Columbus Rides Bikes!

By JIM VERTUNO AP Sports Writer AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Lance Armstrong believes French doping officials may ban him from riding in this summer's Tour de France over a report that he violated protocols during a recent drug test. "There's a very high likelihood that they prohibit me from riding in the Tour," a somber Armstrong said Friday in a video statement posted on his Web site. "It's too bad. The tour is something I love dearly." France's anti-doping agency, known as AFLD, has said the American did not fully cooperate with a drug tester when he showed up at Armstrong's home in France to collect blood, urine and hair samples from the cyclist on March 17. Although no banned substances were found, the dispute revolves around a 20-minute delay when Armstrong went inside the house and took a shower while his assistants checked the tester's credentials. The seven-time Tour winner said he asked the tester for permission to go inside and it was gra

A bicyclist, a driver and a subway rider walked into a bar. No, actually they didn’t. The three actually raced from Fort Greene to Union Square during today’s morning commute to see who got there fastest in Seventh Annual Great NYC Commuter Race, held by Transportation Alternatives (essentially an anti-car lobbying group). Think of it as a more modest version of a planes, trains and automobiles race from New York to Washington. The race started at 7:40 a.m. at Connecticut Muffin, 423 Myrtle Avenue, at Clinton Avenue, Brooklyn, and finished at the corner of 14th Street and Union Square East. The results: bicyclist wins at 16.5 minutes; the driver gets in at 22 minutes; and the subway rider transit was last with 29 minutes. That’s an intriguing result. (We’d thought the subway would have come earlier than the car given morning traffic.) “New Yorkers care about the environment, but what New Yorkers really care about is their time,” said Wiley Norvell, the spokesman. “For a huge number of

Your Advocate for Bicycling, Walking and Public Transit Our Mission is to reclaim New York City's streets from the automobile, and to advocate for bicycling, walking and public transit as the best transportation alternatives. Transportation Alternatives was founded in 1973 during the explosion of environmental consciousness that also produced the Clean Air and Clean Water Act and the Environmental Protection Agency. Since our founding, T.A. has helped win numerous improvements for cyclists and pedestrians and has been the leading voice for reducing car use in the city. T.A.'s roots are in bicycling, and many of our members are everyday cyclists. But winning a cycling-friendly city means changing the overall transportation system, which, even in mass transit-centered New York City, is still dominated by the private automobile. T.A. seeks to change New York City's transportation priorities to encourage and increase non-polluting, quiet, city-friendly travel and decrease--not

Don’t drink and drive? What about “don’t drink and bike?” Some 21 percent of autopsies for New York City bicyclists who died within three hours of their accidents detected alcohol in the body, according to a Department of Health and Mental Hygiene study that examined fatal bicycling accidents in New York City from 1996 to 2005. “It’s something we have to call attention to,” said Catherine Stayton, director of the health department’s injury epidemiology unit. “To learn this is new for us. We want to get that information out there.” She said the study raises a lot of more of questions for researchers. “It makes you want to ask a lot more about the circumstances before the crash,” she said. The study also found that alcohol was detected in 6 percent of the drivers involved in bicycle crashes. The study, which was published in the April issue of Traffic Injury Prevention, extended on research that had been released in a 2006 city report on bicycle accidents [pdf]. The studies drew data fro

How do I park my bike on one of the confounding metal loops? Check it out here... PDF Wait! My employer allows parking inside. What? Ok, here are the recommendations to park bikes inside...

To request a bike rack please call the city at 614-645-3111 and request a bike rack. Your request will then be routed to Steven Tweed and he will begin to investigate and work with you on installation. The city installs at most 2 bike racks per request. Steven will contact you to work out the details. His contact information is as follows. Steve Tweed Engineer Associate III Bikeways and Community Mobility Services City of Columbus Department of Public Service Division of Mobility Options 109 N. Front Street, 2nd Floor Columbus, Ohio 43215- 9024 Work: (614) 645 - 5236 Fax: (614) 645 – 7921 Email: SRTweed@columbus.gov CITY OF COLUMBUS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SERVICE DIVISION OF MOBILITY OPTIONS BIKE RACK INSTALLATION PROCESS 1. Receive and record the request for racks. Get a contact for the request. Often the request is clear, but sometimes additional information is needed. For example, who owns the building? 2. First site investigation: generally examine the site. Where exactly is it? W

Do you want meaningful action on climate change and renewable energy? Do you want it now? Don’t miss the 2nd annual Brita Climate Ride, the fully-supported, 5-day bike ride from NYC to DC where you pedal to raise money and awareness of climate change and hope for a future powered by renewable energy and a green economy. This September, more than 200 Climate Riders will cycle beautiful country roads, meet fun and fascinating people, and experience the exhilaration of pedaling to the steps of the US Capitol. This is your chance to get out on the road and drive the ultimate carbon-free machine: the bicycle. Join us today for a bike ride you will never forget. the website

2008 pedal instead statistics 3871 bikes 41,173 miles ridden 39,345 pounds co2 prevented 2,081 pounds other emissions prevented 287 volunteers 1420 volunteer shifts The number of bikes we parked in 2008 was up 32% over the number in 2007. And ‘09 promises to be even better… we won! international wts award The mission of WTS (Women’s Transportation Seminar) is to “transform the transportation industry through the advancement of women”. Pedal Instead and its director Catherine Girves were nominated for the Columbus chapter’s annual award and won. They then automatically entered the running for the international Innovative Transportation Solutions Award, and WON THAT AS WELL! Stay tune for details as we approach the May 20-22 Conference and Award Ceremony in Seattle. more...

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My friends from Pittsburgh started a team for the MS150 to raise money for MS. Our friend Maggie was diagnosed with MS awhile back.

Brrrr. Cold at the start. I headed over to the start a little before nine. I wanted to ride with Tricia and David who organized this year's Woodstock. Woodstock's route heads northwest from New Albany through Galena, good diner, through Sunbury, Easter egg hunts in full action and back toward Johnstown and back to the start. It was windy and clear to start and as the day went on it warmed up a bit. We took our time though. Sharon was riding with us and she had not been out on the bike all year. 52 miles under the belt. Good conversations. Great day on the bike.

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