Subject:     Bicycle Newsletter 3-21-99
Date:        03/21  9:15 PM
Received:    03/21  9:03 PM
From:        owner-bicycle@ccsi.com

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    \__/    ==       
      /_____/       BIKING IN AUSTIN NEWSLETTER
  ___/ \  _/ \___   covering bikes as alternative transportation
 /  /\  \/___/\  \ 
 \___/   &   \___/  bluejay@mail.com  *  michaelbluejay.com/bicycle
Sender: owner-bicycle@infinity.ccsi.com
Precedence: bulk

  (can someone draw a better bicycle for me?)         March 21, 1999
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 PUBLICATION / SUBSCRIPTION INFO
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Biking in Austin is published about once a week.  You either asked for 
this newsletter, or I personally know you to be a cyclist and I thought 
you'd want it.  If you no longer want the newsletter (or if someone 
forwarded it to you and you want your own subscription), just let me know.

Please visit our website, the most comprehensive resource for cycling as 
alternative transportation:   http://michaelbluejay.com/bicycle


 Biking in Austin newsletter sponsored by:
=======================================================================
| WATERLOO CYCLES  47-CYCLE     2815 & Fruth, off 29th & Guadalupe    |
| WATERLOO CYCLES  47-CYCLE  NEW & USED BIKES * REPAIRS * ACCESSORIES |
| WATERLOO CYCLES  47-CYCLE      http://pobox.com/bluejay/waterloo    |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------


======================================================================
 MARK BENNETT BROOKS ASSAULTED BY HIT & RUN MOTORIST
----------------------------------------------------------------------
"I was on the receiving end of a hit and run, car vs. bike collision,
3-19-99 at 7:30am while biking in to work on east 51st street, headed
west, when I was struck from behind.  The first witness to stop said 
the driver of a small white car swerved over to hit me. It looked to 
him like the guy did it on purpose.  I was in the bike lane with a 
rear flasher on my backpack and my helmet on my head.  I don't 
remember the wreck, but I'll get the police report Monday.

"I was taken to the ER of Brackenridge Hospital where they x-rayed me and
put 14 stitches in my lower back.  I have a shattered scapula (shoulder
blade) and other minor cuts and bruises.

"I'm feeling much better this morning. just a little sore.  The hardest
thing is getting in & out of bed.  I was very lucky."

Mark Bennett Brooks, Architect
mabrooks@concentric.net     http://www.concentric.net/~mabrooks


======================================================================
 GEORGETOWN TEEN KILLED BY NEGLIGENT MOTORIST
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Wesley Ray Belcher, age 15, was killed by a car on Tuesday (3-16-99) 
while biking west on in the right lane of U.S. 79 east of Taylor.  The 
driver, Joe Anthony Hernandez, 31, said that he didn't see Belcher 
because of the glaring sunlight.  (The collision happened at 6 p.m., 
about 40 minutes before sunset.)  Hernandez was arrested for allegedly 
driving with a suspended license (not for negligently killing another 
road user).  He also had an arrest warrant on a bond forfeiture that 
stemmed from an earlier arrest for driving without liability insurance, 
according to DPS.  As is standard in fatal traffic collisions, DPS will 
forward the case to the Williamson County district attorney's office for 
review once the investigation is complete, according to DPS.  A longer 
article about this topic appeared in the Austin American-Statesman, 
3-18-99, p. B5.


======================================================================
 AMY BABICH'S APPLICATION FOR CITY COUNCIL RACE REJECTED
----------------------------------------------------------------------
reprinted from Austin American-Statesman, 3-20-99, p. B11
article by Ben Wear, AAS staff (bwear@statesman.com)

Bicycle advocate Amy Babich is protesting a city clerk's decision to 
invalidate her filing petition to run for Austin City Council.  Mike 
Librik, Babich's husband, said Friday that he and Babich plan to ask 
Mayor Kirk Watson and the City Council to intervene ad somehow reverse 
City Clerk Shirley Brown's decision.  Brown threw out 163 of teh 369 
signatures on Babich's petition.  In most cases, Brown says, the flaw was 
that signers failed to include Austin in their address.  Brown's decision 
left Babich 106 signatures short of what she needed under state law.

