Jeremy Mates’s Blog

From: Jeremy Mates <jmates@sial.org>
Date: Fri, 9 May 2008 15:18:55 -0700
To: nick.licata@seattle.gov, sally.clark@seattle.gov,
        richard.conlin@seattle.gov, david.della@seattle.gov,
        richard.mciver@seattle.gov, tom.rasmussen@seattle.gov,
        peter.steinbrueck@seattle.gov, carbina.resendez@seattle.gov,
        m.j.kelly@cascadebicycleclub.org
Subject: Bicycle Safety Improvements at Eastlake & Fuhrman?

How many more bicyclists must die, or be injured, before the city
improves the safety of the Eastlake & Fuhrman intersection for
bicyclists and pedestrians?

http://www2.seattle.gov/fire/realTime911/getRecsForDatePub.asp?action=Today&incDate=&rad1=des

  5/9/2008 2:51:31 PM F080040691 E17 M16
  Eastlake Av E / Fuhrman Av E Medic Response

Thank you,
Jeremy Mates

Bryce Lewis died at this intersection on 9/7/2007:

The crash site, an intersection that sees 30,000 cars a day, is notoriously dangerous for cyclists ("scary as shit," one Point 83 poster called it). Although Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) spokesman Gregg Hirakawa says SDOT has no specific records indicating that the intersection of Eastlake and Fuhrman avenues is more dangerous than other trouble spots. (SDOT doesn't keep crash statistics by intersection.) "This is a major connection [for cyclists], and it needs improvement," says David Hiller, advocacy director for the Cascade Bicycle Club.

Update: Councilmember Jan Drago (chair, Transportation Committee) and Grace Crunican (Director of the Seattle Department of Transportation) are the most appropriate contacts to voice concern over this intersection.

Technorati Tags: cycle

Posted by Jeremy Mates at 22:21 | Permalink

Portland delivers on “friendly for biking” promises, unlike Seattle. Bicycling in downtown Seattle is harrowing, with many cars ignorant of the law and passing recommendations. Add to this the noise and stench from the hordes of SOV, and now, a dangerous street car line:

“Portland's preliminary streetcar experience was initially very similar to Seattle's. Under pressure, Portland installed their first tracks on the right hand side of the road. In the first year, before warning signs were added, the city saw a huge spike in cyclist injuries along the tracks. Since then, Portland's streetcar guidelines put tracks in the center of the road or on dedicated paths separated from other traffic and as a result their cyclist injury rate has fallen.”

“Despite Portland's experience and many cyclist injuries along Westlake before the trolley has even begun to run, Seattle Department of Transportation has responded to concerned cyclists only to inform them that a bike lane is to be installed on 9th Ave N in late 2008 or 2009. Seattle Department of Transportation has no plans at this time to fill the gap, mark the road with sharrows to indicate safe positioning for cyclists, or add caution signs at major intersections where cyclists commonly intersect with Westlake.”

Source: Seattle Likes Bikes event ride e-mail.

Posted by Jeremy Mates at 22:56 | Permalink

Friend now lives near North end of Lake Washington, so taking the Burke-Gilman to and from there. This is a nice 12 mile trip, except for the death-roller-right-of-ways across the trail, and the bumps from roots that also now run across the trail. By night, not so good, as the insane lighting from the nearby roads and housing drowns out night vision, and the trail is otherwise dark. Passive reflective strips to follow and laws against nighttime light pollution would make the trip easier, save huge amounts of power, and provide better sleep to Seattle residents.

Amusingly, certain intersections on the Burke-Gilman now have multiple flashing stop signs (as subtle and effective as <blink>) where the Powers That Be desire cyclists to stop. Realistically, police would need to be stationed at each of these intersections, just as they must pull over cars on 3rd avenue downtown.

Recently discovered wool cycling jerseys, and like them far more than the plastic that passes for clothing these days.

Technorati Tags: cycling

Posted by Jeremy Mates at 02:14 | Permalink

Participated in Bike to Work month for the first time. Definite changes due to biking most days of the week, rather than just two or three days: no bus time to read, though biking to work faster than bussing. Biking to work good, as the ride wakes me up, though biking home much harder (perhaps need to snack more in the afternoon, or use a longer route that avoids the initial uphill climb through downtown Seattle). However, energy spent (plus biking out to Ballard for rock climbing) makes me less liable to do housework. A cleaning service and a dishwasher could help there. Need gloves with thick padding, as road bike none too kind on the wrists. A recliner bike may be in order for later years, or commuter bike that keeps weight off the arms.

Downtown Seattle is a toxic wasteland: too many vehicles, too much noise, and a bad stench most days of the week. Anecdotal evidence (myself) links increased biking to increased sneezing, either due to allergy triggering Diesel particles, or perhaps something else. The Winter rains help keep pollution down and pavement dust to a minimum, but these largely vanish during the summer months in Seattle.

In related news:

• Automakers Summer Prescription For American Drivers: Higher Gas Prices, More Pollution - advertising campaign in 10 light truck and SUV infested states to oppose fuel efficient vehicles.

• Seattle Bicycle Master Plan - City plans to improve bicycling throughout the area.

Technorati Tags: cycling

Posted by Jeremy Mates at 04:24 | Permalink

Bouldering skills leveled out at V2 for a month or two now. Can climb a rare V3, but usually get stuck on particular moves. Worst are those that require pinching (thumbs weak?) or enough upper body strength to hold while reaching for the next piece. Probably need gym time to round out the weak muscle groups.

