Fort Collins' Platinum Bike Plan

Watch for Built in Conflict Zones to Avoid Crashes

2011-12-13T14:20:00.000-08:00

First published in the Fort Collins Coloradoan, Oct. 3, 2011

Also published on Bob Mionske's blog, bicyclelaw.com.

Wearing ahelmet and staying in the bike lane won’t protect you from crashes. Even in a bicycle friendly community thereare plenty of built in potential conflicts. So cyclists need to learn to recognize them so they can avoid thecrashes.

You mayrecall the three primary rules of safe cycling: 1) don’t fall off your bike; 2)don’t let anyone knock you off your bike; and 3) don’t you knock anyone elseoff their bike. The first rule applies sincehalf of all bike crashes involve only the cyclist. A third of crashes involve another cyclist, adog, or a pedestrian and only seventeen percent of bike crashes involve anautomobile. Most of these latter crashescan be avoided if you anticipate the conflict. Unfortunately the place where you think you are safest, namely the bikelane, is often a major conflict zone.

Parked carsalong bike lanes can be dangerous. Sowatch for opening car doors. I ride thewhite line on most bike lanes in town. I’m more visible to oncoming cars there and I am far enough from openingdoors - about six feet - to be safe. Some people will tell you that they watch for opening car doors and areable to avoid them. But by focusing on thathazard they sometimes ignore other possible hazards around them. In a narrow bike lane, as on Howes Street, Iwill ride just outside the white line in the travel lane.

Where bikelanes cross intersections is another conflict zone. The right turning motorist across a bike laneis the primary source of conflict here. Our transportation planners have begun to consider this where possible,creating right turn lanes while bringing the through bike lane to the left ofthe turn lane. The do-si-do dance stepthat ensues creates a safer intersection than the one in which right turningcars find themselves to the left of a line of cyclists.

Unfortunatelywe have many intersections in town where the above treatment doesn’t work. The cyclist’s rule of thumb that I wouldapply at all intersections is the following: if you are continuing straight through the intersection, get out of thebike lane and take the primary travel lane. This tells motorists your intent and makes room for right turningmotorists to take the bike lane to execute their turn.

Parked carsare a hazard anywhere, whether along a bike lane or not. Diagonally parked cars are even more of ahazard. So stay as far from them as youcan. This means that on Old Town streetssuch as Magnolia, Olive, Oak, all the streets surrounding Library Park, and onresidential streets approaching CSU campus you should ride in the center of thetravel lane well away from diagonally parked cars. You are more visible thereand won’t be hit by a car backing out of a parking space.

Drive yourbike carefully out there.

You Think you are Safe on the Sidewalk? Think Again

2011-11-08T07:17:00.000-08:00

This story of a cyclist hit by a semi-trailer while waiting on the sidewalk is further proof that being visible to car and truck drivers is the most important aspect of safe cycling!

First published in the Coloradoan, Nov. 5, 2011

By Trevor Hughes

A semi-trailer driver who clipped a Fort Collins bicyclist on the sidewalk as he turned a corner and then kept going knocked off a fire hydrant a few blocks away as a driver chased him down.

The cyclist, 28, was waiting to cross at the intersection of LaPorte Avenue and Shields Street shortly before 5 p.m. Friday when the truck driver turned south from LaPorte onto Shields.

"His wheels ended up hitting the bicyclist who was on the sidewalk," police Sgt. Jackie Pearson said. "He didn't realize he had hit her."

Pearson said the truck driver, 24, continued south for several blocks until another driver chased him down. Startled at being pursued, the driver turned onto Oak Street.

"He ended up clipping the fire hydrant because he was being chased down by someone who was not a cop," Pearson said.

Pearson said the cyclist was not seriously injured, although her feet were hurt because her she had been clipped into the pedals when the truck hit her and her bike.

The truck driver, who was pulling a lowboy loaded with a hydraulic lift, was cited by officers.

Safe Cycling at Night - Being Seen is YOUR Problem

2011-11-02T08:48:00.000-07:00

You need to be as visible as possible when riding at night. Even the bare minimum of legally required lights or reflectors won't necessarily protect you at night.

Imagine a car load of teenagers driving down the road at night. If you are on that road on your bike you are dependent on the driver of that vehicle going through five complex steps of "seeing" in order to avoid hitting you. Those steps are:

1) Scanning and searching (requires constant attention both forward and to the sides);
2) Detection (requires focus on the object detected - that would be you!);
3) Evaluation (requires recognition and judgement);
4) Decision (requires the driver to think about what they see and what to do about it);
5) Action (applying the brakes, changing lanes, etc. to avoid a crash).

The problem with all of this is demonstrated in the following drawings:

Teaching Kids Safe Cycling - The Example from the Netherlands

2011-10-26T09:57:00.000-07:00

The Netherlands provides an excellent example of both the need for teaching children safe cycling skills and the Dutch solution to that problem.

In Fort Collins, City Council has adopted the "Bicycle Safety Education Plan." The plan has a goal of reaching 11,000 school children in the community every year.

The following videos suggest both a rationale for doing this and a means to achieving that goal.

This first video shows a bit of the history behind Dutch bike paths and bike culture.

The second video describes the education program that teaches Dutch children how to ride safely. At age 12 200,000 kids per year take a safe cycling exam that allows them to bicycle to school once they get into middle school.
How the Dutch got their cycle paths

Bicycle training in the Netherlands

Bike Sharing in the 21st Century

2011-10-25T09:01:00.000-07:00

Last summer's Momentum Magazine had a great article by Carolyn Szczepanski on bike sharing around the world. The author describes a variety of bike share programs, including B-Cycle, Alta Bicycle Share, and "Nice Ride Minnesota." You can read Szczepanski's article here.

Boulder's B-Cycle program was installed last spring and is an example of new "street furniture" that is being installed in many cities. The advantage of B-Cycle is that it ties into the transportation system so bicycling becomes a means of transportation, not just a fun thing to do (though it still is!)

Motorist in Roundabout Comments on Cyclist Losing a Shoe

2011-10-25T06:43:00.000-07:00

A kind letter to the editor of the Coloradoan on October 22nd expresses the opinion that there may be a better or safer route for bikes through the roundabout at Vine Dr. and Taft Hill Road.

Roundabout at Taft Hill and Vine Drive (looking west on Vine). Note how the bike lanes disappear so that cyclists are forced to decide either to take the lane as a motorist or to go onto the sidewalk as a pedestrian.

The week after we took students through here the County put up this sign to make it clear that cyclists have two choices on how to handle this. The Larimer County website has further instructions on how to negotiate a roundabout.

To the Editor:
I am the motorist that Rick Price noted in his Monday column. I am also the motorist who was paying enough attention to wait while a boy, who had lost his shoe, stopped in the middle of the traffic circle and got off his bike to pick it up. I know that roundabout well. Cars zip around it. When it was built, I was pleased to see that it had been designed to let the bike lanes on Vine and Taft Hill flow out of the circle, around the edge on a "sidewalk" and then back on to the bike lane. If the volunteers leading the students had scouted the route, they would have noticed this safety feature and encouraged young riders - who might not think to just leave the shoe and keep moving - to use it. It might be true that the boy had a right to be in the roundabout, but there was a safer, bike-friendly alternative available.

All that said, I am glad that Rick lends his voice and knowledge to the promotion of bicycle safety in Fort Collins.

Jane Albritton

Taking 337 Middle School Students Bicycling through a Roundabout

2011-10-25T06:27:00.000-07:00

First published in the Coloradoan October 17, 2011

By RickPrice, Ph.D.

I beganwriting my Smart Cycling column in January of 2010 after several people advisedme that College Avenue in Old Town “isn’t a bike lane.” One City employee actually explained to metwo years ago that it was illegal for me to ride my bike on College Avenue eventhough, in reality, College is open to bicyclists except from Laurel toHarmony. Other bicycling “dos anddon’ts” need clarifying as well, for both motorists and cyclists. This column is an attempt to help clear upsome of the ongoing confusion.

Two weeksago Bike Co-op volunteers took three hundred thirty seven Lincoln Middle Schoolstudents on bicycle rides through Old Town in groups ranging in size from tento twenty-five. Our ride included theroundabout at Vine Drive and Taft Hill Road, a ride through City Park and theshared lane arrows on Mountain Avenue. The only real problem we had was whenone student lost a shoe in the middle of the roundabout and was advised by amotorist the he “should be on the sidewalk!” The student had every right to be in the roundabout, although I advisedhim to keep his shoes on next time.

Many peoplebelieve that bikes should be on the sidewalk or at least as far to the right aspossible on the roadway. This is actuallywrong, since bicyclists have a responsibility to be visible and to ride on theroad where they feel “safe.” Many peoplestill think it is ok to bicycle against traffic so they can see cars comingtoward them. This practice is bothdangerous and illegal. The erroneous ideasabout where cyclists should ride come from our rural roots where we learnedthat cyclists were merely “pedestrians on wheels.”

Severalpeople have commented to me that they see bicyclists signaling right turnsincorrectly with their right hand extended. This is actually legal for cyclists as an alternative to raising theirleft hand.

Anotherbehavior that you might see that is illegal or inappropriate is bicycles “splittingthe lane” by sneaking up along the right hand curb along a line of cars at anintersection. This is both illegal anddangerous since cyclists can be cut off by a right turning vehicle in thisposition. Boulder allows cyclists to dothis as long as they stop just behind the front-most vehicle, in full view ofthe second vehicle. We should thinkabout adopting this rule in Fort Collins.

There isstill a lot of confusion out there as we mature as a bicycle friendlycommunity. What about those bicyclistsnot stopping at stop signs or lights? Many of us wish we had the “Idaho stop law” which, since 1982 haspermitted cyclists to treat stop signs as yield signs and since 2006 hasallowed cyclists to treat red lights as stop signs. But that will be a while in the coming toFort Collins and is a topic for another time.

Pedestrian Review for Older Children

2011-10-21T09:09:00.000-07:00

Help kids and parents review safe pedestrian behavior.

By 3rd grade most kids know what a pedestrian is.

Go over these terms in class, make sure all children know to look left, look right, then left again before crossing the street.

Then challenge them to find the words on the left in the grid of letters.

The rest of the sheet is self explanatory.

All of these exercises build awareness for bicyclists as well as pedestrians.

Save this image and print it from Windows Photo Viewer or visit Safekids.org and print it directly from their website: http://www.safekids.org/assets/docs/for-educators/activity-pedestrian-activity-sheets.pdf

Bike Helmet, Skateboard Helmet or ?? Help Kids Tell the Difference

2011-10-21T08:59:00.000-07:00

Parents and kids need to understand the difference between and among helmets so they pick the right one for the specific activity. Let kids match the right helmet to the right sport, then take this home to show their parents. For use in your class you can "save image as" and print from Windows Photo Viewer or you can visit Safekids.org and print it directly from there: http://www.safekids.org/assets/docs/for-educators/activity-helmet-activity-sheet.pdf.

Helmet Exercise for K thru 3rd Grade

2011-10-21T08:03:00.000-07:00

To print this for use in your class simply save this image and print it from Windows Photo Viewer. Alternatively, you can visit http://www.helmetsrus.net/maze.pdf and print the pdf directly from there.

In a bike club with mixed ages older kids can help the younger kids complete this maze as time allows.

From www.HelmetRUs.net

Rainy Day Bike Education Activities for Middle School Students

2011-09-14T08:52:00.000-07:00

What to do on a rainy day when you've got a classroom full of rowdy 7th and 8th graders who should be out on their bikes!?

1) Rules of the Road:
Show this YouTube video of a bike/ped crash in NYC: http://platinumbikeplan.blogspot.com/2010/11/bicycle-safety-new-york-style-how-wrong.html
Then talk about why we have rules.

2) Another good video, although longer, is the 1963 film "One Got Fat." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQgAMkMmsfg

It is 15 minutes long but pretty entertaining.

3) Of course - if you have enough tires and can either demonstrate or use a YouTube video you can show how to change a tube or patch a tire.

Try to let students who have done this before lead and demonstrate. Get them to talk about each step they go through.

There are lots of YouTube videos on this.
Here's one on changing a road bike tire: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5K-DXt9djA&feature=related

Here's another on a hybrid bike: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oFXewhx3BE

CSU Can Avoid Being a Chaos Box for Cyclists

2011-09-05T07:38:00.000-07:00

by Rick Price

First published in the Fort Collins Coloadoan, Sept. 5, 2011

One of the bicycle handling andsafety drills that we do with elementary kids is called the “chaos box.” Itteaches younger children, especially, why we have rules of the road.

A chaos box involves thecreation of a thirty to forty foot square or circle on the playground or in theschool parking lot. Participants are encouraged to ride anywhere inside the boxwithout putting a foot down or losing their balance. The more kids in the boxthe more chaotic it becomes, sometimes to the point of gridlock which, ofcourse, is the whole point.

The chaos box works best withyounger kids since they don’t know the rules of the road. Older children oradults know, for example, to keep to the right while younger kids haven’t yetfigured that out. The result with older children and adults is that sooneveryone is flowing in a counterclockwise direction around the box because theyknow to keep to the right.

With the younger kids ateaching moment occurs when you stop everyone and suggest they try keepingright. Immediately they find that they can continue pedaling without runninginto one another.

I am reminded of the chaos boxwhen I pedal across the CSU campus this time of year. The entire campus is agigantic chaos box where the rules of the road are unclear to many. What ateaching and learning opportunity! How can we make the most of this?

With elementary kids we letchaos reign for a few minutes in the box and then we stop everyone and talkabout rules of the road including keeping right, signaling, not tailgating andso on. A chaos box needs a coach or referee, in short.

Getting scofflaw cyclists tostop to hear about rules of the road doesn’t work well as they’re gone beforeyou can say “excuse me.” So we need a plan B to stop cyclists in the CSU chaosbox so we can talk to them about rules of the road.

So here’s a thought. Just twoweeks ago Trevor Hughes reported in this newspaper that Molly North, AssistantBike Coordinator for the City of Fort Collins, took up a position at West Plumand Shields Street to coach campus-bound cyclists on how to use the newlyinstalled “bicycle box”. Mr. Hughes produced a video that may be the perfectexample of how we could deploy “bicycle ambassadors” to educate novicebicyclists on how to ride before they become scofflaws.

Bicycle ambassadors teach bikesafety and provide information on rules of the road, best practices, and smartcycling procedures. Imagine a cadre of 30 bicycle ambassadors deployed at mostof the thirty-nine streets leading onto the CSU campus to share the smartcycling story with new students during the first two weeks of CSU classes.

This is the type of outreachthat a “bicycle friendly” university should be undertaking. When can we start?

Bicycle Ambassadors May Hold the Key to Educating CSU Students

2011-08-29T06:22:00.000-07:00

In a copyrighted story in the Fort Collins Coloradoan on August 24th, staff writer Trevor Hughes reports on the initiative of the City's assistant bike coordinator, Molly North, to educate bicyclists on the use of bike boxes at the corner of East Plum and Shields Street.

The video tells the story.

Teaching Young Children How to Ride a Bicycle

2011-08-02T04:43:00.000-07:00

After publishing the following Smart Cycling column in the Fort Collins Coloradoan in July I recieved the following testimonial from the mother of a six year old in Fort Collins:

"I just wanted to thank you for your very informative column in the Coloradoan this summer about how to teach your child to ride a bike!

My daughter received her first bike at age 3 from Santa and the first time she fell off, she refused to get back on for 3 years....Last year she started to ride it again to school with her training wheels on and was laughed at by some of her school mates. I could see how this made her feel sad(she cried) and she was determined to try and ride without her training wheels. This was her goal for the summer but once again, she was scared to try. Last week, we took her pedals off and lowered her seat and she learned to get her balance gliding around our cul de sac for 2 days and then she asked her dad to put the pedals back on and she zoomed off like a pro! You should have seen the look of pride on her face for having accomplished this! She's eager to ride her bike every day now! Thank you so much!"

An Italian child learns to ride among the pigeons in old town Bergamo (Bergamo Alta).

The original column is here:

Parents teach their kids to balance and ride a bike but they often forget to teach them how to stop. As you might imagine, that can be a problem. Rules of the road are another important element that kids need to learn and one that parents don’t always teach.

Two weeks ago I wrote about teaching small children to ride by taking the pedals off their bike. Then I went camping in Italy’s Dolomite Mountains where we had a bungalow near the playground. I watched with amazement as a tiny German girl zipped around the playground on her perfectly fitted mountain bike. She had perfect technique, knew when to stand on the pedals to go up an incline, and hesitated only briefly when her father suggested she take the plunge down a steep incline.

When I spoke to her father about her skills I learned that she was four years old and has three years experience on bikes. Just the day before she had completed a forty-mile ride around the Sella Mountain Massif on her tag-along behind her father. That ride included four mountain passes and about six thousand feet of vertical climbing. Dad was exhausted but daughter was the most active kid on the playground.

So I asked how she developed her skills. He explained that when she was 18 months old she learned to balance on a “balance bike.” The name in German is “laufrad,” literally a “walk-bike.” Then at two and a half she switched to a bike with pedals and there was no holding her back. (Father was also proud to say that she had skied sixty-five days last winter!)

Balance bikes are a great alternative to removing the pedals from a small bike to teach kids how to balance. If you buy a balance bike, though, try and find one with a hand brake that works. If kids learn to use that before moving on to a bike with pedals, they will be that much farther along in learning how to stop. Alternatively, they will use their feet to stop which is ok, but not the best solution.

Once you do move your child to a real bicycle with pedals, teach them how to get on safely and to begin pedaling with their right foot in a power position. This is essential as you don’t want them to think that they always need to be able to touch the ground with two feet.

Kids who learn to ride at an early age will discover a freedom and independence that may drive mother crazy. So it is important that along with handling skills, they learn basic rules of the road, including, keeping to the right on the sidewalk, stopping at the edge of the road and at driveways, and stopping as well as “going.” Take them often to the park, including parks with BMX dirt tracks and lots of multi-use trails as in Spring Creek Community Park.

Bicycle Safety Town is Coming to Fort Collins

2011-07-23T13:19:00.000-07:00

Since Council approval of the Bicycle Safety Education Plan last March City staff have been working on the Bike Safety Town called for in the plan. Transportation Planner Matt Wempe heads a team that includes Craig Foreman, Parks Planner, and Dave Kemp, City Bike Coordinator.

The City's web site explains the project in detail beginning with the following:

"What if there was a place your family could practice safe cycling skills? The recently adopted Bicycle Safety Education Plan recommended the City construct a bicycle safety town to do just that. A bicycle safety town is a “miniature city,” complete with streets, bike lanes, and traffic signs. Families, adults, and children can all use the town to practice safe cycling skills as well as participate in classes hosted by the City and other community partners." (http://www.fcgov.com/transportationplanning/bikesafetytown.php)

Further documents identify safety towns in different communities across the country. Frisco, Texas, for example has a safety town run by the fire department. They have formal educational programs for different age groups, including:

Kindergartners: Introduction to 911and emergency services;
1st grade: Motor Vehicle and Pedestrian Safety;
2nd grade: Fire Safety and Burn Prevention;
3rd grade: Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety;
4th grade: Severe Weather and Disaster Preparedness; and
5th grade: Internet Safety and Personal Information Awareness.

Peoria, Illinois has a strictly "Bicycle Safety Town," built in the 1950s on almost four acres of land and including 4,000 linear feet of bike lanes and simulated streets. Click here to find references to other bike safety towns on the City's web site.

As a part of the planning for this bike safety town City staff has posted a survey online. The purpose of the survey is to help staff "understand how you would like to use the town and where would be a good location." The deadline for your input is August 19, 2011.

The City's Bicycle Advisory Committee has suggested that the bike town be placed in an existing City park, centrally located with easy access by bike trail and Transfort services. The sites being considered are about one acre in size in such parks as Rolland Moore, Edora, Beattie, and Troutman.

Send your ideas to City staff by completing the questionaire at this link.

Make your Town a Better Bike Town!

2011-06-29T03:27:00.000-07:00

by Rick Price

Mia Birk’s book Joyride: Pedaling toward a Healthier Planet, is a “how-to manual” for creating a first class bicycle community. Anyone in government or anyone interested in bicycle advocacy would benefit from reading Birk as a way to put their community on the right track to becoming bicycle friendly.

Birk recounts a perfect storm of events when she became Bicycle Coordinator in Portland in 1993. The US Congress had just funded the first six-year federal transportation package that included a small allocation for “Transportation Enhancements.” “Enhancements” were meant to fund transit, bicycling and walking facilities as Congress attempted to counter the “roads only” policies of state departments of transportation. This enabled states and cities like Fort Collins, Boulder in Colorado and Corvallis, Eugene, and Portland, Oregon to write bicycle plans and to hire bicycle coordinators.

