight line, except when making turns. Bicyclists fare best when they act and are treated like motorists. That’s because road safety for everyone depends on all vehicles, cars and bikes, behaving predictably, obeying traffic laws and sharing the road.

Typical traffic no-no’s for bicyclists are: riding against the traffic instead of with the traffic, failure to observe red lights and stop signs, blocking traffic on a busy road by not riding in a single file with other cyclists, failure to use hand signals when turning or slowing, no headlights, taillights or reflectors for night riding and riding with earphones.

As a cyclist and motorist here in Belleville, I see way too many instances of people riding against traffic. The main offenders here are children and people who ride bikes because of DUI convictions or other unfortunate circumstances. Parents, police and educators need to teach children the rules of the road when in comes to cycling. People convicted of DUI should be given a copy of the state's "Safe Bicycling in Illinois" booklet.

I plead guilty to occasionally rolling through a stop sign, but I always stop at intersections where there's a strong likelihood there will be traffic. As a whole, the cycling community needs to do a much better job of paying attention to stop signs and traffic signals.

Riding two abreast is legal in Illinois as long as the reasonable and normal movement of traffic is not impeded. Otherwise, you must ride single file. Riding more than two abreast is illegal on most Illinois roads. Cyclists on group rides sometimes lose sight of the law and create problems for themselves and motorists.

Remember that one bicyclist’s bad behavior on the road affects the public’s opinion of all bicyclists. Amen to that.

Typical motorists’ mistakes are: failure to pass bicyclists safely by giving them at least three feet of space, passing a bicyclist then making an immediate right turn in front of the bicyclist, failure to yield when making a left turn in front of an oncoming bicyclist, opening a car door into a bicyclist’s path, failure to scan for bicyclists at intersections and crosswalks, parking in bike lanes and speeding.

True, motorists often don't pay attention to cyclists, and they need more education about the rights of bicyclists to be on the road.

Let's hope cyclists and motorists alike have safe travels during the 2009 cycling season.

Labels: advocacy, League of Illinois Bicyclists, safety

Roger 0 comments links to this post 12:14 AM

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Gerry Frierdich update: A mixed bag

I have good news and news that some may see as troublesome about my friend Gerry "Chief" Frierdich. I'll start with the good news, but I hope you'll read on about developments in the court case against the driver of the vehicle that struck Gerry's recumbent bike.

Pat Colle, of Jerseyville, Ill., was the winner of the second of two Bacchetta recumbent bicycles that were raffled off to raise money for Gerry's ongoing recovery. Gerry pulled Pat's name from a pool of hundreds of raffle tickets during a Feb. 7 mouse race benefit in Belleville. According to Gerry's CaringBridge site, Pat bought the winning ticket from me back in January during the St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation's Midwest Bike Expo & Swap Meet in Collinsville.

Congratulations, Pat! Have fun riding your recumbent on the backroads of Jersey County!

As regular readers of this blog know, Gerry was paralyzed from the chest down on Aug. 17, 2007, when his recumbent was struck by a pickup truck on South Green Mount Road in Belleville. Gerry has made a lot of progress since then. The court case involving the person accused of driving the truck has not.

Keith Joseph McCoy, 24, was charged in late 2007 with two counts of Aggravated Driving Under the Influence, a felony charge in Illinois. The case has sat in St. Clair County Circuit Court with little action being taken since then. Hearings, including one that had been scheduled for today, continually have been delayed.

The hearing was rescheduled for 1:30 p.m. March 31 in Courtroom 409 of the St. Clair County Building in Belleville.

The only motion, other than routine motions for discovery information, that has been filed is one by McCoy's attorney, Richard Sturgeon, asking that McCoy's statements to Belleville police be suppressed. The motion contends that when police took a statement from McCoy immediately after the accident, that he was not advised of his constitutional right to remain silent, even though he was not free to leave the scene and that he was a suspect.

The motion also contends police made promises to McCoy to obtain a statement, but the motion does not detail the promises. To date, St. Clair County prosecutors have not filed a written answer to the motion.

