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DC Kicks Off Pace Car Program

From Fox 5:
Washington, DC -- The District Department of Transportation is kicking off a new program to help the city improve driver safety in city neighborhoods.

The DC Neighborhood Pace Car Program would enlist volunteers to affix a sticker to the rear windshield as a designated "pace car" that will only go the speed limit. On wider avenues, motorists will have the option of passing the pace cars, but police are going to be watching.

Fox 5 hit some local residential streets with a police radar gun and found drivers far exceeding the speed limits despite clearly-placed signage.
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The Washington Area Bicyclist Association is launching the program in ward three where 400 drivers have already signed up to be pace car drivers in the last two weeks.

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Traffic Deaths a Global Scourge, Health Agency Says

By David Brown
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, April 20, 2007; Page A09

Traffic injuries are the leading cause of death in people ages 10 to 24 around the world -- a huge, overlooked and largely preventable public health problem, the World Health Organization said yesterday.
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"It is a big public health issue for kids, and we can do something about it," said Etienne Krug, a physician who heads WHO's department for injury and violence prevention.

As does most of the public health world, WHO eschews the term "traffic accidents." In a statement accompanying the report, the organization's new director-general, Margaret Chan, said that "road traffic crashes are not 'accidents.' We need to challenge the notion that they are unavoidable."

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A Bicycle Zen Proverb

A Zen teacher saw five of his students returning from the market, riding their bicycles. When they arrived at the monastery and had dismounted, the teacher asked the students, "Why are you riding your bicycles?"

The first student replied, "The bicycle is carrying the sack of potatoes. I am glad that I do not have to carry them on my back!" The teacher praised the first student, "You are a smart boy! When you grow old, you will not walk hunched over like I do."

The second student replied, "I love to watch the trees and fields pass by as I roll down the path!" The teacher commended the second student, "Your eyes are open, and you see the world."

The third student replied, "When I ride my bicycle, I am content to chant nam myoho renge kyo." The teacher gave praise to the third student, "Your mind will roll with the ease of a newly trued wheel."

The fourth student replied, "Riding my bicycle, I live in harmony with all sentient beings." The teacher was pleased, and said to the fourth student, "You are riding on the golden path of non-harming."

The fifth student replied, "I ride my bicycle to ride my bicycle"
The teacher sat at the feet of the fifth student and said,
"Ahh.... I am your student!"

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Protecting one's right to litter

Toronto, ON - [This is totally and absolutely unbelievable (with pics in the link.)]
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i did not see the beginning of this, but the report goes as follows:
motorist throws food out of window. courier, disliking littering, picks up food and throws food back in car. motorist dumps coffee on courier. courier scratches car with key. road rage ensues.

the courier is female. i 'got away' with taking pics by just doing it openly. nobody noticed me because the focus is obviously on the altercation at hand.

i followed the motorist back to his car to photograph his license plate number. he proceeded to open his trunk, take out a baseball bat, and charge me. i walked away, and was one of only two witnesses to stay at the scene and give a statement to police.

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Bike It

We know that millions of children want to cycle to school in this country - yet only 1% do. Sustrans has stepped in to sort this out with Bike It, a ground-breaking project which has already quadrupled the number of children cycling to its target schools.

* Teachers say Bike It has transformed their schools. Children are energised, excited, ready to learn and travelling safely and independently.
* Everyone loves the empty car parks and full bicycle sheds.
* Local authorities enjoy the success of Bike It in their areas which has attracted the praise and attention of many Government ministers and national newspapers and TV.
* Parents know we are offering something really positive for their child and many join in our bike events and school projects. Many help to run bike clubs and are keen to pick up information on safe cycling and help their child to receive cycle training in school. All trust us to do everything we can to help their child towards a healthier, happier journey to school.

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Big Problem

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From CBS News: $500M Pledged To Fight Childhood Obesity.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation said Wednesday it would spend $500 million over the next five years to combat an "epidemic" of childhood obesity.

Childhood obesity is threatening the health of one-third of the nation's young people. Nearly 25 million children age 17 and younger are considered obese or overweight, costing $14 billion a year in medical expenses, the foundation said.

"These children live sicker and are likely to die younger if our nation continues to have this problem with childhood obesity," Dr. Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, the president and CEO of the foundation, told CBS News.

To halt a trend building over the past four decades, the foundation is offering to fund programs that focus on improving access to affordable healthy foods or on how to increase physical activity in schools and communities.

"We know that we are going to need to use this to help families have safer places for kids to play and get exercise, and get back to being active," Lavizzo-Mourey said. "What we hope to do with this money is pull people from all across the country, galvanize them, to work together to reverse this epidemic."

A glut of cheap junk food and convenience

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Team Vegan

Team Vegan is being launched today at Clif Bar headquarters in Berkeley, California. It's hailed as the first squad of bike racers dedicated to proving that animal products aren't needed for strength and stamina. The team owner is OrganicAthlete, a nonprofit health and environmental group. Says OrganicAthlete founder and team captain Bradley Saul, &quot;We want to show people a healthy, plant-based diet is possible for active, sporting people of any level. The bottom line is that reducing one's consumption of animal products and increasing one's consumption of whole plant foods is better for one's health and the environment.&quot; The cycling team consists of 20 riders ranging from cat 5 to cat 1. In addition to racing nationally they will be speaking about the benefits of plant-based nutrition. More info at <a href="http://www.organicathlete.org">http://www.organicathlete.org</a>;

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