A lazy post...
Arrgh! A blog post about stuff from OTHER blogs! Am I lazy or what?
Can you say 'irony'? It seems that LAB doles out the Bicycle Friendly Commnity status based on the facilities available, not the capabilities of local cyclists. The League's BikeEd program appears to be the organization's red-headed stepchild. Note, however, that area cyclists are getting a FIVE-COUNT 'EM- FIVE kilometer loop that presumably links nowhere with nowhere, all at a cost of $3.4 million! It sounds like a perfect facility for toy bike riders. Those who actually USE their bikes for transportation are screwed, again.
Safety issues cancel Celebration of Life Bike Ride
by Gene Bisbee at 10:18AM (PST) on November 25, 2006
The organizer of the annual Celebration of Life bicycle ride in Virginia Beach says he's cancelling the event next year because the city's streets are getting too congested for the 1,000-or so participants.
What's ironic is that Virginia Beach received an "honorable mention" on the list of Bicycle Friendly communities by the League of American Bicyclists.
While the "honorable mention" doesn't put it in the league with Davis, Boulder, Portland or the 55 other platinum, gold, silver or bronze members, it does show the city is heading in the right direction.
No so, says bike ride organizer Tom Coghill. The city doesn't have enough wide, paved shoulders for cyclists to safely ride the options of 25 to 75 miles. What's more, a $20 million bike trail improvement plan approved years ago has never been funded.
A city official said a bike and pedestrian trail advisory committee supports spending scant funds to patch and connect sidewalks. Plans to improve shoulders will be accomplished when roads are widened. That may take some time, due to a lack of state money.
Meanwhile, the city has set aside $230,000 to design a 5-kilometer bike loop, which is estimated to cost $3.4 million, according to the Virginia Beach Pilot.
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Here's a bit of fun - a list of 35 items that indicate if you're a REAL cyclist! I've sorted out some of my favorites, but in all honesty, I've only done half of these thing. No, I won't tell you which ones!
Blog Entry Are you a cyclist? Nov 23, '06 8:48 PM
You have more water bottles than you have drinking glasses.
You have more cycling jerseys than work shirts.
The nicest pair of shoes you own have cleats in the soles.
You get withdrawal symptoms if off the bike for more than a day.
You point at pot holes, but you are driving in your car alone.
You dream of winning the lottery and the first thing you think of is how
many/which bikes can I buy
-----------------------------------------------
Yet another irony alert! There's a photo that shows the appalling air pollution that affects so many Chinese cities, and you'll notice the streets are thronged with automobiles!
Cycling Banned!
Guangzhou, Capital of Guangdong in Southern China has banned use of the electric bicycle, in favour of cars which are growing in number by 150,000 per year.
* Riders caught using an electric bicycle, are to be fined and bike confiscated.
* Authorities cite untrained riders and disposal of the battery as the reason for the ban.
* Ahem, don't cars have batteries too? What a lame argument!
* If the riders are so bad - then train them!
* Powerful car lobby, exerting its wishes.
Seems like this emerging stupor-power is dazed by economic growth, just oblivious to the irresponsible policy decisions being made.
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/asia/article2004228.ece
---------------------------------------------
Just when you thought it was safe to get back on a bicycle again, guys, a story like this comes along and makes you think twice about urging your significant other to take up riding. I mean, without being crass about it, I'd prefer that women be highly sensitive. After all, fun is fun.
But there was a time that cycling for women was definitely NOT recommended because the seat could cause some, uh, strange urges. This was about the time the Gibson Girls took up cycling and did so by giving up their voluminous skirts in preference for scandalous bloomers. Oh yeah! Men may have caught a glimpse of their ankles! Utter hedonists. In the 1890s, women were discouraged from doing something as un-ladylike as riding a bicycle. Besides, a young couple could ride off alone and unchaperoned. Oh, the horror!
Times change, but anti-cycling prejudice doesn't. Expect some hysterical stories over the next month or so, just like the 'saddles cause impotence' scare and the 'helmets make you less safe' fallacy.