Having covered the court system in Madison County back in the 1980s and early 1990s as a reporter and having first-hand experience with the system after the stabbing death of my brother, Wes, in 1996-97, I can say cases get delayed frequently for a variety of reasons.

While I'll continue reporting facts on the court case here, I really can't play the role of an advocate and voice opinions on an issue so close to home. While I avoid editing stories about Gerry as part of my job at the Belleville News-Democrat -- I'm much too close to Gerry and his fundraising efforts to edit the stories -- I still have to handle them as part of my role as a page designer. It's probably for the best that I stick to the facts here.

Labels: advocacy, Belleville, Gerry Frierdich, St. Clair County

Roger 1 comments links to this post 7:11 PM

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

2009 St. Louis World Naked Bike Ride

For those of you who love to ride in the buff -- or as bare as you dare or as the St. Louis Police Department lets you -- St. Louis' version of the World Naked Bike Ride will take place Saturday, Aug. 15. Last year's event, the first time the WNBR had taken place in St. Louis, drew about 300 people.

The goals of the event are to promote alternatives to motorized transportation and to promote a healthy self-image.

In case you need a reminder, here's what's considered lewd and indecent conduct in St. Louis: "The exposure of one's genitals, buttocks, vulva, pubic hair or the female breast below a point immediately above the top of the areola."

Labels: advocacy, bicycle rides, St. Louis

Roger 0 comments links to this post 8:57 PM

Wednesday, February 04, 2009

Will Cycle for Charity

A new group in the St. Louis area is promoting cycling for charitable causes.

Will Cycle for Charity is a nonprofit group of St. Louis cyclists who are donating their time and skills for St. Louis-area charitable organizations through cycling events.

Will Cycle for Charity will put on its second event, Wheels of Glory II, on Wednesday, Feb. 11, at the Atomic Cowboy nightclub. The doors open at 5 p.m., registration starts at 7 p.m., and indoor bicycle racing begins at 8 p.m. Here's the press release as written by Carrie Zukoski:

Who: Will Cycle for Charity, competitors and fans

What: Wheels of Glory II: indoor bicycle races

When: Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Races start: 8 p.m. --– ?

Where: Atomic Cowboy, 4140 Manchester, St. Louis, MO 63110

Why: Many worthy charities exist in the region. Will Cycle for Charity, a new, all-volunteer group hopes to engage the cycling community in fun, inexpensive fundraisers for some of these organizations with ongoing events. Proceeds from this event and others will be donated to various local organizations. For more information, visit http://www.willcycleforcharity.com.

Details: Participants pay $5 to race against the clock and each other, two at a time. Two trainer bikes are set up with timers with a large video screen in front that depicts a racing scene for the cyclists to race against.

A portion from next week's event will go to a children's charity in the St. Louis area. After the races, DJ Ashley Vulture will provide entertainment from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m.

Labels: advocacy, St. Louis

Roger 0 comments links to this post 2:55 AM

Tuesday, February 03, 2009

Money sought for bicycle/pedestrian projects

The Missouri Bicycle Federation is targeting Sen. Claire McCaskill in its effort to get divvy some of the money in the proposed economic stimulus bill to bicycle and pedestrian projects.

Why Sen. McCaskill? Because she expressed to MoBikeFed Executive Director Brent Hugh
that she thinks there is little support for bicycling and walking outside the big cities.

"The economic stimulus plan under consideration by Congress includes about
$30 billion for roads and highways," Brent wrote in a recent newsletter. "But there is a good chance that little or no money will be included for improving roads for bicycling and walking -- when we know federal and state funded roads are often the biggest dangers to walking and bicycling in Missouri."

Brent goes on to say: "You know that federal transportation funding and policy is one of the biggest reasons Missouri communities are unsafe/unfriendly for bicycling &
walking. Think of the state and federal highways where you live -- are they the best for bicycling and walking, or the worst?"

Last year, I reported that Missouri received a D from the MoBikeFed for its overall bicycle/pedestrian environment. Last year, I also reported that the League of American Bicyclists ranked 28th among Bicycle Friendly State; Illinois ranked 8th.

