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MARIN COUNTY BICYCLE COALITION (MCBC)
WEEKLY BULLETIN
March 3, 2010
1. CBC proposes special penalties for careless drivers who injure bicyclists
2. New Federal Legislation would invest in Active Community Transportation
3. How has transportation cycling changed your life?
4. Join the MCBC Team on the Echelon Napa Gran Fondo
5. Earth Day Marin coming to College of Marin, Saturday, April 24
6. MCBC introduces ShareThis widget on website
7. MCBC needs volunteers for trailwork on the New Dias Ridge Trail
8. Video: Come Together, Go Green
9. Nicasio resident’s request: respect our peace and quiet
10. An evening with Pro Cyclist Lucas Euser
1. CBC proposes special penalties for careless drivers who injure bicyclists
Careless drivers who injure bicyclists or other vulnerable road users would face special penalties under legislation sponsored by the California Bicycle Coalition (CBC).
The bill, which is currently being drafted by San Francisco Assembly Member Tom Ammiano, would require a careless driver who injures a vulnerable road user to face a judge and possible penalties ranging from traffic school and community service to a large fine and suspension of driving privileges. The penalties would apply to drivers who injure bicyclists, pedestrians, runners, roadway workers, farm equipment operators and other lawful roadway users who are particularly vulnerable to careless driving.
Deterrence and education are the goals of the bill, which is modeled after a law enacted in Oregon in 2007. Judges would be given the option to waive fines and license suspensions for drivers who complete traffic school and community service. The service requirement could include projects directly related to roadway safety.
The bill would close a gap in the law that often leaves drivers not found to be impaired or criminally negligent to face no more than a simple traffic ticket for seriously injuring a bicyclist or pedestrian. A driver who kills a bicyclist or pedestrian may face vehicular manslaughter charges.
CBC strongly supports the use of differential penalties to make drivers more aware of special safety hazards, much the way California already provides enhanced penalties for traffic violations that occur near schools and in highway construction zones.
Text provided by the California Bicycle Coalition.
2. New Federal Legislation would invest in Active Community Transportation
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy's Campaign for Active Transportation celebrated a milestone on March 2 with the release of Rep. Earl Blumenauer's (D-Ore.) Active Community Transportation (ACT) Act of 2010, H.R. 4722.
Building on the successes of the Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program, the ACT Act would establish a competitive active transportation investment fund, to invest in walking and bicycling improvements in targeted communities around the country. These resources would enable communities to build interconnected systems—allowing people to travel between the places they work, live, play, learn and shop without needing car.
If the act is passed, the U.S. Department of Transportation will administer a competitive fund, which will invest in communities that best make the case for resources to shift large numbers of trips from driving to walking and bicycling. The two billion-dollar program, with funds set aside within the Surface Transportation Program, will allow dozens of communities nationally to improve their walking and bicycling networks.
For more information on RTC and the ACT Act, click here.
3. How has transportation cycling changed your life?
Tell us your success stories
Do you shop, dine, go to a movie, or go camping on your bike instead of in your car? What else do you use your bike for more than commuting to work or school? How has transportation cycling changed/improved your life?
“You Can Bike There” is the theme for Bike to Work Day 2010. Personal stories are the most effective way for us to convey our message. Please share your BTWD and transportation cycling success stories with us. We want to use them in the press releases and other materials promoting Bike to Work Day to inspire new people to try biking to work and for local trips.
Send your stories to Jo Ann Richards, MCBC Bike to Work Day Coordinator. Please indicate if you’re willing to be interviewed, and if we may use your name and city in our materials.
4. Join the MCBC Team on the Echelon Napa Gran Fondo
Ride the Gran Fondo and raise money for MCBC
Are you planning to ride the Echelon Napa Gran Fondo on May 23rd? If so, please consider join the MCBC Team! Planet Z and the Marin County Bicycle Coalition are partnering to raise money for both organizations and have formed an official MCBC team.