State law requires that each signer list his or her city, and allows only 
the state and ZIP code to be omitted, said Brown and Melinda Nickless, 
director of election administration with the Texas secretary of state's 
office.  Librik said enforcing that requirement amounts to putting 
bureaucracy ahead of democracy.  "I feel and a lot of people signing the 
petition felt it was somewhat redundant to write 'Austin' when it was an 
Austin ZIP code and an Austin city election," Librik said.  "We went to a 
lot of honest work to get these signatures, and tehy're just throwing 
them in the mud."

Brown said she followed the law strictly because to do otherwise would 
open the city to a challenge from someone alleging that Babich's petition 
is not valid.

The law provides no appeal process for Babich short of filing a lawsuit 
in district court.  Brown, however, works directly for the City Council 
and potentially could be persuaded to change her ruling.  Librik said 
that regardless of what happens with the protest, Babich will campaign as 
a write-in candidate.  She has until the end of Monday to declare herself 
a write-in candidate.

Babich attempted to file for Place 3, where two-term incumbent Jackie 
Goodman is running for re-election.  The only other candidate in the race 
is Alyssa Eacono, an aide to state Rep. Barry Telford, D-DeKalb.

[Ed. Note:  What's important about news items is not just that something 
happens, but the CONTEXT in which it happens.  The Statesman usually 
fails to provide any meaningful context, as in the article above.  The 
Statesman failed to mention that the previous City Clerk, Mr. Aldridge, 
who had held the job for many, many years (20, perhaps?), was fired after 
he invalidated signatures on a petition calling for a citizens' 
referendum.  Isn't it striking (and newsworthy) that the current City 
Clerk is doing the same kind of thing that her predecessor was let go 
for?]


======================================================================
 LOCAL BIKE CULTURE DOCUMENTARY TO BE PRODUCED
----------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm producing a documentary about bicycle culture in Austin. I am a 
student at UT studying documentary film production. The documentary 
will focus on the political and social goals of the bicycle movement 
in Austin as seen through the lives of several specific characters 
active in the various projects. I want to capture the freedom and 
ecological responsibility of bicycling. I will be shooting after March 
22nd (depending on the availability of equipment.) If you are 
interested, I would really appreciate any help you can give me with 
the project. If you know anyone else who is intereested, or upcoming 
events, please feel free to contact me. Here's my info:

Matt Listiak  454-6225   mlistiak@mail.utexas.edu


 Biking in Austin newsletter sponsored by:
=======================================================================
| WATERLOO CYCLES  47-CYCLE     2815 & Fruth, off 29th & Guadalupe    |
| WATERLOO CYCLES  47-CYCLE  NEW & USED BIKES * REPAIRS * ACCESSORIES |
| WATERLOO CYCLES  47-CYCLE      http://pobox.com/bluejay/waterloo    |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------


======================================================================
                        CALENDAR OF EVENTS
----------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------
 ONE-TIME EVENTS
-----------------------
The Texas Bicycle Coalition is having a volunteer meeting on March 
25th from 6:30-8:00, at 1603 Taylor-Gaines.  (We're at the top of 
Summit drive on Taylor-Gaines south east of the intersection of I-35 
and Riverside. Our address is 1603, the house behind the stonewall. We 
meet in the big house but our office is in the garage apartment out 
back.)  Agenda:

1. We have an agreement with a consultant who will do some training. 
2. We do some work, this time will probably be doing something with 
the next issue of the newsletter, the Advocate.
3. We eat pizza and drink your favorite beverage...

People who want to make an impact on the cycling issues statewide, 
here is an opportunity to make your views heard.  If you are coming, 
let us know so we can get the right amount of pizza and beverage...

