Meet the Board - Part 6 - Claire Pittman
Claire Pittman is behind the Baton Rouge Bike Routes and Rides facebook page, where Baton Rouge bicyclists share routes, rides and advice about riding in Baton Rouge (and beyond). Claire and several other parents at the Baton Rouge FLAIM school formed a Bike Club - allowing their children to ride to school together in a safe and enjoyable environment.
Who are you and where are you from?
Claire Pittman, born and raised in Lake Charles, LA. I studied Mass Communications at LSU and Business at University of Nottingham. I have two delightful children, Liam and Mary. I am currently on the Bike BR board, secretary of the Garden District Civic Association and president of the BR FLAIM PTO and a member of the Celtic Society of Louisiana.
My husband and I began riding bikes around three years ago. We were told by our trusty European friends to get a cheap one-speed bike from Wal-Mart and don’t over think it. Not only did we get cheap bikes, we got the cheapest bikes they had – the decrepit, slightly rusty bikes that had been left in the rain, and our biking adventure began. We started biking from the Garden District to the Farmers Market and the occasional jaunt around the LSU lakes. About two years ago, there was a turning point in my life. I started my own company and was able to work from home, and my kids started attending a neighborhood school, Baton Rouge Foreign Language Academic Immersion Magnet (BR FLAIM). When my husband and I made the decision to live, work and play in Mid-City Baton Rouge, it allowed me to be able to pick up both my kids from school, attend meetings downtown and shop for groceries via bicycle!
Why do you love bicycling?
I love the freedom, surrounded by air, sunshine and nature, being with my family, connection with the community, wind in my hair.
Why did you join the Bike Baton Rouge board?
The past few years I have found myself becoming an impromptu bike supporter. Two years ago, I formed the Baton Rouge Bike Routes and Rides Facebook page to expose beginners and casual bikers, especially parents, that biking is very much obtainable in Baton Rouge. This year, with the help of fellow FLAIM bike-riding parents, we formed the BR FLAIM Bike Club to give FLAIM students and their families the opportunity to learn safe urban cycling skills through safety programs, obstacle courses, group ride events and an adult-lead bike train to school.
What do you see YOUR role as with Bike Baton Rouge? What do you do and what are you good at?
My role is encouraging and educating schools and families that bicycling is possible in Baton Rouge. I want to get people comfortable on the streets, and I want to create advocacy and publicity for family biking!
I have over 10 years experience in communications, public policy and disaster recovery. I’m a practical ideas person who works tirelessly to make those ideas happen.
What would you consider the greatest challenge to bicycling in Baton Rouge?
BR’s biggest challenge is Safety. Pedestrians cannot walk, bike or jog safely in this city, and the needed public support and encouragement is not where it needs to be.
What are you and Bike Baton Rouge doing to tackle that challenge?
My goal is to encourage more casual bikers and parents to get on the streets as much as they can. The more visible we are the more the movement will grow. Bike BR hosts safety events at neighborhood schools, which educates kids and parents on safety gear and hand signals. We also host group bike rides.
What will bicycling in Baton Rouge look like in 1/5/20 years time?
I believe we will have more dedicated bike lanes – hopefully on Government Street, S. Eugene St and in North BR.
What is does your 'ideal' day of bike riding in Baton Rouge look like?
Clear, cool day, biking my kids to school, heading off to a work meeting, and spending the rest of the day completing normal, daily tasks.
Bike Baton Rouge Board Members (Left to Right) Claire Pittman, Samantha Morgan, Alaric 'Ric' Haag, Kellen Gilbert, Mika Torkkola and Doug Moore
(Photograph by Irene Kato)
Bike Baton Rouge Updates and News
What good stuff happened with Bike Baton Rouge in May? Read on for some updates about what our members and volunteers got accomplished in May!
The biggest news was the launch of our program to donate bike lights to the BRPD. We had a huge response from our members as well as the general public. Over a hundred and twenty of you liked or commented on the Facebook post announcing the donation, several of you signed up to become members (we even got a few messages asking us to keep the lights that come with the membership packets for upcoming donations!), and our friends Doug Ramsey and Danita LeBlanc made a large donation to purchase the next set of a hundred lights.
We love our local businesses and we hope that you'll support them (particularly those with bike racks!) but if you choose to shop online, then you can support our amazon smile account which will see a small percentage of your purchases going towards Bike Baton Rouge to fund more programs and donations!
