Presenting 545 Velo!

Proud to be supporting and racing for 545 Velo, a new Masters Racing Team based out of Newton MA.  The team's web site is http://www.545velo.com/.  Here's the new jersey:

You will note the Boston Bike Law logo on there!  Despite the fact that the club is only a few weeks old we have collected over 45 team members already, all of whom are licensed and many of whom are veterans with many races under their belts.  Should be a fun and competitive team!

Newton Cyclist Dragged 860 Feet in Natick Bike Accident

A 30 year old cyclist from Newton was seriously hurt while riding on Route 16 in South Natick at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, November 20. The cyclist was struck by a woman in a 2002 Volvo. The cyclist had front and rear lights on his bicycle.

Following the initial impact, the bicyclist became entangled underneath the Volvo and suffered "trauma consisting of burns from engine and exhaust system as well as the road surface" according to Natick PD spokesman Brian Grassley. The driver did not realize she had struck the cyclist until another motorist flashed his lights and honked his horn to get her attention. The fire department used the jaws of life to lift the vehicle off the cyclist. The vehicle was placed up on blocks and the cyclist was immobilized on a back board and then slid out from underneath. He was medflighted to UMass Memorial Hospital in Worcester. The cyclist sustained serious injuries but is expected to survive. Gouges from the bicycle scraping along the pavement are visible in the roadway where the incident took place.

As of this writing, no charges have been filed agaisnt the driver.

A Few Words About Robert Zeeb

Sad news about the death of longtime cyclist Robert Zeeb, who crashed in Arlington on Monday, November 9, 2009. Reports indicate that he was traveling on a sidewalk alongside the westbound lane of Route 2, near the Alewife T stop, when he encountered an open hole for an electrical box which was obscucred by leaves. Mr. Zeeb, who was wearing a helmet, sustained fatal head injuries. According to a State Police spokesman, the cover for the hole was located a few feet away. The Department of Transportation, which had jurisdiction over maintenance issues, replaced the cover following the accident.

It amazes me to hear stories like this, and it makes me think of the other hazards we all encounter such as raised and uneven manholes, those natural gas conduits (which are often broken with sharp edges) and most notoriously the slotted storm drains that are improperly set so that the wheels of a bicycle can get stuck in them. (While I'm at it, I also note the dirt and debris that trucks bring onto the roadway from construction sites because contractors fail to wash down the trucks before they exit the job site.) Mr. Zeeb did nothing wrong here and this is an accident that never should have happened. The workers (private and public sector) who maintain roads and utilities need to be educated about just how hazardous--and potentially deadly--these conditions can be.

Harry Lam Donation Fund

This donation fund has been set-up on behalf of a UCI official, Harry Lam from Utah, that was injured in Northampton, MA on November 7th. Harry sustained a head injury, brain bleed, and broken nose after a collision with a rider. Fortunately Harry did not require surgery and has already begun working with a physcial therapist. He is in the early stages of recovery and has a long road ahead of him. Click the link to go to the Bikereg.com donation page.

Insure Thyself: Underinsured Motorist Coverage

Today I am going to post a little something about insurance. Sorry to pull the lawyer thing but this is Boston Bike Law, and I am a lawyer after all. Ok here goes:

If you own a car and have registered it in Massachusetts, then you probably have auto insurance. Some of the coverage is mandatory (so if you don't have it you better get it) but some of it is optional and not all drivers have it (or if they have it they don't have enough of it). If you ride bikes, there is a type of optional coverage you really need to look into called underinsured motorist coverage. The coverage potentially applies whether you are in your car, on your bike or hoofing it through Boston traffic on foot.

Why should you consider buying additional underinsured motorist coverage? Because if you get hit by a car while riding your bike, you don't get to choose the net worth of the person who hits you. See all those taxicabs, beaters and tuners out there? Assume they only have $20,000.00 in liability coverage. Medical bills alone can eat up $20,000.00 pretty quickly. If you beef up your underinsured motorist benefits your own insurance policy can make up some or all of the gap in liability insurance coverage which would otherwise exist.

