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Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Night cyclists, show yourselves
I’m about to turn into an grumpy old man, right here, right now. What is it with these kids who ride their bikes downtown at night with no lights, dark clothing, no respect for stop lights and no helmets? Are you kidding me?
Apparently if you are under the age of 25 and ride a bike in this town, the biggest obstacle to surviving to 30 is the misconception that nothing bad can happen. I still vaguely recall having that indestructible feeling. But feelings cannot protect you from two tons of steel. Especially when that operator of said machine cannot see you.
How hard is it to put on a light? I’m not asking for a string of Christmas lights on your back, just one stinking, blinking light. I know this type of purchase could eat into your beer fund, but they really don’t cost that much. Plus, they will enable you to survive another trip to Sixth Street.
I see these common senseless bikers all over downtown after dark. Dudes on BMX bikes weaving into oncoming traffic, fixed-gear hipster wannabes churning down Congress Ave. about 10 mph, and the vintage steel geared types who blow through stop lights without blinking. All with not so much as a reflector.
I’m surprised there aren’t more serious accidents. And despite how you might feel about the appearance or feel of helmets, they do save lives. I should know, I fell on my head and shoulder a couple of weeks ago. Head with helmet, just fine. Unprotected shoulder, broken.
There is a theory that suggests Mother Nature has a way of weeding out those who stray from common sense. I just hope it doesn’t take proof to produce change.
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Events you should know about
Here’s a list of upcoming events that sound pretty interesting. Thanks to Yellow Bike Project for the information. …
LadyBike - The much-beloved LadyBike workshops are back on a monthly basis! Saturday, September 26th, come on down to our Treasure City shop for some low-testosterone bike talk and tweaking from 9:30 to noon.
In town to promote his new book, Bicycle Diaries, musical genius and cycling advocate David Byrne will be hosting a panel on bike advocacy at Austin’s Paramount Theatre on September 27. Entitled Where We’re Going and Where We’ve Been: Bicycles, Cities, and Transportation in Austin, the panel will include Rob D’Amico (League of Bicycling Voters), Annick Beaudet (City of Austin Bike/Ped Program), Jana McCann (ROMA Design Group), and Mr. Byrne himself. YBP is so excited about this that we’re kicking in for the venue rental, so come out at 7 PM to listen, discuss, and maybe even score an autograph! The event is sponsored by LOBV, The Yellow Bike Project, Austin Cycling Association, Mellow Johnnys, New Belgium, Ride2Walk.com (Lone Star Paralysis Foundation) and Tyrex Ltd. Admission is free.
Bike Show - Sept. 25th at The Red Shed Tavern (8504 S Congress), there’ll be a classic and custom bicycle show. Got a bike you’d like to show off? New, old, pretty, or ugly, ride it on down. We’ll be there doing some far-south outreach and admiring your machines. Call (512) 280-4899 for more details.
Mamma Jamma Ride - On October 10th, the first ever annual Texas Mamma Jamma Ride aims to raise $400,000 for 10 local agencies that are out to change the odds for thousands of Central Texans in the fight against breast cancer. Among these 10 agencies are the good folks at the Sustainable Food Center, our hosts at the Saturday downtown farmer’s market. According to the recent policy paper published by The World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research, the 8 million lives lost annually to cancer could be reduced by about one quarter to one third by reducing obesity through dietary changes and increased physical activity. To learn more and register for the ride go to mammajammaride.org.
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National bike rental service
Discovered a pretty cool national bike rental service that helps riders find good deals on cycles. It also provides resources on cool places to ride, and it provides information on group rides in the city you are visiting. I tried it out just to see how it works, and ATX Bikes is the Austin shop that participates in the service.
Here’s the press release.
Two fundamentals of recreation have come together as nationwide bike rental network RentaBikeNow.com joins forces with Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC), which drives the conversion of former railroad lines into recreational paths.
The marketing partnership addresses two challenges recreational enthusiasts face: finding a good rental bike, and finding a safe place to ride. RentaBikeNow.com’s network includes more than 220 bike shops with thousands of rental bikes that can be reserved in advance online. RTC has helped develop more than 15,000 miles of converted rail-trails that form the backbone of a growing trail system connecting.
Both organizations will offer their Web visitors introductions to the other and carry exclusive cross-promotion discounts and incentives for their member base. For example, rental confirmations for RentaBikeNow.com customers will soon include links to TrailLink.com, RTC’s comprehensive online trail-finder Web site. After a simple and free registration, visitors can access hundreds of detailed, interactive trail maps to plan a family outing across town or an epic journey that spans several states.
In return, RTC supporters will enjoy savings on bike rentals through RentaBikeNow.com.
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy is a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., whose mission is to create a nationwide network of trails from former rail lines and connecting corridors and serves as the national voice for more than 100,000 members and supporters.
