Not surprisingly, Lance gets pissed off and tweets his millions of followers to share their outrage. He calls Kornheiser to put him straight. That’s what we all want to do. We are all thinking “How could anyone be so stupid and say that, even if they think they are just being funny.” We want to go on the show and put the record straight. Get an apology. Remind people we’ve got a right to the road. Ask for some respect out there. All credit to Lance for doing that and for getting the apology; I heard he did a great job (listen here). We’ve been on the phone with the station managers since it happened last Friday – Lance clearly has pull!

My anxiety is this.  Kornheiser got all the attention he wanted and so did the show. That’s what he’s paid to do. He got Lance Armstrong on his show – how cool is that? With a  little controversy thrown in for good measure. We’ve learned from numerous previous incidents – one as recently as two weeks ago in the Raleigh area – that the only way to deal with this kind of nonsense in the longer term is with the station managers and owners directly. Five years ago, Clear Channel instituted a strong disciplinary policy on this topic after a series of horrible incidents on their stations, and it worked. Since then we’ve done battle with Entercomm – local Boston retailers Landry’s set them straight – and others. Some of the “personalities” have been taken off the air and disciplined.

I probably would have encouraged Lance to call the ESPN owners to say he wouldn’t appear on their networks again until Kornheiser not only apologized but also was taken off the air and made to do some PSAs and public appearances (maybe even in spandex…) at local charity bike events; maybe until ESPN agreed to sponsor Bike to Work Day or a Safe Routes to School initiative… As plenty of people have said, if he gets two weeks off the air for criticizing a colleague’s fashion sense, surely exhorting people to potentially kill cyclists ought to generate some kind of meaningful punishment. More meaningful than getting to chat with one of the greatest sports personalities on the planet.

Credit to WashCycle for being all over this story.

Andy Clarke
President, League of American Bicyclists

On Wednesday, I had the pleasure of addressing the National Bike Summit. I was invited to speak as a member of the Obama administration, but I have been a supporter of bicycling for many years and was a member of the Congressional Bike Caucus when I was in Congress.

via fastlane.dot.gov

~Meghan Cahill
League Director of Communications

National Bike Summit attendees can see Wednesday’s 11:15 am panel session “Traffic Justice – Don’t Be Driven to Distracted Driving,” featuring speakers from NHTSA, AAA, the New York State Police, and Chicago’s Active Transportation Alliance.  (I will be moderating — if you are a regular reader, come say hello.) See the Summit program.

The back of a bus suggests that drivers send a text message to Jetta dealership. It also throws in its own (smaller) safety messages.

~Darren Flusche
League Policy Analyst

The Washington Examiner’s “Daily Outrage” attacked Senator Menendez Wednesday, February 24 for supporting, along with his fellow senator from New Jersey, a $2.3 million upgrade to bicycle paths that will connect New Jersey to Pennsylvania. The editorial states that, “the grant comes from $1.5 billion in transportation funds awarded as part of the federal stimulus. Unless the new economy means we’re using rickshaws for shipping, it’s unclear how bike paths will ‘stimulate’ the economy.”

What’s the issue:
The paper fails to recognize bicycling as a legitimate form of transportation for starters, but also misses the point of theTIGER grants. According to  Secretary LaHood the purpose of the TIGER funds was to:

help build high-priority innovative transportation projects that were difficult to fund through traditional programs – projects that create jobs, stimulate economic activity and help develop livable communities…From freight rail to streetcars, from roadways to waterways to bikeways, we are affirming the truly multi-modal nature of American transportation.

What are the facts:
The bicycle industry supports nearly 1.1 million jobs and generates an estimated $17.7 billion in federal, state, and local taxes. This includes the over 140 bike shops and major bike manufacturer in New Jersey. Bike facilities are great at stimulating the ever more competitive tourism dollars. For example, the Outer Banks area of North Carolina saw a 9 to 1 return on their investment in bike paths and widened shoulders.

TIGER grants were also about sustainable, innovative designs that improve livability. Something that increases lanes on existing highways doesn’t do enough.

What they could have said:
The Washington Examiner should be promoting the new direction of the Department of Transportation in taking livability and multi-modal initiatives into consideration. It is a (literal) breathe of fresh air. Not only could they have applauded the funding award, but they should have urged Senator Menendez to join the Senate Bike Caucus to further become involved in making America bicycle-friendly.

