It’s a pretty rainy day–so how about just TALKING about bicycling, instead of riding?!  Come to the GEARs Social Gathering tonight (Tuesday, May 21) from 6 to 8 p.m.

The Bier Stein

1591 Willamette St.

Eugene, Or. 97405

This is a great chance to talk with those people you never get to talk to because you’re out of breath from trying to keep up with them on a ride–and to meet some new folks. Open to all!

If you’re thinking of registering and riding the Blackberry bRamble this year (and why wouldn’t you…it is the best biking event of the year AND it supports bike education in Eugene) now is the time to register and take advantage of one of two specials being offered only until JUNE 6:

Special Offer #1
This is a deal you can’t pass-up! Feast on dinner the night before the ride and watch a Pedal Powered Movie in the Park (Pee Wee’s Big Adventure) while supporting the City of Eugen’s Adaptive Recreation program. After dinner, Eilee Thalheimer, author of Bicycle Sojourners will share with you the joys of touring and her experiences touring in Oregon. Then ride the Blackberry bRamble Sunday morning wearing your newly designed event jersey (click HERE to see jersey), all for $99. You save $29, you’ll be supporting the city’s adaptive cycling program, and you’ll have your registration in before we fill up. Click HERE to register.

Special Offer #2
Okay, so you can’t do the ride because you’re volunteering on Sunday, August 4 or you have other commitments. You can still enjoy the Saturday’s dinner and movie plus the event jersey, both for $60. You save $29, you’ll be supporting the city’s adaptive cycling program, and you’ll get your cool bRamble jersey. This is also a good option if you  plan to do the Community Ride (10-20 miles). Click HERE to purchase the Dinner/Jersey combo (then click HERE to register for the Community Ride).

Remember the Blackberry bRamble Bike Celebration is open to all (no admission charge) and is on Sunday after the ride. We will have eclectic music, jugglers, demos, competitions, a skateboard contest food and vendor booths. Relax at the the Ninkasi Beer Garden with wine too.  At 4pm many prizes will be raffled including a bike frame set, a set of wheels, a complete bike, gift cards and more.

KMTR ran a news story today that emphasized that all kids should wear helmets, complete with “experts.”  Their main reasoning was that a kid got hit by a car just recently and more kids are riding in the nice weather.  Nowhere in the story did they mention that drivers should be more careful since there are more bikers out.  In fact, there was NO mention of safe driving at all.

I’m not against helmets – I wear one every time I ride, but I only wear one because of the likelihood of some yahoo dipschmuck texter butthole in a car running me over.  If there were no cars, I wouldn’ t wear a helmet commuting.  I’d only wear one when riding offroad or zooming down McKenzie Pass, things that are mildly dangerous without cars. Commuting is not.  Being 8 and riding a bike around your neighborhood is not (if there weren’t cars).

So, news, stop acting like car drivers are powerless to not hit us. Stop acting like biking is dangerous.  It’s not.  Existing around idiots with motorized weapons is dangerous.  People get hit by idiot car drivers all the time while walking, should pedestrians wear helmets?  NO, drivers should stop sucking!

KMTR video link.

In related news, a man was just killed on the Oregon coast while walking on the 101 Oregon Scenic Bikeway.  The driver of the truck who killed him was not even cited.  Was there a big news story about how people should be more careful driving?  Of course not!

Signs are up on Pearl Street between 18th & 19th indicating it will be closed for two weeks starting this coming Monday. Apparently they suggest that we divert to Mill Street if we are heading south, although I’m planning on using the sidewalks if I can.

http://www.registerguard.com/rg/news/local/29877195-75/street-concrete-traffic-closed-pearl.html.csp

The Center for Appropriate Transport (CAT) is celebrating 20 years of community service in Lane County at the 20 YEARS AROUND the SUN event this Saturday, May 18th from 1-7pm with:

• Do It Yourself (DIY) workshops to learn to weld and sew;
• Open shop at Eugene Bicycle Works, Eugene’s only do-it-yourself bike repair shop;
• Ride-able bike museum, we have pedal powered vehicles for every age and all abilities;
• Trips for Kid’s mountain bike obstacle course;
• The history and impact of CAT;
• Food and more.

This event is open to the public. So ride on down to 455 West 1st Ave. this Saturday and join in the celebration of human powered transportation, hands-on learning, and culture change!

