Sunday, August 23, 2009

Route 66 Trail Ride

In a matter of days, cyclists will be taking off from the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge in St. Louis and begin a the League of Illinois Bicyclists' Route 66 Trail Ride up to Chicago. The route generally will follow the Route 66 Trail developed by LIB and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

At 8 a.m. Saturday, the ride will take off from the bridge and wind up in Carlinville, the county seat of Macoupin County. Macoupin County is the home of several old alignments of Route 66, the first going though Staunton, Benld, Gillespie, Carlinville, Girard and Virden. Today, most of that alignment is Illinois Route 4.

The ride is slated to end Sept. 3 near the Art Institute in downtown Chicago. The overnight towns are Carlinville, Springfield, Bloomington, Dwight and Joliet.

The cost of the six-day ride is reasonable -- free for LIB members, $25 for non-members -- but the Route 66 Trail Ride is a mostly self-supported ride, meaning cyclists are responsible for all meals, snacks and accommodations.

The big goal of the ride is to promote the Route 66 Trail. Representatives from LIB, DNR and the Route 66 Trail Executive Council will meet with the media and local officials in an effort to encourage route improvements including signage, paved shoulders, and off-road trails.

Not surprisingly, one of the stops is Staunton, the home of the Tour de Donut ride. I know it seems I'm fixated with Staunton, but that community knows that bicyclists can bring lots of money and attention to a small town. Staunton bicyclists, walkers and runners frequently use the recently completed MCT Quercus Grove Trail, which links Staunton with Edwardsville.

The Staunton Route 66 Trail Ride event is slated for noon Saturday at the South Water Tower Park. To coincide with the ride, the Illinois Traction System Trail Committee will be sponsoring a Bike Safety Clinic during the festivities from 10 a.m. to noon at the park. First- through eighth- graders and encouraged about riding safely on Illinois roads and how and why helmet wearing is important. Personnel from several community organizations will be on hand to talk to kids about safe bike riding and injury prevention.

Every participant will have the opportunity to have professionals from Rhe Cyclery in Edwardsville inspect their bikes for free. The first 100 youth completing the program will also receive a free bike helmet, water bottle and other goodies. The Staunton Chamber of Commerce will also be giving away one boys bicycle and one girls bicycle during the event.

You can see a schedule of events and communities at the LIB Web site.

Meanwhile, the St. Louis-based Gateway Council of Hostelling International is moving along with plans for its first-ever Cycle Route 66 ride. Cyclists will be bused Oct. 10 from Route 66 State Park in the St. Louis suburb of Eureka to the start of the ride in Miami, Okla. From Oct. 11 to Oct. 16, they will travel on sections of the Mother Road in Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri.

The cost of Cycle Route 66 is $500 ($450 for HI members) for people sharing motel rooms with an extra fee charged for private rooms. The cost of the ride includes motels, breakfasts and dinners, and SAG support.

Labels: Gateway Council of Hostelling International, League of Illinois Bicyclists, Route 66

Roger 0 comments 10:10 PM

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Mother Road bike path gets support

In recent days, the Normal City Council approved a bicycling-pedestrian master plan, and the McLean County Board approved an engineering contract for a proposed Route 66 bikeway.

That's good news as far as the Bloomington (Ill.) Pantagraph is concerned. In an editorial Tuesday, the Pantagraph says: "Don't take this area's links to the Route 66 for granted. Appreciate the potential it offers for recreation and tourism."

On Tuesday, the McLean County Board approved a $170,000 engineering contract for a 3.5-mile section of the trail between west Bloomington and Shirley, a small town southwest of Bloomington on the Mother Road, the Pantagraph reported.

County Board member Don Cavallini said private financing was made available for a portion of the bikeway around Lexington, and board member Stan Hoselton said Chenoa received $300,000 for a portion near that community.

"If it's extended, it would be quite an additional asset to McLean County," Cavallini said.

McLean County has been committed to a Route 66 bikeway since 1999, when the county reached an intergovernmental agreement with communities along the Mother Road to build the bikeway.

County leaders anticipate the bikeway will become part of the Route 66 Trail, a system of trails and roads mapped by the League of Illinois Bicyclists that links St. Louis and Chicago. While most of the trail is on roads, including old alignments of Route 66, efforts are being made to create more trails.

For example, Madison County Transit had made it possible to ride from the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge to Staunton, Ill., on bike trails or designation bike routes. Folks in neighboring Macoupin County are looking into turning unused pavement on an old Route 66 alignment between Staunton and Litchfield into a bike trail as well.

To draw attention to the potential of Route 66 as a cycling destination, LIB is putting on the 2009 Route 66 Trail Ride from Aug. 29 to Sept. 3. The tour is a loosely organized and self-supported ride with several events scheduled to discuss the trail.

