Monday, July 21, 2008

Rules of the Road

Over the couple of weeks, I've been doing a lot of thinking about cyclists and their obligations to follow the rules of the road. One of the reasons why I do a lot of thinking about things like that is my role in leading one of the St. Louis area's largest group rides, the Tour de Stooges, and other smaller rides for the Belleville Area Bicycling and Eating Society.

Here's what got me thinking:

• A post over on Gene Bisbee's BikingBis blog about the Cascade Bicycle Club issuing "traffic tickets" to participants on the Seattle-to-Portland Bicycle Classic on July 12-13.
• The riding habits of some cyclists on Tour de Donut in Staunton, Ill., on July 12.
• An article by Dean Schott of the League of Illinois Bicyclists about the recent rise in bicycle fatalities in the state.
• And, finally, an article at MSNBC titled "Deadly Tension on the Roads: Cars vs. Bikes."

Gene reported a while back that Cascade Bicycle Club Executive Director Chuck Ayers said one of the biggest complaints from motorists, staff and other cyclists during STP has been about participants who don't follow the rules of the road. To curb the problems, the club had patrols looking for cyclists disobeying the rules of the road and issuing $25 "tickets" with the money going to the group's education foundation.

"Those tickets don't carry the force of law, of course," Gene wrote. "They do imply, however, that your peers on the bike ride think you're riding like a jerk and you need to pay attention."

The Cascade Bicycle Club also has been pushing a "Single File Is Safer" program this year. The club contends riding single file ultimately is better for cyclists and motorists because it means cyclists don't have to go three or more abreast to pass slower riders and motorists can more easily pass a single-file line of cyclists than groups of two or more abreast.

That leads to what I saw on the Tour de Donut. The Tour de Donut is a unique situation because of the mass start. Cyclists receive a police escort through Staunton at the start of the race, but the problems become evident when they turn off Illinois Route 4 onto Renken Road toward Prairietown, the first donut stop.

Groups of three to five cyclists often take up the entire lane, forcing faster cyclists to cross the yellow line to get around them. Even when a slower cyclist is riding alone, he or she often takes the middle of the lane, making it difficult for people to pass him or her.

Before the start, I heard Boeing Employee's Bicycle Club President Dave Sweeney try to tell riders before the start of the ride that the roads beyond Staunton were not closed to motorists, but I don't know how many people actually heard him.

Most of the local motorists know about the Tour de Donut and adjust their driving with the realization there are going to be lots of cyclists on the road that day. Also, the club and its volunteers from the Staunton area do a great job of monitoring the key intersections. Still, I wonder if we can make things a bit safer for everyone by following the rules of the road and keeping in mind it is illegal to ride more than two abreast on nearly all Illinois roads.

That leads us to the recent League of Illinois Bicyclists article. Here how it starts out:

The headlines have not been good for bicyclists this spring in Illinois. The recent rash of bicycle fatalities has us all alarmed about our safety on the roads.

My words of advice for bicyclists are twofold: Obey the traffic laws and expect the unexpected from motorists.

Some of us consider stop signs and traffic lights nuisances which can be ignored. Besides it being the law, bicyclists should stop at signs so that they can see oncoming traffic and the traffic can see us before proceeding safely through an intersection. ...

When riding in groups, bicyclists should not ride three or more abreast, blocking traffic, which can fuel the road rage of motorists. In heavy traffic, cyclists should ride in single file to let motorists pass safely and avoid bottlenecks.

Finally, the MSNBC story talks about how bicycling has become a more popular mode of transportation because of high gasoline prices. Here's a brief excerpt from that story:

Experts welcome the trend for all of the reasons you might expect: Transportation planners like that fewer cars clog the nation’s highways. Environmental activists like that fewer tons of greenhouse emissions are pumped into the atmosphere every rush hour. Doctors like to see more people pedaling off more pounds. But in the months since motorists began pedaling in droves, it has become clear that all those cyclists on the streets pose a significant problem: all those cyclists on the streets.

“I believe it’s definitely going to cause some problems, because people don’t know how to share the road with cyclists,” said Kirk Hendricks, director of advocacy for the group Idaho Cycling Enthusiasts. “[Drivers] need to know that we have as much right as an automobile even though we’re not as big.”

But the article goes on to say that bicycle accidents are on the rise. For example, New Jersey reported 12 bicycle fatalities in all of 2007. So far this year, that state has had 11 bicycle deaths.

Pam Fischer, director of the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety, told MSNBC "in almost every case, the bicycle was doing something that put them at significant risk.”

As I've said before, and I'll say it again, cyclists and motorists share equal responsibility for knowing the rules of the road. Although I try to educate cyclists of the rules of the road on the Tour de Stooges map, I often wonder how I and the rest of the cycling community can do a better job of getting the word out.

For those of you who live in Illinois and Missouri, here's a couple of resources:

• League of Illinois Bicyclists' Illinois Bicycle Laws Card (PDF file)
• St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation
  

Labels: advocacy, League of Illinois Bicyclists, safety, Tour de Donut

Roger 0 comments links to this post 11:37 PM

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Driver acquitted in deaths of Kansas City-area cyclists

A Jackson County, Mo., jury deliberated for five hours before finding William K. Johnson not guilty of two counts of involuntary manslaughter in the deaths of cyclists Larry Gaunt, 59, and Larry's grandaughter, Sierra Gaunt, 14, the Kansas City Star reported in today's editions.

On Aug. 6, Larry Gaunt was helping Sierra prepare for an MS-150 bike ride, a long-distance ride that benefits victims of multiple sclerosis. The two were cycling on Raytown Road nearing Harry Truman Drive when Johnson’s blue 1985 Chevrolet pickup slammed into their bikes, throwing them to the pavement. Larry Gaunt died at the scene. Sierra died at a hospital.

According to the Star's story, prosecutors considered Johnson's action reckless enough to be considered at tim. They pointed to police calculations that determined that Johnson was going at least 54 mph in a 45 mph zone. They called witnesses who testified that the road was flat, straight and dry. They continually went back to evidence that showed the left lane next to Johnson was completely clear.

A portion of the Star's account is particularly interesting:

That’s what baffled assistant prosecutor Traci Stansell. When Johnson took the witness stand Wednesday, he said he often drove that stretch of road. He knew cyclists frequented it, he said.

He was 960 feet — more than three football fields — away from the Gaunts when he first saw them. And more than 12 seconds passed before he caught up to them. Yet Johnson, a handyman who was taking his son to football practice, agreed that he never moved into the open left lane and never slowed down until slamming on his brakes right before the impact.

Just because Johnson did not move over, that did not make him a criminal, defense attorney Brian Greer argued.

“There is no law requiring operators of motor vehicles to switch lanes of a roadway when there is a vehicle on the shoulder except when that vehicle is law enforcement,” he told jurors.

Greer questioned much of the state’s evidence, especially calculations by police that determined Johnson was speeding. During closing arguments, the Star reported, he said the state took wrong measurements and failed to consider the truck’s weight when computing its minimum speed.

