Madvelocity

GrassRoutes Caravan Deadline Extended

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 16:55:00 -0500

DEADLINE EXTENDED for GrassRoutes Caravan 2008
New Deadline: July 20th. REGISTER NOW!

Do you like riding your bike, camping and meeting amazing people from all over the world? Are you interested in community service projects, cooperative living and art/performance? If you answered yes to all of these questions and you want to make it to St. Paul just in time for the RNC protests, then The GrassRoutes Caravan is for you!

Register now while there's still time! The GrassRoutes Caravan bike ride has extended their registration deadline to July 20th! All attending, whether you want to ride part time or full time, must RSVP to pnc2rnc@gmail.com by July 20th in order to register and be vouched for. There is also a cap for the ride at 50 people. If you can't make the ride, your support is still needed! Visit wwwpnc2rnc.org to see how to help. Also, come to the PNC the weekend of August 15th-17th in Madison and rock the revolution with El Guante at the Memorial Union Terrace down by the lake in downtown Madison. Enjoy workshops, street games, performance, a gigantic free store, bike-in movies and more before sending the GrassRoutes Caravan off on their journey to St. Paul. More info at: www.infopnc.org

See ya soon!

Neverwood Collective - 262-9036

Cool UW Student Job Opportunity

Fri, 16 May 2008 10:36:01 -0500

Title : Transportation Options Assistant Job # : 39167 <UW> Employer : UW Transportation Services Category : Miscellaneous Pay : $10.00 /hr # of Positions : 7 On Busline? Yes Posted : 5/16/2008 Deadline Date : 6/2/2008 Name: Matthew Burczyk Address: 610 Walnut St. Room 124 Madison, WI 53726 Phone: 608.263.2969 URL: http://www.wisc.edu/trans/ Email: mburczyk@fpm.wisc.edu UW Transportation Services is looking for a team of enthusiastic students to help build a healthy campus environment by promoting all of the transportation options available to members of the campus community. Student employees will encourage faculty, staff, and fellow students to actively think about their transportation options and consider an alternative to driving alone. Those options include: walk, bike, bus, flex parking, carpool, vanpool, and car sharing. A majority of work time will be spent engaging customers and educating them regarding the safe and effective use of their transportation options. Responsibilities * Staffing transportation information kiosks at resource fairs and other campus events * Flex parking fulfillment * Bicycle facilities management * Employee bus pass distribution * New employee outreach * Carpool/Vanpool matching * Bicycle safety and maintenance training Requirements * Ability to interact well with people of all backgrounds: students, faculty, and staff * Basic familiarity with UW transportation system * Ability to learn quickly and perform a variety of tasks * UW Student * Availability to work approximately 10 hours per week Preferred Skills * Safe bicycling practices * Familiarity with Madison Metro bus routes * Familiarity with campus layout and facilities To ensure consideration, please submit a resume to Matthew Burczyk no later than June 2, 2008. Matthew Burczyk UW Bicycle & Pedestrian Coordinator 610 Walnut St. Room 124 Madison, WI 53726 Phone: (608) 263-2969 mburczyk@fpm.wisc.edu UW Student Job Center 432 N.Murray St. Rm B8 Madison WI 53706 Ph: 608.262.5627 | Fax: 608.262.9068 uwstudent.jobcenter@finaid.wisc.edu

One riders experience

Thu, 15 May 2008 09:24:00 -0500

Bike to work week is well under way and I hope you have had a chance to get out on your bike for your commute to work. Be sure and checkout the remaining bike to work week events at www.bfw.org for remaining events.

The following is a short narrative on one riders bike commuting experience:

Over the last 2 months since beginning bike commuting (34 miles round trip, 3 days a week), I've gotten the entire range of comments from co-workers, from 'That's crazy -- you're gonna die out there' to 'Wow! That's great -- you're my hero.' Seems everyone has an opinion. I just quietly go about my business. The naysayers eventually shut up, and the others seem to want to know more about the whys and hows to commuting on a bike. Their questions run the gamut, but I always impart the benefits that I identify with. One, it gives me an hour each way to mentally gear up (on the way to work) or to unwind (on the way home) while simultaneously getting a workout. Two, it puts my mind and body in touch with reality in a direct way that living in a car takes away. Three, it saves money, promotes clean air, and lengthens my lifespan. In the beginning, all I had was a single reason, but now I'm discovering many more as time rolls on