In case you want to contact the senator, you can reach her through the MoBikeFed's Web site. Of course, you're welcome to contact Missouri's senior senator, Christopher "Kit" Bond as well. Illinois residents can contact Sens. Richard Durbin and Roland Burris, and people in other state can contact their lawmakers. You can find a list of all the senators and links to their Web forms here: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

Labels: advocacy, bicycling, Missouri, trails

Roger 0 comments links to this post 12:37 AM

Friday, November 28, 2008

St. Louis County wants to require helmets for kids

St. Louis County wants to require children ages 1-16 who ride bicycles, scooters and skateboards to wear helmets.

Earlier this week, a bill was introduced before the St. Louis County Council that would require helmets throughout the county. The county already has a law requiring helmets, but that covers only unincorporated portions of the county.

(The proposal does not cover the city of St. Louis, which is not part of St. Louis County. The city of St. Louis does not have a similar ordinance.)

Under the proposal, children and their parents would receive warning for first and second offenses. For third and subsequent offenses within a 12-month period, the fine would be $10.

While the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the proposal has wide support within the council, not everyone else backs it.

Patty Vinyard, executive director of the the St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation, told the Post-Dispatch the county should focus on educating people how to ride a bicycle in traffic and ensure that streets are designed with pedestrians, wheelchairs and cyclists in mind.

"Those are two things that would do more to save lives than enacting a helmet law," Vinyard said. "Many places in the county are very scary for most people who are walking or biking to their destinations."

Shirley Scatcherd, a county health coordinator who is pushing the bill, said the main purpose of the law is to educate parents of the need to have their children wear helmets while cycling or taking part in another activity.

Labels: advocacy, safety

Roger 1 comments links to this post 7:17 PM

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Two fatal accidents, two different results

Randy Rasa, the author of the Kansas Cyclist blog, yesterday lamented a Kansas prosecutor's decision not to file felony charges against the driver of a car that struck and killed a lieutenant in the Jackson County Sheriff's Department.

Lt. David Dillon, of Eudora, a deputy for the jail operations division of the sheriff’s office, died in the June 28 accident. Dillon, 44, was off-duty and riding his bike between Lawrence and Eudora when he was struck from behind by a 2003 Oldsmobile driven by Kyle Van Meter, 21, the Kansas Highway Patrol told the Lawrence Journal-World.

Van Meter was distracted both by his car radio and a cell phone, authorities determined.

Jackson County District Attorney Charles Branson did not offer an explanation to the Journal-World about why he did not pursue felony charges, but he recommended the Kansas Highway Patrol issue citations for unsafe overtaking/passing, following too closely and failure to wear a seat belt.

Here's what Randy had to say in his blog post:

Just incredible.

As long as the District Attorney has taken to make his decision, I’d begun to fear the worst, but now that it’s come to pass, I’m simply stunned.

Negligence, readily admitted, and yet no charges. How can this be seen as anything other than a gross miscarriage of justice?

In a Twitter post today, Randy referred to a story in The Coloradoan about Daniel Price, who hit and killed Fort Collins, Colo., cyclist Rebecca Allen with his car in July and pleaded guilty Friday to vehicular homicide under a plea agreement.

On the morning of July 22, Price's car hit Allen, 32, and cycling partner Jennifer Garvey, 36, near the intersection of West Drake Road and Moore Lane. Garvey was injured in the crash.

Price likely will receive eight years in prison, five years mandatory parole and two years of supervised probation under the stipulated sentence. Blood tests showed Price’s blood-alcohol limit was above the legal level for someone old enough to drink, which Price was not at the time of the accident.

By no means am I an expert on Kansas or Colorado traffic law, but I suspect the difference in the two cases was that Price was legally drunk, which frequently leads to a felony charge in fatal accidents.

Unfortunately, the Kansas accident sounds too familiar to the 2006 accident near Urbana, Ill., that killed cyclist Matt Wilhelm. The woman driving the car that killed him had been downloading a cell-phone ring tone at the time of the accident.