Bike to Work Week and the #mybikestory hashtag got many new bike commuters out on our streets and talking about how riding in Baton Rouge is typically a much more pleasant experience than people imagine!
#mybikestory photo submission
The National Bike Challenge began and we've made steady progress towards our goal of 25,000 miles logged by September. We're still way below our team goal of fifty riders, with twelve, but you can help us by signing up here and logging your miles!
The Government Street road diet project finally had an update, and we're looking forward to seeing progress made towards that eventual start date.
And finally, Senate Bill No. 171 passed through House Committee, and saw some action on the House Floor before being withdrawn, and is up again on the House Floor TODAY.
If you missed any of these updates then we urge you to go like our Facebook page where we post local and regional bike related news daily.
Love what we're doing? Want to help? You can sign up to be a member, donate, or register as a volunteer on our TAKE ACTION page. NOTHING we do is possible without the support of our members - Thank YOU for helping us make Baton Rouge a better place to bike!
Mika Torkkola
Bike Baton Rouge
Meet the Board - Part 5 - Samantha Morgan
Samantha is the brains behind our recent bike light donations to the Baton Rouge Police Department, and she's always enthusiastic about making sure that those who are new to bike rides have a good time. Her journalism experience has been invaluable in making sure Bike Baton Rouge gets its message out to the right people in the right way.
Who are you and where are you from?
I seem to be a bit of a rarity among the bicycling community - I am a Baton Rouge native. My name is Samantha Morgan and I love this city. Sometimes I feel as though the city and I have grown up together. As a child the city seemed to be small and every year I have watched it grow. It's exciting to watch this place change and grow.
Why do you love bicycling?
About 2 years ago I went on a trip to Austin to visit my brother and friends. I stayed for a week with a friend who is an avid bicyclist and former Baton Rouge resident. One night we decided to go to a nearby Mexican restaurant for dinner. Seeing as how he had a stash of bikes, enough to outfit a small group, we decided to get there by bike. I was a bit anxious about it; I hadn't ridden in years, but the old saying is certainly true. There was a moment on that ride when things just seemed to click. When I got back, it took a couple weeks, but I ended up buying my first bike since college. I started riding around the neighborhood, then decided to try riding to work, which is only about 2.5 miles. Suddenly my life changed. At first it was hard, but I kept doing it and now it's the easiest thing in the world. Plus, I found that when I started my day off with that little bit of exercise, my energy levels became higher. Now I wake up at 5 am to go running before biking to work. One thing leads to another, and it was a bike that started me down a path to becoming a better version of myself.
Why did you join the Bike Baton Rouge board?
I've always wanted to get involved with a "group," but I just couldn't seem to find one to commit to. I work in media, so I looked at those types of membership groups, but none seemed to appeal to me. I am a painter, so I looked at those. Again, none seemed to fully capture my attention. Then I was asked if I would consider joining the board. Without hesitation I said yes. It was a no brainier for me. Joining the board was like going on my first group ride - I wasn't really sure about it, but from the minute I started the ride, I knew it was where I needed to be.
What do you see YOUR role as with Bike Baton Rouge? What do you do and what are you good at?
As I just mentioned, I work in media, so I know people - a LOT of people. Too many people, really, but that is a good thing when you're trying to get things done. I enjoy getting information out there and getting the right people connected. Sometimes I feel a bit like a matchmaker, but instead of relationships, I create bonds that will get things done in this city.
What would you consider the greatest challenge to bicycling in Baton Rouge?
People who ride bikes on a regular basis tend to be very passionate about it. That passion, however, can be as positive as it is a negative. I think perceptions about bicycling will change over time, but until then, the greatest challenge for bicycling in Baton Rouge will be finding a balance between passion and patience. It's easy to identify the things that need to change, it's much more challenging to remain calm while waiting for that change to happen.
What are you and Bike Baton Rouge doing to tackle that challenge?
The current board members are very focused on keeping things positive when it comes to bicycling. That doesn't mean we are ignoring the problems, the opposite, really. Rather, we are trying to find ways to address those problems in a way that will benefit everyone. For example, we want to make sure people on bicycles know the rules of the road and safety as well as the drivers. I'm particularly proud of our latest effort. Which is a partnership with the Baton Rouge Police Department to provide lights for bicyclists seen riding without lights. This program is meant to help bicyclists with free lights and information, as well as to hopefully reach drivers as well. We do not want to be a fist-on-the-table type organization, we just want people to be safe on bikes, period.
What will bicycling in Baton Rouge look like in 1/5/20 years time?
