Drinkin' and Bikin': What Does The Law Say?

Well, Brendan kinda threw down the gauntlet a couple posts ago, asking, "What the hell is up with your laziness, my fellow beatbikebloggers?" I had meant to write another in my series of "why we should always ride bikes" posts, extolling the virtues of riding home in the summer nighttime after a few drinks (especially after going to see "Wanted" ("an ultra-violent shoot-'em-up with Angelina Jolie, her many tattoos, and some guys") and spiking your extra-large coke with a lot of rum), but then I decided it would be more useful and servicey for our readers (of whom we have one in India, another in Germany, and one in Puerto Rico!) if I answered an important and related question: Is it illegal in Connecticut to ride your bicycle under the influence of intoxicating liquor? It’s the sort of question you’d like to have a lawyer handy for, and I am a lawyer, so here we go:

There is no law that says it is illegal to operate your bicycle under the influence of an intoxicating liquor. In fact, there isn’t that much in the Connecticut General Statutes about bike riding. I put some key highlights at the bottom of this post. The only thing in the law that makes me think they might get you for drunken biking is in Section 14-286a: “Every person riding a bicycle, as defined by section 14-286, upon the traveled portion of a highway shall be granted all of the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of any vehicle subject to the requirements of the statutes relating to motor vehicles, except as to those provisions which by their nature can have no application . . .”

Now, that tends to suggest that if car drivers have a duty not to drink while driving, bikers do too (although, on the flip side, you could argue that “duty” means things like signalling turns, and that the whole notion of “operating a motor vehicle” just can’t apply to bikes). Some courts have considered this, but they haven’t come to a uniform conclusion: A Superior Court judge ruled in 2007 that a guy who was found to be riding a moped while drunk could not be convicted of DUI because the moped didn’t have enough ccs to count as a motor vehicle (which would suggest a similar outcome for a bicycle, which has no motor at all). On the other hand, a different judge ruled in a 1993 civil case that the bit I quoted above about cyclists having all the duties of drivers means no drunk biking. Of course, that was a civil case, so the interpretation of criminal law wasn’t really the point. And that’s it - no further guidance from the legislature or the courts.

So, as your blog-o-lawyer, here’s my advice to you:
1. If at all possible, don’t ride your bike when you’re drunk (here's a random blog post that breaks it down nicely);
2. If you do ride your bike while drunk, follow all other applicable traffic laws so as to lessen the likelihood you’ll be stopped - this includes the use of a front light and rear and side reflectors at night. (You also have an affirmative duty to administer help to any dog you strike while riding your bicycle on a public road and to attempt to contact the dog’s owner.);
3. If you are stopped, don’t submit to a breathalyzer test! Only operators of motor vehicles have to do that;
4. For the love of god, don’t consent to a search of your bag or pockets. James Madison didn’t die at the hands of the British Redcoats so that some police could make a mockery of the Fourth Amendment! In fact, James Madison wasn’t killed by Redcoats at all, but still, it’s foolish to consent to a search.

Bike Law Highlights
Sec. 14-286. Use of bicycles and bicycles with helper motors. Regulations re bicycles on bridges. Use of high-mileage vehicles. (a) Each person operating a bicycle upon and along a sidewalk or across any roadway upon and along a crosswalk shall yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian and shall give an audible signal within a reasonable distance before overtaking and passing a pedestrian. Each person operating a bicycle upon a roadway shall within a reasonable distance give an audible signal before overtaking and passing a pedestrian or another bicycle operator. No person shall operate a bicycle upon or along a sidewalk or across a roadway upon and along a crosswalk if such operation is prohibited by any ordinance of any city, town or borough or by any regulation of the State Traffic Commission issued or adopted pursuant to the provisions of section 14-298.

. . .

"bicycle" includes all vehicles propelled by the person riding the same by foot or hand power or a helper motor;

. . .

Sec. 14-286a. Rights, duties and regulation of cyclists. (a) Every person riding a bicycle, as defined by section 14-286, upon the traveled portion of a highway shall be granted all of the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of any vehicle subject to the requirements of the statutes relating to motor vehicles, except as to those provisions which by their nature can have no application and except that each town, city or borough and the State Traffic Commission within its jurisdiction as provided in section 14-298 shall have authority to regulate bicycles as provided in section 14-289 and said section 14-298, and except as provided by section 14-286c. No parent of any child and no guardian of any ward shall authorize or knowingly permit any such child or ward to violate any provision of the general statutes or ordinances enacted under section 14-289 relating to bicycles.

(b) Every person operating a bicycle solely by hand or foot power upon and along any sidewalk or across any roadway upon and along any crosswalk shall be granted all of the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to pedestrians walking in such areas as provided by the general statutes, except as provided otherwise by any ordinance of any city, town or borough or any regulation of the State Traffic Commission issued or adopted pursuant to the provisions of section 14-289.

Sec. 14-286b. Operation of bicycles; attaching to moving vehicle prohibited; carrying of passengers, packages, bundles and other articles restricted; at least one hand to be kept on handle bars. Operators of roller skates, sleds, skateboards, coasters and toy vehicles prohibited from attaching to moving vehicle. Penalty. (a) Every person operating a bicycle upon a roadway shall ride as near to the right side of the roadway as practicable, except when (1) making a left turn pursuant to subsection (b) of section 14-241, (2) overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction, (3) overtaking and passing pedestrians, parked vehicles, animals or obstructions on the right side of the highway, and (4) when the right side of the highway is closed to traffic while under construction or repair.

(b) Persons riding bicycles upon a roadway shall not ride more than two abreast except on paths or parts of roadways set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles. Persons riding two abreast, as provided in this subsection, shall not impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic, and, on a laned roadway, shall ride within a single lane.

(c) No person riding upon any bicycle, roller skates, sled, skateboard, coaster or toy vehicle shall attach the same or himself to any vehicle moving or about to move on a public roadway nor shall the operator of such vehicle knowingly permit any person riding a bicycle, roller skates, skateboard, coaster, sled or toy vehicle to attach the same or himself to such vehicle so operated or about to be operated, provided any person operating a bicycle solely by foot or hand power may attach a bicycle trailer or semitrailer thereto, provided such trailer or semitrailer is designed for such attachment.

