Educate motorists and cyclists to share the road

Update | Back on the Bike

2009-08-09T16:22:00.000-07:00

I am finally on the bike after a painful 9 weeks of the bike due to a foot injury. The foot still hurts when I push it to hard while climbing, but cartilage takes time to heal.

So, slowly adding riding to my schedule; no road racing for now. I'm riding my cross bike lots too, question to get ready for the season... :~)

Other than that, I'm riding and now racing BMX with my daughter; we're having a blast. Apparently its good for my sprinting... bonus!

Race report Spring Series | #4

2009-04-01T22:11:00.000-07:00

Well, it was a typical BC Spring day with lots of rain. The racing dEVas for today were Amy, Anita, Melissa, and myself in the Novice category learning the ropes... Coach dEVa Lisa was also racing today.

We go around the course one time to warm up; we were socked already. Off we go, kindly Race Director, Jeff Ain, shorten the amount of laps for all categories. We get in the front Amy and I, and we stayed there pretty much every lap, taking turns in front of each other working together. They were guys in front of us, which was nice to draft from. Anita and Melissa right behind, on the 4th lap the guys in the front attacked so, this time I changed my gear and got off the seat and followed (Lisa - match #1). Nicely stayed there to keep the nose out of the wind, then on the last lap, they attacked again, Amy went for it and followed too, I tried but the gap was slowly getting bigger, shifted gear and then felt the wind coming in… ahh… feeling it hard, then TADA! Right beside me coming to my rescue, dEVa Anita, said “hop on my wheel” thank god… Thanks Anita, you saved me right there. Then I take the time to catch my breath and then come to the left of Anita to sprint for the finish (match #2 - Lisa). At that point I lost track of who was where, it was only between Anita and I, and just for the fun of it… What a trill! Hahaha… It was so much fun… Amy; 4th place, you rock! and thanks for all the pulls, Anita, thanks for saving me. Melissa, we missed you at the end, next time stick around for a group photo. All dEVas; great job! :~) See the video

EV Spring Series 2009 #2 | dEVas Race Report

2009-03-22T13:45:00.000-07:00

Watch the video

Well, it looked like the only dEVas racing today was me and Eva on Spring Series #2. Eva being in the C group and me, in the Novice category; meaning; we were both on our own in the pack. I was really missing the dEVa girls today; big time. We get there super early, then we did a couple of laps around the course (2) in reverse to warm-up I realized that the bike computer was stuck and wasn’t giving data. I tried to move the sensors around with no luck. I took a few photos and filmed the starts and kept on going around the course in reverse to keep warming-up and to because my start was not until 12 anyway.

It was a super beautiful sunny day but with huge headwinds and I kept on going around the course. Now after 4 laps around I get to the finishing line side and Jeff asked me run an errand, so I ride on the other side to talk to Adam, (1 more lap), then Adam asked me to bring him a radio (Jeff has then on the other side) So I go around daring the wind alone again get the radio for Adam. (1 more lap) By the time I get to Jeff it’s 11:45pm, my start is soon. So I ride like crazy to the other side to give the radio to Adam then ride to the other side, just in time for my start. (1 more lap – Lisa, I used one match right there, before the race) Do you think 6 laps before a 4 laps race is smart? How stupid was that?

Then I get to the start of the Novice group, then I catch-up my breath, give the camera to Danika, and we are set and go. I started in the front pack behind these guys, I think I was in 4/5 position drafting away. I felt great and strong. I managed to stay for the first lap, then on the second lap when we get to the hill climb, I shifted gear and it didn’t kick in, I kept on pedaling knowing that at any moment the derailleur will release, then it jammed… To avoid the chain popping, I stopped pedaling for a sec and reverse the stroke to unjam it as I was going uphill. I lost all my advantage by that point and was in the back of the pack, actually 100 feet from it. So, I started chasing to regain my place in the front and to close the gap… (Lisa, I used match #2, right then) Then I started having breathing issues, like my lungs were closing out on me and I could only take short breaths, the gap was getting bigger and bigger, still facing the wind…. Then some C group riders were passing me by on the left, so I hoped on their wheels to catch-up my breath, they carried me to the finishing line on lap # 2 and then I dropped out of the race feeling dizzy and like I would faint and I couldn’t breath. A combination of the wind bringing pollen, the hay allergy and the physical effort I believe triggered all this, without mentioning the end of a bronchitis… that on top of all the cyclist mistakes in one race. Actually, not ALL the cyclist mistakes; I was well hydrated, well nourished and well rested... Thank god! lol Live and Learn, next week, I will be stronger and wiser... You betcha!