Labels: League of Illinois Bicyclists, Route 66, trails

Roger 0 comments 11:40 AM

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Riding the Mother Road a piece at a time

Few American highways have the lure of historic Route 66 -- the Mother Road -- and two Midwestern organizations are planning multiday rides this year on portions of the highway.

The League of Illinois Bicyclists will be putting on the 2009 Route 66 Trail Ride on Aug. 29 to Sept. 3 from St. Louis to Chicago. LIB is billing the ride as is a loosely-organized, (generally) self-supported bicycle tour meant to publicize and promote development of Illinois’ Route 66 Trail bicycle route.

No luggage transport will be provided. Cyclists should either carry their own or make arrangements for others to provide support. Also, no meals and SAG support will be provided. The good news is that registration is free for LIB members. Those not already members must pay a $25 fee for membership and registration.



What's an example of the promotion LIB is striving for? Macoupin County, Ill., cyclists are pushing for a portion of an old Route 66 alignment roughly between Mount Olive and Litchfield to become a bicycle trail. That particular alignment was a four-lane divided highway, but only two of the lanes are being used for vehicular traffic these days. The two unused lanes are in good enough shape that, with a little work, they could become a bike trail.

The second of the multiday rides is the Gateway Council of Hostelling International-USA's Cycle Route 66: America's Mother Road ride. The ride begins Oct. 10 in Afton, Okla., goes through a sliver of Kansas on an old Route 66, then makes through Missouri until ending Oct. 16 in Eureka, Mo., a St. Louis suburb.

The cost of the ride is $450 for HI-USA members and $500 for non-members (extra fee for people wanting a single room). While the registration fee is considerably more than the Illinois ride, you get a lot for your money. The cost of the ride includes vintage Route 66 motels, mouth-watering diner & cafe food (breakfast and dinner), rest stops, marked roads, luggage shuttle, mechanical/SAG support and a charter bus ride to the ride start.

Cyclists will have a choice of 335 or 375 miles. Be ready for some hills on his ride. Parts of the route have been used in the Tour of Missouri bicycle race, which is known for its undulating rolling hills.

If you're wanting to experience American history, these might be the ride for you!

Labels: bicycle rides, Gateway Council of Hostelling International, Illinois, League of Illinois Bicyclists, Missouri, Route 66

Roger 0 comments 12:08 PM

Wednesday, May 06, 2009

Help sought for Complete Streets

Yesterday, I received a note from League of Illinois Bicyclists Executive Director Ed Barsotti urging me to contact my lawmaker, Rep. Jerry Costello, D-Belleville, to support language to requiring states to adopt Complete Streets legislation to receive federal funding for highway projects that receive federal money.

He also asked me to spread the word among the cycling community, and I'm glad to oblige.

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is considering the transportation authorization bill, and bicycling groups are asking for the inclusion of Complete Streets requirements as part of the bill. People are urged to contact lawmakers on the committee by early Thursday to include the requirement.

Generally speaking, Complete Streets rules require transportation officials to consider all users -- including bicyclists, pedestrians and the disabled -- while planning highway projects. Illinois adopted Complete Streets two years ago, while Missouri bicycle advocates are facing an uphill battle to get that state to adopt Complete Streets.

The St. Louis area is well-represented on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Costello is the third-ranking Democrat on the committee, and Reps. Russ Carnahan, D-Mo., and Phil Hare, D-Ill., also are on the committee. You can see a full list of committee members on its Web site.

Costello's Washington office can be reached at 202-225-5661.

Labels: advocacy, bicycling, League of Illinois Bicyclists

Roger 0 comments 9:23 AM

Thursday, March 05, 2009

It's time to Share the Road

We're going to get a sneak peak of spring here in the metro-east in the next few days. That, along with the switch to Daylight Saving Time on Sunday morning, means there should be more cyclists out on the road.

I'm passing along some tips from the League of Illinois Bicyclists, with commentary from me in italics:

For those who want to ride their bicycles on the road, it’s good to be reminded of the rules of the road. Bicyclists are legal vehicles on the road and have all the rights and responsibilities of motorists. They should observe traffic signs and traffic laws, signal turns, ride with the traffic and ride in a straight line, except when making turns. Bicyclists fare best when they act and are treated like motorists. That’s because road safety for everyone depends on all vehicles, cars and bikes, behaving predictably, obeying traffic laws and sharing the road.

Typical traffic no-no’s for bicyclists are: riding against the traffic instead of with the traffic, failure to observe red lights and stop signs, blocking traffic on a busy road by not riding in a single file with other cyclists, failure to use hand signals when turning or slowing, no headlights, taillights or reflectors for night riding and riding with earphones.

As a cyclist and motorist here in Belleville, I see way too many instances of people riding against traffic. The main offenders here are children and people who ride bikes because of DUI convictions or other unfortunate circumstances. Parents, police and educators need to teach children the rules of the road when in comes to cycling. People convicted of DUI should be given a copy of the state's "Safe Bicycling in Illinois" booklet.

