Here we go……… Helmets

This is going to be my one and only blog written about helmets.  This topic, in my personal opinion is a waste of my time but I feel the need to balance current statements that have been made regarding a recent photo that was taken and published in the Dispatch:

As many of you know, the three of us just recently executed our first and very successful statewide ‘Ohio Women’s Bicycling Summit.’  This was the photo published  in the Dispatch and you can imagine the comments and judgments that took place once this photo was released.

Only in America does it seem like there’s this war regarding helmets so let’s stop and figure out why.  Why do we wear helmets?  We wear helmets for ‘protection,’ right?  Who are we protecting ourselves from:  drivers and our cities that have been built to solely accommodate the automobile.  If you wear a helmet – you’re a safe bike rider.  If you don’t – you’re reckless.   I’m as safe of a bike rider as they come.   I wear a helmet about 98% of the time I’m on my bike so when I make that CHOICE to not wear a helmet, why do you take it upon yourself to judge me and reduce my safe bike riding; because I don’t conform to your standards?  Just because I don’t wear a helmet, that doesn’t make me more reckless of a bike rider or less credible of a bicycling advocate.

The staunch opponents out there need not be so quick to judge and think about a few things:

1. Helmets help save lives, however, they do NOT prevent crashes from happening.
2. We need to stop wasting time on the ‘blame game’ of who is and who isn’t wearing helmets and move forward to trying to change our infrastructure and slow down our streets.   The only way to change behavior is to change the infrastructure.   When you slow down a street with traffic calming elements, road diets, bicycle infrastructure, and pedestrian infrastructure – it not only increases livability within the street, it increases more walkers and bikers which in result increases safety and decreases crashes.
3. Steve Barbour, Michelle Kazlausky,  Dr. Deborah Ehrlich and William Crowley are just four folks that come to mind whom all except Dr. Ehrlich were fatally hit AND were wearing helmets.  Dr. Ehrlich barely survived.  She was right hooked by a semi.  Again, infrastructure.

The focus must be moved to redesigning and changing our infrastructure which slows down cars and safely allows all users to move about.  Are you going to stigmatize me and anyone else who hops certain lights b/c they don’t detect us?  Do you know that if an intersection goes through two cycles w/out detecting a bike rider, we are legally allowed to hop the light or are you going to immediately make the judgment like most ppl do that I am a reckless rider and not take into consideration that our infrastructure has been built solely for the auto?   If you’re unwilling to see that ‘we’ a car-centric country has created these dangerous cities in which people die and that it is the way our cities have been built and not whether someone is wearing a helmet or not then I’m happy to be your scapegoat.

I’d like to also insert that in 2008, 4,387 pedestrians were killed in traffic and nobody is suggesting for them to wear helmets.  Where is the outrage in pedestrians being killed by motor vehicles?  It’s an increasing epidemic and yet there has been no public outrage.   Bicycling needs to be seen as both safe and fun and that everyone can do without special clothing or gear or feeling the need to ‘armor’ up (perfect example here – a national bicycling webpage:  http://www.peopleforbikes.org/blog/entry/send_a_pro-bike_letter_to_your_local_newspaper).   Over the age of 18, we as adults have the ‘choice’ to either wear a helmet or not.  I don’t need to feel looked down upon or targeted should I choose on rare occasions to not wear my helmet.

Before you continue to waste both my time and yours judging me on the basis of my not wearing a helmet during a photo shoot, use that energy and write a letter to your local representatives advocating for safer bicycling infrastructure and enforcement of lowering our traffic speeds within our cities.

From 1997-2006, there have been 424, 840 motor traffic fatalities (NHTSA), maybe drivers should start wearing driving helmets:

This is in fact an actual helmet for driving.  When a bicyclist is fatally hit or seriously injured, the first question asked shouldn’t be, ‘was she/he wearing a helmet?’  It should be about the environment of where the accident took place.  Did you know that the majority of accidents happen in urban main arterials of cities? (NHTSA)  This leads me to once again acknowledge infrastructure.  Our inner- city streets are nothing short of inner-city freeways; five lanes across, no less than 12ft lane width, infinite sight distance, and let’s not forget the timed traffic lights working as an accomplice to speeding and safety concerns.

