September 2012 - AT-Network - University of Manitoba Mailing Lists

Active & Green - Ciclovia, back to work, and youth on transit
by Jessie Klassen 07 Sep '12

07 Sep '12

Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser.<http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a183a3f55cc&id=bad05980bc…> *Looking to improve commuter options at your workplace?* Request resources<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a…>on cycling, carpooling, commuting surveys and tracking progress, among others. Book a presentation<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a1…>on the various commuting options, as well as fuel-efficient driving, creating a commuter friendly workplace, and greening the workplace. Attend a Creative Commuting Ambassador<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a…>workshop. It's free! ------------------------------ Upcoming Events *Ciclovia*<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a…> Sunday, Sept. 9 *PARK(ing) Day*<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a…> Friday, Sept. 21 *World Car Free Day* Saturday, Sept. 22 *IWALK*<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a1…> International Walk to School Day Wednesday, Oct. 10 International Walk to School Week October 8-12, 2012 ------------------------------ Make Green Action Centre Your Charity of Choice Every year, thousands of Manitoba employees participate in workplace giving programs, such as the provincial government’s All-Charities <http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a1…>campaign. By giving just a few dollars from your paycheque each month you can make a big difference for protecting the environment and promoting environmental education. *Please consider making Green Action Centre your charity of choice this year *. Ciclovia this Sunday! Come out on foot or by bike for Winnipeg's 4th Ciclovia<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a1…>this Sunday, September 9th! Cycle a network of car-free streets from Assiniboine Park all the way to The Forks. Take your time along the north side of Broadway from Osborne to Donald Street for local food, displays, music and all sorts of activities. From Zumba and yoga to a wine and cheese festival, soap box derby and lots in between! Start Something Good Want to improve commuting options at your workplace? Pick a project, large or small, and gather a few co-workers and a manager to help make it a reality. Maybe a bike rack or a ride-matching board for carpooling. Get started here<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a1…>. Find a great source of ideas in the judging criteria<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a1…>for the Commuter Friendly Workplace Award. Or check out what Assiniboine Credit Union, the 2012 Gold Award winner<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a…>, is doing. Every step counts! Youth on Transit With the new school year starting, it can be a great time to introduce your kids to transit. Whether you’ll be taking transit with your children<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a…>, or whether they’re at an age to try transit on their own<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a1…>, public transit can help you to avoid rush-hour stress, school bus headaches, and wasted gas. Cycling Roundabouts to Edible Bus Stops - Turns out that GenY-ers are driving less than generations before. But it kind of makes sense. Read about it here<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a…>. Then check out Peg City Car Co-op<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a…> . - Minneapolis is the #1 Bike City in the U.S.? Who'd a thunk our neighbours to the south – with winters pretty much like Winnipeg's – would cap the list. Take that, Portland! Pedal to the article here<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a…> . - Some people were confounded by small traffic circles introduced in Winnipeg to calm traffic and make those streets more bike- and walk-friendly. How about a floating cycle roundabout instead? Bike in circles here<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a1…> . - Take a ride to an Edible Bus Stop<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a1…> . Cold Weather Cycling You can feel the definite chill of fall in the evenings now. Perhaps you'd like to continue cycling longer into the season or even year-round. Find all sorts of winter cycling tips<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a…>here along with this cold weather cycling brochure<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a…>. You are receiving this email because you are an Active & Green subscriber. Unsubscribe<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage1.com/unsubscribe?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a…> jessie_klassen(a)hotmail.com from this list. Our mailing address is: Green Action Centre 3-303 Portage Ave. Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 2B4 Canada Add us to your address book<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/vcard?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a183a3f5…> Copyright (C) 2012 Green Action Centre All rights reserved. Forward<http://us2.forward-to-friend1.com/forward?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a183a3f55cc&id=ba…>this email to a friend Update your profile<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/profile?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a183a3…> [image: Email Marketing Powered by MailChimp]<http://www.mailchimp.com/monkey-rewards/?utm_source=freemium_newsletter&utm…>

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Two wheels good but often misunderstood
by Shoni Litinsky 06 Sep '12