I plead guilty to occasionally rolling through a stop sign, but I always stop at intersections where there's a strong likelihood there will be traffic. As a whole, the cycling community needs to do a much better job of paying attention to stop signs and traffic signals.

Riding two abreast is legal in Illinois as long as the reasonable and normal movement of traffic is not impeded. Otherwise, you must ride single file. Riding more than two abreast is illegal on most Illinois roads. Cyclists on group rides sometimes lose sight of the law and create problems for themselves and motorists.

Remember that one bicyclist’s bad behavior on the road affects the public’s opinion of all bicyclists. Amen to that.

Typical motorists’ mistakes are: failure to pass bicyclists safely by giving them at least three feet of space, passing a bicyclist then making an immediate right turn in front of the bicyclist, failure to yield when making a left turn in front of an oncoming bicyclist, opening a car door into a bicyclist’s path, failure to scan for bicyclists at intersections and crosswalks, parking in bike lanes and speeding.

True, motorists often don't pay attention to cyclists, and they need more education about the rights of bicyclists to be on the road.

Let's hope cyclists and motorists alike have safe travels during the 2009 cycling season.

Labels: advocacy, League of Illinois Bicyclists, safety

Roger 0 comments 12:14 AM

Wednesday, March 04, 2009

Train the Trainer

The League of Illinois Bicyclists says bike rodeos are a commonly recognized event for kids, often serving as the only bicycle safety education they receive. It's only fitting that the people who lead those event know the basics on how to ride a bike safely and legally.

That's why LIB has scheduled a series of Train the Trainer sessions throughout the state. Here's a schedule of those in or near the metro-east:

• April 8, 3 p.m., Litchfield City Hall
• April 8, 7:30 p.m., Alton (location to be determined)
• April 9, 4 p.m., Collinsville Area Recreation District offices
• April 9, 7:30 p.m., Belleville City Hall

You can see the full list of locations here.

Labels: League of Illinois Bicyclists, safety

Roger 0 comments 11:55 PM

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

National Bicycle Month plates

For those of you who live in the Land of Lincoln, Reagan, Obama and Blagojevich, the League of Illinois Bicyclists is offering "Share the Road" plates to Illinois motorists who want to show their support for bicycling. The plates can be displayed during the months of April and May (the actual National Bicycle Months).

The cost of the plates is $28, and you can download a PDF registration form to order the plates. Proceeds will go to LIB and its efforts to promote cycling in Illinois.

Speaking of LIB, the organization is offering a poster and a brochure promoting trail etiquette. It offers the normal tips, which include yielding to slower-speed users and not taking up the entire trail. To get copies of the poster and brochure, go to LIB's Web site and find the details there.

Labels: League of Illinois Bicyclists

Roger 0 comments 11:48 PM

Sunday, November 30, 2008

Mixed bag on state park, historic site closings

Users of the Hennepin Canal Trail and the I&M Trail are happy that the two Northern Illinois trails have been spared from budget cuts that would have closed or limited access to the trails starting Monday morning.

Hennepin Canal Trail State Park, Channahon Parkway State Park and Gebhard Woods State Park were saved from closing earlier this month when Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich used his amendatory veto power to keep the parks open. The Illinois General Assembly had approved $2.1 million to keep 11 state parks and 12 state historic sites open, but Blagojevich decided to use the money to keep the only three parks listed above plus Kickapoo State Park open.

The League of Illinois Bicyclists was among the groups that pushed to keep Hennepin, Channahon and Gebhard Woods open. The League pointed out that by closing the Hennepin Canal Trail, the state would have been in danger of losing federal transportation money, which was used to build the trail and other state projects.

But as an Illinois history buff of sorts, I'm saddened that several historic sites in Southern Illinois were not spared. Among the sites that will close Monday are the Cahokia Courthouse in St. Clair County, Fort de Chartres, Fort Kaskaskia and the Pierre Menard home in Randolph County and the Vandalia State House in Fayette County.

The first four sites preserve key parts of Illinois' history before it became a state, even as far back as when the French, then the British, governed Illinois.

Kaskaskia was Illinois' first state capital, followed by Vandalia, before the capital moved to Springfield.

I realize the state is in the midst of a budget crisis, but I wish Blagojevich would have had a little more regard for the history of the state in chosing the sites that will be closed.

Labels: bicycling, Illinois, League of Illinois Bicyclists, trails

Roger 2 comments 8:37 PM

Sunday, November 09, 2008

Around the horn

The publication design class I'm teaching this semester at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville continues to gobble up vast quantities of my time, thus I've been lax at both cycling and writing about cycling.

Anyone who thinks teaching is easy would be wrong. It would be safe to say that I'm basically earning minimum wage this semester because of all the prep time needed when teaching a class for the first time. Because this is a visual course, I've spent hours creating visual presentations for the students.