So you may want to go and review your policy declarations page to see the coverage you have, and then talk to your agent about what it would cost to add some additional underinsured motorist coverage. If you ride a bike in Massachusetts, you may find that it's worth it to pay a bit more in premium for some extra coverage.

Must the Fixie Have a Handbrake? Musings on "The 15/30 Rule".

I got a call from a newspaper reporter today asking about the proliferation of fixed gear bikes over the last few years. An interesting question came up during our discussion, about whether it is unlawful to ride a fixie without a front handbrake.

(The question is timely in light of Berlin, Germany's recent crackdown on fixed gear bikes):

http://freakonomics.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/02/berlin-bans-brakeless-bikes/

Coming a bit closer to home, Massachusetts G.L. c. 85, sec. 11B(7) deals with the issue of "braking systems", and reads as follows:

"Every bicycle operated upon a way shall be equipped with a braking system to enable the operator to bring the bicycle traveling at a speed of fifteen miles per hour to a smooth, safe stop within thirty feet on a dry, clean, hard, level surface." (Click the title link for the whole statute.)

So that clears that up, right? All the bike needs is a "braking system" that complies with the "15/30 rule". (I believe I just made that last term up by the way, so make sure to credit me if you use it.) But what constitutes a "braking system" under Massachusetts law? Presumably, a brake lever and caliper constitute a braking system. Also a disc brake such as those found on a mountain bike would seem to fit the bill as well.

So how about the drivetrain of a fixie? If someone riding a fixie can reverse pedal the bike to a stop as required by the statute, would this qualify the drivetrain as a "braking system"? Is the fact that the drivetrain is also used for propulsion significant in analyzing whether it is a "braking system"? What if only a few riders possess the skill and power to stop the bike as required under the law? Is it a "braking system" for them, but not for other less capable riders?

Sorry to go all Socratic by asking questions but not giving answers, but this is only a blog and I can't give legal advice over the "world wide web". The question is important, though, because there are lots of fixies out there now and there are many legal implications (especially if you get hit by ca car while riding a fixie with no brake), which I won't get into here. Gotta come see me for that.

But if you are riding a fixie right now, maybe it's worth heading out to a parking lot and seeing how you stack up on the "15/30 Rule".

Ted King at Landry's Tonight

Ted King of the Cervelo Test Team will be at Landry's Boston tonight to discuss his racing experiences and his views on next season. Ted is an up and coming pro who is originally from New Hampshire. Should be a good time.

Kylie Bruehler Trust Fund

This is a jarring image of 7 year old Kylie Bruehler at the funeral of her parents, who were killed when the tandem bicycle they were riding was struck by a Ford pick up truck. (The title of this post is a link to a slideshow.) According to reports, the couple was riding in the shoulder and the driver swerved into their lane, dragging them 200 feet. No criminal charges have been filed against the driver, with police describing this as "just an accident". This accident happened in Texas, and while I would like to think that charges would be brought against the driver if this happened here in Massachusetts, I do wonder. Some states have a "3 foot rule" under which motorists must remain 3 feet away from the bike when passing. Massachusetts handles it differently, requiring drivers to maintain a "safe distance" under G.L. c. 89, sec. 2.

In a case like this, the driver likely would have been violating either a 3 foot rule or a "safe passing distance" law. Where the Massachusetts law falls short is in situations where the driver doesn't actually hit the cyclist, but only "buzzes" him at a close distance.

A trust fund has been established in Kylie's name. Donations should go to the Kylie Bruehler Benefit Fund, c/o 24165 IH-10 West, Ste. 217-720, San Antonio Texas 78275-1160.

Bold Crits Dirt Oval Track Racing

I have not checked this out yet but it looks like fun.

trip to cambridge bike

I had some time after a client meeting in Central Square yesterday and stopped in at Cambridge Bike. I was curious about the shop as I have seen plenty of their jerseys at the races so I wanted to see what it was all about. Great spot, mostly geared toward urban/utilitarian cycling with lots of single speed and fixers--fills a big need in Cambridge with MIT right down the road. It was refreshing to go into a shop where you don't see a single bike for over $1500.