(d) No person operating a bicycle, as defined by section 14-286, upon a roadway, path or part of roadway set aside for exclusive use of bicycles shall carry on such bicycle a passenger unless such bicycle is equipped or designed to carry passengers, provided any person who has attained the age of eighteen years may carry any child while such person is operating a bicycle propelled solely by foot or hand power, provided such child is securely attached to his person by means of a back pack, sling or other similar device. The term "child", as used in this subsection, means any person who has not attained the age of four years.

(e) No person operating a bicycle, as defined by section 14-286, shall carry any package, bundle or other article which prevents such person from using both hands in the operation of such bicycle. Each person operating such bicycle shall keep at least one hand on the handlebars thereof when such bicycle is in motion.

(f) Violation of any provision of this section shall be an infraction.

Read more!

Courant feels same way about the bridge as I do

I hope the complete bridge looks like this.

There's an editorial today in the Courant about the Salmon Brook Bridge I keep talking about. As you can tell from the title of this post, the Courant and I share similar feelings about the bridge. I think it's pretty awesome that one will have the ability to ride over 40 miles without riding on a road. Think of the epic rides I can take with my mom and dad now! They have no excuse now.

Here's the complete editorial:

Happy Trails

July 15, 2008

The Salmon Brook Bridge looks like a go, and that's good news for hikers and bikers in the central part of the state.

The new bridge will replace a derelict 300-foot-long railroad trestle in East Granby. It will fill the last major gap in a 21.5-mile section of the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail. The new bridge will allow bikers and hikers to travel from Farmington through Avon, Simsbury, East Granby and part of Suffield to the Massachusetts line. Another seven-mile section is being paved in Southwick, Mass., so a trip of nearly 29 continuous miles will soon be possible.

With this section of trail completed, planners now look toward the completion of the entire 84-mile route from New Haven to Northhampton, Mass., along the path of an early 19th-century canal and a later railroad. Work in Westfield, Mass., will substantially complete the Bay State section; the major bottleneck in Connecticut is in Plainville, though advocates are hopeful some local routing problems can be resolved.

Completing the 21.5-mile section is a victory of persistence. The nonprofit Farmington Valley Trails Council, which has been working on the central part of the trail for 16 years, raised $70,000 to augment public funds to build the new Salmon Brook Bridge and spent years negotiating with the state Department of Transportation, which has been slow to embrace trails. With formal approval by East Granby officials, construction of the new bridge could begin as early as July 21.

The effort will be worth the trouble. The trail brings bicyclists through the centers of most of the towns, which means they can stop to shop or eat, or commute to work. The trail is immensely popular; it's not unusual to find cyclists from Massachusetts and Rhode Island as well as all parts of Connecticut.

The success of this trail should encourage local and state officials to finish other ones in the state. Trails are a source of exercise and fresh air. They can be used for bicycling vacations or short trips that otherwise would have been taken by car. They are much safer for children and adults than biking on the road. In short, they add greatly to the quality of life that is Connecticut's competitive selling point.

Copyright © 2008, The Hartford Courant

Read more!

Only ten days late! And two more things!

This is not Johanna's Masi.

At Will's behest, here's a fuzzy recap of the July 4 alley cat that went around Hartford.

Things started off optimistically. Johanna let me ride her Masi, so that I could go kind of fast. I ate breakfast and I was wearing clothes. The checkpoints were Stop & Shop, 1010 Wethersfield Ave, under the Founders Bridge, and Heaven. They weren't written in that order, but that's the order I went. The one interesting part was that you had to take a can to S&S, return it, and get the receipt. It wasn't a checkpoint with a person. Wait, no, two interesting things. TJ and a fellow, whose name I forgot, were both riding tandems (with people on the back, whose names I also forgot). At the start, their plan seemed to be to put their tandems on top of other people's bike. It was a good plan, but I thwarted them by moving my bike. Don't let it be said that I'm not crafty.

The race started and I headed to S&S from Evergreen by taking New Park and for reasons I can't understand, I was the only person besides TJ who decided to do that. I arrived at the grocery store first, only to find that all of the machines but one were full. Valdez, because he's fast at everything, showed up a little while later. Unlike me, right directly to the correct machine, while I was wandering around confused and was quickly out the door. I followed suit, left, and set off to Wethersfield Ave via Flatbush/Zion/New Britain/Webster/Benton. Things were still looking pretty good, until my left crank fell off.

I went back and got it. It's around that time that I remembered why you're supposed to ride with a tool. It's also when I remembered that two piece cranks are dumb. I pedaled with one leg for awhile and people passed me. TJ almost passed me, but then offered to pull me down Wethersfield Ave. It was very nice of him. He pulled me for about a half mile or so and we arrived at the checkpoint. I implored Lauren for a tool and offered her money. She misheard me and thought that I was trying to sell her my broken cranks. We resolved that and she lent me a hex wrench and I got the crank back on. There were still two more checkpoints and I sort of took my time. My issues weren't over, on Locust, my pedal detached from its spindle. It's easy to put back on, but it was yet another bizarre thing to fall off the bike.

No mishaps after that. I came in last for the one-man bike group. Valdez won. Then there was a party for TJ and the United States.

###

I can't remember seeing the fountain ever working this good.

Burr Mall, a high-ranking Hartford chill spot, is back in action. That elevated concrete across the street at the MDC is not far behind.

###

Should I wear capris, too?

Also, Cameron Diaz and I ride the same bike (more or less).

I'm sure it's old news, but I didn't know about it. I'm also withholding any comments about her playing bike polo.

Read more!

Are we losing our relevancy?

So, I was reading through our venerable blog this afternoon and it made me glum. Back in May and June we were posting constantly. Often, we'd have multiple posts in a day. It was great. Readership was increasing and everyone seemed to want to know about us riding around on our bikes. We've entered the doldrums of July, though, and the pace is really flagging. Has riding a bike become boring and un-newsworthy? I mean, I drove my car to work today! I went mountain biking on Saturday and had a good time, but I felt no desire to subsequently blog about.