We urge New Jersey League members to contact Senator Menendez to thank him for his support of the funding and to continue to support future pro-bike economic stimulus initiatives. Also, contact Washington Examiner editors to let them know that bicycling is important to our economy.

View the League’s response to previous Trash Talkers here. Know someone trash talking bikes? Let us know!

~Jeff Peel
League BFA Program Specialist

The 2010 National Bike Summit kicks off in Washington, DC on March 9-11, 2010. So why should YOU be there?

We can think of a few good reasons: Do you care about having transportation choices? Do you want more bike lanes in your neighborhood? Are you a parent who wishes your kid could ride to school? Do you want to get out of your car and have a viable alternative for your commute?  Or do you dream of a more livable community?

If these didn’t get you, consider that the Summit is an opportunity for advocates, industry suppliers and dealers, transportation planners, government officials, and bicycling enthusiasts to come together and make our voices heard on Capitol Hill. In the ten years that we’ve been advocating for cycling on Capitol Hill, bicycling has come a long way. The number of people riding is growing in almost every community in the US, and the time to talk to your representatives in Congress about what you’d like to see happen in your community is now. Come celebrate ten years of progress and register for the Summit now.

Don’t miss our Early Bird Deadline – Thursday, February 4, 2010 – to receive $100 off your registration!

~Lisa Reitz
League Membership and Events

A Miami cyclist was killed this morning by musician Carlos Bertonatti along the Rickenbacker Causeway. Bertonatti, who was driving under the influence, sped away, dragging the cyclist’s bike underneath his car. It took 22 minutes before an ambulance arrived, and by then it was too late. Bertonatti is now being charged with vehicular homicide. (photo from the Miami Bike Scene Blog)

As a Miami native, I have found that the Rickenbacker Causeway is really the only place to ride (aside from the Everglades). Miami is a car dominated city, providing little in the way of walkable or bikeable streets. In fact, according to the Dangerous by Design report, Miami is the 3rd most dangerous city in the US for pedestrians.  The roads are equally as unsafe for cyclists, with eight cyclist fatalities recorded in Miami-Dade in 2006.

And so it is especially disturbing that this man was killed while riding in a bike lane on one of the only stretches of road that is remotely safe for cyclists. Perhaps if speed limits were more diligently enforced, Bertonatti would have been stopped before the fatal crash.  The Miami cycling community pulls together as they grieve the loss of a fellow cyclist.

Full report here:
Miami New Times
Miami Bike Scene

Read “Miami Bikes (But it Isn’t Easy)” in the July/August issue of American Bicyclist:

~Anna Kelso
League Policy Analyst

Most of you probably read or heard about one the most egregious cases of cyclist harassment in recent memory- when Dr. Christopher Thompson used his car to assault two cyclists along Mandeville Canyon Road in Brentwood, Calif.  The Los Angeles Times just reported the Thompson was sentence to 5 years in prison for mayhem, assault with deadly weapon, battery with serious injury and reckless driving causing injury.

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Scott T. Millington called the case a “wake-up call” to motorists and cyclists and urged local government to provide riders with more bike lanes. He said he believed that Thompson had shown a lack of remorse during the case and that the victims were particularly vulnerable while riding their bicycles. (LA Times)

The League recognizes the courage of the L.A. County Police, District Attorney Mary Stone and Judge Scott T. Millington for doing the right thing and seeing that justice prevailed. We echo the judges sentiment in hoping this serves as a wake-up call to cyclists, motorists and law enforcement alike that this behavior is unacceptable. While we hope the notoriety of this case and its outcome helps prevent futures incidents, should they occur the precedent has been set in how police and the courts should respond.

While the police and the court got this case right, the same can not be said in all circumstances. We responded to USA Today Drive On blog after it was suggested that cyclist Curtis Andrew Leymeister was to blame when a motorist struck and killed him in while riding in St. Mary’s County, Md.

From the onset, the local media and even early statements from the Maryland Highway Patrol also blamed the victim. What didn’t make the auto blog’s headlines were the charges brought against the driver and the admonishment of Maryland State Patrol for their clear windshield-perspective bias.  Twenty-year-old Kathy May Lee was charged with Negligent Driving. We learn from WashCycle Blog (via Baltimore Spokes):

After the collision, the driver made a statement to Maryland State Police that she had just left home and had cleared a portion of the left windshield of morning dew but left the fogged up right side to be cleared by the car’s heater. The windshield had not yet cleared and she was busy searching for a cigarette lighter in her purse (the car’s lighter didn’t work) when she ran into the cyclist. “I just didn’t see him.”

