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.