The Metro reports on a request from Mayor Menino to the state legislature to increase fines for red-running bicyclists from $20 to $150.

Boston Biker says fine, but only if the city does the same for pedestrians:

If you passed a law giving police the ability to write $150 j-walking tickets, you could go downtown on any given weekday and solve the state budget problem. Not only would this make pedestrians more likely to follow the law, but it would make everyone safer (not the least of which the pedestrians themselves). I can't count the number of times I have almost been knocked off my bike by a pedestrians walking out from between parked cars.

Meanwhile, the Boston Cyclists Union is urging Menino to file another home-rule petition, to cut the speed limit on all local roads to 20 or 25 m.p.h., in the wake of Monday's fatal crash involving a bicyclist. Union Director Pete Stidman says:

Though we have no access to the details on this crash while police are investigating its cause, one sure way to reduce fatalities for both cyclists and pedestrians would be to reduce speed limits in Boston to 20 or 25 mph and enforce them well in areas with high foot traffic. We know that the 30 mph speed limits in the city of Boston are set higher than most major cities in the U.S. And American cities on average have higher speed limits than the most bike-friendly cities in Europe, which often limit speeds to around 20 mph. According to the UK Dept of Transportation, at 30 mph a pedestrian or cyclist strike has a 45 percent chance of causing a fatality, whereas at 20 mph there is only a 5 percent chance of a fatality.

Wicked Local Newton reports a Watertown teen allegedly objected to the "Newton" sweatshirts three other guys were wearing at the Arsenal Mall and pulled a knife on them before fleeing.

Unhappy campers at G Street and East Broadway

Ed. note: Amy Ewing e-mailed this photo and the following complaint:

I am a reasonable person. I understand that there is snow, and issues that come up during snow and cold weather. But am I wrong to think that THIS IS NEW ENGLAND?!?! It does this every &$*(& year. Why is it that the MBTA cannot manage to get it together so that they don't leave tons of people on the frigid, un-shoveled, icy sidewalks of Boston in temperatures that could actually cause people hypothermia or worse?

This morning what I experienced was 1) inexcusable and 2) unacceptable. I am seriously considering paying the $400 per month to park, which means I will be driving my car the 3 miles to work because the bus cannot get me to work on time. I cannot rely on the public transportation system.

I took this picture this morning at 8:21am. It was 14 degrees at the time, and I had been waiting since 7:46am. This is at a time when the #9 (according to the schedule on line) should be running every 5 to 7 mins.

Oh and I should mention that 3 buses did pass by during this 45-minute time span, they were all completely full. The only reason the bus that I was able to fit on stopped is because we went in the street to get her to stop and let us on. At which point I was then smushed up against the glass and becoming very familiar with a guy who smelled like meat. Awesome.

P.S. This isn't even all of the people waiting at the time. I couldn't fit them all in the picture.

The Orange Line was briefly knocked out of commission this morning when a truck ran into a bridge over Medford Street. An inspection around 10:30 found no major structural issues and service was to resume.