Cyclist Struck And Killed At Beacon and Charlesgate

(via)

Apparently she was struck by a dump truck.

This afternoon, MIT visiting scientist Dr. Kanako Miura, 36, died in a bicycle accident in Boston’s Back Bay neighborhood. Miura was a native of Japan and had been at MIT since the fall of 2012. Within MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL), Miura worked in the laboratory of Russ Tedrake, an associate professor of computer science and engineering. (via)

At about 3:34pm, on Sunday, May 19, 2013, officers from District D-4 (South End) responded to an accident involving a motor vehicle and a female bicyclist. On arrival, officers located a female victim suffering from what appeared to be life threatening injuries. As a result of injuries suffered in the accident, the bicyclist, a female in her early twenties, was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Detectives – assigned to the Boston Police Department’s Accident Reconstruction Team – are currently investigating the facts and circumstances surrounding this accident. At present, the cause of the accident is still under investigation and no violations have been issued at this time. (via)

On Sunday afternoon at about 3:30, a 20-year-old woman was either riding her bicycle or walking beside it when she was struck by a truck, police said. The woman was pronounced dead at the scene. There was a mangled bike found about a mile from the crash scene on Bay State Road. “It’s really a bad intersection, ” one resident said, describing the corner of Beacon Street and Charlesgate West, where the crash occurred. There is a bike lane on Beacon Street, but police said the woman was hit by a truck that did not stop. Investigators are trying to identify the driver of the truck involved in the incident. “People just don’t care anymore,” another resident said. “They are in such a hurry; they don’t care who they hit at all.” Police pulled over two trucks after the crash but they would not confirm whether either vehicle was involved in the incident. “It’s very scary; I live right next-door. I hope they honor the victim by making the road safer,” a resident said. As of Sunday night, police had not made any arrest or issued any violations.(via)

our hearts go out to her family and friends, more information when I get it. Of all the cyclist fatalities in the last two years, nearly all of them have been caused by large trucks. Perhaps its time the city does something about this.

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City Releases Crash Statistics: Mayor Proposes Mandatory Helmet Law

As a follow-up to City Councilor Ayanna Pressley’s hearing in December 2012, the City of Boston’s Crash Data Report has finally come out. You can find the report at the following URL: http://www.cityofboston.gov/news/uploads/16776_49_15_27.pdf.

highlights include this lovely opening from the Mayor.

Dear Fellow Bostonians,

During the summer and fall of 2012, our city experienced five fatal bicycle incidents that led to this report. Through detailed analysis of four years of police report data, City officials will have concrete information with which to make the roadways safer for vulnerable users. This document will help us smartly apply our resources to continue improving our streets using the “six E’s of bicycle planning”: Engineering, Education, Enforcement, Encouragement, Evaluation, and Equity.

Since the City of Boston bicycle program launched in 2007, we have gone from being called one of the worst cities for cycling in the country to one of the best. The addition of nearly 60 miles of on-street bicycle facilities, hundreds of new bike racks, and the overwhelmingly successful New Balance Hubway bike share program has brought cycling into the mainstream here in Boston. Boston is well on its way to becoming a world-class cycling city. The bicycle has become a critical part of our transportation system.

Boston streets are full of people commuting to work and school, families enjoying a weekend ride together, and every type of rider in-between. This spirited resurgence of the bicycle has placed our city streets in a time of transit ion, from one dependent upon cars, to one embracing more active transportation options. Transitions can be difficult.

The close-knit community among cyclists continues to impress me. When one member of the community suffers from a terrible incident, the degree of separation to all cyclists is not far. We must work tirelessly and collaboratively to continue improving the safety of our streets. This report will help guide the process of continuing to grow Boston’s vibrant bicycle community.

Sincerely,
Thomas M. Menino
Mayor, City of Boston

But what really seems to have some in a tizzy is the notion of a mandatory helmet law being proposed by the mayors office.

