09.02.10
Posted in Advocacy
by Mark Dieterich at 4:59 pm
According to a Streetsblog entry:
On Friday evening, New York Governor David Paterson signed two bills intended to make streets safer by giving law enforcement greater leeway to bring charges against reckless drivers.
As we’ve found in Rhode Island, law enforcement officials and prosecuters are often hesitant to bring forward charges against drivers who strike pedestrians or cyclists, because criminal intent or negligence is often tough to prove. There new law:
creates an intermediate charge — a traffic violation called careless driving — which prosecutors can use in cases where criminal convictions seem unlikely. Motorists found guilty of careless driving will have to complete a driver education course and face fines up to $750, jail time up to 15 days, and license suspensions up to six months — or a year for repeat offenders.
This is very similar to the vulnerable roadway act we’ve been trying to get passed in Rhode Island for the last two legislative sessions. Now that more states are jumping on the vulnerable roadway user bandwagon and we have more legal precident for such legislation, perhaps this will be the year we finally get some legislation passed in Rhode Island. Our intent is to once again find sponsors for this legislation. We will keep readers informed of our progress as we move forward. If anyone is interested in assisting us with this effort, please contact us.
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Posted in Advocacy
by Mark Dieterich at 4:34 pm
As you may recall, RIDOT closed the Union Avenue Bridge on June 23, 2010. Paul Martens recently corresponded with RIDOT to find out what the bridge replacment will mean for cyclists. Here is their response:
The new Union Ave bridge will have the same design configuration as the old Union Ave bridge. There will be a 2 foot median, 2- 11 foot travel lanes, a one foot shoulder, and a 6 foot sidewalk, in each direction (Eastbound & Westbound). There is no special accomodation for bicycles on this bridge. Bicyclists will have to follow the standard traffic laws.
Naturally, we followed up to find out whether it was too late in the process for RIDOT to submit design changes. Assuming so, we also asked RIDOT to ensure there were curb cuts on all sides of the bridge so cyclists, who aren’t comfortable with being potentially squeezed, to opt for taking the sidewalk instead. Here is the answer we received:
It is too late to modify the bridge to include a lane for bicycles, this would be a major design change which would be very costly and time consuming. As for the sidewalks, I am not fimilar with the laws regarding bicycles on sidewalks, but there are wheelchair accessible ramps at each end of the bridge both Eastbound and Westbound.
Of course this begs the question, why when bicycle use and alternative forms of transporation are all the rage, isn’t every new bridge designed to allow for dedicated bicycle lanes? We’ve posed this question to RIDOT and will update everyone when we get an answer.
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Posted in Advocacy
by Mark Dieterich at 1:48 pm
If you have corresponded with the Westerly Mayor on behalf of Russ Harkay, I would encourage you to send us a summary of the discussion. I received the following update from Paul Martens, who contacted the town manager on cyclists behalf:
Mr. Martens: FYI, here is a copy of the police report narrative from the date of the accident. The Chief tells me that the full report is available to Mr. Harkay both on line (go to our dept. website) or in person at the Westerly Police Station, and has been since August 17th when the report was approved. The investigation has been complete as of that time and no charges were brought. I am satisfied with the professional and thorough nature with which the investigation was conducted by Officer Kyhos and I support its conclusions. I am sorry for the unfortunate injuries your friend has suffered and I would assume it is a civil matter at this point.
I’ve uploaded a copy of the police report narrative referenced in the letter. I find it hard to believe some sort of vehicular violation does not occur when you hit someone! Sure accidents do happen, but I think it’s crucial that there be some sort of permanent record that this person struck another individual with his automobile. Without a record of driving offenses, the courts or department of motor vehicles have little evidence to act on should future accidents occur.
I would encourage more cyclists to reach out to the town manager and let him know the entire community is watching this incident play out.
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Posted in Events
by Mark Dieterich at 1:36 pm
| September 18, 2010 |
| 9:00 am | to | 2:00 pm |
Are you looking for something to do on September 18th and want to give a little back to a good cause? Then join the Give Thanks ride in Bristol. Unlike most cycling fundraisers, they have no minimum, how can you say no? Here is a press release from the organizers:
Ride your bike on the road to hope.
