A RocBike reader sent in this note:

Hi everyone,

I’m in Rochester and I commute to work by bike. I’ve been a RocBike follower for a few months now and I really enjoy reading everyone’s contributions. I learn something new every time I visit the site! I recently designed a cycling inspired shirt for threadless and thought you might like to check it out:

http://www.threadless.com/submission/179352/spokes_in_my_trees

There are quite a few entries, but it would be great to see this in
print! I’d love to hear your thoughts on the design.

I’ve also linked to RocBike from my website (lemonlightning.com) so hopefully I’ve been able to send a little traffic your way.

Thanks for taking the time to read this.
Ride safe,
jm

A follow-up to this: “Half of my birthday bike ride”

I ended up in Rochester for my birthday last Thursday, and met up with some of the old cruisin posse and a couple of other good friends for a birthday cruise to dinner at John’s Tex Mex, my favorite place for vegetarian tacos.

Karl snapped this at our favorite ped bridge to ride over. He’s got more pics on his flickr

Thanks Roc-City for making my birthday a blast! Cheers!

From today’s New York Times:

In Hard Times, Profit at Rochester Transit System

By WILLIAM NEUMAN
Published: September 14, 2008

At a time when public transportation systems around the country are struggling with soaring fuel costs and pinched budgets, the bus system in Rochester, N.Y., has done something that few others would contemplate: this month, it lowered its single-ride fare.

Rochester’s Regional Transit Service is no behemoth. It carries 15 million riders a year, as many as the New York City transit system carries in two days. But as economic hard times have reduced tax revenues and increased demand for government transit subsidies, its experiences may provide valuable lessons for larger cities that are planning fare increases, like New York, Minneapolis and Cleveland.

The Rochester system, which expects to run a surplus for the third year in a row, has been able to reduce its one-ride fare in part by eliminating some low-trafficked routes, avoiding debt and aggressively raising revenues from other sources. The fare fell to $1 from $1.25 on Sept. 1.

It has, for instance, reached agreements with the local public school district, colleges and private businesses to help subsidize its operations, warning in some cases that certain routes might be cut if ridership did not increase or a local business did not help cover the cost. In recent years, income from these agreements has equaled or exceeded the income from regular passenger fares.

All the while, ridership has increased by 7.4 percent over the last two years in an area where the population has remained stable. And while only about 1 out of 6 customers pays the single-ride fare (the majority use daily, weekly or monthly passes), the transit service expects further ridership gains now with the fare cut in place.

Read the rest of the article.

This past Friday night, Jess and I went out on a S24O camping trip down the Genesee Valley Greenway. It’s was a very casual, fun, refreshing adventure; and I highly recommend that those in Rochester check out the trail. Pictures and a bit of story telling follow. (more…)

Here’s my version of what I’d like News 10 NBC to do (yes, I’m on a bit of bike theft rant these days).

Dear News 10 NBC Editors:
On 18 August 2008, News 10 NBC ran a story about Mayor Robert Duffy’s “Zero Tolerance” crime policy. Part of the story featured footage of a Rochester police officer nearly running into a cyclist on a street in the 14621 neighborhood. Reporter Ray Levato cited this as an example of “zero tolerance” for crime.

To use this incident as an example of zero tolerance is destructive to safe and congenial use of the roadways for motorists and cyclists alike.

In this specific scenario, both used poor judgment; the cyclist by not wearing a helmet and not being more aware of the car on his left; the police officer by not signaling or looking back and fulfilling his legal responsibility to exercise “due care.” While both used poor judgment, only the police officer committed a crime; unfortunately, the cyclist could have paid with his life. As a regular bike commuter and occasional driver, I am all too aware that she with the heavier vehicle wins, regardless of who is breaking the law.

As to zero tolerance, I’d like to see the police address the rings of bike thieves roaming our city neighborhoods…three bikes were stolen from my neighborhood this weekend alone, including my own.

Instead of presenting cyclists as criminals, I urge News 10 NBC to explore two related issues: 1) bike theft–who’s committing it, how to prevent it, and information about R Community Bikes (http://www.mpnnow.com/lifestyle/x1542100972), where people in need can get free bicycles rather than buy stolen ones; and 2) safe and courteous procedures for sharing the road between drivers and cyclists.

Sincerely,
Julie White
Rochester, NY
writer for www.rocbike.com

Isn’t that a beautiful bike? Here’s the story…it’s a follow up to my previous post. Tanya was driving down Plymouth Avenue in Rochester, thinking…”You know, I’ve NEVER seen a GT Nomad…if I see one, I will know that it’s mine.” A few blocks later, she saw someone on a GT Nomad, a young man, stopped in a parking lot talking to a woman in a parked car.

