Bob Mionske's Blog on Bicycle Law and Advocacy - Media: Articles

Spokes | Tipsy On Two Wheels

Sat, 07 Aug 2010 18:55:00 -0400

This news article featuring Bob Mionske has been reproduced here for our media archives. To access the original article, follow the link.

Spokes | Tipsy On Two Wheels

By J. David Goodman, The New York Times

ON the matter of bicycling under the influence, Michael Dolan has known both pleasure and pain.

Mr. Dolan, a 33-year-old public relations strategist, reported some happy two-wheeled encounters while drunk involving the singers David Byrne and Björk — whom he witnessed “being pedaled around and screeching like a child” — as well as a “surreal” collision with a rider on a Penny Farthing.

But he also acknowledged the danger in trying to ride after downing enough alcohol to make a single speed look like a tandem. “I know one person who was killed drunk-biking, one who broke some bones crossing the Manhattan Bridge,” Mr. Dolan said. “Everyone I ride with has at least one story of hurting themselves booze-rolling.” (Mr. Byrne, for one, wrote on his blog about having broken his ribs in a drink-fueled 2008 fall.)

Still, many cyclists have dedicated “bar bikes” — cheap beaters that can be left overnight if a return trip by taxi becomes necessary — and sometimes there are so many bikes locked up near certain watering holes that it can be hard to find a place to park. [More]

Start of Tour de Nez bike race used to remind people of ongoing problem

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 14:52:00 -0400

This news article featuring Bob Mionske has been reproduced here for our media archives. To access the original article, follow the link.

KRNV Reno: Start of Tour de Nez bike race used to remind people of ongoing problem

Thursday June 17, 2010

Thursday was day one of the Tour de Nez bike race. Bicycle enthusiasts used it to highlight what they call an ongoing, dangerous problem. That is, that motorists and cyclists don't always share the road,

A forum at the Nugget in Sparks Thursday came after two recent bicycle accidents in town. One of those accidents was last week. A three year old girl was riding her bike on Lewis Street when she was hit by a truck. Last month, a Tour de Nez rider was in the bike lane on McCarran Boulevard when he was hit by a car from behind. Luckily, both survived.

A bike law expert said that with more people than ever before now riding bikes, there's now more conflicts than ever. Bob Mionske is a former Olympian and now lawyer and columnist for Bicycle Magazine. He says cyclists have every right to use the road, but often don't get justice on the roadways when they're blamed for accidents even if a motorist is equally to blame.

With the Tour de Nez in town, he says it's a good time to remind motorists and cyclists a simple lesson that can save lives -- slow down and pay attention.

"It's a societal thing, we're all in a hurry, we make too many apointments, we rush to get there, when you do that you make mistakes,” said Bob Mionske. “When you make a mistake against a car, maybe it's only a fender bender but when you do it against a bicyclist or pedestrian, you take their life; we need to put more importance on how we drive," he said.

A Reno PD Sargeant also spoke. Police have received a grant to target and ticket cyclists and pedestrians who disobey traffic laws, as well as cite motorists who do not share the road.

Road warrior

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 14:41:00 -0400

This news article featuring Bob Mionske has been reproduced here for our media archives. To access the original article, follow the link.

Reno news & Review: Road warrior

Bike law expert and former Olympian Bob Mionske calls for more justice for cyclists

Bike law expert and former Olympian Bob Mionske rides with Lance Armstrong.

By Kat Kerlin
katk@newsreview.com

This article was published on 06.17.10.

On June 8, a 3-year-old girl was riding her bike on Lewis Street in Reno when she was hit by a Ford pickup. Though she was dragged for about 10 feet, she survived. Earlier, on May 12, a helmeted, former Tour de Nez racer was riding in the bike lane along South McCarran Boulevard and Caughlin Parkway when he was hit from behind by a vehicle and injured.

Inevitably, these sorts of stories spur comments from both motorists and cyclists about the lack of courtesy and often unsafe behavior each group demonstrates to the other. Comments on a Reno Gazette-Journal article about the May 12 accident ranged from complaints about distracted drivers to cyclists hogging lanes.