Helmets are very useful in reducing injury to your head AFTER the accident occurs. Having a helmet on will reduce your chances of getting brain damage once the car has run into you, but wont keep it from hitting you in the first place. Or from the street being full of pot holes, or from poorly designed intersections, or red light runners etc.

One can only assume at the behest of the Boston Public Health Commission. The BPH seems to be obsessed with helmets, something I (and many others) have disagreed with in the past.

The whole thing is full of statistics here is just a taste:

74% of people are already wearing helmets

21 is the age most likely to be in a crash

Most crashes happen at 5pm

The report is well worth a read, read it all here.  Leave your thoughts, findings, statistical analysis in the comments.

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The City Celebrates Bike Week

Got this in the email, lots and lots of bike week events going on:

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Bike Week is here and it’s jam-packed with activities! For a complete list of all bike events happening around the state this week, visit here. Below you will find some important highlights from Boston Bikes!

Mayor Menino’s Bike Week Celebration: May 17, 7-9a

Cap off a great week of biking by joining us and hundreds of others for the Boston Bike Week Celebration on City Hall Plazathis Friday. To get there, you can join one of 10 convoys - including NEW East Boston/Chelsea and Melrose/Malden/Everett routes – or ride in on your own. We’ll start the morning right by enjoying breakfast by Boloco, getting cool free stuff, and saying good morning to each other, including many vendors.

Will you be there? Find your convoy & REGISTER AHEAD!

Ride of Silence: May 15, 7p 

The Ride of Silence, which is being organized by area volunteers, will honor cyclists who’ve been killed in collisions with motor vehicles. Riders must be 16+ and wear a helmet, and are encouraged to wear a white t-shirt or arm band. The route will be completed in silence and go at a slow pace on a 4 mile route through downtown Boston, leaving from City Hall Plaza at 7p. Press coverage and more information can be found here.

 

 

 

Two Wheels, One Fund: May 16, 6p

We are partnering withJerry Remy’s Sports Bar & Grill to bring you “Two Wheels, One Fund” benefiting The One Fund. With support from the New England cycling community, the event will offer guests an evening of dinner, drinks, live music from Sweet Tooth & the Sugarbabies and the east coast premiere of Red Bull Media’s new mountain biking film, “Where the Trail Ends.” More information and ticket details can be found here.

 

Boston Bikes’ Annual Bike Update, May 21, 6-8:30p

 

Our 5th annual bike update, hosted by the LivableStreets Alliance, will be a presentation on our achievements, challenges, and future goals as we strive to create a “world class bicycling city”. Come hear the latest details about the New Balance Hubway bike share, the Bicycle Network Plan, parking facilities,community programming, and more.

This event is free and open to the public and will be held at the Copley Boston Public Library in the Rabb Lecture Hall. Register!

Visit our calendar of events for more bike events in Boston!

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Bikes Not Bombs Update

Register for the 2013 Bike-A-Thon and set-up your fundraising page

Photo By: Wayne Chinnock

There is still plenty of time to register for the Bike-A-Thonon June 2nd! With about three weeks to go, the individual fundraising goal of $150 is easily attainable, especially with our online fundraising system.

All riders who reach the $150 minimum will receive a free BNB t-shirt. And, if you raise $500, $1,000 or $2,000, you’ll get a gift certificate to the Bikes Not Bombs Bike Shop. We also have a special prize for the top individual fundraiser!

Tips for a successful fundraising page:

• Write some text on your page that is about you personally so that people will feel connected to your ride.
• Enable the thermometer and honor roll.
• Add a picture of yourself.

The Bike-A-Thon is our largest event of the year and it’s tons of fun! We will have free breakfast in the morning, snacks at the rest stops, and free lunch at the finish line from Amir’s Natural Foods, Vanguarden Farm and Boloco. Plus, the After Party will be hopping with music, yoga, and face painting for the kids! Don’t hesitate – register now!

If you have more questions, please contact our Information Technology Manager, Sean Madsen, at617-522-0222 x111 or [email protected].