The jury forewoman told the Star that deliberations were divided at times, and that jurors discussed a lesser charge, but came to the unanimous decision on acquittal. When asked what they relied on to reach that decision, she said: “The evidence that we had.”

The Star's story has generated 11 pages of comments as of noon. Most are supportive of the Gaunts, but there are some anti-bike comments thrown in the mix.

The KCBike.Info blog had this to say about the verdict: "Many people will be shocked and upset at the verdict, but it’s important to remember that this case was brought to justice. Unlike most cases in this area, this particular motorist was actually charged with a felony and went to trial. Regardless of the outcome, just the fact that it went to trial is huge step forward for traffic justice in Kansas City."

This afternoon, the Missouri Bicycle Federation made a statement about the verdict on its Web site. It contains interesting comments from Ken Cobb, a lawyer and avid bicyclist who is active in the Johnson County (Kan.) Bicycle Club, including this one: "We don't know if any cyclists were on the jury. We also know that a certain percentage of people don't think that cyclists should be on streets in the first place, which may have been a factor in the jury room, too."

In an earlier post on the St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation's message board, MoBikeFed Executive Director Brent Hugh said: " I know many of you have been following this case. The verdict shows how far we have to go in Missouri to have a justice system that can address this type of issue."

Here's links to TV coverage of the verdict:

• KSHB-TV, Channel 41
• KCTV, Channel 5
• myfoxkc.com
  

Labels: advocacy, fatal accidents, Kansas City, Missouri, safety

Roger 1 comments links to this post 12:20 PM

Wednesday, July 09, 2008

World Naked Bike Ride coming to St. Louis

Trends always are a bit slow in coming to St. Louis -- mullets remain a popular hair style in pockets of the St. Louis area -- but the city is getting its version of the World Naked Bike Ride.

The St. Louis edition of the World Naked Bike Ride is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 2, at the city's Tower Grove Park. The ride is slated to begin at 9 p.m. at the park's Pool Pavilion near the north entrance at Tower Grove Avenue and Magnolia Street. The route is not complete as of yet. If you have any suggestions of where you'd like to go, shoot organizers Stephanie Co and Mariah Pittman an e-mail at nakedbikestl@gmail.com.

The goals of the World Naked Bike Ride are to protest oil dependency, promote comfortable body image, increase awareness of cyclists in a motor-driven world and provide exercise and fun for all those who participate.

Anybody can participate, including children, the organizers say. Bikers are encouraged to go as "bare as you dare." It is not mandatory to go completely naked, though encouraged. In fact, participants can come fully clothed if they wish. Body paint -- a body painting "bonanza" will be held at 7 p.m. Aug. 2 at the park -- and other creative body coverings are encouraged, as are helmets and other protective biking gear. Also, if you would like to participate without a bike, any sort of transportation that is not a car (i.e. skates, skateboards) can be used.

To promote the event, St. Louis organizers will be hosting a screening of the movie "Indecent Exposure to Cars: The Story of the World Naked Bike Ride" at 9 p.m. July 26 at the Community Arts & Media Project center at 3022A Cherokee St. in St. Louis Donations of $1-2 dollars for cyclists and walkers and $3-5 for drivers are requested, or body paint in place of dollars.

You can see a trailer of the movie over at YouTube. The trailer has mild bits of nudity, although probably nothing worse than you've seen on network TV.

Am I going to the World Naked Bike Ride? Probably not. One, I probably have to work that night. Two, I'm simply not that comfortable with my body image!

Labels: advocacy, bicycle rides, St. Louis

Roger 0 comments links to this post 12:53 PM

Saturday, June 28, 2008

Belleville roadwork a danger for cyclists

Cyclist Larry Luecking wrote a letter to the editor that appeared in today's edition of the Belleville News-Democrat. In it, he complains about road conditions on West Boulevard in the eastern part of the city.

(In case you're wondering why West Boulevard is in east Belleville, the road is named after a gentleman named West.)

After a recent resurfacing of West Boulevard, the surface of the road is now much higher, but the grates were left at the old street level, making them hazardous as they were before the positioning of the grates were changed. "All it would take is one moment of forgetfulness for a cyclist to be severely injured," Larry wrote.

Larry says he's sure there's other streets in Belleville with similar problems.

I don't know if there similar problems, but there are problems in or near Belleville and I know there are more in the St. Louis area. If you know of any, leave a comment. I'll get the ball rolling with four of them, two on roads and two on paths:

• The northbound lane of State Street Road near Lake Forest Drive in Belleville. Cyclists who enter the curve after a nice downhill have to be wary of a meter cover that's a bit below the road surface. If you hit that just wrong and at speed, you could be headed for a spill.
• Simmons Road north of O'Fallon. A bridge between Kyle and Bethel School roads has seams that are parallel to the flow of traffic. If you get your road tire stuck in one of those cracks, you're bound for a nasty fall.
• MetroLink Trail at North Green Mount Road in Belleville. I fear this is a major accident waiting to happen. Cyclists are forced to cross an extremely busy road to get to the other side of the trail. The concern here is that a cyclist -- especially a child -- who misjudges oncoming motorists' speed could be struck.
• Richland Creek Greenway Trail at Second Street in Belleville. Squared-off and high curbs make it somewhat difficult to safely make a turn onto the trail from Second Street.
  

Labels: advocacy, Belleville, safety

Roger 0 comments links to this post 11:07 PM

Friday, June 13, 2008

Campaigning by bicycle

Scott Hays is running for a District 1 seat on the Champaign County (Ill.) Board, and he's campaigning by bicycle -- and kayak and foot.

"In an effort to really get to know all of District 1, I have set a goal to cross District 1 by many different routes and in many different ways," Hays says on his Web site. "This includes by bicycle, by kayak, on foot and any other means. .... If you see me, say hi! I'll be the guy in the yellow hat (or black bike helmet) and purple Hays for 1 t-shirt. Better yet, anyone is welcome to join me for any of my treks."

Hays and fellow candidate Eric Thorsland are leading a 32-mile trek through northwestern Champaign County on Saturday to highlight cycling issues in the county.

"Rural Champaign County, particularly District 1, is increasingly recognized by cycling enthusiasts as a beautiful and exciting place to ride," Hays says. "But with rising fuel prices, many people will also want to consider cycling as a regular alternative to driving. Many current county roads are inadequate if not dangerous when shared by cyclists, cars, trucks and farm equipment. I support the creation of increased cycling trails and designated cycling routes to meet this need. Where possible, I support the conversation of rail corridors to cycling trails."

In addition to biking, Hays also frequently kayaks the Sangamon River in that part of the county.

Barack Obama's much-ballyhooed helmeted bicycle ride this past Sunday has me wondering whether cycling and other "green" issues will have an impact on this year's political races. I guess we'll find out in November.

Labels: advocacy, Illinois, politics

Roger 3 comments links to this post 2:16 PM

Saturday, June 07, 2008

Bicycle helmets: Are they sexy?

