Bike Greenville

Visit BikeWalkGreenville.org

2013-03-15T16:40:00.002-04:00

I stopped updating the Bike Greenville blog last summer for reasons explained in my previous post. That was intended to be the end, but I want to write just one more post to share a bit of good news.

Bike Walk Greenville is a new advocacy organization focused on active transportation in Greenville County. The mission is "to increase the quality of life and economic vitality of Greenville County by advocating for the improvement of pedestrian and bicycling opportunities and promoting the importance of health, safety, recreation and equitable transportation options.”

I am excited to play a small role in this new organization, along with many others who care deeply about cyclist and pedestrian safety in this area. If you have stumbled upon this post, you probably feel the same way, so check out the website and find out how you can get involved in making Greenville an even better place to walk or ride a bike.

The end of the road for this blog

2012-08-01T10:03:00.000-04:00

I started Bike Greenville back in 2007 when I was serving on the Greenville Spinners board as the as the advocacy chairperson. The idea was to be able to communicate with local cyclists interested in participating in bike advocacy efforts, and at the time it was easier for me to use this blog than to post updates on the Spinners website.

These days, I am still involved with bicycle advocacy efforts in Greenville, both with Bikeville and through the Spinners, but I am definitely not as “in the loop” as I once was. For that reason, I am going to call it quits on updating this blog. Current Spinners advocacy chairperson Frank Mansbach has been doing an outstanding job of posting monthly updates on the Spinners advocacy page, so I encourage you to visit that site often to find out what is happening on the cycling advocacy front in Greenville. I also encourage you to keep tabs on the Bikeville page and subscribe to the monthly newsletter if you don’t already. There are many other great sources for local advocacy news too; the PCC Blog, Biking in the Upstate, and the “Slow Bike Upstate” section of Carolina Cycling News just to name a few. See the “local links” dropdown on the right side of this blog for many more great resources.

Despite a few of the normal setbacks that are to be expected, good things are happening here in Greenville. I hope that those of you who have been reading this blog over the years will continue to be involved with making this area a better a place to live and ride a bike. I think we have made great progress in the last five years or so, but there is still much work to be done by everyone who wants to see Greenville become a more bike friendly town.

Update: I should add that the Bike Greenville Facebook page will remain active as a place to share and discuss local bike advocacy issues.

Here we go again...no road diet for Old Buncombe

2012-07-23T12:06:00.000-04:00

I have been out of town for most of this month, so I am a bit late to post about this. I assume that many of you reading this blog have heard by now that plans for a road diet (with bike lanes) on Old Buncombe Road have recently been scrapped. If you don’t know the story, I encourage you to check out Greenville Spinners Advocacy Chairperson Frank Mansbach’s latest advocacy update, where he references an excellent article in the Greenville News written by Ben Szobody. Also check out Frank’s well written op-ed piece that was published in the Sunday Greenville News.

The proposed road diet plan had much support from nearby neighborhoods, and a petition that started last fall had many signatures. In an effort to help the SCDOT, Greenville County Transportation Planners prepared the re-striping plans for the project before the July 1st deadline, and it appeared that the project was on track and ready to go until about 2 weeks ago when County Councilman Willis Meadows, along with SC Representative Dwight Loftis and SC Senator Mike Fair, intervened. Based on his strong opposition to the Complete Streets Resolution a couple of years ago, it certainly doesn’t surprise me that Meadows opposed the project. What did surprise me a bit was the fact that this small group was able to quickly derail the plan even though it was something that the people living in the area wanted. Meadows and the others were afraid that the road diet would slow traffic and hurt commerce, but I haven’t seen any facts to support those claims. Actually, road diet projects like E. North Street or Main Street in Travelers Rest have not slowed traffic significantly and have had a positive effect on commerce. If you travel on the section of Old Buncombe between Cedar Lane and Furman, you probably realize how ridiculous that ‘detriment to commerce’ concern really is. Old Buncombe is a perfect example of a poorly designed road that could benefit from a low cost revitalization project, especially one that would improve safety for all road users.

It is easy to point the finger at Meadows, Fair, and Loftis, but is not just politicians who are standing in the way of making Old Buncombe, and many of our other roads, safer and better for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers. John Edwards is our 4th district SCDOT commissioner (an appointed position, not an elected one). In Szobody’s July 7th Greenville News article on the subject, Mr. Edwards is quoted as saying, “I think we’re tasked with keeping the roads to move people, and trucks and cars. I don’t think it’s a place for bicycles because I think it’s dangerous.” When asked about the state law prohibiting cycling on the sidewalk and giving bicyclists the right to use the road way, Edwards responded that the law “gives mopeds a right to the road too, but that does not make it any safer.” I suppose one could assume that Edwards also believes that small cars are not very safe either. Perhaps everyone on Old Buncombe should drive a large SUV, or better yet a tank, to protect themselves and their families… all those other people on the road be damned. It is quite disturbing that someone who is tasked with the job of building and maintaining safe roads would completely discount groups of LEGAL road users based on his personal bias. Based on my past experiences with SCDOT though, Mr. Edward’s comments don’t really surprise me. His ‘survival of the fittest… i.e. biggest’ attitude toward road design may explain why our roads in South Carolina are among the least safe in the nation (for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers). Unfortunately, his attitude seems to be pervasive throughout the SCDOT. When faced with a plan involving a road diet or bike lanes, they always point out that state guidelines require wide (often 12’) travel lanes, but they ignore the fact that other states with MUCH better safety records than ours routinely stripe narrower travel lanes, which tend to slow motor vehicle traffic and save lives. Even if you take bicycles and pedestrians out of the equation, the SCDOT has a terrible track record in creating safe roads, so maybe it is time for them to start being held accountable for their bad decisions and poor road design practices.

