/blog/safety-remembrance-responsibility#comment-6321While many times driver distractions are the cause of accidents with cyclists, i also think that we cyclists need to make sure that we act responsiby on the roads. Very often i see cyclists doing many of the following things: Not using hand signals at intersections. Not stopping at a stop signs if they dont see anyone coming. Thinking they have the right to ride on either side of the road no matter what direction they are going. Disobeying the 'Dont Walk' signs at crosswalks. While we must continue continue to try to make the roads safer, we cyclists must also do everything we can to promote safe riding and obeying traffic laws. 2012-05-07T17:38:45urn:comment:6321/blog/safety-remembrance-responsibility#comment-6281Ann - Your words are most powerful. Thank you. - Deb Kittner 2012-04-25T12:40:32urn:comment:6281/blog/volunteer-and-ride-for-free#comment-6263Ginny, Please call us at 314-436-1324 or email carol@trailnet.org for volunteer opportunities. Thanks! Mary2012-04-21T13:50:07urn:comment:6263/blog/update-on-cyclists-death#comment-6261Much appreciate the work Trailnet is doing on issues like this!2012-04-21T01:10:21urn:comment:6261/blog/volunteer-and-ride-for-free#comment-6260Would like to volunteer for a bike ride close to or near St. Louis or south of St. Louis Live in Festus, Missouri2012-04-20T20:44:24urn:comment:6260/blog/trailnet%E2%80%99s-2012-calendar-of-rides-now-available#comment-6185Alan, The calendar is now available as a PDF on either the BFC or Community rides page under Events on the left hand side.2012-03-29T14:31:37urn:comment:6185/blog/smart-driving-means-no-smart-phones#comment-6184Shiela, You can click on "Get Involved" on the left hand side for more information about membership.2012-03-29T14:16:54urn:comment:6184/blog/rsvp-now-for-beans-brews-bikes-2012#comment-6162Great test ride today! It was quite pleasant roinllg past places I've never really gotten to go before. A few things, though.Positives: -There were a lot of good straight roads with multiple lanes, leaving plenty of room for our group.-Lots of good food on the way back!-This section of the area seems less explored by bike party. Nice to get out every now and then Not-so-positives:-The hilly sections I see being tough for Bike Partiers. A bunch of you guys (with a few exceptions) seemed to be experienced riders with big calves on road bikes. A good portion of the night riders consists of kids on bmx bikes, cruiser people, fixie-types, car-people-who-ride-once-every-five-years, trailer-towers, and first-timers. Don't want to lose anybody, split the group, or scare anyone off. That's all I got! Best Saturday I've had in a while.2012-03-28T13:57:49urn:comment:6162/blog/smart-driving-means-no-smart-phones#comment-6161I went to the APTA (or NAPTA, I think one linked to the other) site to see if I could find out more. I didn't see a press rleease. I still don't know to what number or to whom I would've sent the text you mention. I did find a petition that could be signed that supported mass transit and I signed that & listed some of the reasons I think it's useful or that I use it since there was space for that.I use public transit when I can. What I have seen where I live is that too many decisions are made to benefit the wealthy. Where I live, the city would rather subsidize (by purchasing) a small general aviation airport, which is predominantly used by those who are wealthy enough to own/lease small planes and/or helicopters. Which is maybe 5% of the people living with the town's limits. A commercial shuttle has been attempted twice, one in the '90 s, again recently and this last effort, even with a substantial state transportation grant, the shuttle didn't average even 1/2 full (a 9 passenger plane) even w/a subsidized fare. The city will not even consider helping to subsidize a commute bus to the nearest large town (about 60 miles away) even though there are close links between the university there & the marine science center here. It looks like people will go the van pool route instead. There is also a right of way that could serve for a rail track from the nearest town (6 miles or so away) and the port here it could also, eventually, w/track work, serve passenger rail as well. A win/win, you'd think a commercial & passenger rail link. Not according to this city council, etc. They just want their airport paid for by taxpayers. So, I use mass transit when I can, I support it, but I don't see the PTB doing much but looking to see how to use tax dollars to support what they want.2012-03-28T05:26:07urn:comment:6161/blog/smart-driving-means-no-smart-phones#comment-5986Hello, I have been wanting to join for a while, I am hoping to cut out some more time to dedicate riding my bycycle. A coworker are looking for information on bicycle racks for her vehicle. Any one here have recomendations? Thanks!2012-03-21T20:12:13urn:comment:5986/blog/trailnet%E2%80%99s-2012-calendar-of-rides-now-available#comment-5789Hi - I am a long time Trailnet