http://bikemd.org Bike Maryland en-us Copyright 2012 Bike Maryland. http://onelesscar.org/page.php?id=482 http://onelesscar.org/page.php?id=482 Is that a question? Everyone's got an opinion about cycling and helmets. Most folks that live in the United States agree that wearing a helmet during your ride is not a terrible idea. But there is also the side that swears the brain bucket is unnecessary, once the kid turns 17 of course when it's no longer mandatory in Maryland. And I've seen the gangs of under 17 year olds wheelying down the street sin casco, all the more free ';cause of it. Just the other day at Downtown Partnership's bike happy hour, a guy from Amsterdam boasted how NO ONE in his homeland considers donning a helmet as they're swinging a leg over their steed on the way to work, school, or play (which they do, a lot). He went on to say that helmets are not as important there, because motorists are not only aware of cyclists, but the motorists ARE cyclists, that happen to be driving a car at that moment. They actually (gasp!) respect cyclists and pedestrians, and th . . . . Read the full story at http://onelesscar.org. Sun, 06 May 2012 23:20:00 -0400 http://onelesscar.org/page.php?id=476 http://onelesscar.org/page.php?id=476 What do you get when you have 400 grade school kids, only five bikes. . .and a week of spring rains? A Bike Rodeo, Bal'mer style, as evidenced by this recent photo taken at Hampstead Hill Academy. Many times a kid's first experience riding a bike is during a Rodeo. . .under the expert guidance of Bike Maryland's Bike MINDED Ambassadors and steady hands of volunteer making sure that the kids, " Pedal pedal, pedal. . . coast!!! You're doing it! Great! Lean into the turn!!! Stop at the cross walk!!!" Unfortunately, too many times a Rodeo may also be a kid's last experience safely riding a bike. Was the weather perfect? Certainly not, and besides, the school needed the playground for recess. So, we improvised by conducting the rodeo in the school's gym. Was 400 too many kids for two days? No! Bike Maryland would like to be able to accommodate every kid who shows an interest in two wheels! The real question is, &ldq . . . . Read the full story at http://onelesscar.org. Mon, 16 Apr 2012 12:45:00 -0400 http://onelesscar.org/page.php?id=461 http://onelesscar.org/page.php?id=461 From B'More Bikes blog: The Department of Transportation is updating the 2006 Bicycle Master Plan! The original bike plan laid out a vision of what a bikeable Baltimore should look like and how to get there. In these five, almost six, short years, Baltimore has developed 3 area bike networks, built its 1st bike boulevard passed 9 ordinances and resolutions aimed at promoting cycling increased bike commuting by 40% The 2012 Bicycle Master Plan will build on the city's successes, but not without input from the community. Let DOT know how you feel about biking in Baltimore: what's good, what's not, what could be better, where you'd like to see more bike facility improvements. Take this quick online survey and have a say in how Baltimore's bicycle network & programs develop! http://www.bmorebikes.com/bike-plan-survey/ Tue, 13 Mar 2012 09:45:00 -0400 http://onelesscar.org/page.php?id=459 http://onelesscar.org/page.php?id=459 Blog post by Roland Oehme ANNAPOLIS, MD - I attended the annual Maryland State Bicycle Symposium in the beautiful capitol of Annapolis on February 22. This annual event is open to everyone, and encourages the public to learn the latest in bicycle advocacy issues statewide. During the symposium, I sensed an appreciation for past accomplishments as well as a strong desire to increase bicycle safety and awareness, and improve bicycle facilities and infrastructure. In the United States (with the exception of a few regional examples like Portland, Oregon) most people cannot use bicycling as a safe and convenient commuting method. Bicycling is still rather an anomaly, used by only a few strong souls to commute and by suburbanites who recreate by first driving to bicycle trails- and they frequently have to drive many miles, since trails are not always located where people live. This despite the fact that bicycle-friendly communities in any setting, whether urban . . . . Read the full story at http://onelesscar.org. Mon, 12 Mar 2012 11:53:00 -0400 http://onelesscar.org/page.php?id=457 http://onelesscar.org/page.php?id=457 Two wheels will always keep you rolling. But when they fail to be true, two words can really make up the difference. During a recent kids bike safety rodeo at Patterson Park Rec Center, things were not rolling perfectly. We had more than 60 kids show up at our after school bike rodeo, a free event hosted by Bike Maryland. But the bikes were an hour late, and the kids were restless! Katie and I did try to entertain the group as much as possible, being the good Bike MINDED coordinators that we are. But try explaining how to strap on your helmet safely, how to check the A, B, C's of your bike, and how to ride safely following the rules of the road when the entire audience just want to ride. That video we presented of the guy wearing his helmet backwards did little to draw a chuckle from the group. But finally, when the windowless room's humidity reached indoor swimming pool thickness, we heard the truck and trailer pull up out back. YES! The bikes arrived! S . . . . Read the full story at http://onelesscar.org. Thu, 08 Mar 2012 