Street Smart Campaign simplified: Pedestrians don't get hit by cars
Crackdown On Aggressive Driving And Speeding
By Michael Dresser, The Baltimore SunAt 25 mph, the Subaru driver managed to stop for "Bobby" — a dummy about the size of a 10-year-old boy — with about 10 feet to spare. At 40 mph, it smashed into Bobby with a sickening thud and enough impact to lift him out of his tennis shoes.
The simulated encounter between vehicle and pedestrian was part of an announcement Thursday by regional law enforcement and highway safety officials of a plan to crack down on aggressive driving — with a special emphasis on speeding and pedestrian safety.
Police officials said the initiative would include increased enforcement of traffic laws in areas with frequent crashes — with tickets to be given to jaywalking pedestrians and law-breaking bicyclists as well as motorists.
It also marked the start of the Baltimore area's Street Smart campaign, which emphasizes the safety of bicyclists and pedestrians.
Thursday's event, including the demonstration on Camden Street outside Oriole Park at Camden Yards, was part of the recurring Smooth Operator campaign, in which police step up their efforts to ticket motorists who commit the offenses that define "aggressive" driving: tailgating, weaving from lane to lane, unsafe passing, running traffic signals and speeding.
It was the last of these — perhaps the most socially acceptable and widely tolerated traffic offense — that received the most attention.
"Make no mistake, speeding is aggressive driving," said Vernon Betkey, director of the State Highway Administration's safety office.
For this campaign, officials stressed the dangers of what are typically viewed as moderately excessive speeds when pedestrians are present. Betkey said that 70 percent of the pedestrians killed in 2008 on Maryland roads were struck on streets with speed limits of 35 mph or less.
Excessive speed, Betkey said, increases risks exponentially. The highway safety official was joined at the event by representatives of the Baltimore police, the Motor Vehicle Administration and the Baltimore Department of Transportation.
The main event of the news conference was the demonstration of the results when a driver comes upon a pedestrian at different speeds. Tom Pecoraro, a driving instructor at I Drive Smart who is also a Montgomery County police officer, took his place behind the wheel of the test car and braked at the same spot in each of the tests.
Thomas J. Gianni, deputy director of the SHA Highway Safety Office, said that at 25 mph — the prevailing speed limit on most of the city's streets — the stopping distance is about 16 feet. When he applied the brakes at that speed, Pecoraro came close enough to the wire-frame dummy that it likely would have thrown a scare into a child, but no physical harm would have been done.
At 35 mph, Gianni said, the stopping distance is 44 feet — and that wasn't enough to keep Pecoraro's car from hitting the dummy with enough force that another "Bobby" had to go in as a substitute. "Bobby clearly sustained major and maybe fatal injuries," Gianni said as workers carried off detached limbs.
When a car is traveling at 40 mph — barely above the 12-mph cushion allowed for drivers in 25-mph school zones equipped with speed cameras — the stopping distance increases to 57 feet, Gianni said. And when Pecoraro hit the new Bobby at that speed, the dummy was pushed far down the road as sneakers went flying. The simulation left little question that if the impact had been on flesh and blood, the result would have been fatal.
Jeremy Gunderson, a state highway agency spokesman, said the demonstration was meant to show that even "socially acceptable excessive speeds" can have deadly consequences.
Pecoraro said after the demonstration that the act of hitting the simulated child had set his heart racing.
"Even though I knew it was a dummy and I knew I was going to hit it, it was still a shock," he said.
Pecoraro said pedestrian deaths are among the most difficult to investigate because of the "carnage."
"It's not just vehicles. It's bodies on the highway," he said.
The Smooth Operator campaign, first launched in Washington in 1997 and now including Maryland and Virginia, consists of four "waves" of increased enforcement between June and September. The current wave began Sunday and runs through Saturday.
Officials said the first wave from June 6-12 accounted for more than 90,000 traffic citations. The next is expected to run Aug. 1-7.