“CAT is an innovative non-profit organization committed to community involvement in manufacturing, using, and advocating sustainable modes of transportation. The Center was founded in Eugene, Oregon in the fall of 1992. Since that time, the sum of our diverse projects has furthered this mission. For more information please visit our website at www.catoregon.org.”

Join LiveMove on Thursday May 16th as they host Ralph Buehler, assistant professor of Urban Affairs and Planning at Virginia Tech. Ralph’s research work fall into three areas: (1) the influence of transport policy, land use, socio-demographics on travel behavior; (2) active travel and public health; and (3) public transport demand, supply, and financial efficiency. Most of his research has an international comparative perspective, contrasting transport and land-use policies, transport systems, and travel behavior in Western Europe and North America.

Germany and the US have among the highest motorization rates in the world. Yet, Germans make four times higher share of their trips by foot, bike and public transport and drive for a 25 percent lower share of trips. Ralph examines the transport and land-use policies in Germany over the last 40 years that have encouraged more walking, bicycling, and public transport use, and concludes with policies that are transferable to car-oriented countries worldwide.

Join LiveMove for an afternoon ride and/or an evening speaking event:

12pm-2pm: Shane MacRhodes and LiveMove members will take our guest speaker on a bike tour of Eugene. Meet at the University of Oregon Outdoor Program Barn (University St. at E. 18th Ave.).

5pm-7pm: Ralph will present at the Downtown Athletic Club (999 Willamette St., Mezzanine Level).

Please join us for the Eugene Ride of Silence
Wednesday, May 15 at 6:00pm.
Starting at the Educational Memorial on Bailey Hill Road, past Churchill High School and the Fire Station.

6:00pm, speech by Mayor Kitty Piercy
6:15 Reading of the names of bicyclist that have lost their lives on the streets.
6:30 start ride toward the David Minor Theater the final destination, where we will be celebrating the life of our loved ones that we have lost.

Click here for the route.

Many people and in many countries will be riding on this day in the memory of members of their community that have been killed on the streets while bicycling.

We ride:
To honor those killed or injured
To raise awareness that we are here
To ask that we all share the road

Mayor Kitty Piercy will address the riders prior to the ride, then we will proceed to read the names of members of our community that have lost their lives while bicycling.

Helmets Required.

Please join me on this ride. I will be riding in memory of my son Vaclav Hajek who was killed by a speeding 16 year old driver in 2007.

Thank you,
Marina Hajek
GEARs Board Member

For more information contact: Marina Hajek
Herrerat1987@hotmail.com 541-221-6087

Looks like we’re about to get a big box bike shop. I’ve been to the one in Portland and doubt I’ll be using them for much other than what I already mail order. As a side note, they say they are accepting applications.

http://www.performancebike.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/RetailStoreDetailView?searchType=state&catalogId=&searchKey=OR&langId=-1&rsId=11615&storeId=10052

Mark of Arriving By Bike and I rode and juggled McKenzie pass on Saturday.  It was FULL of people on bikes.  It was also full of us juggling.  It’s pretty melty, so it might open up early this year, go ride it while you can! It’s really melted a lot in the couple weeks since this article.  We took some pictures and filmed the descent.  Enjoy!

Also, someone left a Cocoon bag at the top with stuff in it.  Tell me what that stuff is in a comment so I can give you your bag back.

A 14-year-old was hit by a turning car while riding on Hunsaker Road on Tuesday, and Register-Guard story implicitly blamed the victim:

The boy was not wearing a helmet when his bicycle was struck about 5:50 p.m. as he was pedaling along Hunsaker Drive near River Road in west Eugene, police Sgt. Kevin McCormick said at the scene.

The boy appeared to suffer only scrapes and bruises, but was taken by ambulance to PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend in Springfield, McCormick said.

The boy apparently was riding his bike west on Hunsaker Lane when he was struck by a silver Volks­wagen Passat that was turning onto River Road from Hun­saker Lane.

It was not immediately known whether the woman driving the Passat would be cited in connection with the accident, McCormick said.

Shame on author Josephine Woolington for continuing in the media’s tradition of victim blaming whenever a person in a car fails to control their vehicle and runs someone over.  Helmets can’t stop a bad driver from running you over! It is irrelevant that the boy was not wearing a helmet!

Notably, this intersection is one of the top ten most dangerous in Eugene.

Source:

Separate accidents hurt bicyclist, pedestrian | Local News | The Register-Guard | Eugene, Oregon.