Like many avid cyclists, Rick Wurtz has his share of horror stories from the road.His closest call came as he pedaled along an open highway in Montana and a big rig rushed by within inches of his handlebars, passing so close that the truck's wake blew him off the road.There is little more terrifying to a cyclist than sitting astride 20 pounds of carbon fiber and aluminum when a motorist encased in 2 tons of steel makes a sudden right turn or bumps the riders.
Yet for Wurtz and other cyclists, few episodes have reinforced the dangers as powerfully as last year's crash in which a Brentwood doctor is accused of slamming on the brakes of his car in front of two bike riders, injuring both. One cyclist was propelled face-first into the rear window. The other was sent hurtling to the pavement.
For the last three weeks, the assault trial of Dr. Christopher Thompson has drawn the attention of cyclists nationwide but has especially galvanized the swelling ranks of Los Angeles' tight-knit cycling community, whose members have long felt like second-class citizens in a city in love with its cars.The case is being tried at a time when more people are turning to two wheels for commuting and recreation. Cyclists are asserting their rights as never before. In Los Angeles, advocates are pushing for more bike lanes and other road improvements, a cyclists' bill of rights and more protection from police.
As they demand more respect from motorists, many cyclists see Thompson's trial as a test of the justice system's commitment to protecting the rights of bike riders. They point to the case as an extreme example of what they see all the time: arrogant drivers who either unwittingly or deliberately push bike riders aside.
Full article http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-cyclists-trial1-2009nov01,0,2835513,full.story
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Monday, November 2, 2009
Two webinars on bicycle advocacy
Both of these will be in the MPC large conference room (4th floor of theCity-County Building.) Please let me know if you plan to attend because space is limited. kelley.segars@knoxtrans.org
Nov 12th, 2 - 3 p.m."The Power of 25: Advocacy Strategies for Creating LivableCommunities"
Presented by Pete Lagerway, Senior Transportation Planner, Toole DesignGroup
This Webinar will articulate useful strategies for establishing and running an effective advocacy group in an effort to achieve safer streets and livable communities. Peter Lagerwey, the Seattle Regional Office Director for Toole Design Group and formerly the pedestrian and bicycle program coordinator for the city of Seattle for more than twenty years, will offer his formula for public involvement, demonstrating the effectiveness of 25 organized individuals. The presentation will address the challenges of developing a clear message, creating a work plan, and building and sustaining relationships among diverse communitystakeholders. Mr. Lagerwey has taught courses on pedestrian and bicycle safety inover 200 cities over the past eighteen years. Most recently, he led the effort to create the new Seattle Bicycle Master Plan, a planning document that will be used to guide future improvements to Seattle's bicycle network. He has co-authored articles in the ITE Journal, been interviewed by Tom Brokaw of NBC News and Juan Williams of "Talk of theNation," and is an author of How to Develop a Pedestrian Safety ActionPlan.
Nov 18, 3 - 4 p.m.
Building Political Will for Strong Bike/Walk Programs: Effective Use ofthe "Three-Legged Stool" model in Columbia, Mo.
This webinar will describe how elected officials, local government staff and independent advocates can work together to change the cultureof a community. Each partner in this powerful and stable "three-leggedstool" has its natural areas of strength, and these can be effectively leveraged by coordinating activities such as community outreach, mediaadvocacy, government services, public funding, political support, legislation and others. Columbia, Missouri, where this approach is led by five-term mayor Darwin Hindman, the Columbia/Boone County Departmentof Public Health and Human Services, and the PedNet Coalition, is presented as a case study. Recent successes, such as complete streets legislation, a national model Safe Routes to School program, a $22 million federal Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program grant, and a silver level Bicycle Friendly Communities award, can be attributed to the model.