For the most part, I think the students have responded well to what I've tried to do. I have one student who probably needs a swift kick in the butt -- figuratively, not literally -- strong words of advice to motivate her to work up to her potential, but the vast majority of students are working hard and trying to improve their skills.

I must say that this has been a learning experience for me as well, especially because this is the first time I've taught a class at any level. I've had to learn that I need to be as specific as possible in writing tests and assignments, and I constantly have to remind myself that these students are still trying to learn a complicated software program, QuarkXPress, that I've been using for more than 10 years.

Here's some other items of note about the world of bicycling:

BUBBAFEST KICKS OFF: When I scheduled my vacation time for 2008, I fully intended to be on BubbaFest, the weeklong ride my longtime cycling friend Bubba Barron puts on every November in the Florida Keys. However, the class and the higher cost of living we've all experienced this year prevented me from making the trip.

One of my college buddies and longtime Tour de Stooges volunteer Doug Kaufman is making the trip, and I'm sure many of my cycling acquaintances are along for the ride. This morning, they are riding 52 miles from Key Largo to Knights Key Campground. After a layover day Monday on Marathon Key, they'll ride 42 miles Tuesday to Key West.

As I write, it's 39 degrees in beautiful Belleville, Ill. By contrast, the temperature in Key Largo is 75 degrees.

Man, I wish I was in Florida right now!

IOWA BOWLING ALLEY WINS COURT BATTLE: A bowling alley owner in Wall Lake, Iowa, who faced suspension of his liquor license after a half-naked customer slid down a beer covered bowling alley during RAGBRAI in 2004 will be able to keep his license, The Associated Press reported.

The Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division threatened to suspend Darrin Boger’s liquor license after the incident at Lake Lanes, but the Iowa Court of Appeals ruled in Boger’s favor. The case revolved around rumors that Boger planned to sponsor a naked beer slide for riders on the Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa.

The man was arrested for indecent exposure and state regulators wanted to suspend Boger’s license for alleged violations of a law that deals with nude peformances.

Court records show a state trooper stopped in Boger’s business and was monitoring the crowd when a man dropped his shorts and ran toward the beer-soaked plastic.

“Having a liquor license doesen’t give you the God-given power to know when someone is doing to take off their clothes,” attorney Robert Tiefenthaler said. “So this was a good win. And it was a long time coming.”

50,000-MILE BICYCLE NETWORK IN U.S. WINS APPROVAL: A few weeks ago, fellow cycling blogger Gene Bisbee reported on his Biking Bis blog that the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials approved a National Corridor Plan that sets the framework and guidelines for developing the U.S. Bicycle Route System.

One of the fascinating facts about the route is that many of the proposed route corridors parallel old Route 66. The proposed Bicycle Route 37 going from Chicago to the middle of Oklahoma, Bicycle Route 80 would take cyclists through Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California, then Bicycle Route 70 would complete the trip to Santa Monica, Calif. Maybe the people developing the route system should consider calling that corridor Bicycle Route 66.

As you may be aware, the League of Illinois Bicyclists has developed the Route 66 Trail, a network of roads and bike trails along the state's Route 66 alignments. Cycling advocates in my part of Illinois are pushing to create a system of bike trails that link St. Louis and Springfield, Ill.

Meanwhile, the St. Louis-based Gateway Council of Hostelling International is planning a weeklong ride next year along the Missouri alignments of Route 66 that would start in the St. Louis suburb of Eureka and end with a jaunt along Route 66 alignments in Kansas and Oklahoma.

Labels: Adventure Cycling Association, bicycling, journalism, League of Illinois Bicyclists

Roger 0 comments 10:31 AM

Saturday, September 06, 2008

Notes from the Illinois cycling scene

Some random notes about cycling in Illinois:

BRAKELESS BIKES: Last Sunday, the Chicago Tribune wrote about the fixed-gear bike trend, and newspapers throughout the country are picking up the story.

There's just one problem: Riding a bicycle without brakes on streets and highways is illegal in Illinois.

Nevertheless, many cyclists are jumping onto fixed-gear bikes because they see them as a pure form of cycling. Critics say running fixed-gear bikes on the street without brakes are a traffic hazard.

BIKE TRAIL TO CLOSE: Thanks to Gov. Rod Blagojevich's round of state budget cuts, 11 state parks are slated to close, including the Hennepin Canal Parkway State Park, Channahon Parkway State Park, Gebhard Woods State Park in Morris and Illini State Park in Marseilles.

The Hennepin Canal Parkway is a 104.5-mile linear park that spans five counties (Rock Island, Bureau, Henry, Lee and Whiteside). The canal's towpath today is a popular destination for cyclists and is a part of the Grand Illinois Trail.

Ed Barsotti, executive director of the League of Illinois Bicyclists, told the LaSalle News-Tribune that closing the trial could have a devastating impact on northern Illinois tourism. Barsotti told the paper that if the state allows the Hennepin Canal Parkway, which received federal funds for its construction as a bike path, to go into dispair, the federal government could withhold highway funds.

