Bryant Rams Toronto Cyclist Sheppard - Security Camera views "Accident"

I did not report this early on as it sounded like the cyclist could have been a bit on the crazy side but as stated on the video link "I am concerned that this footage has been available from very early on, but has been obfuscated thru editing decisions. This has contributed to confusion and possibly unwarranted slander towards Mr. Sheppard [the cyclists], and unfairly protects Bryant [the motorist] from being depicted in a negative manner."

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FSU Police officers teach motorists 'three feet' law

For about two hours on Tuesday, Maj. Jim Russell of the FSU Police Department pedaled the streets in an effort to educate motorists.
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Florida state law requires motorists to allow three feet between their vehicle and a cyclist, but the FSU PD wanted to know the extent to which local drivers follow the law — or even know about it.

Wearing a helmet, T-shirt and khaki shorts and with a backpack slung behind him, Russell rode a mountain bike along the 300 block of Stadium Drive near the FSU College of Medicine.

He was conducting a bit of an experiment. While Russell rode, two officers in marked cars were positioned to make stops of motorists who failed to stay three feet away from Russell and another officer tracked the number of vehicles that passed.

Only four vehicles were stopped out of 104. Those stopped were given a warning and educated about the law. Most of the four did not know the law, and the majority of drivers gave more space.

"Nobody scared me or gave me a heart attack," Russell said. "And most people gave more room. It was nice because when we pulled people over, we were able to get their reaction and educate them."

Local cyclist Karen Loewen estimates that 5 percent of the drivers she encounters don't allow room on the road.

"It's more like 5 percent of them are doing it out of spite rather than out of ignorance," Loewen said. "My impression is that people know they're not supposed to be that close, but they don't think we should be on the road."

The vice president of Capital City Cyclists, Loewen also believes cyclists need to be educated about how to ride on the street.

Educating drivers about the law is at the heart of Joe Mizereck's business called threefeetplease.com. Last October, Mizereck began selling bright yellow shirts with "It's the law" and "Three Feet Please" written on the front and back.

"I'm pleased those guys at FSU are (educating the public)," Mizereck said. "Of the 15 states that have this law, this is the first time I've heard of an agency trying to figure out how to enforce the law. It was a smart move."

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Ghost Bike Removal and Reappearance

Just over a week ago, our Mayor’s office [D.C.] had a ghost bike removed from public space without alerting the family of the cyclist that was killed. This got some decent press attention here, and is helping us make additional improvements to the intersection where the crash occurred. The family is understandably quite upset at this callous treatment and despite repeated attempts to contact his office about the removal he has still not responded. The bike was removed at the request of a local business owner after about a year of being locked up in the same place. Apparently, the business owner that thought it was unsightly even though the family and friends of the cyclist did a good job of maintaining it. It had become an important symbol to the bike community and reminded us all to be careful. Early this morning, in response to the removal of the ghost bike, 22 new ghost bikes appeared at the same intersection. It was quite a sight to see.

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Toronto Bike-Car Incident Serves as Catalyst

[In the spirit of the world wide web I'll start by providing a little excerpt from Wash Cycle quoting NPR, follow the links for more information.]
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"This change going on on the streets is happening on the fly," [Noah Budnic of the North American Alliance for Biking and Walking] says. "They're learning how to behave differently and drive and bike on streets that are still designed for cars. So there's a lot of tension because people are just making it up as they go along."

Road rage expert David Weisenthal, a psychologist at Toronto's York University, says it's that sense of unpredictability, combined with a desire for revenge, that leads to conflicts.

"We know we will never see the other drivers again who are in front of us, in back of us, alongside of us," Weisenthal says. "We also have a sense of anonymity so that we feel freer to act in what may very often be a nasty manner."
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Extra caution on or near E. Monument Street or E. Madison Street

From John Hopkins Corporate Security's Communications

It has been reported to Corporate Security that staff members have been assaulted off campus while riding their bicycles on E. Monument and E. Madison Streets between the East Baltimore medical campus and downtown. Groups of juveniles have attacked the staff members and, in one case, attempted to rob the victim. The Baltimore City Police Department has been notified.