Our society has become fat and lazy when it comes to putting cars in their place.  Tailgating on freeways going 75mph is the new ‘black.’  Complete stops have become ‘rolling stops.’  ‘Stop bars’ aren’t paid attention to and if a crosswalk is more than six feet deep, that apparently gives a car permission to stop INSIDE the crosswalk and we continue to let this happen.

We need to move beyond whether a person on a bike was armored up with a helmet or not.  Once you understand that it’s not about the helmet – that it’s about our unsafe infrastructure then maybe you’ll put forth your efforts to creating a more ‘people-friendly’ city.  Hopefully soon, our cities’ infrastructure will be balanced enough to where you may walk out of your house, hop on your bike and in mid-riding say to yourself, ‘I forgot my helmet.’  We need to encourage, not discourage.  Our cities need the voices of people who ride bikes to unify and fight as allies, not judgmental enemies.  Again, this post is written based upon my personal opinion, on my personal blog and nothing more.

Be safe and keep riding.

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Years of driving dogma have spawned generations of amoral with a sense of entitlement.

I’ve been sexually harassed, I’ve had a water bottle thrown at me, I’ve been driven off the road, I’ve been hit, I’ve been door’d, I’ve been cut off and this past weekend, I can add that my life was threatened-verbally.  I was riding east on Gay St. with a friend.  Gay St. is a two-way street; one travel lane in each direction and I maintained my lane.  A pick-up truck behind me was revving his engine; speeding up and slowing down to get my attention and probably to get me to move to the right but I had no intention b/c I had every right to maintain the lane.  At the red light, he sped up beside me, proceeded to spit on me and said I should ‘share the fucking road.’  I said, ‘how do I do that, I am legally allowed to take this ONLY lane?!’  He continued to be antagonistic, wanting me to ‘hit’ him.  I said, ‘I’m not going to hit you.’  He said, ‘I’ll end your life, you white bitch.’

A few more words were exchanged, the light turned green and since he was finally ahead of me, he was able to again maintain his driving cadence of 25 mph as oppose to my 15 mph.

I got home and couldn’t shake this particular instance.  I’ve had ppl intimidate me with their cars and I’ve never had anyone verbally threaten that they’d end my life.’  I rang a friend of mine who really helped me put this situation into perspective.  I could have handled the situation differently and I was beating myself up for it.  But, my friend told me that that person was my teacher – teaching me how I can improve myself the next time b/c there WILL,  inevitably be a next time.  Thank you, JLa.

I’ve written a ‘Will’ in case I die and its b/c I ride a bike.  How many drivers have written a ‘Will’ b/c they drive a car?  I bet I could gamble and say ‘not a whole lot.’  I constantly think and obsess over WHY, we are in such hurries that when we are slowed down, it infuriates us.  Why, as drivers, when we are slowed down, we have such anger and violence within us that we want to kill, intimidate, drive off the road, spit and harass.  How did we become so disconnected with each other and we don’t see the ‘human being’ component.

I am a daughter, a twin sister, an aunt, a cousin, a best friend, a human being.  When did we as human beings become so transparent that our destinations became more important than the safety of human life?  You’re wanting to END MY LIFE b/c I slowed you down for less than two minutes?  Let’s take a moment and really digest that sentence b/c that’s what I deal with on a regular basis.

Why is it drivers have more patience for school buses or public transportation buses when they make frequent stops yet they are ready to cut off and /or harass a person on a bicycle?  What is the difference?  The operator in any of these mode of transport is still a human being so why the fortitude with one and not the other?

Our streets began with people owning the streets – not cars.  Now, driving has become such a part of our DNA that this sense of entitlement and ownership has taken over our streets and our neighborhoods to where people will kill over it.

I’m willing to die in order to change this mentality.  I have been brought up to be a leader, not a follower.  Streets are suppose to be mini theaters- acting out life experiences and this can’t happen when cars control streets.  Families should want to take their kids on walks after dinner.  Families should want to sit on their front porch or stoop and talk to neighbors about how ridiculous ‘Honey Boo-Boo’ really is.  Nobody wants to do this when their front yards are three lanes wide and cars speeding at 40 mph.

I look forward to the day when we realize that some congestion isn’t always a bad thing and that life WILL NOT END if you have to slow down.  I look forward to the day when more people see change as a good thing and not fear it and react recklessly.

