Utah gets tough on texting and driving - Where's Delaware?

Utah now has the nation's toughest texting and driving law. It went into effect this past May, and lawmakers are hoping it will enforce the dangers of texting while driving. Offenders face up to 15 years in prison. The new law penalizes a texting driver who causes a fatality as harshly as a drunken driver who kills someone. Talking on a cell phone while driving is the equivalent of driving with a .08 blood alcohol level.

Texting while driving is at least twice as dangerous. "It's a willful act," said Lyle Hillyard, a Republican state senator and a supporter of the measure. "If you choose to drink and drive or if you choose to text and drive, you're assuming the same risk." Source: New York Times.

Will Delaware follow suit? As of today, our best hope is HB-40, a toothless bill aimed at texting as a non-primary offense. Contact the sponsoring legislators and let them know your feelings on this subject.

Bicyclist struck by impaired hit and run driver in Hockessin

From the News Journal - A 20-year-old Pennsylvania man was jailed on drunken driving and vehicular assault charges following a hit-and-run crash in Hockessin on Wednesday that left a bicyclist seriously injured, police said today.

State police charged Travis Sherwin, of Zion Hill Road in Atglen, with felony vehicular assault, leaving the scene of an injury accident, possession of a hypodermic needle, heroin possession, possession of drug paraphernalia, drunken driving, failure to have insurance, failure to report an injury crash and improper lane change.

The 44 Year Old cyclist was hit while riding in the shoulder of Lancaster Pike near Stratton Road. We wish him a speedy recovery.

Four observations:

• Within the past year two cyclists have been struck and killed from behind by motorists who drifted on to the shoulder of major roads.
• The social taboos of drugs and alcohol have a big impact on pressing charges. Police have rightly "thrown the book" at the alleged driver.
• This crash made the TV traffic reports since it took place at the height of rush hour. Although everyone labeled it as an "accident involving a pedestrian", no pedestrian and of course, it was clearly not an "accident".
• Nothing stops the trolls commenting on the News Journal website.
  

View DE Bicycle Crashes and Incidents in a larger map

How does Delaware Stack up nationally?

When it comes to transportation infrastructure, no state is being left untouched by budget cuts and neglect. Everywhere, roads and bridges are crumbling and demand for accessible housing is skyrocketing - but not every state is reacting to these challenges in the same way.

A team of researchers from Transportation for America has put together a comprehensive state-by-state analysis of how America is doing on transportation.

How does Delaware stack up? Find out HERE.

Bike Delaware Meeting Tomorrow Night

Bike Delaware General Meeting
WILMAPCO conference room, Newark, DE
August 25, 2009 at 6 PM

Agenda
(All are Welcome, Pizza and refreshments provided)
6 PM—Call to Order
1) 6:00 Introductions
2) 6:05 Chairman’s Report—Frank Warnock
3) 6:35 WILMAPCO update—Heather Dunigan
4) 6:40 DBC update—Amy Wilburn
5) 6:45 Incorporation—Maria Wilburn/Sally Humphreys
6) 6:50 C&D Canal Update—Carol Ireland
7) 7:00 Change of general meeting times—Maria Wilburn
8) 7:10 Partnership with the Spinners—??
9) 7:20 old business/new business
7:30 PM—Adjourn

Newark Bicycle Committee update

The Newark Bicycle Committee (NBC) held it's second meeting on Thursday, August 20. Minutes HERE (pdf). A permanent meeting schedule for 6 pm on the 3rd Thursday of every month at WILMAPCO has been established. The initial focus is committee review of the 2003 Newark Bicycle Plan (pdf), with members offering feedback before the next meeting on Sept. 17. Heather Dunigan of WILMAPCO has volunteered to create a webpage dedicated to the NBC, which will include agendas, minutes, and other information, such as Newark's status as a LAB Bicycle Friendly City.

The NBC seeks to make bicycling a safe, attractive aternative to driving in Newark. The Newark Bicycle Plan, in cooperation with WILMAPCO, the City of Newark, and DelDOT will propose a coordinated network of bicycle facilities. This includes links between destinations outside the City, including Elkton, Pike Creek, White Clay Creek State Park, Churchmans Crossing, Brookside, and Old Baltimore Pike.

A link to NBC's web page, once known, will be placed on Bike Delaware's Resources page and be updated as progress unfolds. For further information or to voice your support, email Jeff Riegner, Chair, at: jriegner@wrallp.com

Developer pushing for shopping center at Barksdale and Valley Roads, NW of Newark

Area residents and cyclists alike attended a meeting of the Cecil County Planning Commission concerning the application to change zoning from residential to “Business General” for a parcel of land at the Valley and Barksdale Roads intersection. Despite lack of shoulders on either road, the area is favorable to cycling given low traffic volumes, and serves as a "gateway" west from Newark en-route to Cecil County, MD. The meeting commenced with a representative of the developer making the argument for change. They propose putting in a mixture of office buildings and shops - basically a shopping center - with entrances both on Barksdale and on Valley Roads. The impact on cycling in the area would be negative, as increased traffic could cause altercations and be a detriment to safe cycling in the area.