The judge found her guilty of negligent driving. When the driver asked for a reduction in the amount of the fine because of lack of personal funds, the judge rolled his eyes and said, “Your negligence has caused the death of a human being. I’m going to require the maximum fine plus costs.”

While the judge’s findings were correct, and he handed down the maximum penalty, the charges brought forth by the state police and county prosecutor were woefully inadequate. Too often police don’t bring forth the most appropriate charge because they don’t understand the law as they relate to cyclists, don’t think they’ll get a conviction for a more serious charge, or there isn’t an appropriate charge for death or serious injury caused by “mere” negligence (not gross negligence). The League has long been proponents of  tougher penalties for motorists who severely injure or kill cyclists and other vulnerable road users.

Maryland advocates are looking to change that. One Less Car will be re-introducing their Manslaughter by Motorvehicle (was HB 97) bill this year. They’ll also be working on legislation to overturn the mandatory shoulder law that was misinterpreted in the Leymeister case and limit cyclists rights to the roads. If you live or bike in Maryland contact One Less Car to find out how to help this effort.

~Jeff Peel
League BFA Program Specialist

The Facebook page is anger-fueled and misinformed. Cyclists have the legal right to be on the road in Australia and are considered vehicles, as are cyclists in all 50 US states. Endorsing violence should not be tolerated, and the ignorance endorsed on this Facebook page simply begets more ignorance towards cyclists. The page’s crass content, “The road belongs to engine driven cars,” and photos are legally incorrect – and offensive.

Read the League’s Trash Talk entry to get more information on the real facts, the issue and how to take action/report the page for being offensive.

Tensions, clearly displayed on the Facebook page, between drivers and cyclists need to be diffused and hate groups only help to add fuel to a fire that is already

out of control. Christopher Thompson the enraged LA doctor who injured two cyclists with his vehicle last summer (picture right – courtesy of VeloNews), is scheduled to be sentenced this morning, Friday, January 8th. Guilty of six felonies, prosecutes are asking for eight years in prison (VeloNews)

Also during the summer of 2009, Charles Alexander, a retired Asheville firefighter shot at a cyclist, narrowly missing his head by less than an inch. He was sentenced to a measly 120 days in prison for attempted murder (Streetsblog)

We must diffuse the mounting tension of “us and them” before another cyclist is injured or killed by an irate driver and ending the Facebook hate group is a good place to start.

~Meghan Cahill
League Director of Communications

Isaac Brekken for The New York Times

The New York Times continues its excellent reporting on distracted driving with an article today on the growing trend of car makers installing internet-connected computers in front of drivers: Despite Risks, Internet Creeps Onto Car Dashboards. The caption and photograph with the story tell you just how concerned automakers are with keeping drivers’ eyes on the road. The caption reads “Audi says it tested its system to reduce the amount of time that drivers spend looking at screens,” meanwhile the photograph shows an image of a dashboard-mounted touch screen displaying album cover art for Bruce Springsteen’s Born in the USA. As anyone with a newish I-pod knows, this is not the best strategy for reducing the amount of time spent looking at the screen. And a few extra seconds can make a big difference. In a 100-car, yearlong study by NHTSA and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI,) drivers took their eyes off the road within 3 seconds of 78 percent of all crashes and 65 percent of all near-crashes.

When the Audi system is turned on it provides this laughably unhelpful message: “Please only use the online services when traffic conditions allow you to do so safely.” The only traffic condition that would make it safe to look up a Wikipedia entry, which the internet-ready Audi system allows you to do, is when you’re parked — and they should say so.

The U.S. Department of Transportation has been doing its part to curb distracted driving. It recently launched www.Distraction.gov and a PSA on distracted driving.

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Interested in learning more? Here is a list of distracted driving resources from an upcoming Advocacy Advance report by the League and the Alliance for Bicycling and Walking:

The National Safety Council has an exhaustive list of research on distracted driving. http://www.nsc.org/safety_road/Distracted_Driving/Pages/KeyResearch.aspx#cognitive.

