Archive for May, 2009

RIP Drake G. Okusako

Posted by Erik on May 29th, 2009 filed in fatality

The cyclist has been identified. He is Drake G. Okusako. He rode the 66 mile El Tour de Tucson in 2007 and appears to have coached a boy’s soccer team.
A tragic, awful story.
My condolences to his family and loved ones.
–Erik Ryberg

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A few thoughts on the cyclist fatality this morning

Posted by Erik on May 29th, 2009 filed in fatality

I am still not finding much about this awful incident. If you are, please email me the information and relevant links.
The thing that leaves such a horrible pit in my stomach here is not that the young driver fled — I don’t condone it but I can kind of see the flight instinct kicking [...]

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Cyclist killed this morning in Tucson

Posted by Erik on May 29th, 2009 filed in fatality, hit and run

As usual, it’s a hit-from-behind accident. There is not much information available yet. The young driver fled the scene but was caught. Apparently the driver swerved into the bike lane and hit the cyclist.
AZ Daily Star Article here.
–Erik Ryberg

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Priorities

Last night somebody attempted to break into a car parked down the street a ways from my office. They didn’t succeed.
Right now there are four police officers swabbing it down for prints and investigating it. They’ve been there for awhile and it looks like they will be there for quite some time. [...]

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Driver who killed TPD motorcyclist cited, but still no citations in Allen Johnson case

Several readers have written in to inform me that the driver who made a left turn into the path of Tucson Police Officer Peter Mannino has been cited with failure to yield and, more importantly, A.R.S. ยง 28-672, “Causing serious physical injury or death by a moving violation,” which could land her in jail for [...]

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Hmmm check this out

Posted by Erik on May 27th, 2009 filed in Cool bikes, imminent death of car-based culture, opportunity knocks

Evidently I can win one of these things if somebody clicks on the above link.
But I’m not posting this because I might win a pretty new longtail. I actually think these might be cool.
There’s a link for “Become a Madsen Dealer” too. Anyone?
–Erik Ryberg

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Seeking a volunteer . . .

Posted by Erik on May 26th, 2009 filed in Our eternal quest for Platinum Status, opportunity knocks

I need a volunteer in Tucson who is available tomorrow (Wednesday) sometime for about two hours and then again on Monday from about 2 PM to 4 PM. I cannot go into details here but it involves bike advocacy — I need help on a case.
If you are interested, send me an email with [...]

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BICAS looking for a new home

Posted by Erik on May 26th, 2009 filed in vexation of the spirit

BICAS’s rent went up by a factor of three, to nearly $2,000.00/mo., and they have been priced out of their building. BICAS sub-lets the building from David Aguirre, who snagged the lease from the State of Arizona way-back-when for pennies on the dollar. He now sublets to BICAS and many other artists. [...]

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Why is the Pima County Sheriff’s Department entrapping cyclists?

Posted by Erik on May 21st, 2009 filed in Our eternal quest for Platinum Status

Below is a page from the most recent “Share the Road” guide, published by Pima County, containing the Pima County Seal, and distributed by, among others, law enforcement officers in Pima County:

Notice that it says, fairly plainly, that it is lawful to ride two abreast in Pima County.
Unfortunately, the Green Valley District of the Pima [...]

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Groan. Ride of Silence: The People Speak

After Andrea Kelly’s article on the Ride of Silence, we find this:
Road runner : Bike ride goal: awareness of need to share the road
Bicyclists die on Tucson streets and throughout the country each year. Other than small memorials alongside roadways, or news stories about the fatal crashes, [...]

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