“Things have changed in the world in the last four years in terms of the number of people using bikes,” says bike law expert and former Olympic cyclist Bob Mionske. “It’s gotten better in that more people are riding, but it’s also put more pressure on conflict.” [More]

Mionske: Vulnerable User Laws a First Step Toward True Traffic Justice

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 21:14:00 -0400

This news article featuring Bob Mionske has been reproduced here for our media archives. To access the original article, follow the link.

Streetsblog NYC: Mionske: Vulnerable User Laws a First Step Toward True Traffic Justice

by Brad Aaron on February 8, 2010

In the second installment of his two-part "traffic injustice" series (here's part one), cycling attorney Bob Mionske covers a lot of ground. While much of it will lead Streetsblog readers to nod in knowing agreement, what struck us is the way Mionske exposes how a transportation system so dominated by multi-ton vehicles has basically absolved drivers of responsibility when it comes to interactions with actual people. [More]

Doctor's prison sentence isn't a sea change for cyclists

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 23:11:00 -0400

This opinion article by Bob Mionske has been reproduced here for our media archives. To access the original article, follow the link below.

The Los Angeles Times: Doctor's prison sentence isn't a sea change for cyclists

Only after multiple assaults was the motorist in the Mandeville Canyon incident finally punished. It should never have gone that far. [More]

Judge: Woman hit in unpainted bike lane is not protected by law

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 03:27:00 -0400

This news article featuring Bob Mionske has been reproduced here for our media archives. To access the original article, follow the link below.

Bikeportland: Judge: Woman hit in unpainted bike lane is not protected by law

Posted by Jonathan Maus (Editor-in-Chief) on December 18th, 2009 at 10:26 am

When Portlander Rob Daray witnessed a right-hook collision on his commute home last summer he thought it was obvious who was at fault. So did the police officer who cited the operator of the motor vehicle for “failure to yield to a bicycle.” Even the woman driving the car admitted she made an abrupt right turn without checking her blind spots.

But when the case came up in traffic court, the judge came to a different conclusion and now Mr. Daray and others familiar with this are worried that people who ride bicycles are vulnerable — not just on the street, but in the legal system as well. [More]

Stop. Yield.

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 23:22:00 -0400

This news article featuring Bob Mionske has been reproduced here for our media archives. To access the original article, follow the link below.

Philadelphia CityPaper: Stop. Yield.

What can Idaho teach us about bike/car relations?

by Brian Howard

Published: Dec 1, 2009

The bike wars in Philadelphia have reached a fever pitch, where vitriol breeds rage breeds illogic — in the streets (see Fletcher, Rachel) and on message boards (see all bike posts on The Clog).

While there are certainly cyclists out there engaging in egregious and dangerous behavior, most of the invective seems to stem from stopping. Or rather, not stopping. [More]

Troubles in Philly, Lessons for New York?

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 15:15:00 -0400

This news article featuring Bob Mionske has been reproduced here for our media archives. To access the original article, follow the link below.

The New York Times: Troubles in Philly, Lessons for New York?

By J. DAVID GOODMAN

The animosity that some cyclists and pedestrians feel for one another — well-documented in comment wildfires on this blog and elsewhere — simmers just below the surface of shared urban streets, as seemingly inevitable a part of city life as the steam rising through manhole covers. Just as inevitably, every once in a while these tensions boil over, usually in response to a coincidence of tragic accidents. [More]

The Los Angeles Times: Bicyclists should stay on the defensive to stay safe

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0400

This news article featuring Bob Mionske has been reproduced here for our media archives. To access the original article, follow the link below.

The Los Angeles Times: Bicyclists should stay on the defensive to stay safe

Bicyclists must obey all the traffic laws that motorists do, but safety tactics may also help riders avoid accidents.

A bike commuter rides amongst cars in L.A. traffic. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

By Christie Aschwanden
November 2, 2009

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration statistics show that the following were five of the most frequently reported fatal bike-vehicle accidents from 2004 through 2008. Here, our urban cycling experts outline the best ways to avoid them -- and offer some other safety tips besides. [More]

The Toronto Star: Bryant and bike courier a class issue

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 09:20:00 -0400

This news article featuring Bob Mionske has been reproduced here for our media archives. To access the original article, follow the link below.