Some of the key studies on risk include:

• Cooper & Strayer (2008) Effects of Simulator Practice and Real-World Experience on Cell-Phone–Related Driver Distraction, Human Factors, 50(6): pp. 893–902.
• Just, et al. (2008) A decrease in brain activation associated with driving when listening to someone speak, Brain Research 1205, 70-80.
• Klauer, et al. (2006) The Impact of Driver Inattention on Near-Crash/Crash Risk: An Analysis Using the 100-Car Naturalistic Driving Study Data, NHTSA Technical Report.  DOT HS 810 594.
• Ishigami & Klein (2009) Is a hands-free phone safer than a handheld phone? Journal of Safety Research 40, 157–164.
• Madden & Lenhart (2009) Teens and Distracted Driving, Pew Internet & American Life Project.
• Redelmeier & Tibshirani (1997) Association between cellular telephone calls and motor vehicle collisions, New England Journal of Medicine, 336; 453-458.
• Strayer, Drews, Crouch (2009) Fatal Distraction? A Comparison of the Cell-Phone Driver and the Drunk Driver Department of Psychology, University of Utah. PROCEEDINGS of the Second International Driving Symposium on Human Factors in Driver Assessment, Training and Vehicle Design.

Institutions

CTIA: The Wireless Association

Governors Highway Safety Association

• List of state laws

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

• Congressional testimony

• Status report on compliance with laws – Phoning While Driving

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

TXTresponsibly.org

University of Utah’s Applied Cognition Laboratory

U.S. Department of Transportation

• Distraction.gov
• Distracted Driving Summit
• PowerPoint slides: http://www.tvworldwide.com/events/rita/090830/

Virginia Tech Transportation Institute’s Center for Automotive Safety Research

Brief Selection of Mass Media Sources

Car and Driver

CNN

NPR’s Car Talk

SoCal news

Webster’s dictionary word of the year

New York Times Driven to Distraction Series by Matt Richtel

Bills to Curb Distracted Driving Gain Momentum, January 01, 2010

Promoting the Car Phone, Despite Risks, Dec 07, 2009

At 60 M.P.H., Office Work Is High Risk, October 1, 2009

Texting While Driving Banned for Federal Staff, October 1, 2009

Truckers Insist on Keeping Computers in the Cab, September 28, 2009

Ford Backs Ban on Text Messaging by Drivers, by Nick Bunkley, September 10, 2009

Driver Texting Now an Issue in the Back Seat, September 9, 2009

Utah Gets Tough With Texting Drivers, August 29, 2009

Senators Seek a Ban on Texting and Driving, July 29, 2009

In Study, Texting Lifts Crash Risk by Large Margin, July 27, 2009

U.S. Withheld Data on Risks of Distracted Driving, July 21, 2009

Drivers and Legislators Dismiss Cellphone Risks, July 19, 2009

Poll: Americans on Distracted Driving

Room for Debate

Interactive game

~Darren Flusche
League Policy Analyst

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the percentage of bicycle commuters has grown 43 percent since 2000, truly an indication that the number of Americans that have found bicycling to be a healthy and efficient way of getting to work is on the rise.  The League of American Bicyclists also reports that in communities with greater bicycling infrastructure investments, bicycling commuting went up 69 percent.

Clearly, we have seen that increased bicycling helps communities thrive. Case in point, between 1991 and 2008, Portland, Ore. invested $57 million to create a 300- mile bikeway network – roughly the same cost of one mile of urban highway.  In that period, bicycling increased significantly, at an annual rate of 10 percent. Since 2006, there has been a 38 percent increase in the value of bicycle-related industry sector, with total economic activity close to $90 million. In addition, Portlanders have saved $12 million in fuel and $10 million in healthcare costs by bicycling.

We also want to thank the Secretary and his Department for working hard to get the America Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding out to states quickly. Under ARRA, states were required to spend 3 percent of their highway transportation funding on Transportation Enhancements (TE). Transportation Enhancements are federally funded, community-based projects that expand travel choices.  Under ARRA, states were also required to obligate 50 percent of their highway transportation funding, including transportation enhancements, by June 30, 2009.  Research conducted, by America Bikes, found that, by the June 30the deadline, States had awarded over 64 percent of the funding provided under ARRA.  These projects provided much-needed jobs to local communities.

Funding bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure a waste? We think not, we must agree with Secretary LaHood, this is progress.

~Walter Finch
Director of Advocacy, League of American Bicyclists