Archive for August, 2009

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10 Bike-Ped questions for Politicians. (@Bikejax)

Monday, August 17th, 2009
Bikejax is putting together a list of questions to ask the upcoming political candidates. Here is an excerpt from the post:  

What 10 Questions Would You Ask?

written by Bike Jax at Thursday, August 13, 2009

Bike Jax thought it would nice to learn more about where these candidates stand and what their thoughts are when it comes to transportation. We are compiling what we think are the 10 most important questions on the current and future state of transportation for these candidates and thought we should gather your input also.

Read the full post here: http://www.bikejax.org/2009/08/what-10-questions-would-ask.html

These are some of my questions: 

Is there a master plan for bicycles and pedestrians?

Are there intentions to build a master plan for bicycles and pedestrians? Provide specific dates and mission statements.

How do they wish to get to a master plan now that an official committee, BPAC, is dissolved? Will a new committee be appointed? If so, what are their Mission and Vision statements?

Why does it take over 2 hours to get to the beach from southside on a bus? It is under 15 miles away. What are you doing to change that?

How successful is the Kernan Blvd. segregated bike path? Any complaints?

If successful, is there a plan to replicate it on other major roads like Southside, Beach Blvd, Atlantic Blvd, San Jose Blvd, Hendricks, San Pablo etc?

Email Bikejax here with your questions: info@Bikejax.org 

Posted via email from shek’s posterous

Posted in Bicycling Advocacy, Bikejax | No Comments »

Farmers market in the rain.

Saturday, August 15th, 2009

I bought some red tomatoes, green tomatoes, egg plant, cucumbers, lemon, shrimp from the farmers market at the St. Johns Town Center.

Having left work at 5 PM, I rode over to the ATM to pick up some cash. The rain was a little more than a drizzle but my rain gear was adequate. Cash in hand, I made it to the farmers market. After a quick browse, I started pickng up the vegetables. I think they were quite reasonably priced. It wasn’t organic but it was local. This means my vegetables did not travel a couple thousand miles to my kitchen.

Shopping at your Local Farmers Market is a good way to reduce your carbon footprint. The best part about shopping there is one gets to come home and make a delicious Tomato Sandwich. Toast a couple of slices of bread apply mayo while the bread is hot so the mayo can melt a little. Lay a variety of tomato slices on top. I like how the crunchiness of the green tomatoes compliment the taste of the red. Top with salt and pepper. Eat open faced.

Posted via email from shek’s posterous

Posted in Car Free, Commuting, Living Green, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Atrocious! 11 yr old child killed on bicycle. No charges filed against motorist.

Thursday, August 13th, 2009
Death is the consequence-free price cyclist pay for not following the law.

Yet another case where the motorist faces no consequence for KILLING a person. 

The child was not wearing a helmet. He was riding on neighborhood streets.

I am waiting on the police report for Jack Hartleys death. The motorist was not charged for killing him. He was riding a bike with no lights or reflectors at night on a well lit street. See Bikejax post here: http://www.bikejax.org/2009/04/chastity-rettinger-jack-hartly-ghost.html

This news is from the Delaware AP below 

11-year-old Killed In Bicycle Accident

BRIDGEVILLE, Del. (AP) ― Delaware State Police say an 11-year-old boy has been killed when he was riding a bicycle and was struck by a pickup truck near Bridgeville.

It happened about 12:40 p.m. Wednesday. Troopers say Trevor Kuntzi of Georgetown was riding his bicycle east on a private drive when he entered the northbound lanes of Wilson Hill Road.

Kuntzi was hit by a pickup truck operated by 44-year-old Charles Quillen of Georgetown.

Kuntzi, who was not wearing a safety helmet, was pronounced dead at the scene from blunt force trauma.

Quillen was taken to a local hospital where he was treated for contusions and lacerations. He was wearing a seat belt.

Troopers are still investigating the accident, but do not expect to file charges against Quillen.

News link here: http://cbs3.com/wireapnewsde/11.year.old.2.1126288.html

Posted via email from shek’s posterous

Posted in News, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Montreal exports it’s bike sharing program.

Thursday, August 13th, 2009
Bike sharing programs are the signs of a city with an intelligent plan and open to bicycles. It adds to the resume of the city and attracts businesses and people. 

Paris has it. Washington DC has it. Now Boston an London are queing up. They all charge for it. Would a free bike sharing program work? 

Green Inc. - Energy, the Environment and the Bottom Line

AUGUST 13, 2009, 7:31 AM

Montreal Exports its Bike-Sharing Program

By IAN AUSTEN
Ian Austen/The New York Times The bike-sharing system pioneered in Montreal will soon be used in Boston and London.

From the beginning, Montreal officials had ambitions for the new Bixi bicycle-sharing system that went beyond the borders of that Canadian city. On Wednesday, Gérald Tremblay, the Montreal’s mayor, announced that the Bixi system will be implemented in Boston and London.

It is not clear at this point if the roll-out in Boston — where local officials are mounting a push for more bike lanes as well — will be on the same scale as Montreal’s system, with hundreds of parking stations and thousands of bicycles. (An alternative model would be SmarkBike D.C. in Washington, which uses a different docking technology and has only has 10 stations.)

Boston’s Metropolitan Area Planning Council confirmed that it has selected Bixi to put in place a bike-sharing program. But Amanda Linehan, a spokeswoman for the council, said that Boston and other municipalities must now negotiate contracts for the service. 

Read full article here: http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/13/montreal-exports-its-bike-sharing-program/?pagemode=print

Posted via email from shek’s posterous

Posted in Commuting, News | No Comments »

Cyclist in UK banned from driving after killing a pedestrian. What about the guy who killed Chastity Rettinger?

Wednesday, August 12th, 2009

A cyclist who knocked down an 84-year-old pedestrian who later died has been jailed for seven months and banned from driving for a year.

Darren Hall, 20, rode down a hill in Weymouth too fast he then went up on to the pavement on a blind bend to avoid a red traffic light, Dorchester Crown Court heard. Hall hit Ronald Turner in August last year. He died 13 days later.

Hall, of Weymouth, pleaded guilty to the 19th Century offence of wanton and furious driving causing bodily harm.

Full story here: http://road.cc/node/6442
Chastity Rettinger’s story via Bikejax:

On Tuesday the 14th April, mother of 2 Chastity Rettinger set out from her office to spend her lunch hour training for the MS150.

Chastity along with friend and co-worker Kristine Whitley had no reason to worry about their intended route. They would be riding along Old St. Augustine Rd. which is one of the few roads in Jacksonville that not only has marked bike lanes. But that also correctly moves the cyclist to the left of right hand turn lanes eliminating “The Right Hook” which is the number one cause of automobile/cyclist accidents.

While moving the cyclist to left of the right turn lane might end the potential of the right hook. It doesn’t however protect the cyclist from the inattentive driver.

Approaching the I-95 overpass a driver was too busy fiddling with his GPS to notice the cyclists on his left as he left the right turn only lane to merge back into traffic. In doing so he hit both cyclists ending Chastity Rettinger’s life and sending Kristine Whitley to the hospital.

The driver drove away from the accident scene with a minor citation.

Posted via email from shek’s posterous

Posted in Ghost Bike, News, bicycling, roadways | 4 Comments »

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