“The Hennepin Canal, also the I & M (Illinois and Michigan Canal), which is affected — that’s a major, major part, a highlight of the trail. And here we are, after making a huge investment. We’re going to lose that,” Barsotti told the paper. “I think the state has put too low of a priority on tourism in Illinois. Bicycling is one part of that, and it’s a growing interest throughout the country.”

The Lockport-based Canal Corridor Association says the Channahon and Gebhard Wood parks are major access points for users of the I&M Canal State Trail, a 61.5-mile trail from Rockdale to LaSalle that uses the old towpath for the I&M Canal, which links the Des Plaines and Illinois rivers.

The canals were built to link the Chicago area to the Mississippi River, ultimately to the Gulf of Mexico. Both became obsolete as barges became bigger and the larger Illinois Waterway, which connects the Des Plaines and Illinois rivers was completed.

The Canal Corridor Association is urging people to contact Blagojevich and state legislators to keep access to the trails open.

The budget cuts don't affect any trails in the metro-east, but they also affect historic sites in our area. Fort de Chartres, the Pierre Menard Home and Fort Kaskaskia, which are on this year's Illinois Great Rivers Ride, will be closed because of the cuts.

ANOTHER ILLINOIS BICYCLE TRAGEDY: This week has not been a good one for Illinois bicyclists. An Illinois man was killed when he was struck by a Kentucky state trooper's car, four Amish men were injured when a motorist struck their bike, and now a 13-year-old Springfield boy was killed Friday night when he was struck by a Jeep.

The (Springfield) State Journal-Register reported the boy was trying to cross busy Veterans Parkway at Lawrence Street. Initial police reports indicate the Jeep, which was driving on Veterans Parkway, had a green light, driving with the flow of traffic and had the right of way and that the boy entered his path.

Labels: Chicago, fatal accidents, Illinois, League of Illinois Bicyclists, trails

Roger 0 comments 1:15 PM

Monday, July 21, 2008

Rules of the Road

Over the couple of weeks, I've been doing a lot of thinking about cyclists and their obligations to follow the rules of the road. One of the reasons why I do a lot of thinking about things like that is my role in leading one of the St. Louis area's largest group rides, the Tour de Stooges, and other smaller rides for the Belleville Area Bicycling and Eating Society.

Here's what got me thinking:

• A post over on Gene Bisbee's BikingBis blog about the Cascade Bicycle Club issuing "traffic tickets" to participants on the Seattle-to-Portland Bicycle Classic on July 12-13.
• The riding habits of some cyclists on Tour de Donut in Staunton, Ill., on July 12.
• An article by Dean Schott of the League of Illinois Bicyclists about the recent rise in bicycle fatalities in the state.
• And, finally, an article at MSNBC titled "Deadly Tension on the Roads: Cars vs. Bikes."

Gene reported a while back that Cascade Bicycle Club Executive Director Chuck Ayers said one of the biggest complaints from motorists, staff and other cyclists during STP has been about participants who don't follow the rules of the road. To curb the problems, the club had patrols looking for cyclists disobeying the rules of the road and issuing $25 "tickets" with the money going to the group's education foundation.

"Those tickets don't carry the force of law, of course," Gene wrote. "They do imply, however, that your peers on the bike ride think you're riding like a jerk and you need to pay attention."

The Cascade Bicycle Club also has been pushing a "Single File Is Safer" program this year. The club contends riding single file ultimately is better for cyclists and motorists because it means cyclists don't have to go three or more abreast to pass slower riders and motorists can more easily pass a single-file line of cyclists than groups of two or more abreast.

That leads to what I saw on the Tour de Donut. The Tour de Donut is a unique situation because of the mass start. Cyclists receive a police escort through Staunton at the start of the race, but the problems become evident when they turn off Illinois Route 4 onto Renken Road toward Prairietown, the first donut stop.

Groups of three to five cyclists often take up the entire lane, forcing faster cyclists to cross the yellow line to get around them. Even when a slower cyclist is riding alone, he or she often takes the middle of the lane, making it difficult for people to pass him or her.

Before the start, I heard Boeing Employee's Bicycle Club President Dave Sweeney try to tell riders before the start of the ride that the roads beyond Staunton were not closed to motorists, but I don't know how many people actually heard him.

Most of the local motorists know about the Tour de Donut and adjust their driving with the realization there are going to be lots of cyclists on the road that day. Also, the club and its volunteers from the Staunton area do a great job of monitoring the key intersections. Still, I wonder if we can make things a bit safer for everyone by following the rules of the road and keeping in mind it is illegal to ride more than two abreast on nearly all Illinois roads.

That leads us to the recent League of Illinois Bicyclists article. Here how it starts out:

The headlines have not been good for bicyclists this spring in Illinois. The recent rash of bicycle fatalities has us all alarmed about our safety on the roads.