The woman wound up only being charged with a traffic offense, but Champaign County State's Attorney Julia Rietz had the guts to explain her reasons for not filing a felony charge of reckless homicide in that case. She said current Illinois state statutes and current case law would not back up a stronger charge in that particular case.

To her credit, Rietz has attmpted to change the law in Illinois. She served on a task force led by Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White that recommended the creation of a charge of negligent vehiclular homicide. Under the proposal, the offense would be classified as a Class 4 felony and will subject the individual to a jail sentence of 1 to 3 years, up to a $25,000 fine and revocation of driving privileges for no less than one year.

As cyclists, pedestrians and motorists, we in Illinois need to remind our legislators and Gov. Rod Blagojevich of the task force's findings and urge them to take action on them.

Labels: advocacy, fatal accidents, safety

Roger 0 comments links to this post 10:24 AM

Friday, October 10, 2008

SIUC hashes out bicycle safety

Bicycling safety's a concern at Southern Illinois University Carbondale and the surrounding community, and a group is trying to address the issue.

Carbondale Conversations for Community Action coordinator Sarah Heyer hosted an hour-and-a-half long dialogue between local cyclists and police on Thursday at the SIUC campus. The goals is to make Carbondale streets safe for cyclists, motorists and pedestrians, according to the Daily Egyptian, SIUC's student newspaper.

Three cyclists have been involved in motor vehicle accidents on the SIUC campus since January, An accident between a motor vehicle and cyclist also led to the death of an SIUC student in September 2001.

Most of the 30 participants agreed that using courtesy and common sense would go a long way to solve many of the safety concerns -- a position I've always held.

One of the participants said bike lanes in the Carbondale area often are unsafe for cyclists.Tire-flattening debris often settles in bike lanes, making them a hazard to cyclists, said Sandy Semrow, a member of the SIUC Triathlon Club who commutes from Murphysboro to Carbondale on her bicycle daily.

Several of the cyclists said they choose to ride in the road to encourage motorists to show them the same respect as another motor vehicle instead of crowding them into a hazardous bike lane.

SIUC Police Lt. Harold Tucker told the panel he distinguishes serious cyclists from casual, and oftentimes careless, ones by whether they wear helmets. Those who don't wear helmets are less likely to follow the rules of the road, he said.

"They're kind of compromising all the rules," Tucker said. "Basically they're saying, 'I just disregard all of that and I make up my own.'"

Generally, the tips in a graphic that accompany the story are sound, but not completely accurate. For example, a new Illinois law that went in effect Jan. 1 allows cyclists to extend their right hands outward to signal a right turn as well as raising the left hand.

The graphic also says 3 feet is a safe distance for passing a cyclist. That's true, but it's also the law in Illinois. That law also went into effect Jan. 1.

Labels: advocacy, bicycling, Illinois, safety

Roger 1 comments links to this post 11:13 AM

Wednesday, October 08, 2008

Federal Complete Streets Act

Fresh off the success of getting the Bicycle Commuter Act pushed through as part of the federal financial bailout package, bicycle advocates are trying to get Congress to pass a federal Complete Streets Act.

Bills in both the U.S. House and Senate would require that all users of the transportation system -- including pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit users as well as children, older people, motorists, and those with disabilities -- are adequately accommodated in all phases of project planning and development. It also would require that the safety and convenience of all users are considered in all phases of project planning and development.

Illinois lawmakers passed a state version of Complete Streets last year, while an attempt by Missouri lawmakers to pass its version of Complete Streets was scuttled by Missouri Department of Transportation Director Pete Rahn, Missouri Bicycle Federation Executive Director Brent Hugh said in an advocacy alert.

Joining the Missouri Bicycle Federation in the effort are the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation and the League of Illinois Bicyclists.

Sen. Richard Durbin of Illinois is a co-sponsor of the Senate bill, while Rep. Daniel Lipinski of Illinois and Reps. Russ Carnahan and Emanuel Cleaver of Missouri are co-sponsors of the House bill. The groups are seeking support from other lawmakers from the bill.