What I have learned?
1. Next time if I ever race alone again. I will do a couple laps max to study the course/winds and get on the trainer beside my car. I will not over do it…
2. Always take an allergy tablet when racing in the countryside in the spring. Does anyone know what is not a banned substance? Not like I’m planning to go pro or anything, but I believe in drug free cycling. Suggestions anyone?
3. Always race with my asthma puffers.
4. Lube the chain before a race depending on weather conditions.
5. Always make sure your bike computer is working before a race…
6. And yes, I can say “no” next time if someone asked me to run an errand before my post time.
7. Don’t do 6 laps warm-up on a 4 laps race… lol

Watch the video of the race

My First Bike Race

2009-03-16T22:03:00.000-07:00

I mean I’ve done triathlons and dualthlons before and I can tell you right now that I had no idea what I was doing, and that if I placed well in those events, it was only because I was a strong runner back then. hahaha

After riding group rides practicing drills with EV and the dEVas great training sessions we became a strong formation. Then we took the fabulous Learn to Race Clinic with Instructors Lisa Howard and Claire Cameron along with other members of Escape Velocity's and Cycling BC. Then we were set to...

Race Day | Escape Velocity Spring Series | #1
River Road – Langley, BC

We get there early and take the time to get a warm up ride together. A bit cloudy but no rain yet, then we go riding around the course. I think we did two laps (dEVas correct me if I’m wrong). Then we get to the starting line and then we go...

We the dEVas stayed together, well we were separated a few times but reunited at sprint corners most of the times and we stuck on each others wheels. On the second lap I got boxed in the right side and almost crashed into the ditch, I think Johanna saw it too... That was scary… It took me a while to get back in the left line and to the front behind Liisa but I did it. That was the trill of the day for me. Then the rain started... but I mean rain, pissing down, I was literally spiting the wheels water from the person in front of me of my mouth making a stupid noise, then at mid-course the snow started; big flakes... My hands and feet were frozen, I recall blowing on my fingers several times...

Jen was in the front behind the testosterone guys and drafting away while Liisa right behind also favoring the draft. I was right behind Liisa’s wheel for a couple laps then dropped behind that guy in the orange jacket. On the 500 mark no one was really sprinting, so I got out of my seat and gave I real hard, but I was not really going any faster... I wonder why? Really, I wonder why? Should I’ve shift gear? Was my position on the bike wrong? Did I have any juice left in my legs? I don’t know... It was really a blur to me that sprint. I will find out though and I will let you know when I do...

My daughter Bianca was filming the event; thanks sweety pie. Here is the video. Enjoy!

One more bit about Doug...

2009-03-06T11:08:00.000-08:00

Thanks to everyone who came out or helped out at Doug Preston's memorial service this evening. We'd like to leave you with one more remembrance, a story about Doug at the 2007 2008 Spring Series, as narrated by Cam Finnigan.

Final Preparations for Memorial | for Doug

2009-03-01T16:13:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone,

Plans are coming along for Doug's remembrance gathering.
It will be held on Thursday, March 5, starting at 5:00 PM at Tynehead Community Hall. Details on our website http://escapevelocity.bc.ca/. If you are unable to come until later, that is fine. We have the hall until 9:00 PM.

However, we still have a number of requests for help on various tasks.

MUSIC
1. It would be nice to have some recorded music that would be suitable for the event, so we will be counting on a few people to supply music on portable devices [iPODs or whatever]. Ideally, it would be nice if one person could step forward and take on this to make certain that there is enough music and make sure that it is theme-appropriate. My music collection is somewhat limited. I do not think that Bach's Brandenburg Concertos would be well suited to the event. I have found some lists of music on the internet that would be a good round choice. I can supply a small portable amplifier and speakers. If anyone has anything more suitable, please let me know.

