Bicycling news in October

I prepared this for the Seattle Bicycle Advisory Board meeting for the first week in November.

Bicycling news, events, problems, and improvements that I saw in October and the first few days of November that I hope folks are aware of, but I don’t want to interrupt your meeting with:


Oct 1st - Ballard News Tribune reports of harassment from car drivers against cyclists in lane newly marked with Sharrows. http://www.ballardnewstribune.com/articles/2007/10/01/news/cops/cops01.txt

Oct 2nd - Seattle Likes Bikes.org had 50 cyclists show up on a cold, dark, rainy night to protest the Stone Way configuration and that the Burke Gilman in Fremont was still closed. There was an article in the Seattle PI and some TV coverage.


Oct 3rd - I attended my first Seattle Bicycle Advisory Board Meeting and sent information back to a lot of folks that I talk with.

Oct 5th - The North Seattle Harold police blotter reported that cyclists had kicked a pickup, damaging it on Sept. 28th. Critical Mass is suspected.


Oct 11th - Bicycle fatality in Portland when a university student is right hooked by a cement truck. http://blog.oregonlive.com/breakingnews/2007/10/cement_truck_crushes_bicyclist.html

Other photos show that the cyclist had a dashed bicycle lane that went clear through the intersection.

Oct 12th – The Burke Gilman trail is open in Fremont again.

Several very nasty root bumps in the pavement have cropped up in the last year just to the west of the bridge near Sound Mind and Body, but it is great to have the trail open and the Burmashave-esque signage was fun.


If possible, advice to the Mayor, some cyclists got the message that we aren’t worth an apology or even correction after he promised that it would be open in August and it wasn’t open until much later. A little communication goes a long way.

Oct 17th - Cyclists thank Metro for providing a list of “last stops” to load and unload cyclists on each end of the ride free zone downtown.

http://transit.metrokc.gov/tops/bus/ridefree.html

Thanks to Eileen Kadesh at Metro for taking the initiative on this.

Oct 21st - According to the North Seattle Herald, a female cyclist was shot at from a moving car on the 4100 block of Wallingford Ave N. She suffered only a bruise through thick layers of clothing.

http://www.zwire.com/site/tab8.asp?brd=855&pag=460&dept_id=517976


Oct 22nd - Brett Jarolimek died in Portland after getting right hooked by a garbage truck. He was an employee of the Bike Gallery. The truck driver had 25 speeding convictions, a conviction for driving without a license, and other driving violations.

Oct 26th - Critical Mass took Hwy 99 again. Around 7pm Critical Mass entered 99 northbound from the onramp near the stadiums, went over the viaduct, through the battery street tunnel, and over the Aurora Bridge, exiting at Bridge Way, climbing Stone Way, taking 45th to the U-District where it ended up at Red Square where a homecoming party was in session.


Since then, Seattle Police Department apparently asked Cascade Bicycle Club to spread the word that if Critical Mass continues to take 99 that there will be arrests. There is some discussion that some folks might be more proactive in “steering” the mass elsewhere next time.

Oct 28th - Road rage SUV vs. Bicyclist from Fremont Bridge to Stone Way and 35th.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/337174_roadrage29.html


Oct 29th - Seattle City Council Budget Hearing presentation of the Bicycle Master Plan. I was in the audience and thought that it was a very good and constructive presentation with questions from the council members that seemed genuinely interested and supportive of cycling. The final BMP vote was moved up to Nov. 5th.



Nov 1st- Peter McKay was shot in Delridge from a moving car and one of the BBs entered his lung. This was reported in the PI, but Peter’s blog is better:

http://petermckay.blogspot.com/2007/11/not-typical-commute-home.html

Note, in discussion it came up that another cyclist had been shot at with BBs in the Wallingford area along 45th in April but it wasn’t reported to the police due to minimal details (no license plate).

Nov 3rd – Bryce Lewis Memorial Ride. Lots of press coverage in King 5, NW Cable News, Seattle Times, and Seattle PI. Many articles mentioned the Bicycle Master Plan. One news article today on Peter McKay’s incident.

Nov 5th - Bicycle Master Plan Passed!

General things:

I see lots of griping about the South Lake Union Trolley or Street Car, whatever the name is supposed to be, tracks being accidents waiting to happen for cyclists. Many people are asking for a foam or rubber filler to be added because the tracks are on routes that have been fairly regularly used by cyclists. Disclaimer: The tracks are on the route that I use to get from my office to city hall and they restrict my maneuverability. I would personally like to see a filler be added or alternate routes be signed.

Thinking about the education component of the Bicycle Master Plan, I wonder if it wouldn’t be beneficial to add a little space on the new Seattle Bicycle Maps for the RCWs for bicycles on the road and on multi-use trails, or safe cycling tips and rules of thumb.

A question for SDOT: I don’t see Sharrows mentioned at all in the Washington State Driver’s handbook. How are we planning to educate the drivers who don’t live in the neighborhoods where Sharrows are being added and yet still drive on those roads?

As of Monday Nov. 5th, the agenda for Wednesday’s meeting isn’t posted online.