HoCo for a Bicycle Master Plan Survey


<a href="http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/M36K9MQ">http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/M36K9MQ</a>;

1. If you are a driver, do you feel safe passing cyclists on the section of Folly Quarter Road from the Shepherd Lane traffic circle to the Royal Farms gas station?
2. Have you ever narrowly missed or seen others narrowly miss an accident due to cyclists on roads in Howard County?
3. In your opinion, how necessary are bicycle lanes, widened shoulders, and other accommodations for cyclists in Howard County?
4. Would you be in favor of Howard County creating a Bicycle Master Plan, which would outline a network of bicycle lanes, widened shoulders, and other accommodations for cyclists?
5. Would an elected County official's support for a Bicycle Master Plan be a factor in whether or not you vote for him or her in the next election?
6. Do you identify with Howard County drivers' or cyclists' perspective on the issue of &quot;sharing the road&quot;?
7. If you are a driver, how do you react when you must slow down and drive behind a cyclist while waiting for an opportunity to pass?
8. If you are a cyclist, have you ever feared for your safety while trying to enjoy your hobby in Howard County?
9. What are the most dangerous roads in Howard County for bicyclists and drivers to share, in your opinion?
10. How much would bicycle lanes, widened shoulders, and other accommodations to improve safety conditions for cyclists and motorists impact your enjoyment of driving or biking and therefore of living in Howard County?

<a href="http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/M36K9MQ">http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/M36K9MQ</a>;

by B' Spokes

Like most people I live a hectic life and who has the time for much exercise? Thanks to xtracycle now I do. By using my bike for daily activities I can get things done and get an hour plus work out in 15 minutes extra of my time, not a bad deal and beats taking the extra time going to the gym. In case you are still having trouble being motivated; the National Center of Disease Control says that inactivity is the #2 killer in the United States just behind smoking. ( http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/bb_nutrition/ ) Get out there and start living life! I can carry home a full shopping cart of groceries, car pool two kids or just get lost in the great outdoors camping for a week. Well I got go, another outing this weekend.
  • Currently 0.00/5
Rating: 0.00/5 (0 votes cast)

Share It!

