Category: News

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Freedom and Bicycling

Chris Mosley, Executive Director, Coalition of Arizona Bicyclists

I was free this morning. Free to answer to the alarm at 4:15 am, and free to go chase the youngsters. (Anyone under the age of 50 is a youngster to me!) I was free to ride with a very diverse group of men and women from the east valley, to Fountain Hills / Rio Verde up to Pinnacle Peak and back. Free to be tired at the end of 80 miles. And, free to feel happy about the effort and success of the morning. Whether you wake-up and ride for recreation, ride because it is your means of transportation, or ride for any other reason, you are free to choose. And what a great thing this is, “Freedom”! All of it!

Ronald Reagan said in 1974; “With freedom goes responsibility, a responsibility that can only be met by the individual.”

We are a coalition, which is an alliance of factions, a union. So we are a union of individuals, which have the passion to fight for the equal freedom of bicyclist. Free to choose for what purpose we ride and where we might ride. We are a coalition.

We speak, we write, in support of bicycling and ultimately the bicyclist. We are advocates. As Ronald Reagan said, it is our responsibility to speak as individuals. But as a coalition of individuals our advocacy becomes loud and clear. We are advocates.

So on this great day, because we have this great freedom, let us renew the charge and take on the responsibility to protect that which we endear. Let’s talk bicycling, let’s talk education, let’s talk safety, and let us talk about the bicyclist!

It is a great thing to be associated with great people. CAzB is a great coalition, a great alliance of individuals, advocates!

I hope your 4th of July weekend was as great as mine.

Critical Mass – Phoenix

As a nationally certified cycling safety instructor I was intrigued by Critical Mass’s endeavor to improve cycling in the Valley, so I participated in Friday night’s ride. To the consternation of leaders I stopped for red lights, but I also stood up to motorists that were trying to endanger cyclists by not following the rules of the road.

I fully support the effort Critical Mass Phoenix to bring attention to the lawlessness of some motorists relative to the legitimate use of bicycles on the roads, but not by breaking the law ourselves. How many law obeying and innocent motorists were wrongly delayed and inconvenienced and are now generally resentful of all cyclists? I believe it’s the wrong message.

One reply I received was that the group was akin to a long limousine, the front of which entered the intersection on green, but the rear completed on the red. No, we are all separate drivers of our bicycles and are not joined by a steel frame. Hence we are individually under the rules of the road. Another reply was that keeping going on a red light kept the group together. I have led and been on other rides that stayed together by lawful means.

We all need to follow the rules of the road.

Gene Holmerud

Share the Road – Buses and Bicycles

“At first glance, it may not seem like a bike and a bus have very much in common, but in fact, they share a lot of things… both are usually in the same space on the roadway, the right lane. And both have slower than average speeds…”, view the video presented by ChicgoBikes and the Chicago Transit Authority:


Share the Road – Buses and Bicycles from Chicago Bicycle Program on Vimeo.

If you ever experience a bus being driven in an inappropriate way, it is recommended that you do NOT confront the driver. Rather, take careful note of the 1) time 2) location, and 3) the name of the Bus Company/Authority. Then contact that Authority, and provide the info along with a brief description of the problem. They have, or should have, a keen interest in their buses being driven in as safely a manner as possible. Many buses have video recording devices, that can provide evidence of what actually occurred.

Many transit authorities are a consortium overseen by multiple municipalities, and you can contact both the municipality (e.g. the city of Phoenix) and the authority (e.g. Valley Metro) who then may tell you the bus is operated under contract by a private company. *All* parties should be informed.
In the case of a school bus, typically, the name of the school district will be painted on the side — contact that school district’s person in charge of transportation.

The same sort advice holds for any sort of commercial vehicle — don’t try to confront the driver. Just collect the information, and contact the company directly.

In extreme cases, you may need to contact law enforcement directly and immediately but keep in mind that there is very little a police officer can do about a situation that they did not witness.

LCI Instructor Class: Sept 9, 10, 11 in Gilbert, AZ

There will be an LCI Instructor Class held September 9, 10, and 11, 2011. This is the class to take to become a certified LCI (League Cycling Instructor), more info from the LAB.

The location will be:

Town of Gilbert, Heritage annex, 119 N. Gilbert Road, Gilbert, AZ 

This location will be empty except for our class and has a door directly from the conference room to the parking lot.