Photo By: Wayne Chinnock

Like all BNB programs, the Bike-A-Thon wouldn’t be possible without our amazing volunteers.

We need volunteers on June 2nd to help with rider check-in, to assist with rider communication, and to help staff the BNB info table.

If you’re interested and available, you can sign up online. A BNB staff member will be in touch with you soon after about specifics.

Have a tent like this? Consider loaning it to BNB for the Bike-A-Thon! Photo by: Gloria Carrigg

Can we borrow your water dispensers, coolers, folding tables, or pop-up tents?

For our Bike-A-Thon on June 2nd, we will need more folding tables, pop-up tents, water dispensers, and coolers! Do you have access to these? Would you be willing lend them to us, or donate them?

Folding Tables: ideally, 6 or 8 feet long thick plastic tables with fold-out legs. Other varieties/sizes may be useful too.

Pop-Up Tents: must be free-standing, should be at least 10 feet square, heavy-duty preferred.

Water dispensers and coolers: let us know what you have.

It would be super helpful if you are able to lend or donate supplies to us! Contact Arik Grier at[email protected] or 617-522-0222 x100.

Come eat ice cream in support of the BNB Youth BAT Team!

For the second year in a row, the BNB Youth Bike-A-Thon team will be holding a water-gun squirting, ice cream scooping fundraiser! On Friday May 24th, starting at 4PM, swing by the Stony Brook T stop, for a scoop of JP Licks, and a chance to soak some folks with water guns! Every dollar collected will go towards Team Swerve’s goal of $4,000!

If you can’t make it, but still want to support the BNB Youth Team, you can sponsor them online.

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Weekend Reading: How To Buy Your First Bike From The Bike Shop

So good! (Thanks Marianna For the heads up) Read the rest here:

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In 2003 I walked into my local bike shop and bought my first new bike. It was exciting, exhilarating, and even a little scary. Dozens of bikes and 10 years later, I have found myself in a place where I can help others through their first new bike buying experience at the bike shop. I have worked as a bicycle sales associate for almost 8 years, and I have been a professional bike fit specialist since 2007. I have heard and seen just about everything in the bike shop.

You have decided that it’s time to head to the bike shop because you need a new bike. Whether it is your first new bike ever, or you’re buying the bike to try a few sprint triathlons or even to participate in the Pan Mass Challenge, there are a few things with which you’ll need to get familiar before busting down the door of your local bike shop.

“I’m not a serious biker” was usually one of the two most popular opening statements I heard when working with someone at the bike shop. First off, YES YOU ARE! Don’t undervalue yourself during our first interaction (or ever, for that matter). I already think that you are a serious biker because you are here at the bike shop to buy a new bike, one of the greatest investments that you will ever make and never regret. Don’t worry–I am not going to judge you because you can’t name the entire Shimano component family. I’ve been there. New bike shopping is exciting and it is a learning experience.

Continue Reading

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LivableStreets Update

From LivableStreets:

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Bike News Roudup

With the warmer weather, the bikers are out, and with them the bike news.  Here is a roundup of local bike news.

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Harvard gets award for being bike friendly:

As the number of cyclists on Harvard’s campuses continues to grow, so too does the infrastructure to support them.  New bike racks and repair stations are being set up, expanded bicycle benefits for commuters have been rolled out, and the University has made a major investment in the Hubway bike-sharing network by supporting the installation of 12 stations in Boston and Cambridge. The national advocacy organization League of American Bicyclists has recognized that progress by naming Harvard a silver-level Bicycle Friendly University.

Bike advocates push for more use, safety in Newton:

An effort is underway to make cycling a more appealing alternative to driving in Newton.

Advocates and city officials, who see cycling as a way to improve the health of the population and reduce road congestion, are working on plans to better enforce existing laws for sharing the road and to extend bike lanes throughout the city.

Building new infrastructure is key to getting more people to get out of their cars, according to Andreae Downs, chair of the Transportation Advisory Group.

“Unless Newton is the outlier, once you start building bike infrastructure you get more cyclists,” said Downs.

