Speaking of bikes: Council hears about them yesterday, Dec 10, 2009

mdaccidentlawyer — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 15:21:18 +0000

Just a reminder from the folks at One Less Car, which advocates for bike and pedestrian friendliness, about the City Council meeting tonight at 5 p.m. There are some bike-type issue on the agenda.

Presented will be the following eight bike related bills:

Required Parking for Bicycles – 09-0429
FOR the purpose of requiring certain new or expanded structures, premises, and uses to provide bicycle parking that meets certain standards; requiring certain employers to provide their employees with bicycle parking that meets certain standards; defining and redefining certain terms; imposing certain penalties; providing for a special effective date; and generally relating to required parking spaces for bicycles.

Transit and Traffic – Bike Lanes 09-0430
FOR the purpose of allowing the creation of bike lanes; defining certain terms; prohibiting parking or standing in bike lanes; requiring bike-safe grates in bike lanes; imposing certain penalties; and generally relating to bike lanes on City streets.

City Streets – Bike-Safe Grates 09-0431
FOR the purpose of requiring that all City street paving and repaving contracts require that drainage grates be installed in a bike-safe alignment; requiring anyone undertaking a street paving project to install drainage grates in a bike-safe alignment; and generally relating to bike-safe grates on City streets.

Parking, Standing, and Stopping of Vehicles – Obstructing Alleys 09-0432
FOR the purpose of clarifying the law relating to obstructing the free passage of traffic with a vehicle; providing a certain exception for parking in alleys; and generally relating to parking, standing, or stopping that obstructs traffic.

Street and Transportation Projects – Complete Streets 09-0433
FOR the purpose of directing the Departments of Transportation and Planning to apply “Complete Streets” principals to the planning, design, and construction of all new City transportation improvement projects; providing certain exceptions; requiring annual reports on the implementation of “Complete Streets” principals; and generally relating to transportation improvement projects.

Informational Hearing – Baltimore Police Department – Police and Cyclists 09-0175R
FOR the purpose of inviting the Baltimore Police Commissioner to report to the City Council on the Police Department’s procedures for responding to incidents involving cyclists and the Department’s general approach to the bicycling community.

The Cyclists’ Bill of Rights 09-0176R
FOR the purpose of reaffirming support for efforts to improve conditions for cyclists and encouraging more widespread awareness of the “Cyclists’ Bill of Rights”.

BMore Streets for People 09-0177R
FOR the purpose of calling upon the Department of Transportation to develop and conduct BMore Streets for People, the special and periodic closing of City arteries to vehicular traffic for the purpose of welcoming jogging, biking, skateboarding and other people-engaging activities in temporary closed-roadbed havens; and calling upon the collaborative commitments of the Departments of Transportation (DOT), Health, Police (BPD), General Services and the Offices of Promotion and the Arts (BOPA) and Sustainability to engage in formal fashion among themselves, and with co-sponsoring organizations and neighborhoods, to plan and implement regular BMore Streets for People events throughout the City with venues as approved by proposed “host” communities.

This article is brought to you by the Baltimore Sun.

Cycling event honors Baltimore hit-and-run John Yates.

mdaccidentlawyer — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:42:02 +0000

The Tour de Greater Homewood this Sunday from 1 p.m.-4 p.m. will honor John R. Yates, a cyclist who died in a hit-and-run accident at Maryland and Lafayette avenues in August.

Ogranizated by the Greater Homewood Community Corporation, the ride will benefit its youth programs, for which Yates advocated. There is a suggested donation of $10 for ride participants.

For more details about the tour, including route information go to www.greaterhomewood.org.

Yates joined the GHCC’s board of directors in 2004 and served as Secretary. Jack also worked as an educational consultant at the Abell Foundation, and later served as a mentor for Lake Clifton High School’s Educational Opportunities Program, where he counseled graduates of the Baraka School, of “Boys of Baraka” fame.

The GHCC says its mission is to help neighborhoods in north central Baltimore City to become safer, better places to live. It serves 48 neighborhoods with a combined total of approximately 70,000 residents, or nearly 10 percent of Baltimore City’s population.

