A Problematic New Law to Control Excessive Sound in Motorcycles

In the most recent issue of the American Motorcyclist Journal, former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger was dubbed the Motorcyclist of the Year. This title was given to Schwarzenegger because of the impact he has made on the future of motorcycling through the signing of Senate Bill No. 435, a bill intended to address excessive motorcycle sound via an eco-friendly agenda.

The First Step: Customizing Bikes with CARB-Approved Pipes

Almost 4 years ago, in 2007, Schwarzenegger signed a similar bill legalizing dealership installations of California Air Resources Board (CARB)-approved emissions-related parts on new motorcycles, making these customizations compatible with "anti-tampering" rules which only allow the sale of factory-condition motorcycles.

The AMA's Ed Moreland criticized the CARB law's blind spot, noting that "the law didn't mandate specific equipment. It didn't restrict design or tuning creativity. It set an achievable sound level, and left it to the motorcycling community to meet it." And because the community has not been responding to the government's subtle prod, they are now subject to their forceful push in the form of Senate Bill No. 435.

The Follow Through: Senate Bill No. 435

This bill-turned-law "requires all California-registered motorcycles and exhaust systems built in 2013 and later to display a federal Environmental Protection Agency label somewhere on the exhaust itself, certifying that the exhaust meets federal sound standards."

Though this law sounds potentially beneficial to the environment and people's ear drums everywhere, several criticisms and concerns about its overall efficacy have been brought up, which, according to the article, are agreed upon by a range of people involved in motorcycling, "from lawmakers to motorcyclists' rights organization leaders to business people." They are summarized as follows:

• Availability and Cost: Only a few aftermarket manufacturers currently offer the EPA-labeled pipes--pipes suited to a small class of specific motorcycles. And the cost to receive EPA certification will delay the availability of pipes for more bikes by more manufacturers. As a result, can we expect enough riders to buy quieter pipes?
• Enforcement: The EPA label can still be on a modified exhaust that exceeds sound regulations whereas a pipe without a label could still be quiet enough to meet the law's standards. And the location of these labels can be difficult for law enforcement to see, which might lead to an increase in unwarranted tickets--tickets that cost up to $100 on the first offense and up to $250 for subsequent ones. It is important to note that "a violation is considered a secondary offense, which means a police officer can't stop a motorcyclist solely because the officer believes the rider is breaking the sound emissions label law."

Reactions

AMA President Rob Dingman insists that the AMA has "been saying for years that if the motorcycling community didn't police itself on excessive sound, then the government would, and we wouldn't like the results." But Denis Manning of BUB Enterprises, a Northern Californian motorcycle exhaust systems company, believes that, despite their initial frustration, motorcyclists will eventually see the benefit of replacing their pipes to comply with the law.

In the end, the AMA's stance on this issue is that only properly trained personnel can determine whether or not a motorcycle complies with sound laws through sound level tests based on an agreed-upon testing procedure.

What is your stance?

To read the full article, visit: http://www.ama-cycle.org/magazine/2011/January/index.asp

San Francisco: One of the Most Dangerous Cities for Pedestrians

Over 800 people are hit by cars in San Francisco each year, according to an article in the SF Chronicle. An average of 2 people are hit everyday, and with the holiday season, this number is on the rise due to shortened daylight hours and "increased alcohol use and winter weather."

But it's not just during the holidays that we have to worry about being mowed down by speeding, inattentive drivers. San Francisco ranked higher than larger cities like New York, Tokyo, Hong Kong, and London for traffic fatalities per 100,000 residents. In a city like this, pedestrians might have to wonder how safe it is to walk out their front door on any normal day.

Pedestrian-Car Collision Hot Spots

"The top 10 most dangerous parts of San Francisco for walkers are concentrated in the Financial District and the Tenderloin, South of Market and Bayview neighborhoods" because of a larger than average number of people who "rely on walking and public transit."

But collisions were also found to be concentrated in residential areas like Glen Park, the Castro, the Mission, Excelsior and the Western Addition.

Among these collisions, the Chronicle singled out three from the past few months that occurred in a crosswalk:

On Nov. 17, 65-year-old Nu Ha Dam was struck and killed by a UCSF shuttle bus at lunchtime while crossing Geary Street at Leavenworth, two blocks from her home.

On Sept. 2, a hit-and-run driver who was later arrested, killed 70-year-old Joyce Lau as she was crossing Cole Street at waller shortly before 8 a.m.

Later that same day, around 5 p.m., a 79-year-old woman whose identity has not been released sustained life-threatening injuries while trying to cross Bayshore Boulevard at Bacon Street.

A Matter of Health

Considering pedestrian accidents account for at least a quarter of all injury crashes, street safety should not only be one of our highest transit priorities, but a public health one as well, according to Dr. Rajiv Bhatia, the director of occupational and environmental health for the city's Department of Public Health. Despite the high figures and news reports of accidents, pedestrian safety continues to be a problem and real change is slowly--too slowly--emerging from the offices of our elected officials.

Not helping the issue is the continued accolades boasted by the SFMTA. Just a few months ago, in October, the SFMTA released a report showing that the number of fatalities had, in fact, decreased over recent years. And yet, we are still ranked at a higher percentage than many other major cities.