So, what can be done? Am I the only one who feels this way or is this a problem facing all of the web-based amateur cycling journalism community? Are we suffering from bike fatigue (in the middle of the Tour de France no less!)? Does this post sound like Carrie Bradshaw wrote it?

Read more!

Hartford Hardcore reppin' in Rhode Island

Wow. Blue Shutters Beach is a long ride from Hartford! But a super short ride from Burlingame Campground...which makes me happy! really happy!

Anyways, I was camped out down there a few weekends ago and noticed the sticker and snapped a shot. I met a bunch of those guys one night whilst leaving Mad Dawgs post crit-mass feeling quite influenced. Hope to see y'all around and about again. Read more!

Bag Review

El Presidente de China recently loaned me a piece of schwag he received in his new role as unofficial Xootr/Manhattan Portage outreach guy. The item is an orange NY Bike Messenger bag from Manhattan Portage.

This bag is tough and waterproof. The toughness is obvious from the significant weight of the bag and a glance at the stitching. The ingenious part of the design is that the waterproof membrane is the inner lining of the bag, so it is protected from abrasions and rips by the cordura exterior. You could lay your bike down and skid to stop and this bag stands a good chance of remaining waterproof.

The closures on the bag are also tough, with strong velcro and buckles to close the flap on the main compartment. The shoulder strap doesn't come with a pad, but it will last for a long time as long as you don't let it get moldy or something.

I enjoyed using this bag, but I prefer my old knapsack. I don't understand how bicyclists prefer over-the-shoulder-type one-strap bags. It usually ends up swinging down off my back onto my side, where it throws my balance on the bike for a moment and gets in the way of my leg. Also, I like my knapsack because it has some closure-free exterior mesh pockets that I can access without taking it off my back. Most messenger bags don't have pockets like this. I know that these pockets might take away from the sleek, bombproof look of the messenger bag, but they are handy.

Overall, if you want a messenger bag, you can't go wrong with this NY Bike Messenger bag from Manhattan Portage.

And here is the rest of it. Read more!

Hand Signals, etc.

So, I was riding my bike down Farmington Ave this morning. It was pretty pleasant, no one was driving strangely. Then, a red Jetta that was behind me honked at me and passed me with about a foot and a half of room between me and their rear view mirror. I did what I always do in situations like that: I flipped him off.

Right after that, a gray Audi passed me at a much slower speed and gave me a lot of room. The driver of that car waved and gave me a thumbs up, I'm assuming for flipping off the Jetta. I waved back. It's nice to know that some drivers are on our side.

Some more silly stuff after the jump!

###

Another thing: has anyone but noticed that unlike the vast majority of national political blogs, blogs about local and municipal politics are extremely conservative?

Funny video

The hills of Connecticut this weekend

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Why we should always ride bikes: Childlike joy

If you're in Hartford or Bridgeport, the sort of cyclist you're most likely to see is utilitarian in the extreme: riding a squeaky, ungreased department store bike, hauling some large parcel, and looking more than a little beleaguered. In New Haven, the typical two-wheel pilot is an academic commuter type: oversized backpack, hand-me-down ten-speed, hurrying to somewhere and wearing a far-off look. And if you take to the suburban hills and dales surrounding our big cities, you find the roadies in full kit, gritting their teeth, checking their cyclocomputers, and generally looking as though the task of cycling was imposed on them as a punishment. All of this is fine: People should ride bikes to class and work and to carry large things to important places. If people get some kind of pleasure from serious road riding and wearing those absurd get-ups, well, god bless them. But there is another kind of cycling experience, of which I was reminded this weekend when I went to Cape Cod: unadulterated, childlike joy.

Provincetown, Mass., is overrun with bicycles, mostly beach cruisers and antique three-speeds, which live in guest houses, hostels, and bed-and-breakfasts and are ridden by whoever needs quick transit from one side of town to the other. The people doing the riding are on vacation, mostly, and are not serious cyclists. They don't worry about equipment or spandex or even seatpost adjustment - they just hop on and meander over to the next barbecue or drag show or whatever. And they look utterly delighted. Out for a little ride on Saturday, I must have crossed paths with ten people who were coasting gloriously down some hill, wearing those little half-smiles that people get when they remember a good joke or are especially happy. It reminded me (not that I really need reminding of this, but still) that being on a bike is just plain fun. Starting the day with a three-mile jaunt is about six bazillion times nicer than having a three-mile drive, and a little better than a three-mile walk, too. And it doesn't matter the bike or the shoes or any of that jazz - I rode almost 30 miles on Saturday on a cobbled-together three-speed that requires a special maneuver with the right heel to get into the highest gear, with squeaky front brakes and a less-than-ideal handlebar position, and at the end of it, I felt like a million bucks. Riding bikes is fun. Here's a video that is germane to this point:

Read more!

Good bridge news

Great news for those of you who want to cross the Salmon Brook bridge! I just received this email from the Farmington Valley Trails Council:

Dear Trail Friend,

Thanks to the truly extraordinary efforts of many dedicated people, construction is scheduled to begin on the Salmon Brook bridge during the week of July 21! This is an event we have all looked forward to and feared we might not see.

During construction, the trail will be CLOSED between Floydville Road and Hartford Avenue. While Hartford Avenue will be used as the main access for the construction, there will occasionally be equipment on Floydville Road.

We STRENUOUSLY encourage you to resist the lure of curiosity and stay away from the construction site because of the safety risks. Police will be monitoring the area, especially on weekends, but we really need everyone's cooperation on this issue.

We're certain you will understand and please SPREAD THE WORD.

Thanks,
Farm[i]ngton Valley Trails Council

So, there's the good news. But, don't hang out there because you'll get arrested. Also, be careful riding through Simsbury to get there, so as not to get injured by a poultry-based IED.


Read more!

I got baggage!