 

 

 

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‘Girls in Gear’ takes to the street – ‘urban design’ style!

This past week, my program Girls in Gear moved into Urban Design, something I am very passionate about.  Opening up people’s eyes at how our streets have been designed and how they can be so much more.

These girls, like the majority of our citizens have only viewed streets for one purpose – to get cars from point A to point B.  Next time you take a walk, be conscious of if you even have sidewalks to walk on.  So many of our neighborhoods especially the lower income neighborhoods, sidewalks have been eradicated to make more room for travel lanes.

Opening up these girls eyes and minds showing them how much more a street can be is critical.  They should know that they deserve simple infrastructure such as a sidewalk when walking to school.  They shouldn’t be ‘immune’ to gun-shells and used syringes in their playgrounds.  The design of a neighborhood creates the tone in how a community will use that neighborhood.  If you’re neighborhood is destroyed by four lane wide streets with cars moving at 4o mph, chances are there will be very little social interactions and enjoyment on these streets.

Aside from the aesthetics of a street, the people behind the scenes creating these streets are predominantly men.  I want these girls to know and believe that if they want to become planners, architects, or engineers when they grow up, they have just as good of a chance as men.  Have you ever stepped outside your house and taken a walk or a bike ride and stopped to collect the way that you ‘feel’ on a particular street?  Do you feel safe?  Intimidated?  Is the street pleasant to be on?  Is it soft with textures of trees, lights, benches, few travel lanes,gardens, etc.  or is cold and isolated with a slab of concrete serving one purpose – to get you to your destination?

The majority of our streets have been designed by men.  Imagine what our streets would look and feel like if the majority of them were designed by women?   The majority of our streets built today are not women and children friendly in my opinion.  This is one of the reasons I’m introducing Urban Design to these young girls.  When a street is designed with women and children in mind, everyone will feel safer experiencing that street.

Enjoy the pics.

Be safe and keep riding.

 

 

Took the girls on a walk audit to score two streets.

 

 

Group discussion as we wait to cross the street.

 

 

The girls discussing what they saw and felt on the two streets we scored.

 

 

Abby Downs discussing streets more than just places for cars.

 

 

The girls beginning their designs of their ideal bikeable / walkable streets.

 

 

 

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The Need for Tweed

So, finally the clouds parted – the sun was shining and the temperature wasn’t bone chilling.  This past Saturday was our winter Tweed ride  which was a fantastic success.  I’m guessing there were close to forty riders eagerly wanting to get back on their bikes.  Prior to the Tweed ride, I hadn’t ridden my bike in five days b/c of the ice still coating the side streets of where I live.

Beginning at Cup o’ Joe in the Short North we then hit off to Franklinton Cycle Works.  We hung out, I took more photos, and had coffee and fruit that was donated by Green Bean Delivery.  On to German Village we rode.  Every Tweed ride, we have a group photo at Schiller Park.  This group photo was one of my favorites taken b/c of the snow covered grounds.  It set a nice tone to our ride and of course, the picture.

Thanks to everyone who joined in on the ride.  I think everyone had a wonderful time.  One of the things I absolutely love about bikes and social bike rides is how it brings people together and how it creates friendships.  I notice that immediately and it puts a smile on my face.

Another Tweed ride will happen in the Spring so stay tuned.  Enjoy the photos

Be safe and keep riding.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Crusin’ Only – Allowed

I’ve been on pretty much a three week ‘tour’ on the west coast.  I began with an awful travel trip to San Francisco (which I plan on writing SWA and letting them know).  Then, after a week out there, I flew to Long Beach where I had the most incredible and mentally stimulating 8 days I’ve had in years.

It began with a kick ass retreat with Alliance of Biking & Walking.  Advocates from all over the U.S. and even Alaska were at this retreat to talk about ”how do we make biking and walking’ priority numero UNO.  There are some amazing people doing amazing, incredible things around the nation.  I have been so lucky to meet a lot of these folks and get to know them to where now I can reach out and bounce ideas off of them.