Tanya pulled in to the parking lot, got out of her car, looked him straight in the eye (not an easy feat, since she’s 5′4″ and he was over 6′), and said, “You’re on my bike. Get off my bike.” He got kind of flustered, and said that he paid for it, it’s his bike. This exchange continued for a few minutes, with him getting more agitated and saying, “I didn’t steal your bike…it’s my bike.”

She decided to try another tactic (this was her most prudent moment of the interaction). She said, “Let me start over. My name is Tanya (extending hand). What’s yours?” He reluctantly shook her hand and told her his name. She told him that she’s had the bike for over 10 years, and it means a lot to her, then asked him how much he paid for the bike…the answer, $20. She said, “I’ll give you $40 for it. Get off the bike and follow me home, where I have the money.” He did so, she put it on the bike rack, and in her least prudent moment of the interaction, invited him to get in her car.

His female friend said, “No, he’ll ride with me.” Was she protecting him from Tanya? I don’t know, but I’m glad she did it, for whatever reason.

They followed Tanya home, got their $40, and Tanya had her bike back. This whole thing makes me simultaneously proud and terrified.

But wait…there’s more. Tanya took the bike to Full Moon Vista to get a wheel (since the thieves had replaced her nice one with a cheap one), lights, etc. While there, she noticed a Trek that she had been researching. She called me to come down and try it out.

Kyle sweet-talked me into buying it (perhaps that’s because I practically begged him to give me reasons to buy it). Seriously, I tried it out and I love it! By the way, philosophically I’m totally with Adam on buying from Craig’s list…but there are two factors against such an approach. First, I’m not so patient as to wait until just the right bike comes along. Second, I did not inherit the lesbian mechanical-skills gene (maybe that’s because I’m bi, but that’s another story), and would feel totally overwhelmed at having to make major repairs/parts replacement.

One more thing…perhaps you noticed how well the water bottle matches the bike (come on, you can admit it!). Here’s a closer picture just in case you missed it…
I bought that water bottle on Saturday, the day before my Specialized was stolen. All I can say is that I must have been meant to have this sweet blue Trek.

I brought it home last night, where it is being kept in an undisclosed location…bike thieves, don’t even think about it! Like I said, you don’t want to mess with my butch girlfriend.

Dear News 10 NBC Editors:

On 18 August 2008, News 10 NBC ran a story about Mayor Robert Duffy’s “Zero Tolerance” crime policy. Part of the story featured footage of a Rochester police officer nearly running into a cyclist on a street in the 14621 neighborhood. Reporter Ray Levato cited this as an example of “zero tolerance” for crime.

Unfortunately, the crime was being committed by the officer, not by the cyclist. New York State motor vehicle law has this to say:

Section 1146. Drivers to exercise due care. Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law to the contrary, every driver of a vehicle shall exercise due care to avoid colliding with any bicyclist, pedestrian or domestic animal upon any roadway …

And the New York State DOT web site offers this tip for safe driving near bicyclists:

When passing by a cyclist, check over your shoulder to make sure you have allowed adequate distance before merging back in or attempting a right hand turn. Experienced bicyclists can ride 20-25 mph and may be closer than you think.

Given the responsibility of the driver to exercise “due care,” it is clear in this instance that it was the officer who was at fault, not the cyclist.

The cyclist wasn’t wearing a helmet and admitted to having “bad brakes,” but neither of those facts has anything whatsoever to do with the officer’s responsibility to avoid hitting the cyclist.

I urge News 10 NBC to use this as a teachable moment, and to run a series of segments during your newscasts on safety procedures for drivers and cyclists. Let’s use this near-miss as a chance to score a hit for road safety in Rochester.

Sincerely,

Jason Crane
Founder
RocBike.com

TAKE ACTION!: Ask News 10 NBC to help promote driver and cyclist safety. Feel free to use the letter above or write your own, then send it to news1@news10NBC.com. You can also call (585) 546-5670.

Thanks to Cyclonecross for the relevant legal links.

Rochester Mayor Bob Duffy talks about “zero tolerance” crime policy

Chuck and Gary sent me links to the following story:

Cop nearly right-hooks cyclists in Rochester (Channel 10)

Chuck also included these comments:

Check out the video from last night’s channel 10 news. The cyclist was nearly “hooked” by a police cruiser, and the officer decided that the cyclist was not following the “rules of the road”. The written story and commentary stated that the cyclist “darts out from the side”. Clearly, he was simply continuing to travel in his original direction. I think that the cyclist’s mistake was to not take the entire lane.

Dave Moulton wrote about this story on his blog today.