Nov 12th, 2 - 3 p.m."The Power of 25: Advocacy Strategies for Creating LivableCommunities"
Presented by Pete Lagerway, Senior Transportation Planner, Toole DesignGroup
This Webinar will articulate useful strategies for establishing and running an effective advocacy group in an effort to achieve safer streets and livable communities. Peter Lagerwey, the Seattle Regional Office Director for Toole Design Group and formerly the pedestrian and bicycle program coordinator for the city of Seattle for more than twenty years, will offer his formula for public involvement, demonstrating the effectiveness of 25 organized individuals. The presentation will address the challenges of developing a clear message, creating a work plan, and building and sustaining relationships among diverse communitystakeholders. Mr. Lagerwey has taught courses on pedestrian and bicycle safety inover 200 cities over the past eighteen years. Most recently, he led the effort to create the new Seattle Bicycle Master Plan, a planning document that will be used to guide future improvements to Seattle's bicycle network. He has co-authored articles in the ITE Journal, been interviewed by Tom Brokaw of NBC News and Juan Williams of "Talk of theNation," and is an author of How to Develop a Pedestrian Safety ActionPlan.
Nov 18, 3 - 4 p.m.
Building Political Will for Strong Bike/Walk Programs: Effective Use ofthe "Three-Legged Stool" model in Columbia, Mo.
This webinar will describe how elected officials, local government staff and independent advocates can work together to change the cultureof a community. Each partner in this powerful and stable "three-leggedstool" has its natural areas of strength, and these can be effectively leveraged by coordinating activities such as community outreach, mediaadvocacy, government services, public funding, political support, legislation and others. Columbia, Missouri, where this approach is led by five-term mayor Darwin Hindman, the Columbia/Boone County Departmentof Public Health and Human Services, and the PedNet Coalition, is presented as a case study. Recent successes, such as complete streets legislation, a national model Safe Routes to School program, a $22 million federal Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program grant, and a silver level Bicycle Friendly Communities award, can be attributed to the model.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Tour de Lights is famous!
Tour de Lights is the Cool Ride of the month in December's issue of Bicycling magazine!
Tour de Lights
The only time Santa and the Grinch are friends.
Rolling up to the start, we're surrounded by a sea of Santa hats, helmets with reindeer antlers and bikes festooned with LED lights. A custom-built sleigh trailer holds Santa and a bag of gifts; one bike pulls a cart with sacks of coal for naughty cyclists. The Grinch and his wife ride a tandem. Bystanders cheer as we loop around downtown to the waterfront, our lights twinkling against the Tennessee River. After pedaling through the Island Home Community, we ride back into town with the bike boom box blaring a bluegrass version of "Joy to the World."
--Ryan Cooper and Monika Miller
Tour de Lights
The only time Santa and the Grinch are friends.
Rolling up to the start, we're surrounded by a sea of Santa hats, helmets with reindeer antlers and bikes festooned with LED lights. A custom-built sleigh trailer holds Santa and a bag of gifts; one bike pulls a cart with sacks of coal for naughty cyclists. The Grinch and his wife ride a tandem. Bystanders cheer as we loop around downtown to the waterfront, our lights twinkling against the Tennessee River. After pedaling through the Island Home Community, we ride back into town with the bike boom box blaring a bluegrass version of "Joy to the World."
--Ryan Cooper and Monika Miller
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Biking up!
Some good news for a rainy month. Recent data shows that bike commuting is up nationally, as well as in Knoxville!
In 2000, the Census Bureau estimated that 198 workers commuted by bicycle in Knoxville, a 0.25 percent share of the total local workforce. By 2008, it is estimated that the number of bicycle commuters doubled to 416, or 0.5 percent of all work commuters.
Nationally, 0.55% of American workers use a bicycle as the primary means of getting to work. This is up 14 percent since 2007, 36 percent from the first ACS in 2005, and 43 percent since the 2000 Census.
In 2000, the Census Bureau estimated that 198 workers commuted by bicycle in Knoxville, a 0.25 percent share of the total local workforce. By 2008, it is estimated that the number of bicycle commuters doubled to 416, or 0.5 percent of all work commuters.
Nationally, 0.55% of American workers use a bicycle as the primary means of getting to work. This is up 14 percent since 2007, 36 percent from the first ACS in 2005, and 43 percent since the 2000 Census.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Update
We did a survey of Neighborhood Bike Ride participants. The results were pretty interesting. Check them out here
http://www.knoxtrans.org/bikeride/09/survey_results.pdf
A common thread was that people would like more of these rides. The Bicycle Program just isn't equipped to do that. We tried, you may recall, a monthly summer ride series for two years, but were only getting between 30 - 50 people each month. I don't think most people realize how much work it is to put this "simple" ride together. It's hard to find enough volunteers just for the NBR and the Tour de Lights each year, much less any other events. We decided to concentrate on what was working the best, which was these two rides. I would love it if a bike club or clubs would step forward and offer similar rides in the spring and summer.