I think we will progressively see more people on bikes, but my hope is not just to see bike culture improve, but also the car culture. As the city expands, the connection between ares will also improve, making it easier to get form one location to another without having to take a care. In 20 years, I hope people will no longer feel a need to drive 3 miles to work, or 1 mile to the grocery store. The infrastructure to make that all possible is already happening, people just don't know about it yet.
What is does your 'ideal' day of bike riding in Baton Rouge look like?
Recently I had a random Friday off work. It wasn't a holiday, so I was excited to go do things that I need to do during regular business hours on a weekday. I mentioned to my plans to my dad and he said "it's a shame you have to run errands on your day off." I said, "I don't mind, I'm doing them on my bike, so really it's just an excuse for a bike ride." My ideal bike ride is one where I get to incorporate biking into my everyday life. Life moves so fast, if you don't slow down to enjoy it, you might only remember staring at the bumper of the car in front of you.
Anything else you'd like to mention?
Biking changed my life. I can't say it will do the same for you, but I can say for certain that you will never know until you try. But if you don't want to, that's totally understandable, just don't be impatient with those who have. Slow down, go around, and let's all get to where we are going safely.
Bike Baton Rouge Board Members (Left to Right) Claire Pittman, Samantha Morgan, Alaric 'Ric' Haag, Kellen Gilbert, Mika Torkkola and Doug Moore
(Photograph by Irene Kato)
Meet the Board - Part 4 - Mika Torkkola
Mika Torkkola is the current President of Bike Baton Rouge, although he'll tell you he's not really sure how that happened. He'll also tell you that he's not really sure what he does when he's not riding, or thinking about riding, or thinking about getting other people to ride, or thinking about how to ride to the place with the thing, or... you get the idea.
Who are you and where are you from?
My name is Mika, I arrived in Baton Rouge in 2007 via Texas, having spent most of my life before that in Australia.
Why do you love bicycling?
Originally I loved bicycling because it was easy. It meant I didn't have to get a driver's license, which was hard work that I wasn't interested in doing. I lived in Australia, where riding a bike was pretty simple - but not as simple as catching a bus or train, which was the main reason I never needed a car. I was in for a shock when I moved to Baton Rouge and found that both the bicycling and transit options were pretty awful. When bicycling became hard, I learned other reasons to love it. It's great for the environment and for your health. It's fun, and it's cheap. But I think most importantly I think when you ride a bike instead of driving you remain a part of your community. You move IN your neighbourhood, rather than THROUGH it, watching life happen through a window.
Eventually I wisened up and moved to a part of town where bicycling was easy and things have been pretty great since.
Whether I ride or a drive, I typically will be happy when I get home - but when I'm driving I'm happy the trip is over, and when I'm biking I'm just happy.
Why did you join the Bike Baton Rouge board?
I've been involved in biking in Baton Rouge for several years, mostly in organizing bike rides and events. In late 2015, Bike Baton Rouge as an organization had been inactive for some time, and following some long conversations, several friends and fellow bicyclists agreed to volunteer ourselves as board members of Bike Baton Rouge. Bike advocacy amongst our small group was going to be happening anyway, so it seemed like the logical thing that we would be doing so under the Bike Baton Rouge banner.
What do you see YOUR role as with Bike Baton Rouge? What do you do and what are you good at?
If I were to sum up my role with Bike Baton Rouge into one word it would be ENTHUSIASM. All caps. I like to keep things moving. I like seeing wild, far out ideas become reality. I like committing to an idea before we even know what it is and then watching as we somehow pull it off. I like the idea of crossing the bridge when we get to it, but what I like even more is finding out that there is no bridge and that we have to build one to get across.
What would you consider the greatest challenge to bicycling in Baton Rouge?
The biggest challenge to bicycling in Baton Rouge is us bicyclists ourselves. We can be a miserable bunch. We complain and moan about road conditions and law enforcement and traffic incidents. We rarely celebrate the bicycle, and riding with our friends and the simple joys that a pedal around town can bring. Is it any wonder that people in Baton Rouge thing that bicycling is too dangerous when all they ever hear is about the last person that was hit?
What are you and Bike Baton Rouge doing to tackle that challenge?
While we do, of course, have to talk about the bad things from time to time, we're devoting most of our energy into talking about good things. We want to focus on progress, not on history. The #mybikestory hashtag which we rolled out last week was not only successful amongst bicyclists, it was popular amongst non-bicyclists who saw it as a small window into our world and why we choose to ride all-the-goddamn-time. Sometimes subtle things can make big differences, such as our choice to take the 'Change Lanes to Pass' messaging, which evokes feelings of white-knuckle highway riding, off of our new T-Shirts.