My words of advice for bicyclists are twofold: Obey the traffic laws and expect the unexpected from motorists.

Some of us consider stop signs and traffic lights nuisances which can be ignored. Besides it being the law, bicyclists should stop at signs so that they can see oncoming traffic and the traffic can see us before proceeding safely through an intersection. ...

When riding in groups, bicyclists should not ride three or more abreast, blocking traffic, which can fuel the road rage of motorists. In heavy traffic, cyclists should ride in single file to let motorists pass safely and avoid bottlenecks.

Finally, the MSNBC story talks about how bicycling has become a more popular mode of transportation because of high gasoline prices. Here's a brief excerpt from that story:

Experts welcome the trend for all of the reasons you might expect: Transportation planners like that fewer cars clog the nation’s highways. Environmental activists like that fewer tons of greenhouse emissions are pumped into the atmosphere every rush hour. Doctors like to see more people pedaling off more pounds. But in the months since motorists began pedaling in droves, it has become clear that all those cyclists on the streets pose a significant problem: all those cyclists on the streets.

“I believe it’s definitely going to cause some problems, because people don’t know how to share the road with cyclists,” said Kirk Hendricks, director of advocacy for the group Idaho Cycling Enthusiasts. “[Drivers] need to know that we have as much right as an automobile even though we’re not as big.”

But the article goes on to say that bicycle accidents are on the rise. For example, New Jersey reported 12 bicycle fatalities in all of 2007. So far this year, that state has had 11 bicycle deaths.

Pam Fischer, director of the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety, told MSNBC "in almost every case, the bicycle was doing something that put them at significant risk.”

As I've said before, and I'll say it again, cyclists and motorists share equal responsibility for knowing the rules of the road. Although I try to educate cyclists of the rules of the road on the Tour de Stooges map, I often wonder how I and the rest of the cycling community can do a better job of getting the word out.

For those of you who live in Illinois and Missouri, here's a couple of resources:

• League of Illinois Bicyclists' Illinois Bicycle Laws Card (PDF file)
• St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation
  

Labels: advocacy, League of Illinois Bicyclists, safety, Tour de Donut

Roger 0 comments 11:37 PM

Sunday, March 02, 2008

Help sought on bicycle bills

The League of Illinois Bicyclists is seeking help on its state bills to improve the state’s handling of federal Transportation Enhancements and Safe Routes to School dollars. A big result from the bill will be more completed bike trails in Illinois, LIB contends.

Illinois cyclists are asked to leave a quick voice mail message with both your state representative and state senator. Ask for a YES vote on House Bill 4757 (for Representatives) and on Senate Bill 2311 (for Senators). Calls are most needed by early Tuesday morning, March 4. Find your state legislators’ district phone numbers at http://www.elections.il.gov/DistrictLocator/AddressSearch.aspx

LIB has a PDF document that explains the purposes of the bills, and you may want to give them a read.

Labels: advocacy, League of Illinois Bicyclists

Roger 0 comments 12:38 AM

Sunday, January 20, 2008

My best bicycling experience was. ...

Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White, along with the League of Illinois Bicyclists and Trek Bicycle Corp., are sponsoring a bicycle safety essay contest for fourth- and fifth-graders in Illinois.

The essay must be no more than 100 words and begin with: "My best bicycling experience was. ..." The essay also must must include at least one bicycle safety element, such as wearing a helmet, signaling, observing stop signs, red lights and other traffic laws.

In a letter to Illinois elementary school principals, White wrote: "Children under age 15 account for nearly 40 percent of all bicyclist injuries. By educating our youngsters about the importance of bike safety, we can help prevent injuries and even save lives. Participation in this contest is a creative way to make our youth more aware of safe bicycle operation and the bicycle rules of the road."

The winners of the state contest in each grade will receive a Trek 820 mountain bike. Second- and third-place winners will receive a bicycle helmet.

I know nearly all of you who read this blog are too old to enter the contest, but I'm challenging you to write a similar essay and post it in the comments below. Like the state of Illinois contest, you must write no more than 100 words and begin the essay with the words "My best bicycling experience was. ..." The essay also must must include at least one bicycle safety element, such as wearing a helmet, signaling, observing stop signs, red lights and other traffic laws.

As an incentive, I'm offering a prize for the best essay. The winner receives his or her choice of one free registration ($30 value) for the 2008 Tour de Stooges on Saturday, May 3, in Highland, Ill., an equivalent amount ($30) of Stooges memorabilia or a $30 gift certificate for a bicycle store of your choice.

The essay will be judged by me. Like the state essay contest, essays entered in my contest will be judged on creativity, originality, grammar and conformity to contest rules. Essays must be written as comments on this post. The deadline for essays will be 11:59 p.m. CST Sunday, Feb. 3. The winner will be announced Feb. 10.

