Foto by Wes

No More Ghost Bikes: HB1683 & SB928.

2011-01-19T10:59:00.007-05:00

As it stands now, any driver in Virginia can get away with killing a cyclist by simply claiming, "I didn't see them."

The awesome guys at the Virginia Bicycling Federation have been working on the state level to introduce legislation that would create safer roads for cyclists. Senate Bill 928 and HB1683, the "Three Foot Passing Law," would increase the legally-required minimum passing distance from two to three feet. If enacted, the law would also require motor vehicle operators to maintain a safe, reasonable distance when following ANY vehicle on the road, be it a bicyle, a moped, an electric wheelchair or a scooter. The law doesn't absolve cyclists from the responsibility to ride in a safe manner, and as close to the right side of the road as is practical, but it will afford us legal protection.

Senator Yvonne Miller, of Norfolk, and Delegate Jeion Ward, of Hampton, are members of their respective Transportation Committees, which will shortly be considering Senate Bill 928 and HB1683, the "Three Foot Passing Law." If you live in Hampton or Norfolk, please contact them TODAY. Below is an email that I sent to Senator Miller:

Dear Senator Miller,

As your constituent and a practical cyclist, I urge you to support Senate Bill 928, which has been referred to the Transportation Committee. SB928 would require motorists to maintain a reasonable, safe distance behind not only cyclists, but also persons using electric wheelchairs or mopeds. Such vehicles would still be required to operate as far to the right on the road as is practical and safe, but motor vehicle operators would be required to pass them at a distance of three, instead of two, feet.

You may recall that less than two years ago a local cyclist, Dan Hersh, was struck and killed from behind by an inattentive driver on Shore Drive. Dan was a retired Navy SEAL, a father of two, and a very experienced cyclist. In the opinion of the Commonwealth Attorney, Harvey Bryant, Dan was operating his bicycle in a responsible manner, with all required safety equipment. The driver who rear-ended and killed Dan claimed that she "didn't see him," and Harvey Bryant declared that there was therefore no existing legal basis for prosecution. The driver did not lose her right to operate a motor vehicle, receive points on her driver's license, pay a fine, or even pay restitution

As it stands now in Virginia, a motorist can be absolved of any responsibility for killing a cyclist by simply claiming, "I didn't see them." The cycling community in Norfolk and Virginia Beach was outraged to learn that while we have the legal responsibility to follow all the rules of the road, we are not afforded the right to justice under the law.

Our Governor, Bob McDonnell, has declared that we must be innovative in solving our transportation problems. When ridden in a safe and responsible manner, bicycles can be a low cost, local solution: 25% of all trips are made within one mile of home, yet 99% of the time, that trip is made by car. If we create a legal environment where cyclists are respected as equal road users, we will see more people choose their bicycle instead of a car for short trips. That in turn will result in less consumption of gasoline, less wear and tear on our roads, less cost in maintaining our roads, less pollution, a healthier population, lower healthcare costs, and a higher quality of life for all persons.

Thank you for your support,

Wes Cheney

If you don't know your the name of your delegate or senator, it's just a few mouse clicks away: check out Who's My Legislator?

If you want to learn more about "vulnerable road user laws," check out the VBF blog, written by local cycling advocate Bruce Drees.

And if you need any more reasons to go by bike, check out 1 World, 2 Wheels.

Fotobywes: facebooked...

2010-09-27T22:14:00.002-04:00

So AltDaily has given me a great forum for creative nonfiction. The big pieces.

And Facebook has become my recording tablet of odd & amusing miscellanea.

Now I'm spending my days in my garage, building bikes and (hopefully soon again) a boat.

I'm shooting timelapse movies with my Nikon D90. Advocating for a velophilic Norfolk through Bike Norfolk. Starting a small business: Velo Bamboo. Flipping bikes. Dreaming up bamboo long bikes. Napping on the couch with 4 year old Abby. Rubbing my pregnant wife's hips. Staining my calluses with hub grease.

So it's not that I don't love you, FotoByWes.blogspot.com, it's just that I'm not in love with you.

I've got skillz: urban bike skillz!

2010-06-21T08:31:00.002-04:00

Listen up, folks!

This Friday & Saturday there's an awesome opportunity to learn to ride more confidently in the city.

Bruce Drees will be teaching "Traffic Skills 101," a course aimed at the neophyte urban cyclist, here in Norfolk.

It's a two-part class: classroom & on-the-road. A bicycle & helmet are required. There's a $35 fee to cover instruction materials.

So if you want mad bike skillz, this is the class for you!

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=110707642282413&v=wall#!/event.php?eid=112424382137838

http://www.bikeleague.org/cogs/programs/education/course_detail/3694

Norfolk Cop: "Don't give me SH*T!!!"

2010-06-11T19:39:00.003-04:00

“Don't come over here and give me SHIT for riding on the sidewalk!”

So said Officer Rogers of the Norfolk Police Department, standing astride his bicycle on the sidewalk of Plume Street in downtown Norfolk during the opening hours of Harborfest 2010.

I was riding my bike home on Plume Street (with traffic, in the street), a little after six o'clock, when I saw Officer Rogers and Officer “Blank” riding the opposite direction on the sidewalk (the nametag was missing from the velcro strip on Officer Blank's uniform).

I looked behind me and made a u-turn on my bike as Officers Rogers & Blank stopped on their bikes, too. I pulled up in a driveway to a construction site, and asked Officer Blank as he started to ride around me,

“What in the performance of your duties requires you to ride on the sidewalk right now?”

“Huh?”

“Why do you feel the need to ride on the sidewalk right now?”

“Because I can ride on the sidewalk.”

“I understand that you're legally allowed to ride on the sidewalk, just as you have the legal authority to drive through a red light when you are in your cruiser. But you don't drive through red lights unless required. So what part of your duties right now requires you to ride on the sidewalk?”

“Well, I'm patrolling.”

At this point, Officer Rogers rode over on his bike, looking rather agitated. Officer Blank looked like he had been hitting the donuts: a chunky guy, over 35% body fat. Officer Rogers was shorter and leaner: the bantam weight boxer to Officer Blank's linebacker. Officer Rogers joined in the conversation,

“Let me ask you something: what do you do for a living?”

“I'm a photographer,” I replied,

“Do I come around and give you SHIT while you're taking pictures of flowers? NO! So don't come come over here and give me SHIT for riding my bike on the sidewalk!”

“I'm not asking you not to ride on the sidewalk, I'm asking you what in the performance of your duties compels you to ride on the sidewalk. See, you're setting a bad example: there are thousands of people downtown for Harborfest. You're riding on the sidewalk. People see cops riding on the sidewalk, and they think it's OK. In fact it's illegal in Norfolk, and it's four hundred percent more dangerous than riding in the street, with traffic!”

At this point, Officer Blank chimed in, “Well we're cops because we like danger: maybe that's why we ride on the sidewalk.”

Officer Rogers went back on the attack, “Have you ever taken a PHOTOGRAPH of a dead police officer?”

“Actually, yes, I have,” I replied, stretching the truth only slightly: from firsthand, forensic photography I know the punchline to the joke, “What do you call a guy floating in the ocean with no arms and no legs?” Answer: “A naval aviator.” (I spent some time photographing in the morgue of the Portsmouth Navy Hospital, and Navy pilots are the cops of the ocean skies.)

“Don't you have anything better to do?” Officer Rogers continued,

“I think it's quite important for our police to model good, law-abiding behavior: you don't run red lights just because you can. You run them when you need to. You shouldn't ride on the sidewalk, just because you can.”

“And you rode your bike over here ON THE SIDEWALK to tell us that?”

“Actually, officer, I'm not on the sidewalk,” I observed, looking down at the curb cut and parking lot driveway where I was standing, astride my bike.”

Officer Rogers was furiously quiet for a few moments as he realized that I was, indeed, in compliance with the Norfolk city code. Then he gathered himself up and presented the best justification yet,

“We are patrolling the downtown area and keeping citizens safe. For that reason, we are riding on the sidewalk.”

I think Officer Rogers knew that it was a lame excuse, but strong enough to stand up, should his Sergeant inquire. And I look forward to hearing from the Norfolk Police Department as to their guidelines for officers exercising their legal permission under Section 23-398 of the Norfolk Municipal Code to operate bicycle on the sidewalk:

“Because I can,” is not a sufficient reason.

North American Handmade Bike Show, 2010

2010-03-22T08:32:00.001-04:00

Eighty seconds of bike porn, without me pimping myself to the camera. Enjoy!

Host Our Coast Contest: Blog Submission

2010-03-16T09:09:00.003-04:00

Host Our Coast is looking for both a video and a sample blog. So, here's the blog to tell the rest of the story of the 3rd Annual North American Handmade Bike Show:

Bikes on the roof, wheels in the backseat, and another I-64 traffic jam in front of us. We're usually impatiently waiting to ride when stuck on the highway, but today we had hit the road to look at bikes. From Ontario to Delmarva, almost 7,000 cyclists headed to Richmond, Virginia for the 3rd Annual North American Handmade Bike Show, held February 25-28. When the show started in Portland, Oregon two years ago there were just 700 tickets sold.

Like music, bicycles have become both a commodity and an art form. Taiwanese mountain bikes are churned out almost as fast as teeny-bop MP3s, and have just as brief a lifespan. “Real” bikes, like real music, are a labor of love, crafted with patience and attention to detail by artists, treasured and shared by often-fanatic followers. With a punk rock, D.I.Y. ethos, bike builders start tinkering in garages. Many labor on in obscurity, a few make a living at it, and only rarely do any gain fame. For every Gary Fisher or Alex Moulton (near-household names on their respective sides of the Atlantic), there are dozens of lesser-known, but equally gifted, master builders.

The hallway outside echoed with the tick-tick-tick of freewheel hubs as cyclists pushed their bikes to the indoor valet parking. Inside, a humdrum convention hall had been invaded by a caravan of callused hippies and their temporary emerald city of chrome and pedals. A minimalist bike of mercury and silver glowed under tracklighting—two wheels, two pedals, a handlebar and a seat on the sleakest of metal frames. No brakes, no gears, no handlebar tape, no bells, no whistles. A track-inspired "fixie," or fixed-gear bicycle: without a freewheel, the pedals and rear wheel are chained together, and the cyclist's legs become the brakes.

Bilenky Cycle Works out of Philadelphia was awarded “Best road frame” in the show. Owner Stephen Bilenky brought his staff along with nearly all the tools, fixtures and dust from their shop- a dozen unfinished frames lined the back wall of their “display booth” above a workbench, invoices hung on clipboards beneath a decades-old clock. Potential patrons lingered around single and tandem bikes, pointing to details, talking and dreaming of riding.
Just down the aisle was the legendary Craig Calfee, a bike messenger turned bike builder. In the Nineties he was on the forefront of carbon fiber bikes, and now in the 21st Century he is a pioneer and prophet of bamboo bikes. A three-seater road bike with bamboo tubes as thick as oil cans stood next a “traditional” carbon fiber road bike.

