DIY turn signal biking jacket
Poll: Most Americans Want Stimulus to Emphasize Road and Bridge Repair and Transit, Not New Road Construction, Poll Finds
WASHINGTON – As Congress takes up debate over an economic stimulus package, a new poll shows that most Americans would rather use federal dollars to repair highways and bridges and improve public transportation than expand highways through new construction.In addition, fully 80 percent of respondents said stimulus investments should not only create jobs, but also help the goals of reducing oil dependency, improving the environment and increasing transportation options, even if the job creation took longer. Only 20 percent agreed that stimulus funds should include only “road and bridge projects that can be started right away and create an immediate boost to the economy”.
Inauguration Ride
Riding to DC for the inauguration
A visit to Baltimore’s Velocipede Bike Project (Slideshow) by Bike Portland
Sometimes you don't realize how cool something is till you see it through someone else's eyes.
Public Comment Being Accepted on Montgomery Council Bill 35-08 Relating to Public Safety
[Now if we could just get other jurisdictions to take traffic enforcement seriously and fund safety programs.]Montgomery Council, on November 18, 2008, introduced Bill 35-08: Miscellaneous Provisions – Funding for Public Safety Programs. The Bill is sponsored by Councilmembers Andrews, Knapp, Ervin, Trachtenberg, and Floreen. This legislation proposes to use revenues generated from police enforcement with speed cameras and traffic signal cameras to fund Fire and Rescue Apparatus, pedestrian safety programs, and traffic safety programs. The Bill also allocates a portion of the revenues to municipalities that have a traffic control signal monitoring or speed monitoring devices but do not have a police department (Town of Poolesville).
The unfortunate byproduct of our travel system
| Cause of Mortality for Ages 0-19 | Rate per 100,000 population |
| MVT Traffic-related (All) | 9.1 |
| MVT-Occupant | 4.6 |
| MVT-Unspecified | 3.1 |
| MVT-Pedal Cyclist | 0.2 |
| MVT-Pedestrian | 0.9 |
| MVT-Other | 0.3 |
Leading Causes of Unintentional Injury Death among Children 0 to 19
| Rank | Less Than 1 (n = 5,883) | 1 to 4 (n = 10,203) | 5 to 9 (n = 7,144) | 10 to 14 (n = 9,088) | 15 to 19 (n = 40,734) |
| 1 | Suffocation 66% | MVT-related 31% | MVT-related 53% | MVT-related 58% | MVT-related 76% |
| 2 | MVT-related 14% | Drowning 27% | Other Injuries 15% | Other Injuries 18% | Other Injuries 9% |
Valet Bicycle Parking @ Obama Event
Baltimore will have valet bike parking this Saturday, January 17th for Pres.-elect Obama’s visit. Bike parking will take place at the parking at the corner of Light & Redwood St.
Cycling For Everyone – Part 3
By John Pucher...
Motorist training in the Netherlands, Denmark, and Germany is far more extensive, thorough, and costlier than in North America:
* Drivers are required to take a minimum number of hours of driving instruction with private firms at a cost of at least 1,500 euros (US $2,500).
* Licenses are not awarded until the age of 18, two years older than in most American states.
* Both the written and driving portions of the licensing tests are so rigorous that many applicants fail one or more times before passing.
* Additional hours of driving lessons are required after each failure.
* For the first few years, licenses are provisional and can be revoked for dangerous driving.
Inauguration Day - D.C. Maps & Restrictions
Link to Google map showing details of what roads are open and closed:<a href="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=116706197888210191894.00045c99ce5e0c584a191&ll=38.881412,-77.004547&spn=0.241602,0.341949&z=11">http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=116706197888210191894.00045c99ce5e0c584a191&ll=38.881412,-77.004547&spn=0.241602,0.341949&z=11</a>;
[From another list:]
I'm posting this because I figure some readers may be either
interested in the prospect of riding a bike in a car-free day in DC,
or are otherwise interested in getting to DC for the inauguration, or
are at least interested in how a city handles something like this.
If anyone has info on Baltimore's inauguration planning, please point
me to it.
- LW
**************
It looks like the Secret Service and DDOT have released their maps of
what the restricted areas and transportation options will be for DC on
Inauguration Day. There is going to be a lot of car-free pavement (but
probably not empty) out there open to walking and bicycles only. If
you've ever wanted to bike around a car free DC, this may be your
chance. The parade route is restricted to 300,000 so once that many
show up they'll turn people away (I have no idea how they plan to
count them). The Mall will not be limited. WABA is preparing to park
1000 bicycles - for 3 million people, so it's possible they'll be
completely overrun.
Combined Google Map including Secret Service Map, DDOT MAP and WABA
Bike Valet Locations Here -
<a href="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&g=20003&hl=en&msa=0&msid=10255">http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&g=20003&hl=en&msa=0&msid=10255</a>;...