Archive for August, 2008

“Free” bikes and downtown gridlock

Posted by Erik on August 22nd, 2008 filed in imminent death of car-based culture

On this day when (apparently) I-10 is closed down and drivers are furious about it, my friend M. sent me this article from Seattle about that city’s nascent Free Bike Program.
The whole thing is encouraging and I am behind it but I have to admit the math is a little disconcerting. Seattle is spending [...]

Read More..>>

The tracks. The cursed tracks.

Posted by Erik on August 20th, 2008 filed in safety

I get a lot of calls and emails from people with shattered elbows and the like asking me if there is anything that can be done about the trolley tracks at 4th and University. I think more people go to the hospital from those tracks than ride the trolley.
I always sigh deeply, roll my [...]

Read More..>>

They have a fixed gear category on the Kitt Peak Hill Climb????

Posted by Erik on August 19th, 2008 filed in I am in slack-jawed awe, Joie de vivre

Good grief. But congratulations Cindy! (Also to David Glick, sometimes Tuesday Night Community Bike Rider, who won the men’s pro 1-2 category).
From the article.
Other women’s records set were Cindy McFarland of Tucson in the Fixed Gear category (1:14:45),Teri Albertazzi of Tucson in Category 4 (1:04:27) and San Diego’s Adrienne Brian in Masters [...]

Read More..>>

$1,000 bond for man who struck and killed cyclist, then left the scene and hid the evidence

Posted by Erik on August 19th, 2008 filed in getting off easy again

I guess the judge thought a thousand bucks would do the job and keep this fellow around for trial. I hope he’s right.
–Erik Ryberg

Read More..>>

AZ Daily Star concludes its bus experiment, starts the bike experiment

Posted by Erik on August 18th, 2008 filed in Joie de vivre, imminent death of car-based culture

Today was AZ Daily Star reporter Josh Brodesky’s first day of his car-free week, which he is blogging about on Andrea Kelly’s “Gridlocked” blog. I’m wishing him luck! I find that for the ordinary things I do in life, my bike suits me fine and I could get around without having a car [...]

Read More..>>

More emerges on Charles Nystrom, but not on the accident

Posted by Erik on August 16th, 2008 filed in fatality

Several people have emailed me to tell me that they suspect there is more to this story than we are getting. Why would an experienced bicycle commuter run in front of a pickup? I want to see the police report to learn exactly where he was trying to cross Tanque Verde and where [...]

Read More..>>

Charles W. Nystrom, 54

Posted by Erik on August 15th, 2008 filed in I am in slack-jawed awe, fatality

The police have identified the man killed on his bicycle in Tucson last night as Charles Nystrom. Tucson Citizen article here.
I’m just going to let the first three comments on the article do the talking.
1. Comment by A C. (Apstudent34) — August 15,2008 @ 1:20PM
charles was my enviromental science [...]

Read More..>>

Tucson bicyclist killed near Udall Park

Posted by Erik on August 15th, 2008 filed in fatality

The story is pretty spare, but says the cyclist rode directly into the path of an oncoming truck. The driver was not cited.
The comments section is dominated by complaints that cyclists don’t get enough tickets and the police should not have shut down the road and blocked traffic in order to investigate the cyclist’s [...]

Read More..>>

Local coward doesn’t like the Jose Rincon ghost bike

Posted by Erik on August 15th, 2008 filed in ghostbikes

Shortly after the Arizona Daily Star published a piece on Tucson ghost bikes the Jose Rincon ghostbike disappeared, its flowers and other pieces left scattered on the ground.
A new bike popped up quickly and was there until yesterday, which is the day that the Tucson Weekly published its own piece about ghost bikes.
It seems some [...]

Read More..>>

What is up with the parking on Seventh Street?

Posted by Erik on August 12th, 2008 filed in safety

See anything wrong with this picture? I took this photo just after the pickup on the right had pulled out of its space by backing into the opposite lane and turning hard, and just before the SUV on the left swung across my lane to park.
And of course this insane parking scheme occurs on [...]

Read More..>>