What will bicycling in Baton Rouge look like in 1/5/20 years time?
A year from now, bicycling will be subtly different. We'll talk regularly about the good things about bicycling, such as the new Government Street bike lanes and the rapidly progressing Downtown Greenway. Folks who are new to bicycling will choose to live in or near these areas. Property values will begin to increase, and developers and land owners will begin to take notice what bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure means to their bottom line - and to the quality of life to the people who live near them.
In five years, Baton Rouge will be a rapidly growing bicycling city, and people will talk about how they couldn't even imagine a time when people thought biking in Baton Rouge was hard or scary. Bike lanes and trails will pop up all over town, and Baton Rouge will become an attractive destination for young, active families to move to.
In twenty years all of that, as they say, will be history. We'll have world class bike infrastructure, happier and healthier families, and less pollution. We won't be the only ones. We'll be one of hundreds of world class bike friendly cities in the United States, and the bike advocates of 2035 will be fighting to compete with those cities, asking questions like 'Why doesn't this bike trail have more lanes?', saying things like 'You don't need to have cars on this road,' and (hopefully) still choosing to spread the joy and happiness of riding a bicycle despite these (much smaller) obstacles.
What is does your 'ideal' day of bike riding in Baton Rouge look like?
This is a tough question because my ideal day on a bike is, by it's very nature, entirely unpredictable. What it most likely does contain, however, are several changes of plan, at least one nap, several (very) large meals, stops for liquid refreshments, making friends in unexpected places, attempting to maintain control of my bike while laughing too hard, avoiding sunburn (barely), and finally at the end of the day choosing to take the long route home.
Anything else you'd like to mention?
I tell this to some close friends of mine every now and then, but when I first moved to Baton Rouge I hated it here. I had plans to leave at the first available opportunity. Since becoming involved in bicycling, however - in riding, in advocacy, and just in hanging out with 'bike people' (the best kinds of people), my entire world has changed. Life is good, and it's getting better. There are still moments when I think of those 'dream' bike cities - Portland, Minneapolis, Seattle - and imagine what my life would be like there. The grass will always be greener on the other side, as they say, - but Baton Rouge is my home, and me and my friends helped plant this grass and I'm very, very happy to sit back and watch it grow.
Bike Baton Rouge Board Members (Left to Right) Claire Pittman, Samantha Morgan, Alaric 'Ric' Haag, Kellen Gilbert, Mika Torkkola and Doug Moore
(Photograph by Irene Kato)
Senate Bill No. 171 heading to final House reading on Tuesday!
Bicyclists in April at a ride in support of Senate Bill No. 171
Senate Bill No. 171, which would increase penalties for motorists who kill or injure Vulnerable Road Users such as bicyclists, pedestrians, and motorcyclists, will read for the final time in the Louisiana House of Representatives on Tuesday, May 24th. Should the bill pass a vote in this session, it will head to the Senate for final approval before being sent to Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards to be signed into law.
Bike Baton Rouge and our representatives and friends were present at both the Senate Committee hearing (in April), where several spoke in support of the bill, and the House Committee meeting (in May), where the bill passed without comments or objections.
To maximize the chances of this bill successfully passing through the House, we want YOUR help in contacting your Representatives and telling them why this bill is important to you. You can do so by contacting your representatives at the email addresses here. If you're not sure who your representatives are, you can find out here and here.
Senate Bill No. 171 is based on a model act that has already been made law in nine states. If passed in Louisiana, it would make walking, bicycling, and using our roads in general a safer and more enjoyable experience for everyone.
Thank you for supporting Senate Bill No. 171!
Bike Baton Rouge
Meet the Board - Part 3 - Alaric 'Ric' Haag
Ric is an enthusiastic road bicyclist and is our liaison with the the Baton Rouge Bike Club, who put on road bicycling events such as group rides, educational events and their annual Century ride in St Francisville. Like most of us, Ric is new to the Bike BR Board.
Who are you and where are you from?
I'm Alaric Haag, a native of Baton Rouge whose passions include music, my friends, and of course, riding!
Why do you love bicycling?
Many reasons, but, as a road cyclist, one is surely that moment when I stop along a backroad, perhaps at a country crossroad 30 miles from where I started, and I can't say for certain what parish I'm now in, but I realize I got there on a bicycle. It is also, for me, a fitness activity that keeps me healthy, and clears my head.