In Portland in 1990 the Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) had been founded, and was to become one of the most active advocacy groups in the nation. Earl Blumenauer, now Congressman from Oregon’s 3rd Congressional District and founder of the Congressional Bike Caucus, was Portland’s Commissioner of Public Utilities. With Blumenauer’s support and with the backing of the BTA Birk set out to make Portland, a city of 500,000 people, a friendlier place to ride a bicycle.

As she explains in Joyride Birk had a series of revelations during the first years of her job that opened her eyes to the challenges she faced. Despite enjoying great support in the bicycle community, she noted that “if I spend my time preachin’ to the gospel choir, the bicycle revolution isn’t going to spread very far.” Additionally, when Portland’s traffic engineers suggested that rather than stripe bicycle lanes, they get the police to enforce the law to encourage more cyclists, she noted “the police won’t even talk to me [as bicycle coordinator] let alone” enforce the rules of the road to protect cyclists.

Another revelation came after her third annual bike to work day when Birk asked herself, “is this helping to get more people out riding? Is my time best spent running events like this, or working on bikeway projects?” The answer, she found, was that she needed to mobilize the non-bicyclists in town, build bike paths and lanes, and to become more of a catalyst in bringing people together to change the culture in order to get reluctant cyclists on their bikes. “It’s not enough to adopt a Bicycle Plan” she wrote, “we’ve got to retrain all the humans involved, both inside and outside government.”
So Birk began with neighborhood meetings at Denny’s. Then she met with the Lions Club. Once she was fully underway she was meeting with “business groups, ethnic groups, neighborhood associations, school groups, churches” and as she explains it, “pretty much anyone who” would listen in a series of sixty meetings across Portland.
The results of Birk’s work are impressive to the degree that Joyride should be required reading for anyone who wants to see bicycle ridership increase in their community.

Fort Collins to Launch Share the Road Campaign

2011-05-04T07:48:00.000-07:00

Fort Collins will launch a share the road campaign urging all road users to be tolerant of one another and to share the road appropriately. Watch for these banners to launch this campaign.

Fort Collins participated in a pilot project over the winter to explore community solutions to making roads safer for all users. Participants in the ad hoc committee that met included bicycle advocates, injury prevention practitioners, pedestrians, and drivers education instructors, among others. The share the road banner above will be displayed in the community to publicize the campaign. Fort Collins and Colorado Springs were selected for this project because of the high rates of bicycle crashes in the two communities.

May is Bike to School Safety Month in Fort Collins

2011-05-04T07:29:00.000-07:00

By Rick Price, Ph.D.

First published in the Fort Collins Coloradoan May 2, 2011

May is “National Bike Month” but in Colorado we’ve celebrated June as “bike month” since 1995 (something about snow in May). Indeed, the official “bike week” in Fort Collins is the last week of June and bike to work day is the fourth Wednesday of June.

A group of middle school students from Dan Schrom's PE class at Lincoln Middle School poses on a bike field trip along the Poudre Trail in Fort Collins. The students had three weeks of bike safety lessons in April 2011 under the City's Safe Routes to School program in collaboration with the Fort Collins Bike Co-op.

Having June as official Bike Month leaves the kids out. So thanks to several local school champions, teachers, parents and volunteer bicycle advocates we will celebrate National Bike Month this month. Join the ride!

May 2 – 6 is Bike to school week at Lesher Middle School where math teacher Rob Breshears is coordinating the Biking Vikings for the third year. Ride your bike every day this week and get a variety of perks including a free t-shirt, a free light or bell, a bike tune-up from Full Cycle bike mechanics, breakfast on Thursday, a demonstration of wheel building from Phoenix Cyclery, and a chance to win a free bike for all those who participated in Walking and Wheeling Wednesdays through April.

May 12 is the All-school Car-free Bike & Walk to School Day at Laurel Elementary. Bevin Barber-Campbell, a parent volunteer who moved from Bozeman, Montana last fall, has taken over coordination of the Bike to School Program at Laurel and is excited to promote the district’s first “car-free” bike and walk to school day. Check with the main office at Laurel for details on the “walking school bus” and “bike train” that all students are encouraged to join.
May 7 & May 14 (both Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 12 noon) the Bike Co-op will hold a kids bike swap and bike helmet clinic. While teaching in our schools the past four months I saw that 90% of the kids in town are riding bikes that are too small for them. So the bike swap will encourage families to bring bikes in that are too big or too small and trade them with a neighbor for the right sized bike. The swap will operate in the Bike Co-op parking lot at 331 North College Avenue. For more information visit http://www.fcbikecoop.org/.

May 19 – 20 Bauder Elementary will take their 4th and 5th graders on a bike field trip with PE teacher Chris West. This is the second year that Coach West has done this after three weeks of bicycle safety instruction in PE classes. Chris is providing a great example of how to teach our kids bike safety in regular classes and the kids all look forward to this field trip.

May 28, a Saturday, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. FCBikes is offering a Kids II bicycle clinic at Northside Aztlan Center for 5th and 6th graders. This is a seven-hour on-bike skills class that teaches safe cycling on neighborhood streets and bike trails. Contact FCBikes@FCGov.com for information.

Check with the main office in your kids’ schools for other events and begin planning now for your own bike to school events next year.

Mountain Avenue Sharrows (Shared Lane Arrows) Installed in Old Town Fort Collins

2011-05-04T06:24:00.000-07:00

City of Fort Collins Streets Department workers install sharrows on East Mountain Avenue near the corner of Mountain and Remington on May 3, 2011. This is an innovation in Fort Collins where sharrows have been tested in the past but not installed in Old Town. "Sharrows" or shared lane arrows are large stencils that indicate to both motorists and bicyclists that the outside lanes on Mountain Avenue from Howes Street east to Riverside Avenue are to be shared and that bicyclists should use the center of the lane. This moves bicyclists out of the danger zone behind diagonally parked cars and into the center of the lane where they share the lane with cars single file rather than side by side.

Teacher's Guide for Mick Harte was Here by Barbara Park

2011-04-23T11:35:00.000-07:00

Teachers Guide by Gretchen Behrens Lenart

Barbara Park's book is a great introduction to bike safety and why kids should wear a helmet for 3rd through 8th grade.

For the book review about Mick Harte was Here click this link.

(Lenart prepared the first draft of this Teacher's Guide in May 2000 as part of her Health and Safety Studies Internship as a student at California State University, Sacramento. This work was completed under the direction of the Bicycle Head Injury Prevention Program of the California Department of Health Services, State and Local Injury Control Section under a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
[Grant U17/CCU911095 October 1, 1997 - September 30, 2000])

Her whole world has been turned upside down….How could someone like Phoebe’s brother die? Mick Harte was one of the neatest kids you’d ever want to meet—the kid who freaked his mom out by putting a ceramic eye in a defrosted chicken; who went trick-or-treating as Thomas Crapper, the inventor of the modern day flush toilet; who did a wild solo dance in front of the whole school.

Mick was also the kid who would still be alive now—if he’d only worn his bicycle helmet….
Reading Level   4.8
Pages        88
Chapters   9
1995       Random House Publishers
(800) 733-3000   ISBN 0-679-88203-0
Price   $4.99

Mick Harte Was Here
can be used in the classroom in a variety of ways to reinforce messages about wearing helmets, traffic safety and dealing with issues of grief and loss while providing engaging characters and yes, humorous reading.

Recreation, Transportation and Sports

There are so many wonderful sports today that are appealing and fun. Riding bicycles, scooters, skateboards and skates are just a few. The growth of "extreme sports" is attracting TV and video viewership among our children, both boys and girls.

Wearing Helmets

Promoting life long physical activity is important, but it is also important to understand how to participate in sports safely. While fun and promoting physical activity, these sports all have risks and recommen-dations for appropriate safety equipment.   Sadly, children often are unable to internalize risks personally and believe that "it won't happen to me" or that safety equipment is uncool.

Traffic Safety

Our communities are congested with vehicles of all kinds. While "sharing the road" with bicycles and other modes of transportation is being promoted, universal awareness and practice have not been achieved.   Bicycles are not toys, they are vehicles and are covered by state vehicle codes. Learning to properly care for and ride a bike is a child's first driver's education opportunity.

Grief and Loss

Almost every child experiences grief or is affected by the grief of a family member or friend. For many children their first experience with death is with a beloved pet or grandparent. But often there are other losses for which children grieve. These may include divorce, separation, crime and violence, friends moving away or the family relocating. Learning about these issues and ways to deal with the intense feelings are important life lessons.
Major Characters

Phoebe Harte

An eighth grade student. She is the narrator of the story. She loved to tease her brother, and instigate fake fights. She thought of her brother as family and as a friend. After his death, she went into shock. Once it hit her that her brother would never come home again, she felt bitter, angry, and guilty. She feels the deepest love for her brother. The memories about her brother helped her cope with the heart wrenching grief she went through along with her Mom and Dad.

Mick Harte

A seventh grade student. He lived life to the fullest. He loved to tease his sister, and have playful fights. He was always filled with energy and excitement. A bicycle crash ended his life at the age of 12. If he had been wearing a helmet, chances are he would have survived.
Supporting Characters

Mom

A chemist who is methodical and organized. Before Mick died she had her whole family on a strict schedule that was to be followed religiously every day. Her family is precious to her and it was shown through her actions. She placed their needs before her own on a daily basis. She completely withdrew when Mick died. She took sleeping pills and she was depressed. She seemed to be in a catatonic state most of the time.
Dad

A chemist who is also methodical and organized. A proud man who expects to be heard when he says something the first time. He shows love for his family when he tries to shield them from getting hurt. He is very neat, and does not shift his morning routine because it might throw his entire day off. He was very casual in the mornings when he walked around with his boxers, socks and       T-shirt on. After Mick died, his appearance became sloppier. He didn’t express his feelings, and he shut himself off to the real world.

Zoe Santos

A good friend to both Phoebe and Mick. She provided a great safety net for Phoebe as she grieved for Mick. She was able to help Phoebe tremendously by observing that now “Mick was everywhere.” This helped comfort Phoebe.

Coach Brodie

Phoebe’s soccer coach
Mrs. Berryhill

Junior High School Principal
Mrs. Santos

Zoe’s mother
Nana

Phoebe and Mick’s grandmother. She was able to finally get Phoebe and her parents to eat together again as a family.

Chapter   Summary
One

Mick

Pages 3-13
Phoebe tells the reader that her brother Mick is dead, and then tells his story. Mick had a great sense of fun and was excellent at imitating voices. Phoebe has fond memories of the trouble they used to get into together. She and Mick loved to play fight. Usually their parents did not like it, but that was part of the appeal for them. Their parents expected them to resolve differences in a "civilized and resourceful manner" and her mother always wanted a strict schedule followed so that her kids would not get the opportunity to misbehave. The day Mick died, they had been fighting and wrestling, Phoebe called Mick a really bad name. Later, she regretted it since she would never be able to apologize. This was hard because even though they fought, they liked each other a lot. They even got into trouble together. The first time was when Mick was in Kindergarten and they wrote in the fresh cement that had been poured next to the house.

Two

Sirens

Pages 14-24
Not looking like a doofus was important to Mick, he was concerned about the way he looked, especially after he found out that he had worn a christening gown as an infant. Phoebe also thought that a lot of girls had crushes on Mick.

As they walk to school together Phoebe tells Zoe (her best friend) about the bad name that she called Mick. Zoe reassures her that Mick will quickly get over being mad at Phoebe as he always does. During lunch at school, Mick asks if Phoebe or Zoe can ride his bike home because he wanted to go to a friend’s house. Both of them said they couldn't do it.

While Phoebe is at soccer practice, she hears an ambulance's siren, then the school secretary runs to speak to her coach, who comes to Phoebe with the news. Phoebe feels numb, until she sees Mick’s bike in the road and begins to cry. She goes to Zoe's house while her parents are at the hospital. She prays that Mick will be ok. She and Zoe talk about Mick's outrageous Halloween costumes.

Three

The Serengeti Sucks

Pages 25-35
Phoebe’s Dad picks her up from her friend’s house, and she knows immediately something is terribly wrong. Her Dad wipes away tears, and whispers that Mick is “gone.” When they get home most of the lights are off, so Phoebe immediately turns on all the lights. All she feels is emptiness inside. When her Dad tries to shut Mick’s bedroom door Phoebe yells at him to stop. Her Dad breaks down sobbing, and Phoebe feels helpless. Looking inside Mick’s room, she remembers how much Mick loved his dog, Wocket.

Phoebe and her parents stop eating dinner together because they never had appetites and they didn't want to face Mick’s empty chair. Phoebe’s Mom stays in her pajamas all the time, never brushes her hair, and her face is puffy from pill-induced sleep and crying. After Mick is cremated, they plan the memorial service. Many family and friends call offering words of wisdom or stop by with food. Phoebe feels like the nights are extremely long since her brother is not there.
Four

Treasures

Pages 36-43
Zoe calls Phoebe a lot to see how she is doing, and to let her know that she is not alone. Zoe tells her that a grief counselor came to the school for students to talk to if they were having a hard time coping with Mick’s death. Lots of kids were upset about Mick's death, especially his friends Danny Monroe and Rickie Bowie. This doesn’t make Phoebe feel much better, because she feels like Mick’s death should be private. Zoe says that the grief counselor stressed the importance of talking about Mick. Phoebe didn’t want to hear anymore, because she doesn't care what the counselor thought. Phoebe thought if she started to feel better, she was being disloyal to Mick.

She stops by Mick’s room and notices how much junk he had collected, and she started to remember things. Mick called the junk his treasures. Mick had a fetish about flies, and he took fly swatters around with him everywhere he went. Phoebe’s memories helped her laugh, and somewhere she felt that Mick was laughing too. Later that day she wants to talk to her Mom about Mick, but her Mom was not up to it yet. Phoebe got angry and left. She ends up at the site where Mick got in his crash, and she started to cry.

Five

Tap Dancing on God’s Piano

Pages 44-53
Phoebe is very rebellious and tries to get back at her Mom. Every opportunity she gets, she makes sure to mention Mick’s name loud enough for her Mom to hear it. When her Mom finally confronts her about it, she runs up to her room crying. Phoebe is angry with Mick for doing this to their family. She calls Zoe, because she knows she can talk to her about anything.

Later, Phoebe and her parents go to Mick’s interment. When they got home, she is upset so she immediately calls Zoe again. Zoe comes over to her house to talk with her about Mick. Phoebe really struggles to figure out what "heaven" means and what God does. When Zoe tells Phoebe that maybe Mick is everywhere, things make more sense for her. Right before they go to sleep, Zoe lightens the mood by saying that Mick might be in the clouds tap dancing on God’s piano like he got kicked out of choir practice for doing.

Six

Getting a Grip

Pages 54-62
Phoebe explains that the reason Mick wanted to be cremated was that he got sick over seeing the body in the casket when their Great-grandmother Harte died and they went to her service. Phoebe remembers her Mom stating that at her funeral she wanted a street parade with jazz band music.

It was time for Mick’s memorial service, and Phoebe is hesitant because she did not want people judging her appearance when the focus should be on her brother. On the drive to the service Phoebe makes sure not to cross the imaginary line that separates Mick’s side from her side. Phoebe sees strands of gray in her mother's hair that she never noticed before. It touches her so deeply that she puts her hand on it. Her Mom responds by touching her hand and then touching her Dad’s hand so that they are all linked together even though a piece of their family is missing.

The memorial service is crowded, and as they walk to their pew, Phoebe kept telling herself to “act natural.” Although at the same time she did not know why she had to please others with her behavior. During the service some of Mick’s friends got up and spoke about him. Then, it was Phoebe’s turn, and she told a story about a Mother’s Day card that Mick had written when he was mad at his Mom for not letting him get a tattoo.

Seven

Dogs Can Laugh in Heaven

Pages 63-74
Phoebe returns to school the week after the service. She gets sick to her stomach when she hears a boy in the hall say, “There’s the sister of the dead kid.” She immediately shoves him up against the wall and says, “Don’t you ever call my brother the ‘dead kid’ again, do you hear me?”

By lunch, Phoebe is shocked that no one has said they were sorry about the pain she felt. Even when she was eating with some friends, no one mentioned Mick’s name. Phoebe finally breaks the silence and tells them that she would be fine if they talked about Mick. This does not help much, because the conversation feels forced and Phoebe feels the tension. Phoebe decides that she is not ready to be at school yet. She goes to see Mrs. Berryhill so she can go home. However, when Mrs. Berryhill tells Phoebe that she was sorry for her "loss," Phoebe gets upset and runs home because she hasn't misplaced Mick.

When she gets home she heads straight for Mick’s room lies on his bed and breathes in the scent of him. Phoebe falls asleep had has a dream in which she sees Wocket and Mick running towards her. In the dream she is wrestling with Mick the way they always used to play with one another. She also dreams that Wocket is laughing at them. Phoebe wakes herself up laughing. Her Mom is standing in the doorway looking at her, and Phoebe tells her about the good dream. Phoebe and her Mom share memories about Mick and actually laugh about them. Her Mom enters the room, lays down beside Phoebe and strokes her hair, asking to hear more about her dream.

That night, Nana makes dinner and forces Phoebe and her parents to eat together at new places at the table. Phoebe thinks her Nana has done an amazing thing, because they were all at the dinner table and they were not thinking about Mick’s empty chair.

Eight

Common Sense and Good Judgment

Pages 75-81
There is a dangerous intersection close to Phoebe’s house that her Dad griped about all the time. Finally, after numerous crashes they put in a stoplight. But when someone ran a red light, her Dad noted that traffic lights would not make people use common sense and good judgement while driving. While he was saying this, he almost caused a minor crash. That ended his talk about using common sense. Phoebe says that if you luck out enough times when doing stupid things, you start to believe you are invincible, she never wore shin guards for soccer until she got kicked. Her Mom had never been badly sun burned, but on their anniversary she got a second-degree burn at the beach. Mick refused to wear a helmet, because he thought it looked goofy and he had never crashed before on his bike. Phoebe can't forget or forgive about the mistake her brother made.

At school, Phoebe is called to Mrs. Berryhill’s office. When she gets there she learns that the PTA wants her to tell Mick’s story at a big assembly on bike safety. At first, Phoebe declines the request, but later she changes her mind.

There are eight hundred people in the gym when Phoebe gives her speech. She talks about Mick and tells stories about him that make the kids laugh until she brings out the bike helmet Mick's parents gave him for his 10th birthday. There is a gasp and then silence and her message really hits home that if Mick had been wearing his helmet he probably would still be alive today, but he said it made him "look like a dork."

Nine

Forever

Pages 82-88
Phoebe is not sure if her speech will make a difference as far as helping people use better judgement than Mick did when riding a bike. The doctors said that just an inch of Styrofoam would have made the difference between his living and dying.
It has been a month since Mick died. Things have gotten a little better at home because Phoebe’s Mom went back to work part-time and her Nana went home. They still eat dinner together at their new places. Since Mick’s death, Phoebe and her parents have gained a different perspective on life. Phoebe laughs more often now but still feels guilty when she's having too good a time.

Phoebe is trying to deal with the guilt she feels from not riding Mick’s bike home for him. Phoebe honestly feels that she could have saved Mick’s life if she had done what he asked her to do. On a ride home from a soccer game she tells her Dad about it while she cries. Her Dad tells her that there could be numerous “what if” situations that might have saved Mick. Her Dad feels guilty too, because he knew he could have forced Mick to wear his helmet. Phoebe’s heart breaks when she hears her Dad talk that way.

It is the official one-month anniversary of the crash. Phoebe is at soccer practice, and when it is over she sits on the sidelines by herself. She recalls good memories of Mick. There are noisy workmen nearby setting new bleachers in concrete. When they leave, Phoebe notices the wet cement. She writes “Mick Harte Was Here” in the cement, because it will last forever.

Chapter   Chapter Title   Page   Difficult Words   Definitions
1   Mick   4
rebellious
   resisting authority
3   The Serengeti Sucks   25
Serengeti
   area in North Tanzania, a developing nation in East Africa
       33
cremated
   to reduce a body after death to ashes by burning
5   Tap Dancing on God’s Piano   48   interment   the ceremony of depositing a dead body or an urn with ashes in the earth
or a tomb
9   Forever   83
perspective
   relative importance

Helmet Use and Bicycle Safety

Bike Safety is a great classroom learning opportunity and lends itself well to activities "across the curriculum."

Math
•   Measuring dimensions of a bike frame
•   Measuring the distance traveled in miles
•   Calculating speed in miles per hour
•   Calculating cost to purchase and maintain a bicycle

Science
•   Inventions necessary for the bicycle to be developed
•   Understanding how spokes and tires work
•   Understanding how gears work
•   Understanding how the shell, helmet and straps of a helmet work together to protect the head

Reading/Literature/Spelling
•   Mick Harte Was Here can be adapted for any language arts management style.
•   A variety of writing assignments can be utilized.
•   Understanding new words

Community Service
•   Teach bike safety skills to younger grades
•   Under adult supervision, conduct safety checks on the bicycles of younger students, make minor repairs (air pressure in tires, adjust/tighten seat and handlebars)
•   With an adult volunteer, help plan and conduct a low cost bulk helmet purchase campaign for the school (for free "how-to" manual, contact vfoster@dhs.ca.gov)

Social Studies
•   Development of the bicycle
•   Create a neighborhood map, identifying safer routes for cycling to popular youth destinations and identifying potential hazards
•   Report findings to local city transportation planning department
•   Learn about the state vehicle code as it applies to bikes
•   Learn about the bicycle as part of a cost-effective transportation network
•   Learn about transportation energy use and related environmental impacts--such as air, noise, and water pollution and solid waste.