The advocates are asking cyclists who support Complete Streets to send e-mails or letters to their lawmakers to encourage them to support the plan.

Labels: advocacy, bicycling

Roger 0 comments links to this post 3:10 PM

Saturday, September 06, 2008

Illinois 8th, Missouri 28th among Bicycle Freindly States

The League of American Bicyclists just released its list of Bicycle Friendly States, and I was somewhat surprised to see Illinois ranked 8th.

I wasn't quite as surprised that Missouri ranked 28th.

Illinois earned its 8th-place ranking because "Illinois passed a Complete Streets law in 2007 and has a statewide bike map with suitability ratings. However, there are no performance measures or project lists in the state bike plan."

Missouri's was ranked 28th because "Missouri has a bike route map with suitability ratings, but no bike master plan and no cell-phone use restrictions."

I'm sure Illinois, in part, earned high marks because of Chicago and one of its suburbs, Schaumburg. Chicago placed in the Silver Level of Bicycle Friendly Communities, while Schaumburg placed in the Bronze Level. No Missouri communities were cited among the nation's Bicycle Friendly Communities.

As for neighboring states, Wisconsin did the best, placing second. Michigan came in 12th, Iowa was 21st, Indiana was 22nd, Kansas was 25th, Kentucky was 29th, Nebraska was 33rd, Tennessee was 36th, Arkansas was 39th and Oklahoma was 43rd.

Washington was named the nation's most Bicycle Friendly State, followed by Wisconsin, Arizona, Oregon and Minnesota. West Virginia was named the nation's least Bicycle Friendly State. Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and North Dakota also were in the bottom five.

LAB scored the states on responses to a questionnaire evaluating their commitment to bicycling and covering six key areas: legislation, policies and programs, infrastructure, education and encouragement, evaluation and planning, and enforcement.

Labels: advocacy, League of American Bicyclists

Roger 1 comments links to this post 1:15 AM

Friday, August 29, 2008

Cyclists win a battle in Iowa

The Des Moines Register reports today that Iowa county roads will stay open to group bicycle rides, and a big reason for that is the newspaper itself.

The Register, of course, is the driving force behind RAGBRAI -- the Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa. A fatality and lawsuit tied to the 2004 edition ride prompted Crawford County to ban large group bicycle rides and the Iowa State Association of Counties to seek state legislation and county ordinances aimed at regulating group rides.

David Vestal, the association's lawyer, told the Register that concessions by the newspaper addressed the issue. RAGBRAI officials will rewrite waivers signed by bicycle rider and will purchase liability insurance that covers counties along the statewide route, he said. The Register story did not say how much insurance coverage will be provided to the counties.

The fallout from the lawsuit also had led to these actions:

• The association lobbied for state legislation that would have barred bicycle riders from collecting damages from counties and cities for most accidents. It failed to win approval.
• The association then urged county officials statewide to adopt tough ordinances to regulate organized bicycle rides. The sample draft ordinance that the association wrote would require the sponsors of any qualified bicycle event to purchase a $1 million policy that also covers the county. Violators would face fines of at least $750.
• In Hardin County, the Board of Supervisors approved an ordinance in July that declared the county's roads were not designed for bicycles. Groups of 10 or more bicyclists must obtain at least $1 million in liability insurance, and they can be fined $750 for first-time offenses.
• The Dallas County Board of Supervisors considered a similar proposal in June, but it was shelved amid stiff opposition from bicyclists.
  

Hardin County board members will meet at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at the Hardin County Courthouse in Eldora to consider repealing its ordinance. Supervisor Jim Johnson acknowledged that the ordinance has been unpopular with bicycle riders, but he said county officials were concerned about protecting county taxpayers.

"If RAGBRAI has this covered, then we are satisfied," Johnson told the Register.

It's good to see the counties association back down from the harsh stand. Had more counties passed the ordinance, it would have been somewhat crippling for RAGBRAI but catastrophic for smaller bicycle clubs and other organizations that hold group rides.

