[mattotoole]

@dasgeh 106925 wrote:

I’m happy to email legislators, but don’t have the bandwidth to figure out whom to email what when. Last week there was a handy email template to send Senators. Are there other such templates? Can they be put together? The updates are really awesome, but something that’s copy-paste-easy to send to legislators may get used (and I’d be happy to push a site with such things out to the NoVa family biking network, which are pretty valuable voters).

Thanks!

I’m working on it now, for a big final push next week. Would appreciate the help then! With luck we’ll get WABA to do a robo-form for us, maybe the Bikeleague too.

Crossover, when the bills passed by House or Senate cross over to the other, is officially Wed. Feb. 11.

BTW the mandatory sidepath bill has a good chance of dying in committee.

[mattotoole]

A good day for us: 2 bills through the Senate, 2 through Senate Transpo, and an unfavorable House bill de-fused:

http://www.vabike.org/legislative-report-january-28/

Special thanks to Champe Burnley for working with committee members. He even got Sen. Carrico to break a perfect 10+ year record of voting against us.

Updated — here’s Part 2, from Bud:

http://www.vabike.org/legislative-report-january-28-part-2/

[mattotoole]

You should blog this stuff! It deserves a wider audience than this little peanut gallery…

Anyway thanks for the tidbit. I had no idea!

[mattotoole]

scoot,

All that stuff will be in the Senate tomorrow, up for vote on the floor or in committee.

http://www.vabike.org/legislative-update-12715/

It’s not too late for everyone to email or call their senator tonight!

[mattotoole]

@mstone 106436 wrote:

REI Fairfax opened with a climbing wall and quickly got rid of it. The Dick’s nearby did the same. I don’t know if that’s because of lack of interest or liability concerns, but it seems that climbing walls have a hard time being viable in these parts.

Liability aside, it’s probably too expensive, square footage wise, for a retail store, especially in such a high cost area. Plus staff is needed to supervise it.

Just as with bike shops and bike groups, climbing stores often host meetings and have classes and demo events. So the wall may be still be used regularly, even if not daily during regular store hours.

I’ve met a lot of climbers in the area, and plenty of others who have done it a few times and would love to do more. So there’s definitely interest. If nothing else, the demographic supports it, almost to the point of cliche.

[mattotoole]

Email or call your senators NOW – this weekend – about Crossing the Double Yellow and Dooring, up for a Senate vote Monday.

Also on Monday: Stop for Pedestrians in Crosswalks in House Transportation Subcommittee 2. Are you in Del Jim LeMunyon’s district? Please email or call his office.

http://www.vabike.org/legislative-update-12315/

[mattotoole]

I had great fun at the Olympic Velodrome in LA, occasional sessions with friends.

It’s a natural for kids who grew up riding and racing BMX bikes and generally zipping around the neighborhood. Some are great athletes but can’t or don’t want to get into traditional road or mountain bike racing. Showing up for a velodrome session a couple of times a week is a lot easier, and wonderfully social.

It would be great to combine with BMX, MTB and cyclocross courses in one park, connected to neighborhoods via bike path. We’re hot on the idea for Richmond too, which already has a MTB skills course.

[mattotoole]

HB 1342, Following (Bicycles) Too Closely, is up for a House vote as soon as tomorrow. Everyone please contact your delegates! Use this article for inspiration: http://www.fredericksburg.com/news/transportation/virginia-house-panel-oks-bill-to-protect-bicyclists/article_ac7fd7e9-76a5-511d-aa12-9174e619bde7.html?mode=jqm

Today’s report: http://www.vabike.org/legislative-report-12215-maintenance-funding-cell-phone-restrictions-following-too-closely/

[mattotoole]

Today’s report from the Senate Transpo Committee:

http://www.vabike.org/senate-transportation-committee-meeting-results-12115/

So… success with Crossing the Double Yellow and Dooring, feeling good about Following Too Closely, and hopeful about Hands-Free Cell Phones.

Everyone please contact your delegates about the House version of Following Too Closely, HB 1342. This nice bit of coverage may help:

http://www.fredericksburg.com/news/transportation/virginia-house-panel-oks-bill-to-protect-bicyclists/article_ac7fd7e9-76a5-511d-aa12-9174e619bde7.html?mode=jqm

[mattotoole]

@PotomacCyclist 106097 wrote:

He is the advocacy director for the VBF. I just saw this interview he did with the Richmond Times-Dispatch in Sept. 2012. He is currently listed as Treasurer and Advocacy Director on the VBF website.

He didn’t start cycling until he was 51, back in 1984. So yes, that makes him 81 or 82 now. He was still cycling as of 2012.

http://www.richmond.com/news/article_925ba83f-a2f3-514d-a852-3f417a76c441.html

He’s still leading a couple of RABA rides every week!

Was also named 2009 Advocate of the Year by The Alliance for Biking & Walking. Well deserved — we’re lucky to have him.

[mattotoole]

Reported out of Subcommittee 2 this morning, w/ Garrett the only nay vote (imagine that):

http://www.vabike.org/hb1342-following-too-closely-clears-subcommittee/

[mattotoole]

@Greenbelt 104492 wrote:

No drivers license for life, minimum. She had a .27 blood alcohol in a 2010 stop with shredded tire (wonder what she ran over that time?). Now a .22 while texting. Astonishing level of irresponsibility for the safety of others.

A high percentage of these cyclist fatalities seem to be caused by a small group of the very worst drivers, with multiple DUIs, etc. Many have had their points up to the limit for several years. Or they’ve lost their license, but have it back because of concessions by the courts and DMV.

There’s talk that the next leap in road safety will come from keeping this small group of the worst drivers off the road. I’d love to see some seirous research into this. And some serious steps taken.

Mandatory ignition interlock devices (IIDs) are a great start, and they’re probably coming to Virginia soon. The average DUI perpetrator supposedly drives drunk 80 times before getting caught.

[mattotoole]

I’m just me everywhere, ‘cuz it’s easier.

[mattotoole]

@Kolohe 102465 wrote:

I have come close, but fortunately not that close, to a deer jumping across Branch Avenue on the downhill stretch between Alabama and Penn

I’ve come almost as close several times on Democracy Bl. in Potomac, where I was riding home several nights a week. There’s a fast open stretch approaching Seven Locks Rd. from the west, which is also popular with deer. I started off hammering through there but slowed down a lot.

There were several serious deer incidents in Blacksburg when I lived there, including when a herd ran through Mountains of Misery riders. My old housemate was hurt by a deer last year.

My scariest almost-crash with a deer was descending Park Ave. in Laguna Beach, CA, at 40+. And the deer around there are big.

[mattotoole]

@rcannon100 101848 wrote:

One word: Harpers Ferry Line!

Indeed. We’ll probably get that on Amtrak soon, but having both would really make it work.

Kudos to Champe Burnley as the alpha cage-rattler making all this happen.

[Author]

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