We also held a Women’s Caucus at the retreat which was super empowering.  As many of you know, I have been devoting much of my time to empowering more women to ride their bikes.  I’m happy to state as well that I have been organizing my program which I have received funding for.  It will be a non-competitive girls bicycling empowerment program and I’m calling it, ‘Girls in Gear.’  I am still working with some folks regarding logo design however, I have finished the curriculum and everyone that I’ve mentioned this to is SUPER excited about.  I LOVE talking about it.  My goal is for this empowerment program to be a template for other cities to mold to what they are attaining for.  I plan to present at the next 2014 Pro Walk / Pro Bike Conference with the successes of this program.  I was also informed that in Feb. 2013, there is the Youth Bicycle Summit held in NYC which I’d love to attend

After the Alliance retreat was the Pro Walk / Pro Bike Conference which close to 900 Advocates, Planners, Engineers, etc. attended this conference to hear about best practices being applied all over the U.S.  Keynote speakers ranged from Fred Kent – the Principal of ‘Projects for Public Spaces’ and I got to meet him.  I tell you, it was like meeting a celebrity.  Other speakers such as councilwoman Suja Lowenthal (councilwoman for L.B.) was super inspiring and should I seriously consider running for City Council, I’m ringing her up for advice.  She.  Gets.  Shit.  Done.  Also, Mikael Coville-Anderson spoke.  What can I say about this character.  Well, he’s a tease b/c we were suppose to have whiskey together but I guess he couldn’t handle it (or me ).  I can be content with the Thursday evening.  Great public speaker and energizing.

Finally, after non-stop of a good 11 days, I finally made it down to San Diego where I have totally decompressed.  I have biked with my friends, spent time at the beach, surfed and just calmed both my mind and my body.  It’s been a pleasure.

In Ocean Beach yesterday while I was sitting at Pizza Port, there were SO MANY bike riders in this neighborhood.  This is the neighborhood that I’d live in if I move to San Diego.  What was great about these riders is is that all their bikes were salt-rusted from the ocean air and they were literally transportation tools for people.  You didn’t see fancy bikes and if you did, THEY were the ones out of place.  Cruisers galore around this laid back neighborhood.

The pictures speak for themselves.  We need to look at our bicycles as ‘tools.’  People ask me often what ‘type’ of bike they should buy.  I tell them certain specifics like fit and reach but other details like aesthetics and brand, who cares.  I’d say, if you find one at a garage sale, even better.  You don’t need fancy.  Personally, the older, the better in terms of character.

I’m headed back to Cbus tomorrow and I’m not sure how I feel about it  I’m excited but also sad at the same time.

Be safe and keep riding!

 

bikes locked up everywhere in the sand

 

it was fantastic seeing groups of kids riding their bikes… IN THE ROADS

 

 

 

 

 

 

You know you’re in San Diego when you have this beautiful view

 

 

Those are backpack chairs.. for the beach.  <3

Only in San Diego…

 

 

When you can casually check your cell phone while riding your bike, you know life is leisure.  Traffic appeared very patient and that’s what I loved as well.  Everyone seemed to get along (walkers, skateboarders, bikers, drivers, uni-cyclists, etc.)

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2 Wheels & Heels Columbus Ladies Ride: Large and In-Charge

This past Wednesday, I believe around fifty ladies ended up riding together ( I keep forgetting to take a head count).  It was such a beautiful sight.  We rode passed a handful of parks that evening, praising public parks and green space and all its beauty.  A lot of the gals had not been over either of the Main St. Bridge or the Rich St. Bridge – they all loved it.

We had an interim rest stop at the ‘walk up’ Jeni’s in German Village where it was one of the evening’s highlights.  Lori at Caffe’ Apropos LOVED that we began at the Caffe’ and said we were welcome back, any time.  Ya see, bicyclists are a very big positive to a neighborhood and a business.  What is more visually appealing:  cars parked all along the sidewalk blocking the scenery of the patrons lingering at the cafe tables outside OR bicycles of all kinds and colors, locked up and PEOPLE filling the sidewalks with laughter and conversations?  Which one brings life to a neighborhood??

Here are some of the photos taken from Wednesday.  I look forward to next month’s ride which I believe will be a tour of Bexley and the beautiful streets and homes.  I hope the trees will have begun to change as this was my reasoning for waiting.

Be safe and keep riding!

