Archive for July, 2008

AZ Daily Star on Ghost Bikes

Posted by Lauren on July 18th, 2008 filed in ghostbikes

Yesterday’s AZ Daily Star features an article by Andrea Kelly on Ghost Bikes in Tucson and describes them as “part art, part memorial, and mostly public service.”  The article includes the names of the six fallen riders commemorated by Ghost Bikes in Tucson as well as information on how the Ghost Bike campaign has developed [...]

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Road rager wants to know: You mean I have to stay in jail for a whole week?

Cyclist on car hood

The whole of bike-blog internetdom is awash in this story about a road raging motorist who first attacked a cyclist (after the cyclist told him to slow down) and then, when the cyclist stood in front of his car to get the plate, drove into him and thence down the road with [...]

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AZ Daily Star writer seeks input from Tucson bicyclists

Posted by Erik on July 14th, 2008 filed in safety

Andrea Kelly of the AZ Daily Star is writing a story about bicycling and the most dangerous intersections in town. She has compiled information showing the intersections where a bicyclist is most likely to be hit, and she is looking for people who either ride through these intersections or specifically avoid them. Here [...]

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Sealing the deal: Study shows Denmark to be the happiest country in the world — thanks in part to urban design

Posted by Erik on July 13th, 2008 filed in imminent death of car-based culture

Or so claims an international study cited in this great opinion piece in the San Jose Mercury News.
According to the article, Denmark set about 20 years ago to become the most “walkable” country in the world, and has done it. And, also according to the article, people are happier when they are [...]

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L.A. doctor involved in “road rage” incident has previous history of attacks on cyclists

Posted by Erik on July 12th, 2008 filed in TPD shortcomings

And, naturally, the L.A. prosecutors didn’t follow up on it, so he kept doing it, eventually putting two cyclists in the hospital.
He now faces felony charges.
Readers of this blog know that I constantly harp on the Tucson Police Department for not following up on assaults on bicyclists. I have a growing list [...]

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Stay out of Dodge County, Wisconsin

Posted by Erik on July 11th, 2008 filed in fatality, getting off easy again

They’ve had eleven bike fatalities so far this year.  The most recent was a hit-from-behind collision.  The local police say they have no plans to cite the truck driver who hit the cyclist.
Brandenburg, 67, was riding westbound on County Trunk A near Point Road at about 6 a.m. when his bicycle was struck from behind [...]

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That does it. I am moving to Copenhagen.

Posted by Erik on July 10th, 2008 filed in I am in slack-jawed awe, Uncategorized

Ikea now offers free bike trailers for overnight loan to its customers in Denmark.
Realistically, how far are we from doing that in this country?  In centuries?
Man I bet the beer is good in Copenhagen, too.
–Erik Ryberg

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Wrenching in Nepal

Posted by Erik on July 10th, 2008 filed in Uncategorized, opportunity knocks

Ohhhhh. . . . if only I were fifteen years younger and not chained to a desk.  (And knew how to fix a bicycle).
Hello from Kathmandu!
This email goes out to a wide variety of community bike programs and other community organizations working with marginalized and disempowered youth. Now firmly off the ground, Wrench Nepal is [...]

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Last month’s bike accident reports confirm what everyone already knows . . .

Posted by Erik on July 9th, 2008 filed in safety

Lauren got last month’s police reports of every bike accident reported by the Tucson Police Department. We haven’t tallied everything up yet, but a quick review shows lots of accidents from people riding the wrong way down the street and riding on sidewalks.
There is one report of an accident that might have occurred [...]

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Seen today: Technicians for Solar Sustainability’s rad bike trailer!

Posted by Erik on July 9th, 2008 filed in Cool bikes, Uncategorized

I was hurrying back to the office today when I ran into two folks from Technicians for Solar Sustainability and their electric-assisted bike and trailer. I flagged them down and browbeat them into showing off their gear and letting me get a picture.
Their organization installs solar panels, water harvesting systems, and other features that [...]

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