Health and Safety/Consumer Skills
•   Learn how to properly fit and wear a bicycle helmet
•   Learn about the Consumer Product Safety Commission and bicycle helmet standards
•   Learn how to maintain a bicycle for safety (most communities have bike shops or riding clubs that may be willing to make a classroom presentations)
•   Practicing safe riding (most law enforcement agencies provide personnel to make classroom presentations and will collaborate on conducting bicycle skill building activities, often referred to as bike rodeos)
•   Biking as part of life long recreation and physical activity
•   Maintaining mileage logs as an incentive for cycling
•   Planning and conducting neighborhood family and friends bike rides

Issues of Grief and Loss

Character   Immediate Reactions to Mick’s Death
Phoebe
Denial, shock, resentment, guilt, and loving memories – She felt like she had lost her brother until a friend pointed out that even though he died, he is still “everywhere.”

Mom
Withdrawn, depressed and heart broken – She never wanted to hear or say Mick’s name, and she couldn’t get up for work for awhile.

Dad
Sad, withdrawn, and grief stricken – He was overwhelmed with strong emotions that he was not sure how to handle, and he felt guilty for not making Mick wear his helmet.

Some of the ways other characters respond to the family’s grief

Both family and friends called to see how Phoebe and her parents were holding up. It seemed with the words of encouragement there was always a reference to God having a plan for Mick. Numerous neighbors stopped by with food for Phoebe and her parents to show their concern.

Zoe (Phoebe’s best friend) – She makes sure that Phoebe knows that there is a shoulder to cry on if it is needed. She talks with Phoebe about how she feels and their memories of Mick.
   Mrs. Berryhill (School Principal) – She responds to Phoebe’s grief by telling her that she lost her mother two years ago. She was trying to establish a common connection with Phoebe, so that Phoebe might want to open up to her.
1)
Mrs. Santos (Zoe's mother) – She helps Phoebe’s parents by watching over her while they were at the hospital taking care of Mick. She also dropped off some food for Phoebe and her parents.
   Cara Cook, Lindy Nelson, and Amy Lightner (Phoebe’s friends at school) – They were afraid to say Mick’s name after Phoebe came back to school. After Phoebe told them it was fine for them to say his name, all of them seemed hesitant. They felt uneasy, because they did not want to say something that would upset Phoebe even more.

Coach Brodie – When Mick initially crashes, she gives Phoebe a hug. When Phoebe comes back to school, but is still not feeling well, she lets her leave soccer practice.   The coach shows understanding and patience.

Nana (Phoebe and Mick's grandmother) – She came from Florida for Mick’s memorial service, and while she was visiting she was able to get Phoebe and her parents acting like a family again at the dinner table. She rearranged where they usually sat at the table. For the first time, no one was focusing on Mick’s empty chair at the dinner table.

What Phoebe Does To Grieve For Mick

Phoebe tells Mick's story. She experiences a variety of emotions--denial, anger, resentment, fear, depression and guilt in coming to terms with her brother's death. Phoebe was shocked when she heard about her brother.    She found it hard to think about the crash so focused on insignificant things such as the Principal's bad breath. She kept tight control over her emotions, because if she did not acknowledge that it happened than she thought it might be possible that it was a terrible mistake.

When she finally acknowledges that Mick was in a bike crash, she prays that it is someone else. Phoebe gasps when she sees Mick’s bike in the road, and her friend Zoe tries to comfort her. Phoebe feels insulted by this, because she does not want to believe that it is possible that Mick could be seriously hurt. Phoebe tries to keep the bad thoughts out of her head by thinking of memories of Mick. The one she was able to laugh about with Zoe was what Mick did for Halloween one year. That Halloween, Mick went as Thomas Crapper, the guy who invented the modern-day flush toilet.

When she is told that her brother died at the hospital Phoebe is afraid. When she arrives at her house it is dark and she turns on every light she finds. Before her Dad goes to bed he shuts Mick’s bedroom door, but Phoebe insists that he open it again. Her Dad begins to cry and she feels numb from the impact of all that has happened.

Phoebe recalls the memory of Mick's love for his dog, Wocket. Even after Wocket had to be put to sleep, Phoebe would sometimes catch Mick starting to go feed his dog. The way Mick felt about his dog is similar to the way Phoebe felt about Mick. Phoebe thinks of other stories about Mick.

Phoebe tries to talk to her Mom about Mick. She was curious if her Mom thought Mick could hear them. Her Mom wasn't able to help, she couldn't even say her son’s name. Phoebe resented her Mom because she thought

her Mom was only thinking about herself. Phoebe finds herself at the site where her brother had last been with his bike and she cries.

Phoebe punishes her Mom by making sure to mention Mick’s name as often and loud as she could. Phoebe gets angry at Mick for leaving and making the family fall apart. She cries again, and she called Zoe because she needed someone to listen to her. The advice from her friend enabled her to have some peace of mind. The idea Zoe offered was that Mick was “everywhere,” and that is what heaven might represent.

Whenever Phoebe rode in the car she made sure to sit on her side, leaving Mick’s side empty as if to say that she had not forgotten about him. She spoke at Mick’s memorial service, because she felt like someone from her family should. When she felt like she was barely hanging on she liked to go into Mick’s bedroom, lay on his bed and breathe in the smell of him.   Phoebe had a good dream about Mick and Wocket.

Phoebe’s Dad helped her sort through some of her grief by giving her “what if”scenarios, so that she could deal with feeling guilty about not riding Mick’s bike home. Phoebe's Dad felt guilty too about not making Mick wear his helmet. They were able to ease the guilt that both felt by talking about it to one another.

The last thing Phoebe did was to use some cement to symbolize how her brother would be with her forever. Writing in cement together was one of the first times they got in trouble together. Phoebe wrote M-I-C-K H-A-R-T-E W-A-S H-E-R-E.
Questions for Self-study
•   Chapter 1, page 3
Mick's crash happened when:
a.   a car cut in front of him
b.   his tire hit a rock
c.   he ran a stop sign
d.   a truck hit him from behind

•   Chapter 4, page 37
To deal with Mick's death, the
Grief Counselor recommended
a.   saying Mick's name
b.   talking about Mick
c.   both a and b
d.   none of the above

•   Chapter 8, page 78/79
When Phoebe is asked to speak at the PTA assembly she thinks:
a.   it is a great idea right away
b.   it should have happened sooner
c.   the PTA lady really understands how she feels

Who Was Affected By Mick's Death?
Family           Kid Friends
Phoebe Harte       Zoe Santos
Mick's Mom           Danny Monroe
Mick's Dad           Rickie Bowie
Nana

Other Adults       Others
Mrs. Santos           Kids at school
Coach Brodie       Mick's teachers
Mrs. Berryhill       Family friends
School Secretary
Grief Counselor
Parents of kids at school

Mick Harte was Here Bike Safety Book by Barbara Park Should Be Required Reading for 3rd through 8th Grades

2011-04-23T11:24:00.000-07:00

Book Review by Rick Price, Ph.D.

Award winning children’s author Barbara Park wrote a book in the mid-1990s that should be required reading for upper level elementary and Middle School kids. Mick Harte was Here is an excellent component in a bicycle safety curriculum for kids from 3^rd through 8^th grade.

Rated by the publisher at grade level 4.8 this 88 page chapter book delivers a solid lesson on bicycle safety and the importance of using a bicycle helmet directly to the audience that needs it most: 3^rd grade through middle school.

The book is narrated by Phoebe Harte, the 8^th grade sister of Mick who was killed in a bike crash when he was twelve years and five months old. After her brother’s death Phoebe is faced with a roller coaster of emotions, as you might expect. So is the entire family, of course.

Park does a wonderful job of describing how the family deals with death, a funeral, grieving, and the resulting change in perspective for the entire family. One passage resonates with me especially. My mother, who was a high school English teacher, made it clear to her students and her family that when she died she wanted us all to confront her death head on. “I don’t want any talk of my ‘passing way,’ she would explain. “When I die, I’m dead!” Park has her narrator explode at the school counselor who tries to console her for her “loss.” Says Phoebe, “I didn’t just misplace him or leave him behind on a bus somewhere. He died, okay? Mick died. But he will never – ever – be lost.”

I have had third graders and third grade teachers tell me that this is a great book to use in conjunction with guest speakers on the importance using bike helmets. Indeed, this is a book that has breadth and depth for older elementary and middle school kids. It can be used in conjunction with all types of Safe Routes to School programs, helmet programs, and bike safety curricula in general.

For the teacher's guide to using this book in class click here.

Parents Should Set Example for Kids in Wearing Helmets

2011-04-23T10:16:00.000-07:00

First published in the Fort Collins Coloradoan

April 18, 2011

by Rick Price, Ph.D.

If you are one of those parents that I see on the bike path who makes the kids wear a helmet while you pedal without one, this column is for you. Oh yes, and you school teachers who bicycle to school without a helmet? It’s for you, too. Kids imitate the adults around them. If you don’t wear a helmet that tells your kids that helmets aren’t important.

Lance Armstrong at the Tour de France, July 22, 2004.

(Photo by Rick Price)

Kids are six and a half times more likely to crash their bike than an experienced adult. Maybe parents know this. And they may also know that almost half of children 14 and under hospitalized for bicycle-related injuries are diagnosed with a brain injury. But do they know that by not wearing a helmet themselves they are effectively discouraging their middle school age kid from using a helmet? In fact, only 11% of kids between the age of 11 and 14 wear a helmet.

I believe that wearing a helmet is the last one of four things you should do and teach your kids to do in order to be a safe cyclist. The first three things are 1) follow the rules of the road; 2) be predictable; and 3) be visible.

In the fifty-six years or so that I’ve been riding a bicycle I can remember seven falls as an adult. I’ve never hit my head seriously, but I’ve had a helmet on every time I’ve fallen. I tell kids that I ride enough that I expect to fall again, despite my experience. And with my goal of riding until I’m 90 I can’t really afford a brain injury.

Macho, usually male, 4^th graders often tell me: “I don’t wear a helmet; I never fall off my bike.” I suspect that these 4^th graders are merely repeating something that they’ve heard an older male relative say.

At one elementary school last month we invited one fourth grader into several of the PE classes to show us the scars on his face from a fall. He had a new helmet at home that he got at a school bike rodeo. But he didn’t have it on the day he hit a patch of gravel and took a spill. He broke a tooth and visited the hospital but fortunately did no serious damage.

A few statistics help to make the point that kids should wear bike helmets: 1) helmets reduce the risk of a head injury by 85 percent and brain injury by 88 percent; 2) nationally only 41 percent of child bicyclists use a helmet; 3) 80% of bicycle-related fatalities among kids 14 and under are caused by unsafe bicycle behavior including riding into the street without stopping, swerving into traffic, running stop signs, and riding against the flow of traffic.

Of course, if we could just eliminate the crashes we wouldn’t need to wear helmets. But we’re not there yet. Please wear your helmet as an example for our kid’s if for nothing else.

Is This another "Bike Path Election?"

2011-04-01T11:13:00.000-07:00

Published in the Fort Collins Coloradoan March 28, 2011

Is this another bike path election like the one in 2007 when ultra-conservative political consultant Andrew Boucher wrote that the election that spring was about bike paths?

"What issue will decide the April election? Bike paths. No, seriously. Bike paths," wrote Boucher with some derision. Boucher claimed that if we wanted bike paths, we should support business candidates. Never mind that business candidates, in the past, have seen our bike program as frivolous window dressing.

At the Nov. 18, 2009, entrepreneurs' forum sponsored by the city's Economic Advisory Commission, on which I serve, I asked a panel of entrepreneurs and venture capitalists what we needed to do to attract more business. They responded, "just keep doing what you're doing." These panelists explained that they located in Fort Collins because it has a highly educated work force, is a great place to raise a family and, yes, because it is a great place to ride a bicycle.

My support in this election goes to those who support our great quality of life, our parks, our education system, our natural areas and our bike program, all qualities that will attract businesses that value these assets.

Join me in supporting Ross Cunniff for mayor, Lisa Poppaw, Gerry Horak and Kristin Stephens. This slate of candidates will make a robust council that will build on what we have worked so hard to create.
Is this another bike path election? I believe it just might be.
Rick Price, Ph.D.
Fort Collins

A Bicycle Rider's Perspective on the City Council Race (With endorsements)

2011-03-31T20:16:00.000-07:00

Mayor and City Council Cycling Endorsements by David Boerner (published in My Group Ride)

Friday, 25 March 2011 09:59
Disclosure: These are the opinions of one man: myself, David Boerner. I am a Fort Collins resident, a cyclist, and a freelance writer with a bit of experience in bike advocacy. These are endorsements based on bicycle friendliness. To find out more about the candidates’ other views, check out the Coloradoan’s Candidates’ Q&As or the Candidates’ websites. Why should we as cyclists care who gets elected to City Council or who is elected mayor? Are they gonna get the Quiznos Classic to come through town? Are they gonna close down the road for Wednesday Night Worlds? What did City Council ever do for me? Bicycle Advisory Committee Chairman Rick Price explains: “City Council affects bicycling in Fort Collins by setting policy that City staff follows. If we continue to elect Council members and a mayor who value the environment, our quality of life, and, yes, bike paths, lanes, and education programs, our bike program will thrive,” And if we don’t, they won’t. Luckily, we’ve had a predominantly bike-friendly Council for years. And that will probably remain true after this election no matter who wins what. But while everyone in Fort Collins politics is perfectly willing to say that “bikes are great,” some are more willing to vote to fund bicycle facilities and programs. Fort Collins uses a council-manager government system, wherein the mayor is not an executive, but a part of the executive body – City Council. The Mayor is more like an at-large Council Member in Fort Collins with one vote, just like the other Council members. Therefore, the composition of City Council is what’s important for bike policy, and the mayor is just one part of that picture. City Council seats alternate every other municipal election. This year's election is April 5th and four seats are up for grabs: Mayor, District 2, District 4, and District 6. Mayor The good news is that all three candidates for mayor identify themselves as cyclists. Karen Weitkunat rides on the trails for recreation and wellbeing. Ross Cunniff identified himself as a “fair-weather commuter.” And Eric Sutherland said, “I’ve commuted to every job I’ve ever had – religiously.” Look like Sutherland wins the die-hard cyclist award. No candidate for mayor of bike-friendly Fort Collins would dare say anything negative about cycling, but some of the candidates were able to get a little more specific about why cycling is good and why they are good for cyclists. Here are the candidates: Karen Weitkunat Weitkunat understands very well that Fort Collins’ bicycle friendliness is a major selling point for our city – as do the other candidates. She doesn’t commute by bike, but she runs her business from home, so she doesn’t commute. But she does ride the trails. Weitkunat applauds the bicycle safety education efforts in Fort Collins and said, “it starts with the kids.” Weitkunat has worked with Tim Anderson of the Fort Collins Velodrome Association, and supports the velodrome. Having been in the hospitality industry, Weitkunat understands first-hand the economic benefit of competitive cycling. Weitkunat said that bicycling facilities are a good investment, though she wasn’t as knowledgeable about the funding mechanisms for bike facilities and bike advocacy as some of the other Mayoral and Council candidates – which was surprising, considering her years as a City Council Member. Weitkunat would probably be a great mayor for cyclists. She’s interested in education and protecting our trails. But she talks too much about “protecting” our bicycle facilities when our bike trails aren’t really in danger. And our “complete streets” planning policy means that future bike lanes are guaranteed. However she’s right on the money in advocating bike education for children, a proven technique for long-term ridership increase in Holland. Eric Sutherland I can’t help but love Sutherland after talking to him. Much in contrast to Weitkunat’s optimistic fluff, Sutherland has a much more fiery, grave style. Sutherland seems to make it his mission to uncover what he calls “pseustainability” – disingenuous, “green” marketing. But he’s gotten himself some bad press by challenging New Belgium – a move tantamount to sacrilege in our beer-loving, bike-cruising burg. To clear things up a little bit: Sutherland was right in saying that New Belgium’s “100% wind-powered” marketing was bullshit – and New Belgium stopped saying it. Also, I was told by an anonymous New Belgium employee that New Belgium’s restraining order against Sutherland was unnecessary. In fact, Sutherland’s criticism helped to make New Belgium more transparent and more sustainable. So let’s try not to think about Sutherland as “the guy with the restraining order.” Most of Sutherland’s advocacy has been spent of sustainable energy. He’s a “big-picture” thinker with sustainability, but he said that bikes are an essential part of that picture. Sutherland thinks Fort Collins needs to divert some of its bike advocacy energy away from “boosterism” and into safety and education (although some advocates would argue that “boosterism” is education). He thinks that city engineers and contractors need specific instructions not to reroute bike lanes into automobile traffic during street construction – a phenomenon he calls “cone zones.” And above all, Sutherland said Fort Collins should walk the talk on sustainability, “as opposed to creating PR talking points.” Sutherland would likely push hard on bike policy. Unfortunately, his approach seems to have already burned a few bridges and I think that at attitude of diplomacy could go a long way toward getting good bike policy passed. Ross Cunniff Ross Cunniff talked for about half as long as either Weitkunat or Sutherland, but he said a lot in that time. “I’m familiar with the challenges of bicycling in Fort Collins,” Cunniff said, himself a commuter. “Although we are highly rated [for bicycle-friendliness], there are still things we can improve.” Cunniff advocated education for cyclists and drivers about the status of a bicycle as a vehicle under the Colorado Vehicle Code. Cunniff said he has “a reasonable level of understanding” about funding for bike projects and advocacy. But he sounded to me like he had the best understanding of any of the mayoral candidates. HOW? Cunniff says that the bike trails and bikeability of Fort Collins are good for Fort Collins’ image and that “bicycles are absolutely good for business.” Cunniff cited his track record as an advocate for our trail system as evidence of his commitment to bicycling in Fort Collins. Weitkunat repeatedly cited the trails as being a great thing, but she didn’t talk much about what’s next. Cunniff was involved in creating the bike trails and he doesn’t appear likely to rest on his laurels. Cunniff said he will continue “enabling the choice to ride a bicycle.” “What I’ve seen is there’s a feedback loop: as you get more people aware, more people ride bicycles, and the accident rates start to go down. It’s about getting more people on bicycles.” I agree. Mayor Endorsement: Ross Cunniff District 2 Sue Pawlak Like every other candidate, Sue Pawlak had good things to say about bicycling in Fort Collins. “It’s a solid reason why people more here in the first place,” Pawlak said. “We need to protect [our bike facilities].” Pawlak has an open mind and was very receptive to my information about the price of bicycle facilities. But she kept bringing up the costs of bicycle facilities too much for my liking. I appreciate her lack of pie-in-the-sky promises. But her understanding of bike issues and funding in Fort Collins was underwhelming. Quite in contrast to her opponent. Lisa Poppaw Poppaw has the best understanding of the funding mechanisms for bicycle facilities and programs of any of the Council or Mayoral candidates I interviewed. She schooled me about the GOCO lottery money that funds our bike trails and explained to me that “the city’s general fund pays for very little of lanes and paths.” “Is cycling a good deal for Fort Collins? Heck yeah, it’s a great deal!” Poppaw has a strong track record on bicycle policy. She helped initiate the recent Bicycle Safety Education Plan, and “supported all the bike initiatives” during her time on Council. Poppaw wants to see education for law enforcement officers about bicycling. She wants to look for funds for overpasses and underpasses on bike corridors. She wants to build a relationship with Poudre School District to get more bike education in schools. Of course, the best story about Poppaw is how a group tried to recall her last year, alleging – among other things – that Poppaw wanted to “eliminate personal vehicle use.” That claim originated from Poppaw’s support of the bicycle parking racks in parking spaces downtown. Apparently the group, called “We Will Not Fail Fort Collins,” didn’t consider bicycles to be “personal vehicles.” It’s not totally fair to support a candidate because she was threatened with recall for supporting bicycles, but it sure makes good copy for a bike racing website. Either way, the choice is clear in District 2. While Pawlak is extremely open-minded to bicycling and would probably vote for sensible bike policy, Poppaw has already proven that she’s right up there with Ben Manvel as being one of cyclists’ best advocates in City Hall. District 2 Endorsement: Lisa Poppaw District 4 Kristin Stephens Stephens doesn’t come into the Council race with any specific bike legislation in mind, but she said she would be in favor of keeping the FC Bikes program that recently lost its grant funding. She thinks our bike friendliness is attractive to businesses. She’s a runner, and a “big advocate of natural areas.” Stephens doesn’t have the experience of some of the other candidates, and she doesn’t have a comprehensive understanding of the funding for bike programs and facilities. But, she says, her opponent “Troxell hasn’t done a good job in any way. He’s not very responsive. He’s rude and not very collaborative. For that reason alone people should vote for me.” Wade Troxell Wade hasn’t returned my multiple calls (although he did respond to the initial email request for his phone number). Being a City Council candidate is a full-time job, and Troxell is a busy man. But if he cared that much about the cyclist vote, he would have called me back. District 4 Endorsement: Kristin Stephens District 6 Gerry Horak Gerry Horak, a fine candidate for bicyclists, is running unopposed for District 6. I anticipate that Horak will continue term-limited David Roy’s tradition of bike-friendliness. District 6 Endorsement: Gerry Horak

Colorado State University Bicycle Friendly University Aplication

2011-03-10T07:55:00.000-08:00

The following is the application submitted by Fred Haberecht, Assistant Director of Facilities Management at CSU in January 2011. The application resulted in CSU being awarded a Silver level Bicycle Friendly University designation on March 8, 2011.