Application and Candidate Expectations.

questions? contact Kathy Mills.

Cycle For Life registration for November open soon

Planning has begun for our next Cycle For Life bike event, organized by the Arizona Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. The event has been moved to November where it will remain each year. This year, the ride will offer a 75-mile and 35-mile routes in Pinal County starting at Heritage Park in Florence, AZ on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011.

A focus group held in May helped to shape the future of this event with much potential to grow in a community where cycling is a popular activity. This year’s fully-supported Cycle For Life will offer training rides to help beginner road riders prepare for a fun experience. Registration will open soon.

If you would like more information about Cycle For Life or would like to help plan this year’s event, contact Sheryl Keeme at Skeeme@cff.org.

Support for Phx’s Complete Streets Classification System

Mr. Shane Silsby
Deputy Street Transportation Director
City of Phoenix
200 W. Washington St.
Phoenix, AZ 85004

Dear Mr. Silsby

The Coalition of Arizona Bicyclists would like to express our support for the City of Phoenix’s application to the FHWA Transportation, Community and System Preservation Program to create a “Complete Streets” Classification System. I have personally participated in the MAG Bike/Pedestrian Committee efforts to promote the Complete Streets concept in Maricopa County, and believe that this step is integral to, and supportive of, the efforts currently being made to better accommodate multi-modal transportation in our community. The CAzB believes that this will complement and support the following:

  • The Complete Streets concept as outlined in the MAG Complete Streets Guide.
  • The Phoenix General Plan Update.
  • The Central Phoenix Transportation Framework and Sustainable Land Use and Transportation integration studies.

We fully support implementation of Complete Streets and multi-modal concepts in order to create integration of land use and transportation in an effort to improve both the livability and transportation safety attributes of the City of Phoenix and the Valley as a whole.

Sincerely,

Robert Beane
President, Coalition of Arizona Bicyclists
(501 c 3 bicycling advocacy and education organization directly representing over 3,000 individual and club member bicyclists in Arizona)
Member and former officer/board member, Phoenix Metro Bicycle Club (450 member recreational bicycling club)
Phoenix resident (Ahwatukee Foothills)

Report from scvbac Ride of Silence

The Ride of Silence is over for 2011 but will be back on Wednesday, May 16, 2012 – always on the third Wednesday. If you have a next year calendar put it down in ink.

In Green Valley the wind scared some people away but turned out to not be a factor affecting the ride. Ridership was down some but spirits were up. Thanks to those who made this a memorable ride!

For an article appearing in the Sunday edition of the Green Valley News and Sun and the Sahuarita Sun go to…..

This can also be accessed from the home page of the Santa Cruz Valley Area Bicycle Advocate Committee, scvbac.org. From there you can also access a portfolio of pictures that were taken by Green Valley Camera Club member John Weakley — or just go directly to his flickr album.

We look forward to seeing you next year!

Phx Bicycle Initiative Subcommittee mtg is WEDNESDAY, not Thursday

Flash update — City of Phx Bicycle Initiative Subcommittee for this month will be WEDNESDAY (tomorrow!) May 25, 2011 at 4:30pm; rather than the usual fourth Thursday. Sorry for the late notice.

The EQC (Environmental Quality Committee) meets once per month on the third Thursday at 8 a.m. in the Phoenix City Hall, 200 W. Washington, 14th Floor, Conference Room 14W (unless otherwise specified).

The Bicycle Initiative Subcommittee meets the fourth Thursday of the month, 4-6 p.m. in the Phoenix City Hall, 200 W. Washington, 1st Floor, Assembly Room D (unless otherwise specified).

Follow the link at phoenix.gov/environment/eqc/meetings/ for current agendas and updated info.

15th Ave Bikeway bridge: info meeting May 23

The City of Phoenix will be constructing a pedestrian and bicycle bridge across the Arizona Canal from the existing ACDC Bicycle Path to the 15th Avenue Bikeway in early summer 2012.
The design for this bridge is now complete and the City of Phoenix Street Transportation Department
will be holding an informational public meeting to discuss the history of the project, bridge design and proposed construction schedule.

Royal Palm Pedestrian and Bicycle CANAL Bridge at 15th Ave
Monday May 23, 2011
Richard E. Miller School
2021 W. Alice Ave
6:00pm – 8:00pm