House Tries To De-Fund Cycling, Don’t Let Them!

From MassBike

———————-

Last Fall, you helped us defeat Senate attacks on biking and walking. But now the House of Representatives is launching its own attack. Next Thursday, February 2nd, we can expect the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee to vote on its version of the surface transportation bill, called “The American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act.” Alarms went off when we learned that the two primary sources of federal bike funding, Transportation Enhancements and Safe Routes to School, will be eliminated.

The legislation will be open for amendments for only a short time in the T&I Committee. If you live in Representative Michael Capuano’s district, a high-ranking member of the committee, we need your help. During Thursday’s vote, he could be the key to making sure that a pro-biking amendment passes. Will you ask him today to vote to preserve funding for biking and walking in the transportation bill?

Let him know that in his district alone:

• Nearly $2 million in Safe Routes to School funding has gone to making the streets safer for children trying to walk or bike to school;
• Transportation Enhancements has supported over $34 million in bike and pedestrian infrastructure, improving the experience for all users of the road;
• Biking and walking make up 12 percent of all trips, but only 1.5 percent of federal funding.

Representative Capuano’s office phone number is (202) 225-5111, or you can email him by clicking here. Please take action today:

1. Call and/or email Representative Capuano TODAY, tell him why bicycling is important to you, and ask him to do two things:

• OPPOSE any move to eliminate the Transportation Enhancements or Safe Routes to School Program
• SUPPORT an amendment to maintain the funding to bike and pedestrian programs

2. Email action@massbike.org and let us know you contacted him!

If you don’t have time to call or email, then you can fill out an automated form here, though personalized messages are always preferable. Don’t know who your representative is?  Find out here.

Even if you don’t live in District 8, feel free to contact your representative. While he won’t be able to act on this legislation until it hits the floor in February, it can’t hurt to let him know that biking is important to you. Thanks for your support, and for helping us work toward a better state (and country) for biking.

Add to Reddit.

Tweet

New Mobile Site Feature

Just added the ability to optimize your site for mobile users, you should find the settings in the settings menu (its the wptouch one), its a little tricky, but if you just take a while to read it should be fine. If you don’t care about optimizing your site for mobile, you can ignore this. If you now go to bostonbiker.org using your smart phone you will see a much different experience.

Snazzy, as always let me know if this breaks anything for you.

Add to Reddit.

Tweet

Upcoming Public Meetings

From Dotbike

———————-

Brookline Transportation Board Meeting – Thursday Jan. 26th 7 – 9 p.m. Room 111 Brookline Town Hall, 333 Washington St. Brookline
There are several bike related agenda items including:
Discussion and Action on proposed contraflow bicycle lane on Green St. From Dwight to Harvard.
Discussion and Action on proposed contraflow bicycle lane on Park St. From Marion to Beacon.
Discussion and Action on proposed contraflow bicycle lane on Dudley St. From Lee to Walnut.
Discussion and Action on proposed bicycle lane and shared lane markings on Washington St. From Cypress to the town line.

If you ride in Brookline and especially on any of these streets then think about attending.

Mass DOT Public Meeting on Fore River Bridge Replacement Project – Thursday Feb. 9th 7 – 9 p.m. Abigail Adams Middle School Auditorium 89 Middle St, East Weymouth, MA
A Design Public Hearing will be held by MassDOT to discuss the proposed Fore River Bridge Replacement Project in Weymouth and Quincy, MA
The current plan calls for two travel lanes with bikes relegated to the shoulder “a bicycle accommodating shoulder” and sidewalks for pedestrians.
If you have ridden over this bridge you know that any upgrade will be welcome but please attend to advocate for better bicycle accommodations such as a dedicated cycle track or shared separated pedestrian/bicycle path across the bridge.
More info on the project can be found here http://www.massdotprojectsforeriverbridge.info/projdescript.html

Add to Reddit.

Tweet

4th Annual Boston Bikes Update (New Date)

4th Annual Boston Bikes Update (New Date) – Tuesday Feb. 28th 6:15 – 8 p.m. Boston Public Library, Copley Square, 700 Boylston Street / Rabb Lecture Hall

Free and open to the public

Nicole Freedman, Director of the Boston Bikes Program, will present her fourth report on past achievements, challenges, and future goals of the Mayor’s effort to create a “world class bicycling city.” Come hear details on Hubway bike share, the Bike Network Plan, parking facilities, youth programs, festivals, and more.