If you are injured in an auto accident and would like to speak to an attorney please contact Paul R. Wiesenfeld. He will listen to your unique situation, review the circumstances of your accident and advise you on what to do! Call Now! (301)762-5525 or email us at info@wiesenfeldlaw.com.

Bike rights task force up for hearing Friday October 30, 2009

mdaccidentlawyer — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:11:03 +0000

The Baltimore City Council will hold a hearing on a bill to create an “Equal Rights for Bikes” task force Friday at 12:30 p.m. A respectable turnout of two-wheel advocates is anticipated.

Keith Brook was hit by a car Sunday night Oct 18, 2009

mdaccidentlawyer — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 10:54:12 +0000

Keith Andre Brooks 47-year-old of Glen Burnie was struck by a car while riding his bicycle Sunday night on Crain Highway, he had life threatening injuries.

It happened on the 400 block of Crain Highway where it appears that he hit the curb and fell in the southbound lane.

He was hit by a car that was dark-colored that did not stop. Brooks was taken Baltimore Washington Medical Center, then transferred to Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore, where he was in critical condition.

The are saying that alcohol use by Brooks may have been a factor in the collision.
Anyone with information about the incident was asked to call the county police traffic safety section at 410-222-8573.

If you are injured in an auto accident and would like to speak to an attorney please contact Paul R. Wiesenfeld. He will listen to your unique situation, review the circumstances of your accident and advise you on what to do! Call Now! (301)762-5525 or email us at info@wiesenfeldlaw.com.

14 year old struck while riding his bicycle on Twin Rivers Rd. Monday Oct 12, 2009

mdaccidentlawyer — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 10:46:59 +0000

A 14-year-old Columbia youth was taken to Johns Hopkins Hospital on Monday night after being struck while riding his bicycle. Police said the accident occurred on Twin Rivers Road in Columbia about 6 p.m. A Ford Focus driven by a 61-year-old Columbia woman was traveling west on Twin Rivers Road when it approached Sergial Brown and another cyclist riding along the right side of the road, police said. As the car was about to pass them, the teen made an abrupt left turn directly in front of the vehicle, police said.

The youth was taken by Maryland State Police helicopter to a local hospital, where he was listed in good condition. The driver, whom police identified as Sandra Leland of the 5600 block of Harpers Farm Road, was not injured, according to police. An investigation is continuing, but police don’t anticipate any charges against Leland.

If you are injured in an auto accident and would like to speak to an attorney please contact Paul R. Wiesenfeld. He will listen to your unique situation, review the circumstances of your accident and advise you on what to do! Call Now! (301)762-5525 or email us at info@wiesenfeldlaw.com.

What Safety Precautions Should I Take when riding my Bicycle?

mdaccidentlawyer — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 10:51:34 +0000

A recent study showed that nearly 60% of bicycle accidents are single participant accidents caused by operator error or collision with an obstacle or animal. Nearly all of these accidents are preventable. In order to prevent such types of accidents from happening to you, consider taking certain precautions. First, pay attention when riding your bicycle! Constantly look where you are going, actively identify possible obstacles and create a plan to avoid them. Slow down when the situation calls for it. Even if you cannot manage to avoid an accident, lowering the speed at which the accident occurs can greatly reduce the risk of serious injury. If you ride in low light conditions, make sure your bicycle has reflectors and that they are clean, and consider purchasing a lamp so you can see potential obstacles better.

Somewhere between 60%-85% of bicycle accidents involving serious injury are the result of negligence of a motor vehicle driver, whether involved in the accident or not. While these accidents may not be preventable by the cyclist, there are still precautions to take to reduce risk of serious injury should an accident occur. Wear a helmet!

Almost 75% of serious and fatal injuries in bicycle accidents are due to head injuries. Approved bicycle helmets can be purchased for as little as $20.00, and have been proven to significantly reduce the risk of head injury in the unfortunate case of an accident. When cycling on the road in Maryland, follow the same rules as motor vehicles, following any additional provisions as according to your local Maryland legal code. Use hand signals when turning or stopping to let drivers around you know what your intentions are. Ride defensively!