06 Sep '12

Thank you to Dave Elmore for posting this excellent blog focusing around cooperation on the road between motorists and cyclists. Very useful tips which have certainly helped me on the road daily on my bike, or when driving a car! Link: http://greenactioncentre.ca/2012/two-wheels-good-but-often-misunderstood/ *Two wheels good but often misunderstood.* A recent article in the Winnipeg Free Press (Bartley Kives, Septemeber 9) <http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/columnists/b_kives/two-wheels-good…>and some prompting from a friend started me thinking about my own simple rules to help cyclists and drivers co-exist on the roads. As both a motorist and long time commuter cyclist, I also see Winnipeg’s roads from both perspectives, but maybe a little different than Bartley. As a Can-Bike instructor and cycling educator I definitely see some aspects that others might overlook. I would agree with Mr. Kives’ statements that riding on the sidewalk is dangerous, the city is not overly hostile towards cyclists and that the city still has some distance to go before it can rank as and among the best. I would not necessarily agree that there are a lot of places that “it’s freaking horrifying to be in traffic on a bike.” With appropriate education and skills most roads can be navigated safely. While a small minority of motorists can be intolerant, the vast majority of drivers and cyclists are reasonable people and given the appropriate education and information, can share the road quite amicably. Here are a few other things that motorists and cyclists can do to make the streets of Winnipeg a comfortable and pleasant place to ride a bike. reduce the potential for car-bike conflict. Some are common sense, some are counterintuitive while others have simply been forgotten or never learned in the first place. FIVE WAYS TO IMPROVE COOPERATION ON THE ROAD IF YOU’RE ON A BIKE: 1. Communicate: Hand signals are not common among cyclists, however they are an essential part of communicating your intentions and sharing the road. Drivers cannot read your mind! Hand signals alert drivers to what you want to do and you will be surprised how often they will let you do just that. And don’t forget shoulder checking. A simple shoulder check also communicates to a motorist that you are considering a change to your position on the road. 2. Follow the rules: In order to get the respect of motorists, you must earn it. Following the same rules will go a long way to helping drivers understand that we are not a bunch of scofflaws that follow their own set of rules. As more cyclists begin to demonstrate fair and reasonable behaviour, motorists will in turn change both their opinions and actions towards cyclists. 3. Ride predictably and allow space to manoeuvre: The Highway Traffic Act (HTA) states that cyclists are to ride as close as “practicable” to the edge of the road. Practicable should mean SAFE. This means NEVER hugging the curb but instead positioning yourself at least 1 meter away from the curb to maintain a straight line while avoiding the debris, potholes, cracks and manhole covers that litter the edge of most roads. In some situation such as construction or bridges with no bike lanes, practicable may mean taking the centre of the lane. Riding too close to the curb will encourage drivers to try and slide by you in the same lane, but also requires that in the event that you need to avoid a hazard, you must move left into the traffic flow. When passing parked cars increase this distance to 1.5 meters and stay out of the door zone. Riding too close to parked cars is dangerous and the consequences of hitting an open car door can be catastrophic. And while you are passing by those parked cars, don’t weave in the out from between them. Remember riding in a straight line makes you predictable. 4. At intersections or stop signs, take the middle of the lane: At intersections many cyclists stop beside the curb and rest their foot on it. This allows vehicles to pull up beside you and if they happen to be turning right, puts you in the perfect position for a “right hook.” If you are proceeding straight, that right turning vehicle may “hook” right in front of you. If you reposition yourself to the centre of the lane as they approach the intersection, you will stay in the driver’s field of vision and allow yourself room to manoeuvre when you start up again. Would you prefer to start up with tons of steel behind or in front of you, or directly beside you. The decision is an easy one! In heavy traffic many cyclists also ride up along the right hand side of stopped vehicles to reposition themselves to the head of the line. This is another habit that can result in a “right hook” or maybe even getting “doored.” It annoys drivers because they are forced to once again pass by you on the road ahead. If you want to be treated like an equal, you must act like one. 5. Get off the sidewalk: Riding on the sidewalk is illegal and statistically the most dangerous place to ride. Drivers are not looking for fast moving bicycles on sidewalks, they are looking for slow moving pedestrians. Further complicating this are all those uncontrolled intersections like driveways and back lanes. At many of these intersections the driver’s field of vision is blocked or obscured by fences and trees making it impossible to see you until they have already pulled out into your path. Sidewalks are for walking, it’s in the name. Cyclists need to remember that they are vulnerable road users, however it is also true that with proper skills and knowledge you can easily navigate the streets safely. The keys are knowledge and skills. We can all improve our cycling skills. Ttake a course that teaches actual on road cycling skills, you’ll find that there is much you didn’t know and much you can improve on. FIVE WAYS TO IMPROVE COOPERATION ON THE ROAD IF YOU’RE IN A CAR: 1. Stay alert for bicycles: Keep your focus on the road, especially at intersections. You’ll not only avoid accidents in general but hopefully you will see the many cyclists that are now using Winnipeg’s streets. Too often when car-bike collisions occur, drivers claim they did not see the cyclist. This could be due to the cyclist’s behaviour, but it can also be driver inattention. Regardless of who made an error, a car-bike collision will result in serious injury or even death for a cyclist. 2. Provide a safe passing distance: At speeds under 60 km/hr drivers should provide a minimum of 1 meter of passing distance. At higher speeds drivers should move over to the adjacent lane. In fact, if the lane adjacent to you is available, use it. For the vast majority of Winnipeg streets there is not sufficient space to pass a cyclist in the same lane. Plan ahead when you see a cyclist and reposition your car at least partially into the next lane in order to provide sufficient passing distance. It is a frightening experience on a bike to be passed closely by tons of steel and could cause a cyclist to panic and lose control. No one really wants to add another statistic. 3. Think before you react: In many cases drivers simply don’t understand what constitutes reasonable or even safe behaviour on the part of a cyclist. Let’s start with two of the most common misunderstandings: - Cyclists do not belong on the sidewalk: Riding on the sidewalk is illegal and far more dangerous than riding on the roadway where drivers will actually see a cyclist. Riding on sidewalks is particularly dangerous at intersections where you may have difficulty predicting or even seeing a fast moving bike on the sidewalk. - The Highway Traffic Act states the cyclists are to ride “as close as practicable” to the edge of the road. This does not mean hugging the curb. The edges of many roads contain hazards like ruts, potholes, cracks, manhole covers, and debris. While these don’t represent a problem on 4 wide car tires, they can be a significant issue while balancing of two thin tires. If cyclists are to ride predictably in a straight line and avoid these hazards, they need to maintain a minimum distance of 1 meter from the edge. On bridges with no bike lanes or through construction or other similarly narrow traffic lanes, there is no room to share and so cyclists may need to take the centre of the lane. We’re not hogging the road, just taking enough space to ride safely. 4. Don’t honk your horn at me: Honking your horn, even if well intentioned, can be very startling for the cyclists. They are not insulated by steel and glass and the sound of a car horn behind them can cause them to panic and lose control. Save your horn for times when you really need it. 5. Shoulder-check before opening your car door: Cyclists should not ride within the door zone of parked cars, but traffic conditions and lack of knowledge result in many cyclists doing just that. It’s easy to check over your shoulder before opening the door just to be sure. Drivers need to remember that from inside tons of steel and glass you can’t see what a cyclist sees, hear what a cyclists hears, or feel what a cyclist feels. They are vulnerable road users, but with your cooperation they can be just another vehicle on the road. -- *Shoni Litinsky* | Active and Safe Routes to School Green Action Centre <http://greenactioncentre.ca/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Avenue* | *(204) 925-3773 Green Action Centre is your non-profit hub for greener living. Support our work by becoming a member<http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/memberships/> Find us here<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/>

