October 27th, 2012

Video: Halloween Bike Party!

Ron Cassie

The pure, mad joy of bicycling in Halloween costume with 1,300 adventurous friends through the streets of Baltimore on a Friday night is impossible to capture in word, photos — even video. Unless, maybe, you spend the entire ride shooting with a great camera, and then editing it all later into something coherent. But who wants to do that when it’s so much fun basking in the glow of the wild scene — the mermaids, monsters, killer bees and bearded men in drag — surrounding your bike.

Nonetheless …

The short video at the top of this post was shot at the start of the ride as bicyclists rolled out from Mt. Vernon Square.

There are a couple iPhone pics below from the ride and after-party at the Union Craft Brewery in Hampden. The outdoors after-party, with good beer, awesome food trucks, D.J., dancing, photos and a rockin’ moonbounce that looked ready to topple several times, was a blast. As someone next to me noted, everyone just seems friendlier and more outgoing in costume.

The absolute best part of any last-Friday-of-every-month Baltimore Bike Party is the reaction along the route. More taxi, truck, delivery and automobile drivers honk and toot in support than you’d think — but even better are the kids, teenagers and adults in every neighborhood, East to West, North to South, who leave their rowhouses, come off their porches, step out of local bars and restaurants, and stop whatever they’re doing to high-five Bike Party bicyclists, shout encouragement — and often, shoot their own cellphone pictures and videos.

It’s also interesting to listen to Bike Party riders as they pedal. The bicycling culture in Charm City and the Bike Party, only six months old, seems to be growing so fast now, that it’s almost hard to grasp at times.

“How is it possible,” asked one 20-something bicyclist, “that this is the most fun thing I’ve ever done.”

Another: “It’s like everything I love rolled into one: there’s an element of activism, it’s bicycling, there’s the extroverted, outrageousness of it all, and it’s going out on Friday night to a great party.”

For those unfamiliar with the loose guidelines/mission of the Baltimore Bike Party, it’s an informal recreational ride, about 12 to 13 miles, informal and fun while hopefully spurring city bicycling. It’s evolved from the old Critical Mass rides into something safer and traffic friendly, and has a different theme each month. July’s theme was a beach party, for example, and June’s was an 80’s party. The August theme was lights. October, naturally, Halloween.

The Baltimore Bike Party website can be found here. The Halloween Bike Party ride’s Facebook page — and more pictures — is here.

11:57 am

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October 25th, 2012

Business Insider: 13 Reasons You Should Start to Bike to Work

Ron Cassie

Credit: Ron Cassie: Tour du Port

The Business Insider website, of all places, and by that I mean not Bicycling magazine or the Sierra Club, ran a good piece Wednesday with 13 solid reasons to bike to work. Reasons include lower health care costs and greater productivity, but some are more surprising.

You can find the entire piece here. Below are the highlights. Also noted: Since 2000, bicycle commuting has risen 40 percent in the U.S.

No. 1: Way cheaper than driving. According to a recent study by AAA, the annual cost of owning and operating a car bumped two percent last year to $8,946. Average cost of operating a bicycle: $308.

No. 2: Free gym on wheels. The average bicycle commuter loses 13 pounds their first year biking to work.

No. 3: Skip morning traffic and parking woes. Rush hour commuting can take twice as long in big cities. "Half of the working population in the U.S. commutes five miles or less to work, with bike trips of three to five miles taking less time or the same amount of time as commuting by car," writes Kiplinger editor Amanda Lilly.

No. 5: Healthcare savings. A Journal of Physical Activity and Health study reported that "during the next 30 years, Portland’s residents could save as much as $594 million in health care costs because of an investment into biking culture" and "fuel savings of $143 to $218 million."

No. 7: More the merrier: “Unlike cars, the more bicycles on the road, the safer it becomes for cyclists, research shows,” according to Business Insider.

No. 8: Sick of — or from — the bus? Not to discourage public transportation, but a British study “found public transit riders are six times more likely to suffer from acute respiratory infections — and occasional riders are most at risk,” according to the New York Daily News. Fresh air = good.