What do YOU think? And what should we do about it?

I love many things about living in Rochester, and now I can add the Rochester Twilight Criterium to the list.

Not only was it an awe-inspiring race, but you could get close enough to get vertigo from the wheels spinning by as a hundred cyclists rode flat out in the rain.

And, it being Rochester and all (the city that’s more like a small town), I ran into a lot of people I knew, including Kyle from Full Moon Vista, who verbally ambushed me after my awkward ohmygodcrossthestreetbeforemorecyclistscome run across Broad Street with a, “Nice sprint, Julie.”

I do have one complaint…what’s up with the pro women being relegated to a 5:00 start, before all the men, a lower purse, and little to no media coverage. The men’s race was billed as “the main event.”

Anyway, you can find media coverage here.

Put it on your 2009 calendar!

This came into the RocBike inbox today:

Name: Tucker

Subject: For the Rochester crew–a story of hope

Message: Hey guys, I live and bike here in ROC city, and I blogged
today about a cool riding experience I had involving a positive
interaction with a driver. I thought I’d share it with you, just in
case it was of interest. Thanks for what you do to promote cycling
here in town and all over! My blog’s at www.tooooks.blogspot.com.

Head over and check it out, won’t you? Grazi, Tucker!

Although I’ve been commuting to my office in downtown Rochester regularly for some time now, my job sometimes requires me to attend meetings at the other campus of MCC (Monroe Community College, for non-Rochester readers). That campus is on E. Henrietta Rd., a clogged main artery leading to the land of malls, big grocery stores, empty big box stores, and continued building of new big box stores which will likely fall empty in a few years…and the road is currently under construction so it can handle even more car traffic.

Hence, I have not been anxious to ride my bike there. But then, a stroke of genius! I could ride the Genesee Riverway Trail to the Erie Canal, get off the canal path next to Monroe Community Hospital, and in keeping with Adam’s rules of riding on the sidewalk, take the sidewalk a short distance to campus.

Given that I’ve lived in Rochester for 18 years and been riding the trails for 12, one could say my stroke of genius was somewhat belated. Nonetheless, last week, I did it…I rode from my home (smack between the two campuses) to the Brighton campus of MCC, from there to downtown, and back to my home at the end of the day.

It was a beautiful day, I had little traffic to deal with, and I got in a decent amount of exercise. The only downside was the fact that I changed clothes three times in the middle of the work day. But it’s summer, which makes a change from shorts to a sleeveless dress pretty easy (I keep multiple pairs of shoes at work, as well as an all-purpose dress jacket, so that I don’t have to tote them). Having short hair makes this kind of commute a breeze as well.

Here are some of the highlights.

The path is unmarked next to Monroe Community Hospital.

I’d much rather be on this “roadway” than the one under construction at the top of the post.

This is near the University of Rochester and Genesee Valley Park, where three local trails converge.

The downtown library…a grand building.

Don’t you miss the days when buildings had inspirational quotes inscribed on them?

Home away from home.

Meet at 9:45 a.m. for a 10:00 a.m. start at the trailhead in Canawaugus Park on River Road (Route 251) in Scottsville for a 14 mile ride.

The GVG is a flat trail with a hard packed dirt surface. Fat tire or hybrid style bicycle is best suited for this trail ride.

Bring water. Lunch in Scottsville after the ride is optional. Helmets required.

Ride Leader: Richard DeSarra, rdsbike@rochester.rr.com

Jason sez: I asked Dan Lill from R Community Bikes in Rochester to tell us about what they do and why. Thanks, Dan!

What started out as one man’s offer to fix a flat tire in the parking lot of a homeless shelter has developed into an incorporated, not for profit, volunteer army that provides more than five hundred bicycles to Rochester’s neediest citizens every year. Who would have thought!!

Bill Danza was serving lunch at St Joseph’s House of Hospitality when he was asked if he could do some minor bike repair for a guest. Bill willingly responded and soon drew a crowd in St. Joe’s parking lot. Bill promised to return the next week and out of that offer and with the assistance of many new volunteers over the years, has come what is now known as R Community Bikes. While the weekly repair and give away of bikes continues, RCB now has its own rented warehouse in one of Rochester’s poorest and most neglected neighborhoods.

Several times each week volunteers working at the warehouse receive donated bikes, patch tubes, adjust gears, true wheels, sort parts and otherwise ready bikes for distribution to those in need. Most importantly, they also greet recipients and hear their stories of need and then try to match the recipient to his/her new found “Cadillac” as the bikes are often called. Bikes are very frequently the most affordable means of transportation to jobs, schools, church, programs and meals at local social service agencies. These agencies also form an important link between individuals and RCB since referral letters are required before a bike can be obtained. This helps insure that bikes will be given to the most needy and most likely to benefit from them.

