This brings up an interesting debate.  Should helmets be required?  Is it reasonable for the person that wants to ride uptown  instead of drive for an afternoon meeting to carry a helmet around with them?  What about people that are sightseeing?  Is it practical for visitors of the State Museum that then want to ride down to the AquaDuck tour strap a helmet to their camera bags?  It’s possible that requiring a helmet would discourage people from using bikeshare bikes.

Let’s take a look at the two sides.

The point behind a bikeshare program is to get more bicycles on the streets, make bicycles available, and to provide a convenient travel mode.  It makes sense that the more bikes that are on the street, the more drivers will be aware of them and thus everyone is safer.  Bikeshare bikes are usually ‘cruiser’ types equipped with lights and bells.  People will not be racing down hills or between cars, the bikes wouldn’t let them.

The flip side deals with administration and safety.  If a municipality has an existing helmet law for privately owned bikes on the roadways, how can anyone expect it to be different for municipally owned bikes?  Would the law(s) be amended to exclude bikeshare bikes?   In terms of safety, we’ve been pushing proper helmet use and fitting for years.  Would a change in mindset be needed and could it be made in time?  It would probably be a tough sell to convince some that riding without a helmet is safer when considering the potential for car/bike conflicts and the possibility of head injuries. 

Does the fact that more bikes being on the road (which increases safety) outweigh the safety and injury concerns?  Safety, at least in transportation circles, usually is focused around the data…the hard facts.  Should data be the decision maker or should data be part of the equation when a municipality makes an informed decision? 

As Grist says, “bike sharing is too good an opportunity to let pass.  It’s sustainable, healthy, and doesn’t require extra parking garages or oil imports

What do you think?

 Complete Streets policies have been endorsed by a slew of advocacy organizations, not the least of which being AARP, who has praised the NYS legislature for its efforts to pass the legislation.

 The Bill  states that the consideration of complete street design features would be provided for on all projects undertaken by municipalities and public authorities  that  receive  both  state  and federal  funding  and  are  subject  to  department  of transportation oversight.” There are a few conditions and considerations for projects that are grandfathered in before the law goes into effect, and there is some grey area left open to interpretation by the use of the phrase “where appropriate.”

As of April of 2010, NYSDOT had already adopted a policy to “promote pedestrian and bicycle travel for all persons on the state transportation system,” and further, “to develop a transportation system that offers travel mode choices that are inclusive of, accessible to, convenient and safe for pedestrians and bicyclists.” The Complete Streets law would hold DOT accountable, requiring that it produce a report within two years demonstrating the Department’s compliance with the law and how it has modified its procedures to “institutionalize” complete streets design features.

The bottom line is that this new legislation means bicyclists can expect to see better facilities on new road projects in the future—more bike lanes, sharrows, multi-use trails, signage, signals, etc.—which is definitely cause for celebration!

To celebrate the occasion, CDTA is offering a FREE all day transit pass (to be used anytime) to those who sign the dump-the-pump pledge. In addition, those who sign the pledge will be entered to win up to $100 worth of free non-expiring CDTA passes of their choice.

ALL CDTA buses feature front-end bike racks that each accommodate two bikes. So, even if you don’t have a transit stop within easy walking distance, why not try biking to the closest stop and completing your trip with the bus? Similarly, even if the bus doesn’t quite get you to the front door of your work place, try closing the gap by using your bike in conjunction with the bus!

Here’s a quick and easy guide to using CDTA’s bike racks.

So let’s “dump the pump,” not only to save money on gas, but also to save our cities and the environment and to foster healthier communities!

Did you Dump the Pump?

Organizers are staging a 64-mile ride to visit five local schools on June 8^th, 2011. The philosophy behind the effort is simple: “Tell me, I forget; Show me, I remember; Involve me, I understand.” Advocates will not only be telling children about bicycle safety and the benefits of wearing a helmet, but will actively engage and involve them, as well.

And that’s not all. Members of the second grade class at each school visited will be receiving (and properly fitted with) FREE helmets! The goal is to not only get kids to ride safer, but for them to also carry that message into the home and influence their parents and siblings to wear a helmet when they ride.

More information about this wonderful local advocacy organization can be found at the group’s website

Birk touched on several “ keys to success” which she has found to be vital in the effort to create communities that are bikeabale, walkable, and livable—tenets which can certainly be taken to heart here in the Capital District. In addition to those that one might expect—political leadership, advocacy, etc.—Birk cited several less obvious “keys” that are also extremely important. Among these are having “thick skin” and the willingness to take on risks and backlash; coordination between all municipal departments including cleaning crews, police, and emergency response services, in addition to planning and public works departments; and paying attention to examples of “best practices”—we can learn from what others have done!

What do you think are the greatest hurdles to developing bike-friendly infrastructure and changing mindsets in the Capital District?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fHt82xUoOg

Loading

1. Have your bike ready to load before the bus comes.  This means removing water bottles, child carrier seats, and any other loose items that could fall off.
2. Wait until the bus reaches a complete stop, then signal to the driver that you are going to load your bike.
3. Always load your bike from the curb side.  Never stand in or near on-coming traffic.
4. To lower the rack, squeeze the center handle and slowly lower the rack.
5. Load your bike onto the rack in the space closest to the bus if the rack is empty.
6. Lift your bike into the wheel well, making sure your front wheel is placed on the side labeled “Front Wheel”.
7. Pull up and out on the support arm and hook it over the front wheel.

Unloading

1. Tell the driver you will be unloading your bike before you exit the bus.
2. Raise the support arm up and off your front tire and then move the arm down and out of the way.
3. Lift your bike out of the rack.
4. If there is no other bike on the rack, fold it up.
5. Move to the curb and wait for the bus to pull away before getting on your bike.

If you ever forget to retrieve your bike from the rack, call CDTA’s lost and found at: 518-482-8822

Also, check out CDTA’s map of stationary bike racks to find places where you can park your bike.

Cyclists may either enter the roundabout as a vehicle or dismount and use the pathway/sidewalk around the perimeter of the roundabout.
• Riders who enter the roundabout as a vehicle must follow the same rules as vehicles. Cyclists are required to follow all signs and pavement markings, and to yield to both pedestrians and vehicles already circulating within the roundabout.
• Be assertive when merging with traffic.
• Before entering a multi-lane roundabout, cyclists should be sure they are in the correct lane.
• Riders should try to travel at approximately the same speed as motorists within the roundabout. Cyclists should ride in the center of the lane, not along the curb line.
• Be sure to use proper hand signals when exiting the roundabout.

NYSDOT has a great video showing bikes through a roundabout

Image Source: FHWA

We’ve had the sharrows on Washington Ave, New Scotland Ave and Delaware Ave for a while now. There are still a lot of questions about what they are and the message they are supposed to give.

In short, sharrows are pavement markings that improve cycling safety on streets that are too narrow for traditional bike lanes. These markings indicate to drivers that the road is a preferred bicycle route, and that they should be prepared to share the road with cyclists.  The placement of the sharrow shows cyclists where they can ride to avoid traveling in the door zone of parked cars. The following video from the Iowa Bicycle Coalition provides a brief overview of sharrows.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXVppT9Djus