member, can not wait to start riding again this year, as I missed most of last year. I'm wondering.... Trailnet use to have the year's rides available as a calender export text file.... I don't see that option this year, is it available? Thanks Alan2012-03-15T19:54:18urn:comment:5789/blog/safe-roads#comment-5067Agreed. I second the cell phone comments. The only incidents I've had in traffic recently have both been with people on a cell phone. I'd love to see better designed roads around St. Louis for cyclists, but fear with the state of the economy we won't see it soon. I also hate that I've had to purchase near bulletproof tires to ride on shoulders and the outsides of many of the roads around where I live and ride (e.g. Fenton, Lindbergh blvd). I hope one day I can ride for my house to work, but for the moment I'm stuck driving to a parking lot first before getting on my bike to pedal in. There are very few routes from my house to a connecting road to work. Maybe some day...2012-03-01T02:14:17urn:comment:5067/blog/another-cyclist-struck-and-killed-by-automobile-driver#comment-3744My heart goes out to the family and friends of this young man. Our streets need to be safer.2012-02-11T09:53:59urn:comment:3744/blog/disastrous-federal-transportation-bill-released#comment-3194I called Russ Carnahan's office and said any bill that would not take into consideration individuals like myself who ride my bike to work would take the United States by years and that they must take into consideration roads and byways to facilitate bike traffic. 2012-02-02T15:56:51urn:comment:3194/blog/re-thinking-driving-and-cell-phone-usage#comment-2746Kelly, I don't know - if a tree falls in the woods and nobody hears it, does it make a sound? Likewise, if you are driving and on the phone and don't see anyone, were they really there? It might have been me swerving to the shoulder - please read on. I tend to agree with the thinking of Jason, Jim and Jeff, we need more public awareness concerning distracted driving. Laws sound nice, but how does an officer enforce it? I rarely travel with 4 wheels, most of my time is spent on a bicycle, most of my miles by motorcycle. I have been run off the roadway and onto the shoulder many times. All but twice it was a single occupant motorist on a cell phone. Once was a young man tuning his radio on North Lindbergh, once was two young ladies talking and making wild lane changes on I-270. Fortunately for me, such drivers tend to telegraph their inattentiveness and I was able to prepare an exit strategy. Kelly, it is the one I may miss that has me thinking...?2012-01-17T01:58:39urn:comment:2746/blog/bike-lane-on-route-370-closing-on-november-5-until-2014#comment-2743During better weather, I bicycle from north St. Louis county to St. Charles on business a couple of times a month. It's a nice 15 mile ride each way. With 370 closed, it is now 23.2 miles each way. That is farther than I can ride twice in a day with a work day sandwiched in between. So they've taken me off my bicycle and put me into my car for two years. Seems like they could have kept one of the two bike lines open and made it a two-way lane ... I know there isn't a lot of bike traffic on there, but telling cyclists to reroute to Page is totally impractical.2012-01-16T15:13:12urn:comment:2743/blog/important-message-grants-trail-users#comment-2737I have been using this lot for about five years and will miss it. But the sad fact is if one person that had their car or other property vandalized on the lot tried to sue or the insurance company tried to get restitution from the owners of the lot they would be left with no other choice than to secure the lot. It’s sad that in this society we have to worry about someone suing us.2012-01-15T21:45:42urn:comment:2737/blog/re-thinking-driving-and-cell-phone-usage#comment-2631As terrible as it sounds .. some people are able to drive and then as a secondary consideration talk to a passenger or on the phone, while others are incapable of this division of priorities. Some can chew gum and walk at the same time while others will fall down. You can't legislate common sense and I'm tired of people saying because it "could be if stupid does it" all of us will stop. Not me Happy New Year Kelly2012-01-01T23:04:18urn:comment:2631/blog/re-thinking-driving-and-cell-phone-usage#comment-2498That's what I'm on about. Many forms of behavior are detrimental to driving, but legislating against some of them and enforcing any of them could prove a ridiculous imposition on personal freedoms, even if proves possible. Like Jim said, education and social pressure are the only real way to make headway here. I mean, I would refuse a ticket for texting while driving if I was guilty of such behavior, strictly based on the hippocracy of being pulled over by a person who was banging away on a laptop keyboard while driving. 2011-12-21T00:35:24urn:comment:2498/blog/bike-swap-meet-2012-date-is-set#comment-2474Are any volunteers needed for this event?2011-12-16T17:04:49urn:comment:2474