We are constantly reminded to drive defensively, and the same strategies apply to riding a bicycle. Always keep your eyes open and be looking for routes of escape should your current lane of travel be suddenly cut off.

If you are injured in an auto accident and would like to speak to an attorney please contact Paul R. Wiesenfeld. He will listen to your unique situation, review the circumstances of your accident and advise you on what to do! Call Now! (301)762-5525 or email us at info@wiesenfeldlaw.com.

Benjamin Wortman of Elkridge was struck by car while riding bike, the driver was charged with DUI

mdaccidentlawyer — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 13:05:06 +0000

16 year old Benjamin Wortman of Red Barn Way was hit by a Nissan Altima driven by Aaron Lorson while riding his bicycle in West Friendship at about 12:30 am early Friday. Benjamin was taken to Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore. He was said to be in critical condition.

Lorson was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and possession of heroin.

Anyone with information about the incident is ask to contact the police at 410-313-3700.

If you are injured in an auto accident and would like to speak to an attorney please contact Paul R. Wiesenfeld. He will listen to your unique situation, review the circumstances of your accident and advise you on what to do! Call Now! (301)762-5525 or email us at info@wiesenfeldlaw.com.

Shamika Baker injured while riding her bicycle on Aug 11,2009

mdaccidentlawyer — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 12:58:10 +0000

Shamika Fannie Baker, 22, was riding her bicycle on College Parkway near Bellerive Drive when a Ford E-350 van hit her about 8:46 p.m on Tuesday August 11,2009

Baker, of 1204 Latrobe Drive in Annapolis, had serious head injuries and was flown to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore.

The accident is still under investigation and no charges have been file on Shane Robert Killeen,42, of 1678 Secretariat Drive in Annapolis, who was driving the van. But investigators believe Killeen’s drinking contributed to the crash.

If you are injured in an auto accident and would like to speak to an attorney please contact Paul R. Wiesenfeld. He will listen to your unique situation, review the circumstances of your accident and advise you on what to do! Call Now! (301)762-5525 or email us at info@wiesenfeldlaw.com.

a teen ager Codi Alexander bicycling at or near Sam Eig highway

mdaccidentlawyer — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 13:17:00 +0000

The Washington post reported that Codi Alexander was hit by a car driven by Rodolfo Ayala Sibala as the cyclist tried to cross from the sidewalk off of Great Seneca Highway to the on ramp off of Sam Eig Highway. The police are looking for information. Anyone having it should contact 301 840 2435. The investigation is ongoing.
Often a driver of a car does not see the cyclist. Drivers look for other cars not cyclists.

For information about cycling and automotive safety re cyclists talk to Paul R Wiesenfeld. He is a lawyer who used to lead rides for the Potomac Peddlers. 301 762 5525

Jack Yates killed while riding his bicycle on Tuesday, August 4, 2009

mdaccidentlawyer — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 15:24:45 +0000

Jack Yates, 67 was killed on while riding his bicycle less than a mile from his home. The accident happened around 11:30 Tuesday morning August 6, 2009. He was believed to be struck by a truck traveling southbound on Maryland Avenue and made a right turn onto West Lafayette. His wife Ellen Yates 39, says she keep calling him and it went to voice mail 4 and 5 times, when she became frantic. Jack was an avid bicyclist and had been riding for more than 20 years. He even had mirrors on his helmet.

Police say that the accident was caught on camera but the picture is very grainy. It appears Yates clipped the back wheel of the truck. The driver of the truck left the scene not knowing that he had struck another person. The only witness was Gul Ahmed who works at LaLa’s Auto Repair shop on Lafayette.

If you are injured in an auto accident and would like to speak to an attorney please contact Paul R. Wiesenfeld. He will listen to your unique situation, review the circumstances of your accident and advise you on what to do! Call Now! (301)762-5525 or email us at info@wiesenfeldlaw.com.