If the elected officials who intervened or the engineers at the SCDOT really do have any legitimate safety concerns about the proposed road diet on Old Buncombe, I certainly haven’t heard them. I think that they owe an explanation to the public though as to why they don’t seem to want to improve the safety of our public roads. Based on 2009 statistics, only Montana ranks higher than South Carolina in traffic fatalities per vehicle miles traveled (and Arkansas, West Virginia, and Louisiana have high fatality rates similar to SC). If our elected and appointed public officials do not feel the need to address that problem and improve traffic safety in South Carolina, then maybe it is time for a major change. Though bicycling is the focus of this blog, the road safety problem in this state goes beyond that. I believe that there is a fundamental lack of concern for safety on our roads which leads to transportation infrastructure that is among the least safe in the entire U.S. Until the SCDOT and others are held accountable, that will never change.

Best small city for cycling?

2012-06-19T16:37:00.000-04:00

I mentioned this recently on the Bike Greenville Facebook page, but in case you missed it, check out Bicycling Magazine’s “Best Small Cities for Cycling” article. Greenville is listed along with only two other towns, Bend, OR and the platinum rated Bicycle Friendly Community of Davis,CA. As always, I am glad to see positive press about cycling in Greenville, but I was frankly a bit surprised by this one. There is no doubt that Greenville has improved greatly for cycling in the last 8 years or so, but I believe that we still have a way to go to really become one of the best small towns in America for cycling. The city does a pretty good job with a very small budget for bicycle related infrastructure projects, but I would like to see a greater focus on completing the goals and objectives outlined in the Bicycle Master Plan and improving our safety record for cyclists and pedestrians. It is nice to be listed as a great small town for cycling and we should all be proud of the recognition, but I really hope that we can continue to work to make this area an even better place to live and ride.

Don’t get me wrong. I love living and cycling in Greenville, and I have been involved with bike advocacy in some way or another for many years because I really do want to see Greenville become one of the best towns in the US for cycling. We are making progress, but I don’t quite see us there yet. I am curious what you think though. Is Bicycling Magazine correct in calling Greenville one of the best small towns for cycling at this point?

Swamp Rabbit focus groups

2012-06-06T08:39:00.000-04:00

See the information below via the latest Greenville Rec e-newsletter. Subscribe here if you don’t already get it.

“Greenville Hospital System Swamp Rabbit Trail users are needed to participate in two focus groups examining the impact of the trail. Results will be included in the 3-Year Impact Study administered by Dr. Julian Reed of Furman University's Department of Health Sciences. Sessions will be held on Wednesday, June 20th from 4:30pm to 5:30pm and Thursday, June 21st from 5:00pm to 6:00pm.

Only 16 spots are available (8 per group). Refreshments and $10 will be provided to each participant at the conclusion of the focus group. If you are interested in participating, please email Colleen Grover at colleen.grover1780@furman.edu.”

The June newsletter also points out an ongoing QR scavenger hunt on the trail that sounds like fun. Find out more and get started here.

Vote in the County Council primary next week

2012-06-04T13:55:00.001-04:00

If you were present for the vote on the County Council Complete Streets resolution in 2010, you know that it was tabled by a vote of 6 to 5. The vote against that resolution was a major set back toward to the goal of making the roads in Greenville County safe for all users, and that is exactly why the upcoming Republican Primary election on June 12^th is so important to those of us who really care about bicyclist/pedestrian safety issues on our county roads.

Four of the twelve Greenville County Council seats will be contested in the primary that is just over a week away, so now is a great time to find out where each of the candidates stand on issues related to improving safety for cyclists and pedestrians. Spinners Advocacy Chairperson Frank Mansbach and Pamela Wood Browne of Carolina Cycling News prepared a survey to ask each of the candidates a few questions along those lines. The four incumbents all answered the questions, as did two of the new candidates, and you can see each of their responses on the Spinners advocacy page.

The survey responses are great information for those of us voting next week. In addition to those answers though, I think past voting history is very important to consider. Of the four incumbents running for re-election, Joe Baldwin (district 18) was the only one who was a vocal supporter of the Complete Streets resolution. Sid Cates and Bob Taylor both voted to table the resolution (effectively killing it),and based on their comments on the night of the vote, I would not expect either of them to support future efforts to make Greenville County roads safer for cyclists and pedestrians. Jim Burns was not present to vote that evening in October of 2010. I do believe that Councilman Burns is sincere in his answers to the Spinner’s survey, but it is disappointing that he was not present that night to make it a tie.