Check it out if you are in Cambridge.

Mayor's Cup Pro Bike Race on Saturday

In case you haven't heard, the Mayor's Cup Criterium Bike Race is coming to Boston on Saturday, September 26, 2009. There is lots of prize money up for grabs including some hefty prime money, and it is sure to be quite a spectacle. TD Bank is a main sponsor and is billing the weekend as the TD Bank Cycling Celebration. Ok, so the name might be a little bit hokey but the racing will be great with many top pros expected to be there including Frank and Mark McCormack, Ed King of the Cervelo Test Team and Jake Keough from Kelley Benefit Strategies. Boston Bike Czar Nicole Freedman will be competing in the Women's Division, along with Kristin Davis, Samantha Shnieder and others. The organizers are still looking for course marshals/volunteers so click the title link for more info on that.

World Car Free Day

On September 22, people from around the world get together in the streets, intersections, and neighborhood blocks to remind the world that people don't have to drive everywhere. World Car Free strives to celebrate the day, but also change people's commuting patterns and habits. According to the World Car Free Web Site "[w]hen people get out of their cars, they should stay out of their cars. It is up to us, it is up to our cities, and our governments to help create permanent change to benefit pedestrians, cyclists, and other people who do not drive cars. Let World Carfree Day be a showcase for just how our cities might look like, feel like, and sound like without cars…365 days a year. As the climate heats up, World Carfree Day is the perfect time to take the heat off the planet, and put it on city planners and politicians to give priority to cycling, walking and public transport, instead of to the automobile."

Sylvia Bingham Memorial Ride 9/22

Sylvia Bingham, a 22 year old Yale grad, was recently killed while commuting on her bicycle in Cleveland. Her friends and family are organizing a memorial ride in her honor, and are asking for riders around he country to wear a white t-shirt when commuting to work tomorrow, 9/22. If you commute, please spread the word and wear white to show solidarity and draw attention to the safety issues that bicycle commuters face on a daily basis.

www.sylviabinghamfoundation.org

Boston Road Club Wells Avenue Criterium

Raced the last Wells Avenue Crit of 2009 yesterday. The field was pretty small, probably because of the Portsmouth Criterium being run on the same day. The A and B races were combined and we had about 35 riders in total. Not surprisingly, there were pretty large differentials between the "A" racers and the "B" racers, and a group of six riders was able to shake free at about the halfway point. I missed the break, so I and a few others tried to chase, but there were not enough of us who were motivated to catch the break. (OK I really wasn't that motivated myself--hard to get into the painful task of chasing down a break in a training race when you're not really training for anything any more.) It was immediately clear that this break was going to be very dangerous, as there were six of them and they were most likely all A level racers. Despite a few (half hearted) chase efforts, the break slowly moved up the road and once they were out of sight the main field settled into a somewhat slower pace. In chase mode we were all strung out averaging about 26-27 mph; once reality settled in and we realized there was no catching those guys, the pace in the main field slowed down to a very comfy 24 mph. In fact, we were so slow, we actually got lapped with about three to go. Not sure who won it but I heard he was 50 years old. If that's true it's pretty unbelievable. There was no field sprint as we did not want to interfere with the lead group's finish. Kind of an anticlimactic finish to the season, but still a lot of fun.

Any way, much thanks to my teammates at the Boston Road Club for putting on a very successful racing series at Wells Avenue this year. This series provides invaluable experience to beginners who are just getting into the sport and is a great training opportunity for everyone who participates.

Amherst Cyclist Killed in Hit and Run

Sad news this morning about Blake Goodman of Wakefield, Mass., a young man who was killed over the weekend while riding his bicycle in Amherst Massachusetts. He was riding with a friend, 24 year old John Deary of 310 Montague Road in Amherst, and it appears the hit and run accident happened on Montague Road not too far from Deary's house. Mr. Deary was also struck but it appears that he did not sustain life threatening injuries.