The Register, which is owned by the Gannett newspaper chain, probably would have had deep enough pockets to afford the insurance, even with the shaky economic state of the newspaper industry. But lots of smaller groups wouldn't have been able to afford the policies.

Labels: advocacy, bicycle rides, Iowa

Roger 0 comments links to this post 1:48 PM

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Distracted Drivers Task Force Report

Earlier this month, the Illinois Distracted Drivers Task Force made its recommendations (PDF file) to curb accidents causes by distracted drivers, including cell phone users.

The task force was created, at least in part, because of the 2006 death of Urbana cyclist Matt Wilhelm, who was killed when he was struck by a car driven by a woman downloading a cell phone ring tone.

Legislators have been attempting to toughen distracted driving laws after Champaign County State's Attorney Julia Rietz was unable to charge the driver with anything more than a traffic offense. Rietz had considered reckless homicide charges against the driver, but she determined that the offense did not fit the "willful and wanton" definition of reckless homicide as now defined by state law.

Here's a summary of the task force's recommendations:

• Making it unlawful for a driver to operate a motor vehicle while engaging in either creating, sending or reading a text message. The only exception to this law would be in the case of an emergency situation.
• Establishment of the offense of Negligent Vehicular Operation. This law would provide that a person commits the offense if the person’s negligent operation of a motor vehicle is the proximate cause of a crash (without inflicting bodily harm). A person acts negligently within the meaning of the provision if he or she fails to be aware of a substantial and unjustifiable risk of death or injury to others, and that failure constitutes a substantial deviation from the standard of care that a reasonable person would exercise under the circumstances. First-time offenders would receive a standard, points assigned, moving violation ticket.
• Establishment of the offense of Aggravated Negligent Vehicular Operation. This law would provide that a person commits the offense if the person’s negligent operation of a motor vehicle is the proximate cause of a personal injury to an individual or property damage exceeds $500. A person acts negligently within the meaning of the provision if he fails to be aware of a substantial and unjustifiable risk of death or injury to others, and that failure constitutes a substantial deviation from the standard of care that a reasonable person would exercise under the circumstances. This offense will be classified as a Class A misdemeanor and may be subject to a jail sentence of 0-12 months, up to a $2,500 fine and a one-year revocation of driving privileges.
• Establishment of the offense of Negligent Vehicular Homicide. This law would provide that a person commits the offense if the person’s negligent operation of a motor vehicle is the proximate cause of the death of another person. A person acts negligently within the meaning of the provision if he fails to be aware of a substantial and unjustifiable risk of death or injury to others, and that failure constitutes a substantial deviation from the standard of care that a reasonable person would exercise under the circumstances. This offense will be classified as a Class 4 felony and will subject the individual to a jail sentence of 1 to 3 years, up to a $25,000 fine and revocation of driving privileges for no less than one year.
• House Joint Resolution 10 (HJR 10), currently under consideration by the Illinois General Assembly, requires that police reports include an indication as to whether an automobile crash involved the use of a cellular phone and directs the Illinois Department of Transportation to compile statistics from state, county, and municipal law enforcement agencies related to cellular phone use and automobile crashes. The Distracted Drivers Task Force recommends the passage of HJR 10 and that the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) publish crash statistics regarding the relationship between the use of cell phones and other methods of distracted driving and motor vehicle crashes for two calendar years (rather than one) based on the statistical analysis of this report. The Distracted Drivers Task Force further recommends that the statistics be compiled and reported by IDOT to the members of the Illinois General Assembly, the Office of the Governor and the Office of the Secretary of State within three months of the completion of the study. The study would be reviewed by the above entities in order to identify any trends, positive or negative, in consideration of further legislation regarding the use of cellular phones and the operation of a motor vehicle.

The recommendation of the new offenses did get some opposition from one member of the task force. Ed Maloney, representing the Illinois State Bar Association, was concerned about the definition of negligence being used by the task force. He simply wants the current Illinois reckless driving statute to be updated to include specific wording about the use of electronic devices, a stand the Chicago Tribune agreed with in a recent editorial.