Its Wednesday! Delivery day! ARRGG! i wanna go back to sleep. My kayaking trip got rained out yesterday, so i got to drive into work this morning since i still had my van with me. otherwise, it would have been another early morning at Dunkin' Donuts trying to fit all this stuff in my bag. Anywho, here's an older photo showing my typical Wednesday morning cargo carrying commute! Read more!

"Heeeeey…..White People?!??" Critical Mass June 2008

The sweet, light rain really cooled things off a bit before blue skies began appearing along with the sun. Mother Nature appears to be down with the ride, good lookin’ out! The beat crew met up after work by the river to trade flyers, brews and bullshit a bit. We arrived at the Carousel to 20 people milling about; chillin’, meetin’, greetin’, hydratin’ and wrenchin’.


There was a floor pump courtesy of Dave and a few bikes were getting tubes swapped out and hubs debated. Rick! Another flat dude!?!?!? Super cool to see everyone helping each other out and sharing beta. Caresse's hands are blurry fast when she's working on a bike! Dang! Breck seems to be trying to pump with Jedi mind tricks whilst Dave handles the valves! Also super cool to see a banana seat! I really should have taken more photos, but this ride was just too much fun.

A few more riders arrived. Brendan returned from the portapotty. And then my dream came true… Critical Mass left for Keney Park! Woo-haa! There are a lot of lights between Bushnell Park and getting’ onto Main Street and we worked out the kinks of dealing with traffic lights. We quickly forked left on to Albany Avenue.


Yep, we took The Avenue!



Most everyone cheered and yelled as much as we cheered and yelled. One 'round the way dude looked up in honest bewilderment and a smile, “heeeeyyy…White People?!??!” We took a right onto Woodland and left on Greenfield. I corked the Woodland/Greenfield intersection and had a great conversation with a family in a mini-van, waiting at the green light for the bicycles to pass through safely as a group. I thanked them for waiting and keeping people safe and talked about the ride. I invited them to come next month and they seemed interested in coming! Right on! I saw them two more times with the pops giving us the thumbs up out the window. They were following us! I had a great time talking to drivers all along the ride and most were receptive, patient and super nice. The drivers of the North End were much friendlier than the drivers we encountered on last month's ride into West Hartford!


The ride through Keney Park was a mix of roads and car-free greenway. We saw the skyline of Hartford overlooking lush grass meadows, passed through dense forest and pedaled alongside a golf course. This is a great park. I always love spending time here on a road bike or exploring trails on mountain bikes. We didn't pass the pond and fountain though...this time.

We exited onto Rt. 159 and pedaled south on North Main, Windsor Street, left over the railroad tracks and crossed Weston Street; entering into the mess of traffic due to Pearl Jam and some jack-ass drivers. We got onto the riverfront via Riverside Park and continued south along the river to the Colt Building and Colt Park. Ahhh...riding along the river is always a good idea!


We passed the remains of the Virgin Mary Shrine and returned to Bushnell Park on Wethersfield Avenue.

more funny photos after the jump from the afterparty that happened afterwards, Read More!



After regrouping at the park the group split a few ways. We had already lost a few people needin’ to get to the concert and a few chilled in the park for a bit. A group stayed in the park and went to the Bushnell Park Café and another to Kenney’s (Red Rock Tavern) a few minutes away on Cap Ave. There’s some serious mileage of iron patio fence there, perfect for bike locks. The always-friendly Donnie keeps the show runnin’ smoothly and really makes sure everyone’s always got a smile on their face.


Check the reflection of the view of the skyline from our patio seats!


Check it. The rule of three people in a photo = weird shit continues!


I have absolutely no idea what the hell I am doing. Hi Joey Barber! I owe you a bell!


Brendan is a triceritops! And i just realized i never spelllchecked this before posting.

We really stepped things up on this ride as far as corking and Joel enjoyed sweeping and ensuring no one was left behind. Many others stepped up too! Thanks to everyone for making it such a great ride.


Read more!

Why we should always ride bikes: Beauty

I don't mean that bike-riding makes us beautiful, although my own sculptured physique may suggest that it does. Rather, bicycling has the most felicitous of speeds: Fast enough to be a useful means of transportation but slow enough to give the rider ample opportunity to appreciate beauty in all of the little ways it manifests itself. Case in point: Last night around 10:30, I was in the middle of one of my ever-more-frequent rides to Middletown to retrieve my car. On Willow Street in Wethersfield, I was riding past a dark open space somewhat lower than the roadway - maybe a ballfield or a swamp or pond - when I noticed a lovely green twinkling pervading the darkness below the horizon, sort of like those hundreds of flash bulbs you see going off in the stands during slow-motion replays of important moments in baseball games. Naturally, it was lightning bugs, which are not, per se, something worthy of comment. But honestly, I had never seen lightning bugs quite like this: When I was a kid, I would spend twilight at my grandparents' suburban house chasing two or three fireflies around the edge of the yard, tracking then in the growing gloom and trying to catch them in a jar (or in my hand, so I could smush them and smear their glowy stuff on me). But these bugs in Wethersfield were something else altogether: Thousands and thousands of them spread out over a quarter mile space, flashing and flashing without any concern for prowling kids or anything else, like the last sparkle of distant fireworks repeated over and over in an uninterrupted darkness. I think it was the first time since I was eight that lightning bugs inspired me with such unchecked wonder.

Sadly, my digital camera was completely unable to detect this little miracle, so all I can do is recommend that everyone take a bike ride south down Willow Street from Wells Road to Prospect Street in Wethersfield some summer night and look to the right. The sublime, quiet minutes you will spend contemplating fireflies are absolutely worth the trip. Read more!

Idiots

I don't know why this image quality is so bad, nor do I know why I decided to take a picture of my bike in front prayer flags. I hope no one makes fun of me.

I am angry. Some asshole stole the bag and light off the back of my bike last night when it was locked up in Will's back yard. If you see someone with a red light and a black Gary Fisher bag, which looks less pixelized than in this picture, do something not nice to them.

That aside, Critical Mass was a lot of fun last night. It actually kind of felt like a bike ride instead of a mass of people standing around confused at stop lights.
Read more!