In years to come, the third annual North American Handmade Bike Show may become our generation's cycling Woodstock: many who were never there will nonetheless say they were for the significance of it: Rock 'n' roll is here to stay, and so are handmade bikes. All you need is three gears and the truth, the rest is up to you.

Host Our Coast Contest!

2010-03-16T08:59:00.002-04:00

I need your vote to Host Our Coast! I'm one of 34 journalists vying to get a 3 month gig covering ecotourism on the Delmarva Peninsula...Vote and video views drive the selection process. Check me out, and the competition, too.

Big thanks go out to the Hebners for being such great hosts and keeping an eye on Abby while Liz & I chased after a story.

Forward, the Light Broom Brigade!

2010-01-15T10:57:00.003-05:00

Alley Cat Bike Ride, this Sunday afternoon, 3pm.
Pass it on!

Half a league, half a league,
Half a league onward,
All across the bridge of Death
Rode the street sweepers.
'Forward, the Light Broom Brigade!
Charge for the glass!’ he said:
Across the bridge of Death
Rode the street sweepers.
(with apologies to Alfred Lord Tennyson)

This Just In: Condos at Ipswich...

2010-01-08T09:46:00.003-05:00

I've got a big old can of I-told-you-so to open up...The City of Chesapeake is reviewing plans for "Southern Ridge," a 216-unit condominium development on 18 acres of land that abuts Indian River Park.

For the better part of two decades local citizens have developed bike trails and dirt jumps on this parcel of land. It's a shame that it wasn't incorporated into Indian River Park from the start.

So here's the $64,000 question: what's that land worth, and what's it gonna take for cyclists in Southside Hampton Roads to preserve the only singletrack park left?

First Blog of the New Year

2010-01-05T12:34:00.002-05:00

I've been struggling to blog efficiently with my new Palm Pre- thumb-typing through a mobile-unfriendly website isn't the most productive or rewarding use of my time. (Hyperlinks are a horror.) And I haven't carved out a new time to sit with a laptop or desktop to type & blog.

I have, however, become a satisfied user of FaceBook Mobile: I can shoot a picture on my Palm Pre smartphone, email it to FaceBook, and it's automatically posted to my mobile upload album. I no longer have to download pix from a camera, process them through Lightroom, export, upload & publish them. My FaceBook Mobile Upload album has become a photo journal.

I've been subscribing to the Photojojo for at least a year now, inspired by new techniques & equipment. In no small measure, Photojojo has fueled my love affair with the LensBaby. So I was stoked when I received the latest email newsletter with a link to my favorite philosopher of photographer, Roland Barthes:

" A photograph is always invisible, it is not it that we see."

You're not looking at the pixels or silver crystals or toner dots.
You contemplate the message, not the messenger.
We watch what's on TV, not the television set itself.

Solstice Sunride: Come On Down!

2009-12-15T14:39:00.004-05:00

If at first you don't succeed...try something different...

I want to submit an entry to the 2010 Bicycle Film Festival (my 2008 entry wasn't selected...c'est la vie). I've wanted to "observe" the Winter Solstice for some time now. And, I'm fascinated with Norfolk's emerging bike culture. So I mashed up all three and present...

Solstice Sunride:
A Cycling Community Documentary & Happening

On Winter Solstice, next Monday, December 21st, I will be shooting a film at Norfolk's Plum Point Park, on the Elizabeth River Trail in West Ghent, overlooking the riverscape. I will be setting up at least one timelapse camera to record the sunrise, transit & sunset on the shortest day of the year. And, I will also be making portraits and recording interviews with Norfolk cyclists during daylight at Plum Point Park.

So ride out before work, after school, or during your lunch hour. Pose for a picture, sip a warm cup of freshly mulled cider, watch the sun slip across the sky, and answer the question,

"Why do you ride?"

If you'd like to reserve a time between 7:15am and 4:45pm, drop me a note: friendwes_at_mac.com.

Now here's the really fun part...at 5:20pm we'll get on our bikes & ride from Plum Point Park: I'll be leading a mystery ride on a spontaneous route to an undisclosed location. Riders will be invited to participate in traditional solstice celebrations, including a yule log & warm grog.

Ipswich after the Nor'Easter: It Could be Worse...

2009-11-15T19:10:00.008-05:00

As soon as the power came on & I was able to start up the sump pump, I headed out to Ipswich on Saturday to see what kind of storm damage there was...truth be told, it could've been a lot worse! There are more pix in my photobucket album.

I didn't ride every single trail- in fact I never made it across the power lines to the south side: I mostly stayed in the older-growth section on the north side. But after Hurricane Isabel Ipswich was much more torn up. There were a fair number of downed trees, but nothing too bad: I only found one large (12"+ trunk diameter) Swamp Maple that was blocking a significant length of the "Orange X" trail east of the Rokeby/Main trail head, and I was able to get that out of the way with about an hour of work. I added a couple of logs to the trail for a little variety.

There's also a fairly tall pine tree that's fallen across "Blunt Corner" (the clearing at the Rokeby/Main trailhead that's often littered with Philly blunt wrappers). I only brought hand tools, so I just left it where it was.

I also got some "traffic direction" work done. If I did my job right, the main trails will flow more smoothly, and no one will notice what's missing...

And for the record, the plywood shack southeast of Blunt Corner was built by stoners, not a homeless guy...

EVMA is moving forward on becomes an official sponsor of Indian River Park (the official name of "Ipswich"), and we're looking to have a park clean up on Saturday, January 9. More details will be forthcoming. The City is receptive to EVMA taking on more of the maintenance at Ipswich, and has even offered to provide supplies- who knows? maybe we'll get a ton of gravel!

On the way out to the car this afternoon, I met up with Tristan & Greg, who were about to take a ride and see what needed to be done. Thanks, guys, for coming out! I think I also saw Kev's Audiwagon, too...

While I was out there, I laid out some pink survey tape to mark where the bermed turns could use some attention: I'd love to see some 2 or 3 foot berms on the "Orange X" trail south of the Rokeby/Main trailhead. There's the potential for some really nice S curves!

Not so New, but still Improved!

2009-11-10T21:33:00.003-05:00

Based on feedback from riders and my own observations of the changing road conditions, I've updated my "Bike Friendly Norfolk" map.

I'm happy to report that most of the changes have been for the better: anecdotally, there are more cyclists out there. More cyclists make for safer roads, as a "critical mass" is established. Colley Avenue, in particular, feels more bike-friendly than it did two years ago, when I first published my map.

East Little Creek Road and Virginia Beach Boulevard have also been renovated: the service roads are now gone from East Little Creek, replaced by a 12-foot wide shoulder that is a bike lane in all but name. I'm looking forward to the roadwork being finished on The Boulevard, bringing it to a similar condition.

Please let me know if you have any suggestions or comments, and feel free to distribute!

Monday Night "Urban Assault" Ride

2009-11-10T06:45:00.004-05:00

Even though, or maybe because, I started the Monday night ride with Liz some seven years ago (yep, Liz, it's been that long), I've gotten kinda bored with it...The route hasn't changed that much, and chasing after a bunch of übermensch while dragging along a baby trailer gets old after a while...It's been more fun to head out to Ipswich & do trail work.

We tried a different route last night, heading up Granby Street & out to the end of Willoughby Spit. On the way back I rode a lap of the cross-country course at Northside Park. Thirteen crazy folk showed up, mostly on 'cross bikes, and it was definitely an A Pace ride- 19mph+ for most of the way.

Thanks, Robert, Liz & Mike, for suggesting a fun, new route. I never thought I'd see the day when Liz Schleeper would lead a group ride down Tidewater Drive!!!

Race Across the Sky: Coming to Hampton! Thursday Night!!!

2009-11-09T12:16:00.002-05:00

Race Across The Sky, the Leadville 100 documentary, will be showing this Thursday night at the Hampton AMC Theatres!

I'm ordering my tickets now- the last bike film I saw in the theater was "The Triplets of Belleville."

Ipswich: Southside's Best Singletrack

2009-11-09T08:08:00.005-05:00

"Ipswich? Man, I haven't ridden there in years!"

The rumors of Ipswich's demise have been greatly exaggerated. In fact, there's been a fair bit of grassroots effort in the past couple of months to make Ipswich (A.K.A. Indian River Park) a better place to ride. The Eastern Virginia Mountain Bike Association (EVMA) is negotiating with the City of Chesapeake to officially sponsor the park, at the behest of Southside Hampton Roads mountain bikers who want to realize the full potential of Ipswich.

Here's a short, and probably incomplete, list of some of the work that's been done at Ipswich since the summer:

Litter Clean Up. Let's just be honest about it, Ipswich gets trashed. It's not as bad as it was, but it definitely should be better.
Trail Maintenance. It's the little stuff- trimming back branches, pulling out thorn vines, and occasionally getting out a chainsaw to clear deadfall.
Mud Holes. There are a fair number of low spots at Ipswich. The worst of them have been "palletized." Drainage and gravel has been added in a few spots, but there's still more work to be done in order to make some of the trail loops flow smoothly- right now it's pretty damaging to ride through the worst spots.
New Bridges. In a fit of liability paranoia a year or so ago, the City of Chesapeake chainsawed the best MTB features, such as the 15' teeter totter...but there are some new features cropping up, including a sweet little bridge (if I do say so myself):
Trail Marks. By far, this is the improvement most visible to newbies and riders who haven't been back to Ipswich since the last hurricane. While there's still more work to be done, it's now possible to ride the "Orange X" loop around both sides of the park. The marking of the "Red Circle" and "White Arrow" trails should be finished before Thanksgiving.

Solo Breakaway Wins!

2009-11-08T08:23:00.004-05:00

The 7-Eleven Posse Poses

"Hey man, I'll trade you a Davis Phinney for your Bob Roll," one nostalgic hipster said to another under the glow of sodium lights. But before a response could be made, another voice jumped in,

"Bob Roll? The Bob Roll rode for 7-Eleven? I never knew that!!!"

Yup, and so did Chris Carmichael, (yes, that Chris Carmichael), John Tomac and Andy Hampsten. Both Davis Phinney and his wife Connie Carpenter rode for 7-Eleven, too, although Connie was on the women's team with Rebecca Twigg.

Straight outta my high school locker...
"Rebecca wears Protec, or she wears nothing at all."

