I found this funny note over at the Web site for Found Magazine. Sometimes people take bike parking just a tad too seriously.
Hello friends,
Cancer has impacted:
So it’s no surprise that I’d want to fight cancer. And I love riding my bike. That’s why I signed up for the Livestrong Challenge ride in Philly on August 23 as part of Team Fat Cyclist.
Now I need YOUR help. Please visit my fundraising page and donate whatever you can to help me in the fight against cancer. And if you can make it to Philly on August 23, you should also consider signing up for the race yourself.
Elden “Fatty” Nelsen has posted some great photos, videos and stories from this weekend’s Livestrong ride in Seattle. Please visit his blog to read about the weekend. And make sure to donate to the cause, OK?
WIN SUSAN!
Pot bust nabs bike star
Major marijuana probe results in arrests in Saratoga areaBy LEIGH HORNBECK, Staff writer
First published in print: Friday, June 19, 2009ALBANY — The major drug bust of a thriving marijuana operation in Wilton this week nabbed two colorful characters: A one-time champion mountain biker and a budding filmmaker on a spiritual journey.
A federal judge set bail for the pair Thursday afternoon.
Police set up a sale between a confidential informant and former star mountain biker Melissa Giove.
I learned about the fun blog Bike Skirt from an issue of Urban Velo magazine. On Monday, Elisa (pictured above) posted a good checklist of items every summer bike commuter needs. Check it out, and tell ‘em RocBike sent ya.
From today’s Albany Times Union:
SCHENECTADY — A 62-year-old bicyclist suffered minor injuries after accidentally running into the back of a CDTA bus on State Street this afternoon, city police said. The man was pedaling behind the bus near Clinton Street and rear-ended the vehicle when it pulled over around 1:25 p.m., Sgt. Eric Clifford said.
The crash tied up downtown traffic for about 20 minutes, Clifford said. He said the man was taken to Ellis Hospital for observation.
– Paul Nelson
I’ve already mentioned that Jill Homer is riding the Tour Divide this year. The Tour Divide is a 2,745-mile self-supported mountain bike race from Banff, Alberta, Canada to Antelope Wells, New Mexico.
MTBCast posts a daily digest of the riders’ call-ins from the trail. It makes for some fun and fascinating listening. You can listen at MTBCast or subscribe using iTunes or your favorite RSS reader using this link.
The wonderful Jill Homer is ready to begin the Great Divide ride — 2,700 miles along the Great Divide. Her post from yesterday lists several way to follow her along her route. She’ll also be blogging whenever possible.
From all of us at RocBike.com: Good luck, Jill!
As I wrote here and here, there was a recent cycling accident in Saratoga Springs, north of Albany, that was featured in the Times Union newspaper. You can read my note to the reporter in the previous post.
Here’s the response I received from the reporter, Dennis Yusko:
Hi Jason: Thank you for writing. You make a valid point about the placement of the helmet reference. I guess it was in this particular story because he suffered a head injury, and because police made a point of it when discussing the case. Anyway, I’ll think about it more next time I write because of your note. In the meantime, feel free to go to our Saratoga Seen blog and post what you feel under the story there. It might generate some discussion.
Dennis.
If you’d like to take Dennis up on his suggestion, visit the Saratoga Seen blog.
The deliciously insane Jill Homer is about to ride the Great Divide Mountain Bike Race. North to south along the Rockies. No, that is not a typographical error.
Follow her exploits — if you dare — here.
This story of course notes that the bicyclist was not wearing a helmet. Which I’m sure is what caused the motorist to fail to yield the right of way.
Vehicle charges likely in bicycle accident
Bicyclist hospitalized after Saratoga Springs accidentBy DENNIS YUSKO, Staff writer
First published: Tuesday, June 9, 2009SARATOGA SPRINGS — A 30-year-old man was taken to the hospital with head injuries on Sunday after he struck a car while riding his bicycle on Broadway, police say.
The man, who police did not identify, was riding north at 1:22 p.m., when he hit the rear passenger door of a vehicle turning left into the parking lot of Lillian’s restaurant, Lt. Matthew Veitch said.
The bicyclist was not wearing a helmet and was transported to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries, Veitch said.
The operator of the vehicle, who police would only say is from Vermont, will likely face charges of failing to yield the right of way, police said.
“The investigation is ongoing and charges are anticipated,” Veitch said.
This article is available at the Times Union site.
I sent a follow-up email message to the author of the piece, Dennis Yusko (dyusko@timesunion.com):
Hi Dennis,
As a local cyclist, let me begin by saying thanks for covering any bicycle stories at all, even when they’re accidents.
