The eight wrongdoers sat inside a windowless basement classroom, serving a court-ordered penance for their transgressions. For the next 90 minutes, they would learn about the proper rules of the road, how to use hand signals and when to change lanes safely — even if most did not believe they had done anything wrong. |
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
NYTimes.com: "Penalty for Rule-Breaking Bicyclists: A Remedial Class"
Saturday, July 21, 2012
NYT article: Cameras Are Cyclists’ "Black Boxes" in Accidents
WASHINGTON — When Evan Wilder went flying onto the pavement during his bicycle commute one morning here, he didn't have time to notice the license plate of the pickup truck that had sideswiped him after its driver hurled a curse at him. Nor did a witness driving another car. But the video camera Mr. Wilder had strapped to his head caught the whole episode. After watching a recording of the incident later, Mr. Wilder gave the license plate number to the police and a suspect was eventually charged with leaving the scene of an accident. Read the entire article: http://nyti.ms/SLmyzU |
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
"Commuters Pedal to Work on Their Very Own Superhighway" (NYTimes.com)
More reveries from the melancholic/happy Danes! Published yesterday: COPENHAGEN JOURNAL Picture 11 miles of smoothly paved bike path meandering through the countryside. Largely uninterrupted by roads or intersections, it passes fields, backyards, chirping birds, a lake, some ducks and, at every mile, an air pump. For some Danes, this is the morning commute. An 11-mile-long path called a bicycle superhighway has opened between Copenhagen and Albertslund, a western suburb. Read the entire story (and watch the 4-minute video): http://nyti.ms/MGLTWx |
London, England: The "Cities Fit for Cycling" manifesto
The Times (note: daily newspaper in London UK) is committed to achieving its eight-point manifesto calling for cities to be made fit for cyclists. 1. Trucks entering a city centre should be required by law to fit sensors, audible turning alarms, extra mirrors and safety bars to stop cyclists being thrown under the wheels. 2. The 500 most dangerous road junctions must be identified, redesigned or fitted with priority traffic lights for cyclists and Trixi mirrors that allow (truck) drivers to see cyclists on their near-side. 3. A national audit of cycling to find out how many people cycle in Britain and how cyclists are killed or injured should be held to underpin effective cycle safety. 4. Two per cent of the Highways Agency budget should be earmarked for next generation cycle routes, providing £100 million a year towards world-class cycling infrastructure. Each year cities should be graded on the quality of cycling provision. [note: the "2% earmark" seems akin to our local "Complete Streets" policy]. 5. The training of cyclists and drivers must improve and cycle safety should become a core part of the driving test. 6. 20 mph should become the default speed limit in residential areas where there are no cycle lanes. 7. Businesses should be invited to sponsor cycleways and cycling super- highways, mirroring the Barclays-backed bicycle hire scheme in London. 8. Every city, even those without an elected mayor, should appoint a cycling commissioner to push home reforms. Read more on this topic: http://www.google.com/search?q=fit+for+cycling+manifesto |
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