The Echlon Napa Gran Fondo is part of a national cycling series to benefit local cancer institutes and support cancer survivors within the respective community. Locally to the Napa region, both Queen of the Valley Hospital and the Martin-O’Neil Cancer Center at St. Helena Hospital are the two beneficiaries. LIVESTRONG™ is the national beneficiary.
MCBC will be a beneficiary as well. PlanetZ/Echelon will be donating $25 for every MARIN rider that signs up at the Echelon White Jersey level ($300) or above. This event is going to be quite fun and festive. It’s open to all levels of riders and there are three ride distances – 30, 60 and 100 miles.
So please sign up today and join the MCBC team - we all win!
5. Earth Day Marin coming to College of Marin, Saturday, April 24
MCBC partners with MALT and Next Generation on 40th Anniversary Celebration
The Earth Day Marin festival takes place April 24 from 11 am to 6 pm at College of Marin, 835 College Ave at Sir Francis Drake in Kentfield. It will be a free, family-friendly outdoor festival celebrating the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. Enjoy high quality food, musicians, performances for children, speakers, films, authors, and as well as hands-on activities and interesting exhibition booths from key nonprofit, business, government and educational leaders.
Presented by Marin County Bicycle Coalition (MCBC), Marin Agricultural Land Trust (MALT), Next Generation and Hannah Doress Events, the event is a fiscal project of MarinLink. Sponsors include County of Marin, Good Earth Natural Foods, Green Ideals Group, Revolutionary Green, COM Students for Social Responsibility, Akeena Solar, Piatti Ristorante & Bar, Straus Family Creamery, Marin Sonoma Deconstruction, Mimi the Sardine, McEvoy Ranch, Circle Bank, Heaven’s Best Carpet Cleaning and the Green Chamber of Commerce.
Learn more about the exciting main stage line-up, eco-aerobics, bicycle parades and smoothies, and the “green songs” contest on the Earth Day Marin website or on the Earth Day Marin fan page on Facebook.
MCBC needs ride leaders for Earth Day Marin group rides. MCBC is organizing group rides from various Marin communities to Earth Day Marin. Please let us know if you’d like to lead a ride from your community. Contact Tom Boss at tom@marinbike.org .
6. MCBC introduces ShareThis widget on website
Share your favorite pages on your social network
MCBC has begun adding a widget for sharing web pages through social networks on some of our most popular web pages. The green icon appears in the upper right corner of the page; click on it to share your pages by email, or on Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Reddit, LinkedIn, or another social network. Share your favorite pages with your friends and help them learn about the great bike/ped projects that MCBC is helping implement in Marin!
The widget is now active on several pages, including the Alto Tunnel and Cal Park Tunnel pages, Share the Road, the MCBC bike map, and our membership page. If any page on site is a particular favorite of yours and does not have the widget, you can request its addition by emailing Bob Trigg at bob@marinbike.org.
7. MCBC needs volunteers for trailwork on the New Dias Ridge Trail
New multi-use trail to open in May, help us get it ready!
MCBC needs volunteers for trailwork and native planting on Saturday, March 20th. We’ll be partnering with the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy to prepare the new multi-use Dias Ridge Trail for its official opening in May. The new trail has incredible views and will be open to hikers, bikers and equestrians. Come out and get a sneak peek.
Meet us at the Muir Beach parking lot at 9:30 AM for orientation, we'll provide tools, snacks and water. Come dressed in a long sleeve shirt, long pants, boots and, if the forecast calls for it, rain gear. Heavy rain cancels.
When: Saturday, March 20, 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Where: Muir Beach Parking Lot off Highway 1 (turn west at Pelican Inn)
RSVP: tom@marinbike.org
8. Video: Come Together, Go Green
Safe Routes’ Teens Go Green program has produced a video now on YouTube entitled “come together go green”. Using the Beatles’ song “Come Together” as its soundtrack, it features two Teens Go Green members singing about the many things we can all do to “go green”. The video is featured on the Safe Routes home page; you can also view it here:
Marin's ecological footprint is higher than the national average. 62% of Marin's CO2 comes from transportation. 21% of morning traffic is school related.