The Scenic Commute

One sunny morning last week I took the East Hartford route to work and cruised the riverfront in between crossing two bridges. This is only slightly longer than my short commute and i get to ride along the river and avoid Wethersfield Avenue's traffic, potholes and prostitutes. Cap Ave, Bushnell Park, Constitution Plaza and over the Founders Bridge and down, around, under the overpass and over the dike, tight hairpin to the left to avoid i84 and yer all downhill to the riverfront. Then its just a sweet ride on the greenway next to all these great, big ‘ol river trees and of course the river itself.


Just after passing under the Founders I saw this massive horse. Freakin’ Huge!


Here’s some beta about President Lincoln, also a towering presence!



South of the boat ramp the trail weaves through trees whilst other hang over the river, trying to stay rooted into the eroding bank.

Two more photos after the jump! read more!






City line. Everything here is so clean and pretty.


A nicer shot of the city. Since none of these pictures were blurry, I thought slightly askew would suffice

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Rant: Faulty legal advice from a chump in a car

So this morning I was tooling my way to work from West Hartford when a guy started saying something to me as he drove by. I didn't hear him but his tone didn't sound aggressive, so when he stopped at a light and I caught up to him, I stopped and asked what was up. Here's the conversation:

Me: What's up?
Connecticut license plate 316 TEC: You're not allowed to ride in the street.
Me: Whaddya mean? Where am I supposed to ride?
CLP316TEC: On the sidewalk.
Me: Actually, the law says I am allowed to ride on the street, I promise you.
CLP316TEC: [drives off and turns onto the I-84 on-ramp]

Now, as a lawyer, I know better than to go around giving out legal advice to strangers. It's gauche and it's annoying. I also know better than to give out bad legal advice. So this guy's theory that I'm not allowed to ride on the street really irks me. Maybe he meant that I'm not allowed by him, in the same way that I don't allow most baseball teams to beat the Mets (and they frustratingly don't listen). But just in case he really thinks the law is on his side, or in case any of you other herbs out there think so, let me break it down for you:

Connecticut General Statutes Section 14-286a: Rights, duties and regulation of cyclists.
(a) Every person riding a bicycle, as defined by section 14-286, upon the traveled portion of a highway shall be granted all of the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of any vehicle subject to the requirements of the statutes relating to motor vehicles, except as to those provisions which by their nature can have no application and except that each town, city or borough and the State Traffic Commission within its jurisdiction as provided in section 14-298 shall have authority to regulate bicycles as provided in section 14-289 and said section 14-298, and except as provided by section 14-286c. No parent of any child and no guardian of any ward shall authorize or knowingly permit any such child or ward to violate any provision of the general statutes or ordinances enacted under section 14-289 relating to bicycles.

Got that, 316 TEC? Well, there's more. West Hartford, which is where you were when you tried to drop knowledge on me, actually forbids bicycle riding on many of its sidewalks but places no restriction on riding on any of its streets. (Don't believe me? Check here.) So thanks for the tip and everything, and thanks for being so polite about it (except for the driving-away-abruptly part), but shut the hell up. Read more!

The Sprawl (Debate?)

Sprawl is a constant consideration of mine and a frequent topic of the discussions found on this blog. This is for good reason, as many of the problems that concern us regarding the shortfalls and maladies of the city of Hartford can be directly attributed to this phenomenon which drew from the city so much of its vitality, energy, and population. Similarly, sprawl has also contributed to many of the environmental problems that inspire us the bloggers, and you the readers, to ride your bikes as much as possible in order to reduce traffic congestion, pollution, and our dependence on fossil fuels.

An editorial in the Courant today not only reminded me of many of these issues but also solidified my opinions of how intricately connected all of these problems are to one another. Reading the comment section (I know, I know a recipe for frustration) it is clear why these issues are so pervasive as so many people either deny, discredit, or simply write off these issues. However, if we are to stop sprawl and advocate an environment friendly towards alternative transportation we need to inform ourselves and challenge those that reject this reality. This includes the following reader who had this to say...

"Sprawl" is a commie term for people expressing their freedoms, and anyone who hates it is jealous, and is anti-American. Screw you, you long haired smelly hippy bastids who use the social-control term "sprawl". Jeff H.


There is, however, several glimmers of positivity in these posts, including the following...

"Associating smart growth with a communist mentality is paranoid in the extreme. Fortunately, more and more people in the Hartford area (and nationally) are beginning to see the wisdom of growing more sustainably. To reiterate, there is a wide gulf between forcing people to live, work and shop in certain places and encouraging them to transact their personal and professional lives where their impact on the environmental and geographic landscape will be most beneficial. As some of the previous comments indicate, some people need to be educated about the connections between land use, gas prices and climate change. To the extent that the Courant and the cognoscenti can provide the information that will help people make better choices, the path toward a more sustainable region will be more easily traveled."
David.

This blog is here to provide you with, or direct you towards this information. Take a look at the editorial and soak up some info.

P.S. A poster also provided this link, which while not about Hartford is well worth visiting and sets a worthy example: www.newhavensafestreets.org Read more!

R.I.P. George Carlin

I was going to write a post about riding at Mr. Washington State Forest this weekend with Johanna, but I just read that George Carlin died. That sucks. Too much death this year.


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On Superheroes

Sprocket Man was a creation of of the Consumer Products Safety Commission, designed to get the kids excited about bike safety (and spandex, presumably). I found him at the World's Worst Comic Book Museum, which is a great website.

On Saturday, Brendan and I, along with some other people at my house, got to talking about superheroes and their logistical dilemmas and policy choices. This is a matter that needs further reflection and the input of the interwebs. We were talking about how superheroes always operate in large cities (usually New York or some New York proxy) and how they're always concerned primarily with the Big Menaces (supervillains, meteors hurtling toward earth, etc.). Conveniently for them, the Big Menaces always get started or are soluble in big cities - and in fact, that's convenient for all mankind, because if Lex Luthor had decided to hatch his diabolical plots in Sioux City, Iowa, he probably would have totally flown below Superman's radar until it was too late, and then Superman's only recourse would have been to fly around the earth backward to reverse time, and he would have had to put up with flashbacks of Marlon Brando saying, "It is forbidden," which is tolerable if the reward is some R and R with Margot Kidder in her prime, but not so much when you're playing catch-up to keep California from getting sunk into the ocean or whatever.