Pedestrian Bicycling Projects Sought

Wed, 14 May 2008 13:08:22 -0500

The Madison Pedestrian/Bicycle/Motor Vehicle Commission will hold a public hearing to receive comments on potential pedestrian and bicycle projects the City should consider undertaking in the 2009-2011 Capital Budget to increase opportunities for walking and bicycling in Madison. The intent of the public hearing is to hear suggestions for new capital (construction) projects. Please note that concerns about routine maintenance and operational issues can be directed to the appropriate agency or the City's Report-a-Problem web page www.cityofmadsion.com/reportaproblem

The hearing will be held at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, May 27, 2008, in Room LL110 of the Madison Municipal Building, 215 Martin Luther King Jr.Boulevard. [NOTE: If you need an interpreter, materials in alternate formats or other accommodations to access this meeting, please contact the Traffic Engineering Division at 608-266-4761 or TTY (Textnet) at 866-704-2315. Please do so no later than 9:00 a.m. on the Thursday preceding the meeting so that proper arrangements can be made.

Written comments will also be accepted through June 6, 2008, and should be addressed to the Pedestrian/Bicycle/Motor Vehicle Commission, c/o City Traffic Engineering Division, PO Box 2986, Madison WI 53701-2986, or email to traffic@cityofmadison.com

The results of the public hearing and written comments will be used to develop a list of projects to be considered for inclusion in the 2009-2011 construction work program.

Ad Hoc Committee forming to reexamine Wisconsin State Trails Council makeup

Mon, 12 May 2008 15:05:40 -0500

In the last legislative session, the motorsports industry sought to shift the balance of the nine-member Governor's State Trails Council (STC) in its favor by adding two seats specifically for off-road motorcycle riders and 4x4 mud truckers. The bill, AB600, found a sponsor in the House and was passed by a nearly unanimous committee vote. But when the session ended a couple days later, the bill's progress stopped.

In response, the current members of the STC � which represent bicyclists, hikers, paddlers, equestrians, the disabled as well as snowmobilers and ATVers � on April 15 agreed to establish a temporary ad hoc committee "responsible for examining and proposing changes to the structure and organization of the State Trails Council in order to ensure that the STC is efficient, effective and inclusive of all citizens and trail user groups," according to the DNR.

The committee will be composed of members of the current council and public (non-STC) members who have experience with various trail user groups and knowledge of appropriate organizational models. The committee will be responsible for reviewing the mission, structure, organization, and make-up of the STC and will make recommendations for improvements at the April 2009 meeting.

You can bet the motorsports community will try to stack the ad hoc committee, so knowledgeable nonmotorized recreation advocates are needed to seek seats by May 24.

More info, including a downloadable application form can be found here:

dnr.wi.gov

Joel Patenaude, Editor
Silent Sports Magazine
silentsports@gmail.com

Where to go from here?

Thu, 08 May 2008 10:44:00 -0500

Thanks for visiting Madvelocity.com. Madvelocity has been around for just over a year and has gone through some changes during that time. These changes have been mostly technical in nature; however in order to better shape the site we have put together a short survey. This survey is intended to make www.madvelocity.com a more successful one stop shop for all things bicycling-related in Madison, Wisconsin. Through this survey, Madvelocity is looking for ways to improve the site, increase readership, participation, and ultimately serve the Madison community better. Please take a few minutes of your time to respond to the following poll:

Take the 9 Question Survey
Current results (if you are curious)

Thanks,

The Madvelocity Team.

