September 5, 2010
In and around Charlotte >
- Espada Bicycl
es - UPDATE: Espada bike shop staff are almost finished with renovation of the former Beet shop space in the heart of NoDA. Doors should re-open by the end of August. In the meantime check-out their weekly rides on Tues. eves. Congratulations, Nick and Steve. For more info contact: steve@espadabicycles.com (BTW: Espada is espanol for “sword”).
- NE Corridor light rail / bike trail Stakeholder Group begin meetings - The first of 3 meetings begins on Sept. 29 and will be conducted by John Cock of Alta bike/ped consulting firm. John is a devoted and highly regarded urban planner and cyclist and founder of the Charlotte Commuter Mentor Program. Members of the Stakeholder Group include reps from Center City Partners, NoDA, North End Partners, Queens College, UNCCharlotte Cycists, Queens College, and CABA reps Dan Faris and Andrew Street.
- Bike rack update – Linda Construction has installed several racks at Dilworth Neighborhood Grille, the Music Factory and other locations under CABA’s $20,000 bike rack to CDOT to place 100 – 2 bike racks on commercial sites in Charlotte. Other racks will go to 15 Harris Teeters, UNCC Research Park office buildings, Common Market/South End etc. Any suggestions ? Let us know by clicking the cloud bubble below.
- Selwyn Road and East Blvd. bike lanes are completed. The former includes “sharrow” markings as well.
4 Comments | 
Advocacy - Local, Bike Shops, Bike plans / planning, Meetings, People | 
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Posted by martinzimmerman8
August 10, 2010
Fun, food, frolic…be there !
Date-Time: August 15 – 12:30-3:00 pm
Place: Freedom Park
Shelter # 3 – Rain or shine
Food: You supply the solids. CABA supplies the liquids
Voluntary donation: To cover rental cost- $5
Optional Bike Ride: Thru the park and beyond – 2:15- 3:00. This is your chance to bike the new Dilworth bike route with Queen City signage as per the 2008 Bike Master Plan. Daniel Bennett and Pamela Murray will be leading.
Door prizes: A bunch of goodies from area bike shops – Bicycle Sport, Uptown Cycles, Inside/Out Sports, and others.
Day care: CABA Board member Keith Sorensen has volunteered to take charge, but may need some helpers. Playground is nearby.
RSVP: jweigl@bellsouth.net by August 13 so we can gauge food needs.
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Posted by martinzimmerman8
August 10, 2010
Welcome South Carolina !
Paul LeFrancois
Paul is President of the Palmetto Cycling Coalition - the statewide advocacy group that he helped start as far back as 1995. This year the Alliance for Biking and Walking – cited Paul as 2010 National Advocate of the Year Award. Over the years, Paul has gone above and beyond the call of duty to transform South Carolina into a better place for biking and walking.
With his guidance PCC has passed major reforms to South Carolina’s bicycle traffic safety laws. Paul’s knowledge, creativity, and leadership are the highest standard of excellence making him a role model for others committed to the cause.
Joining Paul will be PCC’s Executive Director, Rachael Kefalos who knows all there is to know about grass-roots advocacy. Welcome Rachael !
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Posted by martinzimmerman8
June 8, 2010
”City of Bikes” – Big News !
"City of Bikes" presented to public forum in March
MIG consultants have unveiled at the public forum meeting at the Charlotte Convention Center the theme “City of Bikes” – if implemented this concept would link Uptown Charlotte and adjoining neighborhoods as never before. The Vision Plan will chart the next decade of change in Center City. This is a major enterprise involving multiple participation from the business community, neighborhood groups, and key institutions – including CPCC and Johnson C. Smith.
Martin Zimmerman of CABA is serving on the Transportation Working Group and will work to assure the “City of Bikes” theme includes showers, a central bike station, way-finding signage for cyclists and more dedicated on road routes to promote bicycling as “green energy”. This process represents an exceptional opportunity for the bike community to influence urban development aligned with sustainable values that is long overdue. Send us your suggestions by clicking the comment bubble below.
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Posted by martinzimmerman8
June 6, 2010
Lobbying for bicyclists’ rights
We were there last Thursday and met in each Charlotte Mecklenburg legislator’s office to push for passage of HB 813/SB679. They were all very responsive and generally aware of the insurance companies’ clout in block this legislation for several years, but it is unclear now how soon the bill will go to the Senate floor for a vote. It is not too late to contact your Senate representative. To do so, enter “CABA in Raleigh” in the
“Search ” box down the right column of this page.
This is an extremely important bill is before the legislature right now that can bring long overdue equity to insurance recovery in crash situations for bicyclists (and pedestrians and car drivers as well).
Ann Groninger, Attorney with NCBIKELAW and an active CABA member has spearheaded this effort in conjunction with the North Carolina Active Transportation Alliance (NCATA) and a statewide legal justice group.
………………………………………………………………………………………………….
PRESS RELEASE May 28, 2010
Contact Person: Ann Groninger, – Attorney with NCBIKELAW (ann@mybikelaw.com / ph.919.818.8369)
Health care and skyrocketing insurance rates are major issues as is the shocking level of fatalities on our local and state highways.
This is why the North Carolina legislature must vote to replace what lawyers call “Contributory Negligence” with “Comparative Fault”. . 46 other states have “Comparative Fault” laws. Fifteen of these have the lowest insurance rates in the US. Now it’s the State Assembly’s chance to stand up to the insurance industry and fight for fairness, equity and safety.
North Carolina holds onto an outdated law which is grossly unfair to all, and particularly to the most vulnerable road users: bicyclists, pedestrians or motorcyclists because it prevents them from collecting any damages in a crash situation where they have even a small percentage of fault. This means that if a truck driver who kills a bicyclist is judged by a jury to be 90% at fault, but the bicyclist who was killed was 10% at fault, the family of the bicyclist has no grounds for a claim. This may make bookkeeping a lot easier for the insurance companies, but it doesn’t lower the average citizen’s rates one iota.
Ann and Mark Ortiz with Senator Charlie Dannelly, Charlotte 38th District - Deputy President Pro Tempore
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Posted by martinzimmerman8
March 15, 2010
The best year ever…
From Martin Zimmerman / CABA Exec. Director -
I know from having lived in Washington DC for several years that March weather there can be cold, wet and clammy, but this year the skies were crystal blue, the temperature in the 60’s and the spirits high (even on the crowded METRO rail!) As I took the METRO last Tuesday to the posh Ronald Reagan International Center, located a few blocks from the home of the Obama family, I had no idea the Annual Summit conference hosted by the League of American Bicyclists (LAB) with over 700 attendees from the US, Canada and Australia, would be the largest in a decade. North Carolina also had its largest delegation – a total of 17 – representing TREK and other industry reps, road and mountain bike clubs, bike shops, and bike / ped planners. This year Ken Tippette, Charlotte’s bicycle program manager (dressed in a grey pin-stripe suit!) participated as panelist for the workshop highlighting cycling and mass transit. Bart Stetler of South Park Cycles and Steve Doolittle of Cool Breeze Cycles (both shops are corporate sponsors of CABA) rounded off the Charlotte group.
To read my personal journal, CLICK: Summit DC
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Posted by martinzimmerman8