PHOTOS
2. If you have any photographs of Doug, please send electronic copies so that we can have them printed in advance. If you have any stories or memories of Doug that you would like to share, please pass them on. Photos and stories can be submitted by email to: rememberingdoug@telus.net

FOOD
3. We are asking people to take some snack food that can be shared amongst those in attendance. Veggie and fruit plates, cookies and things like that would be great. We should also have juice and pop. Please let me know if you are able to help us out in that respect.

CLEAN-UP
4. When we are done for the evening, we need to leave the hall spotlessly clean. A clean-up crew of a half-dozen or so would make fast work of this.

WRITTING SKILLS
5. If you have had experience in writing memorial bulletins, please contact me. Same if you are good at putting some type of A-V presentation together. This may or may not be feasible.

Thanks for reading and hope to see you on Thursday. Don't forget, March starts immediately.

Carelle on behalf of Cam Finnigan

EV | AGM 2009

2009-02-28T21:29:00.000-08:00

I was surprisingly nominated and appointed Member of the Board of Directors of the dEVa's section for Team Escape Velocity Cycling Club today.

I am proud to be part of such great organization and I will make sure to make a difference for the cycling community.

Congratulations to all 2009 new and old Board Members. Thank you everyone!
Carelle

http://www.escapevelocity.bc.ca/

Memorial Gathering for Doug

2009-02-27T16:39:00.000-08:00

Memorial Gathering Information

The location is Tynehead Community Hall in Surrey
(http://tyneheadhall.ca/wordpress/).
Date is Thursday March 5 @ 5:00 pm.
The hall is located at the corner of 168 St and 96 Ave.

View Larger Map

Do you have photographs of Doug?

2009-02-24T17:18:00.000-08:00

Long-time rider and member of Escape-Velocity and Burnaby Velodrome cycling clubs Doug Preston passed away February 18 as a result of injuries received in an MVA while on a training ride. Doug was an enthusiast rider and a tireless volunteer in the cycling community. We will be holding a gathering to remember Doug's Life early next week with specific details to follow.

If you have any photographs of Doug that you can share with us, or even provide us with some written memories of Doug, please submit them to rememberingdoug@telus.net as early as possible, but no later than Saturday, February 28. Your message can be long or short, serious or humorous. We will advise people of the time and location as soon as the details are ready.

Please watch the Escape Velocity web site for more information.

Doug Preston Armbands for Spring Series

2009-02-23T21:28:00.000-08:00

In remembrance of Doug Preston, Escape Velocity members will wear black armbands for the Spring Series.

I have distributed a few prototypes to test for sizing and testing durability at our last Saturday group ride. These work well over the kit for the winter. I left a few samples at La Bicicleta Pro Shop next time you're there ask for one.

Johanna and I are working on the final design that should hold better on bare and skinny cyclists arms for the Spring Series.

We will keep you posted.
Carelle

#EV

Sad News about Doug Preston

2009-02-20T12:14:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone,

Some of you may have heard the sad news that fellow member Doug Preston was killed in an MVA on Wednesday in Surrey. Best reports are that Doug was heading out on a training ride around 4:15 and descending 108 Ave. between 128St. and Scott Rd. when he was struck head on by a vehicle that crossed the centerline.

Doug had by all accounts been racing in one form or another since the mid 80’s with teams like Norco Anglia, River Road CC, Soliton and most recently Escape Velocity. I had the privilege of knowing Doug as a team mate and a friend for all those years. He was an enthusiastic volunteer and was responsible for organizing many races over the years. Doug never gave up his love of racing and will be remembered as a fixture in racing in BC.

Doug’s family is understandably in shock and has not yet set a date for a service. I will pass this information along once I have confirmation.

Steve Fenning,
Escape Velocity

EV member killed by motorist | Doug Preston RIP

2009-02-19T23:17:00.000-08:00

It's with great sadness I learned today that our fellow Escape Velocity rider Doug Preston was struck by a motorist while on his training ride in Surrey yesterday. He will be missed by many friends and cyclists in the lower mainland of British Columbia. My condolences to his family.

How many people are killed/injured riding bikes?

