Support the cause! If 100,000 people follow 42Ride, 42BELOW will donate 42k to the Alliance for Biking and Walking

According to Justin Frumkes, mile high kiwi correspondent:
“We have 42 riders biking from NY to LA this summer, and 21 of them are stopping in Denver on Sunday July 26, 2009. We have just recently added a local ride to help support not only the 21 riders, but also to generate buzz about the Alliance for Biking and Walking. If we can get 100,000 followers on twitter.com/welikebike42, we will donate $42,000 to the Alliance.

We are recruiting as many people as possible to join us on Sunday, July 26 at 12pm/noon to bike out 21 miles to greet the incoming riders and escort them 21 miles back to BETA Nightclub, where we will host a Sunday Funday event. Each rider who signs up, upon registration, will receive a custom 42BELOW Biking Jersey, T-Shirt, Cap and wristband for a complimentary 42BELOW cocktail. We are not looking for financial contribution, but merely as many people who want to ride on our 42-mile loop for our incoming riders.

“

Proud of your bike? Gonna ride it to events this summer anyway? Let’s have some fun with this. Ride your bike to one of the events that BikeDenver will be at with our bike parking corral. (see earlier post w/ schedule). We will be giving out certificates for Best Fixie, Cruiser, Kid’s Bike, Alt. Transportation Vehicle and Best Bike. We may even change the categories from event to event. We gave out 4 certificates at the Green Festival earlier this month. The owners were delighted and we had a good time meeting them and talking bikes. If there’s room, we may even feature some of them in our quarterly newsletter.

Best Alternative Transportation Vehicle

Best Cruiser

Best Bike (electric!)

Best Fixie

• Please sign Rep. Tauscher’s letter in support of complete streets. Paul Schmid in Tauscher’s office is the contact. The deadline to sign is close of business, Thursday, May 7th.
• Complete streets policies ensure that the needs of all users of the transportation system–motorists, transit vehicles and riders, bicyclists, and pedestrians of all ages and abilities– are taken into account when streets are built or re-built. Over 90 states and communities already have complete streets policies, which are flexible and cost-effective.
• Complete streets improve safety, especially for children and older Americans. And if we are serious about ending our dependence on foreign oil, combating climate change, stemming obesity, and revitalizing communities, we need to build roads designed for all users, not just cars.
• Complete Streets don’t cost more to build; in fact, they generate revenue by increasing property values and promoting economic development. They save money by reducing transportation and healthcare costs.
• If you are a constituent, please ask for a response by email or mail, which helps ensure that your comment is passed up the chain of command.

Senate Bill 148 faces its last big challenge as it returns to the Colorado House for a crucial vote. This vote may mean we either get a 3-foot passing distance or the bill dies.

Please make one last call or email to your Colorado State Representative today!

Conference Committee Fixes SB-148:

On Monday, April 13, the Conference Committee voted (4 to 1) to remove the confusing amendment attached by opponents to the Bicycle Safety Bill. This update by the Committee is exactly what was needed to keep the bill language clear and consistent. (Details and votes from the Committee hearing are on our website.)

Senate Bill 148 returns to the Colorado House and, if it passes, then goes on to the Senate. No amendments can be offered. It is just a “yes” or “no” vote on the entire bill. The House vote may happen anytime this week. Please take action today. If you are reading this later in the week, there still may be time. Check our website to see if your call will be in time.

Thank you for all your help on this bill. It started in January and has been a long struggle to keep 3-feet passing language alive. Your calls are making a difference, showing that the people of Colorado can achieve safer roads even when facing well-funded opponent groups.

(Courtesy Bicycle Colorado)

You’ve probably heard about the bill that puts 3 feet between you and a passing automobile. We call it the Colorado Bicycle Safety Bill. In the state house, it’s called Senate Bill 148. But, it’s not going to pass without your help.

The bill narrowly passed the House Transportation Committee late Tuesday night after drawn-out testimony from opponents.

How You Can Help:

Call or email the State Representative from your district and ask them to support Senate Bill 148 for bicycle safety. Briefly tell them why bicycle safety is important to you and ask them to include 3 feet to pass and safe lane positioning.

