″I′ll be more OK…

A 49-year-old Chesterfield Township man disgruntled over a traffic ticket and crash with a Roseville Police car admitted he’s been dumping screws and nails in the Roseville city hall and police department parking lots once or twice a week since late February, blowing out tires, according to investigators.
Detroit Free Press, March 24th, 2010

…with bikes sharing the roads with cars…

About 10 minutes after a Westland mother drove drunk and broadsided another vehicle in Ferndale, then fled with her 4-year-old in the backseat, police said, Jean Timlin’s Honda CRV was pulled over.
Detroit Free Press, March 5th, 2010

…when the bikers start following…

Six preschoolers were injured Tuesday after they were struck by flying glass and debris when their teacher accidentally backed her SUV through a side window wall of their Franklin village school, police said.
Detroit Free Press, March 10th, 2010

…the same rules of the road.”

Charges have been filed against the Dearborn Heights man accused of running over a corporal in the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office with the officer’s own car.

Jeffery Lamar Jones, 32, was charged with two counts of assault with intent to commit murder; two counts of felonious assault; carjacking; two counts of fleeing and eluding; felonious driving; resisting and obstructing a police officer causing serious impairment; failure to stop at a personal injury accident; operating with a suspended license; and marijuana possession, according to the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office.
Detroit Free Press, March 16th, 2010

The italicized quote shown above is from a Royal Oak web forum, but it’s not an uncommon statement. Some consider it okay to consider cyclists as a collective group — a group that bears responsibility for everyones individual actions. This is perpetuated by cyclists who say we all need to uphold the collective reputation of cycling.

It’s nonsense.

Do individual motorists accept responsibility for all motorists? Do motorists feel compelled to uphold their collective reputation every time they get behind the wheel?Are motorists at risk of losing access to all public roads because of the egregious behaviors listed above? Of course not.

Michigan law grants roads access to individuals riding bicyclists just as it does for motorists.

The bottom line is there’s no double-standard.

WashCycle’s The Myth of the Scofflaw Cyclist does an admiral job discussing this issue in greater detail.

The last three bills — SB 389, SB 1057, and HB 4677 — in a four-bill package for state park funding have passed the House today with an 81 to 27 vote. They are headed to the Senate where they may be voted on as soon as tomorrow.

Please contact your State Senator and ask that they support these bills.

HB 5752 passed the Senate last week, was ordered enrolled and was presented to the Governor.

More information on this state park funding legislation, also known as the Recreation Passport, visit the OurMichiganParks.org web site.

Senate Bills 389 and 1057 and House Bill 4677 will come up for a final vote in the State House of Representatives tomorrow, Wednesday, March 24th! The first bill in the package, House Bill 5752 passsed last week.

If you care about Michigan’s state parks, forest recreation areas and trails and their contribution to Michigan’s tourism economy, today and tomorrow morning is the time to call your state representative and ask them to support this legislation.

The passport will drop state park annual fees by 60% and allow a convenient, individual option that people will be able to partake of when they register their vehicle every year. By having more people participate, it is expected that enough revenue will come in to maintain and improve our state park infrastructure and award small grants to local community recreation projects.

Thanks to the champions of this legislation: Senator Patricia Birkholz, Senator Raymond Basham, Representative Rebekah Warren, and Rep. Arlan Meekhof.

Let?s give this package one last push! Call your State Representative today! You can go to www.michiganlegislature.org for contact information for your particular legislator.

For more information on state park funding, please visit the OurMichiganParks.org web site.

From the APBP (via Streetsblog):

The Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals (APBP) is interested in gathering input on transportation cycling issues.

This particular survey is just for women and girls.

How long does this survey take? 15 minutes on average.

Can I share this survey with other women? Please do. The more women and girls you refer to this survey, the more it assists us in figuring out what factors need to be addressed to encourage women to cycle more places more often. The survey will remain open until Saturday May 15, 2010.

Take the Survey

While at a conference in Buffalo last year, Dom Nozzi corrected me. Biking and walking are not alternative transportation. Alternative transportation is an auto-centric term which implies that only motor vehicles are mainstream transportation.

It’s a loaded term and one worth dropping, especially given the U.S. DOT’s recent policy statement that encourages government agencies to consider “walking and bicycling as equals with other transportation modes.”

That said, the “alternative transportation” theme was commonly used in the recent Let’s Save Michigan poster contest. Many of the submitted posters highlighted cycling and transit as a positive part of Michigan’s future.

The critic’s choice poster by Jonathan Wilcox is shown. Wilcox included this explanation for his inspiration.

Truly embracing alternative forms of transportation, such as trains and bicycles, could be a good way to increase travel into, out of, and within cities, and between city and suburb, while also easing the environmental issues of having so many cars on the road. Michigan has long been known for its commitment to transportation and it’s time we think and act accordingly in this new decade.

Great poster, great direction.