Why did you join the Bike Baton Rouge board?
I was given the Advocacy Chair on the board of the Baton Rouge Bike Club, which promotes road cycling, to act as a sort of liaison between the two organizations, which engage in different cycling activities, but clearly have common goals. I was honored to be placed on the Bike BR board, and hope I can provide a positive influence on its mission.
What do you see YOUR role as with Bike Baton Rouge?
My own goal is to bring a perspective to each of Bike BR and the BRBC that enhances both organizations and bridges their respective aims. For Bike BR, I look to be an independent voice, sometimes a "devil's advocate", but always a force that moves its goals forward.
What do you do and what are you good at?
The day job involves IT work which requires a lot of creative problem-solving. I tend to quickly see the many sides of a problem and am able to "cut to the chase" to find a solution. Hopefully I can apply this constructively to the issues that face Bike BR.
What would you consider the greatest challenge to bicycling in Baton Rouge?
There seems to be an "us vs them" attitude between cyclists and automobile drivers that serves no one any good. My desire is to develop a culture of communication about cycling that connects the factions among cyclists and bridges the cyclists with the larger Baton Rouge community. I want to develop resources that foster communication about cycling in Baton Rouge so that the attitudes become more of a "conversation" and less of an "argument".
What will bicycling in Baton Rouge look like in 1/5/20 years time?
I'm encouraged by the growth of cycling infrastructure in Baton Rouge, but is has come slowly. Some large-scale bike trails are currently in the works (Capital Area Pathways Project, LSU Lakes redevelopment) and bike lanes are beginning to be included in roadway development (Greenway, Nicholson Dr south). These have the potential to transform the city over the next five years, and once people get a taste, I expect momentum will grow for more of this development.
What is does your 'ideal' day of bike riding in Baton Rouge look like?
Meeting friends on a clear blue sky day, riding around the LSU Lakes, neighborhoods, doing the levee trail, maybe even heading out to Alligator Bayou and back, but all the while soaking in the wildlife, beauty, and good times with friends that you only get on two wheels!
Anything else you'd like to mention?
I'm humbled by what I see Bike BR, a purely volunteer-run organization, is doing, and feel fortunate for the opportunity to contribute however I can.
EDITOR'S NOTE :
You can find out more about the Baton Rouge Bike Club at their website and on their Facebook page.
Bike Baton Rouge Board Members (Left to Right) Claire Pittman, Samantha Morgan, Alaric 'Ric' Haag, Kellen Gilbert, Mika Torkkola and Doug Moore
(Photograph by Irene Kato)
Senate Bill No. 171 to be heard Wednesday May 11th.
Bike Baton Rouge and Varsity Sports hosted a bike/run event in support of SB 171 that was attended by over a hundred runners and bicyclists
Bike Baton Rouge needs YOUR help.
Senate Bill No. 171, which would create or increase penalties for motorists who kill or maim vulnerable road users (including bicyclists, motorcyclists and pedestrians) due to careless driving, will be going before the House Committee on the Administration of Criminal Justice next week on Wednesday, May 11th. The bill passed the Senate Committee hearing (complete with three committee members agreeing to co-author the bill) and then passed through the Senate with only one vote against (and thirty-three for!
The committee in question will decide if the bill goes forward to be voted on by the house. We’re asking for YOUR help in letting those committee members know what this bill means to you and how it can protect the people of Louisiana.
There are several ways that you can help :
1) Between now and Wednesday, call or email the committee members (listed below) and tell them you support Senate Bill No 171.
Adams, Bryan (504)361-6013
Bacala, Tony (225)677-8020 bacalat@legis.la.gov
Bagneris, John H. (504)243-7783
Barras, Taylor F. (337)373-4051
Carpenter, Barbara (225)771-5674
Dwight, Stephen (337)491-2315
Gaines, Randal L. (985)652-1228
Hazel, Lowell C. "Chris" (318)767-6082
Hodges, Valarie (225)791-2199 hodgesv@legis.la.gov
Howard, Frank A. (318)256-4135
James, Edward C. "Ted" (225)343-3633 james.ted@legis.la.gov
Landry, Terry (337)373-9380
Leger, Walt III (504)556-9970
Lopinto, Joseph P. (504)838-5430
Mack, Sherman Q. (225)567-3677 macks@legis.la.gov
Marcelle, Denise (225)359-9362 marcelled@legis.la.gov
Norton, Barbara M. (318)632-5887
Pylant, Steve E. (318)435-7313
More information on the committee
The committee members listed in italics, in particular, represent those of us in the Baton Rouge area, and would make great allies in getting this bill to pass. Ted James and Denise Marcelle represent districts in East Baton Rouge parish, Valarie Hodges and Tony Bacala represent Prairieville and Denham Springs respectively. Sherman Macks is the Chair of the committee.