Biking Can Make Women's Genitals Less Sensitive
By LiveScience Staff
posted: 22 November 2006
02:33 pm ET
Women who bicycle frequently run the risk of decreased sensitivity in their genitals as well as pain, a new study suggests.
Researchers compared 48 women competitive cyclists to 22 women runners. The bicyclists consistently rode at least 10 miles per week, and the runners logged at least five miles a week. The runners were used as a control group of active women not exposed to the direct pressure in the perineal region.
"We found that competitive women cyclists have a decrease in genital sensation," said lead author Dr. Marsha Guess, an assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Yale School of Medicine. "However, there were no negative effects on sexual function and quality of life in our young, healthy pre-menopausal study participants."
About 13 million American women bicycle regularly, the researchers say.
While health benefits of bicycling are many, the activity has also been linked to neck and back pain, injuries from chafing, and other ailments that affect both sexes. Past studies, including one authored by National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health co-investigator Steve Schrader, have found an association between bicycling and erectile dysfunction and genital numbness in men.
"This is the first study to evaluate the effects of prolonged or frequent bicycling on neurological and sexual function in women," Guess said. "While seated on a bicycle, the external genital nerve and artery are directly compressed. It is possible that chronic compression of the female genital area may lead to compromised blood flow and nerve injury due to disruption of the blood-nerve barrier."
The study is detailed in the current issue of the Journal of Sexual Medicine.
Can you say 'irony'? It seems that LAB doles out the Bicycle Friendly Commnity status based on the facilities available, not the capabilities of local cyclists. The League's BikeEd program appears to be the organization's red-headed stepchild. Note, however, that area cyclists are getting a FIVE-COUNT 'EM- FIVE kilometer loop that presumably links nowhere with nowhere, all at a cost of $3.4 million! It sounds like a perfect facility for toy bike riders. Those who actually USE their bikes for transportation are screwed, again.
Safety issues cancel Celebration of Life Bike Ride
by Gene Bisbee at 10:18AM (PST) on November 25, 2006
The organizer of the annual Celebration of Life bicycle ride in Virginia Beach says he's cancelling the event next year because the city's streets are getting too congested for the 1,000-or so participants.
What's ironic is that Virginia Beach received an "honorable mention" on the list of Bicycle Friendly communities by the League of American Bicyclists.
While the "honorable mention" doesn't put it in the league with Davis, Boulder, Portland or the 55 other platinum, gold, silver or bronze members, it does show the city is heading in the right direction.
No so, says bike ride organizer Tom Coghill. The city doesn't have enough wide, paved shoulders for cyclists to safely ride the options of 25 to 75 miles. What's more, a $20 million bike trail improvement plan approved years ago has never been funded.
A city official said a bike and pedestrian trail advisory committee supports spending scant funds to patch and connect sidewalks. Plans to improve shoulders will be accomplished when roads are widened. That may take some time, due to a lack of state money.
Meanwhile, the city has set aside $230,000 to design a 5-kilometer bike loop, which is estimated to cost $3.4 million, according to the Virginia Beach Pilot.
--------------------------------------------------
Here's a bit of fun - a list of 35 items that indicate if you're a REAL cyclist! I've sorted out some of my favorites, but in all honesty, I've only done half of these thing. No, I won't tell you which ones!
Blog Entry Are you a cyclist? Nov 23, '06 8:48 PM
You have more water bottles than you have drinking glasses.
You have more cycling jerseys than work shirts.
The nicest pair of shoes you own have cleats in the soles.
You get withdrawal symptoms if off the bike for more than a day.
You point at pot holes, but you are driving in your car alone.
You dream of winning the lottery and the first thing you think of is how
many/which bikes can I buy
-----------------------------------------------
Yet another irony alert! There's a photo that shows the appalling air pollution that affects so many Chinese cities, and you'll notice the streets are thronged with automobiles!
Cycling Banned!
Guangzhou, Capital of Guangdong in Southern China has banned use of the electric bicycle, in favour of cars which are growing in number by 150,000 per year.
* Riders caught using an electric bicycle, are to be fined and bike confiscated.
* Authorities cite untrained riders and disposal of the battery as the reason for the ban.
* Ahem, don't cars have batteries too? What a lame argument!