Is wearing a bicycle helmet sexy? There are at least two groups that are convinced bicycle helmets are hot, and they're trying to tell the world.

The video above is from a troupe from Vancouver, British Columbia, called the B:C:Clettes, who are trying to promote cycling with "with style, attitude, and hopefully safety somewhere in the mix." Here's more from their Web site:

We are an all lady, bike inspired, street-performance collective. Our performances are a celebration of bikes and those who like to ride them.

The B:C:Clettes are a Biker Collective, Creating Love, Equality, and Toughness Through Engaging Spectacle!

We will not be defined by words alone; instead you will find us perpetually in motion, taking back the streets for revolutionary use as bicycle ways and dance floors. We’re revolutionary, yes, like our wheels.

Hot, tough, and shiny — like the sexy steeds we tame and ride. Pedal, pump, coast and fly: we ride in all weather. Swing, shimmy, strut, and jive: we dance in all weather. We weather all storms as a collective, together.

Bikes on the Drive in Vancouver provided red, shiny helmets to the B:C:Clettes, and they hope you'll wear a helmet, too.

The second group is The Safety is Sexy Campaign. Below is a sampling of the group's wares:



What is the mission of The Safety is Sexy Campaign? "To erase the stigma that wearing a helmet is dorky or uncool and to encourage the idea that wearing a helmet is attractive, cool and smart." You can get a free "You'd look hotter in a helmet" sticker through the group's Web site.

Sex appeal always has been a major part of advertising and marketing campaigns, so I guess it's only natural that sex appeal be used to promote bicycle helmets.

Labels: advocacy, bicycling, Canada, safety

Roger 1 comments links to this post 10:42 AM

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Gerry Frierdich Road to Recovery Bicycle Ride

We hope you're planning to attend The Gerry Frierdich Road to Recovery
Bicycle Ride (http://www.chiefgetwell.com/roadtorecovery.htm) this Sunday, June 1, at Central Junior High School, 1801 Central School Road in Belleville, Ill. Here's some last-minute details:

REGISTRATION: Online registration
(http://www.active.com/event_detail.cfm?event_id=1532377) closes at 11:59 p.m. Thursday, May 29, but you can sign up the day of the ride at the school. Although there is no discount for registering early, it does ensure that you will get our T-shirt, which includes artwork by Signal Hill School student Louis Holm. The cost of the ride is $25 for adults, $15 for children 13-17 and $5 for children 5-12. Registration is from 7 to 10 a.m., and you may leave anytime from 8 to 10 a.m.

FREE HELMETS: The first 50 children ages 5-12 will receive free bicycle helmets! The helmets are being donated by the Columbia,Ill.-based Helmets First! program, which is led by Dr. Joseph Cangas of Illini Pediatrics. Helmets First!

ST. LOUIS REGIONAL BICYCLE FEDERATION: The St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation will have a booth at our event to promote bicycle advocacy. We think it's appropriate for the group to be represented at a benefit ride for a seriously injured cyclist, and we hope the event will improve the group's visability in Illinois.

LIVE MUSIC AND KIDS ACTIVITIES: The bluegrass-country band Pick'n'likin will perform from 11:30 a.m.-1:30, and a rock 'n' roll cover band will play from 1:30-3:30 p.m. Lunch will be sold at a nominal cost. Non-riders are welcome to join us for lunch, the music and the opportunity to be with Gerry. Face painting, balloons and other entertainment will be available for kids.

USE METROLINK AND BIKE TO THE EVENT: With the price of gas the way it is, we know you want to save a few bucks when you can. It's a 3.1-mile bike trip (one-way) from the Belleville MetroLink station to Central Junior High School. After getting off MetroLink, take Scheel Street across Jackson Avenue. The name of the street then changes to Church Street. Take Church Street to East Main Street. Continue on East Main to the Veterans Memorial Fountain. At the fountain, turn south on South Illinois Street (Illinois Route 159) and take Illinois Street about 1.6 miles to Westhaven School Road. Turn left on Westhaven, and that will take you to the school. Here's a link to a map: http://snipurl.com/2awuy

Labels: advocacy, Belleville, bicycling, Gerry Frierdich

Roger 0 comments links to this post 2:31 PM

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

The Gerry Frierdich Road to Recovery Ride

Just a reminder: There's still time to sign up for The Gerry Frierdich Road to Recovery Bicycle Ride on Sunday, June 1, at Central Junior High School in Belleville, Ill.

You can register for the ride in three ways. You can download the flier for the event and mail in your registration, but mail registrations must be postmarked by Friday, May 23. You can register online through Thursday, May 29, via Active.com (Active.com charges a small handling fee). You also can sign up the day for the ride.

If you can't come to the ride, you still can make a donation. You can make a donation online through Active Giving, or you can mail the donation to the Gerard Frierdich Trust Fund, c/o Bud & Sandy Gore, 2391 South 11th Street Road, Belleville, IL 62226.

Gerry has made considerable progress since the Aug. 19, 2007, accident -- Gerry's recumbent bicycle was struck by a pickup truck on South Greenmount Road in Belleville -- that left him paralyzed from the chest down. However, he still has a long way to go, and the proceeds from the event will help with his future medical needs and other necessities.

Nearly as impressive as Gerry's progress is the outpouring of support he has received from the Belleville and cycling communities. For example:

• Gerry rode a Bacchetta recumbent bicycle. Bacchetta donated not one, but two, recumbent bicycles for us to raffle. The winner of the first drawing will be announced in September at the Millstadt (Ill.) Biathlon, and the second will be awarded in February 2009. You can download the flier to find out how to buy a ticket, plus tickets will be available at various St. Louis-area events and at The Touring Cyclist shop in Fairview Heights, Ill. Keep in mind that winners from outside the St. Louis metropolitan area will be responsible for shipping and handling costs.
• Tom Egel, a cyclist from Ann Arbor, Mich., has taken up Gerry's cause. Tom plans on riding a century during this year's One Helluva Ride in Michigan, and he's set up a page at Active Giving to accept donations for Gerry. In about a week, Tom has raised more than $900 for Gerry! If you're motivated to raise money for Gerry in a similar fashion, I will be happy to help you set up a fundraising page. Just e-mail me at bike2eat@rogerkramercycling.org, and I will fill you in on the details.
• The organizers of The Gerry Frierdich Road to Recovery Bicycle Ride have obtained $13,000 in cash and in-kind sponsorships for the event. That will insure that all the money raised by the ride will go to Gerry. We are grateful for all the help we have received from businesses and individuals in the Belleville and St. Louis area!

Anything you can do help Gerry will be greatly appreciated!

Labels: advocacy, Belleville, bicycling, Gerry Frierdich

Roger 0 comments links to this post 9:20 AM

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Missouri gets a D in cycling

On Monday, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch wrote about the Missouri Bicycle Federation's recent report, "Bicycling and Walking in Missouri -- A Report Card" (PDF file).

