As a bicyclist, this makes me extremely nervous. The Tesla Model X has a convenience “feature” whereby the car door opens itself. It is very gee whiz, until this happens:
And here is a video taken by a Tesla enthusiast as he discovers this feature:
Archive for the ‘bicycling’ Category
Tesla car doors have a mind of their own
Posted in automotive, bicycling, tagged Tesla on June 17, 2017| 2 Comments »
Baltimore Mayor joins Paris climate accord 48 hours after ripping out a cycletrack
Posted in bicycling, tagged Baltimore, GHG on June 15, 2017| 3 Comments »
The timing is hilarious.
On June 1st, Baltimore Mayor Pugh announced that the Potomic street cycletrack would be ripped out, and downgraded to a dysfunctional and unprotected bike lane. This was done to placate residents upset over the loss of a couple parking spaces. The Mayor also wants to “evaluate” other bike projects, which means this could be a precursor to other removals.
A mere 48 hours later, Mayor Pugh released a statement expressing support for the Paris climate accords:
My endorsement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including goal thirteen which specifically addresses climate action related to greenhouse gas reduction, recognizes the complexity of these challenges. As a city we cannot ignore the urgency of these issues.
It is true we have grown accustomed to politicians who lie and say one thing but do another. But even so, you have to wonder what the Mayor and her staff were thinking when they drafted this statement while working to remove a major bike project.
The most amazing Tour de France cyclist you probably never heard of
Posted in bicycling on April 25, 2017| Leave a Comment »
Today marks the anniversary of Italy’s liberation from Nazi occupation. There were many heroes in the resistance. One you may not have heard of is Gino Bartali, two-time winner of the Tour de France:
Twice winner of the Tour de France and three times champion of the Giro d’Italia, the Italian cyclist’s greatest achievement was the part he played in the resistance. In fact, he used his skills on two wheels to save the lives of Jews, by transporting false identity papers between cities – hidden in the seat of his bicycle.
Later, Bartali moved on to physically transporting Jewish people to the safety of the Swiss Alps in a wagon pulled along by the bike. His fame proved to be a valuable asset, as he was able to tell patrols that his various journeys were simply part of his training – though he aroused suspicion, as a national hero, police likely didn’t want to risk upset by arresting the cyclist.
It is unknown exactly how many people Bartali saved, as the humble cyclist refused to be interviewed about his rescue activities.
Bartali was featured in the 2014 documentary My Italian Secret: The Forgotten Heroes:
Aren’t Republicans supposed to be anti-tax?
Posted in bicycling on April 9, 2017| Leave a Comment »
A proposed bill would tax visitors who wish to bicycle in Montana:
Bozeman, Montana Republican State Senator Scott Sales thinks cyclists are an invasive species in his home state.
Involved in stopping bicycle safety legislation recently as well, he now wants to tax each visiting cyclist $25 to ride in Montana. This fee is an amendment that’s been added to senate bill 363, which relates to invasive species management and more specifically the spreading of mussel larvae in reservoirs.
The amendment proposed by Sales and tacked on to the unrelated SB 363 would require a $25 decal for each bicycle, which would supposedly help to fund the state’s battle against invasive mussels.
All Democratic State senators voted against the amendment, while 29 out of 32 Republicans voted for.
Slippin and Slidin on Mt Hamilton
Posted in bicycling, tagged San Jose on March 3, 2017| 2 Comments »
Colorado votes down “Idaho Stop” bill
Posted in bicycling on February 8, 2017| 2 Comments »
A Colorado Senate Committee voted down an “Idaho Stop” bill. Under the proposed law, cyclists would have been permitted to treat stop signs as yield, legalizing a common behavior:
About a dozen cyclists spoke at the hearing, most of them in favor of Senate Bill 93, saying it’s simply safer — and less of a hassle for motorists — for them to roll through an intersection rather than stopping if they can do so safely.
“The longer it takes us to merge into traffic or cross an intersection, the greater the risk of a collision,” said Richard Handler, a cyclist with Team Evergreen Cycling.
The bill, introduced by Sen. Andy Kerr, D-Lakewood, is commonly known as the “Idaho stop,” and backers credit it with reducing cycling-related injuries by 14.5 percent in that state the year after it was implemented, according to a 2010 study by Jason Meggs, a researcher at the University of California at Berkeley School of Public Health.
France adopts mandatory helmet law for children
Posted in bicycling, tagged helmets on January 18, 2017| 1 Comment »
France has taken a u-turn in its efforts to promote safe and convenient cycling. Thanks to a new law, kids aged 12 and under will be required to wear bike helmet. Failure to do so risks a whopping 135 euro fine. The rule applies even to kids riding in a bike trailer.
The new law was announced at the end of 2016 and is part of a raft of measures contained in a report published last October by a government committee for road safety, following a recent rise in road fatalities. The other measures include fines for drivers caught using their mobile phones while driving and stiffer penalties for speeding.
Youth helmet bills are largely based off a law passed by California back in 1994. The California law has been quite ineffective, and yet it is still being used as a model.
