Palisade Bike Rodeo

Gadgets to Boost Bike Safety

In a widely viewed YouTube video, a cyclist named Casey Neistat, deliberately takes tumble after tumble while trying to navigate obstructed bike lanes in New York City. The video is funny — it even includes a crash into a parked police car — but it also has struck a chord with bike commuters around the country facing a seemingly endless array of road hazards.
In urban areas, many riders have reason to be nervous, and that in itself is part of a vicious cycle.
“The most common mistake new cyclists make is not riding predictably,” said Ken Podziba, chief executive of Bike New York, a nonprofit group that promotes cycling. “For example, people who are afraid of getting hit from behind by a car will often do things like ride on the sidewalk or ride against traffic, which actually increases the danger that they will get hit by a motorist who doesn’t see them. Fear is a cyclist’s worst enemy.”
Driven in part by riders’ demands for a greater sense of comfort and safety on the road, new apps and gadgets are promising to do for the bicycle what air bags and satellite navigation did for the family car. What used to be a simple, healthful mode of transport is fast becoming a tech festival on wheels.
Perhaps it was to be expected. Travel by bike has surged in recent years, spurred by bike-sharing programs and efforts to set aside and improve bike lanes. New York, Chicago and San Francisco introduced bike-share programs last year, and a dozen cities nationwide are planning to follow suit.
From 1990 to 2012, the number of bicycle commuters nearly doubled in the 70 largest cities, according to data collected by theLeague of American Bicyclists. Today, Americans make more than four billion trips by bike each year.
One of the biggest grievances of all these cyclists is not being seen. Jonathan Lansey, 28, spent so much time dodging cars on his daily commute in Boston that he began a Kickstarter campaign to finance production of a bike horn that could not fail to get drivers’ attention. His brainchild, Loud Bicycle, sounds like a two-toned car horn and, at 112 decibels, is about as loud.
“It’s embarrassing to get honked at,” Mr. Lansey said. “But it’s more embarrassing to get honked at by a bicycle.”
He tested the horn on his commute and found that drivers reacted immediately, as they would to another car. “They’re more worried about damaging their car than another person,” he noted.
Philip McAleese, 39, of Newtownards, Northern Ireland, also wanted to make cyclists more visible, so he developed a bike light called See.Sense, which has sensors that react to surrounding light levels and movement. If the cyclist swerves or brakes, for instance, the lights flash in a pattern similar to those on an ambulance or a police car. See.Sense also has a broad beam, so the bike is more visible from all angles, helping to prevent a side-on collision.
Who needs bike lanes at all? The Xfire Bike Lane light is equipped with two high-visibility red lasers that project two three-foot lines onto the road, creating an ad hoc bike lane. The lighted lane is visible to motorists up to a mile away, according to the manufacturer.
But perhaps the most surprising leap in high-tech safety is an inflatable bike helmet called the Hovding, which works much like an automobile air bag. The device, worn around the neck like a quite fashionable scarf, detects the impact of a crash and inflates a sort of instant helmet around the cyclist’s head and neck.
Tests performed by the Folksam insurance company in Sweden suggest it may be three times as effective as a standard helmet. But riders in the United States will have to wait to try it; at the moment, the Hovding is sold only in Europe.
In addition to their personal safety, cyclists worry about safeguarding their bikes. A device called BikeSpike, affixed to the frame, allows you to track its location on a smartphone, so you can find a stolen bike or just keep track of family and friends on the road. For a monthly fee, the app also alerts your smartphone when a bike has been in a crash or deviates from its expected course (such as a child riding too far from home) or is tampered with. BikeSpike goes on sale this spring.
BitLock is a bike lock with a twist: It can be locked and unlocked by a smartphone, and not just the cyclist’s. Once other users have permission, they can use the app — which also provides the bike’s location — to grab the bike wherever it has been left. The result: instant individualized bike-share, without the costly and ubiquitous street racks. The locks should be available by fall.
For cyclists who want to take self-quantification to the next level, there’s the Copenhagen Wheel, which replaces the regular back wheel of a bike. It tracks how the cyclist pedals, the distances traveled and calories burned. The wheel also includes a motor that kicks in on longer or steeper rides, which is intended to remove the perennial objection of would-be commuters that a ride is too long or difficult, making it a more appealing alternative to jumping in the car. The wheel is available for pre-order online.
For many cyclists, the most important onboard device is a phone. The Atom, a USB battery pack that is recharged by pedaling, can be connected directly to any USB-powered device such as your phone or bike light, or removed from the bicycle to charge a device after your ride. “We’re providing mobile power for mobile technologies,” said David Delcourt, chief executive of the manufacturer, Siva Cycles. The device can be pre-ordered online for shipment in July.
Not all cyclists are enthusiastic about the rapidly evolving robo-bike. They say the new technology could become a distraction to cyclists who need to stay focused on the road.
Maybe what’s really needed is a course in improving real-world bike skills, perhaps paired with devices like a loud horn or a brighter light to help make the streets less intimidating.
“You can have your bike outfitted with all the latest technology, which is great,” said Mr. Podziba of Bike New York, which offers instructor-led rides around the city. “But you have to remember that you’re sharing the road with drivers, and other cyclists, who are used to certain behavior.”
Once riders get over the fear, he added, “the daily chaos can actually be fun, interesting and connect them to our amazing city like nothing else can.”
----------------------------- A version of this article appears in print on 03/11/2014, on page D10 of the NewYork edition with the headline: Equipping the Ride of Your Life.