Tales of a Bike Commuting Rookie

Thu, 08 May 2008 09:00:00 -0500

Like many cyclists, I'd long toyed with the idea of a pedal-powered commute to work. Every year Bike-to-Work Week would come and I might try a couple of days, but I'd soon fall back to my old four-wheeled habit. But the seeds were planted for bike commuting, and the news at the gas pump and of global warming helped nurture them. With the move to a new location in November, the cycling stars finally aligned. I was now close enough to work that it would be almost embarrassing not to ride there. There was an on-street bike lane nearly all the way. And a downsize-inspired career change from the newspaper put me in a job with a more predictable daily travel schedule. So, on April 14th -- getting an Late start on a New Year's resolution -- I found myself climbing aboard my bike with my lunch and work essentials in an old backpack. I was on my way. That short ride served up my first surprise. It's 2.5 miles (4 km) door to door and it took me, a devout and practicing slowpoke, about five more minutes to pedal than to drive. And it was fun, not a word I'd used with my car commute. I'd burned a few calories, but felt energized. It was also a cycling culture shock. As a weekend rider whose routes were mostly rail trails and back country lanes, my full immersion into rush-hour traffic was a bit scary. A Saturday morning peaceful connector has a much different personality on Monday. I encountered my commuting route with new eyes -- and ears and nose. The bike lane seemed to be the depository for broken glass and winter sand. A sun-cured, one-day-dead chipmunk sharply announced its presence, but so did the fragrance of bacon and coffee from nearby homes, bread from a bakery, and spring brought honeysuckle and jasmine -- delights that would be lost in a car. Instead of a radio or CDs I've been serenaded by the cry of suburban red-tailed hawks and carried on conversations at stoplights with folks in convertibles. And my resolve has been strengthened as I pedal past my neighborhood gas station and spy the rising price of fuel I'm not burning.

Geek Seeks Help

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 18:12:29 -0500

Me: Introvert Computer Nerd who is also a Bike enthusiast. I think of myself as community minded and I am not afraid to stick my neck out. I currently operate this site and perform technical updates, provide content and pay for the site.

You: Geeky or non-geeky bike enthusiast who would like to contribute to the Madison Cycling community. No experience necessary. Just a will and a want to make a difference. I will train and work with anyone who would like to contribute to this site and see it continue.

I started this site because I thought I could bring the Madison cycling community closer together. Technically I have the ability to provide a forum to cultivate this, but alas I am no writer or journalist - just geek who likes to bike and who thought he could make a difference. If you would like to contribute to the site by reporting on Madison area events, adding ride events to the calendar, providing technical support or would like to take over the full administration of the site, please contact me at bicyclingaddict@yahoo.com.

BIY Fat Cyclist

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 13:09:30 -0500

Recently, during discussion of the adoption of the Madison Platinum Bicycle Committee�s Report recommendations (full disclosure, I wrote this report), Alder Thuy Pham-Remmele (District 20) asked, amongst other skeptical comments regarding adoption of the report, "How is a 300-pound person going to ride a bike?" Story on the meeting here.

Thankfully, Thuy Pham-Remmele was the only member of the Council to vote �no� on the adopting the report, and the measure easily passed, clearing the way for many improvements to bicycling in Madison in the coming years.

To an avid bicyclist, Thuy�s comment about fat people bicycling may seem ridiculous. But this council member was vocalizing something that lots of people think...that many fat and "normal" sized people alike think. The perception is out there that heavy people can�t or don�t bicycle and it's actually refreshing to hear someone say it instead of pretend that it doesn't exist.

As someone who weighs more than 200 pounds and has gotten my share of discrimination for it (both overt and not-so-overt) and who rides a bike pretty much every single day, I have to say that fat people are not encouraged to ride bicycles. It is worth saying that many bicycles have a weight limit of around 200 pounds, and I'd be willing to bet that finding a non-custom bike out there with a weight limit over 250 would be difficult. I myself own bicycles with weight limits less than my weight.

There�s a blog out there called Fat Cyclist. I figured it would be right up my alley. I was wrong. The blogger, a male, weighed 184 pounds at the start of his blog and called himself �a train wreck.� The fact that a man who weighs 184 pounds is considered a �fat cyclist� is an indication of how far from reality the bicycling community is on this issue.

According to the CDC, in 2006 more than 25% of Wisconsin�s residents were obsese (BMI over 30). If you are 5�10� tall, to get a BMI over 30 you have to weigh more than 209 pounds. At 5�5�, a weight of 180 will get you there. Unless the Fat Cyclist is also a Short Cyclist, he probably isn�t obese. But lots of us are. Whether you think that fat people are victims of a disease or whether you think they are just lazy and eat too much, we exist. And there are more and more of us.

Encouraging people to bicycle means encouraging the average person, which more and more in our country is someone who is clinically obese. Bicycling, unlike running (which can destroy the knees of a heavy person), is actually a relatively safe way for the obese to be more active.

But I think that there are reasons to bicycle beyond losing weight. Obviously I feel this way because I�ve been bicycling nearly every day for the last 15 years, and I�ve done nothing but gain weight in that time. Bicycling is good for the mind, spirit, and community. To me the health benefits to my body are just a bonus.