Eleven guys showed up for the first-ever Re-Cycle 7-Eleven alley cat, and paired up into two-man squads, with the exception of Matt, the odd man out. Matt took it in stride though, and declined to ride in a threesome, instead opting to go solo.

Riders needed to visit 4 7-Elevens (any four), as well as 7 of 11 "recycled" Norfolk 7-Elevens. "Premiums," or time bonuses, were offered for bringing back receipts from more-distant 7-Elevens. And a 27 minutes time bonus was offered for photographic proof of a recycled 7-Eleven not listed on the manifest.

Matt scored by finding a "7 Brothers" convenience store that not only recycled a 7-Eleven store building, but also ripped off the 7-Eleven logo for their sign! Kudos to Matt for a long, solo ride in the dark!

Matt, winner of 7-Eleven Re-Cycles, 2009 Edition.

Next up:
An Alley Cat tribute to Andy Hampsten and the Gavia pass?
A 7-Eleven race sequel on Sunday, July 11th?
Wait & see...

Re-Cycle 7 Eleven

2009-10-30T13:31:00.003-04:00

Alright, if you've ridden with me around Norfolk, you know one of my favorites quirks of this area is the abundance of "recycled" 7-Elevens: convenience stores put to new use.

So while I'm not going to reveal the checkpoints for this upcoming Alley Cat, I will confirm that there will be more than a few former 7-Elevens featured.

Come out & enjoy!

Clean Up @ Ipswich

2009-09-21T11:45:00.003-04:00

I've been riding around Ipswich recently, getting ready for the Wednesday night rides. By the end of summer vacation the place had been trashed: given the abundance of fruit-flavored Philly Blunt wrappers, and the accompanying, munchy-induced soda bottles & potato chip bags, I'd guess that there's been some stoners out there...

The trails are in pretty decent shape, and a few kind souls have cleaned up some of the recent windfall, but the trash has gotta go! So this Saturday, 9/26, Liz Schleeper & myself will be coordinating a cleanup at Ipswich, starting at noon. We're looking for folks to come out for an hour or two, pick up litter, and maybe do some minor trail maintenance.

There are a few "potholes" in the trails that we've been calling & avoiding for a year or more during our group rides. It would only be a couple of minutes work with a shovel to fill them in, but who thinks to bring along a shovel on a mountain bike ride? There are also some inclined sections that could use similar attention: a bucket of dirt spread on the fall line would make for a smoother ride. There are also a couple of larger donut holes left by dirt bikes that need to be filled in, too.

The trails are relatively clear of branches and weeds, although there are will always be some new growth that needs to be trimmed. If you're inclined to do so, bring along a small, folding handsaw.

Finally, I could use 10-15 gallons of gravel. If you can get it to the trailhead, I'll take it from there in my B.O.B. trailer: I need it to lay at the base of a new ladder bridge.

So here's a list of what we need, Saturday Afternoon:
1. You.
2. Your friend.
3. Willing hands to pick up trash.

Optionally, we could also use the following:
A. Shovels
B. Handsaws
C. 10-15 gallons of gravel
D. 5 gallon plastic buckets w/ handles (good for moving dirt)
E. Wheelbarrows (good for moving more dirt)
F. Bike trailers. (2 wheels good, 1 wheel better)
G. Your Bike

After we finish cleaning up, we'll celebrate with a group ride around Ipswich, followed by a group hug.

Ludicrous, Giving Away Cars!

2009-09-09T13:53:00.003-04:00

Rapper Ludacris gave away twenty cars earlier this week.

Wow.
How empowering.

For the same amount of money, he could've given away 300 decent bicycles, which would've been a far better bargain for the working poor:

I'm gonna hazard a guess that the average recipient of a Luda-car doesn't have health insurance, and they're already strapped for cash.

Ludacris gave them each a car, but didn't cover the insurance, registration or taxes. And now, instead of improving their cardiovascular health, and thereby decreasing their risk of diabetes and heart disease, they now have a new key to a sedantary drive, thereby decreasing their life expectancies.

(No, really: cyclists have a longer life span than automobile drivers.)

If they'd been given bikes, they not only would've saved money on automobile taxes, title, registration & insurance, they would've also saved thousands of dollars per year on gasoline & maintenance costs, not to mention the above-mentioned healthcare savings.

Yep, chalk up another one for the American Dream: style trumps substance.

My Morning Road Rash

2009-09-09T08:41:00.003-04:00

It was a cool, clear morning: blue skies & puffy white clouds.
I grabbed my touring bike with fenders, expecting to find a few puddles left over from yesterday's rain.
I was cutting a turn through a parking lot in City Park, when
bam!
my rear wheel slid out on a scrap of cardboard.
Down I went, tearing up my favorite Portland-style bike knickers.

It just goes to prove,

Litter Hurts.

Full Fenders & Goretex

2009-09-08T11:38:00.001-04:00

Our rain barrels are overflowing under the gutters, and for the first time since spring I had to suit up in full Goretex, head to toe, in order to be able to ride into work. I rode my trusty touring bike, with full.fenders and mud flaps. Yup, it's a workhorse: my winter bike. A couple of coworkers laughed when they saw me emerge from the elevator, dripping wet.

But hey, I had a good ride in!

Still Sorry

2009-09-04T10:20:00.002-04:00

24 hours later, that goose is still there on Church Street...
this ain't no pigeon-
we're talking about something big enough to feed Bob Cratchett's entire family...

Sorry

2009-09-03T13:38:00.001-04:00

On my commute into work this morning, I saw a Canada Goose lying dead next to the road.

I guess somebody was sorry.

Norfolk Bike Cops- Get Off the Sidewalk!

2009-09-03T08:16:00.004-04:00

I was on my way to join the Wednesday night road ride out of the Norfolk Conte's when I saw a squad of bike cops riding north on Granby Street, single file, along the sidewalk. They stopped at the 7-Eleven at 38th & Granby for refreshments, and I took the opportunity to engage them.

While adult cyclists in Norfolk are legally obliged to ride in the road, Norfolk bike cops can ride on the sidewalk whenever they darn well feel like it.

Why? Well, I got three different answers to that question from a squad of Norfolk's "finest." I'll leave you to judge the lameness:

1. "The department won't buy us rear-view mirrors."
2. "The sidewalk is safer because we're targets."
3. "The Supreme Court says we can."

So let's take a look at each of these excuses for failing to follow the rules of the road:

1. "The department won't buy us rear-view mirrors."
Rear-view mirrors are not necessary to ride safely on the road. A cyclist is far more likely to be injured by what's in front of them than by what's behind them. And it's hard to lend much credence to budgetary woes when the officers in question are riding $2,000 bikes, and their utility belts are sagging under the weight of radios, handcuffs, tasers, batons, pistols and pepper spray. The Norfolk Police Department can't pony up $5 for a helmet or handlebar-mounted rear-view mirror? Please...

2. "The sidewalk is safer because we're targets."
One of the younger members of the bike squad asserted that it was safer for bike cops to ride on the sidewalk because they're targets in the road. But if some enraged driver wanted to run over a bike cop, I doubt that a six inch curb would be much of an impediment. I'll hazard a guess that the injury rate for bike cops is statistically proportional to that for civilian cyclists: in North America a cyclist is more likely to be injured and killed when they're riding on the sidewalk.

3. "The Supreme Court says we can."
Well, I can't argue much with this one. The Norfolk City Code allows city employees to ride on sidewalks. The Supreme Court has upheld that police officers are legally allowed to use lethal force and ignore traffic laws in the performance of their duties. I hardly think, though, that riding to 7-Eleven is a part of their official duties.

To argue by analogy, let's consider another police officer heading north on Granby Street to 7-Eleven. It's late afternoon, and traffic is heavy, so the officer decides to drive their squad car/motorcycle/paddy wagon on the sidewalk. In the abscence of any emergency, I believe that most law-abiding citizens would consider such behavior to be an abuse of power. Just because you can doesn't mean you should.

What our public servants should do is teach by example: Green light means "go," and red light means "stop." Signal before changing lanes or turning. Obey the speed limit. And if the protection of the public safety warrants, drive the wrong way down a one-way street, through a red light, or, on the sidewalk.

There is a commonly held misperception that cyclists belong on the sidewalk. More than once I've been told on the streets of Norfolk, "Get on the sidewalk!" When bike cops abuse their authority to ride on the sidewalks, they endanger themselves in the short term and their fellow citizens in the long term: In the short term, it is more dangerous to ride a bike on a sidewalk for anybody, bike cops included. In the long term sidewalk-riding bike cops endanger their fellow citizen cyclists by enforcing the public misperception that the sidewalks are where bikes belong.

Bike cops neither protect nor serve the public when they ride on the sidewalk. In the abscence of a compelling duty, they need to get down off the sidewalk and into the gutter with civilian cyclists.

Bike parking for all

2009-09-02T22:50:00.002-04:00

95% of American car trips end in a "free" (in reality: indirectly subsidized) parking spot.

Automobiles spend 98% of their time parked.

So maybe it's time for "free" bike parking.

Read Slate for more details.

Kickin' it up a notch: New Team Zissou Uniform Accessory

2009-08-24T12:53:00.001-04:00

55 Days & Counting: Team Zissou, Part 2

2009-08-24T12:26:00.002-04:00

Yes,Team Zissou will be returning to the Tidewater Mountain Bike Challenge, with at least one entry into the Duo-Enduro Category.

Costumed members of Team Zissou qualify for both a registration discount and a FREE red cap. Supplies of blue Team Zissou shirts are in limited quantities. Speedos optional.

Persons interested in joining Team Zissou should email friendwes_at_mac_dot_com.

Next Tattoo?

2009-08-21T10:44:00.003-04:00

Simple Pleasures...

Planes, Trains & Automobiles

2009-08-20T12:22:00.004-04:00

I was able to get access to some prime real estate in New Jersey for a shot of a Norfolk Southern intermodal train paralleling the New Jersey Turnpike and Newark International Airport.

And the catering wasn't too bad either! Swedish meatballs...

Behind the Scenes: Bend Your Knees

2009-08-20T12:07:00.002-04:00

Yep, the excitement of road trip photo shoots is pretty much summed up in this picture: heavy camera cases, padlocks and bungee cords in the back of a Honda Element...Bend Your Knees.

Back from New Jersey...

2009-08-17T12:06:00.004-04:00

I spent most of last week up in Northern New Jersey, photographing trains and cargo terminals...I think my lungs will be recovering for a couple more weeks. For the better part of a morning I was hanging out of a helicopter, shooting video with my Nikon D90 & stills with a D3. I mounted a KenLabs gyroscopic stabilizer to the base of my Captain Stubling rail system- heavy, but effective.