And this year the Mayor is scheduled to make an appearance.

Add to Reddit.

Tweet

Wheels To Reels, Indoor Bike Racing

From the email.

————————–

Wednesday February 1, 2012 from 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM EST

Where

Giant Cycling World
11 Kilmarnock St
Boston, MA 02215

Boston Cyclists Union and Smuttynose Brewery present: Wheels to Reels

Wheels: 6pm-7pm

Race head to head in a stationary sprint! Bikes are wired to Open Sprints racing software so you can see real time data as you power against friend (or foe) next to you. This is the ultimate in stationary bike racing! You must RSVP to race. Races are scheduled in advance so please email us with special requests.

Reels: 7:15pm – 9:30pm

Catch your breath, sit back with a brew and popcorn, and enjoy classic bike and kung-fu film Pedicab Driver!

This month’s Wheels to Reels is presented by the Boston Cyclists Union.

The Boston Cyclists Union is a membership organization that grows in influence with each new member it gains. Help improve your own bike commute and get more riders to join you on the road by joining here:

http://bostoncyclistsunion.org/memberjoin.php

RSVP here:
http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=lkyvqkiab&oeidk=a07e5hx3su1c0b4be50

Add to Reddit.

Tweet

Call For Entries, Travel Films

From the email (thanks Karen)

——————————–

Get the reels and wheels moving – professional and aspiring filmmakers are invited to enter The World on Wheels:  The 3rd Annual Ciclismo Classico Bike Travel Film Festival.

This year’s Festival celebrates Bike Week 2012, and is the ONLY film festival in the USA that focuses specifically on bicycle travel.

CALL FOR ENTRIES INFORMATION
The World on Wheels: 3rd Annual Ciclismo Classico Bike Travel Film Festival invites professional and amateur filmmakers to submit for consideration films ranging from 3 to 60 minutes.

Films should feature bicycle travel of any type: organized tour or informal travel, domestic or international.

Grand jury prize: A space for one on a Ciclismo Classico More Miles For Less tour (retail value $2,600).  An audience prize will also be awarded.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE
is April 1st.

Submission regulations, where to send and more info is available at
http://www.ciclismoclassico.com/filmfest

Filmmakers will be notified of Selection Committee’s decision by May 1st.

About The World on Wheels: 3rd Annual Ciclismo Classico Bike Travel Film Festival

Thursday, May 17th, 2012

The Regent Theatre, Arlington, MA

Social Hour 6-7 PM; films 7-10 PM

A benefit for MassBike

http://www.ciclismoclassico.com/filmfest

Whether across the globe or a few towns away, there’s nothing that recharges and expands horizons like bicycle travel.  The Festival will increase awareness and appreciation for bicycle travel by showcasing
independent films that depict the adventure, humor, and growth that happens on a two-wheeled journey.  We seek films that portray a broad range of experiences – destinations ranging from small Italian hamlets to a
campground 30 miles from home; solo travel or a family reunion on bicycles; an organized tour from inn to inn or a shoestring jaunt with tent and sleeping bag.

Add to Reddit.

Tweet

Bike Culture

CBNC for Rudy’s from ace carretero on Vimeo.

For those of you who might think cycling is all about getting to work, or guys in spandex there is so much more. Cycling has a lot of “camps”, you got your roadies, your fixed gear kids, your urban cyclists, your racers, your touring cyclists, cycle chic, and more. This video is just a nice little slice of one little part of bicycling culture. I have been to plenty of parties in this town where there is a row of bikes half a block long chained to a fence out front, and I can tell you nothing is more fun. Cycling culture is the culture that builds up around cycling.

Given even half a chance cycling will bleed over into all parts of your life. From the clothes you choose, to the way you get around, to the kind of people you want to hang out with. How has cycling influenced your life? What part of cycling culture do you enjoy?

Add to Reddit.

Tweet

Shit Cyclists Say

More true than a lot of people would like to admit…but also should be called “shit roadies say” but that might be splitting hairs. Either way, funny.

Thanks Ron for the tip.

Add to Reddit.

Tweet