Baby Steps Towards Improvement

San Francisco's transportation agency is implementing a pilot program aimed at decreasing the speed limit in targeted residential neighborhoods to 15 mph. Meanwhile, Board of Supervisors David Chau plans to fund a study researching how city agencies are addressing this pedestrian problem.

But are these steps too small and too slow of a start?

According to Michael Bianco, whose 32-year-old daughter sustained major brain trauma from a hit-and-run that rendered her incapable of living independently, "Whatever can be done to prevent something of this kind occurring again is time well spent." Bianco is currently suing the city for negligence. He "believes San Francisco is far more dangerous to walk in than the numbers suggest." And the numbers already suggest enough.

Click to read the article for more statistics and information.

2010's Rise in On-Highway Safety Issues

The American Motorcyclist Association recently published a chart of 2010's national on-highway safety issues. Out of a total of 1074 issues, 439 were for "Distracted/Inattentive Vehicle Operation" which includes:

• Cellphone usage: Restricting or prohibiting use
• Bans: Text messaging, internet use, drowsy driving
• Hands-free:Use of cellphone
• Distracted/Inattentive driving
• Restricting video displays
• After crash: Police reports to include distracted-driver info, enhanced penalties

This is an increase of 135 cases compared to last year's 304 (source). This jump shows a vast lack of knowledge on motorcycle laws.

If you are one of these motorcyclists who are unfamiliar with the laws, the AMA has a helpful database that could help you ride safely in every state: State-by-state motorcycle laws

Has DriveCam Improved Muni's Safety?

Last January, on the same day the 19-Polk collision hospitalized 9 people, the SFMTA released a self-congratulatory statement regarding their improved safety record.

A few months earlier, in November 2009, Muni spent $1.2 million installing the DriveCam onto all their buses and trolleys "to help improve safety on the transit system."

About DriveCam

The DriveCam is installed both inside and outside of the vehicle and kicks in seconds before and after incidents involving hard breaking or swerving. The company website advertises a "Seven Steps to Risk Reduction and Savings" plan wherein #5 and #6 are:

5. Driver review, coaching and training

• Supervisors and drivers review the video, company policy and procedures. The goal is for the driver to understand and improve his or her driving.

6. The driver returns to the field with new insights

• The employee returns to the field integrating new learning into his or her driving

Muni's Goals: Savings or Safety?

While the SFMTA claims to have adopted DriveCam's idealistic steps to improve safety. However, in their press release, the SFMTA said these cameras would "assess liability from collisions and reduce expenses incurred from such incidents that can include vehicle damage, worker's compensation, and personal injury."

After the 19-Polk accident, both the SF Appeal and The Examiner were quick to suggest that the installation of DriveCam seemed more like an attempt to improve Muni's safety record, and not its actual safety.

So now that one year has passed, what are your thoughts on this? Has Muni made your public transportation any safer?

5 Killed in Motorcycle-Car Collision

On Saturday November 13th, 21 people of the Saddletramps Motorcycle Club were riding 80 miles outside of San Diego on Route 98 when a man in a Dodge Avenger swerved into them. Four of the riders and the driver's companion in the passenger seat were killed instantly.

Though the driver, Carlos Ramirez, was later arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence, Carl Smith, president of the motorcycle club, does not blame him for this tragedy.

What caused Ramirez, who was going 5 miles under the speed limit, to swerve into the motorcyclists was a Honda Civic that sped past him, forcing Ramirez off the road.

According to this article:

Smith doesn't blame Ramirez, despite the allegation that he was driving under the influence. He considers Ramirez a victim because his companion died.

"It looked like he overreacted, but the guy in the Honda Civic was at fault," said Smith, who estimated the Civic was going 95 mph when it passed the motorcycles."

However, California Highway Patrol Officer DeeAnn Goudie remarked that had Ramirez gone off to the right, he would have landed safely in the sand.

It's unclear whether or not he was under the influence at the time of the accident and whether or not it was a contributing factor to the deaths and injuries of the motorcyclists.

What are your thoughts on this tragedy?

The FDA Acts 32 Years Later

Last Friday, the Food and Drug Administration announced that the drug propoxyphene (sold under the brand names Darvon and Darvocet) is going to be taken off the market.

Propoxyphene was a generic pain medication with similar effects as Extra Strength Tylenol, but with serious side-effects on the heart that has led to a "staggering" number of deaths during its 53-year use.

A petition to ban propoxyphene first came to the FDA in 1978 from the advocacy group Health Research Group of Public Citizen, led by Dr. Sidney M. Wolfe and again in 2006 after Britain banned the drug in 2005.

In 2009, medical examiners in Florida reported a large amount of deaths linked to propoxyphene, leading the European Union to ban it. And finally, in January 2009, the FDA followed suit. Dr. Wolfe responded to this victory, saying, "I would have praised them if they had done this six years ago, but it's hard to praise them when there have been 120 million more prescriptions filled since 2005 and conservatively 1,000 to 2,000 more deaths. It's inexcusable."

This frightening oversight--one that kept the FDA blinded for 32 years--should come as a shock, but we have seen again and again the FDA's fallibility when it comes to our health and safety.