No. 9: Tax breaks! Starting this past January, bicycle commuters have been entitled to a $20 per month tax-free reimbursement for bike-related expenses, such as bike repairs and storage expenses, according to the National Center for Transit Research.

No. 11: No. 8: We inhale more harmful exhaust in our car than on a bike. Fuel emissions are bad for any set of lungs, but drivers are actually more susceptible to harmful air than bicyclists, according to a recent Grist post.

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October 24th, 2012

Red Line: City Approves Agreement With MTA

Ron Cassie

Courtesy: Red Line project

The much-anticipated Red Line transit project, the proposed 14-mile, east-west, light rail system, took another step forward today.

The Baltimore City Board of Estimates approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Wednesday with the Maryland Transit Administration outlining the City’s commitment to the project, according to a statement from Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake’s office. An estimated $2.1 billion project, the proposed light rail line will connect Woodlawn through downtown Baltimore to the Johns Hopkins Bayview Campus.

When complete, the Red Line is expected to run every 8 to ten minutes, taking 44 minutes each way while carrying more than 50,000 riders daily. In the best case scenario, according to the project's most recent timeline, a federal funding commitment in 2015 would lead to six years of construction, concluding with operation in 2021.

From the Mayor’s press release:

“The agreement commits the City to constructing projects necessary to building the Red Line such as a widening of the Edmondson Avenue Bridge over the Gwynns Falls in West Baltimore during its planned reconstruction, and constructing the Boston Street-O’Donnell Street connector road in Southeast Baltimore. The City will also donate land currently occupied by the Departments of Public Works and General Services and acquire land for a new Red Line/Bayview MARC station.

MTA has also committed to an aggressive local workforce and contractor development program and to incorporate extensive sustainability measures in the project. MTA will also reimburse the City for certain costs related to land acquisition and technical design reviews, while the City will waive permit and document retrieval fees…

The agreement is signed for the City not only by the Mayor, but also by the Directors of Planning, Public Works, Transportation, General Services, Housing and Community Development, and Recreation and Parks, each of which will play an important role in making the Red Line a reality.”

“The Red Line will play a pivotal role in helping to grow the City,” said Rawlings-Blake. “Providing safe, attractive transportation choices – biking, walking and transit – for residents, visitors, and businesses will help to transform communities across the city, and will pay dividends for years to come.”

The Red Line has been designated for expedited review by the federal government, the Mayor’s press release noted, which will allow MTA to receive final environmental approvals by February. If approved, the federal government will cover up to 50 percent of the constructions costs. The State of Maryland would be responsible for the other 50 percent of the construction costs, according to the Baltimore Red Line project website.

According to www.gobaltimoreredline.com, MTA's current policy encourages bicycles on the entire MTA system and bicycles will be allowed on Red Line light rail cars as well.

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October 18th, 2012

Maryland Adds Fourth “Bicycle Friendly” Community

Ron Cassie

Courtesy: Bike Rockville's Facebook page

The League of American Bicyclists (LAB) announced today, that among other communities, Rockville has earned official “Bicycle Friendly” status.

The recognition of Rockville’s strides in bicycle education, infrastructure improvements, encouragement and enforcement of safety regulations, makes the Montgomery County city the fourth Maryland community to earn the national distinction. Baltimore, Bethesda and Frederick also LAB Bicycle Friendly communities.

All the Maryland communities have earned “bronze” level recognition from LAB.

Rockville has a long-active citizen bicycle advisory committee.

Baltimore City earned Bicycle Friendly status two years ago, with infrastructure work, contributions by nonprofit Bike Maryland and the Mid-Atlantic Off-Road Enthusiasts, as well as events like the Kinetic Sculpture Race and Patterson Park’s annual Bike Jam, receiving shoutouts. The Baltimore City-based Knott Foundation and Baltimore-metro area Race Pace Bicycles are two of eight "Bicycle Friendly" businesses in the state. The University of Maryland College Park is the only state college or institution with a LAB "Bicycle Friendly" distinction.

According to the League of American Bicyclists’ 2012 “Bicycle Friendly” state rankings, Maryland currently ranks 8^th nationally. Washington and Minnesota rank first and second, respectively; New Jersey [against stereotype, perhaps] ranks just ahead of Maryland in 7^th place.

