Category: Geographic

Another type of three foot law

Wisconsin 3 foot law penalizes cyclists who ride in the door zone

In most U.S. states, drivers and occupants of cars and trucks are required to check behind them for traffic before opening their doors.

Dutch style bicycle in San Jose

In Chicago, motorists can be fined up to $500 for dooring a cyclist. Chicago cyclists can travel just a few miles north into Wisconsin, though, to find the completely opposite situation: Doored cyclists can be cited for breaking Wisconsin law.

In Wisconsin, cyclists are required to ride at least three feet away from parked or standing vehicles. And amazingly, there’s no law in Wisconsin against opening your door into traffic.

Cyclists should ride away from the door zone, but a law that specifically targets cyclists is discriminatory. State legislators recently introduced bills to change Wisconsin state law to fine motorists who open their doors into traffic, and rescind the existing 3-foot law. Read details in the Wisconsin State Journal.

Meanwhile in Colorado, Bicycle Colorado supports the Bicycle Safety Bill, which includes a three foot passing provision. They’re asking Colorado cyclists to call their State senators in support of this bill.

See also: Bus drivers take some pride in catching a door.

Finally, I owe a link to this Bike Haiku.

Denver bike share coming

Some 500 bikes will be available this summer at 30 to 40 stations around Denver. The Denver B-Cycle program got initial funding from a $1 million donation from the Denver 2008 Convention Host Committee. “We are confident Denver B-Cycle will prove equally popular while improving our fitness levels and our environment,” said Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper. “Our 358 miles of bike routes and trails combined with our 300 days of sunshine make Denver the perfect city in which to launch this citywide bike sharing system.”

Read more in the Denver Post.

See also Bike Denver B-Cycle launch event invitation.

See also — Denver transportation to focus on people, not cars: “A fundamental premise of the STP is that Denver must continue its growing trend towards relying on many modes of transportation, including walking, biking and using public transit in order to meet the transportation demands of the future.”

While I’m focusing on bicycling in Colorado:

  • Go Boulder is the city of Boulder transportation department resource site, where they proudly say, “In some places, people talk about the importance of using transportation options. Here, we walk the talk. Or bike it. Or bus it.”
  • Colorado Springs Cycling Club.
  • Bicycle Colorado is Colorado’s statewide bike advocacy group. They’re doing wonderful work with Safe Routes to School programs throughout the state. Bicycle Colorado reminds cyclists that you can dial *CSP from your cell phone to report road rage to the Colorado State Police.
  • Bike Fort Collins is the bike advocacy group in Fort Collins. The city of Fort Collins is pushing to go Platinum as a Bicycle Friendly Community.
  • I cut my teeth on bicycle advocacy with Bicycle Longmont. Good people there!

Boulder Velodrome grand opening December 1

The long awaited Boulder Colorado Velodrome plans a grand opening party and open house on Sunday, November 30th, 2008. This new velodrome is located in a former warehouse building at 3550 Frontier Avenue, near where Pearl Street crosses Foothills Highway (Hwy 157).

Via Ultra Rob.

While we’re in Boulder, let’s also visit Community Cycles, a group of bicycle enthusiasts whose mission is to educate and advocate for the safe use of bicycles as an affordable, viable and sustainable means of transportation and personal enjoyment. The Boulder Daily Comrade just posted a nice Community Spotlight on them. Community Cycles is located conveniently on the Goose Creek bike path and (literally) just across the tracks from the Boulder Velodrome.

Elsewhere, I’ve been busy posting stuff to Commute By Bike…

Have a wonderful weekend, all.

Tim DeFrisco Denver bike messenger photos

Tim DeFrisco is a photographer in Denver who apparently specializes in sports and “lifestyle” photography, including bike stuff, though he also has some killer portraits on his website.

Denver bike messenger by Tom DeSilva
His latest project has been a series of Denver bike messenger photos that will be displayed at Interbike during the Urban Legend Fashion and Art Show on Thursday evening, beginning at 5:00PM in the Venetian Ballroom G.

See more of Tom DeSilva’s work at his blog and his website.

Via Gwadzilla.