Help cure childhood cancer by participating in the Give thanks. Ride., a new and exciting cycling event benefiting the lifesaving work of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. This fun-filled event will feature routes for everyone, from families and kids to the most serious cycling enthusiasts.
The Rhode Island Give thanks. Ride., presented by Coastline Ambulance and Nicholas Barrett & Associates, will take place on Saturday, September 18, 2010. This 50- and 25-mile charity ride will start at Colt State Park in Bristol, Rhode Island, and follow a path through the scenic communities of Narragansett Bay and Southeast Massachusetts. Parents and children are encouraged to participate in the 2-mile family fun ride inside Colt State Park. The event schedule is as follows:
Saturday, September 18, 2010
9am: 50-mile bike ride
10am: 25-mile bike ride
12pm: Post-event festival
1pm: 2-mile family fun ride
For more information, please visit www.stjude.org/givethanksride.
Please help spread the word to your cycling friends and families. You can register online if you plan to attend.
Almost everyone has somehow had their life affected by or knows someone who has their life affected by a serious childhood illness. St. Judes works tirelessly to fight for children and support their families through the process.
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08.24.10
Posted in Advocacy, Alerts
by Mark Dieterich at 8:17 pm
I received another email update from Russ. It’s now eleven days after his bicycle accident and he has yet to be interviewed by the police to get his side of the story, what could they possibly be waiting for? I’d like to believe that police take every accident seriously and all are treated with the same diligence, but I’m struggling with why the facts seem to disagree with my utopic view of justice. Russ has now placed two calls to the Westerly police department asking to be interviewed, both times he was told that that they would call him back and arrange to come out for an interview, but he has yet to hear anything.
Russ relates what a huge impact this has had on his life
my level of activity not just as someone who trains regularly but that as a competitive athlete. It is that
which has been taken away from me, at least for some time at best. I race bikes and skis. Cycling started as cross-training but has become a passion. residents here usually see me riding 25-50 miles on a daily basis. When the
accident occurred, I was following my usual warm-up route of 15 miles. I’ve been a USAC member and raced in that capacity, raced a 53-miler in the mountains of VT this summer, and ski race with USSA, including the national
level. I was a competitor as a Nordic racer in the 70’s-90’s. Nationally ranked and some Olympic aspirations.
The injury is unfortunate in that I am not just hurt, but at my age, one’s level of training goes fast when disabled. Further, I am not some couch potato who doesn’t know the rules of the road! I was riding exactly as
I should be, put on three strobe lights when the sun started to set, and my helmet in all likelihood saved my life (as has my ski helmet when I crashed racing a downhill once)
In the blink of an eye Russ’ life was forever changed, yet the driver of the automobile is still without any sort of citation. The official police report states that Russ
received a concussion and “a few bumps and bruises”
However, since our last update, Russ has now visited with multiple doctors who believe that the injuries
are clearly due to being struck by a car and not falling to the ground, as the witness for the driver contends.
he now has
a Siamese twin about the size of a watermelon on my hip, cannot walk, and an abdomen and groin full of pooled blood
I’m working on getting a copy of the police report to post and any other news articles.
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08.23.10
Posted in Advocacy
by Eric at 12:50 pm
The first-ever New England Bike-Walk Summit will be in Providence on Thursday, October 7. A full day of sessions (and at least one field trip) will address issues important to the full range of bike and walk stakeholders – grassroots advocates, agency employees, professionals in private practice, etc.
Volunteers are needed to do things like manage a/v, staff the registration table, take photos & video, etc. All registered volunteers will have the Summit fee waived and can attend whichever sessions they like, as well as attend the evening reception.
More information can be found at the Summit website and the Summit facebook group. Contact me (eric@greenway.org) if you’d like to help.
Thanks!
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Posted in Advocacy, Events
by Mark Dieterich at 12:12 pm
| August 26, 2010 |
| 6:30 pm | to | 8:30 pm |
The College Hill Neighborhood Association (CHNA) is presenting a Providence mayoral Q&A session on Thursday, August 26th from 6:30pm – 8:30pm at the Wheeler School. They are soliciting questions you would like to see answered by the candidates. Submissions can be sent to chna@collegehillneighborhoodassociation.org
. Questions must be received by Wednesday, August 25th at 12noon. This is a perfect opportunity for the candidates to hear what’s on the mind of Providence cyclists.