Regardless of who you support, I encourage you all to get out and vote on the 12^th with bicycle and pedestrian safety issues in mind. The County has a long way to go in order to catch up with the City’s efforts to safely accommodate all road users, but it will never happen without public support.

Greenville Tech section of the Swamp Rabbit opening June 5th

2012-06-04T13:43:00.001-04:00

A new section of the Swamp Rabbit Trail, between Faris Road and Pleasantburg Drive, will officially open tomorrow, June 5^th at 11am. Mayor White will be joined by Dr. Keith Miller, Greenville Technical College President, and Jerry Howard, President/CEO of the Greenville Area Development Corporation, to officially open this section of the trail which runs along Cleveland Street through the Greenville Tech main campus. The event will take place at the Cleveland Street entrance to the college, and refreshments will be provided starting at 10:30 am.

Greenville Alley Cat to benefit Upstate SORBA

2012-05-22T08:55:00.002-04:00

Don’t forget the Greenville Alley Cat and MTB movie night tomorrow, May 23^rd. It is $5 for the race and another $5 to see the movies, and all proceeds go to Upstate SORBA’s trail building fund.

Meet in the alley behind Chicora Alley (makes sense for an Alley Cat, right?), and the race will start at 6:30 pm.

Check out the excellent poster by Brad Allen for more details. Hope to see you there!

Ride of Silence tommorow night

2012-05-15T12:04:00.002-04:00

The National Ride of Silence takes place tomorrow, Wednesday May 16^th. Plan to join Bikeville for a silent community bike ride through downtown Greenville to honor those bicyclists who have been killed or injured while riding on public roadways. Meet in front of City Hall (206 S. Main St.) at 6:30pm to get your black armband and to hear a reading of the Ride of Silence poem. The one hour ride will start at 7:00.

So far in 2012, the SC Department of Safety reports that 7 bicyclists have been killed while riding on South Carolina roads. For several years we have been ranked as one of the least safe states in the nation for cycling, so it is quite alarming that we are on track for an even higher number of fatalities than the 13 which occurred in this state last year. Please come out tomorrow to remember those who have died, and to remind people to be careful and watch for others on our public roadways.

GOFO Urban farm bike tours

2012-05-07T12:34:00.000-04:00

The second annual Greenville Urban Farm tour, presented by Greenville Organic Food Organization, will take place next Saturday, May 12^th. As part of Bike Month in Greenville, Bikeville Volunteers (myself included) will be guiding bicycle tours of select urban farms near the downtown area. There will be morning and afternoon rides, which will each visit 5 to 6 different locations. Preregistration is required, so check out the bike tours section of the UFT website to get more information and to register.

Remember to visit the Bikeville Bike Month page for a complete list of events planned for the month of May. You can also find a poster/flyer there to download and share with others.

Sad news from Simpsonville

2012-05-01T09:39:00.001-04:00

If you are reading this, you have probably already heard about the tragic crash last week in Simpsonville that took the life of Walter Glenn Brackin Jr. while he was cycling. I didn’t know Mr. Brackin personally, and I don’t know any details about the incident other than what is stated in the news story. As always though, I feel deeply saddened any time I hear of the death of a fellow cyclist on our roadways and I urge you to keep Glenn Brackin’s family in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.

While overall traffic fatalities have dropped slightly in South Carolina in recent years, there is an “upward trend in fatalities among pedestrians and cyclists who are considered Vulnerable Roadway Users.” We need to reverse that trend, so please remember to be careful and alert anytime you are out on our roads…especially if you are driving a car. Watch for pedestrians and cyclists and be extremely careful as you pass. That person walking or on a bike is someone’s son, daughter, wife, father, husband, sister (I could go on, but you get the idea). It is up to all of us to pay full attention and watch out for each other on our public roads. Many accidents can be avoided with a little extra vigilance from everyone, so please remember to always pay full attention to the road and your surroundings when you are behind the wheel of a car.

Dinner and Bikes hosted by Pedal Chic

2012-04-23T12:54:00.000-04:00

Pedal Chic is hosting an event this weekend that may interest many of you. Portland based bike blogger and author Elly Blue will be in Greenville as part of her Dinner and Bikes tour of the southeastern U.S. Joining her on the tour are Joe Biel, founder of Microcosm Publishing, and Joshua Ploeg, vegan chef and author. As stated on the Dinner and Bikes website, the goal of the tour is to “bring people together to eat delicious food and get inspired about bicycle transportation.” Sounds like a great combination, so plan to be there Saturday evening if you can. Elly is covering the tour on her blog, so check it out to read about the places that they have visited so far.

The dinner and event will take place at the Caine Halter Family YMCA (721 Cleveland Street) this coming Saturday, April 28th at 7p.m. Tickets are $15 in advance or at the door.