2009-01-20T17:47:00.000-08:00

The loss of 698 lives in bicycle/motor vehicle crashes in 2007, just under two people every day of the year in the U.S., is a terrible toll. While lower than the 814 fatalities in 1997, bicycling crash were on the rise just a few years ago. These numbers represent 2 percent of the total number of people killed and injured in traffic crashes in 2007. The number of reported injuries involving bicyclists has followed a similar trend, from 68,000 in 1993 to 41,000 in 2003, only to rise again in 2005. Fortunately, the 43,000 reported injuries in 2007 represents another decline. However, we know from research into hospital records that only a fraction of bicycle crashes causing injury are ever recorded by the police, possibly as low as ten percent.

http://www.bicyclinginfo.org/facts/crash-facts.cfm

Superb Idea: Bike Lane That Travels With You

2009-01-18T19:32:00.000-08:00

Posted by: Zach Frechette
on January 15, 2009 at 3:01 pm

As we look for ways to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and find viable transportation alternatives to the internal combustion engine, many urbanites are turning to that staple of bipedal locomotion: the humble bicycle. While ridership is increasing every year, bicycle safety remains a huge issue: in 2007, 43,000 people were injured in bike accidents, resulting in 698 deaths. Though many cities are getting serious about making bike-friendly infrastructure changes, installing bike lanes is a costly porposition with a glacial pace of implementation.
Enter LightLane, a safety concept from the clever designers at Altitude, Inc. The system projects a virtual bike lane (using lasers!) on the ground around the cyclists, providing drivers with a recognizable boundary they can easily avoid. The idea is to allow riders to take safety into their own hands, rather than leaving it to the city. And just in case you need to be convinced about the need for better cycle saftey, watch this video about the stupidest bike lane in America.

http://www.good.is/?p=14716

Richard Campbell: Include cycling in economic-stimulus plans

2008-12-28T12:25:00.000-08:00

I think BC is making head ways for cyclists...

Richard Campbell: Include cycling in economic-stimulus plans

By Charlie Smith

Vancouver cycling activist Richard Campbell wants the public to badger politicians to include cycling infrastructure in any economic-stimulus packages.

Shortly before Christmas, Campbell wrote a thoughtful blog posting with a headline, “billions for bikes beats band-aids”.

“In a world shaken to the core by climate change, volatile fuel prices, rising obesity rates and a collapsing economy, there has never been a better time for cycling,” Campbell noted. “What is possible will only be limited by our vision and execution.”

He wrote that transit and rail projects are necessary, but they also take years to plan. Cycling infrastructure, on the other hand, can be done now when the economy needs a jump-start.

Campbell correctly pointed out that politicians aren’t interested in small projects that nobody will notice.

“Be sure to push for high-quality cycling facilities that people want and will use,” he stated on his posting. “This tends to be paths and cycle tracks, like in Amsterdam and Copenhagen that are separated from cars. There is little evidence that even bike lanes are effective at encouraging more people to cycle. By pushing for what people actually want, you will find that politicians are likely to be more receptive in spite or even because of the additional cost.”

In October, the British Columbia Cycling Coalition submitted a four-page brief to the legislature's finance and government services committee calling for accelerated investments in cycling infrastructure.

"While the recent commitment of $31 million in Bike BC funding over 3 years is a significant improvement over previous funding levels for cycling, it will only begin to address the cycling facilities deficit that has resulted from the lack of investment over the last few decades," the document states.

Campbell is vice president of a cycling-consulting company, Third Wave Cycling Group, a director of the B.C. Cycling Coalition, and he's a founder of the Vancouver Area Cycling Coalition and Better Environmentally Sound Transportation.

Third Wave Cycling Group’s president is veteran cycling activist Jack Becker; the vice president and secretary is Paul Dragan, a former competitive cyclist and the founder of Reckless Bike Stores.

Found on Georgia Straight website at:

http://www.straight.com/article-177691/richard-campbell-include-cycling-economicstimulus-plans

Concerned Citizen of Vancouver - Template PLEASE SEND TO LIST BELOW

2008-10-07T10:15:00.000-07:00

Concerned Citizen of Vancouver

Bicycle safety

Enter your addressA

Enter your address

DATE

Name of person or people you are sending this to A

Dear Sir or Madam:A

Subject: Bicycle safety on the Burrard Bridge.

On Sunday September 7^th there was another serious bicycle accident on the Burrard Bridge. A friend Aof mine was forced off the elevated sidewalk and into oncoming traffic by a pedestrian who had entered the bicycle lane. Despite the fact that she was wearing a helmet she fractured her skull and suffered a concussion. She was admitted to the neural-ICU at Vancouver General Hospital and was released a few days later. She is currently managing the side effects of her injuries.