* If the riders are so bad - then train them!
* Powerful car lobby, exerting its wishes.
Seems like this emerging stupor-power is dazed by economic growth, just oblivious to the irresponsible policy decisions being made.
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/asia/article2004228.ece
---------------------------------------------
Just when you thought it was safe to get back on a bicycle again, guys, a story like this comes along and makes you think twice about urging your significant other to take up riding. I mean, without being crass about it, I'd prefer that women be highly sensitive. After all, fun is fun.
But there was a time that cycling for women was definitely NOT recommended because the seat could cause some, uh, strange urges. This was about the time the Gibson Girls took up cycling and did so by giving up their voluminous skirts in preference for scandalous bloomers. Oh yeah! Men may have caught a glimpse of their ankles! Utter hedonists. In the 1890s, women were discouraged from doing something as un-ladylike as riding a bicycle. Besides, a young couple could ride off alone and unchaperoned. Oh, the horror!
Times change, but anti-cycling prejudice doesn't. Expect some hysterical stories over the next month or so, just like the 'saddles cause impotence' scare and the 'helmets make you less safe' fallacy.
Biking Can Make Women's Genitals Less Sensitive
By LiveScience Staff
posted: 22 November 2006
02:33 pm ET
Women who bicycle frequently run the risk of decreased sensitivity in their genitals as well as pain, a new study suggests.
Researchers compared 48 women competitive cyclists to 22 women runners. The bicyclists consistently rode at least 10 miles per week, and the runners logged at least five miles a week. The runners were used as a control group of active women not exposed to the direct pressure in the perineal region.
"We found that competitive women cyclists have a decrease in genital sensation," said lead author Dr. Marsha Guess, an assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Yale School of Medicine. "However, there were no negative effects on sexual function and quality of life in our young, healthy pre-menopausal study participants."
About 13 million American women bicycle regularly, the researchers say.
While health benefits of bicycling are many, the activity has also been linked to neck and back pain, injuries from chafing, and other ailments that affect both sexes. Past studies, including one authored by National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health co-investigator Steve Schrader, have found an association between bicycling and erectile dysfunction and genital numbness in men.
"This is the first study to evaluate the effects of prolonged or frequent bicycling on neurological and sexual function in women," Guess said. "While seated on a bicycle, the external genital nerve and artery are directly compressed. It is possible that chronic compression of the female genital area may lead to compromised blood flow and nerve injury due to disruption of the blood-nerve barrier."
The study is detailed in the current issue of the Journal of Sexual Medicine.
posted by Ed W at 1:35 PM
2 Comments:
I once started on the LAB survey for Tulsa. It gave me a HUGE brain fart. So, I gave up.
On that thread, I do have to say something about the dynamic between Pete and Brian at the OBC meeting. Brian is right about being admant about sticking to education over STUPID facilities.
Pete also made a great point about being politically pragmatic in order to attract the I-won't-bike-unless-it's-on-the-bike-path crowd.
After thinking mightily about it, I've decided that the bike-path crowd is only making STUPID excuses NOT to ride.
The I-won't-ride-unless-there's-a-bike-path lame-ass excuse like waiting for all the lights to turn green BEFORE leaving the driveway.
But, I do think OBC should give LIP SERVICE to the bike-path people, while sticking to education. The official policy might read something like this:
OBC objective focuses on educating the public, law enforcement, and bicyclists on how to use the existing bicycle facilities, available if the price of gas is high enough to motivate popular usage of such facilities.
OBC will support bike-only facilities, if funding is available(which, except in rare cases, such as the politically connected TU wise-guy, is NEVER available); if the design is consistent with the rules of vehicular cycling; and, if NO other access is available. Politically pragmatic LIP SERVICE.
After stalking him today, Santa did have a chance to chat, actually, SCREAM at BikerFox about riding in the street. It turns out B-Fox is a BIG chicken. He's a vehicular cycling WEENIE. Scaredy cat. All u-tubed.
"Past studies, including one authored by National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health co-investigator Steve Schrader, have found an association between bicycling and erectile dysfunction and genital numbness in men."
Was Schrader's co-investigator the respected scientist Peter Presta?
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