I've got some more footage to edit down into a movie about the July Critical Mass in Norfolk. Maybe I'll get some time for that tomorrow.

Coming Soon to Downtown Norfolk: Bike Racks!

2009-08-11T11:24:00.002-04:00

I got a call Friday afternoon from the Downtown Norfolk Council, telling me that my proposal for a bike rack sculpture had been accepted.

It looks like it'll be at least 6 months until the sculptures are installed. Which gives me time to get a few more built by the Norfolk Machine & Welding Company, and sold to local businesses in need of functional, attractive bicycle parking.

Bring a Gong. Bang it on.

2009-07-30T06:34:00.001-04:00

Family-friendly Critical Mass ride tomorrow night in Norfolk, 6pm. Meet at Blair Middle School on Colley Avenue. Route & mileage to be determined, but usually 5-10 miles, through Ghent, Downtown & (maybe) ODU.

Bring a bell! Prizes will be awarded for the friendliest bike bell.

Richmond Cyclist Dragged by Truck, Survives

2009-07-30T06:19:00.002-04:00

My favorite line from the video clip:

"Police say they are treating this as an unfortunate accident; no charges have been filed against the trucker."

According to one witness in the clip below, the driver "clipped the sidewalk." I'd think that would be sufficient for a reckless driving charge!

Captain Stubling, Reporting for Duty

2009-07-29T15:04:00.008-04:00

I made the investment last month in a rail system from Redrock Micro for my Nikon D90, all the better to shoot video with, my deary!

I've got an aerial photo shoot coming up next month, hence the KenLabs gyro on the bottom. It's definitely stable, and heavy.

Cycling Dad Shot in Head

2009-07-28T13:27:00.002-04:00

A driver, now identified as an Asheville firefighter, shot a bicycle rider because he was angry the man was riding with his child on a busy road, Asheville police said.

Let's hear it for public servants/vigilantes...what happened to "protect and serve?"

"Over your dead body will you ride that bike with your child through Tunnel Road!"

Ghost Ride: Norfolk

2009-07-05T21:41:00.002-04:00

I printed up 40 spoke cards & had three left over after handing them out, so by my count we had 37 cyclists out last Friday for a special Critical Mass ride. The air temperature was in the mid nineties, never mind the radiated heat from the asphalt roads. After three flats and a couple of regroups, we set up two memorial Ghost Bikes. All pix by BC Wilson.

Fireworks Rides: Cogan's to Plum Point Park, Norfolk

2009-07-03T08:56:00.000-04:00

There is some prime fireworks viewing from Plum Point Park on the Elizabeth River Bike Trail in Norfolk. Fireworks tonight & tomorrow night at 9:30pm.

Gather at Cogan's on Colonial Avenue in Ghent before sunset: plenty of bike parking, beer & pizza. Ride will depart by 9 for a casual ride along the Elizabeth River Bike Pat

Mid-Life Crisis, Pt. 2: Bakfiets Envy

2009-07-02T12:03:00.003-04:00

"It's the Cadillac of Minivans,"
John Travolta said in "Get Shorty."

Well, this is the Minivan of Bicycles:

Before Bakfiets mom had kids,
she could have been the inspiration for Cracker's "Euro-Trash Girl."
But now she's passed into M.I.L.F. territory...

Bamboo Bike Envy

2009-07-01T12:22:00.002-04:00

I dunno...it just seems so darn cool to think of riding a bike made from bamboo!

Honda Mashup: Elemental Insight

2009-06-29T15:13:00.001-04:00

Jennifer & I just love our Honda Element, but the day is coming when four seats will not be enough.

So this is an open plea to Honda- stretch out the Element! Add a third row of seating, and keep that easily-maintained urethane interior. Smooth out the nose a bit for better aerodynamics, but keep the clamshell doors, side and rear. Hybrid would be great, but not necessary. Ditto for All Wheel Drive.

Yeah, it would look a little like this:

NEEDED: More Sharing

2009-06-29T11:03:00.002-04:00

We need to see more of these signs around Norfolk:

"Virtual" Bike Lane

2009-06-29T06:49:00.003-04:00

It's more of a DIY, portable bike lane, but I hope it really does come to market!

Wanted: Corrugated Plastic

2009-06-23T13:01:00.004-04:00

The faltering economy has been bad for gas stations, forcing many to close. However their loss has been my gain, as I've scavenged dozens of cigarette signs, printed on corrugated plastic.

I'm looking for more corrugated plastic for an art project, so if you know of a good source, email me: bvavideo2008_at_gmail.com

Vulnerable Road Users Bill Vetoed in Texas

2009-06-20T23:06:00.002-04:00

A fine piece of legislation that can be summed up in the graphic above was vetoed by the governor of Texas, even though it had wide support from a large number of groups, including the AAA.

Read more details at BikeTexas.org.

Ghost Ride: Norfolk

2009-06-19T13:40:00.002-04:00

Ghost Ride: Norfolk

2009-06-19T08:44:00.005-04:00

In the past year, two cyclists have been struck and killed by automobile drivers in Norfolk.

Next Friday, June 26th, we will have a special Critical Mass ride to remember those cyclists who have been killed, and remember that there have been no legal consequences for their killers. We will place Ghost Bikes on Tidewater Drive and Little Creek Road to mark the spots where Michael Holmes and Kevin Bragg were killed.

Ghost Ride: Norfolk will start and end at Blair Middle School on Colley Avenue in Ghent, start time 6pm. Total mileage will be 17 miles. For cyclists preferring a shorter route, there will also be the normal Critical Mass ride through Ghent and Downtown Norfolk. The route of Ghost Ride: Norfolk can be seen here:

http://www.mapmyride.com/route/us/va/norfolk/871124541544515179

Fox News Veers to the Right, Runs Over Cyclist

2009-06-19T08:33:00.001-04:00

From Alternet:

Don Broderick, a news writer at Fox, has been arrested for dragging a cyclist 200 yards with his SUV, Gawker has confirmed.

Brian Dooda, a 34-year-old resident of Brooklyn, told the New York Daily News on June 10 that Broderick knocked him down, forcing him to cling to the hood of the car. Dooda said that as Broderick accelerated, the two made eye contact through the windshield.

"He was expressionless, he didn't say anything," Dooda said.

Dooda posted his full police testimony about the incident on a cycling message board. Here's a choice excerpt:

"The driver then accelerated, lunging straight into me, knocking me and my bicycle to the ground and to the left side of his car. I quickly got to my feet and positioned myself in front of his vehicle to prevent him from fleeing the scene. I called out to bystanders to call the police and yelled at the driver that he was insane, he just hit me, and he can't leave. The driver again accelerated into me, with no intention of stopping, forcing me, prostrate, onto the drivers side hood of his vehicle."

Is it too soon to make a joke about the dangers of veering too far right?

Coming Down to Reality: Another Cyclist Run Over

2009-06-17T07:28:00.006-04:00

Tidewater Drive and Bayview Boulevard

All too predictably, while I was off in Tennessee on a family vacation, another cyclist was run over by an (apparently) inattentive driver, this time in Norfolk.

Michael Holmes was, according to the police, obeying traffic laws, riding on the right side of Tidewater Drive, when he was struck from behind and killed by an unnamed person overtaking him in a pickup truck, in broad daylight.

And thus far, no charges have been filed.

I've been struggling to find the mental energy to respond to the death of a cyclist that is even closer to home. I've written my City Council representative, Dr. Theresa Whibley, who is herself an avid cyclist.

Norfolk City Council, Ward 6, Dr. Theresa Whibley

I've asked Dr. Whibley to please convey to Norfolk's Commonwealth Attorney, Gregory Underwood, that all users of the road deserve justice.

Norfolk's Commonwealth Attorney, Gregory Underwood

Justice is selective. The Commonwealth Attorney does not choose to prosecute all offenses. While there may be a law and legal precedent, in the perceived absence of a public will to convict, an elected prosecutor will not seek a conviction.

According to Section 25-386 of the Norfolk City Code, "Applicability of traffic regulations to [bicycle] riders,"

Every person riding a bicycle or motorized skateboard or scooter upon a street or roadway within the corporate limits of the city shall be granted all the rights and shall be subject to all the duties and responsibilities applicable to the driver of a motor vehicle under the laws of the state and the traffic ordinances of the city, except as to those provisions which, by their very nature, can have no application.

Cyclists have a right to justice, posthumously or otherwise. The man who struck and killed Michael Holmes should be charged with a crime.

If they desire reelection, elected officials respond to their constituents. Please take the time to contact Mr. Underwood and ask him to protect the safety of all users of the road. Mr. Underwood can be emailed at cwainformation_at_norfolk.gov.

If you are a Norfolk resident, please take the time to contact both your Ward and Superward delegates to City Council. Contact information and email addresses can be found on the Norfolk City Hall webpage.

If we do not speak up, cyclists will be equal users of the road in name only.

Mark Hardman "Displeased" with Dan Hersh Case

2009-05-21T06:32:00.002-04:00

From the Pilot Online:

Mark Hardman, the challenger in the race to be commonwealth's attorney, accused incumbent Harvey Bryant on Thursday of failing "to pursue justice against drivers who injure or kill cyclists."

Hardman, a former collegiate cycling national champion, issued the statement a week after Bryant announced he did not intend to file charges in the April 19 crash that killed Daniel Hersh, an ex-SEAL and civil engineer.

"Harvey Bryant has made the decision to turn this tragedy into a travesty," Hardman said. "It is unacceptable that Mr. Bryant has refused to so much as charge the driver who killed Daniel with a misdemeanor."

Hardman, 27, was a prosecutor in Portsmouth for about five months. He was fired after announcing his bid for Virginia Beach commonwealth's attorney.

Bryant's decision outraged many in the cycling community, but he said there was no evidence the driver broke any law. The driver claimed she never saw Hersh, pedaling east on Shore Drive near Starfish Road before 6 a.m., until after the impact, Bryant said. Hersh was wearing a helmet and yellow windbreaker with reflective stripes.

Bryant, 62, said the woman passed a blood-alcohol test and there was no sign she was distracted.

He dismissed Hardman's claim, saying he'd file charges only "when there is substantial, admissible evidence... To do otherwise is considered unethical and unprofessional."

Hardman's comment "comes from someone with almost no experience in criminal law," Bryant said.

Clydesdales Need Lovin' Too!

2009-05-19T22:04:00.003-04:00

My wife can go shopping for shoes and finds dozens in her size.

My brother and father "only" wear a Size 13, and they can find at least 10 pairs.

But I hold the distinction of the largest feet in the family, and I'm lucky to find a single pair of shoes in the store that fit me.

Basketball shoes. Size 14. No driving shoes. No skateboard shoes. No flipflops. Maybe a pair of "boat" shoes.

