City Pays $98,000 to Critical Mass Cyclists

---After reading this article take a look at the comments. there are some real f(*&- tards and well deserving of that title , but look at the other responses, it's not just one person speaking up for cyclists.-- 

New York City agreed Tuesday to pay tens of thousands of dollars to five cyclists who filed a lawsuit saying they were harassed during the monthly cycling group-ride Critical Mass — including one man seen on videotape being shoved off his bicycle by an officer. As part of the settlement, the city will pay the cyclists a total of $97,751, with each plaintiff receiving $500 to $30,000 apiece and their lawyers receiving a total of $35,000.

The cyclists claimed that they were wrongfully detained and arrested during the March 2007 Critical Mass ride, a monthly event in which dozens and sometimes hundreds of cyclists ride through the city in a cluster to advocate nonpolluting forms of transportation.

The city and the Critical Mass riders have clashed for some time. On one occasion in 2004, just before the Republican National Convention, a large number of officers arrested hundreds of riders on charges that included parading without a permit. Critical Mass, meanwhile, has accused the Police Department of harassing riders over minor infractions, such as broken lights or leaving the bike lane.

In one video clip of the March 2007 ride that was posted on YouTube, one rider, Richard Vazquez, 55, is seen being pushed off his bike by a police officer in Times Square. The officer then stands him up, places him over a garbage can, and arrests him. The arresting officer, Sgt. Timothy Horohoe, was eventually reprimanded, according to city records.

“While I’m pleased with the monetary victory for myself and the other plaintiffs, there will be no real justice until the higher-ups in the N.Y.P.D. are held accountable for their actions, and it is not just the low ranking officers who are punished,” Mr. Vazquez said in a statement.

A similar episode in which a different officer, Patrick Pogan, was videotapedknocking another man, Christopher Long, off his bicycle during a Critical Mass ride in 2008 became widespread after it was also posted online and led to assault charges against the officer, who later resigned.

A spokeswoman for the city’s Law Department said that the city did not view the lawsuit as a Critical Mass case per se because the arrests “had nothing to do with the fact that the large group of bikers was riding together, but rather the unique behavior of each individual arrested.” Mr. Vazquez, the department said, was arrested after he ran a red light in Times Square.

Michael Gertzer, the lawyer who handled the case for the city, said in a statement that the settlement “was in the interest of the involved parties and appropriately resolves this litigation.”

Barbara Ross, a spokeswoman for Time’s Up, which promotes Critical Mass, called the settlement “a victory for cyclists, and for anybody participating in the Critical Mass ride.” She added that while the rides sometimes drew hundreds or thousands of riders in the past, they now typically draw only a few dozen riders, negating the need for a police presence.

“The N.Y.P.D. has been harassing the ride since 2004,” she said. “The settlement shows that the concerns that we’ve had over the years are validated.”

read more here

Where they Stand : Mitchell Howie

Thank you for your e-mail. I am always happy to hear from my neighbors in the 5th district.

We now know that urban planning has impacts that go far beyond aesthetics all the way to public health. I agree that Huntsville pedestrians and bicyclists are unnecessarily exposed to risk on our streets and Alabama as a whole is ranked 50th in this category. As a member of Congress, I will support the effort to encourage cities and communities to adopt Complete Streets to improve safety, public health, and the general welfare.

Thank you again for contacting me and I hope you will contact me in the future with any questions, concerns, or comments.

Mitchell Howie

Respectfully,

Mitchell J. Howie for Congress Campaign

Where they Stand : Ron Sparks

Thanks for the info, I certainly will have my staff look into this issue and do what I can to help the city officals in Huntsville. 

Where they Stand : Jonathan Hitt

Thank you for the information.  I have been a firm believer that bikers and pedestrians should have equal rights as other commuters; however, that information is new to me - thank you for providing it.  I will look into the Complete Streets link and would be very interested in learning more about other potential solutions.  Feel free to contact me again by email or at

Thanks,
Candidate, Huntsville City Council District 3
Jonathan Hitt

Where they Stand : James Lomax

Thanks for the concern and sending this email. I as well use my bicycle quite a bit and have already been looking into ways to solve this issue.

I'm sometimes even afraid just to ride my bike around town and my college's campus. I see the main problem being awareness. People just do not pay enough attention to bicyclists and pedestrians. I have already looked into the Ride On national campaign to create a very comprehensive advertising campaign for pedestrian awareness. It has to be very "in your face" if we are to raise the awareness of citizens. While this will do much good, you have brought up another issue.