Bike Month is coming up!

2012-04-17T12:27:00.000-04:00

For any of you who may have missed it, the latest City of Greenville Bicycling and Greenways e-newsletter is out… and it is a good one. May is National Bike Month, and as always Bikeville is coordinating events in the city throughout the month. See the Bike Month page for a listings and descriptions of the bike related events and activity that are planned next month.

On the Bike Month page, you can also find information about the Get Up and Ride : National Bike Challenge. “Sign up as an individual or as a team, log your miles, share your stories and encourage others to join you. Riders will compete for prizes and awards on the local and national level, including a Grand Prize trip through California wine country from Trek Travel.”

Also on the City’s website, find out more about the new Swamp Rabbit Trail Interactive Map. The map was developed by the City, with support from the Greenville County Recreation District, and features “trail amenities, on-street bicycle facilities, points of interest, as well as special considerations for a safe experience.”

Speaking of the Swamp Rabbit Trail, you can join Greenville Rec, Upstate Forever, and Furman University tomorrow, April 18th, at the Swamp Rabbit Café (205 Cedar Lane Road). They will be making an announcement about the sucess of the trail and will share results from the first year of a three-year impact study. If you can’t attend the event, the full presentation will be available soon after on the County's Swamp Rabbit page. I won't be able to make it in person, but I am looking forward to reading the good news about the impact of the SRT on our community.

Important bicycle legislation to be heard this week

2012-04-09T13:42:00.001-04:00

photo credit: Charleston Moves

As a recent post at the PCC blog points out, “the bicycle ban that went into effect earlier this year on the James Island Connector in Charleston has brought attention to the fact that South Carolina law (56-5-3860) prohibits bicycle use (and other activities) on state controlled access highways.” You may remember that signs like the one shown here were posted on the James Island Connector following the tragic death of Dr. Mitchell Hollon, who was killed while riding his bicycle across the bridge last year.

The Coastal Conservation League and Charleston Moves have worked with Senator Chip Campsen (R-Charleston) to introduce a bill (S.1375) that will allow local governments the option to file exemptions to the law, putting decisions about restricted highway access in the hands of the local municipality and not SCDOT. Local governments know better than the state how to manage the roads in their communities, so please take a minute to voice your support for the amendment. You can also show support by attending the Senate Transportation Subcommittee meeting this Wednesday, April 11^th at 10am at the Gressette building in Columbia.

Good things are happening here

2012-03-26T17:17:00.003-04:00

I have been too busy to update this blog lately, but I want to take a few minutes to quickly pass along a few links that I have been meaning to share.

Charleston Cycling Attorney Peter Wilborn will be the guest speaker at the next Greenville Spinners club meeting (Monday, April 2, 2012, 6:30 pm at the Caine Halter YMCA). According to the Spinners website, Peter “will speak about the lost art of the group ride and provide an update on legal issues for SC cyclists.” This is one meeting that you won’t want to miss, so mark your calendars and plan to be there one week from today.

The National Bike Summit took place last week, and eight advocates from South Carolina were there representing our interests as cyclists in the state. You can read a recap post on the Palmetto Cycling Coalition blog and see the Summit leave-behind that the PCC developed along with the Palmetto Conservation Foundation.

Pamela Wood Browne was the lone representative from Greenville in DC last week, and she shared her thoughts about her first Summit experience at Carolina Cycling News. Of particular interest to me was her mention of the “Finally, the Racing and Advocacy Worlds Collide” session and the discussion of multiple U.S. Cyclocross National Champion Tim Johnson’s Ride on Washington. As someone who has been involved with both racing and advocacy for a long time, I am really glad to hear of real discussion on this topic. In the past, I have witnessed some tension between recreational/racing cyclists and those who ride strictly for transportation (with some valid concerns expressed by both sides). I really hope that we are a point where ALL cyclists can see the benefit of working together toward a common goal of making our roads safer, and kudos to Tim Johnson for raising awareness and spreading that message within the racing community.

If you haven’t already seen it, be sure to read Spinners advocacy chairperson Frank Mansbach’s March update on the Spinners’ site. Also see his guest post on the PCC blog about Greenville County Transportation Spending, which highlights just how little actually goes toward bike/ped projects currently. Hopefully though, that will change as advocates like Frank help to raise awareness about the need for creating a safer environment for bicycling and walking in the County.

The City of Greenville’s 2011/2012 Annual Report was released recently, and bicycling is mentioned a few times throughout the report. Links to the Trails and Greenways Master Plan and the Bicycle Master Plan can be found on page 23. The USA Pro Cycling Championships are mentioned on page 31, and Greenville’s National Bike Month events (coming up again in May) are covered on page 34. These are all things that enhance quality of life here in Greenville, so it is good to see them recognized as such in this document.