Birkenstock sells dozens of different clogs, sandals and shoes. But for Size 14 they've got exactly 4 different models- 2 strap sandal, 3 strap sandal, clog and oxford-style lace-up shoe.

That's it. Forget about colors. You get one model. The Size 10 may be available in seven different colors, but the Size 14 is available is just one color. You should be happy that they even bother to carry a Size 14.

I guess I've learned simplicity, but it annoys the heck out of me when I see a beautiful shoe, but it's not available in @#$%ing Size 14:

Clydesdales need shoeing, too!

The Downside to Spring Cleaning

2009-05-19T21:04:00.005-04:00

So I finally admitted that now that I have my Rocket7 shoes, plus a backup pair of Diadoras, I'm never going to wear those ugly, worn-out electric blue Nike mountain bike shoes again, and tossed them last month during spring cleaning.

{My shoes were actually uglier}

And of course, this month I could really, really use them for spare parts...

I'm looking for the SPD shoe plate inserts- the parts that require remove the upper footbed during installation. Usually they have 4 threaded holes where the cleat bolts attach:

I'm in need of the black metal plate underneath the green plastic.

If you've got an old pair of SPD cleats that you don't mind giving up for parts, I'd sure appreciate it!

Cogan's Parking Lot

2009-05-18T07:00:00.001-04:00

Let's hear it for 2-wheel parking.

Broom Brigade: Alley Cat Bike "Race"

2009-05-17T16:04:00.001-04:00

A Meeting with Commonwealth Attorney Harvey Bryant

2009-05-17T15:22:00.003-04:00

Jeff Lawson (yes, that Jeff Lawson), met with the Virginia Beach Commonwealth Attorney, Harvey Bryant, and posted the following report to the Virginia Cycling Association listserv:

Today [May 15, 2009], VCA president Bill Collins, avid cyclist Dr. Dan Darby, and I met with Va. Beach Commonwealth's Attorney Harvey Bryant about the death of Daniel Hersh. We also addressed the issue of overall cycling safety and ways to address the concerns that we have as cyclists who frequently feel that we don't get a fair shake by authorities.

After spending 2 hours meeting with Mr. Bryant I can safely say that none of us like what we heard but we are all in agreement with his assessment that no charges could be brought against the driver that killed Mr. Hersh. Both reckless driving and involuntary manslaughter charges require "willful intent". Bryant showed us case law and explained what constitutes willful intent. For example, someone that tries to run a red light and kills someone DOES meet the definition of willful intent while someone who runs a red light that they didn't see does NOT meet the definition. If someone falls asleep at the wheel and causes a death they cannot be charged with involuntary manslaughter or reckless driving unless it can be proven they knew they were tired and willfully intended to drive anyway (eg pulling over and taking a nap then later hitting someone, or taking a caffeine pill).

In a lot of the emails and letters to the editor over the past few weeks a lot of people have been angered by Mr. Bryant's statement that the driver who killed Dan wasn't drinking, texting, smoking, doing her nails etc when she hit him and wondered why that would matter. Unfortunately those are indeed required in cases where the driver claims they didn't see the person, whether the victim was a cyclist, pedestrian, or whomever.

If a driver does see a person and hits them then everything changes and they can more easily be charged. That is why in a case like this where there is no proof of distracted driving it becomes vital to have either an eyewitness or have some sort of proof that the driver saw the person that they hit. In this case there was only one witness and their statement actually corroborated the driver's statement that she didn't see Dan. She said that she didn't see him and didn't even know she had hit anyone until she saw him on the ground. The witness said that they came upon the scene as the driver was getting out of the car and that she was looking around perplexed and looking under the car trying to see what is was she had hit and that they had to point to the other side of the car to let her know that Dan was lying there.

We then asked about lesser charges like the obvious fact that she didn't give him the necessary 2 foot clearance but, again, the law requires that you have to see something to give it a clearance.

So, the bottom line is that without evidence of willful intent or distracted driving there was no way to charge the driver with anything, especially since she claimed she didn't see him. I would also add that in the re-enactment that the police reconstruction team did there was a significant glare from the rising sun at the spot where she hit Dan although I thought from the news reports that the accident happened just before sunrise.

One final thought about this case before I get into some other issues that we discussed: Mr. Bryant's only son is a triathlete and rountinely trains out on the roads like we do. Bryant also says he spent hours explaining to his wife why he couldn't charge the driver because as the mother of a cyclist she was upset.

On the subject of general cycling safety a number of issues were raised and I think some headway was made on possible solutions. Instead of writing them in this email I think it would be better to address them in a separate email since there might be a significant number of people that missed reading this missive because they weren't from VB, didn't care about the case, or didn't know what the meeting with the VB CA was about.

So look for another email soon.

Jeff Lawson
VP Va. Cycling Association

Yep, I'm disappointed and frustrated, too, but after reading Jeff's email, I can at least understand a little bit better why no charges were filed.

As a friend said in response, "It looks like we need to change the law."

So please, folks, consider joining an advocacy group, such as the Tidewater Bicycle Association, Virginia Bicycle Federation or BikeWalk Virginia. All of them do an excellent job of lobbying for cycling infrastructure and educating the public.

And ride safe: whenever we're on our bikes, we are ambassadors of cycling: be courteous, be friendly, be seen.
Wes

Ride of Silence: Virginia Beach

2009-05-17T08:24:00.002-04:00

Join your fellow cyclist as we honor those who have been killed or injured while cycling on public roads. On May 20, 2008, at 7:00 PM, the Ride of Silence will begin in North America and roll across the globe. We are going to ride from Landstown Commons down Dam Neck Road to General Booth Blvd and back. Our ride pace will be between 10 and 12 mph and we will remain silent while riding. Contact Jeff Hathaway at 757-572-1486 or editor_at_tbarides.org for more information. We will gather by the Bank of America ATM in front of Kohl’s.
3344 Princess Anne Road
Virginia Beach, Virginia 23456

MAP:http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=&daddr=36.77661,-76.088347&hl=en&geocode=&mra=dme&mrcr=0&mrsp=1&sz=17&sll=36.776112,-76.087511&sspn=0.00385,0.006909&ie=UTF8&z=17

Cyclist Supposedly Had a "Blinkie"

2009-05-10T09:36:00.004-04:00

From the PilotOnline:

Cyclist Had Lights

Submitted by ShareRoad on Fri, 05/08/2009 at 7:57 pm.

Dan did have lights as seen by friends of mine who came upon the scene afterwards an noticed the bike on ground from the blinking red light.

It will be interesting to see the VBPD report. As of now, the assertion that Dan had a tail light is both anonymous and unconfirmed. I'd like to see it substantiated...it will certainly change the discourse, as there would be no reason for the driver not to have seen Dan.

Cyclist for Commonwealth Attorney

2009-05-09T22:58:00.004-04:00

Oh, no way...I never thought I'd see a Commonwealth Attorney candidate actually post on his campaign bio:

Athletics Mark lead the University of Virginia Cycling Team to back-to-back national championships. Mark excelled in professional stage races from California to Virginia. His successes in America allowed Mark the opportunity to compete in Europe, where he again showed himself to be a rising star in American cycling.

Reckless Driving

2009-05-09T22:45:00.003-04:00

From Wikipedia

Virginia § 46.2-852.
Reckless driving; general rule. - Irrespective of the maximum speeds permitted by law, any person who drives a vehicle on any highway recklessly or at a speed or in a manner so as to endanger the life, limb, or property of any person shall be guilty of reckless driving.

Vote No Confidence, November 3rd

2009-05-07T15:59:00.002-04:00

Harvey Bryant is up for reelection in a little less than six months.

After his refusal to attempt even a minimal prosecution of Dan Hersh's killer, I have little confidence in his ability to lead a staff of 92, and oversee 16,000 cases per year.

No Charges Filed

2009-05-07T15:22:00.002-04:00

No charges for the unnamed killer of Dan Hersh.

Somehow I'm not surprised.
Harvey Bryant is a politician.
There are far more drivers than cyclists in Virginia Beach.
He knows better than to infuriate the voters who gave him his job .

Even though Harvey Bryant leads a team of "94 dedicated men and women who help prepare and prosecute approximately 16,000 cases per year," he can't find sufficient evidence “that would substantiate a criminal prosecution.” Apparently there are SIXTEEN THOUSAND crimes more important than the a citizen being killed on the roads of Virginia Beach.

I'm not asking for a charge of Second Degree Murder, or even Vehicular Manslaughter. I'd settle for Reckless Endangerment. So there isn't enough evidence for a felony? Well, Dan Hersh is dead, and I'd think that would be enough evidence for a misdemeanor.

If Dan's killer claims she didn't see him, then maybe she should take the driver's license exam again. After a 12 month wait.

Monday Pilot Article on Dan Hersh

2009-04-28T09:56:00.000-04:00

100 comments thus far, and darn entertaining!

The Public Responds: Letters to the Editor

2009-04-28T06:40:00.004-04:00

And forthwith we read expanded variations upon two themes:
Get on the f**king sidewalk,
and
Some of y'all don't stop at stop signs, so f**k all y'all.

It's not the motorists
I feel sorry for bicyclists who are injured on the road, but the simple fact is the highways are for motorized vehicles. I have seen kids on bikes who have more sense than these semi-professionals who are getting in the way of cars.
When I was a kid, I was told to ride on the sidewalk and to get off my bike and walk past pedestrians. Even when there was no sidewalk, I had enough sense to ride my bike facing oncoming traffic.
I often get angry when I almost have to sideswipe a car coming my way because a helmeted character on a bike is forcing me to swing out around him. In most cases, there is a big, wide, unused sidewalk he could be on. There are times when they seem to try and find the narrowest streets, slowing traffic behind them to a standstill.
Until they start using their brains and staying on the sidewalk, or ride facing traffic, there will be more wrecks. And motorists should not be blamed.
Hal Arthur, Norfolk

Gosh, where to start, Hal? In just one letter to the editor you've managed to betray an ignorance of the law, a disdain for helmets, an advocacy of illegal and unsafe cycling, and a disregard for your fellow citizens.

When you were a kid, Hal, it probably was legal to ride a bicycle on the sidewalk. However, it's now illegal to do so in both Norfolk and Virginia Beach. Not only is it illegal to ride on the sidewalk in many areas, but it's also more dangerous. Studies have shown that there are more accidents when cyclists ride on the sidewalks. When cyclists take the right lane of a road, overtaking drivers see them, as do drivers turning onto the street from driveways and parking lots. Riding on the sidewalk may have been a safe option 50 years ago when you were a kid, Hal, but today it's a really good way to find yourself sliding across the hood of a car. And the cop who shows up will tell you that as a cyclist, you're at fault: it's illegal to ride on the sidewalk.