The streets themselves are an issue. If you have been downtown recently you will notice a lot of roadwork near the courthouse, but no bicycle lanes or expansion of sidewalks. This is the core problem. Complete streets makes sense to me, and I don't see why we couldn't expand our streets just a bit to allow room for bicyclists and pedestrians to safely get around. It would add a sense of community to the downtown area where as now it is just a feeling of commuting. Bicycle lanes shouldn't just be on green-ways, they should be on roadways as well!

At a council meeting I attended this issue was brought up and the council said that they all agree, but it wasn't worth the funding and we simply can't afford it. This offended me. As a city councilman, and a bicyclist, I would see it very much worth my time to have a presence in Montgomery, and make sure we get the funds we need to run this advertising campaign and fix our streets to accommodate pedestrians. Since this is a public safety and transportation issue, it is one that is worth taking to Montgomery for funds.

I hope I answered some of your concerns. Feel free to message back as I'd love to hear what you have to say. This is an issue that really gets me fired up as well!

Sincerely,
James Lomax
Candidate, Huntsville City Council District 3

Biking is not alternative transportation

From m-blog.org




While at a conference in Buffalo last year,Dom Nozzi corrected me. Biking and walking are not alternative transportation. Alternative transportation is an auto-centric term which implies that only motor vehicles are mainstream transportation.
It’s a loaded term and one worth dropping, especially given the U.S. DOT’s recent policy statement that encourages government agencies to consider “walking and bicycling as equals with other transportation modes.”
That said, the “alternative transportation” theme was commonly used in the recentLet’s Save Michigan poster contest. Many of the submitted posters highlighted cycling and transit as a positive part of Michigan’s future.
The critic’s choice poster by Jonathan Wilcox is shown. Wilcox included this explanation for his inspiration.

Truly embracing alternative forms of transportation, such as trains and bicycles, could be a good way to increase travel into, out of, and within cities, and between city and suburb, while also easing the environmental issues of having so many cars on the road. Michigan has long been known for its commitment to transportation and it’s time we think and act accordingly in this new decade.

Mayors Minute

New DOT Policy on Walking and Bicycling

After the Bike Summit, Ray LaHood announces the US DOT's new Policy Statement on Bicycle and Pedestrian Accommodation Regulations and Recommendations.

It is simply the strongest statement of support for prioritizing bicycling and walking ever to come from a sitting secretary of transportation.

It sounds like a National Complete Streets initiative:

Today, I want to announce a sea change. People across America who value bicycling should have a voice when it comes to transportation planning. This is the end of favoring motorized transportation at the expense of non-motorized.

We are integrating the needs of bicyclists in federally-funded road projects. We are discouraging transportation investments that negatively affect cyclists and pedestrians. And we are encouraging investments that go beyond the minimum requirements and provide facilities for bicyclists and pedestrians of all ages and abilities.

To set this approach in motion, we have formulated key recommendations for state DOTs and communities:

• Treat walking and bicycling as equals with other transportation modes.
• Ensure convenient access for people of all ages and abilities.
• Go beyond minimum design standards.
• Collect data on walking and biking trips.
• Set a mode share target for walking and bicycling.
• Protect sidewalks and shared-use paths the same way roadways are protected (for example, snow removal)
• Improve nonmotorized facilities during maintenance projects.

Tony Kornheiser is not going to like this. 

On his blog LaHood goes on

And our ongoing inter-agency DOT-EPA-HUD partnership on sustainable communities actively encourages planning for walkability and bikability. We think livability means giving folks the flexibility to choose their own mobility.

Look, bike projects are relatively fast and inexpensive to build and are environmentally sustainable; they reduce travel costs, dramatically improve safety and public health, and reconnect citizens with their communities.

This is great news. An administration that wants to put active transportation on equal footing with driving.

UAH Charged Up For Change EXPO

UAHuntsville highlights the work of individuals and groups making positive local and global change. Come enjoy a unique experience of art, music, science and technology, cuisine, activism, athletics, dance, and all the other countless ways people in Huntsville make a difference.
The EXPO is March 31, 2010, 10 AM-2 PM in UAHuntsville’s University Center. The community change fair will last from 10-1, and a panel discussion will follow.

We will be there and there is also a ride meet @ 12:15 ride @ 12:30 UC Exhibit Hall

April Bicycle Commuter Classes

How Cars Are Killing Us Around the World

CLICK TO ENLARGE.