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Job Posting - PACM Project Coordinator
by Beth McKechnie 05 Sep '12

05 Sep '12

Emerging from the Coalition Strategic Planning Session in May 2012 and with funding support from Manitoba Healthy Living, Seniors and Consumer Affairs/Manitoba *in motion, *PACM <http://pacm.ca/> is embarking on a 8 month project to: 1. Increase opportunites for knowledge exchange among coalition members, supporters and the general public that focus on evidence based research, best and promising practices, current trends and issues and highlight the value and benefits of physical activity across the life span. 2. Enhance communication strategies that support key or critical messages and promotes PACM as a strong, unified voice for physical activity in Manitoba and 3. Enhance membership and partner strategies that support collaboration and networking among organizations, agencies and government departments locally, regionally and provincially. *Hence, PACM is in search of a Project Coordinator. It is a part-time, eight month (8) term position to March 2013.* *Please share and distribute the attached job posting through your respective networks. Application deadline is 4:00 p.m. Friday, September 14th* Have a great day! Cory Jackson Chair, PACM (Physical Activity Coalition of Manitoba) Executive Director, Recreation Connections Manitoba

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Webinar reminder: NACTO Urban Bikeway Design Guide, Wed, Sept 5th, 2-3:30, EcoCentre
by Beth McKechnie 04 Sep '12

