Two years ago, on a family trip to Switzerland, my wife and I rented two electric-assisted mountain bikes, or e-MTBs, to tackle some steep trails near the Matterhorn. The salesperson said, in no uncertain terms, that the new e-MTBs were the way of the future, and we should give them a try. So we did. …
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From Winner to Advocate: One Cyclist’s E-Bike Journey
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Two More Deaths in Atlanta
Get Involved in the better biking movement in Atlanta. This is a time when advocacy efforts are crucial to making our streets safer for everyone. Within 24 hours from the Two Wheel Tuesday gathering we suffered two more casualties. On Wednesday morning, Marten Bijvank was on his way to work on his bicycle when he was struck…
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Find a Bike Shop that Works for You
Treated poorly in a bike shop? Find another one, and take a few steps to be a good customer. Bicycling Magazine recently published an article titled, “Hey, Bike Shops; Stop Treating Customers Like Garbage.” The story follows a heavy-set 59 year old’s sad tale of how he was treated poorly from a number of local…
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Disappearing Bike Lanes Disappear From Oregon’s Legal Landscape!
Bike lanes continue through the intersection, even if they are not painted onto the roadway, and drivers who don’t yield to a cyclist riding in a bike lane are violating the law. The big bike news out of the Oregon legislature this year was the passage of a Stop as Yield law. This was an enormous…
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Uber as Bicycling Motorcade? Absolutely.
Faced with a perilous bridge, Charlie summons a motor-pacing escort. Know this $8 ride-hack! I often find myself wanting to ride on a roadway corridor that doesn’t want me there. At best, I could make it across alive with some close calls and a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. At worst, I…
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Lakewood Bicycle Advocate Gary Harty
The founder of the Lakewood Bicycle Advisory Team loves his life on two wheels. Gary Harty was born in Bellows Falls, Vermont, and raised in Colorado – Denver Metro area, and now makes bicycling in Lakewood, Colorado safe and fun. Gary is part of the baby boomer generation. He attended Colorado State University (CSU) and…
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Social Media and Bicycle Advocacy
Polarization, victim-blaming, and incivility among cyclists is hurting us and our cause. Outrage. It is what drives action and engagement on the interwebs these days. If it’s not outrageous, it’s boring. The Election of 2018 proved that outrage increases TOS (“time on site”) more than friendship, sympathy, desire, or anything else. Judgment. By definition it…
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Oregon’s Stop as Yield Law Hits the Final Stretch!
The Oregon Legislature made national news this past week, for all the wrong reasons. The State Senate, with a super-majority of Democrats in control, had been working on climate legislation which would have Oregon join a cap-and-trade market with California and Quebec. Unable to stop the legislation, Republican Senators fled the state en masse, preventing the…
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The Tour de France from Behind the Lens
Interview of TdF photographer (and Bike Law Louisiana client) Chris Graythen It’s Tour de France time. I follow the racing daily through the footage on TV feed and still photos. But I hadn’t ever considered what’s happening on the other side of the camera lens. Like, what actually goes into snapping these pictures that we…
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Electric Bikes and Insurance
An Interview with Bob O’Brien at Noyes, Hall and Allen Insurance Prologue Last month, I rode across the Casco Bay Bridge to talk e-bikes and insurance with Bob O’Brien, the Vice President of Noyes, Hall and Allen Insurance in South Portland, Maine. Although I have yet to invest in an e-bike for myself, I have been captivated by e-bikes…
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Cheaha Challenge Director Brooke Nelson
The biggest bike ride in Alabama! Brooke Nelson has been the ride director of the Cheaha Challenge (www.cheahachallange.com) since shortly after the 2014 ride and in the past 5 years, ride participation has increased 188%. Since 2017 when it became the only UCI Qualifier, Alabama’s biggest ride has become known nationally and internationally. The 2019…
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Two Cycling Safety Wins for Keystone State!
Both the state of Pennsylvania and the city of Philadelphia score important wins for better biking. Thanks to some outstanding advocacy efforts, both the state of Pennsylvania and the city of Philadelphia have recently scored two important wins for cycling safety. Pennsylvania: “Dutch Reach” in State Driver’s Manual The “Dutch Reach” method of opening a car door…
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Ontario Bicycle Laws
ONTARIO BICYCLE LAWS It’s important to know your legal rights (and duties) when bicycling in Ontario. It is especially important after a bicycle accident (we call them bicycle “crashes” and explain why here). For any questions about the Province’s bike laws, or about your rights to the road, contact attorney Pat Brown directly. Right to the Road Prohibitions Helmets…