Source: The New York Times - Business Day (Saturday, November 20, 2010)

Upcoming Projects and Changes for BART

For almost a decade, BART has been planning and funding a transit village in Walnut Creek that would house 596 apartments. This $100 million project took a few steps back after being hit by the recession. Construction is likely to start in 2012 and take 6-8 years to be completed. (Source)

And in West Dublin/Pleasanton, a new BART station is set to start operating in early 2011. BART recently set the fares at: "$4.15 for a trip to Berkeley, $5.05 for a trip to Walnut creek, and $10.40 to travel to SFO." (Source)

Biking For the Real City Experience

In yesterday's NYtimes, Seth Kugel gave his amusing and illuminating account of Los Angeles from the perspective of a cycling tourist.

Kugel made it his goal to visit a reasonably large stretch of LA county comprising of places like Beverly Hills, Hollywood, Santa Monica, Venice Beach, Downtown, and Pasadena on a budget of $100/day. Undeterred by lore on the impossibility of getting around LA without a car, Kugel made his ambitious week-long adventure depending only on public transportation and a rented hybrid Trek bike.

You can read his detailed saga in its entirety in "Frugal Los Angeles". But to sum up the author's verdict, biking is not only a possible means of sight-seeing, but ultimately gives you a more enriching and more authentic exposure to your vacation site. Even after a lot of sweat and not a lot of bike lanes (things that LA is known for), Seth Kugel came to this conclusion:

"I had expected getting around Los Angeles by bike and public transportation to be a barely tolerable chore--a money-saving second-best way to see the city. Why, then, was I feeling so elated about my trip and smitten by a city I had never particularly liked before? [...]

What I had really liked were the moments in between: the strangers who shared secrets on the buses, the dog walkers and Dutch tourists who stopped to chat with me along Rodeo Drive, the aspiring actor I struck up a conversation with on Santa Monica boulevard, as he cycled to an audition and I cycled to pick up my U.C.L.A. football ticket. These were true Los Angeles moments--moments that most visitors, stuck in freeway traffic behind the steering wheel of their rental car, never get to experience."

Kugel claims that these experiences speak to an authenticity of L.A. And I think this can be found in S.F. too. Not only is our city filled to the brim with an eclectic culture and electric sights, but we can also boast of more bikers who take advantage of this. When we fight for safer streets, we also fight for people to get out of their cars and into the "true" San Francisco.

Electric Bikes for Beginning Cyclists

Most of us have seen in the city (if not experienced for ourselves) the spectacle of bicyclists sweating their way up a hill (Filbert, anyone?). These vertical terrors might be deterring people from biking, says a recent article in the Chronicle.

So Point Reyes is combining forces with John Granatir (owner of Go Green Electric Bikes) to encourage more people to bike and "[get] people out that normally wouldn't be". At Point Reyes, you can now rent an electric bike and take on all the hills you'd like. These bikes have pedals so you can still get an exercise from your outing; and the motor will start as soon as you reach an incline.

The article also mentions the stigma behind electric bikes because "many avid cyclists believe that you should earn every hill on your own". But for those who are just starting to get in shape or just want a relaxing day outdoors without the epic (and often painstaking) workout, these electric bikes could be a good alternative.

Bay Area Bike Trail Wins Federal Grant

Last Tuesday, under a program called TIGER II (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery), the U.S. Department of Transportation awarded $600 million total to 70 "innovative transportation projects."

In February, the SFTMA was awarded $46 million to replace Doyle Drive.

This year, the east bay seems to be the winner, being awarded $10.2 million "to help the East Bay Regional Parks District close gaps in its 200-mile system of paved trails."

Randy Rentschler of the Municipal Transit Commission attributed the win to the project's unique goal of encouraging more and more people to choose biking and other alternative, environmentally-friendly modes of commute. (source)

The East Bay Parks General Manager Pat O'Brien echoed these sentiments, saying, "A safe convenient connection means commuters are much more likely to take public transit, walk or bike as a commute alternative to driving, and that benefits everyone including commuters, transit agencies, and our environment." (source)

This bike path aims to aid over 700,000 east bay residents commuting to work, but will cost a total of $43.3 million. The grant covers 25% and the Parks District is hoping for taxpayers to cover the rest. So commuters might have to wait a while before the full benefits of this project can be achieved.

Safer Streets to Yield More Biking

After four long years of waiting for better and safer streets, the Bike Plan injunction was finally lifted in August and cyclists in the city are already beginning to see the changes.

New bike lines are being painted down on Townsend, North Point, and Laguna Honda. But these small victories are just ripples in the waves of change the San Francisco Bike Coalition has in mind for our city. In the latest edition of their quarterly publication, the Tube Times, the SFBC announced their new campaign entitled "Connecting the City" the end goal of which is to increase the range of ridership "from an eight-year-old child to an eighty-year-old grandmother" by designing a city bike network that is resolutely safe and comfortable.

Their method for accomplishing this is heavily inspired by European engineering feats. For example, in Norway, you can step on a foot plate by a steep hill's curbside and the bike lift will roll you and your bike up at a speed of 4mph.

And according to this article in the SFGate, Board of Supervisors President David Chiu is following the same train of thought after recently spending time in the bike-friendly Netherlands.

The article says that, "Chiu believes that the share of bike trips can and should be dramatically higher, if the city makes the commitment to make two-wheel travel safer and more convenient."

Both Chiu and the SFBC believe in the bike lifts and support plans to build separated bike pathways with physical barriers on big traffic streets like the Embarcadero, Valencia Street, Fell Street, Oak Street, and San Jose Street.