"The overall grade for Missouri's walking and bicycling environment for 2007 was a D," Missouri Bicycle Federation Executive Director Brent Hugh said in a recent post on MoBikeFed's Web site. "We are quite frankly behind most other states in accommodating for safe walking and bicycling. With gas prices near $3.50 a gallon and rising, it's hitting us right in the pocketbook."

The Post-Dispatch quoted a St. Louis-area cyclist who thought the area deserved a grade of C+. I would have to agree that the St. Louis area has a better cycling environment than the rest of the state, but that's not saying much.

Here's a couple of areas of concern MoBikeFed cited:

• MoDOT stops meetings of Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee for over 18 months; essentially shuts down bicycle/pedestrian program for most of the year; fires bicycle/pedestrian coordinator; halts Missouri Complete Streets bill; over 95% of MoBikeFed supporters disapprove of MoDOT's handling of bicycling and walking.
• Numerous important transportation projects statewide continue to move forward without needed bicycle and/or pedestrian accommodations or with facilities that do not meet ADA requirements--including Hanley Rd in St. Louis County, Hwy 45 in Parkville, and Hwy 150 in the Kansas City area, and many others.

Having done the former Cycle Across Missouri Parks ride twice in the 1990s and having been a volunteer/rider on last year's Cycle Across Missouri, I can say that part of the problem is the quality of the roads themselves. Once you get out of the state's metropolitan areas, the roads often are barely safe for motor vehicles, let alone for cyclists.

The roads often are in poor shape with potholes, cracks and crumbling pavement. In rural areas, there often are no shoulders whatsoever, not even an extra foot or two that would make a big difference for cyclists.

Last year, I rode on Highway 116 in northwest Missouri. The road had no shoulder and plenty of fast traffic. On top of that, motorists were not particularly accommodating of me or other cyclists, and I was forced to bail onto the grass once because of that. I was happy to get off that road, except that turning onto U.S. 63 toward Lawson was even less fun. Not only was it narrower than Highway 116, the edge of the road was in extremely poor shape. I didn't have to bail off that road, but I sure was saying plenty of prayers!

Early on CAM last year, cyclists were forced to ride on U.S. 136 toward Bethany. I was glad I was supporting the ride instead of riding that day. Again, there was no shoulder on much of U.S. 136, and cyclists weren't happy about that or the refusal of some motorists to give sufficient space to pass them.

Part of the problem in rural Missouri that there are few options besides the busy roads. Many of the country roads are dirt and gravel roads totally unsuitable for cycling (unless you own a mountain bike). Illinois has its share of country roads, but at least a great number of roads have oil-and-chip surfaces, making them viable alternatives to the busier highways.

While I would agree that the Missouri Department of Transportation is behind the times when it comes to maintaining road, I also would add that they are hindered by a lack of revenue. Missourians enjoy some of the lowest gasoline taxes in the country, but I would argue that the quality of Missouri roads is a case of you get what you pay for.

I can only base this on anecdotal evidence, but many motorists in Missouri have the attitude that bicycles only belong on the Katy Trail, not on the state's highways.

Clearly, Missouri has a long ways to go to become a truly bike-friendly state, but at least MoBikeFed saw signs of hope: the successful 2007 Tour of Missouri bicycle race, the addition of more miles to the Bike St. Louis system and new connections to the Katy Trail.

Labels: advocacy, cycling, Missouri, safety

Roger 1 comments links to this post 8:49 AM

Saturday, April 12, 2008

On the legislative front

Advocacy groups in Missouri and Illinois have been busy trying to push bicycle-friendly bills through their respective legislatures. Here's a rundown of the activity:

Missouri

The Missouri Bicycle Federation has been pushing a Complete Streets bill. The Missouri House passed the bill overwhelmingly, but it hit a snag in the Senate.

MoBikeFed Executive Director Brent Hugh reports that Missouri Department of Transportation Pete Rahn has voiced his opposition to the bill. Here's an excerpt from the group's blog:

"Although MoDOT's research group had returned a fiscal note indicating the impact of the bill on MoDOT's budget would be $0, Rahn apparently became concerned that the bill would require MoDOT to pay more attention to the needs and safety of bicyclists and pedestrians than it wishes to. The agency could face real consequences for failure to safely accommodate for pedestrians, bicyclists, and people with disabilities, where now it faces none."

Rahn told the bill's sponsor, Rep. Mike Sutherland, that MoDOT would implement what's needed so that the bill isn't needed. MoBikeFed is skeptical. "In great degree thanks to MoDOT policy, Missourians bicycle at less than half the national average," the organization contends.

Here's some other initiatives MoBikeFed is pushing:

DEAD RED FOR BICYCLES AND SAFE PASSING OF BICYCLES PROVISIONS PASS MISSOURI SENATE: SB 761, sponsored by Senator Bill Stouffer, was debated and passed the Missouri Senate on March 26.

The bill includes two important provisions for bicyclists: safe passing (allows cars to pass bicyclists safely even in solid yellow lined "no passing zones") and dead red (allows bicyclists to proceed through a red traffic signal when it is malfunctioning and will not change).

http://mobikefed.org/2008/03/dead-red-for-bicycles-and-safe-passing.php

SAFE STREETS BILL HAS HEARING IN MISSOURI HOUSE; FAMILIES TESTIFY: The "Safe Streets" bill with enhanced penalties for those who injure or kill while driving, had a hearing in the House Judiciary Committee on March 26.

Brad Gaunt, son of Larry Gaunt and uncle of Sierra Gaunt, who were killed last summer while bicycling in the Kansas City area, testified about the family's response to that tragedy and the difficulties they have faced in working with the prosecutor's office to get appropriate prosecution in that case.

http://mobikefed.org/2008/03/safe-streets-bill-has-hearing-in.php

BILL INTRODUCED TO ALLOW MISSOURI COUNTIES TO FUND BICYCLE/PEDESTRIAN FACILITIES: A bill to allow certain counties to create a county sales tax to fund bicycle and pedestrian facilities has been introduced in the Missouri legislature.

A group of parks officials has worked hard to create and advance this bill. Since it is in MoBikeFed's current Legislative Platform it allows us to come in strongly in support of the bill.

http://mobikefed.org/2008/04/bill-introduced-to-allow-missouri.php

Illinois

The League of Illinois Bicyclists and the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation are pushing legislation that would create the offense of infliction of serious physical injury or death to a vulnerable user of a public way. Vulnerable users include bicyclists, pedestrians and highway workers.

Under the bill, a person convicted of operating a vehicle upon a highway in a careless or reckless manner and causing serious physical injury or death to a vulnerable user of a public way would face a minimum $12,500 fine and possible suspension of driving privileges. The offense would be a Class A misdemeanor.

The House and Senate versions of the bill are awaiting action by the full chambers. An amendment also has been proposed in the Senate bill that would add motorcyclists to the list of vulnerable members.

Meanwhile, a task force is continuing its look into creating a negligent vehicular homicide law. The task force is required to issue its report to the General Assembly by July 1. That task force was prompted by the 2006 death of Matt Wilhelm, who was killed by a car driven by a woman downloading a cell phone ring tone in Urbana.