What we wondered was, could Hartford have a superhero? How would this person effectively locate crime and vanquish it? Because even with surveillance cameras they haven't been able to find the people who ran over Angel Arce Torres, right? So what could a superhero bring to the table in that situation? Brendan was concerned that superheroes should know their beat intimately - one for the South End, one for the North End, etc. - because the social norms vary from community to community and you wouldn't want some masked avenger coming in the mix, misapprehending a situation, and causing more trouble than he solved (or getting arrested himself, which risk especially concerned Brendan). Would a network of neighborhood superheroes, working in separate jurisdictions but with constant communication and the ability team up as needed, be the right model for the Beat? Would they be called upon to be super in neighboring communities too small to maintain their own corps of superheroes, like Willimantic or Bristol? Given the large number of heroes needed to make this model work, would non-superpowered people with cool gadgets (a la Iron Man and Batman) suffice? This is a matter that needs some serious reflection in the comments.

Also, assuming we like the neighborhood-based, non-superpowered superheroes, is a bicycle a good thing for the job? On the one hand, it allows the hero to move quickly around the area while maintaining more maneuverability than if s/he were in a car. (Also, lower costs, nice to the environment, etc.) On the other hand, a superhero who can be effectively flummoxed by a flat tire or thrown chain is kinda lame. Read more!

Old News

I write this as I'm about to drive to Vermont, which is a stupid idea considering the price of gas.

Anyway, I just read an interesting article from a few weeks ago on CNN.com. Smart people and columnists write about raising gas price to do all sorts of things like cut down on miles and reduce our dependence on foreign oil. You know, all that environmentalist stuff. Well, I guess high gas prices really do cut down on mileage.

Comparing March of '07 to March of '08, a Federal Highway Administration report showed a decrease of 4.3% in miles driven in America, which translates to 11 billion fewer miles. That's crazy! Gas prices are may higher now, I wonder what April, May, and June reports will show.

I try to avoid getting on that "one less car" bandwagon or the environmental benefits of cycling bandwagon, mostly because I find that evangelizing to to be smug and preening. But, I had to point some attention to this article. I mean, that's a lot of miles. Read more!

7 days to Critical Mass

Next friday! Meet at Bushnell Park 5:30pm. Leave about 6ish.

Print, copy, hand out! Make yer own. Make it happen!

don't "Read More" Read more!

Jazz Fest, or Lurking Under Bridges.

After working out some technical difficulties I have finally managed to upload my personal photos for posting and as such now can publish this very belated post. One of the most fun nights of riding bikes around Hartford I've had to date...

So after getting out of work early the Saturday before last I had ambitions of riding down to the riverfront to take in some cool jazz (or jass, as Brendan has pointed out it should rightfully be refered). However, as is often the case with Saturdays plans were slowly pushed back and it was not until after a quick ride out to Bloomfield, a couple post-ride beers, and a friend's delayed arrival, that Ben, Sonny, and I made it down to the river around 7.30 as the Jazz was wrapping up. Being as hot as it was and wanting to partake in a couple of cold beverages, we cruised across the plaza, descended the stairs past the bandstand, and took a nice spot on the grass down the walkway where we could simultaneously grab a cold drink and listen to the music.

We took some random bike pictures, including my Panasonic laying in the grass with the river meandering in the background.....


Chillwill showed up shortly thereafter and we all sat among our bikes in the grass and enjoyed the excellent resource that the riverfront really is.

He particularly enjoyed his envelope coozey on this hot summer day, all business...


After an hour or so hunger took over and we decided to roll into West Hartford to BBQ. However, as we got ready to leave Chillwill declared that we really shouldn't go anywhere as it was going to pour. The sky was starting to darken and a breeze was picking up put we didn't think much of it. Will, however, was unwaivering and insisted if we wanted to go we could but he wasn't going to leave the protection of the bridge we had ridden under by this point. I kept going, but upon getting out from under the south side of the Founder's bridge felt a few raindrops and thought Will might be on to something. Turning around I concurred that we might want to sit it out and the others agreed. Ben, however, was already gone, about to ride into the eye of the storm.

A storm it was, though the three of us that remained were happily tucked under the bridge as the rain came down in sheets and we sat on the levy finishing our beverages and shooting pics...
The light was quite low but the pictures are kind of interesting...

Sitting on the levy with the rain kicking up light spots on the river....


Rain pouring off the highway and out of a culvert...


While we sat comfortably on the levy, Ben, however, was not so fortunate and rode like a madman through the rain and wind all the way back to West Hartford wet and alone (sorry buddy). After the rain finished up the three of us who remained nonchalantly rode home reasonably dry and safe (excepting of course Sonny's run in with a gate, no harm no foul.) Food was eventually had in the form of Park Lane grinders where we happened to catch Brendan and Johanna rolling down Quaker. Good to see other bikers out in the storm.

All in all a good night to be in the city and the perfect time to get caught under the protective spans of a bridge.
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Pesky Kids (an update concerning my recent absence from two wheels)

I've been off the bike for the past few days, unfortunately, because my dear wife is away doing research in Nicaragua until Monday the 23rd, leaving me in sole control of my two young terrorists. Usually, the whole family can travel by bike, because Anna has a seat on the back of her rig for the little one and I tow the bigger one in the trailer, but with two kids and one adult, the equation gets complicated. Also, their preschool is in Middletown (near Anna's work), and even if I did have a two-kid trailer, I couldn't get them to school then get me to work in a timely fashion if I had to ride all the way there.