The application is divided into the following categories:
General Profile
Engineering
Education
Encouragement
Enforcement
Evaluation and Planning

If you are curious about the future plans for bicycling on the CSU campus questions 92 through 94, at the bottom of this post, address the future.

The Bike Co-op participates in many CSU events such as this Smart Transportation Fair in April of 2009. The Co-op is not listed in the Bicycle Friendly University Application as one of the bike shops within 5 miles of campus. The Bike Co-op also hosted two League Cycling Instructor workshops at CSU in August and October of 2009. The application below (question 45b) refers to this workshop as being hosted by the CSU Police Department. CSU PD provided the space for the workshop but the Bike Co-op was the actual host and coordinator for the program.

Colorado State University Bicycle Friendly University Application

Submitted by Fred Haberecht on 2011-01-20 15:14:35

Name of Institution : Colorado State University

How many campuses make up the institution? 60

Does this application include all campuses? No

If no, which campus(es) are included in this application?

Main, South, Foothills, University Center of the Arts

City : Fort Collins

State : Colorado

President, Chancellor, or top official (include title) : Dr. Anthony A. Frank

Website : http://www.colostate.edu/

Applicant Profile

First Name : Fred

Last Name : Haberecht

Title : Assistant Director, Facilities Management

Phone : 970-491-0162

Email :Fred.Haberecht@colostate.edu

General Profile

The data in this section is gathered by the U.S. census. Click here to find the most recent information on your ollege/university.

1. Type of institution (Public/Private) option for each

National University

If other, describe (50 word limit)

Land-Grant University

2. Type of Campus:

Suburban

If other, describe (50 word limit)

3. Population

City population:

141,000 (August 2010)

Total campus enrollment:

29,932 (August 2010)

Percent living on campus:

23% (August 2010)

Percent living off campus:

77% (August 2010)

Undergraduate enrollment: 21,953(2010-2011)

Graduate enrollment: 3,864

Number of on-site faculty and staff: 6,183

4.What is the average commute distance of the students living off campus?(Miles) 8.2 miles each way

5.Climate Average temperature for January in °F 29

Average temperature for April in °F 48

Average temperature for July in °F 71

Average temperature for October in °F 50

Average precipitation for January in inches .42

Average precipitation for April in inches 2.09

Average precipitation for July in inches 1.87

Average precipitation for October in inches .98

6. Do you have a Bicycle Program Manager or a contact person responsible for bike-related issues (if there is no designated program manager)?

Yes

6a. Are you the Bicycle Program Manager?

6b. If no, what is the name of your Bicycle Program Manager?

Joy Childress

6c. Bicycle Program Manager Phone

970-491-7695

6d. Bicycle Program Manager Email

joy.childress@colostate.edu

6e. In which department does your Bicycle Program Manager work?

Other

If other, describe (local bike shop, external consultants, etc)(50 word limit)

Campus Police Department

6f. Is the Bicycle Program Manager position full-time?

Yes

If not, what percentage of this individual’s time is spent on bicycling issues?

6g. What percentage of the Bicycle Program Manager's salary is paid for by the college/university?

100

6h. What percentage is paid through donations or grants?

6I. Other funding source, please describe (200 word limit)

7. How many college/university employees, expressed in full-time equivalents, work on bicycle issues? Enter a positive whole number, 1 or larger for each of the following:

Faculty:

Staff:

4 or more

Students:

1-5

If other, describe (Volunteer run, etc)(100 word limit)

8.Do you have a Bicycle Advisory Committee?

Yes

If other, describe (100 word limit)

8a. How often does it meet?

Monthly

If other, describe (250 word limit)

8b. Which of the following groups are represented or regularly attend the Bicycle Advisory Committee? Check all that apply

Law enforcement, Student government,Planning department, Transportation department, Facility services, Health and wellness, City/county/regional government staff, Housing/resident life, Public Safety Division, Cycling team/club

If other, describe (250 word limit)

8c. Name of Bicycle Advisory Committee Chair

Dave Kemp

8d. Email of Bicycle Advisory Committee Chair

dk@fcgov.com

9. Is there a bicycle advocacy group(s) on campus and/or in the community?

Yes

9a. Is this group(s) working with you on this application?

Yes

9b. Provide the name of the primary group:

Bike Fort Collins

9c. Do you contract with this group for any services or programs?

Yes

If yes, describe (200 word limit)

Primarily the bike library but Bike Fort Collins is also a member of the Campus Bicycle Advisory Committee.

9d. Who is the primary contact for this group?

Jeff Morrell

9e. Email of primary contact of advocacy group

Jeff.Morrell@bikefortcollins.org

10. What are the primary reasons your college/university has invested in bicycling? (Check all that apply.)

Improve quality of life for students and faculty,Improve health for students and faculty,Connect community and campus,Provide transportation options,Reduce car-parking demands,Support smart growth,Address climate change/environmental stewardship concerns,Decrease traffic congestion,Attract students,Cooperate with adjacent community,Respond to user demand,Improve bicyclist/pedestrian safety

If other, describe (250 word limit)

11. What was your institution’s most significant investment for bicycling to date?(250 word limit)

Expansion of the campus bike network including end of trip facilities. New and expanded bike parking areas in conjunction with new construction as well as lockers, and showers have been created throughout the bike network. The recently constructed parking garage on campus includes covered bicycle parking spaces and a new academic building includes showers for commuters.

12. What was your institution’s most significant investment for bicycling in the past year?(250 word limit)

The university has invested approximately $100,000 in the installation of new bicycle racks throughout campus. CSU Parking Services and the CSU Police Department have collaborated along with construction of new buildings to implement many new bike parking areas. In a partnership with the city of Fort Collins, the university constructed a new portion of bike trail which connects the South and Main Campuses while also extending the city bike trail network.

13. What specific improvements does your college/university have planned for bicycling in the coming year?(100 word limit)

With the construction of the Engineering II building, Colorado State University will build a new section of bike path providing greater connectivity between campus and neighborhoods to the North. South Drive, a major road on campus, may be reconfigured to include a contraflow cycletrack to provide a convenient and safe connection for residents to the campus core. A designated blke lane will connect the University Center of the Arts underpass to Main campus in a safer manner.

Engineering

14. What policy does your institution have for accommodating bicyclists?

Other

If other, please describe.

Colorado State University is planning specific guidelines to accommodate bikes and pedestrians in the core of campus while forcing vehicular infrastructure to the exterior. By making driving on campus more difficult, bicycle usage will increase. In accordance with new state legislation, all new construction on campus must adhere to LEED Gold standards. These standards require suitable end of trip accommodations for cyclists. In conjunction with the city, streets are managed and maintained regularly providing adequate and safe traveling. Student housing requires that all buildings provide bike parking for 80% of their residents. Finally, the City of Fort Collins adopted the Complete Streets Policy, otherwise known as, Larimer County Urban Street Standards which Colorado State University adheres to.

14a. When was it adopted?

Before 2005

14b. Provide a link to this legislation or policy.(250 word limit)

http://www.larimer.org/engineering/GMARdStds/GMARdStds.htm

14c. How was it adopted?

Internal Policy

If other, describe (100 word limit)

14d. What tools are in place to ensure implementation? (Check all that apply.)

Design manual,Other

If other, describe (100 word limit)

All construction projects have an internal review by CSU facilities to verify that projects meet University construction standards. Additionally, the campus planner and landscape architect review all plans for accommodation of future planning efforts.

15. How does your college/university ensure your engineers and planners accommodate bicyclists according to AASHTO and MUTCD standards? (Check all that apply.)

Offer general training,Other

15a. Describe each checked (200 word limit)

Planning staff are also members of the Campus Bicycle Advisory Committee.

16. What percentage of bridges and underpasses on your campus are accessible to bicyclists?

90-100%

16a. What are the exceptions?(100 word limit)

No exceptions, all accessible.

17. How does your college/university ensure there are end-of-trip facilities for bicyclists? (Check all that apply.)

Bike parking ordinance/policy requiring amount, design and location ,Bike parking ordinance/policy for all new developments,Policy requiring showers in buildings,Policy requiring lockers in buildings,Building accessibility policy,On-street bike parking (e.g. bike corrals),Standards for bicycle parking that conform to APBP guidelines

If other, describe (100 word limit)

18. How many annual on-campus automobile parking permits are available each year per total campus population?

81-100%

19. Does your college/ university charge students a fee for an automobile parking permit?

Yes

19a. If yes, how much is charged annually?

$201-$500

20. Does your college/ university charge faculty and staff a fee for an automobile parking permit?

Yes

20a. If yes, how much is charged annually?

$201-$500

21. How many bike parking spaces are there in your college/university? Enter a whole number, 0 or larger

13,932

21a. Number of people per bike parking space

22a. What percentage of your bike parking is covered (from the elements)?

1-5%

22b. What percentage of your bike parking is secured (i.e. caged, monitored, indoors)?

51% or more

23. Does your college/university have bike lockers?

23a. What percentage of your bike parking is made up of bike lockers?

23b. If you do provide bike lockers, what is the annual fee?

No Charge

24. Number of Bike depots/ hubs/ bikestations

24a. If you do have a bikestation, what is annual fee?

No Charge

25. Approximately what percentage of the following locations have bike racks, storage units, or indoor bike rooms?

25a. Dormitories

91-100%

25b. Libraries

91-100%

25c. Classroom Buildings

91-100%

25d. Recreation Centers

91-100%

25e. Administration Buildings

91-100%

25f. Transit Stations/Bus Stops

91-100%

25g. Research Labs

91-100%

25h. Off-campus college/university-owned housing

46-60%

25i. Parking garages

91-100%

If other, describe (250 word limit)

26. How do you direct students, staff, and visitors to bike parking?

Locations on campus bike map,Website

If other, please describe

27. Does your bike parking meet the security and convenience guidelines recommended by the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals (APBP)?

Most

28. Do you provide any of the following for students, faculty, and/or staff who commute by bike? (Check all that apply.) Locker room,Shower facility ,Bicycle repair station,Maintenance supplies such as tools, pumps, and tubes

If other, describe (100 word limit)

29. Is there a construction protocol that ensures bicyclists are accommodated (detour routes, signage, etc)?

Yes

If yes, please describe

Yes, all plans are reviewed by CSU facilities and signage is required of the contractor to direct users to alternative routes.

30. Does your college/university have a transit service(s) (including Shuttles, Night Ride, etc.)?

Yes

30a. If yes, is the transit service free?

30b. Are transit vehicles equipped with bike racks?

All

30c. Are bikes allowed inside transit vehicles?

If yes or sometimes, describe (100 word limit)

31. What is the mileage of your total campus road network? (Enter a whole number, 0 or larger)

31a. How many miles of this network are under the college/university’s control?

32. What is the mileage of your total shared-use path network on campus?(Enter a whole number, 0 or larger)

33. List all current and planned bicycle accommodations on campus Complete all that apply (all should comply with AASHTO and MUTCD standards) a. Bike lanes Current Mileage (Enter a whole number, 0 or larger)

Planned Mileage (Enter a whole number, 0 or larger)

b. Shared lane markings (sharrows) Current mileage (Enter a whole number, 0 or larger)

Planned Mileage (Enter a whole number, 0 or larger)

c. Signed bike routes; Current mileage (Enter a whole number, 0 or larger)

Planned Mileage (Enter a whole number, 0 or larger)

d. Paved shared use pathsCurrent mileage (Enter a whole number, 0 or larger)

Planned Mileage (Enter a whole number, 0 or larger)

e. Natural surface shared use paths; Current mileage (Enter a whole number, 0 or larger)

Planned Mileage (Enter a whole number, 0 or larger)

f. Single track Current mileage (Enter a whole number, 0 or larger)

Planned Mileage (Enter a whole number, 0 or larger)

34. How is your campus accessible by bike? (Check all that apply.)

Direct access by trail,Adjoining streets have bike lanes,Located on a signed bike route system,Surrounded by low-traffic streets

If other, describe (250 word limit)

35. What other innovative ways have you improved on-road conditions for bicyclists? (Check all that apply.)

Road diets,Speed limits 20 mph or less on campus streets,Bike cut thrus,Remove on-street car parking,Car restrictions/car-free zones

,Other

If other, describe (250 word limit)

The removal of on-street car parking being replaced with a contra-flow cycle track is currently proposed for a particular street on campus.

36. What maintenance policies or programs ensure all campus bike lanes and shoulders remain usable and safe? (Complete all that apply.) 36a. Street sweeping

Annually

If other, describe (100 word limit)

36b. Snow clearance

Same time as other travel lanes

If other, describe (100 word limit)

36c. Pothole maintenance

Within one week of complaint

If other, describe (250 word limit)

36d. Describe any other maintenance policies or programs for bike lanes and shoulders (250 word limit)

Labor distribution is prioritized among the city based on the amount of traffic. Snow removal maps are also implemented.

37. What maintenance policies or programs ensure shared-use paths remain safe and usable? (Answer all that apply)

37a. Path

sweeping

Complaint basis only

If other, describe (100 word limit)

37b. Vegetation maintenance

Weekly

If other, describe (100 word limit)

37c. Snow clearance

Same time as roadways

If other, describe (100 word limit)

37d. Surface repair

Within one week of complaint

If other, describe (100 word limit)

37e. Describe any other maintenance policies or programs for shared-use paths (250 word limit)

Bikepaths are restriped annually.

38. How does your college/university facilitate reporting of bicycle facility problems?

Email/ phone report to maintenance dept

If other, describe

39. How do you accommodate bicyclists at intersections in your college/university? (Check all that apply.) No signals, N/A

If other, describe (100 word limit)

40. Are there other infrastructure features or improvements at your college/university to promote bicycling?

Yes

If yes, describe (250 word limit)

The Mason Corridor is a 5 mile multi-modal route about to begin construction in Fort Collins. This corridor is specifically being constructed for bicycles, pedestrians, and transit buses and will run through the CSU South and Main Campuses. This corridor will provide a direct route for commuters to the campuses and the community beyond while hopefully decreasing vehicular traffic and pollution.

Education

41. What do you do to ensure that incoming students, faculty and staff are educated on safe cycling and driving? (Check all that apply.)

Bike safety video(s) ,Educational bike tours of campus,

Presentation to all incoming students,Handouts at resource fairs,Information in all welcome packets for new students, faculty, and staff, Other

If other, describe (100 word limit)

The CSU Police Department conducts a Registration Tent for students for five days at the beginning of the fall semester. All freshmen are directed to visit the tent at a mandatory student orientation where they are presented the laws of the university and safety tips.

Officers also present this information to new hires. Students and staff each receive a book of bicycle rules and regulations at the time of registration. For mid-semester newcomers to CSU, registration occurs at the front desk of the CSU Police Department Monday through Friday ensuring all students are aware of university policies and bicycle regulations.

42. Do you offer education on theft prevention?

Yes

If yes, describe (100 word limit)

Officers provide information on how to best secure bikes at staff and student orientation presentations. Best locking practices are shared by the staff at the Police Department’s bike registration tent, at the front desk of the Police Department, and at the info desk at the Lory Student Center. Lastly, the Resident Assistances in the dorms inform their residents of best locking practices at the beginning of each year.

43. What have you done in the last 18 months to educate motorists and bicyclists on sharing the road safely? (Check all that apply.)

Public service announcements,Campus newsletter/paper article,New student/hire packet,Dedicated bike page on college/university website,Share the Road signs,Distributing bike safety information to all bike permit applicants,Other

If other, describe (200 word limit)

The Police Officer who presents at orientations offers one on one education for anyone who is interested in sharpening their bicycle skills, be that technique or rules of the road. The CSU Police Department’s Bicycle Safety Seminar is also an outlet for bicycle education. This Safety Seminar is conducted by CSU police officers and is directed at CSU students, staff, and faculty who have violated bicycle regulations and received a ticket. This program aims to educate bicyclists who may be confused about policies. With more

education, they will avoid another infraction.

44. Do you have a ticket diversion program for cyclists or motorists?

Yes

If yes, describe (100 word limit)

The Safety Seminar is offered to people through the CSU Police Department who receive a bike safety ticket. The goal of the program is to educate the public in hopes that they will not incur another infraction. The seminar consists of a bike safety video called “Enjoy the Ride” by the League of American Bicyclist and a 20 question quiz. When the person passes the quiz they get half off their safety violation price. For ease of the customer, the seminar is offered online or at the CSU Police Department

45. Which of the following options are available on a regular basis at your college/university? (Please include classes for non-students as well)

45a. Traffic Skills 101 (or equivalent) classes -- including classroom and on-bike instruction.

Annually

If other, describe (100 word limit)

45b. Cycling Skills classes -- three to four hour classroom training courses

Other

If other, describe (100 word limit)

A League Cycling Instructor class was hosted at the CSU Police Department in October of 2009.

45c. Commuter classes - one/two hour classes

Annually

If other, describe (100 word limit)

45d. Bicycle maintenance classes

Annually

If other, describe (100 word limit)

45e. How many people do you teach in all of these classes annually?

30. Colorado State University created an annual education program with the development of a pilot program called RamCycle in 2009. This course had three sections broken down into safe cycling, bicycle laws, regulations, and bicycle maintenance.

46. Do you offer physical education cycling classes (for credit)?

46a. How many students do you teach with these classes annually?

47. Are there course offerings in bicycle transportation planning, policy, and engineering or public health?

Please list and describe (250 word limit)

48. How many League Cycling Instructors are there in your college/university community? (Enter a whole number, 0 or larger)

48a. Please list active League Cycling Instructors. (100 word limit)

Dave Kemp Molly North Matt Wempe

49. Has your college/university hosted a League Cycling Instructor seminar in the past two years?

Yes

50. Describe any efforts your college/university has made to ensure your education programs reach underserved populations.

(250 word limit)

The Police Department offers a Bike Rodeo to children of the Fort Collins community. Police officers teach them bike laws with an obstacle course simulating the road and give them fun bike freebies and helmets. This is another example of the university’s outreach within the Fort Collins community.

51. Does your college/university have driver training for any of the following professional drivers that includes information on sharing the road with bicyclists? (Check all that apply.)

Bus/Transit operators,Law enforcement students and/or staff

If other, describe (200 word limit)

51a. If yes to any of the above, describe the program. (250 word limit)

Transit operators: The city of Fort Collins operates the bus system in Fort Collins and at CSU. Bus drivers are educated on how to share the road safely with bicyclists. CSU Police Department staff is educated on bicycle laws and regulations.

52. Are there other education efforts in your college/university to promote bicycling?

Yes

If yes, describe (250 word limit)

CSU conducts various bicycle education fairs and bike to work and school tents throughout the year. These programs are designed to educated and involve the public in bicycle activity. In the past these have been sponsored by the CSU police department, Campus Bicycle Advisory Committee, city FC Bikes program.

Encouragement

53. How do you promote bicycling to the college/university? Check all that apply

Public Service Announcements,Car-free days,Commuter challenges for students,Commuter challenges for faculty and

staff,Commuter Breakfasts

If other, describe (500 word limit)

54. Do you actively promote any bicycle-commuting incentive programs?

Yes

54a. If yes, describe (500 word limit)

The university hosts a Bike to School and two Bike to Work days annually. At strategic locations on campus, participants are provided

with bicycle education materials, food and promotional giveaway items. Twice a year, CSU CBAC and community partners produce the

Bike for Breakfast program during the spring and fall semesters to encourage and assess bicycle commuting to campus. This program

reached approximately 2600 students in its 2010 inaugural year.

54b. Approximately what percentage of the campus staff/students do you reach?

