Detroit News

This is just a collection of small items…

Winter Cycling Photos

For three days in a row, either the Detroit News or the Detroit Free Press have run a photo of a cyclist riding in the cold and snowy environment.  The articles themselves were only about the cold weather and not about biking in it.

Cash for Clunkers

The Detroit News has reported that “Congress is mulling a proposal to pay people to get rid of those old gas guzzlers sitting in their driveways.”

Congress is talking about a $1 billion to $2 billion per program that would eventually reduce U.S. fuel usage by 40,000 and 80,000 barrels of fuel per day.

Under legislation introduced Wednesday in the House and Senate and called the “Cash for Clunkers” program, drivers could get vouchers of up to $4,500 when they turn in their old fuel-inefficient vehicles for scrapping and buy vehicles that get good gas mileage.

It seems the government could see much greater reduction in fuel usage by investing that money in bicycle facilities instead.

American Families and Bike Paths

Free Press

House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) was recently on Face the Nation and commented on Obama’s economic stimulus bill and what would be “responsible.”

I think there’s a place for infrastructure, but what kind of infrastructure? Infrastructure to widen highways, to ease congestion for American families? Is it to build some buildings that are necessary?…  But if we’re talking about beautification projects, or we’re talking about bike paths, Americans are not going to look very kindly on this.

Really?  American families are not going to appreciate government spending on biking facilities?  An America Bikes survey found 53% of Americans favor
increased federal spending on bike facilities.

Congressman Earl Blumenauer

The New York Times wrote an excellent article on Oregon’s congressman Earl Blumenauer.

“We have been flogging this bicycle thing for 20 years,” said Mr. Blumenauer, a Democrat. “All of a sudden it’s hot.”

But Mr. Blumenauer’s goals are larger than putting Americans on two wheels. He seeks to create what he calls a more sustainable society, including wiser use of energy, farming that improves the land rather than degrades it, an end to taxpayer subsidies for unwise development — and a transportation infrastructure that looks beyond the car.

Note that you don’t need to be from Oregon to donate money to his campaign.  We need to make sure he stays in Washington and continues to carry the torch for better bicycling.

John R with four one-way vehicle lanes and negligible traffic -- an urban cyclist dream street.

Metromode has a great article covering biking in Detroit, but more specifically those whose bike in the winter.

The Cass Corridor is cold, snowy and largely deserted outside of The Hub in Midtown Detroit this time of year. That’s not the case inside the new bike shop just north of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Bicycling enthusiasts of all ages, colors and creeds rub tires inside a space littered with custom wheels and vintage bikes.

There is a constant stream of people coming and going from the shop in the dead of January, and they all got there on two wheels. Cold or no cold, these year-round commuters brave the freezing temperature, ice and snow to keep on pedaling. The destinations for these die-hards are their jobs, local businesses, friends and families.

“The winter time weeds out all of the wussies,” says Jordan Bentley, the mechanic manager at The Hub.

In the article, Alex Aranda makes a point that we make often: the City of Detroit has some of the best urban biking in the U.S.

We don’t have a many bike lanes (yet) but that’s not always a necessity for many of us.

We have roads like Second Avenue, Third Avenue, and John R with four lanes traveling in one direction and very few cars.  How few? In 2005, John R saw 1,405 vehicles per day at Owen.  That’s an average of less than 1 car per minute on a four lane one-way road.  And we’re driving less now.

Austin, Texas is a designated bike friendly community.  Last year I was there trying to follow some prescribed bike routes using their excellent bike map.  There was no shortage of motorized traffic.  It was not the most pleasant ride.  The repeating thought in my head was I’d rather be riding through Detroit.

And, Detroit’s streets are so lightly traveled that an alleycat was purposely held last year when three major events were happening downtown.  The hope was we’d have enough traffic on the roads to make the alleycat a little more New York-ish.  Even then, it just wasn’t that crowded on the roads.

Certainly the lack of motor traffic is indicative of Detroit’s depressed economic landscape and overbuilt road infrastruture.  The silver lining is it’s great for Detroit cyclists.

Police have arrested a 49-year old woman they believe was involved in hit-and-run that left a cyclist severely injured in Fort Gratiot.

According to the Times Herald:

St. Clair County Sheriff Tim Donnellon said the woman was arrested about 1:15 p.m. Wednesday after a car believed to be involved in the hit-and-run accident was spotted parked outside a residence. The woman was taken into custody after police went to the home and found her inside.

St. Clair County Sheriff Tim Donnellon said the woman was arrested about 1:15 p.m. Wednesday after a car believed to be involved in the hit-and-run accident was spotted parked outside a residence. The woman was taken into custody after police went to the home and found her inside.

This same article has a horrific picture of the damaged bike.

The Times Herald reported earlier that the cyclist, Michael Eckert was now in good condition at the St. John Hospital.

Michael Eckert, a 50-year old cyclist and assistant managing editor of the Times Herald was struck in a hit-and-run in St. Clair County.

According to an article in the Times Herald:

Police said the vehicle involved is believed to be a mid-sized, purple Pontiac that may have damage to the passenger side front door. The driver is believed to have fled the scene of the accident north on Pollina Road.

Eckert’s wife, Theresa, said a man found Eckert lying by the side of the road and called 911. She said one of Eckert’s shoes was found 200 feet from his bike.

Eckert sustained multiple broken ribs, a broken clavicle, a collapsed lung and there was a problem with the vertebrae in his neck. Eckert was able to speak, however, Theresa Eckert said.

According to one commenter on the Times Herald web site, Eckert rode with lights on his bike: “He does wear red led flashers and a headlight while riding, See him every night.”

If you have any information, please call the sheriff department at (810) 985-8115

There will be a book signing starting at 7 PM this Friday, January 2nd in Royal Oak at the American Cycle and Fitness store on Woodward just north of 12 Mile.

The book is called Roadie: The Misunderstood World of a Bike Racer
and it’s author is local-cyclist Jamie Smith.  The book is illustrated by Frazz illustrator, Jef Mallett from Lansing.

With a keen sense of humor and a wealth of experience as a cyclist, Smith explains the wonderfully addicting but equally strange world of bicycle racing, including many of its charming habits and obsessive practices. Training, diet, several of the Michigan courses, cycle repairs, race strategies, and the puzzling question of why cyclists wear Lycra are all outlined in this unique book. Mallett’s comic illustrations perfectly complement the narrative.

Smith’s book did make the 2009 Michigan Notable Book list.

For more details, visit  www.americancycleandfitness.com or call the store at 248-542-7182.  Refreshments will be provided