USBRS: Check out the Map

By baw_admin | Published May 5, 2011

In a previous blog post, we kicked off our month of May fundraiser for the US Bicycle Route System.  The USBRS is a major undertaking by our friends at Adventure Cycling Association to create a mapped, signed and officially recognized network of interstate bike routes.

The Bicycle Alliance has stepped up to work with Washington State Department of Transportation to develop the USBRS bike routes in our state.  We are currently working on USBRS Route 10, the northern route that will connect to Alaska (via the ferry) to the west and Idaho to east.  Check out the USBRS National Corridor Map to get a feel for the national plan.  You can see that six bike route corridors are planned to travel through Washington State.

Please make a donation to the USBRS effort through our Team Washington page.  Twenty percent of the funds raised through our team page will be dedicated to the USBRS efforts in Washington State.

Build it. Bike it. Be a part of it.

Posted in Adventure, Advocacy, Travel, USBRS, WSDOT | Comments Off on USBRS: Check out the Map

Time for an Insurance Check-Up

By baw_admin | Published May 4, 2011

Today’s guest blog post was submitted by Mimy Bailey, a bicycle attorney practicing in Seattle.  She handles cases involving collisions and roadway defects.  She is a member of Washington Bikes.

Spring is upon us (supposedly), so now is a great time to review your insurance coverage as you get ready to spend more time on your two-wheeler (yay!).

If you’ve never taken a close look at your auto coverage, be thankful, because it means you’ve probably never been hit on your bike.  That’s right, your auto policy provides coverage if you are hit by a car while riding.  Of course you hope that the driver is adequately insured, but you can only hope for that.  There are a couple coverages that will ensure you’re taken care of if the unexpected occurs.
Two coverages are especially important for cyclists.  I’ll go through each coverage is, explain why it’s important, and provide general advice on a coverage amount.  Of course, insurance polices can vary, and coverage can get complicated, but I’m boiling this down to make it easy to see whether you need to make changes.
Personal Injury Protection (aka PIP)
What?  PIP pays for medical and other expenses, such as wage loss and household services.  PIP is no-fault coverage, so it does not matter who caused the collision, your bills will be paid.  The bills are paid as they are incurred (similar to health insurance).
Why?  PIP is vital if you don’t have health insurance.  Without it, you’ll be personally responsible for 100% of your medical treatment costs.  If you do have health insurance, it’s still important.  PIP pays approved bills at 100%.  There are no copays or deductibles.  PIP will also cover a limited amount of wage loss and household services.
How much?  PIP is usually offered at $10k, $25k, and/or $35k of coverage.  If you can afford it, purchase one of the higher levels.  With a trip to the ER potentially costing $5k or more, you want to make sure there’s enough coverage to cover all of your treatment.
Under/Uninsured Motorist Coverage (aka UM/UIM)
What?  Liability coverage is mandatory in Washington, but some people drive without insurance and others carry the minimum ($25k).  UM/UIM coverage will provide insurance if you are hit by someone who is uninsured or whose coverage is inadequate to cover your damages.
Why?  Without this coverage, if you are hit by a driver who is uninsured, there will be no recovery.  You can still get your medical bills paid under your PIP, but you will not be compensated for your general damages (pain and suffering, disability, loss of enjoyment of life, etc).
How much?  Unlike PIP, that’s just covering your medical bills, this coverage may need cover the kitchen sink – medical bills, wage loss, and general damages.  Seriously consider coverage that’s at least $75k.
If you have other questions about insurance or some of the information provided is unclear, send me an email and I’ll be happy to clarify mimy@seattlebicycleattorney.com
Mimy’s website is at www.seattlebicycleattorney.com and her Twitter handle is SeattleBikes.  
Posted in Guest Blogger, Health, Legal, Safety | 1 Comment

Get out of my bike lane!

By Louise McGrody | Published May 3, 2011

Does this look familiar?  I regularly encounter parked vehicles that take a portion of the bike trail.  I spotted this particular offender last summer on Seattle’s Waterfront Trail.

Or maybe you’ve come across a vehicle or two–or five!–parked in your bike lane.

bicyclewatchdog.org

If you have your cell phone handy, you could call and report the violator and hope justice will be served.  Or you can snap a photo, record the location details and the license plate, and post it on a website called My Bike Lane for all the world to see.

New York City tops the list with over 6000 bike lane violators posted, and the top offender is a UPS truck with 28 recorded violations.  Seattle and Spokane are represented on My Bike Lane, with 32 and 56 recorded violations respectively.  I don’t know if any of the reported violators on My Bike Lane get their just dessert as a result of this public outing, but I suspect that the individuals who report them feel some satisfaction by reporting the scofflaws.

If you live in Spokane, you have another course of action available to you.  Snap a photo of the offending vehicle, then email it along with license plate number and location details to the Spokane Police Department at carparkedinbikelane@spokanepolice.org.  The police send a letter to the violator informing them that they are not allowed to park in a bike lane.  Repeat violators are supposed to receive a citation.