Login required to comment
Heads up to commuters taking the Guilford Avenue route. My husband was attacked this week by a group of young men (probably preteen to early teen). They kicked his back tire, punched him in the side, and grabbed his shirt. He was able to get away and we have no idea if the purpose of the attack was to steal the bike or simply to harass. But be careful if you are taking this route.
Thank you for posting this. Please, please post which block of Guilford this occurred on so that others can watch out. Also, if you haven't already I would encourage you to report it to the police. Thanks again!
I'm the husband and was just surprised to see my wife's post here. The incident occurred at the intersection of Guilford & 24th St. I slowed down to let some traffic pass when a group of kids (maybe between 11-14 years old?) approached me from the left, two of them on bmx-bikes, two of them walking. Another group approached me from the right. I think it was a group of three (maybe four) walking. This later made me wonder if this was an organized attempt to rob me. One guy from the left group kicked my rear wheel while a second one punched me in my side. When I tried to accelerate and get away from them one from the right group grabbed my shirt in the attempt to slow me down or stop me, but luckily I could get away. Two kids on the left I think ran after me for a while, but I was lucky to cross 25th/Guilford just in time, maybe 2 seconds before the light changed and the traffic started rolling again. Then I just rode up that hill as fast as possible and didn't look back again. This was the third attack in two or three years. The other two occurred on Homestead St, but they were not nearly as severe, nevertheless upsetting. The first time there were two kids (16-18 years old), one on bike, the other walking.. the one on bike rode into my rear, but I could left quickly and nothing else happened beside some hateful language I heard as I was leaving them. The second time there were two kids, younger, perhaps 13-14 years old, who ran at me and kicked my rear wheel, but it was mostly verbal violence and nothing more happened. The Guilford incident was the first time I got physically assaulted. I loved the Guilford route. It was quiet, the traffic was easy, refreshing in comparison to Charles St. but now I'm back to the old route I took when I first moved to Baltimore. I rather deal with cars and heavy rush-hour traffic than with street gangs. After this incident I've now equipped my bike with pepper spray and baton. But I'm always afraid this could in turn just increase the degree of violence, especially when there's a group of 7 or 8 people. But it's probably better to be prepared if something similar or worse happens again. I hope I will never have to use any of this. I have to be honest and admit that this city is beginning to make me sick. The streets, the traffic, the lack of bike lanes (sometimes even sidewalks), the trash, broken glass and worse, the stench of rotten animals, food and excrements to endure in the summer ever since the trash pickup schedule was changed to 1x recycling/1x regular... all this is already bad enough and I got used to living with it, but adding hate and violence to the mix is just too much. For the first time in many years I have considered giving up what I love most: riding the bicycle... at least until I get out of this place. Sorry for sounding so bitter. It will take me a little while, but I will get over it eventually and return to the same old routine.
Wow, your incident is very scary. Just yesterday morning (Friday July 16), around 6:30, I was riding south on Guilford. At the intersection of 24th and Guilford, I saw two preteen boys riding BMX-like bikes (with white tires). I tried to just ride around them, but they pulled out in front of me to stop me. They started asking me where I was going, if they could come, etc. Granted, there was only two and they're younger, and I didn't see anyone else around, but I was still nervous. I do carry a cannister of pepper spray on my waist, but I don't know how helpful it would be in reality. In retrospect, I think I was lucky that a car went by on 24th St, enough to distract the kids and I could ride away. I also don't know if it helped that I'm a woman who looks to be their age, partially because I'm shorter than they were. I often get asked if I'm still in school, where are my parents, where's my ID, etc. But because preteen kids on average are bigger than me, my boyfriend doesn't like me riding around/through Baltimore neighborhoods, and he grew up in "the hood" as he calls it, so he certainly knows the dangers that exist in some areas. I agree with you that it's easier to deal with 2000 pounds of metal rushing by than young kids on the streets of Baltimore.
Wow, sounds like these two kids could really have been from the same group that attacked me. Same place, just different time. Unfortunately I don't remember any details like the color of the tires. I discovered Guilford about two years ago and have been riding this route without any incidents. I rarely saw any kids there, especially early in the morning. Occasionally I saw kids on the way to the elementary school on 21st but they were too young to be any trouble. In the evenings on the way home, sometime between 5:20 and 6:00pm I sometimes saw a few older kids on foot, skateboard or bikes, adults, more people in general out on the sidewalks and front steps. But it was mostly clear and never threatening. I saw this group for the first time this week. I haven't noticed them before. The two incidents on Homestead occurred at about the same time 5:30-6pm on the way home. They were not as physical as last week's attack, but especially disturbing because I live there. There's no other way to get home but on Homestead. I used to ride on Ellerslie all the time to get to the YMCA and from there to Lake Montebello/Herring Run, but it sounds like this area is one to avoid now, too. I'm sorry to hear I wasn't the only victim! I wonder what happened in the last two years. I have been riding in the city since I moved here in 2004...occasionally drivers honk at me or each other, but I never felt seriously threatened. In the last two years I heard about so many other attacks near Mt. Vernon, in Waverly, Jones Falls Trail, etc. There definitely is a noticeable increase in violence and aggression.
Can you please post what time of day this attack occurred? Guilford seems fine on my morning commute, but I have started to avoid it on the way home because more kids are out at that time. I was also surprised to read in the other comment about kids out on the street at 6:30 AM. That seems unusual. I haven't seen kids along that route in the morning, even since school has let out.
I'm very sorry to hear about your attack, and I definitely sympathize with your feelings about the city. I have been bike commuting in Baltimore for 5 years, and this year was the first that I was physically attacked (the attack occurred on Ellerslie just south of 33rd). Previously I lived in neighborhoods along the 83 corridor and rode on streets where kids were less likely to be roaming around. Now I live near the YMCA on 33rd, where there are many bored kids hanging around looking for trouble. Reading about your other attacks on Homestead just reinforces my desire to avoid that entire section of Waverly. I only cut through there early in the morning when kids are less likely to be out on the street. I love riding my bike in the city, but it definitely feels less safe now that the violence has become personal, and on some days I do wonder if it's worth it.