Primary concerns as a cyclist in VancouverA.

Safety: The Burrard Bridge is a safety risk to its users.

With no structural division of lane ways, not only are cyclists at risk of collision with pedestrians and vehicles, but pedestrians are at risk of being hit by cyclists and vehicles are at risk of hitting cyclists and pedestrians who are forced off their path ways and into traffic.
The Burrard Bridge does not meet Canadian safety guidelines. A shared multidirectional bicycle and pedestrian path way paralleling a road should be at least 3-4 meters in width. The path way on the Burrard Bridge measures up to a mere 2.6 meters. If there was more room on the bridge this recent accident, and many others, may have been avoided.

Research: There are multiple accidents and near accidents that take place on the Burrard Bridge each year. Many of them go unreported, so the magnitude of safety risk of the bridge may be underestimated. There are two research studies currently being conducted at the University of British Columbia with support from the Heart and Stroke Foundation and the Canadian Institutes for Health Research: 1) Impact if the Built Environment on Decisions to Cycle; and 2) Bicyclists Injuries and the Cycling Environment. You may want to consider the preliminary and final results of these studies in your future plans for cycling safety on the Burrard Bridge and Vancouver in general. For more information see www.cher.ubc.ca/cyclingincities.

Green choices: The City of Vancouver continues to make Green choices, including the allocation of funds to cycling infrastructure; however, the Burrard Bridge has been continuously neglected despite the fact that it has been on the City’s agenda for many years.

It is time for the City make a Green commitment to the Burrard Bridge. Reallocate vehicle lanes to bicycle traffic. This solution would align with the concerns of Heritage Vancouver, an organization that does not want the bridge altered for historical reasons. Unlike bridge reconstruction, lane reallocation would not cost upwards of $63 million City dollars.
As stated in the 2005 report to Standing Committee on Transportation and Traffic - Burrard Bridge Sidewalk Capacity Improvements for Pedestrians and Cyclists ~9% of the 8000-9000 people crossing the bridge are on bike or foot. That’s 720-810 citizens of Vancouver – they deserve a safe path way to commute. Further, if it was safer to commute over the Burrard Bridge by foot or bike more people would.
According to the same report, walking, cycling, and transit use have seen significant growth on the Burrard Bridge with volumes increasing 30-40% between 1996 and 2001. I am sure that trend has continued into 2008.
With the completion of the Canada Line, it is conceivable that the number of people commuting in and out of the downtown core by vehicle will be reduced. With the Cambie Bridge construction completed, the vehicle traffic demands on Burrard Bridge could be reduced.

As a concerned citizen of I would like to see the City of Vancouver address the safety issues of the Burrard Bridge in light of the risks it posses to its users. I want to see the City make a commitment improving the safety of the Burrard Bridge for all its users.

Sincerely,

[Click here and type your name]A

[Click here and type job title]A

Safety Risks on the Burrard Bridge

2008-10-07T10:04:00.000-07:00

Important message from Sarah - Jane Lusina who was also a crash victim

As most of you know, I was in a bike accident a month ago on the Burrard Bridge. I fractured my skull and had a pretty bad concussion. I am recovering well and look forward to reclaiming my active lifestyle again when I am symptom free.

In my research of the Burrard Bridge, I have discovered that it poses huge safety risks for cyclists, pedestrians, and drivers. It is a throughway that many of us use everyday – and we should be aware of those risks (as I was not). We should also take action to evoke change in our communities, especially when safety is the issue. To this end, I am asking you to contact the City of Vancouver and tell them that as a citizen of Vancouver you are concerned about the safety risks of the Burrard Bridge and that you want them to address this concern.

I have attached a letter to this email that you may use to contact the City about this issue. Feel free to make changes as you see fit, or based on your opinions (whatever they may be). See the comments in the attached Word document where you will be asked to insert your own information. Be sure to remove the comments before you send it along. Below, I have provided you a the names, street address, email addresses of City Hall, City councilors, the mayor. You may chose to send it to one or all of them. Feel free to pass letter and email request along to others. The more support we get, the stronger our voice!

Also, for your reference and interest, I have included a list of links so that you can use to educate yourself about the bridge and how you can support positive change.