While Americans may be concerned with safety in air travel, the real danger, as we all pretty much know but forget regularly, is motor vehicles. Somehow our brains are able to conveniently parse and suppress the fact that our chances of dying behind the wheel (or even just in the passenger seat) of a car are around 1 in 100 — compare that to your 1 in 52.6 million odds of being killed on a single airliner trip.

60diggs

So just how does the U.S. compare with the rest of the world when it comes to traffic-related deaths? Thisamazing infographic offers an impressive amount of information on international motor vehicle deaths, including how traffic fatalities play out among richer and poorer countries. Right now, road accidents are the ninth leading cause of death in the world — by 2030, they’re projected to be the fifth. Still not sold on public transit?

Image: NGHealthCareEurope

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Politicycle: Should your senator be booted from the Senate Bike Caucus?

The National Bike Summit, the biggest bicycle lobbying event of the year, kicked off tonight in Washington. This is the 10th summit, and it's the largest on record. Bikes Belong unveiled a new campaign and petition drive, and Google's planning a major announcement tomorrow (most likely the launch of the much anticipated "bike there" feature).

The lobbying frenzy begins on Thursday, so I checked up on whether the members of the Senate Bike Caucus have stood up for cyclists.  Some, such as Charles Schumer and Richard Durbin, have fought hard to make cycling a more viable transportation option over the last few years. Others, such as Kay Bailey Hutchinson and Orrin Hatch, seem to be bicycle supporters in name only. Here's the full run down:

Kay Bailey Hutchison R-TX 
Voted against the League of American Bicyclists on two key votes and cosponsors zero bicycle-friendly pieces of legislation. Voted against funding the Cash for Clunkers program. Has voted with Republicans 89.1 percent of the time.  Voted against a fringe benefit for bicycle commuters. Her minimal web footprint about bicycling suggests Hutchinson's support of bicycling is superficial.Bottom line: She's done little to support cycling and may well deserve to be booted from the Caucus.

Sherrod Brown D-OH Voted with the League of Americans Bicyclists in two key votes and cosponsors zero pieces of bicycle-friendly legislation. He  voted against requiring the full Senate to consider cap and trade. Has voted with Democrats 97.1 percent of the time. Voted yes on fringe benefit for cyclists. Voted yes on funding Cash for Clunkers. Is pushing hard to include bicycle infrastructure for for a key bridge in Cleveland. Also has a light web footprint. Bottom line: Brown has done some to  help cyclists, but it would help if he cosponsored more bills beneficial to cyclists.

Ben Cardin D-MD 
Voted with the League of American Bicyclists on two key votes and cosponsors three pieces of bicycle-friendly legislation. Has spoken out about the in opposition to America's auto-centric lifestyle. Has voted with Democrats 97.1 percent of the time. Light web footprint. Bottom line: Cardin supports cycling, but he ought to speak out more.  

Susan Collins R-ME
Voted with the League of American Bicyclists on two key votes and cosponsors one bicycle-friendly piece of legislation. Voted yes on the fringe benefit for cyclists.  Voted to fund the Cash for Clunkers program. Voted with Republicans just 62 percent of the time, a low percentage compared to most senators. Light web footprint about bicycling. Bottom line: Collins has been a quiet supporter of bicycling, though she could do much more to convince many of her Republican colleagues that cyclists deserve a seat at the table.  

Christopher Dodd D-CT 
Voted with the League of American Bicyclists on two key votes and cosponsors two bicycle friendly pieces of legislation. Voted against requiring that the Senate consider cap and trade. Voted for the fringe benefit for cyclists. Voted yes on funding Cash for Clunkers. Has voted with Democrats 98 percent of the time. Has vowed to pass the Livable Communities Act. Has argued that bikes belong on trains. However, he plans to retire soon. Bottom line: You won't catch Dodd out riding, but he values the role bicycles can play in our transportation system. It's unfortunate that he's on the way out. 

Richard Durbin D-IL 
Voted with the League of American Bicyclists on two key votes and cosponsors one bicycle friendly pieces of legislation. Voted against requiring that the Senate consider cap and trade. Voted for the fringe benefit for cyclists. Voted yes on funding Cash for Clunkers. Has voted with Democrats 97.3 percent of the time. Defended bicycling as a form of transportation when Senator Coburn charged it was only a form of recreation. Earmarked some $2,850,000 for bicycle improvements in Illinois in 2009. Proposed a bill, S.808, to encourage bicycling. Bottom line: Durbin is one of the most dedicated and vocal supporters of bicycling in the Senate. Thank him.  

