Advocacy
All about gaining respect for cyclists and cycling … on the streets, on the trails, in the halls of justice
By Paul Andrews, BI editor on November 18, 2009
There’s been a spike recently in rider deaths, perhaps a time-of-year thing. Although the usual culprits are cited (right hooks, dump truck carelessness and the ever-popular “still investigating,” meaning the cyclist was not at fault. If the cyclist is assumed to be at fault, police figure they don’t need an investigation, yet another incentive to [...]
Posted in Rider Down | Tagged cycling deaths
By Paul Andrews, BI editor on November 11, 2009
Amusing piece from MadConomist.com on how to make money from bicycling. The furniture thing is truly inspired. More on the nation’s bike-commuting boom: New York. San Jose (Cyclelicio.us has a rundown on some others…) Seattle’s increases — up 27 percent from 2005 to 2008 and 29 percent from 2008 to 2009 — aren’t among the [...]
Posted in Mountain Biking, News Cycle, Transportation | Tagged bicycle boom, bicycle furniture, electronic gear shifting, unicycle
By Paul Andrews, BI editor on November 11, 2009
With the election of Mike McGinn as mayor of Seattle and re-election of Council president Richard Conlin, it now looks as though the two most powerful office-holders in the city are, of all things, bike commuters. The third most powerful, newly elected County Executive Dow Constantine, is a bike lover, as is another newcomer, Council [...]
Posted in Advocacy, Obama Bikes, Transportation | Tagged cascade bicycle club, David Hiller, Dow Constantine, mayor of seattle, mike mcginn, mike o'brien, richard conlin
By Paul Andrews, BI editor on November 7, 2009
Bike Radar has a detailed report on the “landmark case” of the LA physician recently convicted for doorstopping cyclists. We see the conviction as significant but not breakthrough, since intent is already (and has been for some time) a judicial threshold for culpability in cycling collisions. A real landmark will come when conviction does not [...]
Posted in Advocacy, Culture, Obama Bikes, Transportation | Tagged bicycle justice, bike rage, Dr. Christopher Thomas Thompson, road rage
By Paul Andrews, BI editor on November 4, 2009
They snickered when Mike McGinn started off his campaign by showing up at cycling events with “MIKE BIKES” stickers. How quaint. He’s going after the funny-hats-and-clicky-shoes vote. It was a startlingly unconventional way to build a base, campaigning in a bike helmet and blazer. But McGinn knew something that cyclists have long suspected: We’re a [...]
Posted in Advocacy, Obama Bikes | Tagged cascade bicycle club, cycling candidates, mike mcginn, seattle bicycle
By Paul Andrews, BI editor on November 3, 2009
SRAM cannot elude the downturn. Doesn’t have to give numbers but says it is “in that same ballpark” as Shimano’s negative 25 percent. Is the bike biz in Portland defying gravity? Certainly the Rose City tends to look through rose-colored glasses. Latest case in point, from BikePortland.org: the Oregon Handmade Bicycle Show. What’s the Hippocratic [...]
Posted in Advocacy, News Cycle, Obama Bikes | Tagged Bike recession, bike sharing, Dr. Christopher Thomas Thompson, Hippocratic Oath, Paris bike-sharing
By Paul Andrews, BI editor on October 28, 2009
I was out of town and unable to attend the Traffic Justice Summit at Seattle’s City Hall a couple of weeks ago, but thanks to great work by the folks at Seattle Channel, a video has been posted on the Web. The presentation also will broadcast on TV via Seattle Channel (21 on Comcast cable) [...]
Posted in Advocacy, Obama Bikes, Rider Down | Tagged cascade bicycle club, city attorney tom carr, cycling deaths, David Hiller, kevin black, state senator adam kline, traffic justice summit
By Paul Andrews, BI editor on October 27, 2009
Should a cyclist vote for a political candidate simply because he or she is a fellow cyclist? Obviously the answer is no. Otherwise we would have voted for George Bush, an avid and by most accounts fairly adept mountain biker. The problem was, as much as he loved to ride, Bush did virtually nothing to [...]
Posted in Advocacy, Obama Bikes | Tagged jeff reifman, mike mcginn, mike o'brien, Moab, richard conlin, seattle mayor
By Paul Andrews, BI editor on October 26, 2009
Tomorrow is “We Are The Missing Link,” a testimonial gathering to get the Ballard part of the Burke-Gilman Trail connected. Meet at Shilshole Avenue opposite 17th, just west of the Ballard Bridge. Yes it’s one ugly intersection. There’s an apres party as well. More at SeattleLikesBikes. You don’t have to bring your bike or even [...]
Posted in Advocacy, Mountain Biking, News Cycle, Obama Bikes, Rider Down, Transportation | Tagged Burke-GIlman Trail, Danny MacAskill, ellsworth bicycles, mary yonkers
By Paul Andrews, BI editor on October 16, 2009
BikeRadar was at Biketoberfest in Fairfax, Marin County, last Saturday too. Great report from Gary Boulanger, the “US editor” with the French name. More than $14,000 was raised for advocacy causes, and a superb time was had by all. You can’t beat October weather in NorCal. Most of the time, anyway. From the Bay Area, [...]
Posted in News Cycle, Transportation | Tagged Bay Area storm, Gary Boulanger, marin biketoberfest