04 Sep '12

*Friendly reminder about tomorrow's webinar...* Green Action Centre and Bike to the Future invite you to join us for a local viewing of the upcoming APBP webinar at the EcoCentre (3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave) followed by group discussion.* *Detailed description provided below.* *2nd Edition, NACTO Urban Bikeway Design Guide *Wednesday, Sept 5th | 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. CDT* Also mark your calendars for these additional September webinars (details to follow closer to the date): *The Third Mode: Greenways, Trails and Active Mobility (American Trails)* *Wednesday, Sept 12th, 2:00 to 3:15 pm CDT* *Liability: Understanding and Managing Risk (APBP)* *Wednesday, Sept 19th, 2:00 to 3:00 pm CDT* RSVPs are appreciated but not necessary. Hope to see you then! cheers, Beth 925-3772 * * * * * The Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals (APBP) and NACTO present: 2nd Edition, NACTO Urban Bikeway Design Guide *Wednesday, September 5th | 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. CDT* ACTO's Urban Bikeway Design Guide has quickly emerged as the preeminent resource for designing safe, protected bikeways in cities across the United States. NACTO will release the second edition of the guide in June, with updated graphic profiles for all of its bicycle facilities, a new subsection on bicycle boulevard planning and design, and a survey of materials used for green color in bikeways. The guide continues to build upon the fast-changing state of the practice at the local level; it responds to and accelerates innovative street design and practice around the nation. This 90-minute webinar on the second edition of the Bikeway Design Guide offers a unique opportunity to learn directly from some of the cities that compiled the guide. Gain a better understanding of the guide's contents, hear how to use and implement these designs, and find out what NACTO envisions as the next steps to adopt and deploy these tools and design guidelines. *Presenters*: Roger Geller, Bicycle Coordinator, Portland Bureau of Transportation; Joe Gilpin, Senior Planner, Alta Planning + Design; David Vega-Barachowitz, Sustainable Initiatives Program Manager, National Association of City Transportation Officials. -- *Beth McKechnie* | Workplace Commuter Options <http://greenactioncentre.ca/>Green Action Centre<http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave | (204) 925-3772 | Find us here<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> Green Action Centre is your non-profit hub for greener living. Support our work by becoming a member<http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/memberships/>

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88-year-old Calgarian credits long life to daily cycling routine
by Beth McKechnie 03 Sep '12

03 Sep '12

[Saw this wonderful story circulated by WinnipegBikeAlerts and had to share! -Beth] With a bike and an oxygen tank, 88-year-old Calgarian credits long life to daily cycling routine By Annalise Klingbeil, Calgary Herald | August 30, 2012 [image: Calgarian Ken Johnson is 88-years-old and, despite relying on a wheelchair and oxygen tank, rides his bicycle for at least an hour every day.] *Photograph by: *Colleen De Neve , Calgary HeraldCALGARY - There’s nothing that will stop 88-year-old Ken Johnson from riding his bicycle. Not a wheelchair. Not an oxygen tank. Not Calgary’s cold winters. Every day, the octogenarian uses a wheelchair to get from his northwest apartment to the building’s parkade, where he stores his bicycle. He uses a bungee cord to strap his metal oxygen tank onto a shelf on the back of his bike. Then he puts on a blue helmet, trades his wheelchair for his bicycle and pedals, for at least one hour a day. “I’m probably healthier now than I was 20 years ago, and the only reason that I’m still able to do things is because of bike riding,” Johnson said. “If it wasn’t for bike riding, I probably wouldn’t be here now.” When the mercury drops below zero, Johnson rides inside, up and down the seven floors of his apartment building’s parkade. The great-great grandfather started cycling when he was in his 60s, after he was diagnosed with emphysema. “I quit smoking and started to ride,” he said. While he initially struggled to keep his balance, Johnson, who learned to bike as a child but never owned a bicycle of his own, kept pedalling because he knew it was good for his health. Recent health struggles haven’t caused the senior to slow down. When the widower started using oxygen about four years ago, after being diagnosed with colon cancer, he continued to cycle. “Once I went on oxygen, I didn’t want to quit riding and I couldn’t ride very far without the oxygen,” Johnson said. Riding with his oxygen tank, a move that elicits stares from the people he passes on Calgary’s bike paths, was the logical next move for the senior. “I’ve got to have my oxygen on all the time because my lungs are really, really bad,” he said. When his legs began to slow down last year, Johnson visited a Canadian Tire sale and picked up an electric bicycle for half price. “I still pedal a lot but I use the electric bike to go up the hills and against the wind,” he said. Six months ago, Johnson began using a wheelchair when he was forced to stop four or five times to catch his breath, even with oxygen, on the short walk from his apartment to his bicycle. “It’s far easier for me to ride than it is to walk,” Johnson said. “I can ride for hours and hours and hours. I usually cut my oxygen down when I’m riding.” The retired salesman always rides solo and typically cycles in the afternoon to places accessible on the city’s bike paths, such as the zoo and Bowness Park. Johnson, a Second World War veteran who rode motorcycles in the army, drove a motorcycle, with his oxygen tank strapped to the back, until last year when his license was taken away. He’s yet to let anything stop him from riding his bicycle and is determined to keep it that way. “As long as I can get down to my bike, I’m going to ride,” he said. AKlingbeil(a)calgaryherald.com http://www.calgaryherald.com/travel/With+bike+oxygen+tank+year+Calgarian+cr… <AKlingbeil(a)calgaryherald.com>

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