The current list of agencies referring clients numbers near thirty and ranges from shelters to community centers to refugee resettlement programs. The need is obvious and is growing as our economy continues to suffer. Those most in need seem to suffer first and most and RCB’s goal is to help level the playing field - if only in a small way.

To date this year, RCB has given out more than 400 bikes between our Wednesday program at St Joseph’s and our main location at the warehouse. This monumental task is possible only because of our volunteer base which numbers nearly one hundred as a list but with 15 -20 coming in each week. They are a varied group bringing bike skills for sure but also so much more. We have, among our group, fund raisers, carpenters, printers, electricians, computer experts, grant writers, clerical staff, teenagers, retirees, educators, students, the under and unemployed, bikers, nonbikers, the rich and the poor. The group is varied for sure but all committed to our mission of service to the community.

R Community Bikes is always looking for new volunteers to help us address our mission. We are also in need of specific bike tools, office supplies and for sure monetary contributions since we are a totally not-for-profit organization. Information can be obtained at rcombikes@yahoo.com; at our website: rcommunitybikes.net; by calling Dan at (585) 865-9872; or by visiting us at 226 Hudson Avenue in Rochester.

Please welcome the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle’s new lifestyle site, RocEarth, to the internets:

In the D&C’s style, the site is awkwardly designed and serves as little more than a link farm to the newspaper’s main web site, but, there is a gem: a video currently embedded on the main page, called “Green Riders”:

The video series features a bunch of people who commute in different ways to reduce their carbon footprint, including one bike commuter, but also people who use gas-powered scooters, ride a gas-powered bus, and drive gas-powered cars. Brought to you by Hoselton Auto Mall, currently offering 2 models that get over 30 mpg. But I digress.

Here’s a direct link to the bike commuter profile. The vignette features Rochester resident Emily Lynch discussing her bikes, her bike-friendly community in the South Wedge, and her commute to the Rochester Public Market down busy streets.

As a gas-free purist, I took slightly less interest in the other 3 categories, but it’s good to see people making a difference in all sorts of different ways.

Remember these days, kids?

The original Team RocBike: Jason Crane, Julie White, honorary member Liz Henderson, Jack Spula, Adam Durand

Bicycling Family Weekend at Strong National Museum of Play
(In conjunction with the Rochester Omnium, www.Rochestercrit.com)

Saturday, August 9, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday, August 10, 12 noon to 5 p.m.

Start your Omnium weekend fun at Strong National Museum of Play.

On Saturday, see artist Nancy Goethel create a colorful bicycling scene made entirely of…balloons! (Her completed work will be on view Sunday.)

On both Saturday and Sunday, cruise over to a special display of bike-related photos, toys, and cycles from the museum’s renowned collections including a 1890s bicycle built for four.

Make a sun visor and a sign to cheer on the bicyclists before you head out to the races.

All activities are included with general museum admission fees. For more information and easy directions visit www.museumofplay.org.

Seasonal Exhibit on Bicycling August 1 to September 30.

The museum has tapped into its world-renowned collections to create a special bicycle display in honor of the Rochester Omnium.

See modern and historic cycles including a four-in-hand (a cycle built for four riders from the 1890s); a 1910 safety bicycle with a skirt guard (designed especially for women); several modern racing bikes; and children’s bikes and tricycles of various eras.

Also on view are historical photos, paper dolls, and paper toys that document the popularity of cycling over the past century.

This exhibit will be on display on the museum’s second floor from August 1 to September 30.

Eric Larsson sent this message today:

The classic cycling film Breaking Away is screening on Friday, July 25 at 8 p.m. at the Dryden Theatre at the George Eastman House on East Ave in Rochester. For anyone who arrives by bicycle for this screening, we will offer a $4 admission to the movie. Regular admission is $6.

More information about the film can be found at the George Eastman House site.

I love this movie, and have written about it here and here. You should really go see it on the big screen.

I don’t think the target for Bicycle Photo Tag #11 is that hard to find, but it’s been months since I posted it, so here’s a refresh:

Maybe too many people have left Rochester to play Bicycle Photo Tag anymore. Prove me wrong, folks!

Caitlin and I started bikepooling together last summer, back when we both had jobs on the other side of the city. Now that I work out of my home, I ride with Caitlin for the pleasure of her company.

Bikepooling rocks.

Keith sent along the following link to coverage of the Adore Your City ride, which took place in Rochester this weekend:

• RNews story

Keith also sent a link to a Bike To Work Day piece on the Today show:

• Bike To Work story