TRANSPORTATION ENHANCEMENTS AND SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL: Both LIB and the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation say problematic funding practices at the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) have hindered the creation of safe places for adults and children to walk and bicycle in Illinois. IDOT distributes funds to two key efforts that promote safety and active transportation: bicycle trails and Safe Routes to School, a movement to encourage and enable children to safely walk and bike to school.

The legislation would hold the state more accountable for these funds by requiring that the selection committee’s project criteria and rankings are publicly reported, funding decisions are based solely on project ranking, funding decisions are promptly announced, and public and local government representatives are added to existing selection committees. It would ensure a more predictable and more public funding process, which will encourage more communities and municipalities to take advantage of the funds available to them.

Both the House and Senate unanimously passed their versions of the legislation, and the bills await votes in the opposite chambers.

Labels: advocacy, Illinois, Missouri, safety

Roger 0 comments links to this post 11:36 AM

Tuesday, April 01, 2008

Cyclists see green -- and they're furious!

In the wake of the green bike boxes in Portland, Ore., here's an item I recently ran across from Great Britain:

Cyclists furious as council paint
everything else luminous green

Cyclists in Milton Keynes (Buckinghamshire, UK) have reacted angrily to a decision by town planners to make buildings, trees, street furniture and the road itself much easier to see by painting them all luminous green. The decision follows a number of near misses where pedestrians almost bumped into street furniture or large buildings and then threatened to sue the council on the grounds that they should be more clearly marked. ...

But local cyclists are furious at the plan that has made them the same colour as their immediate surroundings. "We’ve all spent a fortune on these luminous jackets, trousers and cycle clips" said local cyclist Mark Randle. "Suddenly our hi-visibility cycling gear has turned into the most effective camouflage available. Now we’re completely invisible." Read more ...

A tip of the hat to St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation forum letting me know about this development.

Labels: advocacy, cycling, safety, St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation

Roger 0 comments links to this post 2:21 PM

Monday, March 31, 2008

Bike box and bike lane videos

For your viewing pleasure, here's some videos about bike lanes. The first two are about bike boxes, which are meant to provide a spot for cyclists to stop and make turns at busy intersections.

The first is a video produced for the city of Portland, Ore., in an effort to explain the recently installed bike boxes in that city:



The second shows some bike boxes in New York City:



I haven't decided what I think about bike boxes, but John S. Allen, the author of "Bicycling Street Smarts" takes a look at them here: http://www.bikexprt.com/bikepol/facil/stopline.htm. Allen does have some concerns about the safety of bike boxes, and he cites some studies to back up his concerns.

The final video comes from Los Angeles, where Slate V Editor Andy Bowers describes "the stupidest bike lane in America":



I hope you enjoyed today's triple feature!

Labels: advocacy, bike boxes, bike lanes, cycling, safety

Roger 0 comments links to this post 12:29 PM

Saturday, March 22, 2008

"Russian roulette" in Indianapolis

After more than 200 accidents and four deaths involving cyclists and motorists in the Indianapolis area last year, the Indianapolis Star reports local cycling advocates are hoping education and respect will go a long way to a safer 2008.

"It's intimidating as a cyclist," said Jonathan Juillerat, general manager of Nebo Ridge Bicycles in Carmel. "Riding city streets sometimes feels like Russian roulette, so I made a conscious decision not to ride as much because of that. Eventually, I feel like my number will be up because motorists aren't paying attention."

Nancy Tibbett -- president of the Central Indiana Bicycling Association, best known for putting on the Hilly Hundred and N.I.T.E. Ride each year -- told the Star that Indiana has a long way to go before being thought of as a bicycle-friendly state. She also said most roads in the Indianapolis area aren't designed for motorists and cyclists to co-exist.

She did note that progress is being made on bike lanes and bike routes in the region. Until then, she suggest that motorists and cyclists can share the roads if they traffic laws.

The Indiana Bicycle Coalition is attempting to educate cyclists and motorists about their rights and obligations. The coalition has published brochures urging cyclists and motorists to share the road and to follow the rules of the road.

Labels: advocacy, cycling, Indiana, safety

Roger 0 comments links to this post 12:46 PM

Monday, March 17, 2008

Dear bicyclists ...

The Chicago Tribune on Sunday published a commentary by Cate Plys: an open letter to cyclists in the Chicago area. You kind of get the direction she's going in her opening salvo:

Yes, yes, we know. You're better than us. You care about the planet. ... You assume the people you leave in your two-wheel wake are marveling at the reds, greens and oranges -- envying you.

We're not. We're thinking that most of you are a bunch of smug, self-satisfied, frequently dangerous jerks. We're thinking you should lose about 10 pounds before subjecting the world to those bike pants again.

Plys is annoyed by Chicago's new bicycle ordinance, which levies fines up to $500 for vehicle drivers. The laws impose fines on motorists who turn left or right in front of someone on a bicycle, pass with less than 3 feet of space between car and bike, or park in or otherwise obstruct marked bike lanes.

But before you jump off the deep end, Plys says she's a bicyclist herself. Her concern is that the ordinance targets only motorists and that nothing is being done to punish cyclists who disobey the rules of the road.

Plys also contends that instead of focusing on ordinances such as this one or Chicago's bike rental proposal, the city should be concentrating on building a grid of bicycle paths common in European cities.

Labels: advocacy, Chicago, safety

Roger 0 comments links to this post 2:19 PM

Sunday, March 02, 2008

Help sought on bicycle bills

The League of Illinois Bicyclists is seeking help on its state bills to improve the state’s handling of federal Transportation Enhancements and Safe Routes to School dollars. A big result from the bill will be more completed bike trails in Illinois, LIB contends.

Illinois cyclists are asked to leave a quick voice mail message with both your state representative and state senator. Ask for a YES vote on House Bill 4757 (for Representatives) and on Senate Bill 2311 (for Senators). Calls are most needed by early Tuesday morning, March 4. Find your state legislators’ district phone numbers at http://www.elections.il.gov/DistrictLocator/AddressSearch.aspx

LIB has a PDF document that explains the purposes of the bills, and you may want to give them a read.

Labels: advocacy, League of Illinois Bicyclists

Roger 0 comments links to this post 12:38 AM

Friday, February 22, 2008

'Change Your View' TV spots

The St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation has produced four public service announcements that promote bicycling for transportation. They've been posted on YouTube, as you can see below, and they're being shown on KMOV-TV, Channel 4, in St. Louis. It's four 30-second spots in one video.



As you can see, the four spots are devoid of cyclists wearing lycra shorts and multicolored cycling jerseys. But they are wearing helmets. No doubt, the spots are trying to show that bicycling is a form of transportation for everyone.

Patty Vinyard, the group's executive director, said the spots will be shown on other St. Louis TV stations in the near future.

Labels: advocacy, St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation

Roger 0 comments links to this post 11:20 AM

Sunday, February 03, 2008

Tracking bike problems in St. Louis

St. Louis now has two Web sites where cyclists can keep track of trouble spots and post details about accidents and other problems.

