November 7/99 9:46 am - Cross Nationals, Women in Sport Website, Advocacy, Trek Website revised

Posted by Editoress on 11/7/99
 

National Cyclocross Championships today

Rob will be onsite in St-Sauveur, Quebec for the entire event. Women, Juniors and Masters are off at 11:00 and the Senior Men and Espoirs at 12:15. If cell phone connection is good, we should have regular updates.

Website promotes Women in Sport

I've known about this site for sometime and, although it promotes women athletes in many sports, the last time I visited (early 1999) there was little on our female cyclists. Well, to my delight when I visited it again this fall I see that they have added a complete section on our cycling women. Please visit the Canadian Association for Women and Sport site at http://www.caaws.ca


League of American Bicyclists Meets with head of FHWA to discuss bicycling issues
You may remember a rather lengthy discussion on the Forums earlier this fall regarding this same issue - editoress

Washington, D.C. -- The League of American Bicyclists held a meeting on Capitol Hill November 2 with Kenneth R. Wykle, the head of the Federal Highway Administration, and Congressman James L. Oberstar, ranking member of the House Transportation Committee, to focus national attention on an increasing problem for cyclists -- the design and usage of rumble strips. They also discussed strategies for a stronger implementation of TEA-21 for cyclists.

In order to prevent cycling accidents caused by rumble strips and to keep roads and shoulders open to cyclists, the League requested that FHWA coordinate further research on rumble strip design and usage that will be bicycle-friendly.

"We understand that rumble strips are effective in preventing run-off-the road fatalities of motorists," said Jody Newman, executive director of the League, "but we want to make sure that we don't injure or kill cyclists in the meantime."

Administrator Wykle agreed to the League's request that cyclists be included in the research efforts and development of further guidance on rumble strips. He also said that they will consider limiting the federal push for rumble strips to interstate highways until the research and guidance have been completed.

During the meeting, the League praised the memorandum that Kenneth Wykle issued a year ago after a similar meeting in Congressman Oberstar's office, which was the strongest support for bicycling that the Federal Highway Administration has ever expressed, and discussed ways to ensure a strong and positive implementation of TEA-21 for bicycling. As a result of these discussions, the FHWA Administrator agreed to request a follow-up report from all FHWA division offices around the country to assess their progress on the pro-bicycling directives contained in his memorandum.

Newman invited Tim Young, an active bicycle advocate from Wyoming, and Gary MacFadden, executive director of Adventure Cycling, both of whom have been concerned with the rumble strip issue, to attend the meeting with her. Also in attendance at the meeting were John Fegan, bicycle/pedestrian coordinator for the Department of Transportation, and Nadine Hamilton, DOT Congressional Affairs Director.


Trek Bicycles has revamped their-popular cycling site

The 2000 Web site, http://www.trekbikes.com has retained the successful elements of last year's site and added a heightened level of interaction among web surfers.

Features like "The Bike Finder" have been expanded, and newer sections, "Real Biking", "TrekFinder" and "Hot News" and more have been added.