Complete Streets

Hello Free-Wheeling Folks!

Over 600 communities across the country are changing transportation policy to ensure their future road projects are planned, designed, operated, and maintained for the safety of all users, of all ages and abilities, and regardless of how they travel.

A bill in U.S. Congress (HR2468/S2004) would help these communities create streets that are safe for all users. When our representatives hear from people like you and me, they're more likely to support this policy change. Please join me in asking for Safe Streets by clicking HERE.

Thank you and Enjoy the Ride!

Jan 13-16 Edgewater Brewery benefit for The Riverfront Trail

	Save-the-Date    Join us for a fundraising event January 13-16 Edgewater Brewery will graciously host a fundraiser for the Riverfront Trails Project January 13th through the 16th from 11:00am to 9:00pm with $2 bottle beer specials (Lands End Amber and Standing Wave Pale Ale). The Riverfront Project will receive $1 for every bottle of these two beers sold during the 13th through the 16th! The Riverfront Commission and Foundation have benefitted from great community support and continues to work towards their vision of a trail from the Garfield/Mesa County line to the Utah state line. To date, there is more than 20 miles of public, multi-use trails linking over 300 acres of park areas. The work goes on and the expenses continue. Please ensure the progress of trail construction and maintenance by joining us with friends and family at the Edgewater Brewery for this fundraising event. Fundraiser Details Order a bottle of Lands End Amber or Standing Wave Pale Ale  $1 from every bottle purchased goes to the Riverfront Project January 13-16 Edgewater Brewery, Grand Junction Trail Update: Final phase of the Grand Junction to Fruita trail connection has begun! City of Grand Junction has completed numerous trail repairs 2014 Summer Concert Series schedule info coming soon For more information, please contact the Riverfront Commission 970-683-4333. Looking forward to seeing you there, The Riverfront Commission and Foundation

Joy Covey helped catapult Amazon.com from a small company to the global powerhouse it is today. Earlier this year, on a bicycle ride in San Mateo County, Calif., she was struck by a delivery van and killed. She was 50 years old. 

Joy is one of hundreds of men and women killed while bicycling or walking on our streets each year.

This has to change -- and a one-sentence bill in Congress could do it. 