The first site is The Right Ride. Users can plot hazards on a Google-generated map, then explain what make those areas hazardous. The Right Ride also has similar services for Chicago, Kansas City, Boston, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Seattle, Washington, Phoenix and Hartford, Conn.

The second site is the STLBiking.com forums, where users are asked to describe traffic incidents involving bicycles. Users are asked to give the date, location, a factual description of the incident, names of involved parties, physical damages and injuries.

Hopefully, the two sites will succeed in keeping cyclists safe and prompting city, county and state governments to take action to correct the problems.

Labels: advocacy, cycling, safety, St. Louis

Roger 3 comments links to this post 12:57 AM

Thursday, January 31, 2008

Reward offered in hit-and-run accidents that injure cyclists

In response to hit-and-run accidents that injured cyclists in the St. Louis area, the St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation has set up a Hit and Run Justice Fund to offer rewards for information leading to the arrest and conviction of hit and run motorists who injure or kill a cyclist.

You either can make the donation online or you can send the donation to the St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation, Hit and Run Justice Fund, P.O. Box 23086, St. Louis, MO 63156.

According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Three bicyclists have been hit by motorists in two crashes since Saturday, and in both cases, motorists fled from the scene.

A pickup struck two bicyclists Saturday afternoon on Olive Street Road, near Eatherton Road, in Chesterfield, Mo., Chesterfield police say. The truck, towing a horse trailer, passed three bicyclists riding single file and the trailer clipped two of them, pushing them off their bicycles and into a ditch.

About 5:40 p.m. Monday, a driver in a dark SUV struck a St. Louis man riding his mountain bike at Cole Street and Broadway in downtown St. Louis. KMOV-TV, Channel 4, in St. Louis also had a segment about the downtown accident, and you can see raw video, photos and a brief story online at KMOV.com.

The St. Louis BikeFed's fund originally was prompted by the downtown St. Louis accident, but BikeFed has extended the fund to other accidents.

St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay has upped the ante on the reward in the downtown accident. Saying that "hit and run is a cowardly action," Slay has added $500 to reward.

"This effort is completely grassroots," Russ Willis, chair of the Bike Fed's committee on policy and advocacy said in a press release. "We had hundreds of dollars in pledges even before we made the fund official. The ‘Hit and Run Justice Fund’ will continue even after this case. Especially now, with motorists being pushed off Highway 40/64 and onto surface roads, there is a heightened awareness among cyclists of the difficulties of sharing the roads with motorists."

Witnesses of the two accidents are urged to contact St. Louis or Chesterfield police.

Labels: accidents, advocacy, safety, St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation

Roger 0 comments links to this post 10:27 AM

Monday, January 28, 2008

Productive day at the Swap Meet

We made it into the 50s here in the St. Louis area on Sunday, but I didn't get a chance to get on my bike.

My first stop of the day was the St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation Swap Meet. My primary purpose there was to deliver Tour de Stooges brochures, but it turned out more productive than that.

I've written frequently about the League of Illinois Bicyclists and the Missouri Bicycle Federation, but I had never met their respective executive directors, Ed Barsotti and Brent Hugh, until Sunday. Both groups had a successful 2007 as far as getting bicycle-friendly legislation passed, and they're hoping to build upon those successes this year.

A common theme was "Complete Streets" legislation, which requires state highway departments to consider bicycle and pedestrians ways when designing road projects. Illinois lawmakers passed "Complete Streets" legislation last year, despite an amendatory veto by Gov. Rod Blagojevich, and Ed will be working to make sure state officials follow through. Meanwhile, Brent said the MoBikeFed will be working to get Missouri lawmakers to approve "Complete Streets" legislation.

But for the most part, our conversations were off-the-record, get-acquainted talks.

Meanwhile, Steve Sleet of St. Louis-based Trailnet said the group still is developing bicycle routes to serve as an alternate to Clayton Road and other popular streets that have seen a big increase of traffic because of the shutdown of Interstate 64/Highway 40 in St. Louis County. Trailnet is seeking permission from the various communities before "Share the Road" signs are installed.

It appeared the St. Louis BikeFed had a nice turnout at the Gateway Center in Collinsville, Ill., and many people had bikes on their car. No doubt, many of them took advantage of the warm temperatures to ride on the nearby Madison County Transit Schoolhouse Trail, which passes near the convention center.

Labels: advocacy, St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation

Roger 0 comments links to this post 12:21 PM

Friday, January 25, 2008

Anti-cyclist rant on St. Louis radio station

The St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation forums are somewhat hot and heavy today. Apparently, KTRS-AM 550 radio host McGraw Milhaven and several of his callers went on a rant today against cyclists. I didn't hear the broadcast myself, but many of the BikeFed folks said it was the same old garbage that has been heard on other talk radio shows throughout the country.

Geeeesh.

Labels: advocacy, radio, St. Louis

Roger 1 comments links to this post 2:12 PM

Liability shadow hangs over RAGBRAI

Most Iowa communities want to be a part of the Register Annual Bicycle Ride Across Iowa -- better known as RAGBRAI -- because the annual bicycle tour brings thousands of dollars to their communities.

The 38th edition of RAGBRAI starts July 20 in Missouri Valley with stops in Harlan, Jefferson, Ames, Tama-Toledo, North Liberty and Tipton before ending in Le Claire on July 26.

"We've seen towns that get 20,000 to 30,000 people," T.J. Juskiewicz, the ride's director told the Des Moines Register. "That's a lot of dollars. The economic impact, some towns have told us, is $2 million."

But not every local government is thrilled about the ride. This summer's ride doesn't pass through Crawford County, where the county's board of supervisors passed a resolution in October banning RAGBRAI or "any event of like kind and nature," the Register reported.

The supervisors approved the ban after it paid a $350,000 insurance settlement to the widow of a RAGBRAI rider who died in 2004. The rider was thrown from his bicycle after hitting a center-line crack on a Crawford County road.

The Register goes on to report that many county officials want the Iowa legislature to address the problem this year by providing an exemption for future court cases involving bicycles on county roads.

To me, it sounds a whole lot like the 1998 Illinois Supreme Court ruling that made bicyclists permitted, rather than intended, users of Illinois roads. The ruling held that local governments are liable for bicyclists' safety because of road condition only on streets marked or signed as a bike route.

I certainly understand the counties' desire to avoid liability, and I certainly understand that some road conditions that are unsafe for cyclists, including a crack in the middle of the pavement, aren't necessarily unsafe for drivers of cars, trucks and tractors. But my experience cycling on roads in North America tells me that the roads that are substandard for bicycles often are substandard for motorized vehicles as well.

A better solution would be one being offered by Iowa state Sen. Bill Dotzler. The Register reports Dotzler plans to introduce a bill in the Iowa legislature that would enable counties to get state grants to repair the roads.