The Bicycle Committee has been meeting about how to implement the new Bicycle Plan. Meeting notes will be posted on our website soon. http://www.knoxtrans.org/meetings/bacmin.htm
We're also about to schedule the next committee meeting, and I'll post the info once it is set.
Remember, the Tour de Lights is coming up!
Wed, Dec 16, 2009
7 p.m.
Krutch Park/Market Street
This fun, easy bike ride is mostly an excuse to get creative and bring some light to a winter evening. We start at Krutch Park and bike around downtown a bit, just to make sure all the people strolling see us, then head north to look at holiday yard displays. There are prizes for the best decorated bicyclist, bicycle and helmet. And if that weren't enough, Mast General greets our return with hot cocoa and cookies! It's free. Helmets are required, because we care about your brain. Sponsored by the City of Knoxville, the Knoxville Regional Bicycle Program and Mast General Store.
http://www.knoxtrans.org/bikeride/09/survey_results.pdf
A common thread was that people would like more of these rides. The Bicycle Program just isn't equipped to do that. We tried, you may recall, a monthly summer ride series for two years, but were only getting between 30 - 50 people each month. I don't think most people realize how much work it is to put this "simple" ride together. It's hard to find enough volunteers just for the NBR and the Tour de Lights each year, much less any other events. We decided to concentrate on what was working the best, which was these two rides. I would love it if a bike club or clubs would step forward and offer similar rides in the spring and summer.
The Bicycle Committee has been meeting about how to implement the new Bicycle Plan. Meeting notes will be posted on our website soon. http://www.knoxtrans.org/meetings/bacmin.htm
We're also about to schedule the next committee meeting, and I'll post the info once it is set.
Remember, the Tour de Lights is coming up!
Wed, Dec 16, 2009
7 p.m.
Krutch Park/Market Street
This fun, easy bike ride is mostly an excuse to get creative and bring some light to a winter evening. We start at Krutch Park and bike around downtown a bit, just to make sure all the people strolling see us, then head north to look at holiday yard displays. There are prizes for the best decorated bicyclist, bicycle and helmet. And if that weren't enough, Mast General greets our return with hot cocoa and cookies! It's free. Helmets are required, because we care about your brain. Sponsored by the City of Knoxville, the Knoxville Regional Bicycle Program and Mast General Store.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Good sign
As I was biking over to UT for a meeting this morning, there was a bicyclist behind me. Then suddenly along Clinch, there were 5 of us biking in a row! A bike train, here in Knoxville. I was so proud. Plus, four of us were wearing helmets! Unfortunately, I seemed to be the only one that obeyed all the stop signs and traffic signals.
How can we get the word out to bicyclists that the traffic laws do apply to us and that it's for our own safety? When motorists see us breaking the law, the message is "look at that crazy person--running red lights, jumping up on the sidewalk for one block then back on the street--they don't belong on the road." We have to show respect to get respect.
How can we get the word out to bicyclists that the traffic laws do apply to us and that it's for our own safety? When motorists see us breaking the law, the message is "look at that crazy person--running red lights, jumping up on the sidewalk for one block then back on the street--they don't belong on the road." We have to show respect to get respect.
Online reporting tool
(Kelley's note: please also report things to the appropriate authority so they will be fixed--don't just write about it on a blog or in this database! We have a list of phone numbers to call about dogs, potholes and aggressive motorists)http://www.knoxtrans.org/plans/bikeprog/otr_help.pdf
RoadGuardian.com
One way to make cycling safer is to know where the danger points and trouble spots are located.
Where have cyclists experienced "close calls"? Where have they been hit and injured?
Where have dogs chased them?
Where are pot holes located?
Where have cyclists been harassed by motorists?
The FIRST global tool for reporting, marking and sharing the geo-locations for cycling incidents and trouble spots. The goal of Road Guardian is simple: to save lives. And our success in meeting this goal depends upon all cyclists reporting, marking and sharing information on the danger points and trouble spots we encounter. Please tell all your cycling friends and buddies about Road Guardian… this can become a powerful tool for all of us to use in making cycling safer for everyone.