The Toronto Star: Bryant and bike courier a class issue

Sep 18, 2009 04:30 AM
ANTONIA ZERBISIAS

"A journalist's job is to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable."

Attributed to American critic H.L. Mencken (1880-1956)

On Sept. 1, after former Ontario attorney-general Michael Bryant was charged with "criminal negligence causing death" and "dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death," there wasn't much comforting the afflicted.

Anyway, bicycle courier Darcy Allan Sheppard was more than afflicted. [More]

Streetsblog: Blaming Cyclists for Dangerous Roads: It Goes Way Back

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 09:33:00 -0400

This news article featuring Rick Bernardi has been reproduced here for our media archives. To access the original article, follow the link below.

Streetsblog: Blaming Cyclists for Dangerous Roads: It Goes Way Back

by Sarah Goodyear on September 17, 2009

On Bicyclelaw.com yesterday, there was a terrible story out of Canada about a crash involving a reckless motorist and law-abiding cyclists.

What was the response to the shocking case of careless driving, which left five bikers gravely injured? The local police initiated a ticket blitz aimed at…cyclists breaking the law (one of the offenses often cited was a failure to have a bell on the bicycle). It's reminiscent of the recent crackdown on jaywalking in Savannah in response to a pedestrian death.

Rick Bernardi writes on the blog that people on bikes should certainly obey the rules of the road. But: [More]

Bicycling and the Law

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 05:04:00 -0400

This book review of Bicycling & the Law has been reproduced here for our media archives. To access the original article, follow the link below.

Red Kite Prayer: Bicycling and the Law

August 27, 2009 by Padraig

When I was a newbie, Eddie B.’s book, “Bicycle Road Racing,” was considered a must-read for anyone who was serious about bike racing. It’s the one and only book I can think of that experienced riders uniformly told me I should read. Of course, “Bicycle Road Racing” was only a necessity to those riders who wished to race. Today, there are as many books on how to be fast as there are flavors of ice cream at Baskin-Robbins.

I never believed there was a single book that each and every cyclist should read, at least, not until now. [More]

Streetsblog: Road Rage Victim's Reputation Smeared Until Proven Innocent

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 19:20:00 -0400

This news article featuring Bob Mionske has been reproduced here for our media archives. To access the original article, follow the link below.

Streetsblog: Road Rage Victim’s Reputation Smeared Until Proven Innocent

by Ben Fried on August 17, 2009

Ray Bengen, pictured on the sidewalk below his assailant, is paying a steep price for defending himself while riding in the Ninth Avenue bike lane. [More]

L.A. Streetsblog: Cycling and the Law: Where Does Education Begin?

Wed, 06 May 2009 06:05:00 -0400

This news article featuring Bob Mionske has been reproduced here for our media archives. To access the original article, follow the link.

L.A. Streetsblog: Cycling and the Law: Where Does Education Begin?

by Sarah Goodyear on May 6, 2009

What's the law where you are? Photo by tandemracer via Flickr.

Today, in honor of bike month on the Streetsblog Network, we hear from a cyclist in Long Beach, California, who was forced into the position of (unsuccessfully) educating a police officer about the right of a bike to ride safely out of the door zone. This via the Long Beach Cyclists blog: [More]

Silent Sports Sounds Off: North Suburb of Chicago Adopts New Bike Ordinances

Tue, 17 Feb 2009 03:33:00 -0400

This news article featuring Bob Mionske has been reproduced here for our media archives. To access the original article, follow the link.

Silent Sports Sounds Off: North suburb of Chicago adopts new bike ordinances

The north Chicago suburb of Barrington Hills has adopted new ordinances aimed at the increasing number of cyclists enjoying its roads and picturesque rural surroundings. The new rules, which the village police intend to enforce this spring and summer, mandate single-file riding only and prohibit negligent use of a bicycle.

I passed the news of the new biking ordinances on to Bob Mionske, an attorney specializing in bicycling law who wrote the book Bicycling and the Law and writes a column on the subject.

I received Mionske’s response last night: [More]