From the League of American Bicyclists’ press release:

“Showcasing the progress and potential of major U.S. cities to make bicycling safe and accessible for millions of Americans, Los Angeles (Calif.), Nashville (Tenn.), and Miami (Fla.) are among the 28 new cities to attain BFC status from the League of American Bicyclists.

"This latest round of BFC awards proves yet again that any city — regardless of size or geography — can take cost-effective steps to increase bicycling in their community," said League President Andy Clarke. "From Bentonville, Arkansas, to Bethesda, Maryland, cities are embracing biking as a means to save money, reduce congestion, improve health and boost their economy."

The League awards Bicycle Friendly Communities at five levels (Diamond, Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze) and, with this diverse round of applicants, there are now 242 BFCs in 47 states. With the guidance and expertise of the BFC program, these communities are propelling the growth in bicycling nationwide. According to recent census data, bicycle commuting grew 80 percent in the largest BFCs, but only 32 percent in non-BFC cities, from 2000 to 2011."

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October 15th, 2012

Baltimore Bike-Sharing: Not Coming Anytime Soon

Ron Cassie

Courtesy: Capital Bikeshare

Anticipated plans to bring bike sharing to Baltimore are now in full reset mode.

Baltimore City’s efforts to implement a bike-sharing program in the city by this fall suffered a set back this summer when an exclusive negotiating agreement with B-Cycle — a bike-sharing company operating in 15 cities — expired without a deal. Any future bike-sharing program in Baltimore is now at least another year away, according to the Department of Transportation.

Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake announced an exclusive negotiating agreement with the Wisconsin-based B-Cycle last November. That deal expired because B-Cycle was unable to secure enough local sponsorship to move forward with implementation, B-Cycle’s Brian Conger told Baltimore.

“There’s some great community support for bike sharing, but to do the business side is complicated and we need a certain number of [private] sponsors and financial support,” Conger said. “There weren’t enough dollars committed for us to feel comfortable going forward.”

(Bike-sharing programs, for those who haven’t seen the initiatives in other cities, offer short-term bicycle rentals via strategically placed stations throughout downtown areas, offering another form of inexpensive transportation for short trips.)

Conger said B-Cycle looks to the local corporate and business community, as well as institutions like universities, for financial support, which can include, for example, hosting bike-sharing stations. Advertising at bike stations and on the bikes themselves are also offered to businesses and institutions in return for financial support. Conger said B-Cycle needed an overall commitment of roughly $1.25 million over five years to move forward, which wasn’t reached.

Adrienne Barnes, of the Baltimore City Department of Transportation, noted in an email that the City, with the support of a state grant, has committed $1.3 million to the start-up and construction of bike-sharing stations. The City will not be funding the operation of any bike-sharing program, however. She added that Baltimore City’s DOT is currently in discussions with Alta Bicycle Share, Inc., the same company that runs Washington D.C.’s successful Capital Bikeshare, to provide bike sharing here.

“We continue to work with potential vendors to operate the system at no further cost to the City,” Barnes wrote. “We are committed to bringing bike sharing to Baltimore. Given the delay, we hope to have the system operational in September 2013.”

In two years of existence, the Capital Bikeshare program, now with 189 stations, including those in Arlington and Alexandria, has accounted for 2.85 million trips by bicycle. The Capital Bikeshare program now has more 18,000 monthly and annual members, averaging 50,000 rides a week. The annual membership in the Capital Bikeshare program is $75; the first 30 minutes of any ride are then free.

Montgomery County expects to join the Capital Bikeshare system next year.

Alta launched Boston’s Hubway bike-sharing program last year and recently was recently awarded a contract to start a program in Portland. B-Cycle runs bike-sharing programs in Denver, Chicago and Madison, among other cities.

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October 12th, 2012

Why Our Cars Aren't Electric

Ron Cassie

Courtesy: National Park Service

Thomas Edison invented a few things that caught on. The phonograph, the motion picture camera, the stock ticker, the light bulb. Manhattan’s first electric power station.

He also invented and marketed a battery for the electric car.

