Arlington Heights Bicycle Club participates in international Ride of Silence May 18, 2011

The Arlington Heights Bicycle Club is pleased to announce participation in the international Ride of Silence on May 18, 2011 . The Ride of Silence is an international event to honor those who have been injured or killed while bicycling on public roadways.  All cyclists are encouraged to join wherever they live or work. Rides are planned for 300 cities and 7 continents worldwide.  All Ride of Silence locations are locally organized. 

The ride is 7:00PM on Wednesday May 18, 2011 and is a 10 mile loop; starting and ending location is Recreation Park, 500 E Miner St, Arlington Heights, Illinois at 7:00PM on Wednesday May 18, 2011.  Please plan to arrive at 6:30PM so we may start at the appointed hour.

Cyclists will take to the roads in a silent procession to honor cyclists who have been killed or injured while cycling on public roadways. Although cyclists have a legal right to share the road with motorists, the motoring public often isn't aware of these rights, and sometimes not aware of the cyclists themselves.

In Arlington Heights we ride to honor those who have been killed or injured while cycling; we ride to remind the public that cyclists have the right to share the roads; and we ride to remind ourselves to ride safely and with respect for motorists.

In 2003, Chris Phelan organized the first Ride Of Silence in Dallas after endurance cyclist Larry Schwartz was hit by the mirror of a passing bus and was killed.  Arlington Heights has participated in the Ride of Silence each year since 2005.  2011 will make our 7th year.  2010 was a record year with 125 participants.

Cyclists who are unable to participate in Arlington Heights are encouraged to participate in one of the other Illinois rides in Chicago,  Bartlett,  Downers Grove, Evanston,  Peoria,   or Urbana  (http://www.rideofsilence.org/chicago/) 

The Ride Of Silence is a free ride that asks its cyclists to ride no faster than 12 mph and remain silent during the ride. There is no brochure, no sponsors, no registration fees and no t-shirt. The ride, which is held during Bike Safety month, aims to raise the awareness of motorists, police and city officials that cyclists have a legal right to the public roadways. The ride is also a chance to show respect for those who have been killed or injured.

Additional information is available on the web site of the Arlington Heights Bicycle Club www.cyclearlington.com or by sending an email to rideofsilence@cyclearlington.com

Information about other locations is available at www.rideofsilence.org

Critical Mass Gets Nasty in Brasil

What do you do when the road in front of you is blocked? Drive around, or barrel through? This Gentleman, with his son in the car, decided to barrel through, a group of 100 or so cyclists.
I generally like to keep this blog pretty upbeat, but every now and then something comes along I feel compelled to share
Drivers and Cyclists the world over have varying opinions of Critical Mass. Love or hate, most would agree, this is pretty awful.



Here is a link to an NPR article about it as well.

Be careful out there people, Share the Road.

People For Bikes .org

If you haven't already you should check this out, sign the pledge, help make cycling more then just an enthusiast sport and hobby, or childs toy, but a meaningful method of transportation.
Here is a nice video from the director of peopleforbikes.org

Just in case you weren't able to make it out

Here are the highlights of Gov Quinn signing the bike bills into law, we were very excited and honored to be part of that.

Can't we all just get along.

Many people have seen this, but I wanted to share in case any of my friends missed it. I'm not really much of a sports fan, so I don't really know who this cat is. Tony something from an espn radio station in DC. Rants about Bike Lanes and Cyclists in general
I particularly like the part where he advocates tapping them. Which can be a fatal interaction between a car and bike.
So, Lance Armstrong hears about it via Twitter, and gets involved. Which is pretty darn cool.

Utility cyclists and racers don't always see eye to eye, but Big Tex does a great job of bringing this to terms that people can understand.
He also does an admirable job of not mentioning how many times Tony was being a big dufas.
There is an awful lot of hate going on out there, lets all remember, just because they are on two wheels or four, they are still people who are loved and love others.

Keep the rubber side down

Changes at Chicago Bicycle Federation

This was in my e-mail box the other day:
Chicagoland Bicycle Federation is now the Active Transportation Alliance
Expanded mission brings strengthened advocacy

We are excited to announce that we have expanded our mission to include pedestrian and transit advocacy. To reflect this change, we are now the Active Transportation Alliance.
Our expanded mission will allow us to strengthen our bicycling work and grow our work to create a comprehensive, safe and sustainable transportation culture.
Your membership continues to support our work to make bicycling, walking and transit easy and fun for everyone in the region.
The Active Transportation Alliance picks up where the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation left off. It continues to strive to reach its two primary goals — seeing a region with 50 percent fewer crashes and where 50 percent of all trips are made by bike, foot or transit.
Our new logo is shaped like a bicycle frame head badge, and its three elements represent community, pathways and green space.
Find out more about this exciting change at www.activetrans.org. If you have comments or questions, please send them to new@activetrans.org.
Thank you for your support!The Active Transportation Alliance(formerly the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation)
Ps. Wondering how this change affects your membership? Find out more here.

Active Transportation Alliance9 W Hubbard St. Suite 402 • Chicago, IL 60654312.427.3325 •www.activetrans.org
9 W Hubbard St. Suite 402 Chicago, IL 60610-6545 US

Even more reason to join the club, it's not just for cyclists any more

Thank You

Working Bikes and Campbell Street Bicycle Shop thank all the nice folks who have been dropping of donations to the cause.

We just had 17 more bikes get picked up this afternoon.

What am I talking about?
We collect bikes for the folks at Working Bikes, who have a flock of volunteers to clean them up, and fix them, then some of them get Sold from their warehouse on Western in Chicago, in order to fund sending other bikes to Africa for aid workers. Check out their link above for more info.

keep the rubber side down.
peter

Action Alert

This from the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation:

Deadlines looming for critical legislation

We need you to contact your elected officials and ask them to support these bills.

Vulnerable Users Bill (H.B. 4861 and S.B. 2956)
The Vulnerable Users Bill increases penalties for drivers whose reckless driving causes injury or death to a bicyclist, pedestrian, motorcyclist or other vulnerable user of the roadway. Motorists must understand the need to exercise special care for road users who don't have the benefit of seatbelts, airbags and protective steel.

Hazardous Busing Mitigation Act (H.B. 3203)
Currently, schools receive additional busing funds to bus students who live within 1.5 miles of school across dangerous streets or traffic conditions. This bill will allow school boards to use these funds to improve or eliminate the hazards. For example, schools can install sidewalks, stop signs, traffic lights o! r other improvements that will make the streets safer for the students and the community.