Preston Tyree (preston@workmail.com)


-----------------------
 RIDES
-----------------------

  CRITICAL MASS -- Last Friday of each month  ("23rd" & Guadalupe)
                   5:00pm year-round.  Rides for the rest of 1999:
   3/26,  4/30,  5/28,  6/25,
   7/30,  8/27,  9/24,  10/29,  11/26,  12/31


  FULL MOON RIDES (every time there's a full moon)
    - Clothing Optional Ride: 10pm, Wheatsville Food Co-op, 3101 Guadalupe
    - Midnight Ride:  11:59, 33rd & Guadalupe
                        (sometimes meets at Junior's, 29th & Rio Grande)
    - Full Moons for the rest of 1999:
        Wed. 3/31, Fri. 4/30, 
        Sat. 5/29, Mon. 6/28, Tue. 7/27, Thu. 8/26,
        Fri. 9/24*, Sat. 10/23, Mon. 11/22, Wed. 12/22.

     *The Sept. ride leaves at 2:00am and meets at Palmer Auditorium.

    On full moons, there is often a drum circle under the Mopac bridge
    at 6th St. at midnight.

-----------------------
 ADVOCACY MEETINGS
-----------------------
  BICYCLE ADVISORY COUNCIL
     General Mtg: 2nd Thurs., 6:00, Threadgills, 301 W. Riverside
     Facilities Committee: 1st/3rd Fri., 6:00pm, Threadgills

     BAC info: Michael Zakes, 47-CYCLE, watcyc@sprintmail.com

-----------------------
 GOVT. MEETINGS
-----------------------
Citizens can sign up to speak for three minutes at most public meetings. 
This is an excellent way for cyclists to try to influence local 
government about cycling issues, especially when there is a specific 
cycling proposal on the table. Here's a summary of City meetings where 
cyclists can speak. Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are held at City 
Council Chambers (on 2nd St. between Guadalupe & Lavaca).

CITY COUNCIL.
   Every Thursday. Meetings start around 1:30 and generally run into the 
evening. Agendas and minutes are available at the City of Austin site. 
(www.ci.austin.tx.us)

UTC.
   Urban Transportation Commission. Third Monday of the month from 
5:30-8:00. Check the Biking in Austin site for more info, or contact: 
Michael Zakes, 47-CYCLE, watcyc@sprintmail.com; or Patrick Goetz, 
pgoetz@mail.utexas.edu

PLANNING COMMISSION.
   Every Tuesday at 6:00. More info: David Sullivan (sully@jump.net)

CAMPO.
   Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (formerly ATS). Second 
Monday at 6:00-~10:30 or so at the Joe C. Thompson Conference Center at 
UT (SW corner of 26th & Red River). Plans & funds transportation projects 
for all of Travis County, southern Williamson County, and northern Hays 
County. More info: CAMPO website (linked to from Bikinking in Austin), or 
call 499-2275 (Elizabeth) or 499-6441 (Michael Aulick).

-----------------------
 OTHER
-----------------------
  FREE BIKE REPAIR WORKSHOPS
      -- Sponsored by the Yellow Bike Project (457-9880)
         Usually four nights a week; call for dates/times.
         Workshops are held at two locations:
          1182 Hargrave (East Austin)
           419 W. Johanna (South Austin)

  THE BICYCLE LANE RADIO SHOW (Info: Michael Bluejay, bluejay@mail.com)
        -- Every Monday at 6:30pm (KOOP, 91.7fm)



 Biking in Austin newsletter sponsored by:
=======================================================================
| WATERLOO CYCLES  47-CYCLE     2815 & Fruth, off 29th & Guadalupe    |
| WATERLOO CYCLES  47-CYCLE  NEW & USED BIKES * REPAIRS * ACCESSORIES |
| WATERLOO CYCLES  47-CYCLE      http://pobox.com/bluejay/waterloo    |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
  Opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the sponsor