As for riding against traffic (riding on the left side of the road), it's not only illegal to do so (see the Virginia Code), but stupid: studies show that there are more accidents when cyclists ride against traffic than with traffic. I'm not going to waste my time hyperlinking to the studies, as I did so in an earlier post on this blog.

Then, Hal, you speak derisively of a "helmeted character on a bike." I suppose you also ridicule drivers who wear seatbelts.

By law, Hal, you have to share the road, or most roads, with cyclists. Some roads, like I-64, are not open to cyclists. If you don't like sharing the roads with us, maybe you should stick to the interstates. If you really like sharing the road with us, then start lobbying your goverment for change. The next time you're stuck behind a cyclist on a narrow road, you could use your time more productively by calling your delagate to complain about us.

Signs of trouble
Wes Cheney writes that "bicyclists ahve come to expect that they are second-class citizens." Nothing could be further from the truth, at least in the North End.
We have feeder roads, all with the appropriate signs denoting intersections. These are heavily used by cyclists, many of whom do not understand or just ignore the traffic signs. As I have had it explained to me, "We have lived here for (fill in blank), so the laws do not apply to us." Just before writing this letter, I saw three cyclists sail through the stop sign at 55th Street. It happens daily along Atlantic Avenue, and now that summer is approaching and school will be out, the possibility of another fatality or injury loms.
I just hope at least one cyclist who reads about the tragic death of Dan Hersh decides to exercise a little more caution.
Roger Hughes, Virginia Beach

First off, Roger, you quoted me out of context: the full sentence was:

"In Virginia Beach and neighboring cities, bicyclists have come to expect that they are second-class citizens, at least in the eyes of those sworn to 'protect and serve.'”

My point was that bicyclists feel that, in the absence of alcohol or excessive speed, non-fatal accidents are not taken seriously by the police.

Roger, not every driver does 85mph on I-264. And not every cyclist blows through stop signs. To quote myself, "we do not prejudge all for the misdeeds of a few." There is a school of thought that holds that since cyclists are exponentially less likely to inflict injury than to be injured, they should be allowed to treat a Stop Sign as a Yield Sign. I'm not going to debate the point here, but merely acknowledge that one western state (Wyoming?) has already enshrined that theory in law.

You're right, Roger: those three cyclists should have stopped for the stop sign. And with the approach of summer, we should be concerned about a rise in motor vehicle-bicycle accidents. You will not, however, need to worry about the serenity of the North End being destroyed by screaming ambulances: Pacific Avenue is actually the most dangerous road for cyclists. During tourist season, novice, unhelmeted cyclists and distracted drivers overcrowd the streets along the boardwalk. The result is quite predictable: accidents, injuries, fatalities.

And please don't suggest that the bicycle trail paralleling the Boardwalk is an appropriate corridor for bicycle traffic: the bike trail is a tourist attraction, filled with sand, iPod-wearing rollerbladers and careening 4-seat bicycles. Few cyclists seriously riding for either fitness or utility would consider the Boardwalk bike path to be a rational route.

Outnumbered
I enjoyed Wes Cheney's piece about bicycle safety. I am also saddened for the family of Daniel Hersh and the driver in the accident that claimed his life.
As for a "cultural shift" taking place, it occurred decased ago when the number of motorists dwarded the number of bicyclists. My suggestion for bicyclists is to avoid heavily trafficked roads and highways. When they are used, stay on the shoulder.
Al DeMatteo, Kitty Hawk

Al, your suggestion of riding on the shoulder is a great one. It's too bad, though, that there are few decent road shoulders south of the Mason-Dixon Line.

I've ridden my bike up and down the Atlantic coast, from Prince Edward Island to Alabama (not all at once, mind you). Up north, most secondary highways, comparable to Shore Drive or Atlantic Avenue, have a decent 3-foot wide shoulder. Larger rural highways, comparable to US 13 or 460, have 5-foot shoulders. Up north cyclists can ride safely on the shoulder.

But down in Dixie, the shoulders are nonexistent or narrow. I don't consider a muddy rut to be a shoulder- it only counts as a shoulder if it's actually paved. When there are shoulders, there's often less than 12 inches of pavement to the right of the white line. And the shoulder is immediately bordered by a precipitous drop into a kudzu-infested ditch.

More often than not, the shoulders are taken up with rumble strips, recessed reflectors, roadkill, and broken bottles. Riding a foot or two to the left of the white line is actually safer than riding in the shoulder, but suddenly swerving left to avoid a ripe, dead, possum.

You suggest, Al, that cyclists should "avoid heavily trafficked roads and highways." Trust me Al, if I could ride to the Outer Banks without venturing onto Route 158, I would. But there are locations where the highway is the only option. For instance, it's not possible to ride west out of Portsmouth without resorting to Route 58 or 460: there is simply no other paved route past the Great Dismal Swamp.

There will come a time, Al, when you can no longer afford to drive your automobile: there's a finite life to the massive utilization to the petroleum-powered internal combustion engine. When that day comes, Al, I hope there are some wide shoulders for you to bike upon.

Same Roads, Same Rules, Same Justice

2009-04-27T11:54:00.001-04:00

ON SUNDAY Daniel W. Hersh, 54, retired Navy SEAL and father of two, was on his usual morning bike ride. He rose before dawn and pedaled east on Shore Drive in Virginia Beach. A few minutes before 6 a.m., and less than four miles from home, Dan’s ride abruptly ended. He likely never knew what hit him.

A Ford Explorer, also headed east on Shore Drive in the morning twilight, struck Dan from behind at about 40 mph. Dan’s helmet was shattered, his skull crushed . Dan was declared dead three hours later. The SUV had some body damage .
The driver who killed Dan said she didn’t see him. The police took the driver at her word. They declared alcohol and speed were not factors, and they have thus far declined to press charges. According to a police spokesman, “an investigation is still ongoing.”

We bicyclists ride the same roads as motorists, follow the same rules and have the same right to expect justice.

In Virginia, bicyclists have “all of the rights and duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle.” Yet in Virginia Beach and neighboring cities, bicyclists have come to expect that they are second-class citizens, at least in the eyes of those sworn to “protect and serve.” A bicyclist may be struck by a car and severely injured, but unless the driver was intoxicated or speeding, the Virginia Beach Police Department doesn’t usually press charges, even when witnesses say the driver was clearly at fault.

Just as there are law-abiding drivers, there are law-abiding bicyclists, who dutifully signal all turns and use headlights after dark. Just as there are drivers who run red lights and pass on the right, so are there cyclists who run red lights and ride against traffic. We do not, however, prejudge all based upon the misdeeds of a few.

With greater power comes greater responsibility: We hold commercial truck drivers to higher standards of qualification and safety than the common driver, mainly because they operate vehicles that are larger, more powerful and capable of inflicting more damage. If a dump truck on Shore Drive overtaking a sports car ran over it from behind, crushing the occupants, we would expect the truck driver to be charged and brought to trial — even if he wasn’t drunk or speeding.

According to the Tidewater Bicycle Association, the Virginia Beach Police Department responds to 130 bicycle-motor vehicle accidents per year, with fault equally split between drivers and bicyclists. Yet the perception of the bicycling community is that equal justice is the exception rather than the rule.
Rick Young, manager of the local BikeBeat, has the rare privilege of knowing that justice was served: In 2006, Rick suffered fractured vertebrae when hit by an intoxicated driver, who was subsequently charged and convicted.

Frank Stapanowich was not so privileged. Four years ago, Frank was riding home with his 14-year -old son, Rick. A Ford F-350 pickup truck turned left into the road, hitting Rick, breaking his leg in several places. The driver told the police that he couldn’t see Rick and Frank because he was blinded by the sun. No charges were filed.

It will take a cultural shift for Virginia Beach and neighboring cities to see bicycling as transportation, and not just recreation; a cultural shift that gives both equal protection under the law and proportional infrastructure funding to bikes and cars.

The geography and climate of Hampton Roads offer the potential for our area to equal or surpass traditional cycling metropolises such as Amsterdam or San Francisco. With just two wheels we can address our national obesity epidemic, global warming and the energy crisis — as long as cyclists are respected on the road.

Wes Cheney, of Norfolk, is a member of the Tidewater Bicycle Association and rides his bicycle daily to and from work in Norfolk.

2 New Articles on Dan Hersh

2009-04-26T21:06:00.003-04:00

The Pilotonline.com has published two new articles on Dan Hersh. Even if you're already familiar with the story, the comments are worth reading! They really reveal the dichotomy between cyclists and die-hard VB SUV-drivers.

Friday's Article on Dan Hersh.

Pilot coverage of the Memorial Ride.

Critical Mass

2009-04-24T10:44:00.002-04:00

It's the last Friday of the month folks, and that means it's Critical Mass time! For the first time in almost six months, it's not raining or cold. So let's ride!

Gather in front of Elliot's Fair Grounds Coffee on Colley Avenue. Route to be determined by popular consensus.

Daniel Hersh Video Tribute

2009-04-24T07:53:00.001-04:00

A Memorial Video has been posted for Dan.

Keep an Eye on the Pilot

2009-04-23T18:31:00.004-04:00

In addition to the obituary printed for Dan Hersh in today's Virginian-Pilot, there should also be several more articles concerning Dan and cycling safety in the next few days.

In this era of dwindling media revenues, we need to support the media outlets which support us in turn: don't just read the Pilot online, subscribe to it, too.

Daniel Hersh Memorial Ride: Update

2009-04-22T19:17:00.003-04:00

Due to requests, a C Pace ride will also leave Conte's Bicycles on Laskin Road at the same time: 8 AM, Sunday. The C Pace ride will cover 15-20 miles.

The C & B Pace rides will meet on Shore Drive at approximately 9:15 AM for the placement of a Ghost Bike in memory of Daniel Hersh.

Daniel Hersh Memorial Ride

2009-04-21T16:00:00.002-04:00

Please pass the word on, folks,

Memorial Ride for Daniel Hersh

Sunday, 8 AM
Conte's Bicycles, Laskin Road,
Virginia Beach

B Pace ride, 25-30 miles.

A Ghost Bike will be placed in memory of Daniel Hersh on Shore Drive.

Cyclists are requested to wear black or white.

Get Away With Murder

2009-04-19T20:56:00.001-04:00

Get Away with Murder.
Run Over a Cyclist in Virginia Beach.*

*Offer applies only to slow, sober drivers.

No Charges Against Dan Hersch' Killer

2009-04-19T17:46:00.001-04:00

From the Pilot Online:

Bicyclist struck and killed in Virginia Beach

Posted to: News Virginia Beach

By Alicia P.Q. Wittmeyer
The Virginian-Pilot
© April 19, 2009

VIRGINIA BEACH

A bicyclist was killed this morning when he was hit by an S.U.V. while riding on Shore Drive.