All of which is to say, I am going crazy because I have a great new bike but I'm not getting to ride it. I can say that before the wife went away, I got to ride from Middletown to New Haven and back on my Swift folder, and the hype is true: The thing really does hold up nicely on long rides, with many of the favorable long-distance attributes of full-sized road bikes. Unfortunately, it also suffers from some of the same deficits of full-sized bikes, namely, if you make the stupid mistake of riding 50 miles on a 100-degree day, it will not help you to feel less overheated. Also, if you ride it to Kenny's for PHH on a Tuesday night and it has a slow leak in the back tire and you are stupid enough not to carry a spare tube, it will not save you from having to walk home.

In other sponsor news, the Manhattan Portage businessy commuter bag is performing admirably. Before I was de-bike-ified by my wife's departure, I took it on a mid-sized grocery run, filled it to the brim, and switched from shoulder strap to backpack straps for carrying comfort. That was great. And since then, I've been lugging my laptop and lunch and voluminous court filings around the state in it and it has been everything I'd ever hoped for in a bag. Also, the "waterproof fabric treatment," about which I was skeptical, did pretty well in one of the recent torrential downpours (which I rode through to go get beers at Kenny's): Everything in the bag actually stayed dry! Thanks, Manhattan Portage, you champion of companies! Read more!

New Developments in Parking

Hey. Where do you think Hartford needs bike racks?

Tell CRCOG!

This stuff is actually happening, so it's meaningful. I just got out of a meeting with DPW, Parking Authority, and another Council aide about the first phase. Read more!

Encouranging things

I stole this from BikeBlog. It's an article about Barack Obama talking to Bikes Belong about committing to funding cycling and pedestrian initiatives when he's elected president. I think it's good that we keep this blog most a-political, but when a politician/candidate does some bike-friendly, there's no reason not to write about it. I tried finding something about John McCain with a bike, but the best I could do was this and this.

I guess it's Mayor Daley who generally gets to take credit for all the bike lanes and that sort of stuff in Chicago, but Obama is a Senator for that state (and from that City).

In semi-related news, Vernon isn't all bad.

Anybody take a good ride this weekend? Read more!

Bikes on MetroNorth

In a decision that flew largely below the news radar and is first mentioned here almost a week after its occurrence, Governor Rell announced that she was requiring MetroNorth to make increased accommodations for bicycles on 380 new trains currently on order. Following previous Beatbikeblog discussions and discussed in this article, the move attempts to address the increasing demand for a bicycle infrastructure connected to rail transportation. The Governor's order calls not only for more bike-specific spaces on trains but also for bike racks at Connecticut stations and a review of policies regarding transporting bikes in rail cars.

As is its tendency, the comment section of the article provides a heated debate not only of the state of these resources but of the inherent right to take bikes on the train.

One commenter writes:
"I guess the Gov doesn't ride the train to NYC during the rush hour, the commuter train is for commuters not bikes, but If thats what "SHE" wants the people should buy it for her.
JUST DUMB"

Following this argument I guess the commenter does not consider bike commuters actual commuters but of some lower class of transients as he continues stating,

"Well I'll come right out and say this I'm a conductor for this RR and being on this side of the fence, I can look at the issue from both sides, Yes it is a great way to help the the gas problem,and global warming and all that. but from the other side we cater to the working class that as of now take Buses,subways,taxis,and walk the "last mile" the last thing this city needs is people trying to get though NYC traffic on bikes."

Supposedly, as this conductor states, the rail system "caters to the working class" which is not interested in bicycle transportation and furthermore this policy is doing New York a favor by keeping bike of its streets as well. Both comments, I assume, are hard for (you) the bikeophile to swallow yet the poster is quickly agreed with by another commenter who writes,

"As someone who had nearly been run down by careless bicyclists who ignore red lights, AMEN!!
As to the bikes on the train, why should someone whe has paid hundreds of dollars for a monthly ticket have to stand because the new cars have fewer seats so a small percentage of people can bring their bikes on."

As is often the case this reader assumes that as their transportation arrangement trumps those of others as it may be considered more typical or "normal". Their payment of a monthly ticket (supposedly) suggests that their needs should be prioritized. Well what then I ask of the needs of another commuter who pays for a ticket, and even an additional ticket for their bike, and chooses to ride to work by a combination of methods? Are their needs not equal?

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Rick Green, stop pedaling ON 84 to get across the river!

I was excited to read about a column entitled, Grabbing Idea By The Handlebars. I usually like Rick Green's Column. I like this one except he really got something really wrong and so i gots to speak up and let people know.

Five paragraphs in, Green writes, “In Hartford, it is nearly impossible to safely ride to cross the river and easily ride through the city.” Huh? Sorry dude, but what the hell are you writing about? I assume, “to cross” was supposed to be “across” but who knows? Perhaps my assuming is making an ass outta me?

Have you ever even ridden across the river? Really? Or even walked across? What was so dangerous?! I wanna know. Please comment and answer, the people demand the truth!

There’s a freakin’ 20 foot wide pedestrian/bicycle lane on the Founders Bridge completely separated from the highway. And both the Charter Oak Bridge and the Bulkley Bridge have pedestrian/bicycle walkways that are also completely separated from the highway. Unless you are either crossing on the railroad bridge or riding a bicycle on the actual interstate; there is no danger from cars. None!

And then, whilst i am still wailing from the bridge comment, gasping and horrified at all the would-be commuters giving up their dreams of leaving the car at home; you hit me with, “I’m tired of hearing complaints….”

Me too! Especially complaints that aren’t even true! arrrggg!

Hartford certainly has plenty of bicycle infrastructure and idiot driver issues that need to be discussed and solved, but crossing the river is not one of them. I love my city. I love what's good, and seemingly unlike most people, I can also admit to what is bad. But lets not be saying that things are bad that aren't!

If you somehow only meant riding through the city was almost impossible to do safely, i must still strongly disagree with you. Send me an email and we'll meet up on bicycles and I'll show you a safe way to get where ever you need to go! And then, please, write about that!

ps. even with a 1/2 gallon of gin and juice, 3 of us were able to safely cross every bridge in Hartford at night!

bridges.

Bridges and Mud and Mud

No more to READ MORE

EDIT NOTE. my original post was a bit meanspirited due to me being angry about recent events in Hartford and the response from the media, city officials and people in general. my apologies to all. Read more!