Greenville is offering a Bicycle Traffic Skills 101 course at McPherson Park on Sunday, April 29th (scroll down for information and to register online). According to the description, “participants will learn things like bicycle safety checks, fixing a flat, rules of the road, and crash avoidance techniques. On-the-bike training features certified instructors and real-life experience on Greenville streets and bicycle facilities.” It is also worth noting that the Traffic Skills 101 course is a prerequisite for the League Cycling Instructor (LCI) training seminar, which qualifies you to teach the courses in the League of American Bicyclists’ “Smart Cycling” curriculum.

Finally, I want to mention that TTR Bikes was recently recognized as a Platinum level Bicycle Friendly Business by the League of American Bicyclists. They are one of only seven companies in the entire US to be recognized at that highest level, so congratulations to Nathaniel and Scott on the designation and everything it represents!

Update 3/28: I want to add one more “good thing” happening in Greenville that Bo Campbell mentioned yesterday on the Bike Greenville Facebook page. On April 21^st from 9 to 12, TTR Bikes, the Greenville Spinners Safety Foundation, First Baptist Greenville, and the Nicholtown Neighborhood Association are hosting their 2^nd Annual Youth Bike Safety Rodeo (and helmet fitting) in support of the Nicholtown Bike Share program.

I have a hard time keeping up with all the bike related events in Greenville these days…and that is definitely a good thing. Feel free to add any more in the comments.

Salters Road widening project

2012-02-21T10:12:00.002-05:00

Salters Road, between Verdae and ICAR, will be resurfaced and widened soon by the SCDOT. According to the handout from a public information meeting that was held earlier this month, the “proposed project would widen the existing roadway to four 12-foot travel lanes and include a grassed median, bike lanes, and sidewalks.” A new wider and longer bridge would be required over I-85 as part of the project, which would also include bike lanes (and I assume a taller and safer guardrail).

I have been out of the loop on this project, but from everything I have seen the proposed road layout sounds great. You can read more about it in the SCDOT document mentioned previously and this article in the Greenville News (do a Google search for “Salters Road project may include bridge replacement” to see the full article if you are not a Greenville News subscriber). When the redesigned road is complete, it will be a great bike friendly connection to ICAR, but it is a major project that will take up to 12 months to complete. During that time, Salters Road will be closed completely with the detour shown above as the suggested alternate. Verdae and Laurens are not ideal roads for cyclists to use as an alternate route to ICAR, so Spinners advocacy chairperson Frank Mansbach has proposed a few good ideas that could make the detour safer for all users during the year of construction :

1) Adding share the road and /or bicycle route signs on Verdae Boulevard from Rocky Slope to Laurens.

2) Reduced speed limit on Verdae from current 45 mph.

3) Re-striping all or part of Verdae to add bike lanes or shared lane markings (sharrows).

Rather than turning from Verdae onto Laurens, Frank suggests that the designated bike detour would cross to Parkins Mill, then left on Ridge Road and left on Fairforest to get to ICAR (signage and/ or sharrows would be required on Ridge Road and Parkins Mill as well).

I personally think these are great suggestions that should be considered by the SCDOT as this project is being planned. They have opened the project to public comment until February 24th (this Friday), so if you agree that a safe alternate detour for cyclists is a good idea, contact SCDOT Program Manager Tommy Elrod at (864) 241-1010 or elrodjt@scdot.org to express your support for the ideas above and any others that you might have.

Switching gears, I want to mention an event that is taking place this weekend. The BMW Performance Center and the Greenville Spinners Bicycle Club are hosting a special showing of the movie “Chasing Legends” at the BMW Zentrum this Saturday, February 25th at 6:30pm. “Chasing Legends” Director Jason Berry will there, so don’t miss your chance to see the film, meet the director, and possibly win some great prizes. You read more about the event, and purchase tickets, at Go Green Events. All proceeds from the evening are going to the United Way of Greenville, so it’s for a good cause as well. I am looking forward to it, and I hope to see you there.

Where is the outrage?

2012-02-13T16:17:00.004-05:00

February has been a terrible month for bicycling fatalities in South Carolina, and I was sickened to hear of another senseless tragedy over the weekend. Obviously, one person killed on our roads is one too many, but David William Welty’s death in Anderson over the weekend was the fourth fatality that I know of in the first two weeks of the month. A couple weeks ago, 70-year-old James Premmer Frazier was killed here in Greenville while riding on Highway 183 at Old Buncombe Road. The following day, a 7-year-old girl was killed while riding a push scooter in Liberty, and just a few days after that Gerald Hooker was killed in Aiken when the tandem he was riding with his wife was struck by a driver who tried to pass as they made a left turn.