The SFBC is also pushing for a bike bridge from Marina Green, around Fort Mason, to Fisherman's Wharf, a bridge which the city might not be able to fund. The city is looking to spend $25 million on these projects for the roads over the next 5 years, but most of this funding will be given to striping lanes and adding bike lanes.

It's important to remember that nothing is set in stone yet, but the future seems to hold some exciting changes for cyclists.

To read the Tube Times Fall 2010 edition online: http://www.sfbike.org/download/tubetimes/tt_fall2010.pdf

"Shed the Lycra, Slip on Your Dancing Shoes"

November 13th is this year's annual Bikers Ball held by the Marin County Bicycle Coalition.

Come join your fellow cyclists cut a rug at Servino Ristorante in Tiburon, CA, down by the waterfront.

There will be beer, wine, appetizers, live music by the band Vinyl, and a silent auction for various goodies (one of which is a Cannondale Super Six 5).

Only 200 tickets are available; get yours at www.marinbike.org.

10th Annual AIDS LifeCycle

AIDS/LifeCycle is a 7-day bike ride through California, starting in San Francisco and ending in Los Angeles during the week of June 5th-June 11th, 2011. This 545-mile ride raises money and awareness for both the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center and the San Francisco AIDS Foundation.

The Mission:

Raise funds to support the HIV/AIDS services of the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center and the San Francisco AIDS Foundation;

Increase awareness and knowledge about the services and programs offered by the benefiting organizations;

Increase awareness and knowledge about HIV/AIDS among participants, their donors and the general public;

Increase AIDS activism and volunteerism among the participant and donor communities, inspiring them to become ambassadors in the fight against AIDS;

Provide a positive, life-affirming experience for people affected and infected by HIV;

Contribute to an increased understanding of the disproportionate impact HIV has had on the GLBT communities in SF and LA;

Encourage an environment of dignity and improved quality of life for those affected by HIV and AIDS.

The Route:

"You’ll ride an average of 80 miles a day, over varying terrain. One day, you’ll be riding a flat route along the coast or through artichoke and strawberry fields, the next you might be riding through fog banks and foothills. The course is designed to be challenging but completely doable, so be sure to train well in order to fully enjoy your week. No matter what, you can count on the constant presence of our Roadies on the route, who help keep everyone safe and sound. We are serious about safety and do everything possible to ensure your happiness and well-being during this week."

Online registration begins October 25th from 7:00 P.M. to 7:45 P.M.

To find out more, visit http://www.aidslifecycle.org.

Will Prop G Improve Muni?

Voting Day is coming up and one of the most important propositions on the ballot for the future of public transportation is Prop G. Prop G would force SF transit operators to negotiate wages and benefits through "collective bargaining". According to an SF Gate article, had Prop G been in effect this past fiscal year, Muni would have saved $19 million, money with which they could have ostensibly used to prevent service cuts.

Supporters of Prop G do not see this as a solution to the multitude of problems commuters have with Muni, but as leverage for management "to address inefficiencies and improve service."

Currently, Muni operators' base wage is $29.52 an hour. It is mandated in the City Charter that they earn at least the second-highest pay in the nation.

Muni operators believe that this proposition is using them as scapegoats for the cause instead of directly addressing the "bloated bureaucracy" whose execs and admins are making $200,000-$300,000 a year.

It seems that those higher up are putting the blame on those lower down and vice versa while the rest of us are left to deal with the increasing frustration of subpar service. Both operators and execs are neglecting the real issue at hand and if they ever stop playing the blame game, maybe they'll get around to solving some real problems.

Try BART Week is October 18-22

Starting next Monday, BART is giving away free prizes to random passengers who text the "Word of the Day" shown on BART platform destination signs. Prizes include $2,500 value of BART tickets, Southwest Airline tickets, tickets to local museums, sporting events and theater/musical productions, Green and Black's chocolate, gift cards for Jamba Juice, and Alter Eco food baskets.

More prizes will be given out on Monday, October 18th for the Kick-Off Event at 12th Street Oakland City Center from noon to 1 P.M. They'll be handing out chocolate bars and other pretty cool giveaways.

So if you normally drive to work, take a break from it next week. Even if you don't win anything, you might save yourself a little money on gas and frustration from traffic.

More details here.

City Low on Funds for Street Repair

Source: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/10/11/BA6J1FMK31.DTL

SF's Department of Public Works is facing a $533 million backlog just to keep up with the city's current pavement condition. This backlog is looking to grow to $750 million during the 2010-2011 fiscal year.

But as all cyclists and motorists have seen, the streets needing repaving are multiplying much quicker than the city has means to fund it. According an article in today's SF Gate, "The department filled 15,334 potholes in the past fiscal year and has received 2,274 complaints of street defects so far this year."

The department is dealing with this by targeting the streets in the greatest states of disrepair, but, unfortunately, these are the streets that will cost the most to repave.