30%

55. List the signature cycling events at your campus or community (e.g. bike festivals, major rides and races). (500 word limit)

A six day bicycle race is held at Colorado State University annually. The track used is a looped street located in the historic section of

CSU campus known as the Oval. This street imitates a velodrome and cyclists in the race demonstrate velodrome-style racing to local

residents. The Master’s program of Colorado State University’s College of Business, the Global Social and Sustainable Enterprise

(GSSE) began to host a “Community Ride” fundraiser in 2009. Three routes of different lengths were offered to accommodate various

riders. The annual Sensible Modes of Alternative Road Transportation (SMART) Fair is held in the Student Center on CSU campus.

Local businesses dedicated to alternative transportation attend this fair with information and giveaway items to engage student

participation. This fair is very educational on the overall benefits of cycling including healthy lifestyles and reduction of pollution. The

MS150 Colorado ride overnights at the CSU campus each summer. The ride has over 3000 riders who camp overnight on campus

grounds or in residence halls. This event provides volunteer opportunities for campus and community member participation. Annually,

the CSU RAM Cycling team hosts a Rocky Mountain Collegiate cycling race as part of the qualification process for the USA Nationals

race. The USA Collegiate Nationals cycling race was held at CSU in 2008-2009. Races began and ended on the Foothills Campus.

56. Does the college/university sponsor or actively support any of these rides?

Yes

56a. If yes, how? (250 word limit)

The University actively supports the aforementioned activities by providing police support, venue space, recycling and trash cleanup,

ground crews as needed for setup and teardown logistics.

57. Does your marketing department promote bicycling at the college/university to potential students/staff?

Yes

If yes, how? (250 word limit)

Walking tours of campus are offered daily to prospective students. These tours include information about bike registration requirements, bicycle safety considerations, bike library resources, and showcases multiple areas of the campus where major end of trip facilities are provided.

58. Are there cycling teams, clubs, or co-ops at your college/university? (Check all that apply.)

Road racing clubs or teams, Cyclocross racing clubs or teams,Track racing clubs or teams

If other, describe (500 word limit)

58a. For each type checked, list names of the organizations.(250 word limit)

CSU Ram Cycling see their website at: http://www.ramscycling.com/

59. What is the ratio of your total campus population to specialty bicycle retailers within a 5-mile radius of campus?

1 shop for every 1 -2500 students, faculty, staff

59a. List their names. (500 word limit)

Recycled Cycles, Lee’s Cyclery, Boo Bicycles, Brave New Wheel, Rocky Mountain Recumbent, Full Cycle, Performance Bicycle, Honest Wrench, Road 34

60. Which of these bicycling areas, facilities, or amenities do you have at your college/university? (Check all that apply)

Public pumps or air hoses,Public repair station/facility,On-campus bike shop

If other, describe (500 word limit)

61. What does your institution do with its abandoned bikes? (Check all that apply)

Sell to the public in as-is condition,Repair and then sell or rent to college students and faculty,Give away to charity or community programs,Recycle for metal value

If other, describe (100 word limit)

62. Does your college/university have or participate in a bike-share or rental system?

Yes

62a. If yes, please briefly describe the system.

The FC Bike Library operates a check out station on campus.

62b. If yes, how many bikes are in the system?

62c. If yes, how many years has the system been in operation?

62d.If yes, what kind of program is it? (Check all that apply)

Bike library

If other, describe (100 word limit)

62e. If yes, who is permitted to use the system? (Check all that apply)

The public,Students,Staff

If other, describe (250 word limit)

63. Does your college or university have a bike program ?

Yes

63a. How is your bike program structured/staffed? (250 word limit)

CSU CBAC in conjunction with BEEP is the bike program on campus and is comprised of CSU staff through the facilities and police departments as well as other campus and community stakeholders, such as the City of Fort Collins' FC Bikes program and Bike Fort Collins non-profit organization.

63b. What is the bike program's annual budget? (Enter a whole number, 0 or larger)

63c. How many years has the bike program been in operation? (Enter a whole number, 0 or larger)

63d. How is your bike program structured/staffed?

Paid staff,Volunteer/student-run

64. Does your college/university have an on-campus bike center?

Yes

64a. If yes, which of the following services does it offer?

Full bike repairs,Basic bike repairs,Safety classes,Stolen bike registry recovery assistance

If other, describe (250 word limit)

65. Is your college/university located in a Bicycle Friendly Community?

Yes

66. What bike-map and/or route finding information is available for your college/university which has been updated in the last 18 months? (Check all that apply)

Online map,Printed on-road bike-routes map

If other, describe (250 word limit)

67. Does your college/university have other programs or policies to encourage cycling?

Yes

67a. If yes, describe (250 word limit)

In addition to hosting the SMART Fair, which encourages students to utilize alternative modes of transportation, CSU promotes

bicycle usage with a program called Bike to Breakfast. Local vendors set up tents around campus and provide breakfast to students who have ridden their bike to school. This program ran the entire month of September in 2010. Students were rewarded for riding their bike and were further encouraged to continue riding.

Enforcement

68. How does your college/university prevent bicycle theft/loss?

Mandatory bike registration,Classes on proper locking,Regular security patrols of parking areas

If other, describe (250 word limit)

69. Does the police department have employees on bikes?

Yes

69a. If yes, what percentage of patrolling police department employees is on bike? (Enter a whole number, 0 or larger)

15%

70. How does your campus police department interact with the student/ staff cycling community? (Check all that apply)

A police officer is an active member of the bicycle advisory committee,Appointed law-enforcement point person to interact with bicyclists,Officers distribute bike safety/theft deterrent information,Other

If other, describe (250 word limit)

The CSU Police Department operates the Bicycle Education and Enforcement Program (BEEP). This program tracks all stolen bicycles, bicycle registrations, bicycle impounds and employs staff dedicated to educating the public and enforcing the law by warnings and tickets. The CSU bike tickets range from $15 to $75 with the average ticket costing $25.00. These tickets do not affect permanent records or driving points and the fines are significantly lower than the city tickets. The PD employs student BEEP officers whose sole purpose is to enforce the laws as well as sworn officers who uphold the bicycle laws on campus.

71. Does your college/university have a policy for impounding bikes?

Yes

71a. If yes, describe and provide a link: (100 word limit)

http://police.colostate.edu/pdfs/Bike-Booklet.pdf The University’s impound policy states that any bike that is deemed abandoned or in violation of CSU’s bicycle regulations can result in impoundment. When a bicycle is abandoned, found, or in violation of Colorado State bicycle regulations, any University police officer, or other person authorized by the Chief of Police, may remove the lock and impound the bicycle. CSUPD will use reasonable efforts to contact the owner of any impounded bicycle by the CSUPD registration records. The impoundment of a bicycle, and any resulting fines or fees, may be appealed.

72. What kind of training is offered to police officers regarding traffic law as it applies to bicyclists? (Check all that apply)

Basic academy training,International Police Mountain Bike Association or Law Enforcement Bicycle Association training,Smart Cycling course,League Cycling Instructor/local cyclist presentation

If other, describe (250 word limit)

73. Does your law enforcement agency offer bike safety training to your college/university community?

Yes

73a. If yes, describe and provide a link.(100 word limit)

Aspects of bike safety are presented by CSU Police during the on campus SMART Fair, Bike to Breakfast events, and orientation presentations to new students, faculty and staff. Police officers also participate in the pilot Ram Cycle project to educate students living in Residence Halls. Officers are typically on hand at the booths and are presenters for a portion of orientation.

74. What enforcement campaigns are targeted at improving bicyclist safety? Check all that apply

Helmet giveaways,Light giveaways,Targeting motorist infractions,Targeting bicyclist infractions,Positive enforcement ticketing,Share the road campaigns,Other

If other, describe (250 word limit)

CSUPD hands out 50% off coupons for bike headlights to our campus bike shop for anyone who comes into pay a “Without headlight at night” ticket.

75. Are there any other campus public safety (e.g. fire department or EMS) employees on bikes?

75a. If yes, please describe

76. Do your college/university policies treat bicyclists equitably and promote safety for all users? (Examples can be found on the BFU resources page.) (Check all that apply)

There are specific penalties for failing to yield to a bicyclist when turning.,It is illegal to park or drive in a bike lane (intersections excepted).,There are penalties for motor vehicle users who 'door' bicyclists.,There is a ban on texting while driving.,There is a general restriction on bicyclists riding on the sidewalk.

If Additional Information/Other, describe (250 word limit)

77. Are there any prohibitions or restrictions on bicyclists at your college/university?

Yes

77a. If yes, describe (250 word limit)

There are dismount zones in high pedestrian traffic areas during academic hours where bicyclists must dismount their bike and walk.

78. Does your college/university have other programs or policies to enforce safe cycling?

Yes

78a. If yes, describe (100 word limit)

At the start of each semester, Campus Safety Officers provide a heightened time frame of enforcement for cyclists on campus. This enforcement effort during the first two weeks of school includes providing mainly warnings and bicycle education information.

79. Does your college or university have any planned programs or changes forthcoming to policies/ordinances to enforce/improve bicycling safety?

Yes

79a. If yes, describe (100 word limit)

Currently, the university is updating signage policies around campus to ensure consistency.

Evaluation and Planning

80. What is the most current journey-to-work data (bicycle mode share) for your community? (this percentage can be found in

the U.S. Census or the American Community Survey - Percentage of trips)

9.9%

81. What is the most current bicyclist count data on your college/university?

15,000

81a. How, when, and where was this data collected? (250 word limit)

In 2008, Colorado State University conducted a campus wide survey concerned with how students commute daily. A little over 6,500

student responded. With this data combined with physical bicycle counts at racks around campus, we have been able to determine how many bicycles are on campus.

81b. Have you broken this number down by off-campus and intra-campus trips?

81c. If yes, describe (250 word limit)

82. How many bicyclist/automobile crash fatalities have occurred in your college/university in the past five years?

83. How many bicyclist/automobile crashes have occurred in your college/university in the past five years?

11 or more

84. How many non-automobile related bicyclist crashes occur annually?

1-20

84a. How do you collect data on non-automobile related bicyclist crashes? (Check all that apply)

Police reports

If other, please describe

85. Do you have a specific plan or program to reduce crashes?

Yes

85a. If yes, provide the link to the plan and/or describe. (250 word limit)

The city of Fort Collins has designed a comprehensive bicycle education plan which Colorado State University adheres to and participated in the writing of.

86. Does your college/university have a comprehensive bicycle master plan?

Yes

86a. When was it passed or most recently updated?

Before 2005

86b. Is there a dedicated funding source for implementation?

86c. If yes, describe. (250 word limit)

86d. What percentage of the plan has been implemented?

50%

86e. Are you meeting annual target goals for implementation?

86f. Provide a link to the plan or describe. (250 word limit)

http://www.facilities.colostate.edu/files/forms/Campus_Master_PlanWEB_SM.pdf The adopted campus master plan document, pages 57-59, includes a bicycle section. An additional campus bicycle master plan map can be found online at: http://www.fm.colostate.edu/sustain/downloads/bikeway_master_plan_map.pdf

87. Have you done a satisfaction survey of students and staff on bicycling in your college/university?

Yes

87a. If yes, briefly describe. (250 word limit)

The commuter survey distributed to students in 2008 measured, in part, student satisfaction to the bicycle programs on campus. Also, the “Bike to Breakfast” program held in 2010 surveyed participants in regards to their overall satisfaction.

88. Have you done an economic impact study on bicycling in your college/university?

88a. If yes, briefly describe. (250 word limit)

89. Does your college/university have other programs or policies to evaluate and/or plan bicycling conditions, programs, and facilities?

Yes

89a. If yes, describe. (250 word limit)

The Campus Bicycle Advisory Committee is an organization at Colorado State University dedicated to promoting the education and awareness of regulations and policies among cyclists on campus. A goal is that a safe campus will be available to bicyclists. This will in turn promote healthy activity and a reduction in automotive emissions.

Final Overview

90. What are the three primary reasons your college/university deserves to be designated a Bicycle Friendly University? 90a.

Reason One (100 word limit)

The CSU Campus Bicycle Advisory Committee (CBAC) helps create the “bicycle-friendly” atmosphere at CSU. This grass roots organization was self-initiated by passionate cyclists on campus. This committee works tirelessly to ensure that cyclist issues are addressed and that all new projects, programs, and enforcements or regulations take the cycling population into account. The committee is a diverse group made up of community members, police and parking services, city transportation and CSU facilities

personnel and students. CBAC has members who represent important constituencies who are vital for promoting cycling and a bicycle-friendly campus.

90b. Reason Two (100 word limit)

The Fort Collins community supports and encourages safe cycling and has received the LAB “Gold” level community award. This environment allows CSU to enlist support from the city and to promote safe cycling on campus. Fort Collins actively works with CSU on cyclist education programs, commuter promotion programs, development and maintenance of bicycle-friendly infrastructure. These projects are facilitated by the CBAC, which includes the city, students, faculty, staff, and community members. This synergistic collaboration creates a bicycle-friendly atmosphere for students on campus and throughout the Fort Collins community. This initiative has effectively created a safer campus environment for cyclists.

90c. Reason Three (100 word limit)

CSU is internationally known for its efforts supporting green initiatives that reduce its carbon footprint. The administration is focused on these priorities and encourages environmentally enlightened programs and practices. CSU has recently become a part of the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment, and as a member of this group has created a Climate Action Plan that focuses on reducing campus emissions to achieve carbon neutrality. The plan will improve infrastructure for faculty staff, and students who bike or walk to campus, such as bike racks and locker facilities, and provide incentives to encourage biking.

91. What are the three aspects of your college/university most in need of improvement in order to accommodate bicyclists?

91a. Aspect One (100 word limit)

One of the areas that needs improvement is additional education programs for motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians. CSU does have basic education materials for cyclists, but these programs need to offer comprehensive education that covers all aspects of cycling from maintenance and health to sustainability and commuting. Education programs also need to incorporate motorists and pedestrians. This ensures that everyone on the road or bike path will understand the “rules of the road” and be able to safely coexist.

91b. Aspect Two (100 word limit)

Many traffic signs on bike paths are inconsistent both within the campus and city network. CSU could benefit from a comprehensive wayfinding system that includes additional and upgraded traffic signs to improve connectivity and safe campus accessibility. Although CSU has an extensive network of paths and lanes, there are issues with linking the campus to the city’s bikeway system.

91c. Aspect Three (100 word limit)

CSU needs to continually improve its data collection and monitoring processes of cyclists and motorists on campus. Improvement in this area will allow the university to conduct a comprehensive analysis, providing an accurate representation of campus commuters. In the future, CSU CBAC and CSU will work toward developing data collection methods that include physical bicycle counts, bicyclist and motorist surveys, accident reporting, and economic benefits. This information will be used to direct education efforts, infrastructure development, and enforcement priorities to enable motorists and bicyclists to be treated equally and fairly.

92. Are you planning any new projects based on your completion of the Bicycle Friendly University application?

Yes

92a. If yes, describe. (500 word limit)

After the completion of this application and the acknowledgement of some areas that need improvements, the CBAC is working on several new projects: An area that needs improvement on the CSU campus relates to cyclists and motorist education. A new project that addresses cyclist education is called RamCycle. This program will be based off an active pilot program and be designed to educate freshman CSU students in the residence halls. The goal of this program is to educate Resident Advisors on bicycle safety topics so that

they will be able to teach this information to the students on their hall floor. The first stage of this project will be initiated spring 2011.

One project will involve educating motorists on current Colorado bicycle laws. CBAC will work toward creating and providing informational handouts and fliers to all students, faculty, and staff who purchase vehicle parking permits and who register bicycles. These materials will educate drivers on the rights of cyclists and promote safer interaction between these two groups. Another significant outcome from the submission of this application is the near completion of a campus specific bicycle map which includes bicycle safety elements, bike routes, and bicycle amenities such as bike lanes, bike parking, and transit connectors. With respect to data collection, this application has encouraged CBAC to think broader about data collection methods to be used in the creation of a logic model. This action plan would determine goals and objectives and create an implementation strategy that focuses outcomes to utilize resources effectively.

93. Has completing this application made you more aware of what your college/university needs to do to be more bicycle-friendly?

Yes

93a. If yes, describe. (250 word limit)

This application has enabled CBAC to take a holistic view of campus which will yield a more comprehensive planning and implementation of our goals and objectives. While there has been a lot of support for cyclists on the CSU campus, this application process has shown that more efforts need to be made to address and understand overall commuting habits and barriers. CSU needs to continue to create environments that encourage more people to get on their bikes. Recognizing this has led CBAC to begin to work on new incentive programs and projects for bicycle commuters. Overall this application has helped us take an indepth look at the CSU community and has brought to light many of our strengths and weaknesses with respect to safe and convenient cycling.

Finally, successful recognition and designation of Colorado State University as a bicycle friendly university has the potential to garner additional support and encourage influential collaborations. This designation will leverage current efforts and will carry forward the progress of the Campus Bicycle Advisory Committee.

94. What are the biggest challenges you see to becoming more bicycle-friendly? (250 word limit)

One significant challenge for CSU is implementing capital improvement projects directly related to bicycle access and connectivity.

CSU’s current economic climate may prohibit such projects in the near future. CSU’s strength lies in its sheer number of bicyclists on a day to day basis; however, the challenge exists within teaching 5,000 new students a year proper cycling behavior. The CBAC has initiated extensive outreach to new and returning students, but we recognize that we have several more years of intensive bicycle education outreach in order to arrive at a tipping point where safe cycling is the norm. Another inherent challenge, which is found in

most universities, is the dynamic nature of a revolving student body. In this environment, it is difficult to maintain consistency of active members of the campus cycling culture. Finally, another challenge we are faced with is competing for student attention with respect to cycling issues on campus. Students are inundated with a myriad of activities and studies on an ongoing basis. Despite these daunting challenges, Campus Bicycle Advisory Committee remains confident and willing to make the Colorado State University campus a 21st century Bicycle Friendly University.

If you have any additional pictures, links or documents that you would like to submit as supplements to your application, please attach them in an email to bfa@bikeleague.org

Now that we have a Safety Program, Let's Get Rolling

2011-03-07T09:26:00.000-08:00

by Rick Price, Ph.D.
First published in the Fort Collins Coloradoan March 7, 2011

City Council adopted the new Bicycle Safety Education Plan on Tuesday, paving the way for a bicycle program where before we had just a plan.

That plan for the past 15 years was to build bicycle infrastructure. We've done a great job at that and continue to do so. The plan included encouragement initiatives like Bike to Work Day, Winter Bike to Work, Light up the Night, Commuter Incentives, Bike Library and others. There was very little education in the plan, though, besides pamphlets, a website and marketing initiatives tied to our encouragement efforts. And there was even less enforcement in the plan, as our police really didn't know where to begin to reign in the scofflaws.
I am hopeful that we are on the edge of a big change.
What happened in the process of writing the Bicycle Safety Education Plan is that we saw transportation planners talking with traffic engineers, educators and law enforcement officers about how to make this a safer bicycle community. They began asking questions about where and why bike/car crashes happen and how we can prevent them through engineering solutions, serious educational outreach and enforcement with an eye to educating all road users. This important change lays the groundwork for the development of a city bicycle program.
In its 2005 report, "Blueprint for Better Bicycling: 40 Ways to Get There," Portland's Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) identified several categories of cyclists. That report has been getting a lot of traction. We should make use of it as we roll out our new bicycle program.
BTA noted that 33 percent of people won't pedal, period. Either they are too young and their mother won't let them, or they are too old, too busy or just not interested. Another 1 percent are wild-eyed cyclists who will ride any time and 7 percent are "enthused and confident" (that's me and many of you, I presume). The important number here, though, is the remaining 59 percent of the population described as "interested" but "concerned." Call them a huge pool of potential bicycle riders.
If you talk with this group in Fort Collins, you will find people who express concerns such as "I don't know what to do when the bike lane finishes," or "I'm uncomfortable with the traffic in Fort Collins," or even, "it is simply not safe to bicycle in this town."
Portland addressed similar concerns by developing bicycle boulevards - think of them as bicycle thoroughfares - on neighborhood streets. They also hold frequent special bicycle events during which they close streets to automobiles to let residents experience riding without fear of cars and to help them create new mental maps of how to get around the community. And they adopted innovative techniques to slow traffic, educate motorists and bicyclists and promote bicycling.
Education is a big part of this new direction. Let me know if you or your business would like to help.

A Little History of the Fort Collins Bike Library

2011-02-24T14:03:00.000-08:00

When the Bike Fort Collins Bike Library management team, headed by Jeff Morrell, then President of the Board, was preparing the kiosk in Old Town Square in the late summer and fall of 2008 they found an artist ready to paint a mural. It was modeled after the famous Perfecta bicycle poster by the Czech artist, Alphonse Mucha. After some deliberation a few members of the board of Bike Fort Collins prevailed on having the mural cancelled. The argument against went something as follows:

"Women have struggled for centuries to be considered the equals of men. The bicycle played a role in that struggle. Indeed, Susan B. Anthony, that stalwart crusader for the emancipation of women, said in 1896 that she thought the bicycle had “done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world.” The mural scheduled for the bike library kiosk reminded us of the 1880s idea that women are beautiful and men ride bicycles.

