Dear League Member,
As I'm sure you know, it's Bike to Work Week this May 11-15. The  week culminates on Friday, May 15, Bike to Work Day. Please get involved in your community's events. Let's make every day Bike to Work Day! View events in your state and community.
Also the Smart Cycling Conference is this June 18-20 in San Jose, Calif., and the League has finalized the long awaited agenda. The programming is sure to interest all bicycle educators and advocates. Our sessions will cover a wide range of timely cycling  issues from teaching techniques, to local government, to shops and how to work with them to deliver bike education. The conference is being held this June 18-20 in San Jose, Calif. and is the only national conference dedicated to the critical topic of bicycle safety and education. The League has extended our early bird discounted registration rate to June 12. If you teach bicycle safety, you should be in San Jose this June 18-20. View agenda. Register today!
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Bicycle Friendly State Rankings
The League released the second annual ranking of Bicycle Friendly States, scoring the 50 states on a 75-item questionnaire that evaluates a state's commitment to bicycling and covers six key areas: legislation, policies and programs, infrastructure, education and encouragement, evaluation and planning, and enforcement. For 2009, the top five highest scoring states ranked one through five are: Washington, 1; Wisconsin, 2; Maine, 3; Oregon, 4; and Minnesota, 5. The lowest scoring states ranked 46 through 50 are: New Mexico, 46; Alaska, 47; Oklahoma, 48; Montana, 49; and Alabama, 50. For the complete list of state rankings, visit www.bicyclefriendlystate.org.
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Sustainable Transport that Works:
Lessons from Germany
The latest issue of World Transport Policy and Practice is filled with must-read articles about bicycling and bicyclist education - the latter topic is rarely covered in such journals. The main article highlights the sustainability of transport policies in two car-loving countries: the U.S.and Germany. In one, transit, walking and bicycling account for 41 percent of trips, in the other, just 11 percent. Read more.
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Ontario's Greg's Law
Greg's Law - which will impose a seven-day vehicle seizure on those caught driving under suspension in Ontario - has passed third reading in the Ontario legislature and should become law in the fall of 2010.
Bill 126 is a series of amendments in memory of Greg Stobbart who was clipped and killed by a truck's side mirror while riding his bicycle in Ontario in 2006. The Bill is the result of the efforts of his widow fighting for tougher penalties for suspended, unlicensed and therefore uninsured drivers. Click here to read more.
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Bicing - Barcelona's Bike Share Program
Bicing, Barcelona's bike share program, is touted as one of the world's most successful. The underpinnings of the program have less to do with environmental sustainability and more to do with the flow of people. "The Bicing project is a consequence of the mobility policy of the city--its effects on traffic, and as also as sustainable element inside of the mobility of the city," Ramon Ferreiro, an official with Bicing, says. Bicing is Barcelona's way to pacify traffic, prioritize walkers and bicyclists. Source: The Huffington Post
View a world tour of bicycle sharing.
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Advocacy Tip of the Month
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Meeting Legislators & Grassroots Advocacy
As people across the country get on their bikes and ride in celebration of National Bike Month, why not invite your elected representative to join you! This is a perfect time to build upon the successful 2009 National Bike Summit and continue building or, in some cases, begin to build long-term relationships with your Congressional Members. Click here to read more
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Safe Routes to School National Conference
The Safe Routes to School National Conference August will be 19-21, 2009 in beautiful, bicycle-friendly Portland, Oregon! Register today to take advantage of the early registration rate of $300, which is available through May 15. Scholarships are available on an as-needed basis. For more information on the conference, including the draft program schedule, and to register, please visit - www.saferoutesconference.org.
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National Ride of Silence
Join cyclists worldwide on May 20 at 7:00 p.m. in a silent slow-paced ride (max. 12 mph/20 kph) in honor of those who have been injured or killed while cycling on public roadways. Find a ride near you.
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Complete Streets is Now Law in Hawaii
Governor Linda Lingle signed SB 718, the Hawaii Complete Streets bill, last week, making it Hawaii's 54th law to pass this year. The landmark bill requires the Department of Transportation and the Counties to establish a policy to reasonably accommodate all users of the road, including pedestrians, cyclists and people of all ages and abilities. Read more.
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Colorado's Bicycle Safety Bill
Colorado Governor Ritter plans to sign the Bicycle Safety Bill SB 148 in Colorado Springs tonight, May 11. SB 148 creates safe and common sense rules for bicycles and motor vehicles on public roads. The bill will give motorists more freedom to safely pass a bicyclist by allowing them to cross the centerline when safe to do so. By allowing three feet passing distance, it creates a safer environment on the road. The Bill also clarifies language that gives bicyclists the ability to ride as far right as is safe. Also on one-way roads with more than one lane, bicyclists may also ride as far left as is safe. Additionally, the bill clarifies that bicyclists may pass one another or ride side-by-side if they are not impeding the normal and reasonable movement of traffic. Finally, the language in the bill makes throwing an object towards a bicyclist a class two misdemeanor and driving towards a bicyclist in a dangerous manner a careless driving offense. Read Bill SB 148 in full text.
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Rails With Trails Petition
Sign the Rails With Trails petition for a sound and functional railway system for the citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Read and sign the petition. Anyone can sign.
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Safe Routes to School Job Opportunity
Safe Routes to School National Partnership is hiring a part-time Administrative Associate to Work from Home. Click here to read full job description.
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The League of American Bicyclists promotes bicycling for fun, fitness and transportation, and works through advocacy and education for a bicycle-friendly America. The League represents the interests of America's 57 million bicyclists, including its 300,000 members and affiliates. For more information or to support the League, visit www.bikeleague.org.
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League 2009 Rally
Weekend on Wheels 2009 in Twin Cities, Minn. will be the host for the
League's 2009 National Bike Rally.
Click here for further information.
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Help protect the rights of cyclists across the nation:
Donate today!
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