Major Roadway Repaving Projects for 2010-2011:

Under Current Construction:

• Fell St. from Polk to Steiner
• Bush St. from Van Ness to Franklin, Octavia to Laguna, Buchanan to Steiner, and Pierce to Presidio
• Monterey Blvd. from Ridgewood to San Anselmo
• Santa Clara Ave. from St. Francis to San Anselmo
• Eddy St. between Van Ness and Cyril Magnin
• Ellis St. between Van Ness and Powell

Anticipated:

• Woodside Ave. from Laguna Honda to O'Shaughnessy
• O'Shaughnessy Blvd. from Portola to Bosworth
• Noriega St. from 19th to 27th Aves.
• Holloway Ave. from Harold to Junipero Serra
• Bush St. from Battery to Montgomery, and Grant to Van Ness

It seems the city will finally be addressing some of the dangers on the road. So keep a look out for these changes and other hazardous streets. To report dangerous conditions, call 311 (or 415-701-2311).

Tragic Muni Collision

Yesterday evening, 22-year-old Derek Allen collided with the 44'OShaughnessy Muni bus and was declared dead at the scene.

According to an SF Gate article, Allen was riding on the sidewalk before riding off the curb and in front of the bus. The driver tried to swerve out of the way, but "both Allen and his bicycle ended up under the bus." Muni tested the driver for drugs and alcohol, but further details of this accident have not yet been released.

From the details given in the article, it appears that the driver is not at fault. However, this tragedy is just further evidence of the danger cyclists face in our city and that we must find ways to prevent an accident like this from happening again.

Coming Up: Biketoberfest and SF Bike Expo

Have some fun and mingle with other cyclists on Saturday October 16th @ Marin's Biketoberfest and on Saturday November 6th @ SF Bike Expo.

Biketoberfest promises live music, beer tasting, and group rides. Doors open at 11 A.M. and it's FREE.

SF Bike Expo starts 10 A.M. and is $10 in advance, $12 at the door. Come and check out the demos, the vendors, and the eclectic buzz of all kinds of cyclists.

We'll be at both events all day so be sure to check out our booth and say hi!

Caltrain Increases Fares: Big Surprise

Firstly, fares are going up by 25 cents in each of the six zones and by 75 cents if you're commuting between San Francisco and San Jose, making your ride $8.50. The monthly pass for these two cities is going to be $225.00, going up by $20.00.

Secondly, four weekday trains will be eliminated.

And finally, just to pour salt into the already gaping wound, service cuts will make it so that trains only arrive once an hour.

These changes are all in an effort to fix Caltrain's $2 million budget deficit. But Caltrain riders would be interested (and infuriated) to know that even with this deficit, the administration's payroll has increased by 14% in the past three years.

Caltrain, cover up; your greed is showing.

To read more: http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2010/10/06/caltrain-cutting-service-raising-fares-amid-salary-increases/

With Apologies to Henry David Thoreau

Thoreau once wrote, "Not until we are lost do we begin to understand ourselves."

Well, in San Francisco, it's going to be rather difficult to accomplish this transcendentalist goal thanks to Junaio.

Junaio is a "mobile augmented reality browser." And unless you work in software programming, chances are you're going to have to google what that phrase even means.

So what does it do? Junaio "provides users with interactive web-based information and services wherever they are" as an application for the iPhone and the Android.

According to the company, users need only to point their camera and are instantly fed historical and logistical information regarding their surroundings via the web. Effectively, with Junaio, people will never be lost.

BART recently teamed up with Junaio, supplying the latter with its API (application programming interface). According to BART, this collaboration will allow for the following:

"Junaio lets users tag photos, audio and text in the real world and leave digital 'crumbs' behind at particular locations for others to explore. For example, a rider coming out of the Montgomery BART Station in San Francisco could see recommendations left by friends for restaurants or shops to try that are nearby that station. Or, simply by pointing the camera on her phone, a user could find the direction of the nearest BART station and get a list of estimated arrivals for the next several trains to her destination."

An ABC article said that, "New York hasn't done this. Chicago and Washington haven't done this" so it would seem that thanks to BART, San Francisco is one of the first major cities to use this technology.

The act of discovering a new favorite cafe requires no more effort than the tap of a finger now. For this generation, technology is the preservation of the world, not wilderness. Sorry, Thoreau.

Biking is the New Black

NYtimes: "The number of adult female cyclists is growing faster than that of men [...] Some of these women seem to view their bikes, equipped with high-end saddle bags and bells, as a stand-in for a car [...] 'A bike in New York City is sort of what a convertible is in Los Angeles,' said Bonnie Morrison."

Leave it to the ladies of New York City to turn their bikes into a fashion statement. These new bike-enthused women ride around the city heeled and helmet-less. Ignoring the obvious hazards of this trend (though, these women shouldn't), it must be noted that San Francisco has been there and done that.

Compared to New York, we may not be considered fashion forerunners, but we have been biking and doing it with style for a long, long time. And in the bay, we've been working pretty hard on safe biking. So a word of advice from SF to NY? Put on a helmet or get off that bike. Your bike may be chic and in right now, but I can guarantee that your accident won't be nearly as cute.

Rule-Breaking Riding in Berkeley

For a college town like Berkeley, it can be pretty dangerous to bike, walk, and drive anywhere. A lot of rule-breaking seems to be at the root of this road anxiety.

Drivers have to look out for swarms of jaywalking students and swerving cyclists. Pedestrians need to stay alert for cyclists coming up from behind at very quick speeds. And because cyclists in Berkeley share both the road with cars and the sidewalks with pedestrians, they are in as much danger of hitting a pedestrian listening to their iPod as they are of getting hit by hurried drivers.