12:23:00 -0500 http://onelesscar.org/page.php?id=389 http://onelesscar.org/page.php?id=389 While we can honestly debate the merits of this and that type of cycling infrastructure improvements, we have to ask ourselves - at the most fundamental level - is any amount of cycling infrastructure going to change the general (read motoring) public's outlook toward people who ride bikes for transportation and/or exercise? Local cycling advocates wax for Copenhagen's accouterments, but is it the infrastructure that makes Denmark safe for it's cycling practitioners? Locally we have the recent incident of young Nathan Krasnopoler, the twenty year old Hopkins student still hospitalized and unconscious after colliding with, then getting run over by an elderly motorist. The motorist made right turn across Nathan's direction of travel while he was riding in a bike lane. Internationally, In Brazil we have a disgruntled motorist intentionally ramming his car into a Critical Mass rally, injuring dozens of cyclists, many of them severely. At least with the second incident the driver was locat . . . . Read the full story at http://onelesscar.org. Fri, 04 Mar 2011 11:00:00 -0500 http://onelesscar.org/page.php?id=387 http://onelesscar.org/page.php?id=387 Hello Bike Maryland! My name is Galen Wallace and I have been invited to pick up the Bike Maryland blog. What I hope to do with the blog submissions is add another - sometimes contrarian - voice to cycling advocacy. I am a 53 year old male who has been a recreational, competitive and utilitarian cyclist since 1987. I have lived in the Baltimore area my entire life. I am a pragmatic person who believes in thoughtful investigation of cycling issues with an eye towards simple and inexpensive solutions. To that end, my first report concerns the recent Maryland State Highway Administration's roadway widening project of York Road from the Baltimore Beltway overpass north to Ridgeley Road in the Lutherville area of Baltimore County. The main impetus for the SHA's widening project was to construct a center turn lane so that the lane would be continuous from just north of Towson all the way to Hunt Valley. As a bonus, the state constructed the curb lanes along this stretch . . . . Read the full story at http://onelesscar.org. Tue, 25 Jan 2011 11:08:00 -0500 http://onelesscar.org/page.php?id=370 http://onelesscar.org/page.php?id=370 The reccent passage of the "3-foot-rule" bill into law must now be enforced in order to prevent crashes. The Baltimore Sun reports, "The family of a Baltimore cyclist killed last year in a collision with a tanker truck on Maryland Avenue has settled a $5 million lawsuit against the driver and his employer, the family's attorney said. John R. "Jack" Yates, 67, was riding behind the truck Aug. 4, 2009, when the vehicle made a right turn onto Lafayette Avenue in the Charles North neighborhood and Yates got caught in its rear wheels, according to city police." Everyone needs to know that a motorist must give cyclists 3' of space when passing, for the safety of everyone involved. Send a letter to the editor of your local newspaper to keep roads safe for everyone! Thu, 02 Dec 2010 14:04:00 -0500 http://onelesscar.org/page.php?id=369 http://onelesscar.org/page.php?id=369 The League of American Bicyclists just announced the Bicycle Friendly University application is now online! The League announced the 2010 Fall Bicycle Friendly Communities (BFC) and the 2010 Fall Bicycle Friendly Businesses (BFB) last month -- Baltimore, MD was recognized as a 2010 Fall Bicycle Friendly Community and Rockville, MD recieved a 2010 Fall Bicycle Friendly Community Honorable Mention. Maryland has moved from 35th most Bike Friendly State in 2008 to 16th most Bike Friendly State in 2009. Let's keep this momentum going!! The League's Bicycle Friendly America campaign promotes bicycle friendly communities, buisnesses and universities across the state. Guidlines on the applications below are extremely helpful if you are an advocate for the improvement of biking. If you are interested in developing the 5E's to apply, please contact rachel@bikemd.org. APPLICATION DEADLINE Bicycle Friendly State Feburary 18th, 2011 Bicycle Friendly Community . . . . Read the full story at http://onelesscar.org. Sat, 20 Nov 2010 11:51:00 -0500 http://onelesscar.org/page.php?id=368 http://onelesscar.org/page.php?id=368 The Royal Netherlands Embassy, in cooperation with the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) and the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG) hosted a 2-day event - the Think Bike Workshops - yesterday and today in Washington, DC. The ThinkBike Workshops brought together Dutch bicycle transportation experts, Washington area transportation planners, engineers and cyclists to plan and discuss how the region can become more bike-friendly. Reccomendations coming out of the instensive sessions were given by the presenters. The Netherlands is a model of prioritizing bicycling as a mode of transportation, rather than simply recreation. "There are 1.1 bicycles per person in the Netherlands, resulting in less traffic, less pollution and a healthier population," said Renée Jones-Bos, Dutch Ambassador. "The bicycle is the most popular form of transportation for the 16 million people who live in the Netherlands," added the Ambassador. Check ou . . . . Read the full story at http://onelesscar.org. Tue, 16 Nov 2010 20:14:00 -0500