Providence Bicycle Coalition (PBC)
| October 5, 2009 | ||
| 6:00 pm | to | 7:00 pm |
One final planning meeting for everyone involved with the InterBike events. Meeting will take place @ 6pm at the offices of The US Open Cycling Foundation (269 South Main Street, Providence).
As you likely know, InterBike East Coast Demo is coming to Providence Oct. 8th – 11th. Interbike is the biggest industry trade show where bike and accessory manufacturers show their product lines for the coming year. While the main show happened last week in Las Vegas, Providence will have it’s name in the history books as the first place where InterBike included access for consumers, regular people like you and me!
That’s right, for the first time ever, Oct. 10th and 11th they will open the gates to consumers. Were you planning on going? Would you like to get in for free? Then come volunteer to help us for a three hour shift and we will arrange for you to get a pass to the show. Your time, in conjunction with donations and funds raised during these various events, will help fund local bicycle advocacy efforts here in Rhode Island!
Here is what we need:
If any or all of this sounds like fun, please drop us an email and let us know when you can help. We need to know by noon on Friday to ensure there will be enough complimentary passes to the show for everyone.
Help us make this a great event and show everyone coming to our fine city what a great place this is for cycling!
| September 29, 2009 | ||
| 6:00 pm | to | 9:00 pm |
The next Aquidneck Island Planning Committee Meeting is on Tuesday, September 29th, from 6pm to 9pm at the Middletown Town Hall Council Chamber (350 East Main Road, Middletown). It would be great to have some cycling representatives attend this meeting! If you can make it, please let us know and also followup with your thoughts about the meeting and we will report it here.
| September 28, 2009 | ||
| 6:00 pm | to | 8:00 pm |
Are you interested in helping out at InterBike East? Come to our next meeting to find out you can help! We will be meeting @ 6pm on September 28th at the offices of the US Open Cycling Foundation (269 South Main Street, Providence).
A number of our member organizations are playing various roles at InterBike East this year. We will need plenty of volunteers to help with everything from providing information at our booth, leading bike trains, helping watch over parked bikes, helping to serve food, and more! We will be posting more specifics about exactly what volunteers we need at the beginning of next week, so stay tuned.
Keep the dates of October 8th, 9th, 10th, and 11th free and come join the fun!
According to an article in the Republican
A key state legislative committee gave a favorable recommendation Tuesday to a bill that would require drivers 75 and older who are renewing their license to pass tests to prove they can safely operate a vehicle.
The action comes after a spate of fatal accidents recently involving elderly drivers in Massachusetts.
While this is certainly a move in the right direction, I have to ask, why 75? Why not 55? Why not a test for anyone who is involved in an accident, or perhaps just found at fault in an accident? Why not a test at each license renewal? While it may be true that new drivers, for a short period of time, actually know and adhere to the rules of the road, these good behaviors quickly fade as they spend more time on the road. I’m often shocked by the lack of knowledge, of the general rules of the road, by drivers I have discussions with. As the laws are frequently changing, wouldn’t it make sense to administer a test at each license renewal?
When my wife and I first moved to Rhode Island, we were both shocked when it came time to get our licenses that they required no test, whatsoever. I’ve now held a driver’s license in three different states. All except Rhode Island required at least a written test when moving into the state and transferring your driver’s license.
Last Thursday, the leadership of the PBC and the Greenways Alliance of Rhode Island (GARI) met to continue discussions about a possible merger of these two organizations. Those attending the meeting, worked through a litany of concerns or questions about such a merger and left with a general consensus that a merger would be mutually benefitial. The boards of the two organizations have since met and officially voted to merge.
This is an exciting opportunity for both groups and, hopefully, it will only help to strengthen each of the individual groups. What will this mean for the PBC?
We will be posting further information as the merger moves forward. I’d welcome any comments, suggestions, or concerns you might have.
I’ve received the following alert from numerous sources now:
Senator Coburn (R-OK) is offering two amendments to the FY10 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) appropriations bill that will strike funding for transportation enhancements. The two amendments are S. Amendment 2370 and S. Amendment 2371.
The Transportation Enhancement program has provided between one-half and three-quarters of all Federal funding invested in bicycling and walking improvements in the last 20 years. More than $250 million is at stake in fiscal year 2010 – if Coburn’s amendment is successful it will affect hundreds of trail projects, sidewalks, bicyclist education programs, bike rack on bus programs, and roadway improvements for bicyclists.
S. Amendment 2370 prohibits funding for transportation enhancements if the Highway Trust Fund does not contain amounts sufficient to cover unfunded highway authorizations.
S. Amendment 2371 allows states to opt out of the 10 percent set aside rule that require states to spend at least 10 percent of their surface transportation funding on transportation enhancements.
We expect the amendments to be offered and voted on during Senate floor debate tomorrow, Wednesday, September 16. Please call your Senator immediately and urge them to vote NO on S. Amendment 2370 and S. Amendment 2371 to the FY10 transportation appropriations bill.
Obviously this would be a huge blow to alternative transportation if either of these are passed. In these troubled times, when the writing is on the wall that the current infrastructure approach is simply unmaintainable, it is amazing that anyone would put forth ammendments aimed to limit funding sources for sustainble modes of transportion.
Please take some time and make a quick phone call tomorrow! If you are the type of person who doesn’t know what to say, the League of American Cyclists can help you out. They provided us with a page that can look up the senator’s phone number AND a list of talking points. How much easier could it be?
| September 14, 2009 | ||
| 6:00 pm | to | 7:00 pm |
We’ve had a few people inquire about when our next advocacy meeting is, so here goes…
We have a standing meeting on the second Monday of every Month @ 6pm at the offices of the US Open Cycling Foundation (269 South Main Street, Providence). This means our next regularly scheduled meeting is September 14th. Anyone with an interest in promoting cycling in and around the Providence area is welcome to attend. We only ask that everyone agree to listen and respect other peoples’ opinions.
Our intent is to keep the meetings to an hour, but Interbike and our general friendliness tends to run them longer. As the group continues to grow, we will double our efforts to get the business done efficiently and keep the social time for later in the evening.
Hope to see you there!
| September 13, 2009 | ||
| 10:00 am |
On Sept. 4th, 2007, Frank Cabral was killed while cycling on RI-1. This nearby 25.5 mile safe loop celebrates his life and raises “share the road” awareness.
Fun family event goes on rain or shine. Over 200 participants last year. Pre-registration strongly encouraged. Police stationed at crossings.
When: Sunday, September 13th, 2009, rain or shine.
Start: Matunuck School, Matunuck Beach Road. Ride: 25.5 mile loop ride, not a race, around RI-1.
Inducements: Commemorative tee shirt; drawings among pre-registered riders for cash, gift cards to local businesses, and other prizes. Win up to $200!
Post Ride: Grill catered by Dean Scanlon, Chef/Owner of Pawtuxet’s L’Attitude Restaurant of hamburgers, hot dogs and vegan fare, with bags of chips, bottled water, fruit, power bars and drinks. Party with entertainment.
Pre-registration: $25 before August 25th, strongly encouraged. All proceeds rolled into staging event; remainder, if any, used to promote cycling safety. Send Check & Form: Lori DiBiasio, 90 Sheffield Street, Warwick, RI 02889
More information vist http://www.franksride.com