State Representatives serving Denver:

District 1 – Jeanne Labuda

District 2 – Mark Ferrandino

District 3 – Anne McGihon

District 4 – K. Jerry Frangas

District 5 – Joel Judd

District 6 – Lois Court

District 7 – Terrance Carroll (Speaker of the House)

District 8 – Beth McCann

District 9 – Joe Miklosi

To find your representative and their contact information, please visit: The Colorado General Assembly

For more information on this and other bills pending in the State of Colorado related to bicycling please visit: Bicycle Colorado

The 2009 Bicycle Safety Bill (Senate Bill 148) will come up for a vote in the House early next week. If you haven’t yet been in touch with your state representative, please take a minute today to indicate your support for this important legislation.

The bill specifies drivers must allow 3 feet of clearing when passing and creates a limited exception to the prohibition on driving left of center to allow drivers to give bicyclists extra room. It also prohibits harassment of bicyclists with penalties for driving a vehicle in a threatening manner or throwing an object from a moving vehicle.

How You Can Help:

Call or email the State Representative from your district and ask them to support Senate Bill 148 for bicycle safety. Briefly tell them why bicycle safety is important to you and ask them to include 3 feet to pass and safe lane positioning.

State Representatives serving Denver:

District 1 – Jeanne Labuda

District 2 – Mark Ferrandino

District 3 – Anne McGihon

District 4 – K. Jerry Frangas

District 5 – Joel Judd

District 6 – Lois Court

District 7 – Terrance Carroll (Speaker of the House)

District 8 – Beth McCann

District 9 – Joe Miklosi

To find your representative and their contact information, please visit: The Colorado General Assembly

For more information on this and other bills pending in the State of Colorado related to bicycling please visit: Bicycle Colorado

Bicycle Colorado reports that the Colorado Senate approved the 2009 Bicycle Safety Bill (Senate Bill 148) last Tuesday 26-7! The Senate process resulted in no major changes, keeping a three feet safe passing distance in the bill.

The bill specifies drivers must allow 3 feet of clearing when passing and creates a limited exception to the prohibition on driving left of center to allow drivers to give bicyclists extra room. It also prohibits harassment of bicyclists with penalties for driving a vehicle in a threatening manner or throwing an object from a moving vehicle.

BikeDenver board member Robert Clark and Interim Executive Director Piep van Heuven testified in favor of the bill as it was initially introduced at the Senate Transportation Committee meeting on February 10th. The BikeDenver Board of Directors was pleased that language defining harassing behavior toward bicyclists remained in the bill but disappointed penalties were amended to match other traffic violations, as the Board believes that greater protections for bicyclists are needed. BikeDenver leaders are pleased to see the strong and increasing support from Republicans and Democrats in the Colorado Senate and House, as evidenced by the growing number of co-sponsors, many of whom spoke on the Senate floor in support of the bill last week.

Next Steps: SB 148 now moves to the House where sponsor Representative Michael Merrifield (D-Manitou Springs) and co-sponsors will take up the effort. The bill has been assigned to the transportation and energy committee.

How You Can Help: Call or email the State Representative from your district and ask them to support Senate Bill 148 for bicycle safety. Briefly tell them why bicycle safety is important to you and ask them to include 3 feet to pass and safe lane positioning.

State Representatives serving Denver:
District 1 – Jeanne Labuda
District 2 – Mark Ferrandino
District 3 – Anne McGihon
District 4 – K. Jerry Frangas
District 5 – Joel Judd
District 6 – Lois Court
District 7 – Terrance Carroll (Speaker of the House)
District 8 – Beth McCann
District 9 – Joe Miklosi

To find your representative and their contact information, please visit: The Colorado General Assembly

For more information on this and other bills pending in the State of Colorado related to bicycling please visit: Bicycle Colorado

Hey Everybody, I just got the info for the giant bike corral for the Thursday night DNC event at Invesco, Barack Obama’s acceptance speech. If you aren’t going to the event, this is the next best thing. Help your fellow cyclists by giving them an opportunity to ride in, rather than drive or take a bus. If you are interested, please contact volunteer coordinator Amanda Caldwell (amandaecaldwell@gmail.com).