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08.20.10
Posted in Advocacy, Alerts
by Mark Dieterich at 10:15 pm
We are sorry to report that it’s happened again. Another cyclist has been struck on Rhode Island roads and currently, it looks like the motorist will just get away with it. According to the cyclist, Russ Harkay, he was riding along route 1A in Westerly when
[the motorist] turned right at [the] Langworthy Inn onto Shore road… in doing so , he crossed a lane and plowed into me and my bike. He told the police that the reason he never applied his brakes is that he never saw me until it was too late. I am listed on the same form as a pedestrian and as having been struck by his car.
If you follow bicycle accidents around the country, there seems to be a common thread. Most police departments focus sorely on automobiles and either don’t care to or don’t have the ability to differentiate between reporting accidents involving cyclists and pedestrians. While some can argue there is little difference, it makes it almost impossible to track statistics on such accidents. Russ continues by saying
today I saw my [principle care physician], he ordered a battery of tests and cannot believe no one was charged. According to the police report, I was riding in the bike lane on the side of the road as I should, had flashing strobe lights on my Marin Stelvio carbon fiber bike, and , of course, was wearing the helmet that saved my life. There is damage to my hip where I was hit and I will suffer arthritic changes. I continue to suffer from the concussion that caused me to lose consciousness for 30 minutes.is doing his best to see that the driver is cited. I still have not been interviewed by the police and called the station today requesting that they do so to complete the report.
The accident occurred on August 13th and as of August 17th he had still not been interviewed by the police. Russ has gone so far as contacting the police, requesting that he be interviewed. I have not yet heard an update as to whether this interview has been granted. As of yet, the driver has not been cited for any sort of moving violation. I’ve said it before and, unfortunately, I’ll likely say it again, accidents do happen, but people need to take responsibility for the result of their actions. Russ appears to have been doing everything he could, yet he will likely live with physical handicaps for the rest of his life and, aside from the moral implications, will have nothing to remind him of the life long changes he has inflicted upon someone else.
I’ve been unable to find any mention of this accident in any papers. Also, the online police reports posted to the Westerly police department website only go through August 8th, so there is no mention of the accident yet.
It’s time for Rhode Island to have the laws on the books, ensuring that the police have the ability to charge drivers with something when they are involved in an accident and for a court of law to uphold those charges. Once again, RIBike will be work to get Vulnerable Roadway User legislation passed during the next session, this is another sad reminder of how desperately such legislation is needed.
We will update everyone as more details are made available.
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08.18.10
Posted in Programs, RIVeloSprints
by dgduris at 10:44 am
RI VeloSprints is back in action!
Thursday Happy Hours at McFadden’s (52 Pine St. in Providence)
Come in after a hard day in the office to cool down in the air-conditioned bliss of McFaddens. Enjoy a cold one and race against your friends…or your foes.
These are 250 metre sprints to keep it easy and fun for everyone. $5 for your first ride. $5 more for multiple shots at the best time!
Prizes galore from: Whole Foods Markets, Coffee Exchange, Crossfit Providence, Providence Bruins and Marc Allen Fine Clothiers.
All proceeds support U.S. Open Cycling’s mission to reduce obesity by helping kids – of all ages – ride bikes for fitness, fun and transportation.
See you Thursday!
4:30 until 7:30~ish!
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08.12.10
Posted in Announcements
by Mark Dieterich at 3:33 pm
The Zeta II class of Leadership Rhode Island choose to use the RI bike paths as their community service project. They have organized the Rhode Bike Path Passport to
increase residents’ appreciation of our state by encouraging people to explore Rhode Island’s natural beauty, to stay fit, and to support local businesses.
Participants are asked to visit participating businesses to get a stamp on their passport.
If you collect stamps from three different paths by October 15, 2010, you will be eligible for a prize drawing including a grand prize worth at least $250 – check this website later for prize details!
Looking for a little extra encouragement to get out on the state’s bike paths, perhaps this is just what you’ve been waiting for!
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