News

Casting Call for WCC Video Spot on Safe Passing Law

On August 27, 2010, in Film, Take Action, by Arielle
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Folks,

WCC member Sean Roach, an accomplished videographer whose film was up for an Emmy, is shooting a 30-sec video on how motorists should safely pass cyclists on the road. It’s a way to educate the public about Merrill’s Law, the safe passing bill we proposed this past winter, which was just signed by the governor.

We’re hoping to put it up on YouTube, and get it posted anywhere and everywhere in New York, to let drivers know what a “safe distance” means in the law. The video will tell motorists that a safe distance is at least three feet…..

He’s shooting in central Westchester on Saturday morning at 9.30. Expect it to take a couple hours. He’s looking for two men and two women. So someone will be driving, someone walking, another will be riding.

here’s the plot: Basically the short involves a guy/girl in the car driving who keeps encountering these situations with someone of the opposite gender on the bicycle. In the end, where they get home safe, we realize they are either neighbors, or husband and wife, and they enter the same building.

If interested, please respond to the email, and I’ll pass your interest along to Sean.

Yours driving at a safe distance,

WCC President David Wilson

 

Victory for Recumbent Bikes on MTA and LIRR

On August 24, 2010, in News, Victory, by Arielle
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Folks,

Metro North this afternoon announced it will rescind a policy enacted in May that prohibited all recumbent bikes from the MTA’s commuter lines. The campaign against the policy was spearheaded by WCC member Neile Weissman, whose recumbent bikes are within the size limit for other bikes on trains. Neile has taken the train to Westchester to lead rides for our club.

The successful campaign was a joint effort of the Westchester Cycle Club, the Bike Walk Alliance, New York Cycle Club, recubment manufacturers and other cycling advocates.

The policy had been enacted as part of an effort within the transit agency to make regulations similar with the two lines. LIRR has also agreed to rescind its ban.

Thanks to all who chipped in, including WCC member Seth Wolin, who placed a call to his SUNY Binghamton chum, MTA chief Jay Walder, to figure out exactly who we needed to talk to resolve the issue.

Yours backing multi-modal transport,
WCC President David Wilson

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Support Bike Advocacy and Celebrate Merrill’s Law on Sept 28th

On August 18, 2010, in Uncategorized, by Arielle
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You can now register online for our Sept. 28 event in Bronxville, celebrating Merrill’s Law and honoring Assemblywoman Amy Paulin and Andrea Stewart-Cousins, who sponsored the bill  in Albany.

It’s going to be a great event at the Bronxville Women’s Club, with a jazz singer and trio,a  selection of wines, Captain Lawrence ale on tap, and light fare. It’s a good opportunity for supporters of bike and pedestrian  advocacy to meet and greet the elected officials who back our agenda. Having a good showing at this event will demonstrate that the movement for nonmotorized transportation is strong, and growing.

It’s especially important that we have a good showing from constituents of Senator Stewart-Cousins, who represents Yonkers and all of Greenburgh.and its villages; and from those represented by Paulin, who represents Scarsdale, White Plains, New Rochelle, and all of Eastchester. We need to show they we appreciate their work on our behalf.

So sign up today. Ask your friends to come along. Post a link to the donation page on your Facebook page.  Even if you can’t make it, please consider a donation to support our work.

You may also consider becoming a sponsor for the event – either $250, $500, or $1,000.

You can register and contribute at http://www.firstgiving.com/merrillslaw

Hope to see  you there…

Yours riding safely,

BWA President David Wilson

 

Action Alert- Mamaroneck Village Board Meeting tonight on Bike Ordinance

On August 16, 2010, in Uncategorized, by Arielle
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Folks,

The Mamaroneck Village Board will hold a public hearing tonight on the latest version of its bike ordinance at 7.30 at village hall, 169 Mt. Pleasant Avenue.

We support the plan, which was developed with village officials in association with Mamaroneck residents, Westchester Cycle Club and the Bike Walk Alliance of Westchester & Putnam.

The current plan requires cyclists to park at the village’s bike-parking facilities along Mamaroneck Avenue in the downtown area, but cyclists will also be allowed to lean a bike up against a building as long as it doesn’t impede pedestrians. The village has pledged to installed hitching posts along the avenue to encourage cyclists to frequent the village.

Children will be able to ride on Mamaroneck sidewalks, except for the few blocks in the village’s congested downtown along Mamaroneck Avenue.

Penalties for violating the ordinance now call for a $25 fine – far less onerous than the $250 fine and 15 days in jail under a previous proposal.

Hope to see you there!

Yours parking properly,

WCC President David Wilson

 

Governor Paterson signs Merrill’s Law

On August 15, 2010, in Uncategorized, by Arielle
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Folks,

Gov. Paterson today Gov. Paterson today signed Merrill’s Law, the bill proposed and promoted by the Bike Walk Alliance and Westchester Cycle Club this year, which will make our roads safer for cyclists. The bill was proposed last December, following the death of Merrill Cassell, who was killed after he was sideswiped by a BeeLine bus on Route 119 at the Greenburgh-White Plains line.

The bill requires motorists to pass cyclists “at a safe distance” on the road. We will now work with the state Department of Motor Vehicles to develop an education program to teach motorists what a “safe distance” means. Several states have a three-foot rule, while many others have the safe distance language. Three feet can be mighty close if you are getting passed by a bus or 16-wheel semi….

The Bike Walk Alliance will celebrate the victory at an event on Sept. 28 at 7 p.m. at the Bronxville Women’s Club, 135 Midland Ave., Bronxville. The Alliance will be honoring Assemblywoman Amy Paulin, who was the bill’s Assembly sponsor.

Yours riding safely,

WCC President David Wilson

 

Victory for Bike Advocacy in Mamaroneck

On August 14, 2010, in News, by admin
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Our fight against the onerous bike ordinance proposed in the village of Mamaroneck has had a huge impact. The revised bill, which will come before the village board on Aug. 16, now eliminates the draconian penalties and unnecessary restrictions included in the first draft, which was circulated earlier this month.

We’ll be at the hearing supporting the legislation. After six of us appeared at the July 19 meeting, they asked for input, and then incorporated our ideas into the final proposal. It all happened quite quickly.

Under the original proposal, bikes in all commercial areas could only be parked in designated areas, with penalties for mis-parking your bike of up to $250, 15 days in jail, and impoundment of your bike.

The revised law requires parking at designated areas on several blocks of Mamaroneck Avenue in downtown Mamaroneck, but it also allows cyclists to lean their bikes against a building as long as it doesn’t impede pedestrian traffic.

The proposed bill had barred children from riding their bikes or scooters on sidewalks in the village unless under the supervision of an adult. The revised law allows them to ride independently on sidewalks as long as they do so in a safe manner. They are only barred  from riding on a few blocks downtown, which seems reasonable.

The village plans to install 25 bike hitching posts in the downtown, as well as several bike racks. Infrastructure like this will encourage folks to ride in the village.

The process was a good one, and will lead to a new partnership with the village. The East Coast Greenway runs through the village as it comes up Palmer Ave., jogs along Mamaroneck Avenue for a block and then head up Halstead to Harrison. We’d like to get the route signed, so people can follow it, as part of the 3,000 mile route from Florida to Maine. Efforts to do so in the Westchester communities stalled several years ago, and now is the time to revive it.

Yours parking without impeding pedestrian traffic,

BWA President David Wilson 

 
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