Email Alan Coffey at: alan@alancoffey.com to find out how you can help, or for more information.

Seminar: Moving Toward an Active Delaware Through Community Design

Wednesday, October 7th, 2009
9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Dover Downs
Dover, Delaware

This forum will bring together agencies, organizations and communities to discuss community design approaches that can lead to a healthier Delaware. Gain insights on land use and its connection to active living and health. Share your ideas for improving how we design Delaware's communities.

Participate in bringing change to our state. Please save the date for this important event. Additional details and information to follow.

Registration HERE, or email: nhps.conf@nemours.org for more information.

DelDOT announces "Bike Friendly Delaware" blog

Still under construction, DelDOT's own Jim Westhoff promises us a fully functional state-wide bike advocacy on-line hub. Once the bugs are worked out, also expect the blog to be embedded as a page of http://www.bikede.org/

Authors will be limited and all posts will be open to public comment.

Check it out in its current form HERE, including several pilot entries!

Green Delaware upgrades website, includes Bike Delaware

Green Delaware launches a brand new, all inclusive website featuring all things Green in the 1st State! Included is transportation, and Bike Delaware is featured prominently.

"Our new focus is to truly cover all aspects of going Green in the First State. Other sites and blogs I've seen tend to be more narrow (ie: mainly about alternative energy or focused on the holistic side of health). Not that those are bad by any means, we just wanted to pull every thing together. [The] plan is to eventually have enough content to breakout the cars, bikes and fuels into their own pages with the Transportation page being the parent page, with overviews and general transportation info", said Lori Lake, Director.

Check it out HERE. Attend a Green Drinks event HERE!

Bicyclist Riding On The Shoulder Killed in Magnolia

Police: Bicyclist Hit, Killed in Kent Co.
http://www.wboc.com/global/story.asp?s=10876165

MAGNOLIA, Del. (WBOC/AP)- Delaware State Police say a 66-year-old Magnolia man was killed when he was struck by a car as he rode a bicycle in Kent County.

Police say Charlie Harris of Magnolia was riding along the right shoulder in the northbound lanes of South State Street (US 113) in Magnolia when he was struck around 2:30 p.m. Sunday and thrown from the bike. Police say Harris was pronounced dead on the scene.

Police say 18-year-old Cierra Hurley of Frederica drifted onto the shoulder while swatting a bug and her car struck Harris.

The crash is still under investigation and police say no charges have been filed.

The road was shut down in both directions as police investigated the crash.


View DE Bicycle Crashes and Incidents in a larger map

UPDATE: Delaware cyclists, runners assaulted with blow darts

BEAR, Del. - August 11, 2009 -- Two more victims have been reported in the "blow dart attacks" in Delaware.

One of the victims, a 17-year-old boy, was hit in the hand on Route 40 in Bear on Monday. The injury was so severe, police say, that the teen will need surgery.

Also, police say, a 29-year-old woman was hit as she was jogging on Route 7, just north of Route 72, around 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday.

Police go on to say these attacks happened before the two reported previously, but the recent publicity has prompted these victims to come foward.

"This has to be one of the strangest incidents of late and in the years I've been a state trooper I've never seen anything like this. It almost seems like a scene from an Indiana Jones movie," said Cpl. Jeffrey Whitmarsh of Delaware State Police said on Tuesday. Read the entire story HERE.

Police are asking anyone who knows about this case to call Delaware Crime Stoppers at (800)TIP-3333.

Revived Newark Bicycle Committee - 2nd meeting

Participants are welcome to suggest agenda items, however, expect meeting duration of about an hour. Current discussion includes:

- Brainstorming discussions from startup meeting in June
- Set goals for LAB's Bicycle Friendly Cities designation
- Establish a regular meeting schedule
- Finalize our list of members

Thursday, Aug 20th, 4 pm. WILMAPCO, 850 Library Ave, Suite 100, Newark, DE (map)

Email Jeff Riegner, Chair at: http://www.blogger.com/jriegner@wrallp.com for further information.

Driver charged in death of bicyclist; DelDOT erects Share the Road sign

State police have charged a driver in the death of a bicyclist who was struck near Glasgow in April. The motorist was charged with operating a vehicle causing the death of another person, and is being held in lieu of $10,000 secured bond. 50-year-old Mark Schaumann of Elkton, MD, was riding on the shoulder of U.S. 40 on April 4 when a car drifted onto the shoulder and hit him. He was thrown from his bike and died a week later at Christiana Hospital.

His family, led by his daughter Sheri Dodson, won DelDOT approval for a "Share the Road" sign later placed at the scene.

While distracted driving was not cited in the article, it remains legal in Delaware to use cell phones while driving, for both conversation and text messaging. Studies have shown those actively engaged often take their eyes off the road for periods of 5 seconds or more, enough time at typical highway speeds to cover more than the length of a football field.

Mark Schaumann's home page HERE. HS1 for HB40 w/HA1, an amended bill aimed at text messaging as a non-primary offense HERE. Locate and contact your legislators HERE.