Bradley Bleck of the Spokane Bicycle Advisory Board reported several bike lane violators using the system.  He received one email confirmation from the police department confirming that they sent a warning letter to the violator, but he doesn’t know if there was follow up on his other reports.

Although there may some inconsistencies regarding follow up, the Spokane Police Department demonstrated a willingness to work with local bicyclists by establishing a reporting system.  How do you report bike lane violators in your community?

Posted in Attitudes, Legal, Safety, Seattle, Spokane County, Transportation | 5 Comments

Help us make the US Bicycle Route System a reality in Washington State

By Louise McGrody | Published May 2, 2011

Imagine an interstate highway system for bicycles…officially recognized and signed bike routes that crisscross our country.  This network of bike routes would connect urban centers, parks, landmarks and other popular destinations, and travel through some of the best scenery that America has to offer.
This is no pipe dream.  I’m talking about the US Bicycle Route System (USBRS), an ambitious project led by the Adventure Cycling Association.  Two official routes are already on the ground and more are on the drawing board.
Washington Bikes is partnering with Adventure Cycling to create the routes in our state that will be part of the USBRS.  Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is working with us on this effort and we hope to have our first officially recognized US bike route in a few years.
Adventure Cycling is doing a fundraising campaign for the USBRS during the month of May.  We are participating as Team Washington and we hope you will make a donation to our team.  Twenty percent of the money that we raise as Team Washington will come back to support the local effort.
Use this link to our fundraising page to make a contribution to the USBRS and Team Washington today.  Everyone who makes a donation to our team will be eligible for a drawing for some cool gifts, including a Share the Road jersey.
Build it. Bike it. Be a part of it.
Posted in Adventure, Advocacy, Travel, USBRS, WSDOT | 2 Comments

If At First You Don’t Succeed: Vulnerable User Bill Passes Legislature

By baw_admin | Published April 28, 2011

Persistence pays off.

On April 18, after a multi-year effort by the Cascade Bicycle Club and other cycling advocates, Washington lawmakers finally passed legislation designed to protect vulnerable road users. The law, Substitute Senate Bill  (SSB) 5326, has been sent to the governor for her signature.
If signed by the governor (and there’s no indication at this point that she won’t), the law will strengthen penalties under the state’s negligent driving statute for motorists who kill or severely injure bicyclists, pedestrians, and other vulnerable road users such as motorcyclists and equestrians.
Under current law, the penalty for second-degree negligent driving, a non-criminal traffic infraction, is a flat $250 fine regardless of the harm caused to others.  Under SSB 5326 the offense would remain an infraction; however, motorists who drove negligently and caused the death or serious injury of a vulnerable user would be subject to a maximum $5,000 fine and would lose their drivers’ license for 90 days.
In lieu of that penalty, a driver could ask for a court hearing; in that case he or she would be required to pay a $250 fine, attend traffic school, and perform community service that included activities related to driver improvement and traffic-safety education. Motorists who chose to go to court but failed to follow though with their obligations would be subject to the $5,000 fine and 90-day license suspension.
Posted in Advocacy, Bike Clubs, Issues & Advocacy, Legal | 1 Comment

Community Bike Shops

By Louise McGrody | Published April 27, 2011

What do you do with the bike that your 10-year-old has outgrown?  Or perhaps you’ve just upgraded to a fancier road bike and you’d like to find a good home for your trusty old steed.

Maybe you’re a student on a tight budget and you’d like to do some simple repairs on your bike, but you live in a dorm and don’t have the right tools.  Maybe you live in your own home and regularly host out-of-town guests and it might be nice to have an inexpensive bike in the garage to lend to them.

It’s time to check out a community bike shop.

Community bike shops are nonprofit groups, often run by volunteers, that refurbish and recycle bikes at low-cost or free to the community.  They’re appearing all across Washington State and there may be one or more in your town.

Bike Works, in Seattle, operates a full service bike shop.  They sell refurbished bikes, offer maintenance and repair services, and sell accessories and parts.  They also offer an earn-a-bike program for kids.

Live in Everett?  Check out Sharing Wheels. Besides refurbishing and reselling bikes at low-cost, Sharing Wheels has earn-a-bike opportunities for troubled teens and low-income adults.  They also have a co-op program where members have access to shop space and tools for do-it-yourself bike repair.

Pedals2People is a do-it-yourself community bike shop in Spokane. They provide low-cost access to shop space and tools and they offer a variety of bike repair and maintenance classes, including a Ladies Mechanics Class. Like the other community bike shops, P2P also sells used bikes.

These three programs are a sampling of community bike organizations in our state.  The Bike Collective Network has a listing of community bike shops in Washington State.  Do you know of a community bike shop that’s not on the list?  Tell us about it.