 

 

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2 Wheels & Heels Ladies Ride – Columbus. Parks de’ Jour

Ladies.  The details about the August have been set.  This month we’ll be celebrating ‘Parks.’ Parks de’ jour will be the theme of our ride.  Parks are so important and slowly but surely, more parks are popping up which is so important when creating and maintaining a sustainable city / community.  You gather in parks.  You spend time in parks.  You create friendships and conversations in parks.  Parks are community building and neighborhood building.

We will begin with our meet n greet at Caffe Apropos on the corner of 3rd and Michigan in Harrison West at 6p.  Close to seven, we’ll ride off and visit parks:  Goodale, The Columbus Commons, Genoa, Scioto Mile, and Fetch Park.  During the middle of our ride, we’ll be stopping at the awesome ‘walk up’ Jeni’s in German Village  Bring cash if you want Jeni’s.

Bring your moms, bring your kids, bring your girlfriends or just bring yourself.  This ride is about women empowerment on two wheels.  Women are the majority transportation with our kids so showing the kids at an early age that the bicycle can be just as reliable as the car is essential.

We had close to forty women join us for July’s ride.  Incredible.  Let’s expand!

We will also be supporting two local businesses as well.  Showing that bicycles stimulate the economy just as much as drivers is also important when it comes to future bicycle development, like taking away a parking spot and putting in an on-street bike corral that parks 12 bikes instead of one car.  People first!

If you have any questions about August’s ride, please email me.  My contact email is under the ‘About’ tab.  I look forward to seeing you all

 

Be safe and keep riding!

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Bike-Friendly Businesses Create ‘Staying’ Environments

I try to schedule a lot of my meetings at Cafe Brioso.  It’s central, the staff are stellar, and it’s such a bike hub.  If I want to see one of my biking friends, I usually just have to sit there for a bit until I see one of many of them – it’s a great thing.

For business owners who still sit on the fence about whether removing a parking space to accompany an in-street bike corral or some other bike-friendly treatment is too risky and ‘may’ take away from their business… it won’t.  It’ll only attract foot traffic and pedal traffic and keep people ‘staying’ at your business.  That’s essentially what you’re looking for, for people to ‘stay’ and spend money.  When you have these comforts and these accommodations that many, many people are looking for and desire – word WILL get around.  As a biker, my money is just as green as the car driver.  That’s what makes Cafe Brioso so special.  They don’t have an in-street bike corral… yet but, they sure are the beacon and a prime example of a successful business when you create it around people.  You have to listen and observe what people want.

Keep riding

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2 Wheels & Heels Ladies Bike Night – Columbus

This slow ride began in Cleveland by a friend on mine.  I expanded it here and it is also happening in:  Austin, Chicago, and Minn.  Our goal is for it to happen nationwide.  We will be holding our rides on the last Wed. of each month until the weather says so.  The first Columbus ride is next Wed. June 27th at 6pm.  I apologize for the short notice.  I was recently hit by a car (hit n run) and am finally finishing healing.  We’ll be meeting in the parking lot of Paradise Garage and we’ll hold a little meet n greet.  Paradise will also be having a few ‘Deals & Heels’ specials for us.  We’ll ride up and through Grandview and then eventually make our slow way back towards the Short North (less than 10miles).  Once we end back at the parking lot, if there are any questions or conversations about riding, fashion, food, etc. let’s have it!

If you have a facebook account, search: ’2 Wheels & Heels’ under ‘events’ and the ‘ORANGE’  logo is for Columbus.  Join the event!

I do apologize for the delay in my blogging as I broken yet another camera.  I’ll have a new one by Friday.

Email me if you have any questions.  I hope to see some of you ladies there.

Enjoy and keep riding!

Thanks for this HOT pic, Jennifer Grimm <3

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Before bicycles and cars… we are pedestrians.

So… aside from being ‘mildly’ obsessed with bicycles and placemaking, I, along with many others work hard every day trying to make our roads safe and use-able for ALL modes of transportation.  Roads aren’t owned by cars even though many drivers these days feel this sense of entitlement when it comes to OUR roads.