Please contact your members of Congress today to ask them to co-sponsor H.R. 3494 / S. 1708, which requires the US Department of Transportation (USDOT) and state DOTs to account for and work to reduce bicyclist and pedestrian deaths.  Take Action Here.

Last week, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) confirmed that biking and walking fatalities have continued to increase – now representing 16.3 percent of all traffic deaths and a total of 5,469 people killed.

Last year, Congress mandated the US DOT to set performance goals, including safety goals. We believe that those goals should include a plan to make biking safer. However, the US DOT has refused to set a safety goal for non-motorized transportation.

Congress doesn't agree: Members of the House and Senate, from both sides of the aisle, have introduced identical bills specifically requiring US DOT to set a goal to reduce the deaths of those biking and walking.

The Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Act states clearly that the lives of all roadway users are important -- and creates accountability toward ending needless deaths.

It gives US DOT the flexibility to determine the best method to meet these safety measures, and calls on our leaders to reduce the number of people biking and walking who are killed or injured on our streets every year.            

It’s time that we all stand together to say that the deaths of bicyclists and pedestrians deserve to be counted and prevented, too. Please help us build the momentum for this important legislation by contacting your members of Congress to ask them to co-sponsor these bipartisan bills.

Without it, people who bike and walk, like Joy, will remain in the blindspot of our transportation system.

Join this effort, and tell your lawmakers to vote for these straightforward, bi-partisan bills. Take action. 

Thank you for your support!

This media release was sent out from CDOT today. This is an opportunity for you to voice your opinion about the future of transportation in Colorado around bicycling and walking.

Coloradoans Invited to Help Chart State’s Transportation Future

DENVER – The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) is asking citizens to get involved in planning the future of the state’s transportation system.   

With the unveiling of the Statewide Plan website at www.coloradotransportationmatters.com, CDOT is inviting the public to play a major role developing the Statewide Transportation Plan (SWP), set for release in mid-2014. 

“We really want to hear from people throughout Colorado because this plan guides us on how limited dollars will be invested in the transportation system and how projects will be selected and scheduled in the future,” said CDOT Executive Director Don Hunt.  “Public participation is crucial for its development since it’ll reflect the priorities and needs of our citizens.”

The website serves as a central point of contact for CDOT, its planning partners and the public at large.

Website visitors will discover what opportunities and challenges are facing Colorado’s transportation system.  It allows the public to provide comments and take on-line surveys and examine the financial practices and organizational policies used by CDOT to stretch resources and meet statewide needs.  In addition, local planning processes, upcoming events and data on the state’s economy, environment and transportation system is available on the site.

Coloradans are encouraged to check the website often to learn about new developments and provide input on the direction of the SWP.  

Contacts: Michelle Scheuerman, Statewide Planning Manager, (303)757-9770

michelle.scheuerman@state.co.us

Bob Wilson, CDOT Communications, (303)757-9431

Dear Riverfront Project Supporters:

Since 1997, our elected officials from Grand Junction, Mesa County, Fruita and Palisade have contributed financially to the operational expenses of the Riverfront Commission. Mesa County notified the Riverfront recently, that they will not be allocating funds for 2014. This represents a substantial problem for the continued success of the Riverfront Project.




The Riverfront Commission will be meeting with the Board of County Commissioners on Wednesday, November 20. Please contact your Board of County Commissioners and let them know you support the Riverfront Project and would like to see taxpayer money being spent toward a very worthwhile effort.



A personal story of how you use the trail, what value you place on it, or how the community as a whole benefits from the Riverfront Project is always a good touch. And please keep things in a positive tone.



The Riverfront Project is a citizen-driven idea, carried out by our government partners across the Valley. The small cost to our governments, creates more livable communities and the continued use of the trail provides great physical health and mental benefits.

County Commissioners can be reached:

Rose Pugliese email: rose.pugliese@mesacounty.us              244-1606

Steve Acquafresca email: Steve.Acquafresca@mesacounty.us   244-1604

John Justman email: john.justman@mesacounty.us                   244-1605