BEERORKID » 2008

Lincoln Police Chief Tom Casaday: Share the road

Filed under: bikes, lincoln — beerorkid @ Jul 30th, 2008

Fluxux asked the Chief to clarify about bicycles and the rules of the road. (He has links mixed in the article so you might want to read it there)

Last week, a regular reader of The Chief’s Corner asked me if I’d blog about bicycles and the rules of the road. “Sure,” I replied, “I’ll put that on my list of future topics.” As the price of gas is causing all of us to flinch, I am sure we will continue to see more people consider the two-wheeled option. It is almost certain that bike-car conflicts will increase. I’ve blogged about road rage before, and t is not limited to car-on-car situations. Lincoln’s bike lanes are pretty limited and many of our recreational trails, although nice for a leisurely ride, are not suitable for commuting so drivers and riders will increasingly share the road.

Sharing the road is not just polite, it’s the law. Bicycles essentially enjoy the same rights and responsibilities as motor vehicles on the public streets. Motorists need to accord bicycles the same right of way, following distance, and passing protocol that they would another automobile. I see a lot of impatience here. Some motorists view a slower-moving bicycle as an obstruction. Any avid cyclist has their stories of Beavis & Friend flipping them the universal peace sign, crowding them to the curb, making a right turn directly in front of their path, launching a Big Gulp grenade, and otherwise pestering them with obnoxious and dangerous behavior.

Oh man I sooooo wanna see the rest of the crap in this post… »

Fortunately, these incidents are mostly rare–at least the intentional type. The unintentional stuff, though is sometimes the result of a phenomenon all bicyclists and motorcyclists must learn as a matter of self-preservation: you are invisible. Defensive driving, for a cyclist, is an issue of survival.

In Lincoln (and everywhere else I know of), bikes basically are treated like any other vehicle by the municipal ordinances. The major exception to that would be the required position in the lane. City ordinance states that bicycles must be ridden “as close as practicable to the right-hand side” of the roadway, if the bike is travelling at less than the “normal speed of traffic.” Crowding the curb is a safety risk for a cyclists, so a couple feet to the left is generally what is practicable–but not always.

The seam where a concrete curb joins the pavement is prone to cracks, crevices, and pot holes, so a wider berth may be needed. Some roadways have drainage grates that will swallow a 1″ tire and wheel. A row of parallel-parked cars is risky, and cyclists generally need to move out to the left by the approximate length of a 1972 Monte Carlo’s door. The right-hand side of the roadway is impractical when you are preparing a lane change, a left turn, or getting positioned at an intersection to avoid right-turning cars from cutting across your path. Moving away from the right side in these circumstances complies with the “close as practicable” rule in the law, and motorists just need to deal with that, treating cyclists with the same respect as any other vehicle.

Trouble is, some motorists don’t treat any other vehicle of any kind with respect. Aggressive driving seems to be a common condition for a growing number of motorists. It’s not solely motorists, though. Some cyclists seem to think that traffic signals are optional. Occasionally, I will see cyclists in pairs or groups riding side-by-side, which violates the law. From time to time we get complaints about after training groups who will form up into a peloton and basically occupy an entire street. The echelon may be good form, but it is also illegal. For the most part though, cyclists aren’t the problem–rather, it’s a nincompoop behind the wheel of a gas-guzzler, who views anything that slows his route as an annoyance.

I commuted to work by bike for a decade, back when running and triathlons were among my passions. For a good deal of that period, my seven mile trip home followed a shift that ended at 1:30 AM. That was interesting. Here’s some advice for cyclists: When operating your 21 lb. road bike, do not get in an argument with a probable drunk who has poor impulse control and drives a 4,500 lb. weapon.
Posted by Tom Casady

« Enough crap for me, close it up please

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Josh of son of 76 and Pat Bradly solo shows at the zoo tonight

Filed under: lincoln, music — beerorkid @ Jul 29th, 2008

Show post in the forum

Pat Bradley is one of the few men I swoon over. Check out his free stuff here.

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do you have what it takes to be the next catty girl?

Filed under: lincoln — beerorkid @ Jul 29th, 2008

Brigitte Dale is moving to LA and the LJS is looking for a new catty girl.

Be the next Catty Girl

Brigitte Dale now calls Hollywood —that would be The (323) — home. Meanwhile, back here in the (402), we’re on the hunt for her replacement.

Actually, we think you may have what it takes to be the next Catty Girl. That means teaming up with Cara Pesek to offer readers weekly advice, plus blogging regularly here at Catty Girls Discuss.

Interested? Write up a short article — no more than 400 words, please — that hits on a Catty topic (fashion, relationships, trends, or observations about twentysomething life in Lincoln, to name a few examples), and send it to cpesek@journalstar.com.

We’ll publish some submissions here at the Catty Girls blog, as well as in the print edition of The (402), which runs Tuesdays and Thursdays. We’ll take submissions until Aug. 15. Then, on Aug. 19, we’ll unveil the newest Catty Girl.

So, what are you waiting for? Sharpen your wit, sharpen your claws, get to your keyboard and get catty.

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Back in my day we tied onions to our belts. It was the style at the time. Lincoln in 1942

Filed under: lincoln — beerorkid @ Jul 29th, 2008

Bernie posted this over on the forum (which has a good discussion on where this pic is located)

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7 graduate from drug court. Way to go

Filed under: Lincoln News — beerorkid @ Jul 29th, 2008

LJS article

If Iles and Guilliatt are like most drug court graduates, the likelihood for lasting change is promising. According to 2007 numbers, only 17 percent of graduates were convicted of felonies in the three years after graduation. That compares to a national recidivism rate of 47 percent.

Guilliatt’s advice to others in the program: “Take it one day at a time. One minute at a time if you need to. And take advantage of the resources.”

Merritt, who volunteers to serve for drug court along with District Judge Karen Flowers, told the graduates they had completed a difficult task.

Drug court participants are subject to frequent drug tests, must complete substance abuse treatment, meet with drug court staff regularly, maintain employment or complete education goals.

I am absolutely fascinated with drug courts. Every class where I had to do papers or speeches in college I would do one on mandatory minimums and drug courts. My sociology class involved a huge paper at the end where we had to have an interview with someone involved in the subject. I met with one of the main drug court guys and it was really cool. He used to be on the drug task force for the state patrol and now helps folks make it through drug court.

FYI: This is not a waste of taxpayer money. Participants must pay for their treatment and as stated in the article many of the folk volunteer.

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