9. Nicasio resident’s request: respect our peace and quiet
Please lower your voices in the small residential district
Kasey, a Nicasio resident, writes:
As spring is fast approaching, West Marin is infused with thousands of bike riders. As residents of Nicasio for over 20 years, we have seen the peace and quiet deteriorate with the voices of so many in front of our homes. Think about it: each group that goes by and is speaking to the people in front of them, they are speaking very loudly and saying things they may not normally want other people to hear. Many of us have children, and hearing someone say what a nice "tush" the person in front of them has, or that their brother is in rehab for drug addiction, is not something our kids (or any of us) should have to listen to. If you amplify each group times hundreds per day, imagine how many loud voices are passing by. Imagine that in front of your house as you tried to sleep in on a Sunday, or sat on your porch enjoying the sunshine.
Please help spread the word, that when riding by houses, save the conversation until you get past them. It only takes a few minutes and you’re in a range where you could scream your head off. We'll share the road, if you'll share the peace and quiet. Thanks in advance for helping to make this summer peaceful and fun for everyone.
MESSAGES FROM OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
10. An Evening with Pro Cyclist Lucas Euser
Wednesday, March 10, 6:30pm-8:30pm; Sports Basement Presidio Store
Kevin Rusch of Sports Basement writes:
Come listen to ProTour cyclist Lucas Euser talk about life in the European peloton, the car accident that nearly ended his career, and his comeback with his new team, Spyder Tech presented by Planet Energy. Lucas will offer insights into training, nutrition, and his involvement with the Echelon Gran Fondo Series in addition to signing autographs. We'll provide snacks & drinks for all attendees, plus a free raffle for a jersey signed by Lucas!
Marin County Bicycle Coalition
P.O. Box 1115
Fairfax, CA 94978
Office Location: 733 Center Blvd., Fairfax, CA 94930
(415) 456-3469 – phone
(415) 456-9344 – fax
http://www.marinbike.org
The MCBC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. You donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law.
We are a membership-supported group. If you are not already a paying member, please join today. Printable membership forms are on our website, http://www.marinbike.org.
Thank you for being a part of the solution.
To reach the MCBC Staff:
- Kim Baenisch, Executive Director, 456-3469 x 1#, kim@marinbike.org
- Tom Boss, Membership Director, 272-2756, tom@marinbike.org
- Jo Ann Richards, Volunteer and Activities Coordinator, 456-3469 x 7#, joann@marinbike.org
- Bob Trigg, Administrator, 456-3469 x 3#, bob@marinbike.org
- Deb Hubsmith, Advocacy Director, 454-7430, deb@marinbike.org
- David Hoffman, Director of Planning, 456-3469 x 4#, david@marinbike.org
- Andy Peri, Advocacy Outreach Coordinator, 457-0802, andy@marinbike.org
- Wendi Kallins, Safe Routes to Schools Program Director, 488-4101, wendi@marinbike.org
- Laura Kelly, Safe Routes to Schools Project Coordinator, 456-3469 x 2#, laura@marinbike.org
- Peggy Clark, Share the Road Program Manager, Safe Routes to Schools Project Coordinator, 456-3469 x 8#, peggy@marinbike.org
- Aviva Joseph, Safe Routes to Schools Teen Coordinator, 456-3469 x 5#, aviva@marinbike.org
- Gwen Froh, Safe Routes to Schools Teen Coordinator, 456-3469 x 5#, gwen@marinbike.org
- Frances E. Barbour, Safe Routes to Schools Instructor, 577-4601, frances@marinbike.org
- Heather Crawford, Safe Routes to Schools Instructor, 456-3469 x 6#, heather@marinbike.org
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