by cbdcourier-107 | Jun 19, 2017 | Advocacy
Resolution on Reforming Metro Louisville Impound Lot – 23 June 2017 The following Resolution, which was presented to our Police Chief and Mayor on 23 June 2017, will continue in circulation to collect more business, organizational and community leader signatures. Because it is being updated with new signatures several times weekly, we refer you to the website which keeps the latest copy. https://dwlouisville.wixsite.com/impoundmentlot Please let us know if you, your business, organization, or association want to sign on. Thank you....
by cbdcourier-107 | Jun 15, 2017 | Advocacy
On May the 21st the Courier-Journal published an article by Jeff Watkins, News Editor, addressing climate change from a perspective of personal, individual responsibility. Jeff ended his article with: “If pointing the finger of blame will help, I’ll take the heat.” In the next two weeks the C-J published related pieces by Glenn Reynolds and Mike Kleier suggesting that those who express concern about climate change should “walk the talk”. These are conversations long overdue. All three are found...
by cbdcourier-107 | May 16, 2017 | Advocacy
Louisville is about to launch a great bike share program. As we turn loose novice cyclists on our urban streets we need to remember that Louisville established in 2016 new records in traffic deaths and pedestrian deaths. The danger of urban streets is the velocity of motor vehicles. This is not news. “A pedestrian has a 95 per cent survival rate when hit by a motor vehicle driving at less than 20 mph. At less than 30 mph their survival rate is 55 per cent. At 40 mph, survival rates are only 5 per cent.” (Ashton and Mackay 1979) 5% survival at speed between 30 and 40 mph 55% survival at speed between 20 and 30 mph 95% survival at speed under 20 mph Urban traffic must be calmed. Louisville’s best traffic calming tool is a bicycle in the travel lane – the travel lane, not the bike lane. Before loosing the bike share program (and possibly losing some of our citizens and visitors) Louisville should scrub out the urban bike lanes, putting bicycles in the urban travel lanes. That act, coupled with converting one way streets to two way, converting urban traffic signals to flashing red or yellow but never green, concentrating TARC service “inside the Watterson” (beyond the Watterson is hopelessly car dependent), and establishing dedicated bus lanes will create a safe urban transportation system. These are low cost, budget-smart, urban and people-friendly measures....
by Bike Courier | Feb 17, 2017 | Advocacy
This debris is from a wreck which occurred two weeks ago on Broadway. It is headed to your water supply. No, make that Evansville’s water supply. It will first go thru the metal grates and into the sewer system. MSD will have to filter and pump it out, then ‘dispose’ of it. Know that ‘dispose’ probably means dump it in a land fill. Why does driver foolishness become a burden the public bears? Why isn’t the owner of the vehicle or the insurance company held responsible. Our relationship with cars is...
by Bike Courier | Feb 17, 2017 | Advocacy
Hottest years: 1998, 2005, 2010, 2014, 2015, 2016. Walk, bike, bus. Explore the ethics of transportation choices. Earth has been under assault for 100 years. And as the assault accelerates, government refuses to pursue peace, justice and a stable Earth. Demanding change from our governments, our industries and our institutions will not be taken seriously, if we, individually and as families, do not have the integrity, to change ourselves. As Gandhi put it “We must be the change we wish to see in the world.” We must change as individuals, as family units, as communities. We must cease our personal participation in the assault on Earth. In our change is the power to force change upon our governments and institutions. They respond to power, particularly the power of the dollar. And we spend on average 40% of household income on housing, transportation and utilities. Our power to force change, our power to assault or to heal is found in that 40%. As one who quit flying in 1993, and quit car ownership in 1999. I urge you to contemplate the power of your dollar spent on housing, transportation and utilities. Bicycles are agents of change, like TARC buses, like shoes, a tool of resistance – resistance against tar sands, pipelines, refineries, emissions, offshore drilling, fracking, oil spills, Wall St,military interventions, surface parking lots, urban heat islands, etc.. An instrument of peace and healing. An agent of change. “Be the change.” ...
by Bike Courier | Feb 10, 2017 | Advocacy
Fight Over Traffic Charges Challenges Cyclists’ Place On Louisville Streets – By Jacob Ryan – Local Cyclist Fights Traffic Charges To Send Message – Photo: J. Tyler Franklin – February 8, 2017 – Evening rush hour often brings bumper-to-bumper traffic just beyond the front door of Jackie Green’s downtown bike shop. It’s a scene that bothers Green, a staunch supporter of smaller streets, slower speeds and fewer cars. “We have lost control of the safety of our streets,” Green said during a recent interview at his shop. Regaining that safety is, in part, what’s driving him to continue fighting a pair of traffic citations he received while riding a bicycle along Third Street more than a year ago. Green ran a red light. He’s charged with disregarding a traffic signal and obstructing a highway. The latter carries a penalty of up to 90 days in jail. He dismisses both charges, saying he ran the light for his safety. But local prosecutors aren’t buying it. A spokesman for the County Attorney’s office says more than 100,000 cases come through District Court annually, and they work them all. “This man wants his day in court, and we’re there to make sure he gets it,” said Josh Abner, a spokesman for County Attorney Mike O’Connell. For Green and his attorney, Ryan Fenwick, who’s also an avid bicycle commuter, it’s about sending a message to city officials. “Our objective is to challenge Louisville’s urban traffic policies and to reclaim the commons,” Green said. “That’s why we are in the fight.” More Than Bicycle Lanes Green is a longtime cyclist and activist in Louisville. He owns Bike Couriers Bike...