It is not hard to understand why the Alliance for Biking & Walking ranked South Carolina 49th among states for bicycling safety in their recent Bicycling and Walking in the U.S.: 2012 Benchmarking Report. The safety record on our roads is atrocious, and if this month is any indication, perhaps the problem is getting worse. I believe that the reason for the increase in fatalities (not just in SC, but nationwide) stems from the attitude that we as a society have about the use of our roads. Despite the fact that roads were not built for cars, many Americans tend to believe that drivers have a greater right to use the roads than those who are not in motor vehicles. The idea that “streets are for people”, not only people in cars, is a common attitude in places like the Netherlands and Denmark, but here in the U.S. there are many who believe that a pedestrian or cyclist is “asking for it” if they are hit by a car, particularly if the “accident” occurs on a major road. Drivers are rarely charged when they take the life of another due to impatience or negligence on their part. On top of that, there are those who use each and every cyclist/pedestrian death on our roadways as an opportunity to blame the victim by bringing up the same old (false) arguments about who pays for the roads. The comments left on any online news story about the death of a cyclist are as predictable as they are sickening, but I am afraid that those attitudes are also increasingly becoming accepted by a growing element within our society- those who actively oppose the very idea of cycling and walking as forms of transportation.

I just wonder where the outrage is sometimes…even among people who never walk or ride a bike to get anywhere. On average, 40,000+ Americans are killed by motor vehicles each year, but the majority of those deaths are simply dismissed as “accidents”. Hundreds of Americans die on our roads every day, but it seems like there are very few people really are actually willing to call for a change. I truly believe that holding people accountable for their actions behind the wheel is the only way that we will ever see a substantial decrease in the traffic fatality rate. A driver who kills another person (on foot, on a bike, or in another car) while chatting on the phone, playing with the radio, talking to a passenger, or just daydreaming, should be held responsible for the death that resulted from that act of negligence. The operation of a motor vehicle requires complete and undivided attention to the road, and anyone who fails to do that should be prepared to face consequences if they hurt or kill another road user. It’s all about accountability…and unfortunately that is lacking on the roads of South Carolina, and the U.S. as a whole, at this point in time. What can we do to change that?

Spinners advocacy and a call to action

2012-02-01T13:05:00.000-05:00

Photo credit: Brad Allen

I have mentioned before that I don’t get the chance to update this blog as often as I would like. Part of the reason for that is that I am not as heavily involved in local bicycle advocacy issues as I once was. I am still an active Bikeville member and volunteer, but due to other commitments, I find it harder to keep up with all the bike related issues in the city and county. The good news though, is that there are other great sources for local bike advocacy news. I have mentioned Biking the Upstate and The PCC’s Palmetto Spokesman blog in previous posts, but today I want to point you toward another source of information that I am excited about- the Greenville Spinners Advocacy page. Frank Mansbach, who recently took over the Spinners advocacy chair position for 2012, plans to post monthly updates on the Advocacy page. His first update outlines his goals as the new chair, covers some advocacy news, and provides links to a few good resources. I am looking forward to his monthly updates, and I encourage all of you to keep an eye out for his future posts as well.

If you are a League of American Bicyclists or Palmetto Cycling Coalition member, you have seen the urgent messages yesterday and today about The American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act, a House bill that threatens to eliminate federal funding for bicycle and pedestrian projects. I wrote it about it on my Bicycle Design blog this morning, so I won’t repeat all of the same points here. Suffice it to say though that as citizens of a state that ranks 49th for bicycling safety, we should be very concerned about this bill. I hope that you will take a minute and contact your Representative about this today.

Moving Beyond the Automobile

2012-01-23T14:09:00.001-05:00

“Moving Beyond The Automobile is a 40-minute series of documentary film shorts that highlights real-world solutions to address America's dependence on the automobile. The film series explore strategies that integrate active living and effective multi-modal transportation.”

UpstateForever and The Mary Black Foundation will be showing Moving Beyond the Automobile this Thursday, Jan. 26^th at Spartanburg Community College from 6 to 7 pm. The event is free, but space is limited, so RSVP to Upstate Forever in Spartanburg if you wish to attend. More information and contact information can be found here.

Speaking of real-world transportation solutions, read about this plan for a superhighway for cyclists in Sweden. Interesting, but the last paragraph is what really grabbed my attention. Perhaps if Sweden goes ahead with this project, America will revive its superhighway system for cyclists. I won't hold my breath...but it COULD happen in my lifetime.

Update: One more event that some of you may be interested in attending this week is the City of Greenville's Green Ribbon Advisory Committee Public Workshop. The workshop will take place tomorrow, Jan 24th at 6:30 pm in the Hughes Main Library. See the City's Sustainability webpage for more information.

What can bicycle advocates learn from The NRA?

2012-01-19T09:36:00.000-05:00

Yeah, that headline got my attention too. Bike Advocacy from the NRA Playbook is the title of an interesting new post at Commute by Bike written by corporate attorney and bike commuter Tom Bowden. I definitely agree that the various subcultures within the cycling world can sometimes be counterproductive to the goal of getting more people on bikes. I also believe that bicycle advocates (perhaps myself included) tend to get preachy and somewhat condescending when discussing the virtues of pedal powered transportation. Instead of standing on a soapbox and telling people about the health/environmental/financial benefits of riding a bike, we need to remember to sell them on the fun factor. Almost everyone remembers the joy of riding a bicycle as a kid, so tapping into that feeling is the best way to convince those who haven’t ridden as adults to give it a try. As the article suggest, “don’t paint (cycling) as extreme, radical, hip or too intellectual. Just ride.” If we ever want cycling to truly be a mainstream activity, that’s a basic idea that we need to keep in mind as we communicate with others in our communities. Riding a bike is fun…and all of those other benefits are just a bonus.