A quick question: Why is it that the cyclist’s lack of a helmet is mentioned before the motorist’s failure to yield the right of way? (I might go further and ask why the helmet is in the story at all.) Surely the cyclist’s lack of a helmet is not what caused the driver to hit the cyclist. Shouldn’t the charges against the driver come first?
Helmets are great, but every cycling accident story tells the reader whether or not the cyclist had one, as if this had anything to do with the cause of the accident.
Thanks again for your time and for paying attention to cyclists.
All the best,
Jason
Does the Times Union have a new bicycle accident beat?
SARATOGA SPRINGS — A 30-year-old man was taken to the hospital with head injuries on Sunday after he struck a car while riding his bicycle on Broadway, police say.
The man, whom police did not identify, was riding north at 1:22 p.m., when he hit the rear passenger door of a vehicle turning left into the parking lot of Lillian’s restaurant, Lt. Matthew Veitch said.
The Times Union just posted a story about a collision between a cyclist and dumptruck:
Cyclist seriously hurt after collision with dump truck in Schenectady
I received this message this week:
Hey guys,
I don’t know if you have heard already through the grape vine but you are in the top 50 bike blogs as rated through looking at things such as number of comments, alexa rank, etc. Congratulations!
I look forward to hearing more from you in future.
Andreas
(londoncyclist)
Ain’t that cool? Thanks for everyone’s support!
Be sure to read this post from the Fat Cyclist all the way to the end.
i have serious problems with ALOT of things,
one being the photo size selection on WP,
so to view pictures while I’m struggling on WP,
visit me @ Liberty on Bikes! .
SO BACK TO OUR TOPIC.
For those that are LCI certified, by-the-book cyclists,
I ‘m sorry to offend, but it’s something I naturally do….
There’s been alot of debate lately on every blog on:
cyclists running red lights,
cyclists running stop signs,
cyclists passing cars on the right at red lights
(which happens to be my everyday doing)
and cyclists needing to abide by all laws.
UMMMMMM, wait for it….
NO!
There I said it!
I’m not irresponsible,
and I certainly don’t advocate breaking laws,
or pose a ‘do as I say, not as I do’ rule.
I ADVOCATE ARRIVING TO HOME/WORK ALIVE!
And until motorists respect other roadway users,
I’ll ride on the offense.
Passing stopped cars on the right?
It’s safer for me to start the green light up front,
rather than be in the middle of rush hour traffic
trying to pass me while I start off ten cars behind.
When it’s bumper to bumper and at a stand still,
and there’s a wide shoulder onthe right?
SORRY! I’m gonna get on that and keep moving!
Who’s going to sit behind a tailpipe waiting in traffic?
You’re an angry motorist? Well then, get a bike!
Surprisingly, in town you can beat traffic!
Lastly:
- a bad cyclist will do less harm than a bad driver.
- since driver’s are unwilling to share the road, and
abide by the laws, I WILL DO WHATEVER I NEED TO
SURVIVE. The laws were not written for cyclists safety.
- If motorists want us to abide by ALL traffic laws,
THEN I’M TAKING THE WHOLE LANE LIKE A MOTORCYCLE!
oh wait, they don’t want THAT.
- So it’s a double standard? Yeah, I’m not buying what they’re selling.
This story is from The Berkshire Eagle, the local paper in my hometown area:
By Dick Lindsay, Berkshire Eagle Staff
Thursday, May 21
GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — Until a few weeks ago, Charles Spirydowski’s longest bicycle ride was about three miles — a jaunt he took with his daughter.
This week, the 37-year-old Housatonic man will attempt a 200-mile ride over the course of three days to raise money and awareness for emergency medical services personnel who’ve died in the line of duty or from a job-related illness or injury.
You can read the rest of the article at the Eagle’s Web site.
A 10 year old boy was riding his bike without a helmet in my neighborhood. He ran a red light and hit a car. And died. Please stop running red lights. Please, please please.
Information about our aptly timed Ride of Silence is here.
Jason sez: Bob Anderson is a one-man hurricane on the Albany cycling scene. He’s doing great work with the Albany Bicycle Coalition, and also taking amazing photos of cycling culture for local galleries, and for his blog, Liberty on Bikes! Bob’s inclusion on the Team RocBike roster is long overdue, and I’m glad he’s here. Under the photo is Bob’s sketch of his own biography.
married almost 11 years, 3 kids from 3-8, commute everyday by bike, born in Seattle, lived in golden, colorado & salt lake city, utah, here for 11 years, manager by profession, also a photographer, artist, decorator, manipulator of color/pattern/texture, punk, instigator, prankster, tattoo collector, 80’s trivia master, student of taoism, and agent of chaos.
Yehuda Moon and the whole gang from the Kickstand Cyclery are coming back on June 17. Huzzah!
If you haven’t experienced this wonderful cycling comic strip, now might be a good time to catch up.