This Road Ain't Big Enough For the Both of Us
by The Verbal EcdysiastI was accelerating down York Road toward Lower Glencoe on my bike the other day, helmet on, heart filled with glee. To my left the sunlight was filtering through the trees, creating a richter-tape of tree shadows upon the road: glorious. Such delightful and immeasurable freedom of the senses can be found in physical velocity at forty plus miles per hour. Yet I purposely remained in the right margin, though Maryland State traffic law clearly maintains that a bicycle is just as much a vehicle as a car, and therefore, technically, I had and have the right to be riding on the road. Now, mind you, the right margin of York Road is analogous to a moonscape--pockmarked and cratered--not nearly as nice as the newly paved asphalt of the main road; however, for the sake of boundaries and safety I remained in the rough. Imagine my surprise, then, when I heard a rather corpulent four-by-four come upon my left rear, and subsequently, it's invasive honk, or more precisely, the glaring ugliness of the driver manifested in the sound of his staccato horn. I jumped like a dog for a biscuit: no easy manifestation of the central nervous system, when one's feet are clipped into her pedals which are still turning at over forty miles per hour. Further, I surprised myself: I ignored him. "I'm not in his way," I mused, remaining very cool and logical. "Why did he honk? Surely he will pass me, now," I thought.
I thought wrong.
Now, nearly alongside me (I could see the truck was a hefty white four-by-four Dodge Ram), he honked AGAIN, and leered down upon me. That did it. So much for cool logic. I did what any red-blooded cyclist does when she is infuriated: I gave him the finger.
He pealed out in front of me, his truck screeching as he briefly accelerated, then screeching again as he brought the truck to a halt about one-hundred yards in front of me and directly in my way.
I could try to go around him, but of course, he could still tangle with me. After all, the simple, unalterable, inexorable laws of physics dictate that when and if an accelerating bicyclist on a bicycle has some sort of, er, let's say, "interaction" with a driver in a truck, the truck and therefore its driver will always win.
I could simply stop, but again, at forty miles per hour or more, the chances of flying over the handlebars were about fifty-fifty. And indeed, for she who is clipped in, Confucius say "she who stop bike short with hands take bike along on her feet...heheheh, vewwwwyyy twickyyyy...." ...but not an option.
I was so angry (and all of the above had flown through my head in about five seconds) that I slowed deliberately and consistently over about seventy-five yards, brought my bike to a halt and unclipped in about ten seconds.
During that ten seconds, the driver exited his truck, slammed his door shut, and stood beside the door with his arms folded. I found myself rapidly approaching the O-K Corral at high noon. I saw that this man had on a wife-beater t-shirt with fully tatooed arms, and from his posture, he seemed bent on bullying and intimidating those who dared to cross either his path or him. Pity the fool.
... (more)
Harford Co. man dies after scooter struck
By Jessica Anderson, The Baltimore SunBaltimore County police are investigating a fatal accident involving a Harford County driver on a scooter in Parkville early Saturday morning.
Shawn Appel, 30, of the 2500 block of Shuresville Road in Darlington was struck at the intersection of Perring Parkway and Taylor Avenue at about 3:12 a.m. Saturday, police said.
A Mercury Sable heading north on Perring Parkway collided with the scooter, throwing Appel from it, police said. Appel was pronounced dead at the scene.
No one has been charged, police said. The investigation is ongoing.
Real Life on a Bike – Robert Anderson, Maryland's Practical Cyclist
Jeff Ouellette
Ellicott City, Columbia, Maryland
By Dena Jackson
The life of Robert Anderson, a practical cyclist, blogger and commuter, changed three years ago after his doctor told him he was pre-diabetic. Some years earlier, Anderson had moved across the country for a career change as a software executive at Vectorworks in Columbia, Maryland.
“When I got the doctor’s bad news, I took up a cycle-commuting habit to improve my health. Now biking is a surprisingly large part of my life and I am surprised how much I enjoy and look forward to it,” he said.
A favorite part of Anderson’s commute is the hills.
“I have five hills going each way, and I can enjoy the vegetation, birds and sky while getting a real workout, and getting my heart rate up,” he said.
In his experience, Anderson said Columbia’s motorists are mostly reasonable and polite, and annoyances on his commute are few. Once in awhile, however, he is chagrined by the occasional car full of young adolescent boys who like to get right up behind him and honk. “It can be a definite nuisance,” said Anderson.
Anderson is so passionate about cycling, he initiated a great bike commuting blog, practicalcyclist.blogspot.com, and plans to get his League of American Bicyclists Instructor certification so he can open a cycle commuting class at his local community college. Anderson believes sharrows and improved pavement practicalcyclist.blogspot.com could contribute to a more enjoyable commute.
“Bikes need better paving than cars do. As for people doing great work, I admire the nearby folks in Washington, DC at Bikes for the World (bikesfortheworld.org) and think they are doing fantastic work,” he said.
When reading his highly compelling and professional blog, where in one post Anderson salivates over New York City cycling charts, one wonders at Anderson’s exact definition of being a “practical cyclist.”
