bicycling

The scene. Photograph by Cory Gardner.

Updated with MIT info.

Kanako Miura, 36, a visiting scientist at MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, died this afternoon when she was struck by a dump truck, MIT and Stanley Staco report.

Boston Police report the victim was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after the 3:30 p.m. incident.

A mangled silver and black bicycle, believed to be hers, was found several blocks away on Bay State Road at Silber Way, Brian D'Amico reports.

Mayor Menino says he wants to reduce injury rates among bicyclists by 50% by 2020. This report examines current bicycling trends in Boston and offers some suggestions, including looking at mandatory helmet use for all bicyclists, greater enforcement of existing traffic laws among both motorists and bicyclists and continuing to expand bicycle-friendly facilities and lanes in the city.

The report identifies specific problem routes and neighborhoods; perhaps not surprisingly, these tend to be centered in densely packed areas of the city, in particular those heavily populated by students, such as Comm. Ave. and Allston/Brighton.

Brookline Police report that when an officer tried to stop a bicyclist riding the wrong way down School Street without a light after midnight yesterday, the bicyclist instead pedaled furiously away - only to fall off his bike at Harvard street. Then, when the officer caught up to him:

The cyclist picked up his bicycle and began to swing it in the direction of the officer. The subject was placed under arrest for Disorderly Person and Resisting Arrest.

The state Department of Transportation says it's shutting the overpass on the Cambridge side of the BU Bridge on Sunday for some major repairs:

All vehicles will be diverted to the surface roadways and through the BU Bridge/Brookline Street rotary, and back on to Memorial Drive.

With Hubway bikes ready for riding for the season, Boston is soliciting bids from companies that would want to install and maintain "bicycle helmet vending machines at various locations throughout the city."

Bids are due by April 10 for the initial one-year contract.

H/t Brian D'Amico.

Greg Hum shows off his two-wheeled drumming during the Friday snowstorm.

Our own Dvdoff spotted one fed-up person's bicycle outside the Apple Store on Boylston Street today.

Kyle W. Kerr enjoyed watching all the bicyclists in the snow this morning as he waited for the bus on Brighton Avenue in Allston.

JuanJoseOle spotted this gentleman riding down Hancock Street in Quincy Center this morning, reports:

I guess he can't afford a winter hat or is hiding from someone. There was a cut out for his face with a Saran Wrap covering it.

For the past two years, a vexed citizen has complained to the city about the same three postal workers double parking in he bicycle lane outside the Talbot Avenue post office. Yesterday, the city marked one of the complaints "closed" and noted:

Officer spoke to post office workers about parking out front. they were warned. we will go by daily.

Now, this was the same car at the same location the city ticketed a year ago. Did the postal worker learn the lesson? Apparently not, since a new complaint was filed this morning:

Black pontiac 415 NJO double parked in bike lane. This is the second time in 2 days. I've reported this guy dozens of times over 2 years. The postal employees have been spoken to, but they don't care about btd or the residents of our fair city. Stop being nice and hand out some tickets!!!

Truck involved in collision. Photo by Mike Juergens.

UPDATE: BU Today reports the bicylist was Christopher Weigl, 23, of Southborough, who was pursuing a master's degree in photojournalism at BU. His Web site.

A bicyclist did not survive a collision this morning with a semi at Comm. Ave. inbound at St. Paul St..

Bikenapped.

Boston Police today identified the BU student who died on Brighton Avenue on Monday as Chung-Wei Yang, 21.

Police add:

Preliminary investigation suggests an MBTA bus did come in contact with the victim. There is no indication that the driver or any of the passengers on the bus knew anyone was struck. At this time, no charges have been filed.

The Swellesley Report reports.

Community Spoke in Jamaica Plain reports:

Tools, parts, and bikes were stolen. Please keep an eye out for a brown/copper colored ANT cycle truck with a 20″ front wheel and a very large front basket and an older steel turquoise Miyata mountain bike with an Xtracycle conversion kit. These are very recognizable bikes, and we use them to transport our tools and mobile workshop supplies to do free bike repair away from the shop. If you have heard anything about our tools or bikes, please email us at or call Alex at (910) 547-4843.

With Hubway season almost over, you may not get much use out of this, but file it away for the spring: Chris Snyder recently discovered a trick for getting a Hubway bicycle that's stuck in its docking bay.

Have you seen the new Boston Public Health Commission ads with the guy with the blood-drenched face? Boston Biker has, and is not amused:

Helmets are good, and people should wear them. But showing a kid who looks like someone took a bat to his face is not going to get more people to ride their bike, and I think we would all be better off if more people rode their bikes, with or without helmets.

The Atlantic Cities picks up on the theme, says European cities where few wear helmets are safer for bicyclists simply because there are so many of them.

Boston Biker reports bow-and-arrow hunting becomes legal for the next 2 1/2 months on Weston conservation land - through which run some trails often ridden by mountain bikers.

Seriously watch out!

BU Today reports BU Police stopped 152 bicyclists over three days last week and issued ten of them tickets for running red lights or other infractions.

Can you help?

Eric Stratton photographed some of the thousands of bicyclists in town today for the annual Hub on Wheels.

Richard Beaubien watched the racers in yesterday's TD Bank Mayor’s Cup through downtown yesterday.

InfoMiner posted more photos.

Copyright Richard Beaubien. Posted in the Universal Hub pool on Flickr.

The Daily Free Press reports police say a BU student was taken to St. Elizabeth with neck, back and knee injuries yesterday after she tried but failed to beat an SUV through a left turn on Comm. Ave. near Kenmore Square.

Boston Police report a collision between a tractor trailer and a woman on a bicycle ended with the bicyclist dead around 3:50 p.m. at West Broadway and A Street.

Kevin Wiles reports:

It appears the TT was turning left from A St on West Broadway when the accident occurred.

Photo of the scene.

Michael Ahern, 46, was arrested yesterday on charges he ran down and killed a man riding his bicycle down Morrissey Boulevard early Friday, the Suffolk County District Attorney's office reports.

Doan Bui, 63, was pronounced dead at the scene following the 12:30 a.m. crash near Malibu Beach between Ahearn's pickup and his bike.