Wednesday, February 25, 2009

3 feet please campaign

Very interesting news piece about a bicyclist who has been documenting how close motorists pass him
http://www.3feetplease.com/Media.html

Monday, February 23, 2009

Appalachian Mountain Bike Club Poker Derby

AMBC Royal Flush Poker Derby
Saturday March 21st, 2009.
Starts at high noon.

5 check points.
5 hour time limt

Route can be ridden mostly on Knoxville greenways or side streets. Faster riders will have an opportunity to hit 2 additional checkpoints for bonus cards. Also, there will be a 1 card bonus to the first rider at each check-point.You can play what ever cards you have; i.e. if you hit two checkpoints and get two aces, you don't need to get any other checkpoints if you don't want to. The additonal checkpoints will force you to race the clock to make it back in 5 hours.

Begin and end at the old Bi-Lo in Bearden. Mexican Restaurant is there for tacos! Yazoo Brewery will be sponsoring the ride and donating prizes. After-party to be announced soon. All proceeds to benefit AMBC's tool fund.

5 check-points that you can hit in any order:
-Bike Zoo (no bonus card here, due to their proximity to start)
-Cedar Bluff Cycles
-Fountain City Pedaler
-Harpers
-Tennessee Valley Bikes

Also, there will be two bonus check points, which are only valid if you get all 5 check points. You can get these in any order, but you have to get all 5 checkpoints to count the bonus card. The rest of your hand would still count, but bonus cards will have a different back to them, so we will know to discard that one if you didn't make every checkpoint.
-West Bicycles
-(not announced yet)

updates on the ride will be announced at: http:harvesttheride.blogspot.com and www.knoxvillecycling.com

Friday, February 20, 2009

Action Needed: TN Bicycle Ban Bill Gains Momentum

A bill to ban bicycles on River Road in Davidson County (House Bill 0342 and Senate Bill 0276) is proceeding through the Tennessee Legislature. River Road is a typical state rural highway with light to moderate traffic and no paved shoulder. There have been no bicycle-car crashes on this road in the last 5 years. If a ban is successful, many such roads across the state would be likely candidates for a ban as well. All bicyclists are urged to contact their representatives and members of the House Rural Roads Subcommittee. Bicyclists are also encouraged to attend the subcommittee meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 24 at 1:30 in Room 31 of Legislative Plaza.

It is critical that everyone makes an effort to reach these representatives, regardless of where you live.

Please contact Rep. Johnson, the subcommittee chair, at rep.phillip.johnson@capitol.tn.gov or call 741-7477.

The other subcommittee members are listed at http://www.capitol.tn.gov/House/committees/sub-rr.html

To find your own representative, visit http://www.capitol.tn.gov/legislators/

You may also contact the bill’s sponsors:

Rep. Moore at rep.gary.moore@capitol.tn.gov 741-4317

Senator Haynes at sen.joe.haynes@capitol.tn.gov 741-6679


Walk/Bike Nashville statement is as follows:

Walk/Bike Nashville strongly opposes any legislation that would ban bicycling from state and local roadways. Our roadways have historically been public corridors open to a variety of transportation modes that have changed throughout the years. Bicycling is becoming increasingly popular as a mode of transportation and as a means of healthy recreation. Bicyclists are legal users of the roadway in all 50 states, and Tennessee should not head down the path to become a state that is unfriendly to bicyclists while many states and cities are improving accommodations for bicyclists.
While we advocate for better road design that makes it easier for motorists and bicyclists to share the road, current law, including the recently-adopted 3 foot passing law, adequately addresses the safe use of our roadways by all users. We strongly oppose any attempt to ban legal and responsible bicycling on our highways for the benefit of a very small minority of motorists who are unwilling to obey the law and drive in a safe manner.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

You Told the President!

A few months ago, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) invited the public to tell the new President and Congress what they should do to improve the nation's transportation system. More than 1,000 people responded, posting comments and videos on www.IToldThePresident.org. Many of these comments supported expanding transit and providing safer routes for bicyclists. Perhaps the most compelling were from those who wanted to see a new vision for the country's transportation future and a recognition at all levels that transportation is a fundamental government responsibility.

AASHTO has developed a short summary of these comments and this week will present them to every Member of Congress and to the new U.S. Transportation Secretary, Ray LaHood. You Told Us...What the New President and Congress Should Know about Transportation is available at www.IToldThePresident.org, along with all the comments.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Bike Ride Against MTR

Ride your bike to lobby for the Tennessee Scenic Vistas Protection Act from Knoxville, Chattanooga, and Memphis, converging in Nashville March 14-17:

14: Day 1 of ride
15: Day 2 of ride (to Franklin, where we'll be camping out?)
16: Lobbyist training session
17: Ride into Nashville to lobby the committee members for the bill

For more information, visit the site:http://lookoutdoornews.com/voices/
To join the ride visit the facebook group Ride Bikes; Stop MTR
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=47807629763&ref=mf

For additional info, please contact the ride coordinator, Sam Evans: seldomseensam18@gmail.com

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Action Un-alert

In a blog about the US News and World Report I opened today, the blogger stated that, according to BikePortland, "the anti-bike amendment did not end up in the bill."

http://www.usnews.com/blogs/fresh-greens/2009/02/09/rep-blumenauer-on-bikes-republicans-dont-get-it.html

Monday, February 9, 2009

Action Alert--Stimulus Amendment To Prohibit Bike Funding

Senator DeMint (R-SC) has offered an amendment to SPECIFICALLY prohibit funding for bicycles, walking and offroad vehicles. The amendment ONLY goes after bicycle, walking, and offroad vehicle funding.
The Amendment has been offered but not introduced. We do not have a schedule for when this will be introduced and voted on, but we need to alert all Senators to urge them to vote against such amendments and ensure that funding for bicycle infrastructure remain eligible under the transportation funds provided in the stimulus package.
Go to http://capwiz.com/lab/callalert/index.tt?alertid=12611861&PROCESS=Call+Now for your senator's contact info.