I hope that this request is not too imposing. I feel compelled to do something for two reasons: One, there needs to be something positive that comes out of this accident; and two, I care about the safety of my friends and community who use this bridge.

Many thanks – and happy riding. - Sarah

City Contacts

Vancouver City Hall
453 West 12th Avenue
Vancouver, BC V5Y 1V4

Mayor Sam Sullivan - sam.sullivan@vancouver.ca

Councilors: clranton@vancouver.ca, clrball@vancouver.ca, clrcadman@vancouver.ca, clrcapri@vancouver.ca, clrchow@vancouver.ca, clrdeal@vancouver.ca, clrladner@vancouver.ca, clrlee@vancouver.ca, clrlouie@vancouver.ca, clrstevenson@vancouver.ca

Today’s article in the Province

http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/story.html?id=caba4dbc-1c38-4140-a998-3443fd7bd597

* Look for an article in the next Momentum, a clip on tonight’s CTV News, and a radio interview on Talk 1410 at 11:15am today.

Past News Articles

http://www.cbc.ca/consumers/market/files/health/bikepaths/

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2008/04/29/bc-burrard-bike-lanes-costs.html

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2005/12/20/bc_burrard-bridge20051220.html

Good ol’ Wiki for reference!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burrard_Street_Bridge

Reports

http://vancouver.ca/ctyclerk/cclerk/documents/tt1burrardbridge.pdf

http://www.cbc.ca/consumers/market/files/health/bikepaths/guidelines.html

Current City of Vancouver Capital Plan for 2009-2011. Only $20 million is allocated to the bridge – enough to fix old railings and patch come broken concrete.

http://www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/corpsvcs/financial/capital/pdf/RTS07341FPPlebiscite.pdf

Vancouver Area Cycling Collision. Get involved – make a difference!

http://www.vacc.bc.ca/bike_to_work/workshops.php

Cycling in Cities Research Centre at UBC

http://www.cher.ubc.ca/cyclingincities/

MEC HO has raised over $1000 for Vancouver Cycling Coalition

2008-10-04T00:00:00.000-07:00

MEC Head Office has raised over $1000 at our WR sale today; all profits are going to the Vancouver Cycling Coalition... Thanks MEC!
;~)

BC Cycling Coalition's - Bike Sense Operator's Manual

2008-10-02T13:28:00.000-07:00

Did you know that the BC Cycling Coalition's got this Bike Sense Operator's Manual, check it out...
http://www.bikesense.bc.ca/Bike_Sense-Nov05.pdf

Motorists and Cyclists in Harmony List Updated

2008-09-26T23:01:00.000-07:00

How to be a better driver in 4 easy steps?
1- Give cyclists plenty of room
2- Check for cyclists in your mirrors prior to turning or opening doors
3- Give way to cyclists
4- Bikes can't stop as fast as a car.

How to be a better and safer cyclist in three easy steps?
1- Just follow the road rules
2- Never EVER ride in the "door zone"
3- Always ride to be highly predictable for drivers of motor vehicles.

Two more "ways to be a better cyclist" by Tobin

2008-09-26T22:55:00.000-07:00

Tobin's reply has great points to add to our list... and great links worth reading and watching Thanks Tobin... I really appreciate everyone's input...

I'm pleased to see that you're wanting to improve awareness of road safety issues for cyclists. Just a quick note to add a suggestion or two to your "ways to be a better cyclist":

2) Never EVER ride in the "door zone"

3) Always ride to be highly predictable for drivers of motor vehicles.

I take my guidance from the principles in John Forester's _Effective Cycling_. I recognize that not everyone agrees with Forester's arguments, but since I first started cycling competitively in 1981, those principles have served me well. Some links below, if you're not familiar with his approach.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effective_Cycling

http://www.amazon.ca/Effective-Cycling-6th-John-Forester/dp/0262560704

http://books.google.ca/books?hl=en&id=0n2t7P1v2M8C&dq=effective+cycling&printsec=frontcover&source=web&ots=IChSU-hhiq&sig=hqasK_TsMF7eOiIfmkABtz5jlHg&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=3&ct=result

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFjCza5e1kw

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=XIr3mI96FZk

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=vLu0DHPeYm8

There is no easy step: It requires to "use your brain"

2008-09-26T18:05:00.000-07:00

Joseph's reply was brilliant,

I often find myself riding and breaking the rules too, but, yet the goal is to avoid accidents, which is a great point Joseph makes here below...