Boston man to cycle from London to Brussels for children’s charity:

THE efforts made by paralympians last summer have inspired a Boston man to take part in a bike ride from London to Brussels.

Paul Maddison was also inspired by his son Nick to take part in the 340-mile cycle challenge for a charity that helps children with disabilities, A Smile for the Child.

Connolly: Let’s Talk About Bike Infrastructure and Safety
The mayoral candidate is calling for a public hearing to discuss the future of city cycling:

As the warm weather slowly begins to creep back to Boston, more bikes will begin popping up along the roadways and paths connecting various city points, which makes it a perfect time to start discussing bike safety once again.

City Councilor and mayoral candidate John Connolly has filed a request to convene a public hearing to talk about Boston’s bike infrastructure and how it can be improved. According to Connolly, the purpose of the hearing will be to devise a long-term strategy for planning, funding, and implementing projects to expand the current cycling infrastructure. In a statement, he said that the city’s budget for bicycle infrastructure is “insufficient to fully implement all essential new projects,” including cycle tracks on Malcolm X Boulevard and around the Boston Public Garden.

How to protect cyclists HSPH team stresses data collection in meeting with city councilors:

How do you make Boston bike-safe? First you find out where it’s unsafe.

Answers to that and other key questions would provide the foundation for effective policy, a team of four Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) students told Boston City Councilor Ayanna Pressley on Wednesday.

The four — Aaron Pervin, Temitope Olukowi, Claire Albert, and Marie McIntee — were the winners of an annual spring exercise at HSPH in which student teams examine a health policy issue and devise recommendations on how to address it. Professor of Health Policy David Hemenway and doctoral student Dahianna Lopez advised the team.

In their presentation, the students told Pressley that dealing with Boston’s bike-safety problem — made apparent by a string of fatal accidents last year — is especially difficult because information on ridership, common routes, and even accidents is scattered among reports by the Boston Police Department, ambulance teams, emergency rooms, and a variety of city departments.

Justice Breyer Has Shoulder Surgery After Bicycle Accident:

According to Supreme Court spokesperson Kathleen Arberg, Associate Justice Stephen Breyer underwent reverse shoulder replacement surgery for a proximal humerus fracture at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital on the morning of April 27th.

The fracture was sustained in his right shoulder after a fall from his bicycle on the afternoon of April 26th, where he was taken to the hospital by an ambulance.

This is the third biking mishap for Justice Breyer. Two years ago, he fractured his right clavicle (collarbone) after he fell near his home in Cambridge, Mass.

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Biking Loses This Years Rush Hour Race

It’s not quite the shame on our house that you might think (only a five minute difference from the T, and no EEEEEEEEEEE sound, or other passengers to worry about), but the biker did lose this year…

Riders may not think so, but when it comes to traveling from Somerville to South Station during the busy morning commute, taking the MBTA is the quickest option.

On Tuesday, May 7, an MBTA passenger went up against a cyclist, runner, in-line skater, and driver during the second annual “Rush Hour Race” from Davis Square to Boston’s crowded transportation hub. Each participant had to obey the rules of the road while the train passenger dealt with the headache of the crowded subway system and the chance of a delayed ride.

But in the end, the MBTA proved to be the most efficient way to get from point A to point B on a typical Tuesday commute, with the the in-line skater coming in second, followed by the cyclist, who took a long and winding path through Kendall Square, Downtown Boston, before eventually arriving at South Station. As for drivers, well, it took the longest to finish the race to the final destination point with an almost hour-long commute.

 

Read more here.

Personally I think with more optimal route planning, and a bit of hustle its not at all hard to beat the red line. Combined with the health benefits, the money saved, not to mention avoiding the constant break downs and delays, cycling is still in my book the best way to get around.  But even at a leisurely pace, only being beat by 5 minutes is pretty much nothing in the grand scheme of things.

But losing to an INLINE SKATER…that shame will never wash off. Better luck next year..and dear rush hour race organizers are you taking volunteers for next years race?

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