Of course, that would involve spending money, but spending money to make roads safer for all users -- including cyclists -- seems like a wise use of taxpayers' money to me.

Labels: advocacy, bicycling, Iowa, tours

Roger 0 comments links to this post 11:52 AM

Friday, January 11, 2008

Distracted Drivers Task Force

Illinois' Distracted Drivers Task Force began hearings this week to study the problem of distracted driving in Illinois, with particular attention to the impact of recent communications technology.

During a hearing in Springfield, the task force heard from the parents of Urbana cyclist Matt Wilhelm, who was died in 2006 after he was struck by a car driven by a woman who was downloading a cell phone ring.

State Rep. Bill Black, R-Danville, and state Sen. Mike Frerichs, D-Champaign, sponsored legislation creating the task force in response to the death of Gloria and Chuck Wilhelm's son.

"We can't legislate common sense, but we need a deterrent to selfish and reckless behavior," Gloria Wilhelm testified at the task force's first meeting on Wednesday, according to the News-Gazette.

The task force is required to give its final report to the General Assembly by July 1. The next public hearing by the task force headed by Secretary of State Jess White will be at 11 a.m. Feb. 19 at the James Thompson Center in Chicago.

Meanwhile, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that efforts will continue to create the offense of "negligent vehicular homicide." If the bill is passed, a motorist found guilty of the offense in a fatal accident could face up to a year in jail.

The legislation, prompted by Matt Wilhelm's death, stalled in the General Assembly last session, stalled despite having been passed by the House.

Labels: advocacy, cycling, Illinois, safety

Roger 0 comments links to this post 11:11 PM

Sunday, January 06, 2008

Catching up

Just catching up on cycling headlines from the past few days. A couple of them reference the Tour of Missouri, so here goes:

TOUR OF AMERICA ORGANIZER SPEAKS OUT: British-based Cycling Weekly did an interview with Frank Arokiasamy, the Malaysian-born, U.S.-based businessman attempting to put together the ambitious Tour of America race. Arokiasamy still thinks he can get UCI approval for a 2008 ride, find sponsors and offer $1 million to the winner. Cycling Weekly asked him about the fact his proposed September race would conflict with the Tour of Missouri:

Q: Your proposed dates also clash with the new Tour of Missouri, which was very successful last year. In terms of goodwill and PR, it's not a great move is it?

A: Not at all. I don't think it's a good move, but in the big picture we don't have a choice. You can't put a race as big as this on the whole sporting calendar and not step on some toes. I regret that deeply. I'd like to talk to the people at the Tour of Missouri so that everyone can exist and complement each other and co-exist. When you want to do something big, you have no choice but to step on some toes. Tell me when there is a spot on the calendar when it doesn't clash. If someone can do that, please tell me.

The conflict not only involves overlapping dates, but the fact Tour of America would have stages in the Show-Me State at the same time as Tour of Missouri.

DAN SCHMATZ MOVES ON: The St. Louis Post-Dispatch did a story about Dan Schmatz, the St. Louis-area native who gained notoriety when he broke his arm after hitting an armadillo during the second stage of the 2007 Tour of Missouri.

Since then, Schmatz has left pro racing, but he returned to his second home in Colorado with a renewed sense of purpose, the Post-Dispatch reported. Schmatz has started a new career in real estate management and is passing on his racing expertise as director of the THF Realty Cycling Team, an amateur team that plans to participate in 10 to 15 U.S. races this year.

To mark the change in his life, Schmatz also has created a new version of his blog, Your Bike Sucks.

ILLINOIS 3-FEET LAW: In their roundups of new laws that took effect Jan. 1, most daily papers in Illinois only gave a sentence or two to the new law that requires motorists to give at least 3 feet of clearance when passing a bicyclists. But there were a couple of papers that took it a step further.

The Aurora Beacon News did a full story about the new law, and it cited startling statistics: According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, there were nearly nine cyclist-motorist accidents per day in the state of Illinois in 2006, with the vast majority of them taking place in Chicago. In 2006, 26 cyclists were killed in road accidents in Illinois.

The Kane County Chronicle, which serves some of Chicago's suburbs, also wrote about the law.

BIKE SEX CHANGE: My cycling friends Jody and Arlene may consider this sacrilege, but San Francisco Chronicle columnist David Curran recently wrote about how he turned his daughter's pink bicycle into a more masculine silver.

Here's how Curran described the original appearance of the bike, a $30 Magna purchased from Target:

This bike featured three shades of pink. And little pink flowers on top of the pink. You could safely accuse it of pink overkill. In big letters on the chain guard, it said "Starburst." No boy bikes are named Starburst.

How did he perform the sex-change operation? Duct tape. There's a lot more to this story, but I won't spoil the ending here.

Labels: advocacy, bicycles, cycling, Illinois, Tour of Missouri

Roger 0 comments links to this post 2:27 PM

Monday, December 31, 2007

Gimme 3 feet, gimme 3 feet mister

With apologies to Lynard Skynyrd and the band's classic rock song "Gimme Three Steps," here's a reminder for all motorists in Illinois:

Won't you give me three feet,
gimme three feet mister,
gimme three feet from my bike!
Gimme three feet,
gimme three feet mister,
and you'll safely pass me by!

The new Illinois law that requires motorists to give at least three feet of clearance when they pass a cyclist goes in effect New Year's Day. Motorists must maintain that clearance until they safely pass the bicycle.

The new law also allows cyclists to extend their right arms to signal a right turn and allows cyclists to "take the lane" where right turns are authorized.

In addition, it also requires bicyclists -- in most cases -- to ride as far to the right as practicable and safe. The law previously only said as far to the right as practicable. The League of Illinois Bicyclists contended that the law as previously written was misinterpreted as being as far to the right as possible; it says the new phrasing re-enforces exceptions while providing some flexibility.

The image above clicks to a larger version of LIB's explanation of the law. You also may download a PDF version of the explanation at LIB's Web site.

Also starting New Year's Day, all Illinois residents -- including cyclists -- will be able to breathe a little easier. The Smoke-Free Illinois Act goes in effect tomorrow, meaning smoking will be banned in nearly all Illinois restaurants, bars, workplaces and public buildings. Smoking also is banned within 15 feet of a public business entrance, open windows and ventilation intakes.

Labels: advocacy, cycling, Illinois, safety

Roger 3 comments links to this post 10:33 AM

Sunday, December 23, 2007

New mecca of cycling?

I had hoped to make it out to one of the sessions of the World Class Cycling Summit held Tuesday and Saturday in Wentzville, Mo., but work and Christmas obligations got in the way.

Fortunately for us, the Suburban Journals made it out to Tuesday's session at the Holiday Inn in Wentzville.

There, conversations revolved around one central theme, the Suburban Journals reported: How to make the St. Louis region a mecca for the sport of cycling. "It has gone from bottom to top; we've got more support than we've ever seen, and right now is really the time to capitalize on it," said Brent Hugh of the Missouri Bicycle Federation.