I know there are some folks out there who think laws like these would be creating a "nanny state", but I'm of the mindset that people need to punished when they engage in careless driving that kills or injures another user of the roads, whether it be a cyclist, motorist or pedestrian.

Labels: advocacy, Illinois, safety

Roger 0 comments links to this post 11:44 AM

Wednesday, August 06, 2008

More revealing photos of the World Naked Bike Ride

Leave it to The Riverfront Times, St. Louis' leading alternative weekly newspaper, to show more of the St. Louis World Naked Bike Ride than any other media outlet. You can see video and a slideshow of the event. You should be warned: The video and many of the photos in the slideshow are not workplace friendly!

Labels: advocacy, bicycle rides, St. Louis

Roger 0 comments links to this post 1:47 AM

Sunday, August 03, 2008

Modest coverage for World Naked Bike Ride

Well, there was more news than normal on St. Louis TV channels Saturday, meaning that the World Naked Bike Ride got modest coverage rather than maximum exposure. Still, the ride got coverage, which is what organizers Stephanie Co and Mariah Pittman sought.

KMOV-TV, Channel 4, posted a story and video ofthe event. The KMOV cameras were aimed strategically so you couldn't see those who dared to bare. I know I'm a little biased here, but I have to say one of the more modestly dressed cyclists shown on the video was really stylin'! He was wearing the 2008 Tour de Stooges T-shirt!

KSDK-TV, Channel 5, also posted a brief story. KSDK also says it has video of the event, but I was unable to view the video tonight.

Neither KTVI-TV, Channel 2, nor KPLR-TV, Channel 11, had coverage available online tonight. since I was working Saturday night, I did not see either of their newscasts.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch also wrote a story, but as of this writing, had not posted any photos. But Beth, the author of the Verbosity VeloCity blog, wrote about her experiences on the ride and posted pictures at her Picasa site. Beth warns that some of the photos may not be suitable for the workplace.

Finally, a video from the ride showed up on YouTube on Sunday. I include it below (Note: The video may not be appropriate for some workplaces):

Labels: advocacy, bicycle rides, St. Louis

Roger 1 comments links to this post 12:25 AM

Saturday, August 02, 2008

World Naked Bike Ride reveals more details

In case you're thinking about riding tonight in the St. Louis World Naked Bike Ride, organizers have unveiled more details about at the ride's blog.

The biggest change is that the ride won't start at Tower Grove Park's pool pavilion. Instead, the ride will begin at 9 p.m. at the park's Stupp Center and Memorial Garden near Grand and Arsenal streets. The body painting, scheduled to begin at 7 p.m., will start at the Stupp Center and Memorial Garden as well.

Also, people who are using cars to bring their bikes to the ride are being asked not to park in Tower Grove Park because the park closes at 10 p.m. Instead, they should park on nearby streets.

(I'm sure you can argue that taking a car to the World Naked Bike Ride runs counter to the goal of protesting dependency on oil, but I guess that's a concession that some people are willing to make to avoid overexposure to errant motorists, among other things.)

And, of course, organizers officially are telling people to cover up their private parts -- defined by the city of St. Louis as being the genitals, buttocks, vulva, pubic hair or the female breast below a point immediately above the top of the areola -- but to go for maximum exposure. People who decide to ride au natural will be told there could be consequences.

In another concession to some body coverage, organizers also recommend you wear a helmet. Lights also are recommended, and cyclists are being told to obey the rules of the road, including stopping at stop lights.

In case you need more exposure to the ride, KMOX-TV, Channel 4, aired a preview of the event Friday night. You can watch the segment there as well as an extended interview with organizers Stephanie Co and Mariah Pittman.

I won't be there because I have to work, but I'm sure St. Louis TV stations will give the ride "maximum exposure" because Saturday historically is a slow news day for TV stations.

Labels: advocacy, bicycle rides, St. Louis

Roger 1 comments links to this post 11:20 AM