Several members of the Board of Directors of Bike Fort Collins prevailed and the mural was cancelled. In its place today is an 1880s penny farthing.

(For a hand made oil portrait of the original click here.)

Cyclists should set the pace for being a good example

2011-02-21T06:20:00.000-08:00

By Rick Price, Ph.D.
First Published in the Coloradoan February 21, 2011

I sometimes hear from readers who think I focus too much on the rights of bicyclists and not on their
responsibilities.

As one reader recently wrote: "I am totally against the buffoons who do not follow the rules, cross the
street against traffic without the signal, cross in front of traffic just because there is a small break in
traffic, wear dark clothing on a dark street after dark, cyclists without lights" and so on.

I agree. So here's one for the "buffoons" out there. If you know one, please pass this along.

Dear fellow bicycle rider:

The Washington, D.C., Area Bicyclist Association, or WABA, adopted a New Year's resolution making
2011 the Year of the Bicycle. They invited every bicyclist in D.C., Maryland and Virginia to sign the
following resolution:

In 2011:
> I resolve to be a more responsible bicyclist.
> I resolve to better respect the rights of other road users.
> I resolve to make a good faith effort to better follow the law.
> I resolve to yield to pedestrians.
> I resolve to help make bicycling safer and easier for all of us.

The resolution was signed by 757 cyclists. That's not many.

Admittedly, WABA had some pushback from its membership. Not everyone agreed to sign the ride
responsibly petition. One member said he could not "imagine how WABA thinks it is going to change
cyclist behavior on these points. This probably will happen about the same time motorists never exceed
the speed limit by a single mile per hour or always signal when they are changing lanes."

When I teach bike safety to kids in local schools, we talk about rules. Even the kindergartners understand
the concept of rules of the road and agree it would be tough to have a football game where one team is
required to follow the rules and the other is allowed to make up their own. They agree this game wouldn't be fair (or fun) for anyone.

So, fellow cyclist think about this as you run that red light or as you race past pedestrians ("walkers"
as the kindergartners call them) in the crosswalk: As minority road users and as the more vulnerable
road users, we need to bite the bullet and set the example. Maybe by adopting these resolutions we
will inspire motorists to join us in practicing correct rules of the road, like yielding to cyclists when we
"take the lane" because it is too narrow to share, coming to a full stop at stop signs on the commute
to work, not exceeding the speed limit, signaling when we change lanes and watching for bikes when
pulling out of alleys, driveways and secondary streets and when opening car doors.

As for those on sidewalks and trails - pedestrians are the more vulnerable users. They have the right
of way. Always. Even the kindergartners understand that rule.

Vote for or against the WABA resolution in the side column of this blog (at the top of the column).

Saving Fort Collins' Bicycle Coordinator - A Little History (October 2005)

2011-02-12T10:45:00.000-08:00

In October 2005 a City Council seeking to save money was prepared to cut the small allocation of funds for the City's Bicycle Coordinator's position. Those funds could be used to create a right turn lane on South College Avenue, it seems.

The fledgling organization, Bike Fort Collins stepped in to rally the troops. Bike Fort Collins President and Co-founder, Rick Price, sent the following message to an ad-hoc mailing list.

From: Rick Price
To: rick
Date: Oct 28 2005 - 5:02pm

Bike Coordinator or No Bike Coordinator?

First of all you need to know that the approximately 200 e-mails that our City Council received before their Oct. 11 meeting were the most messages Council has EVER received on ANY issue. It made an impression. Though not a big enough impression.

Last Tuesday night City Council defeated a proposal for funding of the Bike Coordinator's position by a 4-3 vote. This week there have been discussions among some council members about funding a possible part-time position or funding a volunteer position of some type.   So it looks as if they may take this up again at their next meeting, almost certainly for the last time for a year or two.

Many of you have expressed concern with continuing the current Bike Coordinator's position in SmartTrips.   I share your concerns. But I think we should still push for a part-time position, at the very least, that might be housed in Transportation Planning and NOT in SmartTrips.

Here's why:

1) Funding history for the Bike Coordinator functions have been (numbers are approximate):
    2003 - $200,000
    2004 - $120,000
    2005 - $65,000
    2006 - 0    (proposed)
    2007 - 0    (proposed)

2) In 2006 the Transportation Dept. will revise and update the entire bicycle portion of the Master Transportation Plan. A Traffic Planner will be assigned to this at about half-time. Because of budget cuts this update will be done entirely in-house without the assistance of consultants as has been common in the past. The planner will not have time to carry out grant writing and funding efforts to assure Fort Collins gets its fair share of Federal tax monies which are already flowing and which is very competitive.

3) All functions of SmartTrips relative to Bike to Work month, the Freewheels program, the Commuter Coach program, Bike Rodeos at Schools, and Educational Outreach to schools, businesses or others will end.

4) The chance of retaining our League of American Bicyclists Silver Medal as a Bike Friendly Community in 2007, when it will next be evaluated, is slim without a bike coordinator.

Here's what we'd like to ask your help with:

Making the case that it isn't fair to the community, to our kids, or to cyclists in town to shut this program down cold turkey without giving a group like the Friends of the Fort Collins Bicycle Program, Inc. (OR any other group) a chance to step in and take it over. We'd like a liaison, ombudsman, planner, PR person, or someone funded at least part-time to work with us as we take on the functions of the Bike Coordinator.

Call to Action

1) Send a message to your own or to all City Council members imploring them to reconsider at least a half-time position to be placed in the Transportation Planning office to help with the update of the bicycle transportation plan and to act as a liaison to the bike community to help as they assume roles as volunteers that SmartTrips has played in the past.

If YOU send a message and if YOU can get ONE friend to send a message, we'll get our message across. Write it from the heart this time.
(This should make 400 messages this time.)

2) If one in ten of you can come to the meeting Wednesday at Council Chambers, 300 West LaPorte AND bring one friend a few of us will speak and try to convey the same message.   This would mean we'd have over 40 people at the City Council meeting.

Thanks for your efforts!
Rick Price on behalf of Bike Fort Collins

How did it turn out? About thirty citizens turned out to express support for the Bicycle Coordinator's position. Council began debate and Council Member Ben Manvel moved to allocate $44,000 for a half time position. As the vote unfolded everyone move to support the motion, including all four who had voted against
it two weeks before.

The rest is history, as they say.

Should we Train Fort Collins Police in the Principles of Vehicular Cycling?

2011-02-09T04:57:00.000-08:00

First Published in the Fort Collins Coloradoan Feb. 7, 2011

My favorite story of the law and bicyclists in Fort Collins is of the time 1½ years ago, when a Fort Collins police officer stopped the then-National Collegiate Cycling champion and issued a warning for what the officer thought was an illegal left turn.

The national champion, experienced bicycle commuter and experienced bike handler was headed to work on North College Avenue, turning north from the right-most left turn lane on Cherry Street. The officer handed him a pre-printed form from www.Colobikelaw.com. The form explained how a cyclist should make a left turn by keeping to the far right, crossing with the light and repositioning himself on the far right side of the intersection to await the through light.

The officer didn't realize that the form he handed out mentioned two other legal left turn options available to the cyclist, one of which includes the use of the left turn lane, the choice of this expert cyclist.
The option identified by the police officer is the technique that we teach 12-year-olds, inexperienced cyclists or anyone in a busy intersection. At Cherry Street and College Avenue, there are two left-turn lanes, and experienced cyclists should use the right-most left-turn lane, which leads them right to the bike lane as they complete the turn.

Other oft-repeated anecdotes among cyclists are those involving officers responding to minor bike-car crashes in which the officer asks the cyclist, "Would you like me to file a report?" The correct answer to this question in all cases is, "Yes, absolutely." But this is a question that shouldn't even be asked in a bicycle community like ours.

Since 2007, the San Francisco Police Department has used a 10-minute training video to instruct police officers on the rights and responsibilities of bicyclists. Produced in cooperation with the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, the video informs officers that cyclists should avoid the "door zone" near parked cars and that cyclists should take and "own the lane" on narrow streets. The video further clarifies that bikes belong in traffic, not on the sidewalk. The film explains that officers are required to file an incident report when cyclists report aggression by a motorist or any time a bike-car crash results in injury or property damage. Officers should not dissuade a cyclist from making such a report.

Pueblo and Longmont have done, or are doing, similar trainings. League Cycling instructors in Fort Collins could conduct trainings with Fort Collins Police Services. It would take just 20 minutes to show officers the film, "Bikes Belong In Traffic - SFPD Training Video," available on www.youtube.com, followed by a brief question and answer session. That should be enough to address recent revisions to Colorado Bicycle Law, dispel "safe" bicycling myths, explain what to expect from safe cyclists and identify dangerous bicycling behaviors in Fort Collins.

When can we start?

Wake up, Fort Collins! Boulder is Introducing B-Cycle Bike Share Program

2011-01-28T19:41:00.000-08:00

Denver has one and so do Austin, Chicago, Des Moines, Hawaii, and Louisville. Boulder is getting one this spring and, unfortunately Fort Collins' "bike library," will likely be left in the dust. Maybe this is what innovation is all about. The first City to introduce a formal bike share program clings to its fossilized, unsustainable dinosaur so long that it misses the boat entirely.

And to think, that the President and CEO of B-Cycle, that state-of-the-art, automated, sustainable bike sharing program is a Colorado State University graduate!

This just in from Marni Ratzel, the Bicycle/Pedestrian Transportation Planner in Boulder.

"GO Boulder" announces the opening of modern "B-Cycle" the program started

GO Boulder to host open house on B-cycle bike share program

The City of Boulder/GO Boulder will host a public open house to introduce Boulder B-cycle and its community bike-sharing strategy on Tuesday, Feb.1, from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Municipal Building Lobby, 1777 Broadway.

At the open house, GO Boulder and Boulder B-cycle will solicit public input from the community on the bike-share concept including proposed station locations. Members of the public are welcome and encouraged to drop in anytime during the open house. For those interested, Boulder B-cycle will give a presentation at 5 p.m.

“This Boulder grown bike-share system will be designed to make it even easier for Boulder residents, employees and visitors to get around town without a car,” said Transportation Planner Cris Jones. “We would like to know what the community thinks of the initial strategy so we can help Boulder B-cycle be as successful as possible.”

Boulder B-cycle will use the public input to finalize the program and bike-share station strategy. The program is set to go live in May 2011.

Boulder B-cycle is a local non-profit formed by Boulder residents to own and operate Boulder’s bike-sharing program. The City of Boulder/GO Boulder is supporting Boulder B-cycle with a $250,000 federal grant.

For more information about the bike-share program, visit Go Boulder and B-Cycle Boulder. Follow GO Boulder on Twitter @BoulderGOBldr and

What is Your Smart Cycling IQ?

2011-01-15T15:22:00.000-08:00

First published in the Fort Collins Coloradoan December 20, 2010

The Bike Co-op’s “train-the-trainer” program will train sixty or more community members in the basics of smart cycling in the next several months. Why don’t you join us? Determine your Smart Cyclist IQ by taking this quiz (answers are near the bottom).

1) If you pass a pedestrian while bicycling on a sidewalk or trail you should: a) yield; b) emit an audible signal before you pass; c) moderate your speed; d) all of the above.

2) The most important measurement in fitting a standard diamond-frame bicycle to a rider is: a) rider weight; b) wheel diameter; c) crank length; d) stand-over height.

3) Colorado law requires that cyclists ride as far right as: a) possible; b) practicable; c) they feel safe; d) none of the above.

4) How many feet in advance should a cyclist signal his or her intention to turn right? a) 20; b) 40; c) 80; d) 100.

5) A properly fitted helmet should be worn: a) tilted back to protect the back of the head; b) level, covering the forehead, with the chin strap loose; c) tilted back to protect the back of the head, with the chin strap tight; d) level covering the forehead, with both the ear straps and the chin strap tight.

6) What gear combination is easiest to pedal up a steep hill? a) small chainring and large rear cog; b) Large chainring and large rear cog; c) small chainring and small rear cog; d) large chainring and small rear cog.

7) Optimum cadence for long-distance cycling is from: a) 25 – 50 rpm; b) 50 – 75 rpm; c) 75 – 95 rpm; d) 100 –125 rpm

8) What is the minimum width, in feet, of a car lane that can be safely shared by a bicycle and an automobile side by side? a) 20; b) 12; c) 14; d) 18.

9) Which of the following statements is true? Bicyclists are considered pedestrians when they a) choose to ride against traffic; b) ride their bike on a sidewalk or trail; c) are crossing the street in a pedestrian crosswalk; d) are walking their bike.

10) A white front light on a bicycle should be visible for how many feet ahead? a) 100;

b) 300; c) 500; d) 700.

Answers: 1) d; 2) d; 3) c; 4) d; 5) d; 6) a; 7) c; 8) c; 9) d; 10) c.

If you missed only one or two questions you should consider helping the Bike Co-op teach this material. Smart cycling is more than knowing the answer to these questions, though. Join us for hands on practice to learn bike handling skills in Fort Collins traffic in January or February. One Saturday class and the free online course at www.BikeEd.org will make you a smart cyclist and qualify you to help with our Youth Skills Bicycling 123 program. For more information and to sign up for a class visit http://www.signupgenius.com/go/traffic4.

Let’s Take Bicycle Scofflaws to School, not the Woodshed

2011-01-13T10:37:00.000-08:00

First published in the Fort Collins Coloradoan Dec. 6, 2010

My friends at the Poudre Wilderness Volunteers use a technique described by CSU Professor George Wallace as “calling on the authority of the resource” to try and convince people to respect the environment. A similar strategy might work to get scofflaw cyclists to respect the rules of the road: passers-by in Old Town could advise them that riding their bike on the sidewalk is inappropriate, or law-abiding cyclists could remind wrong-way riders that “we just don’t do that” in Fort Collins.

The problem is that unlike an encounter with a hiker on the trail it’s hard to have a quiet conversation with a scofflaw bicycle rider. So we need to get those bicyclists into a room where we can talk to them. How do we do that?

Most adult bicyclists are also motorists. They know to stop at stop signs, obey the speed limit and not drive down the street the wrong way. But just as some motorists roll ever-so-slowly through stop signs on quiet neighborhood streets, most cyclists are lax about respecting the rules of the road. They think that some rules aren’t really important, that they don’t apply to them at that particular moment and that the consequences of disobeying the law are minimal (which is often true).

So all we need to do is enforce the law, right? Unfortunately that’s not likely to happen under the current system. Over a six-month period ending in September Fort Collins police issued 176 citations for bicycle violations. Roughly half were for riding on the sidewalk in Old Town and most of the others were for running stop signs and lights. Three tickets were for riding without lights at night after the cyclist was already stopped for running a stop sign. Even if we increased these numbers ten-fold we’d collect enough in fines to hire half of a police officer and we would have alienated a lot of cyclists.

A “diversion program” for bicyclists who get tickets might be more effective. Tempe and Tucson, Arizona have done this as have many university towns in California. The idea is to “divert” scofflaws with tickets from the court system by putting them into a classroom. As explained by the highly respected Victoria Transport Institute “such programs are popular because they emphasize safety rather than punishment and help develop cooperation among police, parents, and bicycle safety advocates. Scout troops, school groups and parents often voluntarily attend the safety workshops.”

Diversion programs are often operated with increased police surveillance for a brief period, as at the beginning of the CSU semester in August, when several hundred tickets might be issued. The ticket is waived when the bicyclist attends a two-hour bicycle safety class. Such a program might be just what we need to get people talking about how to be safer bicyclists and better community members.

Rule of the week: Use the right-most lane that serves your destination.

Teach Your Child to Balance first, Then to Balance and Pedal

2010-12-01T20:23:00.000-08:00

This is a great way to teach your child to ride a bike without training wheels.

The ABC Quick Check is an Important Pre-Ride Safety Check

2010-12-01T12:09:00.000-08:00

If you are in the habit of riding every day you do this check automatically as you ride. But if you don't ride daily, run down the ABC checklist before you ride to be sure you have air, brakes and to see that your drive train (chain, crank and cassette) are all properly working.

Before you start - do you know the parts of a racing bike? Answers are at the bottom of this post.

Do you have a routine to check your bike for mechanical safety? The ABC Quick Check of your bike’s fitness should be followed before each ride. Timely bicycle maintenance can prevent a serious crash.

A is for Air, Check tire pressure
Tires should be inflated to the rated air pressure noted on the sidewall (pounds/ square inch). Check inflation with a tire pressure gauge. While checking the pressure take a moment to check for damage to the sidewalls and/or tread. Damage to the sidewall is common if the brakes are not adjusted properly. If the tire casing is showing through the tire tread, the tire should be replaced.

B is for Brakes, Check the brakes for:
Pad Wear and Adjustment by visually checking the brake pad. If there is less than 1/8” of rubber showing at any place, replace the brake pad. Make certain that the pads are parallel to and aligned with the side of the rim when applied. Cable and housing - Watch to make sure the cables travel smoothly and the cables are not frayed. Frayed cables should be replaced. If the cables stick, apply lubrication at the ends of the housing and work it in by applying the brakes until it feels smoother.

C is for Cranks, Check the Cranks
When you do this check, you are checking the bottom bracket, the crank arms and chainrings. To do this check, take the left and right crank arms in your hands and attempt to move them sideways. If both move, you have a loose or worn bottom bracket. If only one moves, the individual crank arm is loose and must be secured. Never ride with a loose crank arm.

Quick is for Quick Releases
Your bike may have quick release (QR) levers holding the wheels to the bicycle. QRs feature a lever on one side and a nut on the other. Check to ensure that the wheels are clamped securely in the drop-outs before each ride. To clamp the quick release, first pull the lever open. Make sure the wheel is firmly in the drop-out (the interior of the fork end in front or frame in the rear.) Open and close the QR lever with your left hand while gradually tightening the adjusting nut with your right hand in a clockwise direction. Tighten the nut until you feel resistance on the lever at the point when the lever is parallel to the hub. Grip the fork and use the palm of your hand to close the QR lever. Always lift the lever up first to close it, never just rotate or spin it closed.

Check is for a brief, slow ride to check that your shifting and everything else is working properly.

Many items of the ABC Quick Check can be accomplished visually; others require a brief minute to physically check. If you determine that adjustments are necessary and beyond your ability, enlist the help of a mechanic at your local bike shop. There are additional bicycle maintenance issues that must be addressed on a weekly, monthly or annual basis to keep your bike in top fitness. These include lubricating the chain and checking that the headset is properly adjusted. It is also a good idea to become attuned to mechanical abnormalities that may happen while riding, such as rattles, soft tires or looseness in your bike’s components, such as grips, pedals or bolts.

Parts of the Bike Identified

1.   Saddle
2.   Seat post
3.   Seat stay
4.   Brake
5.   Rear derailleur
6.   Chain stay
7.   Chain
8.   Cranks
9.   Pedal
10.   Front derailleur
11.   Seat tube
12.   Down tube
13.   Top tube
14.   Stem
15.   Headset
16.   STI dual function brake and shift lever
17.   Fork
18.   Wheel rim
19.   Tire
20.   Tire valve

The ABC checklist is modified from the League of American Bicyclists Traffic Skills 101 book.

Take the online Traffic Skills 101 course and test free here: www.BikeEd.org

Avoiding the Door Zone: How Far to Ride Away from Parked Cars

2010-11-29T13:17:00.000-08:00

This video features Preston Tyree, Education Director at the League of American Bicyclists, at Colorado State University demonstrating how far we need to ride from parked cars.

Traffic Signs 2 - More Resources for Kids to Make a Traffic Rules Book

2010-11-19T08:04:00.000-08:00

See the post just below this for ideas on how to have your kids make a rule book for walking and riding in traffic.

Ride with Traffic - Have your Kids Make a Book!

2010-11-19T07:51:00.000-08:00

Younger children understand rules. Have your K through 3rd graders make their own book about rules for bicycling and walking. You can print these signs out and have them cut and paste, then draw or write the rule for each sign. Two 8 1/2 x 11 inch sheets of paper folded twice and cut will form a 16 page booklet. Use more sheets of paper as necessary or fold them only once - five sheets make 10 pages. But you know these tricks!

The point is, have your kids "own" these concepts:

Go with the flow: no wrong way riding
Yield to Pedestrians
Stop at stop signs
Watch for red lights
Watch for slippery spots on the road
Watch out for railroad tracks

Bicycling at Night

2010-11-18T18:49:00.000-08:00

You need a front light and at least a rear reflector and reflectors to the side visible for 600 feet to be legal at night. I use 3 blinky lights in the rear and a very bright front light. But there are other features that really help you to be visible at night. They are:

1) A retro-reflexive bead on your tire. I use Schwalbe Marathon tires on my winter commuter bike. They have a 3/8 inch reflexive bead that really stands out as you see by the photo below.

