Posts under ‘Safety’

Yesterday, I shared a campaign going on in England to lower the speed limits on residential streets to 20 MPH. BikePortland also picked up the story and shared this striking image on stopping distances of a car in ideal conditions if a child suddenly jumped out in the street. Going up to just 25 MPH [...]

StreetFilms recently shared this film from England where there is a concerted effort to reduce the vehicle speeds in residential streets to 20 MPH. Proponents argue that the slower speed makes the streets more welcoming to pedestrians and cyclists, reduces fatalities, and increases property values. They make a compelling case including some heart wrenching footage [...]

Numbers from New York City should be death knell to vehicular cycling policies The New York City Department of Transportation recently released its 2009 Sustainable Streets Index report with the most definitive proof yet that good cycling infrastructure is a huge part of getting people to use bicycles as an alternative to cars. The report [...]

Should you wear a bike helmet every time you ride or not? The helmet debates have been ranging in the cycling community for years and seem to be as entrenched and as bitter as the Israelis and the Arabs. One side says helmets save lives and make us safer. The other says the science behind [...]

I discovered this great short video of a bike bus project in Vienna, VA. If you are not familiar with the concept, a bike bus works like a real bus with “stops” along the way to pick up riders. Essentially, a leader starts the ride and brings riders into the group at predetermined times and [...]

The City of Austin Bicycle and Pedestrian Program is at work on the next addition of their very helpful City Bike Map but this time are going regional. In addition to the Austin specific map, they are working on a safe route map for the 5 county Central Texas region. To make sure the map [...]

This notice is in from the City of Austin regarding portions of the Hike & Bike Trail being closed on Sunday, July 4 in preparation for the city’s firework display that evening. Beginning at 10 am on Sunday, July 4, 2010, portions of the hike/bike trail will be closed for public safety while fireworks preparations [...]

I don’t know if the summer heat is lulling drivers into a haze, but I’ve been hearing about a lot of crashes with automobiles and cyclists lately. First in a bizare twist, fellow blogger and road racer Daniel Satowas hit by a car this morning just 12 hours after his sister was in a auto [...]

In partnership with the Austin Municipal Court, the Austin Cycling Association is now offering the first “defensive cycling” classes in the country that may be used for ticket dismissal. Just like defensive driving classes, individuals may take the class to dismiss a ticket once every 12 months. If you’ve been ticketed by Austin Police for [...]

This just in from City staff about the Lady Bird Lake trail bridge over Waller Creek being closed until April 29 for asbestos removal. They say you can use the bridge after 5 PM and during the weekends but I’d just avoid asbestos if you can. A section of the Lady Bird Lake hike and [...]