Hippies

I think Surly makes great bikes. I have one. I cannot condone this, though. Read more!

All lakes and streams are public

Emerson said something about land ownership being illusory.

Water ownership is false too.

On Tuesday afternoon I pedaled my Raleigh Grand Sport to an appointment for an MRI for my loose ankle in Farmington, two towns west of Hartford. I showed up sweaty, twitching, and promptly applied a handful of Gold Bond powder to my crotch before entering the waiting room, grabbing a clipboard of forms from a zombie at reception window, and disgracing a chair with my sweaty backside.

I had passed a small lake on the Tunxis Rd. and decided I would swim there on the way home from my appointment. I realized this lake was probably hemmed in on all sides by some sort of neighborhood "association" who thinks they own the lake, and there would be no good lakeside access for the public. I was right. A bicyclist could conceivably park on the side of the road, on the north side of the lake, and jump in right there, but it's not exactly scenic with the roadside weeds and rock fill. Besides, the wind on this day was blowing all water-borne detritus and organic matter to that shore. Instead, I ventured south down a side road, past a lot of nice houses and people watering their lawns, to the neighborhood "association" beach. There was a sign that said you may be charged with trespassing for using this beach without being a "member", but I figured nobody would care since there were just a handful of kids there and one older woman walking around the grounds. Having shed my shirt and shoes (I figured my skinny dip routine would have been pushing it), I was calf-deep when the woman asked me if I was a member. I said "nope" and she said "that's an honest answer." She warned be that someone would be checking these things in the near future.

I had a nice little swim and rode back home to the Beat, reflecting on my membership in the association of human beings who like swimming and bicycling.

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One week late! Last Thursday's beat bicycle doings.

The Farmers’ Market at Billings Forge on Broad Street netted me some tasty cheese and hummus. Here’s Jennifer Cassidy, assistant to Councilperson Boucher, stopping by on her bicycle, chatting with a friend and listening to some live jazz. Yes! Live jazz at an urban farmers’ market with people walking and biking in to shop for cheese, meats, eggs, crafts, milk, ice cream, pies, veggies and hot lunches ready to eat on one of the picnic tables. Mondays and Thursdays, 11am to 2pm!


This shopper was leaving soon after I arrived and I couldn't remember his name even though i asked him twice. my bad! But...Jake, as he commented below, is a BBB reader and now we know who he is! ha! actually now the whole internet knows; so if you see him pedaling by, please yell, "hey jake from the farmers market!" yep, that's what we're doing turning our city into a community!

The Hartford Advocate’s Bluesfest was Thursday night and I had to work a gate ID’ing people for wristbands and had a fun time. It was great to hear some blues ouside inthe Bushnell Park and see so many people on bicycles. Rich H and his eyeglass case, Bianca, TJ, Joel, Hanna, Maureen, that dude with the pedi-cab and dozens more as well.

This dude apologized for his plastic bag wallet when taking out his driver’s license. I laughed and pulled out my wallet, a snack sized zip-lock. It was a Kodak moment. And yes, a freakin’ snack sized zip-lock. Its waterproof, lightweight and you can buy like 50 for $1.69! Don’t get caught in the rain or over the side of your kayak without one!


Maureen sassin’ it up post Bluesfest post Mad Dawgs. You go with yer bad self!


Wanna hear about friday? Salmond Rushdie, free wine, hippie music, dancing with bike bells, strip clubs and lots of beer all in one hectic, organic, crazy night?

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Friday's happy hour was awesome. I had a pair of tix to see Salmon Rushdie speak at the Wallace Stevens Theater at The Hartford. Krash and I rode over and were super stoked to arrive and find out our tickets also included a copy of his new book and a signing. And noshes and wine and wine too afterwards. We had a great time mingling and conversating.



Afterwards, we headed downtown to Sally’s for one beer; which became three beers and hangin’ outside with the band Shakedown between sets. Thanks again for the hospitality y'all! I danced around with my bicycle bell dingin’ to the beats. Its amazing how you can feel as though you cannot drink anymore since your tummy feels upset; but then a switch from beer to Guiness and its all good!


The bar at Sally's towards the end of the night!

and was the night over? hells no. but it gets foggy! We left for a night ride along the riverfront inwhich Krash convinced me to ride our bicycles to the Gold Club. Locking up our bikes infront of a titty club was almost as rediculious as hearing Krash argue with the doorman to let us in free since we rode there! ahhh, 2:30am antics to tell my grandchildren about someday.


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Urban Mountain Biking

Lucky for me, I was able to join two beatbikeblog expeditions exploring some East Hartford and East Windsor riverfront north of the railroad bridge two different days last week. We also passed under said bridge as you can see in the photo above. We found a sweet network of trails heavily used by ATV’s and motorbikes. Dang, we had fun speeding around the berms and turning and twisting into brand new territory.


Brendan and I encountered this third world track suitable for an old school Landrover. We were somewhere east of the river? Maybe East Windsor?


Sadness overtakes Joel as he looks at the plastic bleach bottle littering the riverside. Please don’t litter! It makes Joel, and the rest of us, sad.


But then happiness uplifts Joel when we travel down to the river to rub mud on us to relieve the burning itching from this evil plant we often encounter on the Hartford side. Its washes off easily with river mud and has no ill effects. Much unlike poison ivy. After a good scrubbin’, Joel decided to just jump in and go for a swim. He’s always doing that.


We eventually had to submit to biking on paved roads and headed north to the pedestrian access ramp for the Bissell Bridge to cross the Connecticut River into Windsor and then return south to Hartford. Very soon after crossing the city-line on rt. 159 we turned into Keney Park and went for a ride on the roads, the car-free paved trails and some single-track along the Leadership Trail. I love this park. So many pretty vistas, views of the skyline and picturesque open fields. The only problem so far are the speeding drivers on the narrow, twisty, tree lined roads. I guess another problem is this car that’s been rotting here for a few weeks. Look familiar? Call the HPD!

and that's all she wrote!
don't click READMORE!


HA! YOU CLICKED MORE SUCKA!!



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