Staff members are advised to avoid these areas altogether as much as possible, and are further advised to be extra cautious if they choose to ride their bicycles on or near E. Monument Street or E. Madison Street.
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Schools going green big-time

St. Mary's claims lead in environmental design race
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In a nod to the state's Smart Growth policies, the school was built in one of the county's designated growth areas, a planned community called Wildewood carved out of the woods north of Lexington Park and the booming Patuxent Naval Air Station. But in a planning breakdown that's all too typical in sitting new schools in the suburbs, there's no sidewalk along the parkway that connects the school to the neighboring houses - though there are marked bicycle lanes.

That's about the only glitch in the green-ness of Evergreen, but it doesn't seem to faze the students, faculty or staff.
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Baltimore County Council to vote on speed cameras in school zone

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The Council is scheduled to vote on the measure on September 8.

A Message from Chief Jim Johnson:

The speed camera program has one goal – public safety. It is meant to protect our school children and other residents from drivers who violate the law. By their comments at community meetings, in their e-mail messages, and through their contact with members of the Police Department, members of the public are demanding safe streets in Baltimore County. This automated enforcement will help the Police Department accomplish that goal.

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About Baltimore County Speed Cameras

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Speed Cameras

From 2005 through 2007 there were 1,794 speed-related traffic accidents within a half-mile radius of public and non-public schools in Baltimore County, excluding major highways. The purpose and the goal of the speed camera program in Baltimore County is to increase public safety by reducing the number of those crashes. We want to make sure our children can make it to their schools and home again safely.

Reducing Crashes and Saving Lives

Studies have shown that speed cameras can make a difference by reducing crashes. Evaluating a program in British Columbia that involved 30 cameras, researchers found a seven percent decline in crashes, a 10 percent decline in daytime crash injuries, and up to 20 percent fewer deaths during the first year cameras were used.*

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New Bike Routes Anyone?

From Nate:

I’m planning some new bike routes for the Bolton Hill, Reservoir Hill & Lake Avenue area. Essentially, these routes will be signed with distance and destination markers with limited pavement markings along (relatively) low volume, low speed roads connecting gaps in the Baltimore’s bike network.

Eutaw route will follow Eutaw Pl northbound from State Center/MLK to Druid Hill Park. The southbound route will be Madison/Swan from the Jones Falls Trail to Bloom where it dog-legs left back to Eutaw.

The Lake Avenue route will begin where the bike lanes end on Kelly Ave just west of Mt. Washington and direct bike traffic east to Falls, dog-leg left onto Bellemore to Roland, dog-leg left again onto Lake all the way to Chinquapin with a spur to Belvedere Square off Linton via the footbridge over Northern Pkwy.

The development of these routes is based on their identity in the bike master plan, current use by cyclists and areas where bikes and cars can conceivably “share the road”. While Eutaw may not be for the faint of heart, there’s Park which is quieter. Some prefer Lake Ave over Bellemore when climbing out of the valley, which is all good. Bellemore doesn’t necessarily have the road width, but it has far less traffic. Some avoid Lake altogether, but it does have a wider shoulder toward the west and traffic calming in the east.

If biking in Baltimore is to be normalized, we need to decrease “riding in the shadows” and OBEY TRAFFIC LAWS. Any feedback is encouraged and appreciated! And thanks to everyone who came to the Harford Rd meeting!!!!

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ATTN: Trail supporters and Kelly Avenue advocates!

Action on the ongoing erosion directly across from 2003 Kelly would be much more likely to happen if the Department of Public Works was flooded with complaints/reports of the issue. Construction could start sooner than later!

So, PLEASE flood 311 with calls about this, and emails or letters to the Dept of Public Works (David Scott, Director) would be even better! Otherwise we may have no throughway on Kelly by next summer! The streambank is quickly caving in with each storm.

Here's his contact info:

davide.scott [at] baltimorecity.gov
David Scott, Director of Public Works
Department of Public Works
600 Abel Wolman Municipal Building
Baltimore, Maryland 21202
(410) 545-6541

Or simply call 311, again and again and again. For those of you who use the grassy area on Kelly, this is for you! I just hope neither human or pet falls over the eroding streambank.
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