So far this year, 129 bicyclists have been injured in Berkeley. President David Campbell of the Bicycle Berkeley-Friendly Coalition suggests that reckless riding might be one reason for accidents. According to Campbell in a recent Oakland Tribune article, many cyclists don't follow road rules because they have never learned them. Because unlike driving, where a test and a license are required, cyclists need only a bike to start roaming the streets.

As a result of complaints from the community, Berkeley police have been on the lookout for rule-breaking riders with citations ready. Last Thursday, within just two hours, officers handed out 19 citations, some costing cyclists more than $200.

Berkeley police are hopeful that this crackdown will encourage cyclists to pay attention to the rules. And to aid in their mission, the BBFC is offering free classes to teach rules of riding, the basics of which are, "Stop at stop signs, yield to pedestrians, stop at red lights, don't ride on the sidewalk and don't ride in crosswalks."

AC Transit's Third Major Service Cut of the Year

Last March, AC Transit cut its service by 7.8%. Next up is a 7.2% cut starting October 31st. And to wrap up this year of commuting hell, last Wednesday, the board of directors approved of yet another service cut to go into effect in December.

December's cuts will:

• save the district 11.1 million dollars (theoretically)
• lay off 90 union workers
• eliminate 39 weekend routes, leaving just 17 lines

Not only have these changes been approved, but AC Transit spokesperson Clarence Johnson has said that the board directors will likely start voting on outsourcing services at their next meeting, potentially laying off even more union workers.

AC Transit's director Chris Peeples' stance was, "We may have to do it because of the amount of money it saves." Meanwhile, several people are laying blame for the budget issues on AC Transit itself due to their "years of fiscal irresponsibility."

It seems that yet another corporation has shown us that the importance of the money will always outweigh the importance of the people.

Source

Grand Opening of Pleasant Hill BART's Bike/Pedestrian Bridge

Photo source: http://www.ebbc.org/?q=node/7402

Check out this beauty in person at its grand opening October 2nd. After the long wait, cyclists should find their commute much safer than before.

Muni Frustrations

According to a recent survey conducted by the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, only 52% of polled Muni riders have rated service as good or excellent. This percentage is the lowest approval rating in almost a decade.

Within the past year, Muni decreased service and drastically increased prices for its monthly pass from $45 to $70.

Despite the low satisfaction ratings, chief Nathaniel Ford of the SFMTA remains optimistic and believes that the changes made to Muni in the past year have caused negative impacts, but will ultimately lead to positive changes.

The SF Examiner got the opinions of two Muni riders with differing reactions. One stated that, even with the changes, Muni still "works for her." The other rider disagreed with chief Ford's assessment, citing issues with fare increases and the bus schedule's undependability.

In a city, and especially a city whose residents depend so heavily on public transportation, a 52% satisfactory rating is far too low. The SFMTA needs to seek further ways to improve Muni in order to get where its commuters need to go, safely and satisfactorily.

Oakland Awarded "Bicycle Friendly Community" Title

Source: http://www.insidebayarea.com/news/ci_16091784

The city of Oakland was awarded a bronze-level award for its cycling safety and usability by The League of American Bicyclists. As of 2008, Oakland has the 7th largest percentage of people biking work, out of the 70 largest U.S. cities.

Good job, Oakland. Next year, let's go for the gold!

Map My Ride - "Empowering Active Lifestyles"

Map My Ride combines technology with exercise. In this modern age, cyclists can record and share interesting bike paths in their local areas for other exercise enthusiasts with the ease of clicking a mouse.

Though still in the early stages of development, this site could potentially be of use to cyclists looking to get off the beaten path and head for a new challenge, whether it be for hobby or sport.

AC Transit swaps paper tickets for Clipper cards

Source: http://www.insidebayarea.com/news/ci_16125213

For AC Transit regulars, it is important to know that starting October 31st, AC Transit will no longer sell paper tickets. This means that they will eliminate the use of both Adult local 31-day and 10-ride AND Youth/senior/disabled 10-ride paper tickets in exchange for the Clipper card.

As advertised all throughout the bay area, AC Transit has teamed up with fellow public transportation giants BART, Muni, Caltrain, and Golden Gate Transit and Ferry and created a universal transit pass called the Clipper card.

How Clipper works (from the Clipper website):

Clipper℠ is an all-in-one transit card that keeps track of any passes, discount tickets, ride books and cash value that you load onto it, while applying all applicable fares, discounts and transfer rules. This lets you customize your card for your own transit needs. The Clipper card can hold multiple passes, ride books or tickets (which are specific to the transit system being used), as well as up to $300 in cash value at one time.

You can add value (in the form of both passes and cash value) to your card as you go, or for added convenience, you can set up your card to automatically reload whenever your pass expires or your cash balance falls below $10.

Dates to remember:

• October 1st - AC Transit starts giving out free Clipper cards
• October 31st - AC Transit stops selling paper tickets
• December 31st - AC Transit stops accepting paper tickets

Since July 6th, 2010, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission has been giving out free Clipper cards. Judging by this article, they will stay free of charge for the upcoming months to "aid in the transition." But according to both the article and Clipper's website, "This offer is available for a limited time and may be subject to change without notice" and the cards will eventually cost $5.00. So if you want to avoid the fee, hurry and get a card!

Walk to School Day - October 6th, 2010

The Safe Routes to Schools (SRTS) movement is holding its second year of Walk to School Day this upcoming October 6th.