“I think of practical cycling as cycling that displaces car miles: commuting, errands, anything that you do on a daily and needful basis,” he said.
Two years ago, Anderson struggled to get in 3,000 miles in a year, including recreational rides. Last year, he was able to get almost 3,700 purely “practical” miles under his belt.
Were you to ask Anderson what being a “self-propelled” person means, he might quote you a familiar advertising pitch:
“A decent commuting bike: $700; panniers, pump, lock and patch kit: $100; helmet, gloves and bike shoes: $150; the self-esteem you get from being self-propelled and always being able to wear your ‘skinny jeans’: priceless.”
7/1/10 8:48 PM
Moped Rider Dies In Howard County Crash
COLUMBIA, M.D. -- A moped crash in Howard County resulted in the death of the rider.Police said the crash happened at about 12:53 p.m. Sunday near the intersection of Tamar Driver and Foreland Garth in Columbia.
Officers said a SUV was turning left from Tamar Drive when it collided with the moped, driven by Mohammed Hammad Chaudhry, 24, of Columbia.
Chaudhry was flown to Shock Trauma in Baltimore and later pronounced dead.
Officials said the driver of the SUV, identified as Marganta Gonzalez Cruz, 45, also of Columbia, was uninjured.
The crash is still under investigation.
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 "sharing the road"?
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>;
Agenda 07/7/2010: Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Group
WEDNESDAY, JULY 7, 2010BALTIMORE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL
2700 Lighthouse Point East, Suite 310
Baltimore, MD 21224
Agenda
1. INTRODUCTIONS
2. APPROVAL OF MAY 12, 2010 MINUTES (5 Minutes)
3. UPDATES
* May 21st Bike to Work Day (10 Minutes)
* Street Smart Regional Safety Campaign (10 Minutes)
* Access to Rail Study/Bike Rack Study (10 Minutes)
* Roundtable Discussion (25 Minutes)
4. PARKING & BIKE SHARING URBAN STRATEGIES (30 Minutes)
Shannon Sanders McDonald, AIA, Author of a book published by the Urban Land Institute: The Parking Garage: Design and Evolution of a Modern Urban Form discussing its evolution within architecture, planning, the environment and transportation issues in the United States over the last 110 years and into the future.
5. STATUS REPORTS
* Action Plan Update Report Outline (15 Minutes)
* Assignment - Long Range Transportation Goals - DUE in 3 weeks
6. OLD BUSINESS (5 Minutes)
7. NEW BUSINESS (10 Minutes)
Howard County bike thefts
Baltimore Avenue, 14800 block, June 16. While eating at McDonald's, a Laurel man and his son observed two males take their bicycles from the front of the restaurant and ride away. The victims gave chase and one of the males dropped the bicycle and fled on foot. The second male fled with the other bicycle.Gorman Avenue, 700 block, June 13. Bicycle stolen from a parking lot.
Baltimore County Police Chief earns NHTSA honor; Data-driven approach increases traffic safety
by One of DOT's greatest assets has been the participation of municipal, county, and state police departments in our traffic safety enforcement efforts. Whether it's "Click It or Ticket," distracted driving, or "Over the Limit, Under Arrest," America's police officers have given the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) their fullest support.
NHTSA Administrator David Strickland praises Baltimore County's DDACTS record,
with BCPD
Chief Jim Johnson (left) and County Exec. James T. Smith, Jr.
And, just a few miles up the road from DC, the Baltimore County Police Department has been one of NHTSA's strongest partners. Two years ago, Chief Jim Johnson volunteered the BCPD to implement a brand new, technological initiative, DDACTS (Data-Driven Approaches to Crime and Traffic Safety).
Chief Johnson's department was one of only eight departments nationwide participating in this approach. DDACTS was developed by NHTSA and turned into a pilot program in partnership with the Department of Justice. By mapping crashes together with other incidents, police using DDACTS can identify problem areas as they are beginning to develop. They can then position officers in a highly visible enforcement presence to deter speeding, distracted driving, and unsafe pedestrian behaviors.
Chief Johnson thinks this is common sense:
"Technology is now a vital part of fighting crime. We use it to fight identity theft; we use it to communicate to the public. Now, with DDACTS information, we can deploy our officers and resources in the most effective and efficient way. It really turns our data analysts into keyboard crime fighters."
And, by improving traffic safety through reduced crashes, injuries, and fatalities, a community can also realize reductions in crime. "One helps the other," Chief Johnson says, "because vehicles are often used in the commission of crimes."