Sounding (the silent sports) Alarm
Causes for concern & action
STATE BOARD GRILLS DNR ABOUT ATV REC AREA IDEA
Many ATV riding enthusiasts turned out for the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board (NRB) meeting on June 28 to show support for the DNR's proposal to establish one or more "motorized recreation areas" in the state.
According to Brook Waalen, a critic of the concept, NRB members "grilled" the DNR administrators who have proposed setting aside 2,500 to 7,000 acres for ATVs, dirt bikes and
4x4 trucks.
"Members were not at all happy with the DNR's assumption that the state had to establish such a facility," Waalen reported.
Bill Morrissey, director of the DNR Bureau of Parks and Recreation, suggested hiking and mountain biking trails could be included in a "mixed use motorized recreation area." This idea was "received by the NRB with some very uncharacteristic head shaking and eye rolling," Waalen said.
When asked if a motorized recreation area would reduce
ATV pressures on other lands and trails or mitigate existing ATV problems, DNR Land Administrator Laurie Osterndorf replied, "Absolutely not."
Nevertheless, the NRB voted unanimously to support the DNR's exploration of the concept of a facility for motorized use. But the NRB did so only after hearing DNR officials admit the idea would not solve or even address widespread concern for ATV damage, trespassing and the safety of nonmotorized users of public lands.
GHOSTBIKES SIGNS REMIND ALL TO OBEY ROAD RULES
The Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin's Ghost Bikes campaign honors those who have been killed or seriously injured while riding their bicycle, while drawing attention to the fact that crashes are not accidents. They can be prevented.
June 30 marked the one-year anniversary of the crash in Cottage Grove, Wisconsin, near Madison that killed 29-year-old bicycling advocate Jessica Bullen. On that date the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin
announced the Ghost Bikes campaign.
When you see one of the 500 Ghost Bikes signs that have gone up in Dane County, remember to look for bicyclists on the road, follow the rules of the road, and be ready to react to the mistakes of other road users.
In Wisconsin, 10 to 15 bicyclists die in crashes with motor vehicles each year, and an additional 1,000 bicyclists are injured. In comparison, about 1,000 people die in other kinds of motor vehicle crashes in Wisconsin each year and 68,000
are injured.
The Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin Ghost Bikes campaign is not meant to frighten people away from riding bicycles. Rather, the intent of the program is to implore motorists and bicyclists to give the operation of their vehicles the attention required.
For more information, visit www.bfw.org and www.ghostbikes.net.
11 BIKE DEATHS IN NORTHWEST ILLINOIS
On June 26, a 42-year-old man
became the 11th bicyclist killed by a motor vehicle in northeast Illinois in 2006, according to the Chicago Tribune. George Chavez, 42, riding westbound on Diversey Ave.
In an effort to focus attention on the systemic problem of pedestrian and bicyclist vulnerability to reckless driving, the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation compiles news reports on crashes involving bicyclists and pedestrians in the region at www.biketraffic.org/hswatch.php.
To learn more about two campaigns that directly address the issue of reckless driving, Healthy Streets and Drive With Care, contact Randy Neufeld at randy@biketraffic.org.
U.S. OUTDOOR ACTIVITY TRACKED IN 2005
More than 72 percent of Americans, and the same percentage of Midwesterners, age 16 and older participated in one or more outdoor activity in 2005, according to a survey released in June by the Outdoor Industry
Foundation.
The top five outdoor activities in descending order were bicycling, fishing, hiking, camping and trail running.
Snowshoeing and trail running has increased significantly (by 83 percent and 22 percent respectively) over the past eight years. Cross-country skiing participation increased 6.6 percent over that period, but was up just 2.3 percent since 2004.
But as a whole, Americans took 11 percent fewer outings in 2005 compared to 2004. Bicycling trips dropped the most
dramatically, from 3.9 billion in 2004 to 3.1 billion in 2005. There are 17.3 million fewer mountain bikers than the sport had at its peak in 2001. Since then, the number of road bikers also fell by 4.7 million. Yet an estimated 85.5 million Americans went bicycling at least once last year.
Less than half that many Americans – 40 million – participated in motorized off-road activities (including ATV riding, dirt biking, four wheeling or Jet Skiing). But while the number of motorized
recrationalists has remained about the same since 2003, they number of outings they have taken has more than doubled – from 600 million in 2003 to 1.2 billion in 2005.
Little more than 10 percent of Americans who participate in outdoor activities do so competitively, the study found. That number of outdoor competitors fell from 19.6 million in 2004 to 17.3 million in 2005.
"Notably, many of the outdoor activities are not well suited or readily accepted as competitive activities –
indicating that the population of over 17 million outdoor activity competitors should not be minimized," the study's authors wrote.
The 2005 study is based on 4,000 telephone interviews conducted by an independent research firm using random sampling and scientific methodologies. To read the full report, got to www.outdoorindustryfoundation.org.
CHICAGO UNVEILS AMBITIOUS 'BIKE 2015 PLAN'
The city of Chicago unveiled
the Bike 2015 Plan June 16 at the Bike to Work Day Rally at Daley Plaza. In recommending projects, programs and policies to encourage use of bikes as a practical, non-polluting and affordable mode of transportation, the plan will implement Mayor Richard M. Daley's goal to make Chicago the most bicycle-friendly city in the United States.
Work has already begun the plan's strategies in constructing 10 miles of new bikeways and establishing a mini-grant program funded by SRAM to support
community bicycling efforts. A copy of the plan is available at www.Bike2015Plan.org.
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