Fluffy Dog Bikes, Ridiculous Police Excuses for Blocking the Bike Lane, and Thriving Cycling Cities.

If you needed a fluffy dog bike about 4000 times the size of your real fluffy dog, you should have been in Baltimore this weekend for Kinetic Baltimore.  Fifi was propelled by at least four sets of strong legs and a powerful sense of humor.  There were bicycle rocket ships, bicycle giraffes and bicycle turtles.  And of course tons of cyclists braving a heat index of around 100.  #kineticbaltimore  http://www.kineticbaltimore.com

Cycling in London is up 5% since last year, according to Cycling Weekly.  Does this reflect the end of Britain's love of mechanized transit, or simply a new sense of balance?  Have the Limies learned to love that greasy bag of chips while realizing they should bike to burn it off?  Well this increase could signal a rising IQ in the Isles.  Here, here.  In any event, increased cycling means an increase in productivity, a reduction in healthcare costs and tons of economic benefits, per the Guardian U.K.  Or it could mean that the Tube has become so overcrowded that no one can stand it any longer.  However, a small increase in expenditures on cycling infrastructure has shown enormous paybacks, per the Center for Effective Government.  If that is true, then has Mayor Boris Johnson's amazing investment in cycling had the desired effect?  #cycleLondon #Borisjohnsonrockseventhoughhehassuperweirdhair

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest-news/theres-now-more-cyclists-in-london-than-ever-before-175216
http://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/jun/09/cities-physically-active-residents-more-productive-healthier-walking-cycling-economic-benefits?CMP=share_btn_tw
http://www.foreffectivegov.org/node/13460

ZDNET.com

I suppose that since we use crash test dummies for cars, we ought to test the airbag for cyclists.  Right?  Really?  I do not admit to laughing at the crash-test human when his helmet airbag deployed. #airbaghelemet 

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/tech/cycling-air-bag-helmet-put-to-the-test-video-175457

It is rare that we celebrate the merger of two big utility companies for any number of reasons, not the least of which is reduced service and increased rates.  But you have to love the fact that the Pepco-Exelon merger resulted in a settlement that is sure to create an awesome trail where power lines once stood. #trailadvocates

http://www.bethesdamagazine.com/Bethesda-Beat/2015/Trail-Advocates-Celebrate-Merger-Between-Pepco-Exelon/

I have no love of Twitter's sponsored posts, but this looks like a reasonably clever idea for the bike commuter who has to sometimes fly to NYC for a meeting or a quick overnight.

http://www.geniuspack.com/products/flight-bag?

Adventure Cycling has a new "how-to" post to help you plan your bike trip.  And let's face it.  Some of us need a little help planning in the midst of that delicious chaos that is life.  #adventurecycling

http://www.adventurecycling.org/resources/how-to-department/bicycle-travel-basics/?utm_source=How%20To&utm_medium=TW&utm_campaign=BicycleBasicsHowToTW

It has been a while since I acknowledged the nincompoop of the week.  But I reserve a big loud blehhhh for the Deleware cop from the Delaware Governor's security detail who decided to: 1) block the bike lane on busy L Street, NW, with an SUV the size of the Starship Enterprise; 2) flash his badge and gun at the silent cyclist who tried to call local police - who would have had actual law enforcement authority in the jurisdiction - to come move said governor's vehicle, and; 3) managed to get that security job in the first place, even though he could not spot a helmet camera on the head of a cyclist mere feet from him.  Enjoy the video.  Especially the part where he says, "Don't play with me now." Seriously?  I guess they have some pretty tough crime up there in the state with no national parks or corporate taxes and plenty of rest stops.   Must be worst than the 101st precinct in NYC to have generated that kind of tough talk.  Tip: Stay out of the bike lane.  There are other places to park and even put your hazards on while someone gets a bagel.  #delawarecop

http://delawarepublic.org/post/gov-markell-security-team-member-under-investigation-after-dc-incident

http://photographyisnotacrime.com/2015/06/delaware-cop-may-have-broken-dc-law-falsely-impersonating-a-public-officer/

So, if I see you in the bike lane, on a bike, to be clear, and you have a helmet cam and a sense of humor, let's be extremely, modernly, millions-of-downloadsy smug.
Elisa P.