RoadGuardian.com
One way to make cycling safer is to know where the danger points and trouble spots are located.
Where have cyclists experienced "close calls"? Where have they been hit and injured?
Where have dogs chased them?
Where are pot holes located?
Where have cyclists been harassed by motorists?
The FIRST global tool for reporting, marking and sharing the geo-locations for cycling incidents and trouble spots. The goal of Road Guardian is simple: to save lives. And our success in meeting this goal depends upon all cyclists reporting, marking and sharing information on the danger points and trouble spots we encounter. Please tell all your cycling friends and buddies about Road Guardian… this can become a powerful tool for all of us to use in making cycling safer for everyone.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Neighborhood Bike Ride
More photos from the fabulous NBR at http://www.knoxtrans.org/bikeride/index.htm We were so glad the rain held off and we had nearly 200 people!
And remember to mark Wed, Dec 16, 7 p.m. on your calendar for the 3rd annual Tour de Lights. More info to come, but as always we will be awarding prizes for the most decorated person, bicycle, and helmet!
And remember to mark Wed, Dec 16, 7 p.m. on your calendar for the 3rd annual Tour de Lights. More info to come, but as always we will be awarding prizes for the most decorated person, bicycle, and helmet!
Thanks to Kat Campbell for the photos!
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Downtown North Streetscape Public Meeting
The City of Knoxville will host a public meeting to review preliminary plans for a Downtown North Streetscape Plan. The meeting will be held at St John's Lutheran Church- corner of Broadway and 5th Ave. on Thursday evening September 24th starting at 6pm.
Hedstrom Design group has been working with the city and a 20 person steering committee to kick off this design process that will provide at completion a more detailed master plan for future development of the public right of way on the major corridors in Downtown North. Specifically N.Central St, Broadway, Gay St and 5th Ave. have been studied for potential improvements based on earlier recommendations from MPC and a more detailed analysis of current conditions in the area.
There will be a group presentation, question & answer time and the opportunity to study maps and make comments individually on what you like or don't like about the direction of the planning. Using information gathered from this meeting the design team in consultation with the steering committee will prepare a schematic design of the area to be presented at another public meeting later this year. We hope you will come and share your thoughts. Earlier plan documents and information on the subject area can be found at cityofknoxville.org/downtownnorth.
Hedstrom Design group has been working with the city and a 20 person steering committee to kick off this design process that will provide at completion a more detailed master plan for future development of the public right of way on the major corridors in Downtown North. Specifically N.Central St, Broadway, Gay St and 5th Ave. have been studied for potential improvements based on earlier recommendations from MPC and a more detailed analysis of current conditions in the area.
There will be a group presentation, question & answer time and the opportunity to study maps and make comments individually on what you like or don't like about the direction of the planning. Using information gathered from this meeting the design team in consultation with the steering committee will prepare a schematic design of the area to be presented at another public meeting later this year. We hope you will come and share your thoughts. Earlier plan documents and information on the subject area can be found at cityofknoxville.org/downtownnorth.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Updates
Sorry for the lack of blogging. Facebook is getting more and more attention so I hope you're checking us out there too.
The Bicycle Advisory Committee task forces on safety/classes, and on performance measures met recently. I'll be writing up some minutes from those meetings soon.
I attended a conference last week on behalf of Smart Trips and got some great ideas for marketing/outreach, for the bike program as well as Smart Trips. We're getting ready to interview candidates for the Smart Trips coordinator position this week. Since I have had to fill in, I'm looking forward to getting the new person hired and on board soon!
The valet bike parking was Sunday (aka Boomsday). I hear it was a good turnout for the first time, but since Lily's bedtime is waaaayyy before the fireworks, I didn't get to see it for myself. Lily and I helped with set up though. A huge thanks to all the volunteers, especially Jesse for bringing all the gear and taking the first AND last shifts.
Next up is the Neighborhood Bike Ride, on Sept 19th at 10 a.m. Please spread the word. This will be our 9th year and it would be great to have our biggest turn-out ever. It helps show the community how important bicycling is, and how many people enjoy getting around neighborhoods by bike. www.knoxtrans.org for route map and more info.
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