For the duration of this contest, I'm not allowing anonymous posts on the blog to help me identify the winner.

Good luck and start writing!

Labels: essays, League of Illinois Bicyclists, safety

Roger 1 comments 9:09 PM

Sunday, November 25, 2007

Educating and enforcing

The League of Illinois Bicyclists recently sent resources to Illinois police and sheriff's departments in an effort to educate and enforce the sharing of roads between cyclists and motorists.

The poster shown at left is part of that effort. It encourages officers and deputies to know the most frequent offenses by motorists and bicyclists. You can see a larger version of it by clicking on the image or by downloading the full-size version (19 x 27 inches, PDF format).

I think the poster, along with the PowerPoint presentation called "Safe Roads for Bicycling" (also available in a PDF format) and other materials posted at LIB's site, fairly presents the problems that cyclists and motorists create for each other. Among the materials is the new Illinois bike law card (PDF file) that includes the law that goes in effect Jan. 1 that requires motorists to give at least 3 feet of space when passing a cyclist.

The accidents that are caused by inattentive or impaired motorists that kill or seriously injure cyclists get the most attention by the bicycle advocacy community, and deservedly so. But the reality of the situation is that cyclists themselves sometimes are at fault. Hopefully, LIB's effort will educate cyclists, motorists and police officers about the rights -- and responsibilities -- for people who use Illinois' streets and highways.

The PowerPoint presentation makes some interesting points. For instance, it points out the worst offenses by cyclists:

• Riding against traffic.
• Traffic light violations.
• Failure to yield right-of-way.
• No lights at night.

As for motorists, the worst offenses are:

• Speed, Speed, Speed.
• Failure to yield.
• Disregard signs and signals.
• Turning and backing.
• Alcohol.

Another interesting section discusses teens and the poor and where they ride:

• Less-skilled, ride sidewalks.
• Prefer direct routes, need access to all destinations.
• Bike out of necessity.
• Ride at night.
• No lights or reflective clothing.
• Ride against the traffic.

My anecdotal experiences riding in the Belleville, Ill., area back up LIB's contentions. All too often, I see children and the poor -- sometimes those who are forced on bicycles because of DUI convictions -- ride against traffic, and they often ride without lights or reflective clothing at night.

I would recommend you review LIB's materials and spread the word.

Labels: accidents, advocacy, Illinois, League of Illinois Bicyclists, safety

Roger 0 comments 11:28 PM

Sunday, June 03, 2007

Must ride bike on Mother Road

While I'll never be as fascinated with Route 66 as much as Mother Road enthusiasts Ron Warnick and Emily Priddy are, I have to admit that I have some interest in the history behind Route 66.

As a participant in Saturday's Route 66 Trail "trail-breaking" event sponsored by the League of Illinois Bicyclists, I got a small taste of the Mother Road.

My intention was to ride either from the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge or Edwardsville to Staunton, but a late night of copy editing and page designing at the Belleville News-Democrat on Friday night and the fact I was in charge of getting the paper out Saturday night meant I had to curtail my plans.

I instead drove up to Staunton and did a short trip from Staunton to Mount Olive and back. Even though I'm a native of Macoupin County (Brighton, to be precise), I had never visited Mother Jones' gravesite in Mount Olive or Henry's Rabbit Ranch in Staunton.

Most people have heard of Mother Jones magazine, but they may not know about the woman the magazine is named after.

Mary Harris "Mother" Jones was a prominent labor organizer in the late 1800s and early 1900s, and she was known for her efforts to build support for the United Mine Workers. Before she died in 1930 at the age of 100, she asked to be buried with “her boys” in the Union Miners Cemetery in Mount Olive. Buried near her are miners who died in an 1898 riot in nearby Virden.

Upon my return to Staunton, I briefly talked with Rich Henry, the co-owner of Henry's Rabbit Ranch. Rich and his wife, Linda, have turned an old Mother Road service station into a Route 66 visitor's center filled with memorabilia about Route 66 and the trucking industry.

As part of the event, the city of Staunton dedicated the Duda Gardens, which eventually will serve as a trailhead for the ITS Trail from Staunton to Benld and a Madison County Transit trail that will stretch from Staunton to Worden.

There, I got to see an old friend from my college days, freelance photographer Dennis Garrels. Dennis was shooting the event for his hometown's weekly paper, but he's photographed scenes from Route 66. You can see a video of Dennis talking about his work at the Route 66 Today Web site.

The Route 66 Trail is a work in progress. Most of the trail is on road and often strays away from the Mother Road for safety reasons. The League of Illinois Bicyclists says the route will change as more off-road trails are developed and existing roads are improved.

Labels: cycling, League of Illinois Bicyclists, Route 66

Roger 1 comments 9:06 PM

Friday, June 01, 2007

Reminder: Route 66 Trail-Breaking

Don't forget, tomorrow (June 2) is the Route 66 Trail-Breaking event in Illinois.