Although your goals are laudable, I can't help but feel the goal of
getting drivers to be more aware is the tail wagging the dog.

Cyclists have to make room, be more visible. In short, they have to be
proactive about their own safety: expecting drivers to look out for them
is a recipe for disaster.

Driver awareness (or lack thereof) of cyclists (and most other things)
are learned behaviours that turn into habits. If the interaction of
drivers and cyclists are rare owing to the sparsity of cyclists, human
nature will eventually take over and drivers will no longer consider
the existence of cyclists.

Vancouver is better in this regard as cycle commuters are more prevalent,
but we have not achieved a level of awareness as other places where
cycling is the main mode of travel.

This is one of the reasons I don't like residential bike paths: they
shunt cyclists off of to less visible "tourist" routes.

*How to be a better and safer cyclist in one easy step?*

1- Just follow the road rules

Blindly doing this will get you killed. All the mishaps I've been in
had me on the correct side of the law. In retrospect, if not following
the rules would increase my safety, I would do it.

I am not advocating rule breaking: most of them make sense and ought to
be followed. But the goal here is avoiding accidents, and that requires

- a recognition of danger

This comes with experience or a naturally wary nature.
Entering intersections, riding in confined spaces,
riding in poor visibility or marginal traction siutations
should all be warning signals. It is a required element to
exercise ...

- anticipatory skills

If you try to react, it's too late. Eventually, you
will not have enough time. It's better to anticipate
adverse events, and ride accordingly and defensively.

It is perhaps an irony that I sometimes ride aggressively
in traffic, which on the surface, seems contradictory.
But riding aggressively requires me to be aware: I am
actively thinking about possible outcomes and how
to deal with it. I ride aggressively to take (rather
than be given) my proper place, not for the adrenaline rush.

On the flip side, cyclists need to help other road users to be aware of you.

- being predictable.

This, I deem, to be the main advantage of following the rules.
It allows other road users to anticipate what you are going
to do. Not following established rules confuses other road
users, causing them to react in bizarre ways, sometimes to
a cyclist's detriment.

This is also why I like vehicular commuter routes: drivers
are more predictable, unlike residential neighbourhoods where
stop signs are more frequently jumped than respected. This
is weighed against congestion or higher speeds or other factors.

- being visible.

Other road users can't "do the right thing" if you're invisible.
Lights, bells, yells, reflective strips, bright clothing,
lane placement all contribute to helping drivers be aware
of you.

How to be a better and safer cyclist in one easy step? There is no
easy step. It requires an awareness that is not easily explained.
And even then, there are no guarantees. If you want to package it up
into a trite rule, "use your brain". But this is analogous to explaining
how to win an Olympic medal as "run faster than everyone".

Joseph Tam

Bikes can't stop as fast as a car - Step #4

2008-09-26T16:01:00.000-07:00

Step #4 was added to the list, thanks to Stuart Lynne, that also recommended to get ICBC and BCAA support. Thank you to all of you... Feel free to leave your comments and or recommendations.

How to be a better driver in 4 easy steps?
1- Give cyclists plenty of room
2- Check for cyclists in your mirrors prior to turning or opening doors
3- Give way to cyclists
4. Bikes can't stop as fast as a car.

How to be a better and safer cyclist in one easy step?
1- Just follow the road rules

Atlanta Bicycle Campaign launched a Share the Road Education Program

2008-09-26T12:22:00.000-07:00

http://atlantabike2.org/category/Topics/Share-Road

On August 26th, the City of Woodstock Police Department (WPD) and the Atlanta Bicycle Campaign launched a Share the Road Education Program in order to educate motorists and cyclists on how to legally and safely share the road.

The program was headed by the Bicycle Unit of the WPD who provided plain-clothes bike officers to ride on the street and give out warnings and information on how to share the road.

>> more at
http://atlantabike2.org/content/Woodstock-Police-Department-kicks-a-Share-Road-education-program-with-ABC

Great blog - I Bike T.O.

2008-09-26T12:13:00.000-07:00

A great blog to look at is http://www.ibiketo.ca

Do we have something like that here in Vancouver? I could not find any on google, anyone?