2) Never mind the reflexive striping on my jacket. Although it helps, these photos were taken with a flash, hence the bright reflection. When you are riding in urban areas at night most cars have their low beam lights on so the reflexive tape won't show so much. But reflexive material below your saddle is quite visible. The photo below shows just how important it is to have pedal reflectors and pant straps that are reflective. In fact, these two items are probably twice as important as the reflective tape on the jacket. As I pedal, the reflectors on my feet and legs bob up and down and scream out to any car coming up behind me as long as they have their lights on!

The jacket is a bomber jacket from Alert Shirts. $44.95 on sale. Check them out at this link.

Portland Pushes the Envelope for Bicycling: Bike Boulevards Become Greenways

2010-11-13T19:49:00.000-08:00

This is a great new video from Streetfilms.org by Clarence Eckerson, Jr. that says everything about how, if we can't create separated bikeways or cycle tracks, let's make friendly bicycle streets or "greenways," out of our neighborhood streets so bicyclists, pedestrians, skaters, skate boarders, and everyone else can enjoy them without the automobile dominating everything. That is what Portland is doing as a part of their campaign to achieve 25% bicycle trips. Simple traffic calming techniques, like speed bumps, and even simpler ideas like "changing the orientation of nineteen stop signs" on NE Going St. in Portland to facilitate the flow of bicycles seems like a no-brainer. Surely we can do things like this in Fort Collins.

Portland's Bike Boulevards Become Neighborhood Greenways from Streetfilms on Vimeo.

The Cyclists Eye View

2010-11-09T15:28:00.000-08:00

This is a good video for adults, high schoolers and even middle school kids. The League of American Bicyclists packages this film on its DVD for League Cycling Instructors and I've used it in teaching brief introductory classes to Drivers Ed Instructors on "how to drive around bicyclists."

Produced by the Los Angeles Bicycle Coalition and the City of Long Beach, Featuring League Cycling Instructor, Chris Quint from Long Beach.

NHTSA's Ride Smart, It's Time to Start

2010-11-09T15:03:00.000-08:00

This is an earlier version of the NHTSA video on helmet use that we used in Spring 2010 for many of the Snap 'n Strap Helmet Programs for 3rd graders in Fort Collins, Colorado. The video is good for k - 5th grade. Used with an egg or melon drop in a helmet the kids get a kick out of this.

Overview of Bicycle Crash Data and Why We Should Teach Bicycle Safety to Kids

2010-11-09T08:52:00.000-08:00

Below is an overview of the nature and severity of bicycle injuries among children and the value of helmet use for children. This "overview" is the preface to a comprehensive survey of thirty bicycle safety training programs around the U.S. undertaken in 1998 by the Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center at the University of Washington in Seattle. The overview, posted below, provides an excellent survey of a full range of first generation bicycle safety programs. Many of these programs have evolved in 2010 to become state-of-the-art training programs across the U.S. I've included links to just a few here:

Effective Cycling (League of American Bicyclists): now "Smart Cycling" bicycle education program

Travis County (TX) Super Cyclist Program: Now Texas Super Cylcist Program Statewide in Texas

Bike Ed Hawaii: still called Bike Ed Hawaii Program

Florida Traffic/Bicycle Education Program

The following post is from

Training Programs for Bicycle Safety

September 3, 1998

by the

Washington Traffic Safety Commission

Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center

Authors are Frederick P. Rivara, M.D., M.P.H. and Jane Metrik, B.S.

Downloaded 11-9-2010 from http://depts.washington.edu/hiprc/pdf/report.pdf

Overview

Each year approximately 800 bicyclists are killed and as many as 500,000 require emergency room care for injuries. More than one third of all bicyclist deaths occur among youth ages five to 20, and 41% of non-fatal injuries occur to children under the age of 15 years (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1997). Nationally, bicyclists ages 14 and under are at five times greater risk for injury than older cyclists (NHTSA, State Legislative Fact Sheet, 1998). Fatality rates (per million population) for ages 10 to 15 were the highest at 6.46, followed by ages 5 to 9 at 4.58. Similarly with injury rates, children 10 to 15 years old are by far the most vulnerable age category of all age groups (Fatality Analysis Reporting System, NHTSA, 1996). In recent years, injuries to older teens and young adults have accounted for a larger portion of the total. The proportion of pedalcyclists between the ages 25 to 64 involved in crashes that resulted in fatalities was nearly twice as high in 1996 as in 1986 (46% and 25%, respectively).

Washington State was estimated to have 712 total traffic fatalities in 1996, which included 14 (2%) pedalcyclist fatalities (Fatality Analysis Reporting System, NHTSA, 1996). In Washington state, there are approximately 1700 police reported bicycle injuries involving collisions with motorists each year. Over 60 percent of these injuries involve

bicyclists who are 15 years or older. Bicycle injuries are nearly as frequent in the state as pedestrian injuries.

While the majority of bicycle injuries do not involve motor vehicles (MV), collision with vehicles markedly increases the likelihood of serious injury. In the largest study of bicycle injuries conducted to date, investigators at the Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center (HIPRC) found that MV accounted for 17 percent of all bicycle related

injuries, but increased the likelihood of severe injury by nine fold (Thompson et al, 1996).

Prevention of bicycle injuries can be approached through the use of bicycle helmets, educational programs to improve riding behavior and safety, educational programs aimed at motor vehicle drivers, and environmental changes to decrease the likelihood of bicycle-motor vehicle collisions.

Helmets

Head injuries account for one-third of emergency room visits, two-thirds of hospitalizations, and three-fourths of deaths involving bicycles. Helmets have been shown to be extremely effective in decreasing the risk of head injuries. Rigorous studies indicate that they reduce the risk of head injuries by 85%, and brain injuries by 88% (Thompson, Rivara, and Thompson, 1989). All types of helmets appear to be effective, and they appear to work as well in collisions which involve motor vehicles as they do in falls or other crashes without MV involvement. They work at all ages. In addition, they decrease the risk of injuries to the upper and mid-face by as much as two-thirds.

Although helmets have been determined to be the single most effective way of reducing head injuries and fatalities resulting from bicycle crashes, only 18 percent of all bicyclists wear bicycle helmets (Traffic Safety Fact Sheet, NHTSA,1998). Thus, there is a need for an education program that will increase the knowledge about helmet use and effectiveness. The program developed by the HIPRC has been successful in increasing helmet use from 2% in 1986 to over 50% in 1996. However, use is low among teens and may have decreased in all age groups in the last 2 years.

Other community based bicycle helmet programs have been successful. A common thread to all of them is that they are community-wide, multi-faceted and long term. Nevertheless, many of these educational programs appear to reach a plateau in their effect at about 50% helmet use. Another type of intervention, not mutually exclusive with educational programs, is legislation. NHTSA (1997, p.2) maintains that, “...the enactment of laws requiring the use of bicycle helmets, along with education and visible enforcement, is likely to be the most promising way to increase bicycle helmet usage.” Unfortunately, attempts at getting legislation passed in the state have been unsuccessful over the last 5 years.

Bicycle Safety New York Style - How Wrong Way Riding Works in NYC

2010-11-06T14:15:00.000-07:00

Middle Schoolers love this video of a wrong-way rider in New York City. So it's a great way to grab their attention for a discussion of what wrong way riding means for rules of the road. (It is also a great example of extreme restraint in what might have been an opportunity for bike on pedestrian or pedestrian on bike rage).

Some kids won't automatically process what happened here. So walk them through this after they've watched the video a couple of times.

1) Why was the bike messenger riding down the street the wrong way? (Because he can? Because it's NYC? Because the cops can't be bothered to stop him? Because motorists make way, etc.
2) Why didn't the pedestrian look left, then right, then left before crossing? Because it was a one way street and traffic was coming only from the right (so he thought). Just the reason why you don't want to ride your bike down the street the wrong way - motorists aren't used to looking for vehicular traffic coming from the left.
3) From here move into general rules of the road. Video number 4 (posted in this blog with a complete set of videos) "Ride with The Flow of Traffic"does a great job of following up on this with any age rider. For the complete list of videos click here.

NHTSA Bike Safe, Bike Smart Film for Middle School Age (9 Minutes)

2010-11-05T13:09:00.000-07:00

This is a great film for middle school students and even 4th and 5th graders.

Become a Fort Collins Master Cyclist!

2010-11-04T14:49:00.000-07:00

Become a certified “Smart Cyclist”

Volunteer to Teach Fort Collins’ Youth

Smart Cycling Skills

Fort Collins’ Master Cyclists are experienced cyclists with a passion for “smart” and “safe” cycling. They want to share that passion with the community. Smart cycling is vehicular cycling, also known as “utility cycling” for those who believe that bicycles are a valid form of transportation, especially for short trips to work, to run errands and for recreation. Above all Master Cyclists share their passion through teaching others, speaking to groups, and conducting youth skills bicycle workshops.

Fort Collins’ Master Cyclist program was started by the Bike Co-op in conjunction with the City’s Safe Routes to School Program. The ultimate goal of the Master Cyclist program is to help Fort Collins’ PE teachers teach smart cycling skills to school children, their parents and teachers.

As a Master Cyclist you will undergo a state-of-the-art training developed by the League of American Bicyclists (LAB). Instruction is conducted both online and locally by League Certified Instructors (LCIs). Upon completion of the program you will be certified to conduct youth skills courses (“bike rodeos”) and to teach cycling skills to children under 10 and those 10 to 14 years old.

The training program is FREE for those who agree to volunteer with the Safe Routes to School Program. You need only provide your bicycle, helmet, gloves and a water bottle.

This training program is the same program that local PE teachers, after school program providers, wellness coordinators and parent volunteers will be taking.

Master Cyclists learn:
   1. The principles of vehicular cycling
         1. Where to ride on the road to be safest and most visible
         2. How to “drive your bike” like a car
         3. The correct use of bike lanes and sidewalks
         4. Rules of the Road

   2. Essentials of riding for beginners, including
         1. Correct procedures for starting, stopping, mounting and dismounting
         2. Straight line riding
         3. Scanning, signaling, merging and turning
   3. Selection and use of appropriate equipment
         1. Bicycle type, size and proper fit
         2. Helmet use and the importance of helmets
         3. “ABC Quick Check:” bike maintenance and diagnostics
         4. Efficient cycling: where bike fit, maintenance, and skills come together
   4. Teaching cycling skills to children under 10 (and the importance of reaching their parents)
   5. Teaching cycling skills to children 10 to 14
         1. How crashes happen and how to avoid them
         2. The law as it relates to bicycles and more rules of the road
         3. Hazard avoidance
   6. Laying out a bicycle skills course (“bike rodeo”) and conducting youth skills classes
   7. Practice:
         1. On the road
         2. On the trail
   8. Teaching techniques and bicycle field trips

Training for Master Cyclists involves the following steps:

1. Traffic Skills 101 – an online course offered by the League of the American Bicyclists. You can take this course at www.BikeEd.org. There is no charge for the course. This self-paced course provides the theoretical basis for most of the points mentioned above and takes 3-4 hours.

2. On-the-bike follow-up with a local League Cycling Instructor offers:
         1. Parking lot drills and basic handling skills
         2. Road rides teach lane positioning, speed positioning and offer practical examples of these.
         3. Special needs of children under and over 10 years of age
         4. Design and layout of a youth skills course (bike rodeo)
   3. Once you’ve completed the above you are a Master Cyclist “in training.

Participate in two youth skills courses in the Safe Routes to School program and you have completed your Master Cyclist training.
You receive your Bicycling 123 Youth Skills Certificate from the League of American Bicyclists.

Once you have completed steps one and two above you will have completed the Traffic Skills 101 class of the League of American Bicyclists. This is a prerequisite course for anyone wishing to go on to achieve their League Cycling Instructor (LCI) certification.   LCI certification is offered at weekend seminars around the country several times each year. You can read more about LCI certification and look for seminars that have been scheduled here: http://www.bikeleague.org/programs/education/seminars.php.

Safe Routes to School – Teaching our Children Smart Cycling Skills

Master Cyclists are a critical component of making Fort Collins a safe bicycling community.   As a participant in this program you will be encouraged to volunteer to help local schools offer bike skills classes as a part of PE classes, after school programs, and weekend events. Classes will be coordinated through a coalition of local community groups, including The Bike Co-op, the Bicycle and Pedestrian Education Coalition (BPEC), Poudre School District, and the City’s Safe Routes to school Program.

Time Commitment: Mandatory training of approximately ten hours plus commitment to assist with at least two school events within twelve months.

Qualifications:

    * Must be sixteen years or older
    * Must be an experienced cyclist able to demonstrate mastery of the skills and concepts in the class
    * Must pass a background check to work in Poudre Schools

Requirements:

    * Assist with two skills classes within twelve months of completing the program
    * Regularly work with program coordinator’s and report volunteer hours logged

Benefits

    * Become a smarter and safer cyclist
    * Help our children become safe cyclists
    * Meet people with similar interests
    * Be a part of making Fort Collins a friendlier and safer bicycle community
    * Take pride in knowing you are helping Fort Collins to become one of the top bicycle communities in the US (even more than it is!)

Application Process

1. Complete the online class at this link as soon as possible.

2. E-mail your final score from this course to education@fcbikecoop.org (cut and paste the page results with your name into your e-mail).
3. We will advise you of on-the-bike follow up classes this winter as they are scheduled.

Information: Rick Price, Ph.D., Safe Cycling Coordinator, Fort Collins Bike Co-op; education@fcbikecoop.org, (970-310-5238).

Bicycle Safety Videos on YouTube for All Ages

2010-11-04T05:38:00.000-07:00

Pueblo, Colorado's Safe Routes to School program has produced a series of ten videos for all ages demonstrating bicycle safety for school kids. The series was produced under the direction of League Cycling Instructor Kim Arline.

Topics include:

1.   Bicycle Safety: What is a Bike Train?
2.   Wear a properly fitting helmet
3.   Ride a Safe Bike
4.   Bicycle Safety: Be Visible
5.   Bicycle Safety: Ride With the flow of traffic
6.   Bicycle Safety: Ride Predictably
7.   Bicycle Safety: Sharing the road
8.   Sharing Multi-use Trails
9.   Walking/Biking Safety: Stay Alert of your Surroundings
10. Finding a route

You can view these on You Tube.

The videos were produced with a Safe Routes to School Education and Encouragement grant.   They play regularly on the Pueblo County and Pueblo City Public Access Channels. DVD copies are available.
Visit Pueblo Active Community Environments (P.A.C.E.) for details.

Turn Signals for Bicycles

2010-11-02T12:20:00.000-07:00

You are welcome to download or print this small poster for use in your classroom.

Illustration from the 2006 Oregon Bicycle Manual

Bicycle Helmets are Required in California and 20 Other States

2010-11-02T09:46:00.000-07:00

This post has posters for use by teachers in school to show proper fit for helmets.

Safe Kids Larimer County Bicycle Helmet Poster

Safe Kids Larimer County Helmet Poster -

View this poster in Spanish Helmet Handout in Spanish

The following link takes you to a full color, two-page poster used in California to promote mandatory use of bicycle helmets by those under 18. Note, this poster is a large file so be patient!

California Bike Helmet Poster (Mandatory Helmets were Rejected by the Colorado State Senate in 2010)

Keep Your Guard Up -Especially in a Bike Lane

2010-11-01T08:32:00.000-07:00

First published in The Coloradoan, Nov. 1, 2010
by Rick Price, Ph.D.

Bike lanes serve a useful purpose in encouraging new cyclists to take up cycling and in making many of us feel comfortable bicycling in traffic.

They can give cyclists a false sense of security, though. On narrow streets with parked cars, bike lanes often invite cyclists to ride in the "door zone" where a car door might open unexpectedly. This happens on Mason and Howes streets in Fort Collins. On those streets, I ride just to the left of the bike lane to avoid the door hazard. On Mountain Avenue or Remington Street, however, the bike lanes are wide enough to ride in most of the time. There, I ride just inside the bike lane and am still far from car doors.

Novice cyclists often think, incorrectly, that they can use a bike lane for travel in either direction. These novices don't understand the danger with wrong-way riding. Drivers entering a street across a bike lane aren't used to looking to the right for bikes. This, in part, makes wrong-way riding the single biggest cause of car/bike crashes nationally.

Right-turning motorists are another problem with bike lanes. Motorists violate traffic laws when they turn across a bike lane since the law states clearly that "both the approach for a right turn and a right turn shall be made as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway." This means that as a motorist you should merge into the bike lane and make your turn from there after yielding to any bicyclists in the lane just as you would yield and merge right into a right-turn lane before making a turn.

Photos: The top photo shows a bike lane on South College in Fort Collins where motorists are invited to cross the bike lane with dashed lines to get into the right turn lane. The bottom photo shows a situation on Laurel Street in Fort Collins. Here the bike lane all of a sudden jumps left eight feet putting the cyclist in the right turn lane unwittingly. The lack of dashed lines delineating where motorists should cross the bike lane is confusing for both cyclists and motorists on Laurel St. on the north side of the Colorado State University campus.

Having a car use a bike lane as a turning lane contradicts what most people believe to be correct, including cyclists, who think that the bike lane is for their exclusive use. It is, most of the time, but not in the case of right-turning motorists.

So what should cyclists do when confronted with a right-turning motorist in "their" lane? Since cyclists are not required to ride in the bike lane, the safe behavior is to either stop or merge left into the travel lane to continue straight through the intersection. This is a little dance that cyclists and motorists must do as they negotiate bike lanes.

LaPorte Avenue will soon go on a "road diet," reducing it from four to two travel lanes. Bike lanes will be added as will a center left-turn lane. Transportation Board members asked if the bike lanes would be striped with dashed lines for right-turning cars. The answer was no, but board members suggested that the lines delineating bike lanes should be dashed where cyclists can expect right-turning vehicles to cross their path. This offers a warning to cyclists that cars may enter the bike lane here.

So get out and ride, but don't let your guard down just because you are in a bike lane.

Mulberry Pool will Stay Open if We Pass Item 2B on the Ballot Tuesday!

2010-10-29T08:24:00.000-07:00

City Council Member David Roy sent the following e-mail to me Thursday evening, Oct. 28, 2010

This little girl just found out that Mulberry Pool will stay open IF referred item 2B to increase the Fort Collins City sales tax passes Tuesday, Nov. 2nd!

Good evening;

There are 5 full days to go before the Fort Collins City Council election on November 2nd. I am sending this e-mail to urge those of you who may not have made up your mind yet about supporting 2B to do so; I am sending this e-mail to urge you to do what I am doing, and send a message to folks, reminding them to vote, and to support 2B.

I have been on the Fort Collins City Council for 8 years and 3 months - it has been a privilege. But during that time, I have been a party to cutting 24 million dollars from our budget, and having to choose to eliminate 150 positions from the City of Fort Collins organization.

As City Council gets ready to vote for the 2011 and 2012 budgets, we have in front of us another 4.5 million in cuts for 2011, and 5.1 million in cuts for 2012, and at least another 50 positions eliminated. 2B is a way to stem these cuts in services, services that add to the basic quality of life in Fort Collins. 2B supports Police, Fire, Parks, and other items that differentiate Fort Collins from so many other communities in this country.

The attachment is the soapbox I wrote in support of 2B, and the link is to the Keep Fort Collins Great! web-site.

A handful of votes could make the difference in this campaign - and those votes just might come from people you know - heck, 1 of them could be yours.

In five months, I will be off of the City Council - but Mary Jo and I are planning on living here the rest of our lives. Please join me in supporting 2B, and in doing that something extra that moves the needle, makes success possible, and keeps Fort Collins great.

David Roy

Vote Yes on 2A, 3A and 3B for our Kids and to Make Bicycling Safer for Everyone

2010-10-26T14:42:00.000-07:00

Published in the Coloradoan Oct. 18, 2010

Kids learn to ride bicycles through practice and over time they learn good habits. But if they ride little or aren’t allowed to ride, they don’t develop those habits. We see them, then, as college students, running stop signs, riding off the sidewalk into traffic and riding the wrong way down the street.

It is time to help our children develop smart cycling habits, especially in Fort Collins. With that goal in mind the Bike Co-op is launching an effort this month to educate every school child from kindergarten through 8^th grade in Poudre School District (PSD) in the basics of bicycle safety. The program will unfold over the next three years but it begins this fall with at least four schools and a goal to train every PE teacher in Poudre School District to become a bicycle and pedestrian safety skills instructor.

This is very different from other programs in our community to date. This program aims to create a corps of bicycle youth skills instructors in Fort Collins that can sustain a bike safety education program over time. It’s about capacity building, human resource development and self-sufficiency.

We need your help on this project. We need parents and Parent Teacher Organizations to get involved. And we need business partners interested in helping with both monetary donations (for helmets, bikes, and more) and in providing volunteers who can give us a little time to learn the basic skills necessary to teach kids safe cycling.