It’s really amazing that from riding my bike everyday, the more ‘in your face’ things become.  All the rules broken by drivers AND bicycle riders.  I was recently at my friends birthday party and another friend and I were talking and she said, ‘I was waiting a red light and I got really frustrated b/c I saw a couple bike riders just blow through the red light.’  Then she says, ‘but then on my way home, I saw a bike rider waiting at the red light and thought, now there’s a bike rider who knows how to follow the rules.’  She then says that she noticed it was my bike and it was me.  Hearing this made me so happy.  It made me realize that there ARE people out there watching and do respect when rules are followed especially when so many of us are demanding the same kind of respect.  I recently saw two police officers on their bikes actually riding in the road.  I caught up to them and said, ‘thank you for actually riding in the road instead of riding on the sidewalk.’  Most police officers on bikes I see, ride on the sidewalk.  How can we begin to educate drivers about what we as bike riders are legally allowed to do when most police officers don’t even know???

Anyways, this blog is about the’ forgotten pedestrian.’  Recently, I feel like I’m just so in tune when I see pedestrians space be over taken by oblivious, non-respectful drivers.  Many cities have formed ‘Pedestrian Advisory Committees’ which I feel this city desperately needs.  Drivers are in such hurries these days that when pedestrians have the right of way, they are still honked at b/c drivers actually need to come to a complete stop and wait for them to cross.  I see pedestrians speed walk through cross-walks which is upsetting b/c one shouldn’t feel the need to rush in order to NOT be hit by a car who can’t patiently wait 6-7 seconds.  Drivers pull up to red lights and completely over take the cross walk which you’ll see in some pictures below.  I captured a mail person who parked their mail truck in the bicycle lane that I use to get to two of my schools in the Hilltop.

I’ve been capturing these photos to display the lack of thought and the lack of respect that drivers have towards others on the roads.  Is there a ‘fix?’  Well, I’m not sure about that but a few things can help:

1.  More people being vocal about their RIGHT to have shared and safe space on the roads

2.  Re-designed roads.  So many of our roads need road dieted.  Streets like Broad St. and Nationwide St. are streets that needs to be slowed down.  There needs to be wide and well-designed pedestrian refuges in the middle of these streets in case pedestrians can’t make it across in time.  The current ‘pedestrian’ refuge on E. Nationwide Blvd….  IS A JOKE!

3.  Placemaking designs that create staying environments.  You can’t just place benches in some dead space and expect people to utilize it and think you’re doing something beneficial for the community.  It frustrates me – having engineers who know NOTHING about placemaking and smart ‘green’ design, design these spaces that you’ll see below.

This driver is well over half way INTO the pedestrians right of way.

Yes, this cross-walk is nice and wide but it doesn’t give this driver any right to wait inside it.

ALL of these cars have a red light and look where they are.  They are through the cross walk and in the middle of the street creating no through way for any cars with green lights to make turns.  All for what??  This chaos provides them NO BENEFIT.

These two drivers are in the middle of the street!  You can see the cross walk…BEHIND them!  A potential safety hazard but they obviously don’t seem concerned.

 

Good ol’ mail truck parked in the bicycle lane.  The person wasn’t in there or else when I rode passed, I would have said something.  I’m pretty vocal about  my rights

This is suppose to be a little ‘green pocket park.’  Its near the corner of Town and Parsons and its just a joke.  Do you see the trash can immediately next to one of the benches?  There’s nothing ‘welcoming’ about this ‘pocket park’ at all.  There’s no color, it looks like the benches were just placed there, and there’s actually MORE concrete than greenery.  And, do you see any kind of pedestrian lighting??

 

There’s just absolutely NOTHING enjoyable about this dead space.  Do you wanna hang out here?  This is a perfect example of a POORLY designed and implemented ‘pocket park.’  Our city planners, whomever designed this needs some serious continuing education on placemaking.

This blog post today isn’t meant to be a ‘bitch’ fest.  It’s meant to bring acknowledgment that we as pedestrians, bike riders, etc. need to be vocal and let drivers know there ARE more types of transport using our roads.  The next time you get in your car and drive, be MINDFUL of where you rest at reds.  Think about a time when you’ve been almost hit by a car turning right at a red light.  Think about when the light turns green and you have the right of way to cross and a car speeds up and turns so they don’t have to wait for you to finish crossing.  All of these things that we may not realize but when it happens, you should feel compelled to be vocal about it.  Take back your space as a pedestrian.  The drivers destination should NOT be more important than our safety.

 

 

 

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