Wentzville Mayor Paul Lambi hopes to build an indoor velodrome in his community, located in western St. Charles County. The Suburban Journals reported that Lambi announced he is working to acquire for the city land for park ground. Although in the preliminary stages, the property could house a velodrome along with soccer fields, baseball diamonds and trails. Other options would be asking voters to approve a general obligation bond or seeking local sponsorship.

The panelists who spoke discussed other general goals, including obtaining state money for bicycle routes and cyclist education. To see the full list, go to the story.

Labels: advocacy, cycling, Missouri, St. Louis, velodrome

Roger 0 comments links to this post 12:25 AM

Thursday, December 20, 2007

Highway 40 and bicycles

Come Jan. 2, there will be plenty of fear and loathing in the St. Louis metropolitan area. That's the day when Highway 40 -- that's what the locals call Interstate 64-U.S. 40 -- closes for a major construction project. The highway will not be completely open again until Dec. 31, 2009.

Since Highway 40 is a major traffic artery for the St. Louis region, there is much concern about how people are going to get around. Traffic experts hope that people will turn to Metro, the St. Louis area's mass transit system, hope that employers offer work-at-home or flexible schedules or use alternative means of transportation, including the bicycle.

But they also suspect most people will simply find different routes to drive their cars. Highway officials already have or are making plans to create more lanes for vehicles.

And that's what concerns many members of the cycling community. An article in this week's Suburban Journals addresses that issue. One cyclist who regularly commutes in St. Louis County already reports more difficulties in riding his bike on Clayton Road, one of the roads that will be carrying part of the load from Highway 40.

Stephanie Leon Streeter, manager of the highway planning division of the St. Louis County Highways and Traffic Department, said roads the are being remarked to add lanes will remain available to bicyclists because they have a legal right to be on road because of state statutes.

"These roads are certainly open to bicyclists, but this does not mean these routes are ideal, especially with the amount of traffic, which will be historic, when Highway 40 closes," Streeter told the Suburban Journals.

Trailnet is working with St. Louis County officials to develop alternative bicycle routes between Spoede Road and Forest Park in St. Louis that are safer than the roads that are being remarked.

The increase of motorists on roads that are now popular with cyclists, and the possibility there will be more people riding their bikes as a means of transportation, raises concerns about conflicts between motorists and cyclists.

A recent letter to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Along for the Ride column shows the conflict. One writer, Jerry F., wrote this:

Conway Road seems to have become the exclusive path of bicyclists on weekends and many late afternoons. Many times they refuse to move to the right of a very narrow two-lane road so cars can get by. When Highway 40 shuts down, putting more automobiles on Conway, I am quite concerned about the safety of both bicyclists and drivers. Is there anything that can be done to restrict the bicycles to certain times on Conway, or restrict bicyclists to parts of Conway that might be a little wider?

It's clear from this letter that motorists need to learn to know that Missouri allows bicycles on most roads in the state. The Missouri Bicycle Federation has plenty of resources that explains state bicycle laws and how they pertain to cyclists and motorists alike.

A recent case in Webster Groves, Mo., has raised some doubts whether law enforcement officials in St. Louis County are aware of the laws. The case was bantered over in the STLBiking.com forum, and the Suburban Journals took a look at it:

Rachel Abbott of Glendale had an experience all her own that she thinks went against state statutes that allow her to be on the road with motorists.

She said that on Dec. 3 she was cycling home from work on Kirkham Road, just East of Elm Avenue in Webster Groves.

"At 5:40 p.m. a police officer turned on his lights and pulled me over," Abbott said. "When I questioned about my offense, he said I can't be riding on the street 10 miles per hour impeding traffic, and that I had to ride on the sidewalk. This was confusing to me because I was riding all the way to the right, and there are two lanes of traffic flowing in each direction."

She told the officer her understanding of what he was saying was that she could not ride on the road.

Abbott told the officer she had been commuting for years and had never been informed of this law.

"When I questioned him, he threatened me with a ticket. He asked for my identification and in a controlling manner said, 'Now, are you going to ride on the sidewalk?'"

She just shook her head yes and got out of there, she said.

Abbott did not obtain the name of the officer.

Webster Groves Police Chief Dale Curtis said Abbott's complaint is legitimate if the officer suggested that she ride her bicycle on the sidewalk.

"Telling someone to ride a bicycle on the sidewalk is not correct," he said.

Curtis said the police officer does have the right to instruct bicyclists to get off the road if they are impeding traffic.

He said after hearing about this incident, the supervisory staff is reviewing the state statutes on bicycle use with officers during briefing sessions.

My take on that and other similar situations is that the police officers in question may simply be ignorant of traffic laws and how they apply to cyclists. I'm sure there are a few officers who don't like bicyclists and would rather see us stay off the road, but I'm inclined to cut the vast majority of officers slack. They have an awful lot they have to remember, and cycling traffic laws likely are a low priority for them.

Patty Vinyard, the acting executive director of the St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation, agrees.

"Individual police officers, like the public at large, may or may not be fully aware of the law as it pertains to bicycling on the roadways," she said in a recent e-mail statement to me. "Training materials and courses for law enforcement are available from NHTSA and other sources, and we would be happy to assist local police departments in making bike safety training available to their officers."

She pointed out resources for police officers that are available through the League of Illinois Bicyclists. I wrote about those recently. While they are written especially for Illinois law enforcement officials, there are enough similarities between Illinois and Missouri law that the principles could benefit officers in Missouri.

Patty and I are in full agreement that more, and more effective, bike education is needed for bicyclists, motorists and police.

I also would add in closing that is if we cyclists expect motorists and police officers to accept that we have a right to the road, we in turn must be responsible cyclists and follow the law as well.

Labels: advocacy, commuting, cycling, safety, St. Louis

Roger 3 comments links to this post 12:09 AM

Friday, December 07, 2007

Chicago's new city sticker

In 2008, Chicago's car owners will get a visual reminder to share the road with cyclists.

Patsy Diaz, a 17-year-old senior at Jones College Prep, won the city’s 2008-09 vehicle sticker art design contest, City Clerk Miguel del Valle announced Wednesday. Diaz’s design fusing the Chicago skyline with images of a car, a bicycle and the words “share the road,” received the most of the 21,238 votes cast online and at City Hall during the final week of November.

“I thought it would be a cool idea just to show the bicycle through the mirror, showing to the people how it makes them aware that bicycles are right there to share the road,” Diaz told the Chicago Sun-Times.

Her winning design will adorn nearly 1.3 million car windshields beginning in June.

More than 400 students from 60 Chicago high schools participated in the annual contest by submitting artwork that incorporated the theme "Share the Road" into their designs, according to a press release from the City Clerk's office. They were invited to submit artwork highlighting the City of Chicago's efforts to make Chicago's roads safe and friendly to all, including bicyclists, pedestrians and motorists. A panel of independent professionals, including artists, civic leaders, bicycle and transportation groups reviewed all entries and voted for the top ten.

You can see the second- and third-place finishers designs at the City Clerk's Web site.

Labels: advocacy, Chicago,