Posted in Accessibility, Bike Culture, Education, Everett, Go By Bike, Seattle, Spokane County, Sustainable Living | 1 Comment

May is Bike Month

By baw_admin | Published April 26, 2011


One of these days the rain will stop, the sun will come out and it will be May. And there will be a bunch of events going on around Washington State to celebrate the bicycle and the bicycle commuter. This post will highlight Bike Month events, stay tuned for a Bike to Work Day (and week) posts as well.

Bicycle Commuters in Whatcom County can form a team of 4-6 people and participate in the Team-Up for everybodyBIKE month long challenge. Team captains that register by April 29th
will get a free limited edition “I Bike B’Ham” t-shirt. Check out their website to register.

Cyclists in Seattle-King County can participate in the Group Health Commute Challenge. Form a team of 4-10 riders and bike at least 5 days in May. Register your team (or go solo) on their website.

Tacoma-Peirce County is also hosting a commuter challenge sponsored by REI. Form a team, bike at least five days and you’re entered into their prize drawing! Register Here. Thurston County has held a Bicycle Commuter Contest since 1988! Way to go!
Intercity Transit’s Bicycle Commuter Contest (BCC) rewards participants with prizes, valuable coupons, and recognition for their accomplishments. Register here.

That’s all the Bike Month Challenges I know about. Does your community have something going on? If so, let us know so we can post it on the Bicycle Alliance website. Like I said above, stay tuned for more posts on Bike Week and Bike to Work Day.

Until then, ride safe and let’s hope for some sun!

Check the current listing we have for Bike to Work activities.

Posted in Bike Culture, Bike to Work, Commuting, Events, Olympia, Seattle, Tacoma, Whatcom County | Comments Off on May is Bike Month

Meet Josh Miller

By Louise McGrody | Published April 25, 2011

Say hello to Josh Miller.  A Seattle resident since 1999, Josh joined the Bicycle Alliance staff this month to lead our Go By Bike program.

Josh has a passion for bicycling and sustainable transportation.  He had an earlier career in the bicycle industry and later studied the connections between biking, the built environment and urban planning in his graduate work. He has worked on various urban and regional planning projects in the Northwest and beyond.  Besides utilitarian riding, Josh likes mountain biking, BMX riding and recreational road rides.

As the Go By Bike program manager, Josh will be working with four colleges in the Puget Sound region to develop and implement bicycle skills curricula.  He will also work with parents from two elementaries with Safe Routes to School programs to encourage them to bike with their kids.

Josh is pleased to be part of the Bicycle Alliance team.  “I’m really enthusiastic about doing bicycle education, advocacy and community outreach work,” he stated.  “I am glad to be part of an organization with a mission that I support.”

When he’s not fulfilling his love of bicycling Josh can be found hiking, skiing, climbing, photographing or working on various carpentry and woodworking projects.
Posted in Education, Go By Bike, News, People, Safe Routes to School | Comments Off on Meet Josh Miller

What’s in a Name?

By baw_admin | Published April 21, 2011

Do you name your bicycles? I have many friends who do.  The name usually has a fun story behind it, like my friend’s touring bike, named Trigger after Roy Rogers famous horse. Or Big Red, an aptly named fully stocked red commuter bike. I tried for years to come up with a good name for my orange Trek, however, no matter how hard I tried, nothing seemed to fit. Over the years, some bikes have come and gone, like the 1984 black Schwinn, that I named Big Brother. And then there’s my new bike, named Fred, after my Dad’s middle name, Fredrick. Still to no avail I can’t come up with a good name for the Trek. The poor, abandoned and neglected Trek.

Any suggestions?

If you name your bikes, how do you decide what to call them?

What are your bikes’ names?

Posted in Bike Culture, Gear/Maintenance | 2 Comments

May flowers, May bike rides

By baw_admin | Published April 20, 2011

May is National Bike Month, spring flowers are in abundance, and there is no shortage of organized bike rides available to you, the cyclist.  The following rides support the Bicycle Alliance’s statewide education and advocacy efforts:

May1    May Day Metric (Federal Way) offers 3 challenging routes on the back roads of south Puget Sound.

May 1   Rhody Bike Tour (Port Townsend) offers 4 routes up to 62 miles using rural roads in Jefferson County, and a 12-mile family trail ride.

May 7   Ride Around Clark County (Vancouver) has 4 beautiful and challenging route options through scenic Clark County.

May 7   Skagit Spring Classic (Burlington) offers 4 routes through scenic northern Skagit and southern Whatcom Counties.

May 15  Lilac Century & Family Ride (Spokane) has routes from 15 to 100 miles long using the roads less traveled in Spokane County.

May 21 Group Health Inland Empire Century (Richland) offers 4 scenic routes through wine country.

May 28 Eastern Washington Senior Games (Walla Walla) has bike racing events for 50+ men and women.  No racing experience necessary.

Check our Ride Calendar for a complete listing of bike rides that support our statewide and advocacy efforts.

Posted in Events, Rides | Comments Off on May flowers, May bike rides