And it wasn’t a wild-haired scheme. Edison was first and foremost a practical-minded man.

An interesting story in the New York Times last week reported that in 1900, 34 percent of all automobiles in New York, Boston and Chicago were powered by electric motors. Currently, it’s less than 1 percent. Additionally, nearly half of cars at the turn of century had steam engines. The Times piece walks through some of the technological and societal developments — as well as the business decisions — that led to the combustion engine’s eventual domination. It’s a good read.

Again, according to the Times, the Electric Vehicle Company, launched in 1897, was the largest automaker in the U.S. by 1900. (A recent Rueters story, citing the Henry Ford Museum, noted that Ford bought his wife at least two electric cars, offering 50 miles of driving range and top speeds of 35 miles per hour.) And, the company rented or leased its cars — for short, quick trips — or for a week or months at a time. I don’t know if ZipCar is aware of any of this, but it never ceases to amaze me how ideas get recycled.

The Times story also quotes David Kirsch, associate professor of management at the University of Maryland and the author of The Electric Vehicle and the Burden of History. Kirsch notes that most of the driving we do has been well within the range of electric-car batteries for decades. He says we drive gas-powered cars today for a complex set of reasons, but not because the internal-combustion engine is inherently better than the electric motor and battery.

“Part of what makes infrastructure is its invisibility,” Kirsch tells the Times. “When we have to create infrastructure for ourselves — installing charging stations at our houses, for instance — we make the invisible visible. It becomes an overwhelming task, like having to remake the world. Most people just want a car.

Meanwhile, efforts are apparently underway to improve on Edison’s quick-charging nickel-iron battery, according to a recent LiveScience story.

11:06 am

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October 8th, 2012

Halloween Brew Ha-Ha

Ron Cassie

October’s theme for the end-of-the-month Baltimore Bike Party? No brainer: Full-on traveling Halloween costume party. On decorated bicycles, at that.

The starting point for the Oct. 26 event returns this month to the Washington Monument in Mount Vernon, with the mini-tour of Charm City expected to cover about a dozen miles.

Historically, organizers note on the Bike Party’s Halloween Brew Ha-Ha Facebook page, October drew the largest crowds on the old Critical Mass bicycle rides. Starting just this May with 60 bicyclists, Baltimore Bike Party organizers say they never imagined that the last-Friday-of-every-month rides would be attracting 700 bicyclists by August and September.

The hope is that the Halloween theme, combined with growing Bike Party enthusiasm, might attract 1,000 bicyclists this month. The ride leaves Mount Vernon at 7:30 p.m. and wraps up again at Union Craft Brewery in Hampden. The after-party, including DJ, dancing, costume contest and photos is free, but it’s $10 for all-you-can-drink beer. Food trucks will be on hand as well.

Baltimore Bike Party organizers are also seeking additional volunteer help this month, looking for people to assist with facilitating the ride as well as judging the costume contest. Anyone interested is asked to email: baltimorebikeparty@gmail.com

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September 28th, 2012

Baltimore Bike Party: More Cowbell!

Ron Cassie

Courtesy: Baltimore Bike Party's Facebook page

The location changes tonight, but the mission remains the same: More bicyclists and more fun.

More noise, too.

The still burgeoning, last Friday of every month Baltimore Bike Party launches at 7 p.m. this evening from Pearlstone Park to avoid conflicting with the Baltimore Book Festival in Mount Vernon Square.

A map of the ride, which loops around Midtown, northeast Baltimore, Hampden and Wyman Park, among other neighborhoods, can be found here. The August “Lights”-themed Bike Party, covered here, drew some 700 cyclists (and was a total blast), and included kids and seniors and all ages in between. This month’s theme is “Bells ‘N Whistles,” with riders encouraged to keep those blinking, strobing, flashing bicycle lights, but also add “bells, whistles, horns, rattles, cowbells, xylophones, vuvuzelas (those banned soccer horns)” into the mix.

As of Friday morning, 630 have committed to participate on the Bells ‘N Whistles Bike Party Facebook page, plus another 184 “maybes.”

The rides ends at the Union Craft Brewery in Clipper Mill for an after-party, including beer (duh!), DJ and grub from Busia's Kitchen and Gypsy Queen’s food trucks and more.