Laughing off the Alder's comments doesn�t change the fact that fat people are not encouraged to bicycle in general. They are berated to exercise often, but all of the images in all of the magazines and the charity ride brochures are of thin people in spandex.

In order for the Platinum Bicycling Committee Report to be effective in increasing the numbers of people bicycling in Madison, the actions taken by the city will have to include more than just building more bike paths. Bicycling in Madison should be a welcome activity for anyone in the city, regardless of weight, height, gender, age, race, or income level (and as much as possible, also regardless of what is considered traditional able-bodied-ness).

The first step towards making that possible is recognizing that not everyone in all of those groups currently feels welcomed. We also ought to acknowledge that, for every bone-headed remark made at a city council meeting, there are plenty of people thinking the same thing who know better than to say it out loud. We ignore those comments at our peril.

Platinum Report at the Common Council on 4/08 - please show up!

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 15:27:12 -0500

Please come and show your support at the council meeting tomorrow night
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
6:30 PM
210 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.
Room 201 (City-County Building)

The Platinum Report is Agenda Item 99 at the council meeting.

"Adopting the Platinum Biking City Planning Committee's report, "Making Madison the Best Place in the Country to Bicycle," and recommendations contained therein."

The resolution can be viewed here:

If you cannot make it in person, you can contact the council via-email at:
allalders@cityofmadison.com Why it is important to support adoption of the Platinum Biking CommitteeReport?Reason 1: It will make it more fun for everyone to bicycle in Madison

If fully implemented, I believe the recommendations found in the Platinum Biking Committee Report will benefit current bicyclists, and prospective new riders, as well as provide some less direct, but more widespread plusses to all Madison residents. The most direct benefit of implementing the recommendations in the report will go to prospective new bicyclists who are not comfortable with the current bicycling infrastructure. Improving the infrastructure has a well-documented positive effect on bicycling levels. Increased levels of bicycling have been shown to improve the safety of all bicyclists as motorists become more aware of the existence of bicycles on the roads.

Reason 2: Showing strong support for the report now will remind our elected officials and City Staff that supporting bicycling is important.

There have been a lot of plans adopted by the City of Madison that never got implemented. Why? Because other things got prioritized. How do we keep this from happening to the Platinum Report? By showing up and e-mailing the council in large numbers. The most recent demonstration of how effective showing up in numbers can be is the police listening sessions held last year. The bottom line: It is hard to ignore a large crowd.

Still need a reason to justify coming to the meeting?

Reason 3: Try imagining this...

It is 2020, and bicycling counts in Madison are around 25% of all trips. 75% of kids regularly bike or walk to school. The city is highly responsive to bicycling issues. Bike parking is conveniently located everywhere, and not snowed in during winter. A number of bike boulevards provide easy access to most of Madison. Businesses have started to realize that locating near bike boulevards can be profitable and the whole city has become much more human-scaled as a result. Also, it seems like dangerous encounters with other road users have declined.

Then, the City council considers a resolution to tear up all the bike boulevards, reduce the amount of bike parking in town, degrade the rights of bicyclists on the road, and force businesses to cater primarily to customers who utilize motorized transportation. Would you feel motivated to speak out at that meeting in 2020 to defend yourrights as a bicyclist? If so, then you should speak out at the meeting tomorrow because exactly the same future is at stake!

Here are some talking points, if you need them. Use any or all:

The city has adopted The Natural Step to become a truly green city. Investing in, encouraging, and facilitating to the greatest extent possible green transportation is essential to the success of thisendeavor.
Making bicycling a safe, easy, and "normal" choice is good for the family budgets of families struggling in this economy.
We have a commitment to make Madison a Fit City. Bicycling is a great way to get people active, but still too many people feel unsafe or intimidated. The recommendations in the report will address many of the obstacles to bicycling.
We need to plan for a post-oil, post-single occupancy vehicle world. This is one step in doing that
A great bicycling city is attractive to companies looking to locate or grow here. CEOs and entrepreneurs want a place where THEY want to live.
Bicycling is good for the social fabric of the community. Eyes on the street. People being able to talk to each other, etc.
The investments required in the draft report are a tiny cost compared to the costs of facilitating and encouraging driving, which we all seem to happily pay.
Tell a story about how an improvement or a recommendation in the report has/would improve your life or those of others. Especially important to show that this can improve the business, environment, health, or other aspects of your neighborhood or the city.

Anything else you might want to add!