Walk to School Day is a global, annual event promoting "safe and active walking and bicycling." And this year, SRTS' San Francisco chapter increased its participants by 10 schools on top of last year's 5.

According to the SRTS website, the primary goals of their program is to:

• Increase bicycle, pedestrian, and traffic safety around schools;
• Decrease traffic congestion around schools;
• Reduce childhood obesity by increasing number of children walking and biking to school; and
• Improve air quality, community safety and security, and community involvement around school

In addition to Walk to School Day, the SRTS is also partnered with San Francisco's Bike to School Day which is to be held on April 7th, 2011.

Both of these programs were started recently in the bay area (SRTS in 2009 and Bike to School Day in 2008) and will hopefully get the attention of more schools in these upcoming years!

For more information regarding these events and programs, visit:

http://sfsaferoutestoschool.org/

http://biketoschoolday.org/

Bicycle Commuter Tax Credits

Does it get any better than this?http://www.bikeleague.org/news/100708faq.php

Learn How to Repair Your Own Bike

Pedal Revolution clinic

This nonprofit storefront provides employment and job training for at-risk youth and offers free in-store clinics - including a lecture and demonstration - geared to the experience and needs of the participants. Clinics cover basic topics such as flat repair, bike maintenance, bearing adjustment and wheel repair. 3085 21st St. (415) 641-1264, www.pedalrevolution.org.

REI maintenance basics

Learn how to lube a chain, fix a flat tire in record time, and make other minor adjustments to your bike. No experience necessary (links.sfgate.com/ZKDY). REI's Expert Advice section online ( www.rei.com/expertadvice) offers videos and articles on bicycle repair and maintenance for learning at your own pace. 840 Brannan St. (415) 934-1938.

Sports Basement classes

Sports Basement offers a variety of ongoing free classes at each store. (There are four in the Bay Area and two in San Francisco: 1590 Bryant St., (415) 575-3000; 610 Old Mason St., (415) 437-0100.) See a listing of free classes at links.sfgate.com/ZKDZ.

Bike Kitchen's help center

The Bike Kitchen is a do-it-yourself bicycle resource run by volunteers. On the second and fourth Fridays each month from 6-9 p.m., the group offers classes for "women, trans/gender queer folks, femmes, or anybody else that has had gender be a barrier to learning mechanics." No one is turned away. The Bike Kitchen also has basic and advanced classes for nominal fees. 650H Florida St., (415) 647-2453, www.bikekitchen.org.

Bicycletutor.com

My searches for complete online bicycle maintenance and repair resources came up short, but the videos at www.bicycletutor.com seem well-done and informative. The site has guides to basic and advance repair tools, detailed repair instructions, suggestions for picking out products and a Q&A forum.

S.F. Bicycle Coalition

Join the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition and put all of your newfound bicycle repair and maintenance skills to work with discounts on parts and accessories at shops all over the city. Your membership also supports the work that is making streets safer and more inviting for cyclists. Go to www.sfbike.org for participating stores and specific discounts.

Bike About Town is presented by the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, an 11,000-member nonprofit dedicated to creating safer streets and more livable communities by promoting the bicycle for everyday transportation. For more biking resources, go to www.sfbike.org.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/08/26/NSCQ1EVT38.DTL#ixzz0xjaaKYWq

A World Without Lawyers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3j6_S9lJ73o

This is a compelling piece produced by Consumer Attorneys of California, an organization that works tirelessly to protect the rights of consumers who have been injured or wronged. We urge you to take a look at it and forward it on.

Two Wheeler Blog: Smooth Riding in the Howard Street Bike Lane

Two Wheeler Blog: Smooth Riding in the Howard Street Bike Lane

Smooth Riding in the Howard Street Bike Lane

Although we counted on the old, decrepit, pot-hole riddled, cracked, debris laden Howard Street to feel like we were getting some use out of the "mountain" part of our mountain bikes--real off-roading like, the newly paved, smooth as a baby's bottom, Howard Street bike lane is like butta'. Now instead of fretting about falling into a point of no return hole in the street, all you have to worry about is the random peds darting into the bike lane, and of course, car doors being flung wide for no apparent reason. 1 less hazard to contend with and this makes us pleased as punch. Thanks SFBC...and you too CCSF.

Ljubljana, Slovenia is the new secret Prague

This great City is certainly the next great place to visit. Slovenia's literature is a hoot and shamelessly tells the world how it outshines its Balkan neighbors, which could be true. But, how you ask, does this relate to things on two-wheels? Well, much of the youthful energy of Ljubljana comes from the scores of people of all ages out on their bikes in these great big, colored bike lanes. While sitting at the untold number of cafes lining the river, you can watch the young and old on road bikes, mountain bikes, choppers and old school uprights complete with basket and bells (and definitely rockin' kickstands).

There is truly an amazing cycling culture at work here. It's like Eden for bikes. Bike racks are plentiful, crime is so low that hardly anyone bothers to even lock up their bikes, there are segregated bike lanes, many on the sidewalks, and traffic controls for bikes. There are also designated high traffic areas where bikes are not allowed which are clearly marked to ward off trouble. The great thing about bikes and peds sharing the sidewalk here is that everyone has their own space and it all works as long as everyone is courteous and watches out for one another. It all seems blissful and, with the exception of the almost universal lack of helmets, safe.