Daniel Wayne Hersh, 54, was riding eastbound on Shore Drive near Starfish Road when he was struck by the right side of a Ford Explorer also traveling east on Shore Drive, said Virginia Beach police spokesman Officer Adam Bernstein.

Hersh, of the 2300 block of Windway Lane in Virginia Beach, was taken to the hospital, but was pronounced dead around 9 a.m.

Alcohol and speed do not appear to have played a role, Bernstein said. No charges have been filed against the woman driving the Explorer, although the crash is still under investigation.

Struck from Behind: "John Doe" Killed by SUV

2009-04-19T17:21:00.002-04:00

From WVEC, TV 13 News:

Man dies in Shore Drive crash
01:45 PM EDT on Sunday, April 19, 2009
13News

VIRGINIA BEACH--- Police are investigating a traffic crash that left one man dead Sunday morning.

Police tell 13News, A bicyclist was killed when he was struck by a Ford Explorer in the 3000 block of Shore Drive. Both the bicyclist, and the driver of the SUV were travelind eastbound on Shore Drive around 5:45am at the time of the wreck.

The driver of the Ford truck veered to the right and struck the bicyclist. He was transferred to a local hospital where he later died.

As of Sunday morning, police had no indication that speeding or alcohol were factors in the crash. No charges have been filed against the woman driving the Ford Explorer.

Police have not yet released the man's identity.

Cyclist "John Doe" Dead

2009-04-19T12:55:00.002-04:00

It's unconfirmed, but word is that cyclist "John Doe," mentioned in the previous post, is dead.

I'll post more info when I know it.

Fallen Cyclist in Virginia Beach

2009-04-19T09:47:00.002-04:00

At approximately 6:45 AM this morning, a cyclist was brought to the Virginia Beach General Sentara Hospital with massive head trauma. Both his helmet and skull were crushed. There's a very good chance that he will be dead by the time you read these words.

The cyclist, "John Doe," was "tan, fit and healthy," and wearing an "orange and yellow jersey." Those sound like the Team Tripower colors. Several Team Tripower cyclists were planning an early, 7:15 AM bike ride in Virginia Beach. It seems likely that John Doe was on his way to that group ride.

I don't know if John Doe was hit by a car, but that's the most probable scenario. And if the Virginia Beach Police Department and District Attorney stay true to form, then no one will be charged or prosecuted: cyclists are second-class citizens in car-happy Virginia Beach. Four wheels good, two wheels bad.

Roll Call, folks: was there someone who didn't make it to a ride this morning?

Sound Off.

Team Zissou Gathers: TMBC09!

2009-04-07T18:30:00.006-04:00

Rob had an awesome birthday party that gave me an excuse to pull on the Captain's Speedos again.

After conferring with my Junior Frogman, we agreed to issue the following statement:

Team Zissou is proud to announce the acceptance of applications for our special "Weekend Intern" program. This special opportunity will be run for one session only this year, during the 2009 Tidewater Mountain Bike Challenge (10/31 & 11/1?). Unfortunately, due to Operation Hennessey hogging all of the grant money, Team Zissou will be unable to provide free registration for TMBC09. However, all Team Zissou members will be issued a t shirt and red cap. In 2008 Team Zissou was the top, maritime-themed team in the Duo-Enduro Category at the Tidewater Mountain Bike Challenge. Team Zissou seeks to continue its dominance of the Duo-Enduro category over all rivals, including Operation Hennessey. (It is rumored that Operation Hennessey will challenge Team Zissou if they are able to find matching bicycles.) In addition to racing interns, Team Zissou also has openings for support staff, up to and including Continuity Editors and Topless Interns. Please forward letters of interest, curriculum vitae and self-portraits to friendwes_at_mac.com.

Rained Out Broom Brigade Alley Cat Race

2009-04-07T18:25:00.004-04:00

Yup, it was just too darn wet to ride last week for either Critical Mass or the Broom Brigade alley cat race. Critical Mass comes around every month, but there's so much interest that a makeup date for the alley cat has been announced:

This time around the race will go off rain or shine. The finish will be at Cogan's Bar, and the start will still be at Blair Middle School on Colley Avenue.

Come on out!

Calling All Artist: Bike Racks in Downtown Norfolk!

2009-03-25T12:02:00.003-04:00

The Downtown Norfolk Council will be installing bike racks this summer, and they have released a Request For Proposals. So if you've got an idea for a cool, custom bike rack, here's your chance to get the funding (up to $8,000) to design & build it!

Deadline for proposals: May 8th, 5pm!

Alley Cat Friday: The Broom Brigade

2009-03-22T14:56:00.004-04:00

The Broom Brigade:

8pm, Friday March 27th.
Meet at Blair Middle School steps,
Spotswood & Colley, Ghent.

Entry Fee:
Dollar Store Dust Pan.
Dollar Store Hand Broom.
That's It.

The Fine Print:
2-Person Teams. Bike Lock, Brown Paper Bag & DigiCam recommended. Race for Bragging Rights. That's It.

Creative Scam Spam: Nigerian Wedding Photography

2009-03-06T16:23:00.001-05:00

Apparently this is some kind of check-kiting scam:

Hi,
My name is Mr. Mike Mcgeeb .I am planning to have my wedding
ceremony on April 9, 2009 at Holy Trinity Parish Hall, Marshfield
Missouri, 515 East Washington Street, Marshfield MO 65706 .
I am looking for a good photographer who will come and do the snap
shots on the D-day.
I came accross your listing on the net and decided to contact you.
I want to know your charges for the following required services if
you are to work for between 6 and 8 Hours on that day.
We will select the best 100 copies of different snaps photos in
both black and white and coloured and in Two main sizes and dimensions
which is required for my personal use at home,
1)16" x 12" (405 x 305mm) approx. including post and packaging
2)12" x 10" (305 x 204mm) approx. including post and packaging
3) I want just one Panoramic images size 18" x 6.5" (457mm x165mm)
30 10x8 prints in album.coloured Snapped in the church and at the
reception.I want is for me and my wife, Our parents, the officiating
ministers and our guests.
I will be requiring your service for atleast 6 Hours at both
occasions (church and at the reception). The church is Holy Trinity
Catholic Church - Marshfield Missouri 515 East Washington Street,
Marshfield MO 65706 . If you are out of Missouri, I will pay the
transportation charges to and from the party venue so I want you to
indicate in your email if you are out of Missouri and state what it
will cost you to get transport to Marshfield Missouri so that we both
can work it out and also the total amount you will receive for the
whole services at the occasion.
We will have the photographs snapped at the wedding forwarded to the
Publisher of a Magazine Company in U.S so they could feature it in
their celebrity journal so due to this, I want the pictures neat and
nice.
However,I will be making the payment by means of a Check. Let me have
your full Names, Address, Phone Number, where the Cheque will be mailed
to for the payment.Moreso, should you be out of state,
the Hotel accomodation will be provided for by me. Waiting to read from
you soon as regards this.
Thanks and have nice day.
Regards.

Mike

Stupid Hurts: Bridal Portraits on the Mainline

2009-03-06T05:36:00.009-05:00

Gosh, I just don’t know why I didn’t think of this myself…Wedding Photographer Tom Munoz, in a demo for the new PockWizard ControlTL accessory, posed a bride on the mainline, and the video is posted on YouTube.

Based on the fresh ballast, shiny rails & concrete ties, I’m going to guess that Tom was shooting on either the CSX or Florida East Coast line in his hometown of Fort Lauderdale. It must be the low resolution of the web video that keeps me from making out the blue flags on the line and/or the assistants watching Tom’s back…I’m sure the track foreman was just out of frame, too…

Kudos to Tom, though, for bucking convention & refusing to tie the bride to the rail with strips torn from her own dress! Pure Genius!!!

Stay off railroad tracks, folks.
Not only is it trespassing, it's stupid.
Fast trains run silent.
Trains kill trespassers dead.

Muckin' About

2009-02-27T13:17:00.004-05:00

Photoshop CS4 has a great new Photomerge command. Most of the work of putting the montage below together was done automatically.

And I struck upon a moderately genius way to organize all of our digital media cards at work:

Some of you young farts might not recognize a 35mm mounted slide sleeve...definitely old school!

Winter Project: The "Cayat"

2009-02-16T12:22:00.004-05:00

So last summer I inherited a 1982 Folbot Cayat, a hybrid canoe/kayak/sailboat. (this was the only rigid, non-folding boat produced by Folbot, a company famous for their folding boats.)

For months now I've been boning up on a conflagration of subjects: wooden boat repair, fiberglass boat repair, sail theory & design, bamboo construction techniques, and outriggers.

This weekend I finally put the scraper to the hull and started in on it. With the help of a friend and expert carpenter, I'll be installing a new deck, as well as making some significant upgrades to the sailing hardware. My goal is to have the Cayat back in the water by Memorial Day...we'll see!

Seen on Granby Street

2009-02-13T12:22:00.008-05:00

I've been stopping more to grab those street shots I see on my bike. And now in a pathetic attempt to emulate the Bike Snob, I'll share them with y'all:

"Take Elevator to 2nd Floor?!?"
What the heck?
You can't walk up a single flight of stairs to the freakin' gym?!?

News Flash! NEXT Bicycles releases a "PowerClimber" Mountain Bike.
Next up, a Huffy track bike.

Oh, yes, my adolescent dream-car! A turbo Subaru coupe, in vintage 80's earthtones! Note the cro-moly hubcaps, plastic bumper, and locking gas cap. How this car ever survived the Reagan Recession years, we'll never know...

U Locks Are In...

2009-01-23T18:37:00.004-05:00

Vince at East Coast gave me a holler to let me know that the U Locks are in, purchased with proceeds from our most recent Alley Cat Race.

Malik & the other guys on the Catholic Worker Coffee Line will be happy to see them.

Cyclocross in HD!

2009-01-20T13:03:00.002-05:00

I'm trying out a new service called Vimeo, which allows full HD online video. In order to view the full, 720p glory, you'll need to click the little button with the X on it in the lower right corner of the video.

Check it out:

Virginia Beach Cyclocross from Wes Cheney on Vimeo.

Shot at the Virginia Beach Sportsplex, 1/18/09 with a Nikon D90 on a monopod and a variety of lenses, including a Lensbaby 3.0.

Mashup soundtrack by Lenlow, "Bjorn Slippy."

Cyclocross at the Beach

2009-01-19T10:58:00.004-05:00

There was a bit of whining about the temperature dipping below freezing. Yeah, I know it's Virginia Beach, but come on folks, this is Cyclocross we're talking about here. It's supposed to be crappy weather!

