April 1, 2009

Lead law likely to still apply to dirt bikes, ATVs

The Consumer Product Safety Commission decided against recommending an exemption for all-terrain vehicles and dirt bikes. the bikes and ATV’s have higher than allowed levels of lead in various components. The law is called the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act. Creating a ban on the sale of youth dirt bikes and all terrain vehicles, leads to a bigger concern among parents and advocates for the exemption; that parents will now buy adult sized ATV’s and dirt bikes for thier kids.

March 25, 2009

Great SfGate Article on San Francisco Hills

San Francisco is notorious for it’s super steep hills. I have heard many a public transit commuter say that they only reason they don’t ride a bike in the city is because of the hills. According to Sf Gate there are three categories of hill riders; avoiders, acceptors and lovers.

March 17, 2009

MTA Mulls Scenarios for Moving Bike Plan Forward

Streetsblog has a very informative article concerning options for moving San Francisco’s stalled Bike Plan forward.
The process for re-adopting the Bike Plan is fairly long due to bureaucratic process. While the final Environmental Impact Review will be done sometime in late June, that doesn’t mean new bike lanes will start being constructed July 1st.

March 12, 2009

SF to Replace Parking Meters?

“San Francisco wants the parking meter to be your friend. It’s rolling out a next-generation model that can take credit cards and coins, raise rates automatically, and beam news of that rarity of city life, an empty slot.” Sounds good for drivers but what about city cyclists who rely on parking meters to lock their bikes to?

Bike Safety and the Law

Rahman Gramly LLP’s very own Shaana Rahman, gave her expertise about riding visibly on city streets. Without giving too much away, the article focuses on how cars perceive cyclists, how that prerception leads to motor v. bicycle crashes and what to do to remain visible while riding.

March 5, 2009

Car Free Market Street?

Market Street, San Francisco’s main thoroughfare is the center of a car-free study. city Supervisors and the San Francisco County Transportation Authority agreed Tuesday to a comprehensive study of whether to restrict cars on the downtown section of Market Street.
Initially advocated by Supervisor Chris Daly, a car free Market street met some resistant from business owners and advocates of car first policies.

February 3, 2009

Cyclists Beware….

Cyclists beware: Market/Octavia Intersection is a Potential Death Trap, was the title of a January 25th Fog City Journal article by Luke Thomas.

Highlighting a false sense of security created by the small median between the bike lane and the traffic lane.

January 15, 2009

Bikers get breaks in Stimulus Package!

The Bicycle Commuter Act gives companies a $20 tax credit each month for every employee that rides to work! This act went into effect Jan 1st, so ask you employer about! The more co-workers you can get to gear up and ride to work the more your company will save.

Potential Removal of Market and Octavia BIke Lane

You read the title correctly, SFMTA is proposing to remove a short section of the Market Street bike lane where it intersects with Octavia Blvd. Since the 2006 opening of the Freeway ramp there have been 16 car/cyclists collisions. Read more about the removal here.