If you are interested in helping with this project please contact the Bike Co-op today either through PSD’s “Share It” volunteer web site or by writing education@fcbikecoop.org. Learn more about this program at brown-bag lunch meetings conducted by the Bike Co-op at noon on Thursday, Oct. 21^st at The Group, 2803 East Harmony and Tuesday, Oct. 26^th in the Community Room at Home State Bank, 303 East Mountain Ave. in Old Town.

There’s one more way you can help. Money Magazine dropped Fort Collins from number two to number six as a desirable place to locate a business this year because Poudre School District eliminated 139 teacher positions. We’ve seen this with our safe cycling program through PE teachers who have been reduced to 40% or even 20% full time.

So we need your help in voting to restore funding to our schools with a yes vote on issues 3A and 3B. This will allow the District to maintain existing schools, close or consolidate those that are ineffective, and replace teachers that have been either released or placed on reduced teaching loads.

Also on your ballot is referred initiative 2B which adopts the first City sales tax increase for basic services since 1982. With this modest increase of our sales tax we are hopeful that the City might fund the bicycle safety education program that is currently being written. As the saying goes, “it takes a village . . . “

Fort Collins Bike Library History: Bike Library Proposal Oct. 1, 2007

2010-10-17T20:01:00.000-07:00

The archives reveal the original Bike Library Proposal written by Rick Price, President of Bike Fort Collins on Oct. 1, 2007. This is pretty interesting for the vision it reveals.

Purpose: Community bike programs, also known as “bicycle libraries”, lend bicycles out for the short, medium and long term at little or no cost to community members and visitors who might otherwise utilize an automobile. Our primary goal is to reduce vehicle miles traveled, traffic congestion, and improve air quality in Fort Collins by offering a free, easy to use bicycle library program for daily trips in Fort Collins.

How it works: It’s similar to a regular City library, but instead of checking out books, you check out a bike. Bicycle libraries are easy to locate and become a member. A person interested in participating in the bicycle library can sign up at any bicycle library station. To become a member of the bicycle library all you need is one form of identification, like a driver’s license, state ID, passport, or green card. After the member’s information is recorded to the bicycle library database, they sign a physical one-time insurance waiver. After which, members are able to check out a bike for as short as an hour or for as long as one week at a time. Members can borrow or return the bike at any of the bicycle library stations throughout Fort Collins.

The bicycle comes fully equipped with bike lights, a lock, basket, and snap on fenders in the event of inclement weather. Should the bicycle encounter any mechanical difficulties beyond a flat tire, an emergency phone number will be provided to aid the bicycle library member.

Fort Collins Bicycle Library Administration: The Bicycle Library program will be administered by BikeFortCollins.org (Friends of the Fort Collins Bicycle Program, Inc.), a local bicycle advocacy group dedicated to implementing the Fort Collins Bicycle Program Plan. BFC will administer the program website, bike maintenance, marketing and promotion. Program budget and monetary appropriation will be regulated and monitored by the City of Fort Collins Transportation Planning Department.

Background: The Bicycle Library Program has precedents in Fort Collins with the “Freewheels” Bicycle Library administered by the City’s Smart Trips program from 2003 to 2006. The Freewheels program was eliminated when the entire Smart Trips program ceased 2005.

As of last year, the Colorado State University student-run “RamWheels” program developed a small scale bicycle library program with an inventory of twelve bicycles. Both of the above programs set precedents for existing and past community bike programs. The Choice City Bike Library Program proposed here will build on these precedents with the following differences:

1) Unlike Freewheels, which was administered by City of Fort Collins employees, the Choice City Bicycle Library will be administered by the citizens’ group, BikeFortCollins.org. BFC will be able to address problems encountered by Smart Trips, such as, available staff to track and maintain the fleet of bicycles.

2) The Choice City Bicycle Library will cooperate with “RamWheels”, providing bicycles as needed, and assisting to inventory, deploy, and repair bicycles. The merging of both programs is highly likely in the future.

Website Functions: Each bicycle library station is equipped with an internet fed computer monitor. The universal website: (www.ccbikelibrary.com) allows an “administrator” at each station to record the member’s information and to check out or return a bicycle. Bicycles can be tracked via website and will offer details on which member has which bicycle. Library members can also access the website to find out if bicycles are available at specific stations and will have the option of reserving a bicycle for future use. This web based reporting mechanism will also make it easy to track overall “loans” when it comes to reporting the program participation rates.

Bike Maintenance and Emergency Rescue: The Fort Collins Bike Coop, an organized, volunteer driven cadre of bicycle mechanics has officially joined forces with BikeFortCollins.org. This group will be the backbone of emergency response system as well as keep track and maintain the fleet of bicycle library bicycles.

Bicycle Library Stations: Library stations will be located at local businesses, Colorado State University, City transit centers and parking facilities, traditional libraries, local hotels, the Colorado Welcome Center, and the Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Target demographics and scenarios:

Employees of Large Businesses: employees of local businesses who need to do local errands around town will have access to specific “employee bikes.”
Visitors to Fort Collins: Instead of renting a vehicle, visitors will have the option of burrowing a bicycle for the duration of their stay on Fort Collins. Local hotels such as the Marriot, Hilton, and Armstrong hotels will have the capability of checking out bicycles for visitor use.
CSU Conferences and Students: Thousands of visitors attend conferences at CSU each year. In cooperation with the student run “RamWheels” program, visitors and students will be able to utilize bicycles for transportation in Fort Collins.
Regional Commuters: This gives Park n’ Ride another meaning. Commuters who work in Fort Collins, but live elsewhere can park vehicles on the edges of the City and use bicycles for local transportation to and from workplaces.
Everyday Citizens: Any Fort Collins citizen can burrow a bicycle for transportation throughout Fort Collins. This will work especially well for financially constrained citizens.

Program Marketing Techniques: It will be impossible not hear of the bicycle library program. Apart from the bicycles themselves ever present in the community, advertisements in local publications, marketing materials located on strategic websites and actual physical locations, program word of mouth, newsletters, and radio support will all fuel public notification and encouragement of project/

Partnerships: This project will bring together at least 9 different stake holders or groups of stakeholders in Fort Collins to create a community bike library program.

The stakeholders in this program include:

The City of Fort Collins Transportation Planning Department:: as it seeks to reduce traffic congestion and to improve air quality in the urban growth area;
Colorado State University: as it seeks to mitigate congestion and parking problems on and in the vicinity of campus and the student-run RamWheels bicycle library program;
Downtown Development Authority (DDA): whose mission it is to build public and private investment partnerships that foster economic, cultural, and social growth in the Fort Collins central business district;
BikeFortCollins.org (Friends of the Fort Collins Bicycle Program, Inc.): a local bicycle advocacy group dedicated to implementing the Fort Collins Bicycle Program Plan;
Fort Collins Bicycle Collective: a cooperative whose goal is to inspire and support the bicycling community in Fort Collins by facilitating access to bikes, parts, tools and technical expertise;
Local Business Sponsors: including participating Fort Collins bicycle shops, New Belgium Brewing, through its philanthropy outreach grants, and Recreational Equipment Incorporated (REI) through their Community Grants Program;
Local Hotels: whose guests may seek bicycles as an alternative to automobiles for short stays in our community;
Local Businesses: that would like to keep a bicycle on loan permanently at their place of business as an alternative to using an automobile for short errands.
The Fort Collins Convention and Visitors’ Bureau: whose mission is to provide services to visitors of City of Fort Collins.

Bicycle Library Examples: A survey of bicycle library programs around the U.S. suggests that the physical and social geography of Fort Collins lends itself to the successful introduction of such a program here. Most successful programs are in university communities. Notable examples include:

Ø Arcata, California: http://www.culturechange.org/library-bikes.html

Population: 17,000

Student population: 7,500

Bikes in circulation: 300

Program: Arcata Community Bike Program

Ø Moscow, Idaho:

Population: 22,000

Student population: 11,700

Bikes in circulation: 400 bikes deployed, many through the campus international students organization.

Program: Bike Loan Program

Ø Iowa City, Iowa:

Population: 63,000

Student population: 29,000

Bikes in circulation: 300 bikes (50-60% university related)

Program: Iowa City Bike Library (http://www.bikelibrary.org/)

With a population of 130,000 and a student population of about 25,000, Fort Collins lends itself perfectly to the introduction of a comparable bicycle library program. The Choice City Bicycle Library will strive to make this program self-sustaining through donations, grants, fund-raising activities, and volunteer efforts by 2010.

Teaching Children Bicycle Safety in the Netherlands

2010-10-17T09:41:00.000-07:00

In the Netherlands children have been required to take a "driving test" on bicycle safety for decades. According to the video below 200,000 children a year take this test before going on to high school where they will encouraged to ride their bicycles to school.

Interestingly, these kids aren't wearing helmets. What's the lesson there?

Check out the YouTube site for more videos by this same producer on bicycle safety in the Netherlands.

Fort Collins Proposes Automated Bike Share System for 2013

2010-10-14T10:54:00.000-07:00

FC Bikes & Transfort Automated Bike Share System
Transportation Planning (David Kemp)
CMAQ $175,000 Local Match $37,000
This proposal includes the implementation of three automated bike share facilities at each of
Transfort’s transit centers: Downtown Transit Center, Colorado State University Transit Center,
and South Transit Center. This proposal is targeted for 2013. Each automated bicycle share
station will include a sheltered facility accommodating 15-20 bicycles per station as well as self
operated touch screen kiosks. Automated bike share facility users will be able to self-check out a
bicycle from the facility. Strategically located at each Transit Center, this multi-modal
program/facility will encourage local and regional commuters to utilize transit and bicycle
transportation means. Source for this project include the Transportation Master Plan, Bicycle
Plan, and Transfort Strategic Plan.
Federal Funding Request: $175,000
Proposed Funding Source: CMAQ
Local Match: $ 37,000
Sources for Project: TMP, Bicycle Plan, Transfort Strategic Plan

Source: North Front Range MPO (downloaded Oct. 14, 2010)

At the bottom of that page click on downloads, 2010 CMAQ Project Abstracts (Oct-6-10) and you’ll find all the projects submitted as abstracts in the region.

Fort Collins Submits Preliminary Requests for Bike Coordinator Funding, 2012-2015

2010-10-14T10:11:00.000-07:00

FC Bikes Program – 2012 – 2015
Transportation Planning (David Kemp)
CMAQ $625,000 Local Match $110,000
The Bicycle Coordinator will expand and refine the FC Bikes programmatic scope of work to
encourage people of all ages and abilities to ride bicycles for transportation purposes. Expansion
of the FC Bikes program includes creating new encouragement and education outreach efforts,
collaborating with local public & private partners as well as surrounding communities to share
best practices with respect to encouraging bicycling, creating encouragement and education
programs specific to the universities and community colleges in the region, and working closely
with transportation and urban planners to plan for safe and efficient bicycle facilities. Evaluation
is also included and will consist of bicycle counts, participant surveys, and follow-up data.
Sources for this program application include the City of Fort Collins’ Transportation Master
Plan, Bicycle Plan, Air Quality Plan, Climate Action Plan, and the North Front Range
Metropolitan Planning Organization’s Regional Transportation Demand Management Plan.
Funding Request: $625,000 (total for four years, breakdown: 2012: $150,000; 2013: $200,000;
2014: $150,000: 2015: $125,000
Proposed Funding Source: CMAQ
Local Match: $285,000 (total for four years, breakdown: 2012: $40,000; 2013: $40,000; 2014:
$90,000; 2015: $115,000)
Sources: Transportation Master Plan, Bicycle Plan, Air Quality Plan, Climate Action Plan, and
Regional TDM Plan.

Source: North Front Range MPO (downloaded Oct. 14, 2010)

At the bottom of that page click on downloads, 2010 CMAQ Project Abstracts (Oct-6-10) and you’ll find all the projects submitted as abstracts in the region.

Tax Increase Will Give us Safer Streets for Cycling - Vote Yes on 2B

2010-10-06T04:50:00.000-07:00

Published Oct. 4, 2010 in the Fort Collins Coloradoan

In 1880 the League of American Wheelmen (now “Bicyclists”) began the “Good Roads Movement” to promote better roads in rural areas for recreational bicyclists. Farmers initially balked at funding new roads but businesses found that good roads promoted commerce so they supported the movement. Farmers eventually joined and when the automobile came along all these groups allied to promote better roads for their mutual benefit.

In Fort Collins today we face a similar situation. Motorists, business owners and cyclists (who are also often motorists) need to rally the vote in favor of initiative 2B to increase our city sales tax so we can maintain the excellent transportation system that we have built over the last 30 years.

Well maintained streets and trails are critical to promote safe bicycling. Who would allow their kids to bicycle to school if they have to swerve into traffic to avoid potholes? Or who would commute to work by bicycle if they got frequent flat tires from glass and debris in the bike lane?

Poorly maintained bike lanes promote illegal and unsafe behavior. If bike lanes aren’t plowed people resort to riding on the sidewalk or the wrong way down the street. (Note the adjacent photo: This is Lake Street on the Colorado State University Campus; the east-bound lane is poorly plowed but because the west-bound lane gets some sun and is clearer, students choose to pedal the wrong way down the bike lane.)

I look across Spring Creek to the Spring Creek Trail on winter mornings. This trail is a major bicycle commuter route. After a snow storm at 6 a.m. the Parks and Recreation Department sweeps the trail, and shortly thereafter, the bicycle commuters appear. If the trail weren’t swept of snow cyclists would have no alternative but to ride on busy Shields or Drake Streets, Prospect Road and Centre Avenue to get to work or school. Many would abandon their bikes and begin driving a car.

Seniors enjoy our trails year round. On sunny winter days, even though there is snow on the ground and on streets, senior cyclists and others can ride the Spring Cr. Trail to the Poudre River Trail and then west to Old Town while walkers and joggers have access to natural areas and nearby neighborhoods.

Our situation is pretty clear: we have built an infrastructure through thoughtful, hard work of citizens and City staff that allows us to be called the healthiest metropolitan area in the nation (Gallup Poll, March 2010). We are one of the top twelve bicycle friendly communities in the US (League of American Bicyclists, 2010). And we are one of the top six places to live in the country (Money Magazine, 2010).

Without revenue, the City will begin to cut back on services like plowing and sweeping bike lanes or trails. We’ve already been advised that the Parks Department will lose two million dollars.

As a member of the City’s Economic Advisory Commission I see statistics and I hear regular reports that validate Forbes’ ranking of Fort Collins as the fourth best small metropolitan area in the US to locate a business and to build a career (2010). Businesses locate here because of the great City we have built. Let’s keep it that way. Please vote yes on initiative 2B.

Bike Crashes Get Spotty and Inconsistent Coverage in Coloradoan

2010-09-24T07:06:00.000-07:00

On Saturday afternoon, Sept. 18 Alex Guerin either hit a car or was hit by a car on Shields St. near Elizabeth. Here's the report from the Coloradoan on Tuesday, Sept. 21:

"Alex Guerin is in fair condition after he was hit by a car while he was riding his bike on Shields Street near Elizabeth Street on Saturday afternoon.

According to police, Guerin, 19, was riding his bike while carrying a skateboard when a Honda pulled in front of him. Guerin, who was not wearing a helmet, crashed, police said. The incident remains under investigation."

Then on Friday, Sept. 24 the Coloradoan further reported:

“No charges will be filed in connection with an accident that injured a CSU student who was riding his bicycle Saturday afternoon when he collided with a vehicle pulling out of a drive-way onto Shields Street near Elizabeth Street.

Alex Guerin, 19, who was not wearing a helmet, is unable to remember what happened before he collided with a car driven by Gregory McCauley, 26, of Fort Collins, said Rita Davis, police spokeswoman. Investigators have determined Guerin should have been able to avoid the collision, she said.”

The initial report of this crash clearly says that Guerin "was hit" by a car. The follow-up report suggests that Guerin "collided" with a car. So who hit whom?

The fact that no citation was issued suggests that this was truly an "accident" that could not have been avoided. Yet, a car pulling out of a driveway onto Shields sounds like a "failure to yield" infraction to me.

I'll see if I can get a copy of the police report to follow up further.

Sharrows Will Make Cycling Safer in Old Town

2010-09-21T04:56:00.000-07:00

Smart Cycling Column by Rick Price

Fort Collins Coloradoan, Monday, Sept. 20, 2010

Bicyclists often ask me what to do when the bike lane ends, such as when riding east on Mountain Avenue or Oak Street into Old Town.

The answer to the question is take the lane. Any of those streets that have on-street parking and no bike lane require you to act as a vehicle (since you are, anyway, by law) and take the center of the lane. You are safer there because you are more visible and should assert the basic principle of first come, first served. The car behind you will have to wait, as it would for another automobile poking along looking for parking.

Many people don't feel comfortable with this solution. I am pleased to announce that relief is on the way, at least on Mountain Avenue.

At its August meeting, the Bicycle Advisory Committee, a sub-committee of the city's Transportation Board, heard a report from transportation planner Scott Weeks that sharrows are being planned for Mountain Avenue from Meldrum Street to Riverside Avenue. This is great news for those of us who pedal to Old Town from the west.

The 2004 Strategic Plan for Old Town noted that "discontinuous east-west bicycle routes in and out of Old Town make it extremely difficult for cyclists from west side neighborhoods to get to downtown for work or entertainment." The plan further commented that lack of signage and visible connections "make bicycle commuting a poor alternative" for those who work downtown.

So what's a sharrow? It is a contraction of "shared lane arrow." It is a large bicycle stencil with arrows or chevrons painted in the center of the lane indicating where bicycles should be for safety purposes when there is no bike lane. It renders clear to motorists that they can expect to find bicycles in the travel lane.

Sharrows are used principally in communities where streets are too narrow for bike lanes. Boulder has sharrows, as do Oregon cities Portland and Eugene. They have become standard markings in many California cities, including Berkeley, Long Beach and San Francisco. Long Beach has even painted a wide green stripe down the travel lane indicating where bicyclists should position themselves. Some members of the Bicycle Advisory Committee encouraged our transportation planners to do something similar.

Sharrows are just another means of asking motorists and cyclists to share the road. They serve an important educational purpose by pointing out that it's OK for bikes to pedal down the middle of the lane where they are more visible, won't be hit by cars backing out of diagonal parking and where they avoid the door zone of cars parallel parked along the road.

Some of us on the Bicycle Advisory Committee would like to see sharrows on all east-west streets into Old Town. We feel they would make Old Town much friendlier for bicyclists and motorists.

Sun-Blind Drivers can Kill

2010-09-11T13:19:00.000-07:00

Published in the Fort Collins, Coloradoan "Smart Cycling" column

Sept. 6, 2010

By Rick Price

Even though 95% of bike crashes can be avoided, we all know that “stuff happens.” Like the night I knocked a Colorado State Patrolman on his back in the middle of North Overland Trail at Vine Drive. I didn’t see him until my forearm hit him in the gut. He was on his back in the middle of the road in the blink of an eye.

The investigation, which took a week, determined that I was blinded by the flashing lights of the police cruiser parked in the bike lane. The officer was standing next to his cruiser with no flashlight and no reflective material on his dark blue uniform. I was absolved of any wrongdoing in the crash because of the “blinding lights.”

There are a number of lessons here but the biggest one is this: watch out not to be blinded by bright lights and this time of year be especially careful of sun-blindness when driving your car or bike.

(See the link to the story by Keri Caffrey that accompanies this photo at the bottom of this post. Do you see the cyclist in the picture?)

Sun-blindness often occurs in Fort Collins within six weeks each side of the equinox (September 20^th or 21^st) especially within an hour after sunrise and before sunset. It is a big issue on east-west streets. And it can kill. The same conditions exist before and after March 21^st but fall is far worse because the weather is still warm and kids, including college students, are bicycling to school in large numbers.

Amanda Miyoshi was bicycling to Fort Collins High School on Sept. 11, 2007. As she crossed Horsetooth Road at 7:30 a.m. the young 17 year old driver headed east didn’t see her until it was too late. Amanda was wearing a helmet yet she suffered a traumatic brain injury from which she is still recovering. The sun rose that day at 6:37 a.m. and was no higher than three and a half-fingers above the horizon, using the boy scout method of calculating the sun’s position by holding your arm out and measuring the number of fingers between the horizon and the sun.

Fourteen year old "SiSi" Mijiddorj was crossing Drake Road and was hit by an east-bound SUV at 6:43 a.m. on Aug. 20, 2009. The sun had risen less than thirty minutes earlier. At the time of the crash the sun would have been about two fingers above the horizon. The SUV driver never saw her. SiSi died that evening.

Cyclists and motorists should be very careful on east-west streets this time of year, especially in the morning but also in the evening. During morning hours motorists should slow down and be aware that cyclists and pedestrians are headed to school. Cyclists should stop before crossing arterials and walk across them if necessary. Use sidewalks if you must and be aware that motorists simply may not see you if they are blinded. Another option is to change your route: use the trails or use neighborhood streets where trees cast shade and cut back on the possibility of sun-blindness.

(For a great illustration of how the sun can render a bicyclist invisible check out this blog post by Keri Caffrey: "The Blinding Sun ")