Thanks everyone, and I hope you’re finding the bike scene at the DNC as awesome as I am.

Voulnteer Info:

1. Location

Rude Park – located at Decatur St. & W. 13th Ave. Just off Federal

2. Transport

Bike it in, or:

RTD Serves Routes- Coming from West – 14th Ave and Federal; Federal & West Howard Place; Federal & W10th; Federal & W Holden

Bus Stops 30; 30L; 36L; 49; L29 and More! Please refer to RTD Bus Schedules for your appropriate route.

Volunteer General Information:

· KEEP it GREEN! Please take public transportation or bike ride to Rude Park—there will be no special parking accommodations available to volunteers.

· We will have food provided by Specialty Sports and water onsite for volunteers, however it is best to bring lots of water of your own for your shift

· We appreciate your volunteering for the DNCC. Unfortunately there will be no passes or credentials provided to volunteers for the INVESCO event.

· We are working to provide TV access to the INVESCO event for our Bike Corral Volunteers—more on this will be provided as we get further information

· Volunteers will be provided temporary passes into the Rude Park rec center for breaks

Volunteer Schedule:

The numbers of volunteers will change throughout the day.

9:30- 4:00: 30

11:00-4:00: 30

3:30 -11:00: 60

8:30- 11:00: 50

(As you can see we need some overlap, ie from 11-4 we’ll need a total of 60 volunteers. And for the 8:30-11:00 110 total)

Breakdown and descriptions of these numbers are addressed below.

Based on the above time breaks, perhaps three overlapping shifts: 60 volunteers from 9:30 to 4:00, 60 volunteers 4:00 to 11:00, and an influx of an extra 140+ volunteers (totaling 200+) to work during peak checkout, from 8:30 to 12:00 midnight.
During check-in, only one lot will be open at a time, beginning with the ball park, then transitioning to the paved lot as the ball park fills up. The majority of volunteers will be located at the lot currently in operation, with a smaller crew left behind for security once the ballpark is full. Volunteers can be shifted between locations as needed.

General info /Job Responsibilities:

Hours of operation for check-in (11am to 11pm):
Registrars: At least 10 during hours of operation. Registrars will be at the entrance of each parking area , greeting arriving riders and checking to ensure they are credentialed to attend the Invesco event before allowing admission.

**Note** Only credentialed bicyclists will be allowed to park their bikes.

**Registrars are preferably a Bike Denver-affiliated or trained person with high level of organizational skills. ***

Entrance:

1. Registrar-

a. will ask riders to sign a “common” waiver Complete the paperwork with riders dropping off their bikes. This includes waiver agreement and acknowledgment of a firm closing time of 11pm, after which bike will not be retrievable until later.

b. Check for credentials. Only credentialed riders may park

c. No motorized vehicles may park (ie scooters, vespas etc)

2. Escorts:

a. escort accompanies each bike owner to the space where the rider will lay down their own bike

b. tape one corresponding ticket to the bike and hand the other to the owner **The importance of not losing valet ticket should be stressed.**

c. write the initials of the alphanumerically marked parking area on the ticket. Example: A7.

d. Ensure rider understands they must be back no later than 10:30 to retrieve their bike

Exit:

Hours of operation for checkout (Approx 9pm to 11pm)

3. All Volunteers:

a. Greet riders at the entrance, check to ensure that rider has credentials to have attended the INVESCO event.

b. Escort riders to their bike based on ticket number and lot location written on back of ticket.

c. Quickly escort rider and bike to exit gate.

d. Volunteer then returns to the entrance gate to assist the next rider.

e. Any situation in which the ownership of a bicycle is unclear or cannot be proven, a manager will be called to make an assessment, record identification and photograph the claimant and the bicycle in question.

4. Breakdown (Approx 11pm to 12am):
All Volunteers: Break down site. Move unclaimed bicycles to designated location.