Thanks to Richard at Cyclelicious for pointing me to the Commute by Bike post. I recommend that you add both of those blogs to your feed reader if you haven’t already.

A few overdue updates

2012-01-16T13:16:00.003-05:00

If you ride in downtown Greenville, you have most likely seen the new bike lanes going in on North Main. For those of you who haven’t seen the redesign, take a look at this picture on Greenville Daily Photo. The view from the Academy Street intersection shows the preliminary bike lane layout with turning lanes and on street parking. After a few recent setbacks, it is great to see this expansion of the city’s on-street bicycle network underway.

Another bit of good news in the upstate is the success of Spartanburg’s B-Cycle bike share program. The Spartanburg Herald-Journal reports that, since the system was launched this summer, the 14 bikes have been ridden more than 9,000 miles. The demand has exceeded expectations, and Spartanburg is considering adding a third B-Cycle station in the near future. Greenville has recently been considering a bike sharing program as well, so let’s hope that city leaders will take note of the success of the program in Spartanburg.

Unfortunately, not all of the news I have to share in this post is positive. The PCC blog recently pointed to another Herald-Journal article which pointed out that South Carolina roadway fatalities are up for first time since 2007. The article states that “the number of people killed in vehicle wrecks actually went down in 2010, from 591 to 559. But the number of pedestrians killed in South Carolina has gone up nearly 20 percent since last year, with 110 pedestrians killed so far in 2011, compared to 89 last year.” That is a disturbing trend, and one that those of us who care about complete streets and bicycle/pedestrian issues should be very concerned with.

What can we as concerned citizens do to improve the bicycle (and pedestrian) friendliness of our communities though? Frank Mansbach, the new advocacy chairperson for the Greenville Spinners, points out this excellent article from Mia Birk titled, “50 Keys to Transforming Communities and Empowering People, One Pedal Stroke at a Time.” The list might seem overwhelming at first, but if many people are involved, we really can transform our community. If you are not already a member of the Greenville Spinners and the PCC, I encourage you to join both organizations and get involved. I would much rather post good news here than bad news, so let’s work together to continue making Greenville a great place to live and ride.

Bikes can save us, so contact Senator DeMint now

2011-12-13T13:04:00.002-05:00

This blog has been quiet lately, as I have been very busy with work and personal projects. I don't get the chance to post updates here as often as I would like, so I want to remind you all to also follow some of the excellent (and more frequently updated) local bike blogs that I have linked in the sidebar like the PCC blog, Rusty Rides, and Biking the Upstate.

This morning on Design Taxi, I noticed an excellent infographic titled "How Bikes can Save Us" (click the image at the link to see the full graphic). The graphic points out that, although inactivity related diseases are the biggest killer in the US after tobacco, "90 % of Americans drive to work, and 0.6% ride their bikes—despite the fact that 70% of the car trips are shorter than two miles." I know that I am preaching to the choir here, but the graphic is full of other interesting facts presented in a visually appealing format. I encourage you to check it out and share it with others.

If you support bike transportation, now is the time to voice your opinion to Senator Jim DeMint. He is a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and will be voting tomorrow morning at 10 am on an amendment to S. 1950 by Alaska Senator Mark Begich to provide safe and adequate accommodations for all users in all federally-funded street projects. You can reach Senator DeMint's office to leave a message of support by calling the Senate Switchboard at 202-224-3121. Read more about this proposed amendment at the LAB blog, but don't forget to call before the end of the day.

Ride with George Hincapie this weekend

2011-11-18T16:30:00.002-05:00

This blog has been a bit quiet lately, but I want to break the silence and briefly mention a great event that is taking place in Greenville this weekend. The Ride with Big George Hincapie will take place this Sunday, November 20^th at 10 am to raise money for a mountain bike park and pump track in downtown Greenville. The park will include a memorial for Jeff Papenfus, a local cyclist and community leader who passed away suddenly in July.

As the registration site points out, “a $25 donation gets you a ride with George, lunch, beverages (BEER!) and post-ride activities. If you can't make the ride, your donation still gets you lunch and fun times.”

The ride starts at Hincapie Sportwear, and will include 30 and 56 mile options. Check out the Facebook page for more information, or contact info@pacelinepromotions.com with any specific questions.

It sounds like a good time, and it’s definitely a great cause for the local community. I’ll be there and I hope to see some of you there as well.

Lights for Life

2011-10-28T10:00:00.002-04:00

I briefly mentioned the 'Lights for Life' program in a post a few years ago. At that time, the initiative to provide bike lights to riders in need of them was just getting started in Greenville (with the first few batches of lights generously donated by Charleston attorney Peter Wilborn). Since that time, Bikeville.org volunteers have continued to stage 'Lights for Life' events on a regular basis at churches, rescue missions, and shelters around Greenville. The program has expanded beyond rear flashing LED lights to include front lights and helmets for those bicyclists who need them the most. Volunteers also pump up tires, lube chains, and provide basic maintenance to those often overlooked riders who rely on their bikes for transportation everyday.

