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2012 Election Questionnaires

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The Bicycle Coalition sent the following questions to all candidates running for office throughout the Central Coast:
  1. In your opinion, how do biking and walking fit into the transportation system in your community/district?
  2. Would you like to increase or decrease the number of people biking and walking for transportation and recreation in your community/district, why?
  3. What steps would you take to increase or decrease the number of people biking and walking for transportation and recreation in your community/district?
  4. What specific accomplishments/qualifications demonstrate your capacity to improve the transportation system in your community/district?
  5. What else should members of the San Luis Obispo County Bicycle Coalition know about you before going to the polls?

All questionnaires returned to the Bicycle Coalition can be viewed/downloaded as a pdf, sorted by jurisdiction by clicking here. (Simply click on the right hand column to view the answers from any given candidate)

The SLO County Bicycle Coalition does not and has not endorsed any candidate running for office.

The information contained in this pdf is intended for informational purposes only.

Advocacy Alert

Transportation Funding Press Conference

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The future of transportation funding is important for bicycle and pedestrian facilities, for our local economy, for job creation, and many other reasons. Congresswoman Lois Capps is going to be in San Luis Obispo to talk about these issues, and what we can do to ensure the future of biking and walking is not in jeopardy.

WHAT: Transportation Funding Press Conference (w/ Lois Capps)

WHEN: Wednesday, August 31st, 10:30 – 11:00 am

WHERE: Corner of Johnson Ave and Buchon St (map)

WHY: Join us, and various local officials, to discuss the importance of funding infrastructure for creating jobs and boosting our local economy, and how the proposed House Transportation Committee plan would cut funding by 33% and jeopardize construction jobs and transportation improvements in SLO County

Speaking in order
Congresswoman Lois Capps
Jan Marx, Mayor of San Luis Obispo
Adam Hill, Chairman of SLO County Board of Supervisors
Bruce Gibson, Chairman of SLO County Council of Governments/County Supervisor
Dan Rivoire, Executive Director of SLO County Bicycle Coalition

 

Bicycle Collision Statistics

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Ever wondered what causes bicycle collisions? The answers might surprise you!

Still worried about crashing? Take one of our free Education Workshops to learn some techniques to avoid them while riding on the road.

Of the 18% involving motor vehicles…

Ray LaHood at 2010 National Bike Summit

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US Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood recently addressed atendees of the 2010 National Bike Summit in Washington DC, here he spoke on behalf of infrastructure development for bicycles and pedestrians:

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhlaMnwxKP0&feature=player_embedded]

After the speech, he wrote a post on his blog that reflected on his energetic appearance at the summit:

Today, I want to announce a sea change. People across America who value bicycling should have a voice when it comes to transportation planning. This is the end of favoring motorized transportation at the expense of non-motorized.

Ray LaHood

From Ray LaHood’s blog post:

To set this approach in motion, we have formulated key recommendations for state DOTs and communities:

  • Treat walking and bicycling as equals with other transportation modes.
  • Ensure convenient access for people of all ages and abilities.
  • Go beyond minimum design standards.
  • Collect data on walking and biking trips.
  • Set a mode share target for walking and bicycling.
  • Protect sidewalks and shared-use paths the same way roadways are protected (for example, snow removal)
  • Improve nonmotorized facilities during maintenance projects.

This is great news for cyclists and pedestrians alike, giving us even more of a reason to get out on our bikes and celebrate!

“Hi, Cyclist!” A Simple Idea from Copenhagen

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Copenhagen has always been a famous city for bicycling, no matter what the weather is, there are always people out on their bikes getting around the city. The city is full of cyclists who have their own unique ways of waiting at a red light:

Some cyclists will be able to rest even more comfortably at lights now, thanks to low-tech additions by the City of Copenhagen. These rails are simple solutions for making stopping at red lights more smooth, and act as an effective way to make bicyclists seen at busy intersections.

The bottom portion of the rail reads “Hi Cyclist! Rest your foot here… and thanks for cycling in the city.” a nice reminder to encourage cycling for everyone. Kudos to Copenhagen on offering uniquely simple and detailed bicycle facility for its residents.

Google Maps Adds Bicycle Directions!

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A while ago, the Coalition had encouraged our members and supporters to sign a petition to Google, asking them to add bicycle directions to their popular mapping features. Today, at the 2010 National Bike Summit in Washington DC, they announced the launch of the newest Google Map feature!

This video shows how you can make it work for you:

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JN5_NBSu7Lw]

Congrats to Google for listening to what it’s users had to say, and implementing a great feature to it’s maps! A special shout out to everyone who signed the petition requesting the bicycle directions too, it worked!

2010 North American Handmade Bicycle Show

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From February 26-28, the 2010 North American Handmade Bicycle Show was held in Richmond, Virginia. The show is a venue for the finest bicycle builders in North America to show off their latest creations to crowds of visitors. Take a look at some of the bikes on display this year in Virginia, and a little video about the event afterwards.

CyclingNews has a great series of articles/photos from the event as well, check it out online here.