Some clouds are expected later tonight, but according to the latest reports, the chance of some rain is just 20 percent.

This month’s ride, local organizers note, coincides with the 20^th anniversary of Critical Mass and it’s first ride 20 years ago in San Francisco, where there’s talk of 5,000 - 10,000 bicyclists participating. (Riding over the Golden Gate Bridge, which actually has a dedicated bike lane, by the way, is a breathtaking experience). Critical Mass, which spread to cities to all over the world — and often proved confrontational and controversial — is seen as a precursor to the more family friendly, law-abiding Bike Party rides now popping up. The San Jose Bike Party, for example, now attracts several thousand riders.

(Poster art at the top of this page by Justin Duvall.)

Courtesy: Facebook

11:34 am

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September 25th, 2012

Tour du Port: 2,000 Bicyclists Expected for 19th Annual Ride

Ron Cassie

Courtesy: Bike Maryland's Facebook page

“Seeing our city, riding past the historic monuments, neighborhoods and parks is such a completely different experience on a bicycle,” said Carol Silldorf, executive director of Bike Maryland, describing what she likes best about the Tour du Port. “Traveling five to 20 miles per hour, without a roof over your head, you experience the sounds and smells of the city. And, early on a Sunday morning, sometimes the surprising quiet of the city.”

Billed as Baltimore’s premier bicycle tour, the popular Tour du Port launches Sunday from Canton’s Waterfront Park. Some 2,000 bicyclists, including many from Delaware, Pennsylvania and Virginia, are expected.

This weekend’s event, the 19th annual, supports Bike Maryland, a statewide nonprofit advocating for improved bicycle safety and pro-bicycling legislation. The event features five new routes this year, including distances of 12, 28, 40, 50 and 65 miles. Along with touring Baltimore City, routes carry riders through parts of Anne Arundel and Baltimore Counties. All routes also enter Fort McHenry for an optional walking tour, as well as break at the National Aquarium for refreshments and banana bread.

All routes return to the Canton Waterfront Park for a post-race party, including live music, vendors and complimentary, healthy lunch (Whole Foods is one of the sponsors). Current weather reports predict sunny, 70-degree temperatures.

A post-ride “Yoga for Cyclists” class also returns this year, including stretching tips to counter normal cyclists' tension areas in the legs, hips, back and shoulders.

On-site registration and check-in for the Tour du Port is scheduled from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. All bicyclists must begin their route by 9:30 a.m. and finish by 3 p.m. Online registration is $52 until Friday and $60 on-site Sunday, with discounted rates for students. Automobile parking is available at 1500 S. Clinton St.

Rules regarding kids at Tour du Port can be found here.

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September 20th, 2012

Larry’s Ride: Remembering Local Cyclist in Name of Bike Safety

Ron Cassie

Larry Bensky, Courtesy of Larry's Ride

Two and a half years ago, Larry Bensky, husband and father of two young girls, was struck by an automobile and killed while riding his bike with a friend near Butler and Falls Road in Baltimore County.

One of the things about the fatal crash that still sticks out to Tammy Benksy is that the driver who killed her husband said afterwards that she actually saw the two bicyclists before the collision.

“She said later she’d thought she’d given them enough room to pass,” Bensky said. “People need to learn to slow down and be more careful when they see a bicyclist.”

The death of her husband convinced Bensky to become an advocate for bicycling safety, joining with Bike Maryland to work for legislation like Maryland’s recent three-foot passing law. Her husband’s death also prompted Bensky to launch Larry’s Ride, a major fundraising event for Bike Maryland, the first fall after the collision.

The third annual Larry’s Ride is scheduled for this Saturday, with varying rides of 15, 35 and 63 miles leaving from Spring Meadow Farms in northwest Baltimore County. The event also includes a 3.6-mile run. Online registration closed today, but in-person registration is available Saturday morning.

Benksy said about 300 bicyclists have registered for this year’s ride and she expects the event, with sponsor support, to raise $20,000 for Bike Maryland.

The ride’s website and Facebook page can be found here and here.

1:26 pm

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