I shot some video with my new Nikon D90. I might have to repost since some of the audio screwed up towards the end, but overall I'm pretty happy with what I got:

I feel so...validated?

2009-01-14T15:33:00.003-05:00

Unbeknownst to me, Bike Snob NYC declared my forearm crank tattoo to be "really excellent," although of dubious "toughness."

I'm glad that Bike Snob was able to take the time to count the teeth on my chainrings, something I haven't bothered to do myself. For the record, it's a touring setup- 36 teeth to get up the hill slow & easy, and 54 teeth to scream down the hills...

Thanks go out to Rob for giving me the heads up! Initially I was aquiver with fear & loathing to hear that I had made it onto Bike Snob. Luckily, though, he wasn't ripping me for a lame attempt at appearing tough...

As for "toughness," try randonneuring.
Boston-Montreal-Boston? Paris-Brest-Paris? London-Edinburgh-London?
Twelve hundred kilometers in less than ninety hours?
Now that's tough.

Need More Cowbell?

2009-01-12T17:06:00.002-05:00

Coming soon from Park Tools,
courtesy of The Bike Doctor:

The Park CB1.
Available only at an alley cat near you!

More Alley Cat Pix

2009-01-11T13:01:00.003-05:00

Kevin posted some pix on his Picassa site...definitely worth checking out!

Diagnosis- Success!

2009-01-11T06:44:00.011-05:00

Over twenty people showed up for "The Bike Doctor's First Grandannual Lock U Up Alley Cat Classic," and raised enough money for 6 decent bike locks!

While I set up the course & checkpoints, Kurtz helped out with the start of the race by suggesting & directing a "Danger Start:" bikes were left at the top of the school stairs, and then there was a mass sprint to, up and down the stairs, bikes in hand.

I ran my checkpoint at "the Wall," where the Norfolk Catholic Worker serves breakfast three mornings a week, and the Bike Doctor repairs bikes one morning each week. I brought along my repair stand, and had folks sketch "the Bike Doctor's secret tool."

And no surprise, Chris Dinsmore was on the winning team...

Mike Park, who was on the second-place team, was wearing his GPS & posted our course online.

View Larger Map

Thanks again to everyone who made this event a success! I've got a couple of other alley cats in mind, including a urban cyclocross (cyclo-kitty!) and another food drive (hungry kitty!). Maybe we'll get another one going next month!

Wes

We're gonna lock U up!

2009-01-08T06:32:00.002-05:00

So this past week while I've been riding around Norfolk, I've run into a few friends who've said,
"I just can't afford ten bucks for the entry fee!"

So for the record, let me explain a "free will" entry fee: it means pay what you can. If you can afford ten bucks, great! If you can only afford five bucks, that's great, too! And if you've only got a buck or two, then that will help out, too.

See, for about five years now I've been fixing up bikes and giving them away to folks who don't have any other transportation. I've got more time than cash though, and I just can't afford to give away a lock for each bike. Which means that someone's new beach cruiser gets ripped off before payday...

Then there's the fact that a $5 bike chain ain't worth five bucks...An industrious bike thief with a set of bolt cutters and a pickup truck can snap a chain and toss the bike in the back of the truck in thirty seconds flat. So the locks that most of my bike recipients can afford ain't worth it!

That's why Mike Shipp at East Coast Bikes is hooking me up with a deal on some decent U Locks. He's agreed to sell them to me at cost, $20 a piece.

Pay what you can, and come out this Saturday for some fun!

The Bike Doctor's First Grandannual Lock U Up Alley Cat Classic

2009-01-02T18:41:00.002-05:00

Listen up, Boys & Girls-
Alley Cat, next Saturday afternoon!

Race starts at 3:30pm
Meet at the steps of Blair Middle School on Colley Avenue.

Free Will entry fee-
Pay what you can, but $10 suggested.

Race Proceeds will be used to purchase U Locks for the Working Poor.

Activity Checkpoints will include changing a tube.
(Changing tubes is not mandatory, but there will be a time penalty for skipping it.)

Special Huffy Class!

Prizes awarded for top finishers!

What Santa Didn't Bring for Christmas

2008-12-30T14:44:00.005-05:00

Every bike shop should have one of these in the back:

I guess I'll have to wait for my birthday, since Santa didn't bring it for Christmas...

Closed Course- Professional Photographer

2008-11-18T16:51:00.003-05:00

Don't try this at home, kids.

While the photographs below were taken from public property, the Rumsey Monument in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, the flashbulbs were set up on private property in coordination with the railroad dispatchers, in a safe, controlled manner.

Trains kill trespassers dead.

For more safety information, visit Operation Lifesaver.

Long Live O. Winston Link

2008-11-18T09:17:00.005-05:00

It was a crazy, sleep-deprived, caffeine-fueled, cold, wet weekend. I only managed to burn my fingers once on a flashbulb, but it was worth it.

Alex, Luke & I set flashbulbs up across the trestle, in addition to the flashbulbs & electronic flashes on solid ground. I dare say it's the most complex & rewarding night shoot I've done to date.

All images shot on a Nikon D3. Trains illuminated with artificial light, everything else captured with ambient exposures in excess of 20 seconds. We lucked out and got some great moonlight on Saturday night. Final images are digital composites.

Light Up Your Ride Contest!

2008-11-10T07:25:00.001-05:00

From Instructables-

Days are getting shorter and with the loss of Daylight Saving Time bike riders will be riding home from work in the dark. This makes riding around much more dangerous and to encourage everyone to ride a little brighter and safer we are having a Light Up Your Ride Contest!

Show us how you make your bike or yourself much more visible at night to the cars passing you and win a pair of the brand spankin' new Bike to Work Pants from Cordarounds! These pants aren't just stylish for work, they also keep you safe while riding your bike. Flip up the pant cuffs and pull out the pockets to instantly become more visible.

So how do you make yourself a safe rider? Have you replaced the LEDs in your blinkies, installed reflective materials in crazy places, made your own turn signals? We want to see it!

We're giving away three Bike to Work outfits! These will include one pair of Bike to Work pants and one Instructables Robot t-shirt. One for the most votes, one selected by Cordarounds, and one selected by Instructables staff. Four runners-up will win an Instructables Robot t-shirt. Good luck!

Catholic Worker coffee Line

2008-11-10T06:51:00.013-05:00

While the Norfolk Catholic Worker serves breakfast on the streets to the hungry and homeless three mornings a week, I only make it out to work on bikes on Thursdays.

Last Thursday was particularly joyous- Obamamania was in the air. To mark the occasion, some kind soul had bought a hundred or so fair trade, organic chocolate bar. After receiving soup, sandwich and a cup of coffee, Catholic Worker Steve Baggerly handed each person a chocolate bar, solemnly intoning, "To mark the election of the first African-American president, a chocolate bar." I think I've heard Steve speak in the same gravitas when distributing Communion wafers...

I spent an hour truing wheels and adjusting derailleurs.
Here are a few of the guys I've come to know through their bikes:

Melvin with his mountain bike on the repair stand.

Even though it's too big for him, Melvin still posed for a portrait next to my bike.
(Complete with full fenders, aero bar, lights and a Bob trailer.)

Lee always has a good bike.
His aluminum Red Rock is on the work stand behind him.
What Lee needs now is a decent bike lock.

Steve needed a new tube.

Will.
Looking for a good beach cruiser.

And lastly, Curtis.

Sometimes it's hard to distiguish between the Catholic Workers and the hungry...

Foto by Wes

No More Ghost Bikes: HB1683 & SB928.

Fotobywes: facebooked...

I've got skillz: urban bike skillz!

Norfolk Cop: "Don't give me SH*T!!!"

North American Handmade Bike Show, 2010

Host Our Coast Contest: Blog Submission

Host Our Coast Contest!

Forward, the Light Broom Brigade!

This Just In: Condos at Ipswich...

First Blog of the New Year

Solstice Sunride: Come On Down!

Ipswich after the Nor'Easter: It Could be Worse...

Not so New, but still Improved!

Monday Night "Urban Assault" Ride

Race Across the Sky: Coming to Hampton! Thursday Night!!!

Ipswich: Southside's Best Singletrack

Solo Breakaway Wins!

Re-Cycle 7 Eleven

Clean Up @ Ipswich

Ludicrous, Giving Away Cars!

My Morning Road Rash

Full Fenders & Goretex

Still Sorry

Sponsored by Pringles?

Sorry

Norfolk Bike Cops- Get Off the Sidewalk!

Bike parking for all

Kickin' it up a notch: New Team Zissou Uniform Accessory

55 Days & Counting: Team Zissou, Part 2

Next Tattoo?

Planes, Trains & Automobiles

Behind the Scenes: Bend Your Knees

Back from New Jersey...

Coming Soon to Downtown Norfolk: Bike Racks!

Bring a Gong. Bang it on.

Richmond Cyclist Dragged by Truck, Survives

Captain Stubling, Reporting for Duty

Cycling Dad Shot in Head

Ghost Ride: Norfolk

Fireworks Rides: Cogan's to Plum Point Park, Norfolk

Mid-Life Crisis, Pt. 2: Bakfiets Envy

Bamboo Bike Envy

Honda Mashup: Elemental Insight

NEEDED: More Sharing

"Virtual" Bike Lane

Wanted: Corrugated Plastic

Vulnerable Road Users Bill Vetoed in Texas

Ghost Ride: Norfolk

Ghost Ride: Norfolk

Fox News Veers to the Right, Runs Over Cyclist

Coming Down to Reality: Another Cyclist Run Over

Mark Hardman "Displeased" with Dan Hersh Case

Clydesdales Need Lovin' Too!

The Downside to Spring Cleaning

Cogan's Parking Lot

Broom Brigade: Alley Cat Bike "Race"

A Meeting with Commonwealth Attorney Harvey Bryant

Ride of Silence: Virginia Beach

Cyclist Supposedly Had a "Blinkie"

Cyclist Had Lights

Cyclist for Commonwealth Attorney

Reckless Driving

Vote No Confidence, November 3rd

No Charges Filed

Monday Pilot Article on Dan Hersh

The Public Responds: Letters to the Editor

Same Roads, Same Rules, Same Justice

2 New Articles on Dan Hersh

Critical Mass

Daniel Hersh Video Tribute

Keep an Eye on the Pilot

Daniel Hersh Memorial Ride: Update

Daniel Hersh Memorial Ride

Get Away With Murder

No Charges Against Dan Hersch' Killer

Bicyclist struck and killed in Virginia Beach

Posted to: News Virginia Beach

Struck from Behind: "John Doe" Killed by SUV

Man dies in Shore Drive crash