Orrin Hatch R-UT 
Voted against the League of American Bicyclists on two key votes and cosponsors zero bicycle-friendly pieces of legislation. Voted for requiring that the Senate consider cap and trade. Votedagainst the fringe benefit for cyclists. Voted against funding Cash for Clunkers. Has voted with Republicans 86.1 percent of the time. Has a minimal web footprint suggesting he supports bicycles.Bottom line: Hatch appears to be a bicycle supporter in name only.  

Maria Cantwell D-WA 
Voted with the League of American Bicyclists on two key votes and cosponsors zero pieces of bicycle-friendly legislation. Voted for requiring the full Senate to vote on cap and trade. Voted for the fringe benefit for cyclists. Voted yes on funding Cash for Clunkers. Has voted with Democrats 94.2 percent of the time. Was an early supporter of the Bicycle Commuter Act. Light web footprint about bicycling. Bottom line: Supports cycling in some ways, but why isn't she a cosponsor of more bills?

Daniel Inouye D-H
Voted with the League of American Bicyclists on two key votes and sponsors zero pieces of bicycles friendly legislation.  Voted against requiring that the Senate consider cap and trade.  Voted to fund the Cash for Clunkers program. Voted for the bicycle fringe benefit. Minimal web footprint. Bottom line:Inouye should be doing more.

John Kerry D-MA 
Voted with the League of American cyclists on two key votes and cosponsors one bicycle-friendly piece of legislation.  Voted for the fringe benefit for cyclists. Voted yes to fund Cash for Clunkers. Votes with his party 97 percent of the time. Enjoys cycling on his $8,000 Serotta Ottrott. Has raced road bikes competitively. Also rides a mountain bike. Bottom line: Kerry's a strong supporter of cycling with first-hand experience in the saddle. 

Robert Menendez D-NJ 
Voted with the League of American cyclists on two key votes and cosponsors three bicycle-friendly piece of legislation. Voted for the fringe benefit for cyclists. Voted yes to require the Senate to consider cap and trade. Voted yes to fund Cash for Clunkers. Votes with his party 97.1 percent of the time. Helped get stimulus funds for Camden. Bottom line: A solid supporter of bicycling. It should be interesting to see what this first term senator does in the future.

Bernie Sanders I-VT 
Voted with the League of American cyclists on two key votes and cosponsors three bicycle-friendly piece of legislation. Voted for the fringe benefit for cyclists. Voted yes to require the Senate to consider cap and trade. Voted yes on the bicycle fringe benefit. Voted yes to fund Cash for Clunkers.Took a Saturday ride with Senators Schumer and LeHay. Votes with Independents 92.5 percent of the time. Minimal web presence. Bottom line: Sanders is a solid supporter of bicycles, but he's somewhat reticent.

Charles Schumer D-NY 
Voted with the League of American cyclists on two key votes and cosponsors four bicycle-friendly piece of legislation. Voted against requiring the Senate to consider cap and trade. Voted yes on the bicycle fringe benefit. Voted yes to fund Cash for Clunkers. As I've blogged about before, he's a dedicated cyclist that's unusually vocal about his support for cycling. Bottom line:  He's probably the most bicycle-friendly senator in office.

Olympia Snowe R-ME 
Voted with the League of American cyclists on two key votes and cosponsors one bicycle-friendly piece of legislation. Voted for the fringe benefit for cyclists. Voted for requiring the Senate to consider cap and trade. Voted yes on funding Cash for Clunkers. Has chaired the Senate Bike Caucus since 2008. Minimal web footprint.  Bottom line: For a co-chair of the Senate Bike Caucus, Snowe has been remarkably quiet. 

Ron Wyden D-OR
Voted with the League of American cyclists on two key votes and cosponsors two bicycle-friendly piece of legislation. Voted for the fringe benefit for cyclists. Voted against requiring the Senate to consider cap and trade. Voted yes on funding Cash for Clunkers. Spoke to cyclists on Bike to Work Day in Washington. Introduced the Bicycle Commuters Act.  Has voted with Democratic colleagues 97.1 percent of the time. Bottom line: Wyden is a reliable supporter of bicycles, though that's to be expected since he hails from Oregon.