Winter biking hit or miss, depending on weather. Need fenders, for starters, though these would not help against the bizarre drenching rain this fall.

Technorati Tags: cycling, rock climbing

Posted by Jeremy Mates at 04:15 | Permalink

In rougelike games such as Zangband, large numbers of monsters may easily overwhelm an exposed character. Properly dug traps expose your character to at most one monster, and prevent other monsters from using ranged attacks against you. Use wands of Stone to Mud or equivalent ability: switching to and using a shovel takes time, and may drop required benefits offered by your primary weapon.

Zangband! A winter sport for on-call and sick sysadmin!

Continue reading "Zangband Tip: Digging Traps" »

Posted by Jeremy Mates at 01:41 | Permalink

Seattle Bicycle Master Plan - overview of Seattle’s Department of Transportation bicycle plan. Nothing on my grand scheme of things wish list, like “raise gas prices by $10 and hasten the demise of the automobile industry”, but a good start.

Technorati Tags: cycling

Posted by Jeremy Mates at 02:50 | Permalink

Now bouldering V1 and V2 routes at Stone Gardens. Arm strength much improved due to biweekly climbing sessions, and moving better up the walls. Have completed several (easy) V3 routes, though rankings appear very subjective for routes of medium difficulty. Stone Gardens changing the routes often now: can miss out on things to try, though not stuck with “done it or defeated by it” doldrums.

Technorati Tags: rock climbing

Posted by Jeremy Mates at 01:34 | Permalink

My Felt mountain bike needs a frame fix on the rear brake. However, Supergo Performance bicycles no longer support repairs on Felt, and redirected me to Aurora Cycles. Technician their recommended Specialized for road bikes, citing great customer support. They only carry Felt road bikes and cruisers: adding mountain bikes would require additional paperwork from Felt. Next: contact Felt directly to determine the best return path.

Technorati Tags: cycling

Posted by Jeremy Mates at 21:32 | Permalink

Bike next to I-5 by Northgate during rush hour, and be the only human not rolling ruin upon the planet. Or, avoid the hot car infested and shade free lanes with the Bikely bike trip planning site. Would have helped me better navigate from Greenlake to Shoreline without the Northgate diversion.

Added a few routes, will have to paw through the existing routes later…

Technorati Tags: cycling

Posted by Jeremy Mates at 00:17 | Permalink

Signed up for Bikestation Seattle access. Near work, and offers secure 24x7 parking. At work, the building lease prohibits bikes in the building, and the parking garage wants bikes stored in an open cage, locked behind a default password, and no attendant after hours. Small wonder bikes get stolen! While one may naturally suspect this cycling discouragement to stem from the usual Hindu American Zionist Latter-day Orthodox Corporate Zensufi Pentecostal Masonite conspiracy, more likely (but far less entertaining) causes include building owners who dislike tire scrapes and mud, and a parking garage who threw together unprofitable bike cages as an afterthought.

Slightly longer walk to work, though this avoids the annoying road by the Stadium. Escaping Northwesterly tricky. First avenue best option, as I can sneak into Pike Place Market for sorbet or other snacks on the way home. However, Pike Place Market comes to a screeching halt somewhere between 17:15 and 18:30, ruling out worked-a-bit-late days.

Technorati Tags: cycling

Posted by Jeremy Mates at 03:05 | Permalink

Picked up my first road bike from Elliot Bay Cycles, after long addiction to mountain bikes. Tried road bike back in high school, though it was way too large for me. Islamabad had crummy roads, plus the nearby Margalla Hills to bike through, so mountain bike better choice then. Mainly do road commuting inside Seattle now, and spent far too much time in top gear on my mountain bike. Road bike has skinny tires, larger gears, and a good steel frame, and avoids tire/front gear swapping on a single bike. Had to shorten the handlebar stem, probably due to my negative Ape index?

Fun to learn a new bike while commuting through downtown Seattle during rush hour, in spite of some crummy road sections and potholes. Third avenue open only to bikes and buses during peak times, good if you don’t mind dodging between busses instead of random cars going random directions. Going back North from the International district tricky, as either have to head up 4th uphill, or sneak over to 1st or the waterfront via the Pioneer Square area. Waterfront bad for biking North: small bike/pedestrian trail, though has many intersections, and no good way to get up into downtown due to steep or non-existant roads up hill.

Technorati Tags: cycling

Posted by Jeremy Mates at 11:04 | Permalink

Recently took up rock climbing at Stone Gardens. Great introduction and basics classes taught there, in addition to extensive bouldering space for ropeless practice. Can now climb all the V0 bouldering routes except one, and can climb a few of the V1 routes. Think of route climbing as a 3D puzzle with yourself as the puzzle piece.

Fair amount of strength required to climb, though the advanced climbers do not waste strength like the beginners do: straight arms, flowing along the routes instead of clawing their way up. Knowing a few tricks (smearing, swapping feet on nubbins you think cannot possibly hold you, and so forth) helps a lot, as otherwise end up stuck where a route requires a particular move.

Picked up basic set of equipment at REI, on recommendation of their lenient return policy for members. Shoes tricky, as foot should be curved, with toes pointing down, and no spare room up front. Get a stretching book to help avoid injury: moving up a route can strain tendons in unexpected ways.

Technorati Tags: rock climbing

Posted by Jeremy Mates at 07:25 | Permalink