Yesterday, along with a few other Bikeville volunteers, I participated in my first "Lights for Life" event at the downtown Greenlink Transit Station (hard to believe that after 5 years as a Bikeville member this was my first one). We provided free lights and helmets to 15 to 20 riders and covered a few basic points of bike safety with each of them (ride with traffic, use the lights at night, wear a helmet, etc.). Most of the people who we met last night were very appreciative of the lights and the help. Some of them had been through a rough day, but it was great to see the smiles as their lights were installed or helmets were fitted. That good feeling was mutual too...it really is great to make someone's day while also making them safer out there on the road. 'Lights for Life' is just one of the many programs that make me proud to be a Bikeville member and volunteer. Find out more about Bikeville on the website… and look for the contact link if you want to get involved.

Let’s all be courteous road users

2011-10-19T17:15:00.004-04:00

As you probably know by now, the proposed Greenville County resolution requesting a change to the State's two abreast law was tabled last night after many local cyclists wrote letters, called their Councilmembers, and spoke in favor of the current law at the County Council meeting. Instead of voting on the resolution, the Council wants to form a committee, consisting of both cyclists and motorists, to study the issue further (similar to the road relations group, I assume?).

I wasn't able to make it to the meeting last night (due to a conflict with my kids' schedules), but I was glad to see that the local cycling community respond so quickly to prevent this proposed resolution from passing. As I mentioned in a post yesterday though, it is worth remembering when an issue like this arises that sharing the road goes both ways. Personally, I have witnessed some pretty bad behavior from a few cyclists on group rides, and while I definitely do not think that inconsiderate, lawbreaking cyclists represent the majority of us, I do think that we ALL need to be conscious that we are ambassadors for cycling while we are out on the roads. It is my hope that this recent proposed resolution will serve as a wake-up call for some of the group riding cyclists out there who refuse to ride two abreast or wave cars around at intersections (and speaking of group rides, any of you who participate should read this).

On that note, I want to pass along the email that Brian Graham sent to the Spinners list last night (for any of you who didn't already see it). I thought he made some great points, and the Spinners Cycling Code of Conduct, which he included in his message, is worth reviewing as well.

Many folks e-mailed me yesterday about the proposed County resolution-- some thinking it was a joke, some being disgusted and some agreeing with the resolution. While we've learned it was amended, I think it highlights a very real issue. Each and every time we get on our bicycles we engage motorists and have an opportunity to make a positive or a negative impression. The law and the Spinners Cycling Code of Conduct (which we must agree to when renewing membership, though I couldn't find it posted on the Spinners website) sets expectations of us as bicyclists. When we fail to stop at red lights and wait for the green, ride more than 2 abreast, or even ride single file in stretches that prohibit a motorist from passing a group ride-- we create enemies of cycling. Some may be thinking that it is the actions of a few that are creating this problem for the rest of us, and that may be, but I think the number of folks (many of which may or may not be Spinners) who are sullying the reputation of bicyclists in general are larger in number than we'd care to admit. There will always be people who are 'against' cyclists and we will never change every one's minds, but that fact shouldn't soften our resolve to make good impressions as a cyclist. It is our personal responsibility to follow the rules of the road and the code of conduct -AND- to hold our fellow cyclists accountable to those same standards. As someone who works in the bicycle planning profession I often have to preface some of my recommendations by saying, "yes, I know, cyclists can be their own worst enemy." It is hard to implement a bicycle master plan or to advocate for change in our community to make it more bicycle friendly when we're creating bicycle enemies. So, from one bicyclist to another, please join me in setting a positive example and hoping to earn the respect of at least one more motorist the next time we're out riding. --Brian Graham

1. I will obey all vehicular traffic laws. I will stop at all stop signs and red lights. I will signal all my turns. I will make lane changes correctly. I will use front and rear lights when riding at night. I will not ride on sidewalks.
2. When cycling with others, I will proactively ride single-file if necessary to accommodate motorists. I will endeavor to create sub-groups and/or to dynamically create gaps in cycling groups when needed to provide motorists a way to pass safely.
3. I will ride as far to the right of the road as can be safely practiced.
4. I will not advance my position in a line of motorists stopped in a lane unless a bicycle lane is available to me for doing so.
5. I will be alert to opportunities to provide courteous communications with motorists that promote safety in sharing the road, such as the "wave-around" gesture. Conversely, I will never make discourteous communications with motorists.
6. I will be attentive to all vehicular traffic around me. I will not use headphones or a cell phone while cycling.
7. I will wear a helmet at all times when cycling.
8. I will ride defensively for my own safety, but I will also ride with the expectation that motorists, too, will operate their vehicles in accordance with the law.
9. I will encourage others to follow this Code.