It's still a secret from most American tourists though...

Report Dangerous Traffic Hotspots

Have no idea if this internet/grassroots-ish website helps get stuff fixed in this City, but at least it gives folks a place to vent about seriously dangerous stuff that they encounter in SF. Check it out, report to your heart's content. Let us know if it works!

http://www.seeclickfix.com/san-francisco

SFBC MISSION SUNDAY STREETS!!

Stroll and Roll Mission Sunday Streets

Come out and play with the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition and tens of thousands of people for Sunday Streets, this Sunday, July 11 from 10am-3pm when Sunday Streets does an encore in the Mission. Four miles of Mission District streets will be transformed into a people-powered party from Dolores Park to Garfield Park along Valencia, Harrison and 24th streets. Enjoy the open streets with dancing, yoga, rollerskating, and of course biking. The SF Bicycle Coalition and Presidio YMCA have organized biking activities on Harrison Street, like urban cycling classes and Freedom From Training Wheels. Bike maintenance booths and bike rentals can be found on Harrison Street at 17th and 25th streets (in Garfield Park). We hope to see you there enjoying the fun, make sure to stop by our orange tent and say hello.

SFPD on the move to thwart bike thieves

http://www.sfexaminer.com/local/Bicycle-stings-use-high-tech-gear-97449954.html

Bike on Bike Etiquette

Everyday we fight our way through these City streets, avoiding potholes big enough to qualify as the black hole, pedestrians who meander aimlessly through our bike lanes, and the ubiquitous MUNI bus slaloming down the rode. One danger we shouldn't have to contend with are other cyclists. We're all part of the same team, people. So when you see a fellow cyclist making a left-turn, slow down or maybe even stop, if they have the right-of-way. No need for collision course mentality out there. Life doesn't have to be a series of petty torments so let's achieve Peace on Bikes...

SFBC Celebrates PRIDE

SF Bicycle Coalition LGBTQ Meet & Mingle

Mon., Jun. 21 | 6-8pm | Duboce Park Cafe, 2 Sanchez St (at Duboce)

Start the Pride party early this year at this casual happy hour to raise a glass with other LGBTQ bike lovers and support the SF Bicycle Coalition's work to make better biking conditions in our city!

The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition is proud to boast a large and diverse membership, and we want to bring our LGBTQ community together to meet and mingle and support big changes to bicycling in San Francisco. Duboce Park Cafe is generously donating 10% of profits from the party to the SF Bicycle Coalition. Both members and non-members alike are encouraged to come with both friends, partners, kids, or just bring yourself and meet other amazing LGBTQ folks working to make our City better.

No need to RSVP, just stop by for some fun on your way home from work and show your support. Complimentary bike valet provided.

Two Wheeler Blog: Stop Signs. Why we love them.

Two Wheeler Blog: Stop Signs. Why we love them.

Stop Signs. Why we love them.

We all know there is a certain freedom to riding your bike. Let's face it, you're one with the elements and unencumbered by the confines of the coffin like nature of your car. It's great to be outside, soaking in the sun, feeling the wind in your face. Some days, the very experience of being out on your bike, whizzing by cars, is enough to make you feel invincible.

And we all know stopping at stop signs interrupts the blissfulness of biking. The problem is, stop signs are a necessary evil. They protect us from cars. They also show drivers that we are just like them--lawful citizens, just trying to get from point A to point B. They allow drivers to see us and then avoid hitting us!

When you ask drivers in this City what their real gripe is about cyclists, almost uniformly the response is--they're unpredictable, they don't follow basic traffic rules. Many cyclists disregard this response but the truth is in order to make our City sustainable and, more importantly, safe, for cyclists, cyclists and drivers have to have a mutual respect for each others space. Think of it as consensus building or a call to build a bike safe city together. So the next time you come to a stop sign, when you stop, you can congratulate yourself on being an ambassador for bike safety. It's an unpaid, and sometimes thankless job, but needed.

Moped Gang Overtakes the City Streets

Even on a boring Monday night, a stroll through this City will have you stumbling upon something that you a) have never seen before, b) find amusing or c) a bit of both. The monotony of this particular Monday night was broken up by spotting a gang, (really a group of hipsters in close to matching urban "gear") all riding, in traditional Harley riding fashion, what appeared to be seriously old-timey mopeds through the Mission. The scene was completed by the sound of the revving of these two-wheeled munchkins for maximum effect. As they blew by the traffic, in formation, (it was Valencia so traffic was at its max. at 2mph) drivers and pedestrians alike stopped to stare. So the question becomes--is the Moped the new Vespa?

Summer in the City

It's been awhile since there's been a post here and it's time to change all of that. It is officially summer in this City as summer announces herself here like the wicked stepmother she is. One sunny day, followed by a string of miserable, windy, gloominess. It's all just a lead up to the few weeks of Indian summer in September...

The idea of summer when you're a kid is so intoxicating that you just can't sit still and wait for its arrival. Once it hits and school is out, summer whizzes by as you rush from one thing to another. "Adult summer" is a different story to those of us stuck in an office all day, eagerly awaiting the weekend when we can cram in a week's worth of summer fun into two days. Not nearly enough time. Does being a grownup mean you have to give up the fun of summer by making a "to-do" list of fun? That might not be the worst thing ever but what's going to be on that list this summer????