Cyclists will be traveling segments of the trail between Chicago and St. Louis. Ceremonies are planned in the neighborhood of noon in these Route 66 communities: Edwardsville, Staunton, Springfield, Bloomington-Normal, Pontiac and Joliet.

You can still sign up for the event through the League of Illinois Bicyclists. Just fill out the requested information, choose the segment you plan to do, accept the waiver, and you'll be directed to the maps for the segment. You can do all or part of the segment.

Labels: cycling, League of Illinois Bicyclists, Route 66

Roger 0 comments 10:16 AM

Thursday, May 24, 2007

Good news on the legislative front

On Tuesday, the Illinois House passed SB80, which will require motorists to leave a minimum of 3 feet while passing a cyclist or other individuals. The bill now goes to Gov. Rod Blagojevich for his signature. The House approved the bill by a 107-8 vote.

In addition to the 3-foot clearance requirement, the bill also allows cyclists to "take the lane" where right turns are authorized and allows the option of a right arm hand signal when turning right.

For more information about the bill, visit the League of Illinois Bicyclists' Web site.

Labels: advocacy, cycling, League of Illinois Bicyclists, safety

Roger 1 comments 10:33 AM

Wednesday, May 02, 2007

LIB public service announcement

The League of Illinois Bicyclists and the Illinois Department of Transportation next week will be airing a 30-second radio public service announcement urging cyclists and motorists to share the road.

It is scheduled to be heard on several stations throughout Illinois, including the 52 stations of the Illinois Radio Network. In the St. Louis area, KMOX-AM 1120 in St. Louis, WBGZ-AM 1570 in Alton, WJBM-AM 1480 in Jerseyville, WSMI-AM 1540 in Litchfield, WNSV-FM 104.7 in Nashville and WHCO-AM 1230 in Sparta are part of the network. When -- or if -- you hear them depends on the individual stations.

For those of you in the Chicago area, a news conference will be held at noon Monday (May 7) outside the James R. Thompson Center, 100 W. Randolph, to promote sharing the road and to distribute safety literature. Bicyclists are invited to ride to the event and show their support.

Happy National Bike Month!

Labels: advocacy, League of Illinois Bicyclists, safety

Roger 2 comments 9:01 AM

Friday, March 16, 2007

LIB pushes safety enforcement

In preparation for May being National Bicycle Month, the League of Illinois Bicyclists is encouraging local law enforcement agencies to make special efforts to ensure cyclists and motorists can share the state's streets and highways safely. In a recent bulletin sent to the departments, LIB is sharing these ideas:

• When you see bicyclists and motorists make maneuvers that are dangerous, stop them and explain what they did wrong and the consequences. It’s better to make 50 preventive stops than to devote long hours to investigating a crash with injuries or a fatality.
  
• Be alert for situations in which motorists put bicyclists in danger – speeding, making left turns in front of oncoming bicyclists, failing to yield at stop signs and traffic lights, overtaking bicyclists without giving them sufficient space – at least three feet – and making right turns in front of bicyclists going in the same direction.
• Be alert for situations in which bicyclists put themselves and possibly motorists in danger – riding out of driveways or side streets without looking, failing to yield at stop signs and traffic lights, making left turns without signaling and checking over the shoulder for oncoming traffic.

To see the full list of ideas LIB is pushing, you can download a PDF file of the bulletin.

Labels: cycling, League of Illinois Bicyclists, safety

Roger 0 comments 12:08 AM

Thursday, February 08, 2007

Cycling issues in Illinois

The League of Illinois Bicyclists will pursue several significant changes in Illinois traffic law designed to give more protection to cyclists.

The first is Senate Bill 80. The proposal would:

• Require vehicles leave a minimum of 3 feet clearance when passing bikes.
• Clarify that bikes do not have to stay close to the right-hand curb where right turns are permitted.
• Permit the option of using the right arm and hand to signal a right turn.

LIB has created a PDF file illustrating what the law would mean for cyclists and motorists.

The second is a new negligent vehicular homicide bill closing a gap in legal prosecution. The bill was prompted by the death of Matt Wilhelm, who died after a car driven by a woman distracted by loading cell phone ring tones struck him near Champaign, Ill. The LIB Web site also includes an article by Champaign County State's Attorney Julia Rietz concerning the case.

Rietz came under fire from cycling advocates in the Champaign-Urbana area about her decision not to pursue felony charges against the woman, but Rietz contends current state law and case law would not have allowed the stronger charges to be filed.

The woman, Jennifer Stark, pleaded guilty to improper lane usage, the only charge filed in the accident. Stark received the maximum penalty for the offense: a maximum sentence of six months of conditional discharge, a form of probation without reporting to an officer; a $1,000 fine; and traffic safety school.

Labels: advocacy, cycling, Illinois, League of Illinois Bicyclists, safety

Roger 1 comments 2:49 AM