Contacting these committee members is the NUMBER ONE thing that you can do to help this bill pass. You'll see a sample of what you can tell them further down this page.
2) If you are available on Wednesday, May 11th, we’d love for you to come down to the State Capitol and show your support for SB 171 by attending the hearing, which begins at 9:30 am.You can do this in one of three ways :
- Show up to the hearing and fill out a card, usually green, in support of the bill. This card and your name will be read and counted in favour of the bill prior to the vote. If you are unable to stay for the length of the hearing, you can fill this card out and leave at any time.
- On top of filling out the above card, you can stay throughout the rest of the hearing, ideally sitting with a group of other folks (pedestrians, runners, mobility device users, bicyclists, motorcyclists and more) to show your support. Wearing a bright Bike Baton Rouge or other bicycle shirt is recommended to make sure you’re identified in the crowd.
- Finally, if you’re brave, you can ask to be given a chance to address the committee. You’ll be given a short period to read a prepared statement or speak ‘from the heart’ in support of the bill. If you’d like help preparing such a statement, please shoot us an email at bikebatonrouge@gmail.com and we’ll help draft one up!
3) Whether you do all of the above or none of them - please help us get the message out to your friends, families and neighbours by talking to them, sharing our news posts, and generally encouraging others to get involved.
Senate Bill No. 171 is a bill that protects everyone. Even those who never bike, run, or walk for recreation or exercise spend some part of their day on foot, even if it’s walking to the car and back. The only people this bill hurts are those who choose to drive carelessly and put the rest of lives, and the lives of our families, in danger.
If you have any further questions on how you can help, shoot us an email at bikebatonrouge@gmail.com and we'll be happy to help you get involved!
Resources :
If you plan on calling, emailing, or attending the hearing, you might find the below items useful :
Bike Baton Rouge Statement on SB 171
Bike Baton Rouge Statement following passing of SB 171 from Senate Committee
League of American Bicyclists Bike Law University explanation of the Vulnerable Roar User Law
Peopleforbikes.org Statistics Page
"Louisiana has 2nd most bicycle deaths per capita in the country"
"Louisiana ranked 3rd for obesity, Baton Rouge ranked worst city"
Sample Email :
Dear Representative [NAME],
I understand that you sit on the House Committee on the Administration of Criminal Justice, and your committee will be hearing Senate Bill No. 171 on Wednesday, May 11th. The bill in question would offer greater protections to pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcyclists and other vulnerable road users from those motorists who choose to endanger them by driving carelessly.
Louisiana ranks second in the nation for bicycle deaths per capita. Fifteen percent of Louisiana traffic fatalities take the life of a pedestrian, bicyclist or other Vulnerable Road User. The legal means to penalize those motorists who make walking, bicycling or motorcycling dangerous are few and far between. It is all too common for drivers who are involved in crashes that kill or maim these road users to escape prosecution entirely.
I urge you and your committee to pass Senate Bill No. 171, which would do a great deal of good in keeping the citizens of Louisiana safe while out on our roadways.
(http://www.nola.com/news/baton-rouge/index.ssf/2014/10/louisiana_no_2_in_country_for.html)
(https://www.businessreport.com/article/baton-rouge-deemed-obese-city-america).
Sample testimony we gave at the Senate Committee Hearing :
"Hello,
My name is Mika Torkkola. Today I’m here on behalf of Bike Baton Rouge, representing thousands of bicyclists in the Baton Rouge Area. When I’m not on my bike, I’m also sometimes a pedestrian, a runner, and occasionally even a driver of a motor vehicle.
In May of 2015 I was hit by a car along with two friends. I walked away from that crash, but my two friends were not so fortunate. One of them, Justin Weber, suffered a severe brain injury, internal bleeding and damaged vertebrae. Justin faced several months of recovery and rehabilitation before he was able to return to work, and several more before he was back to riding a bicycle.
I have personally seen the damage that a motor vehicle can do to the human body. I would not wish it upon anyone.
Similar damage was done to our friend Gordon Mese in August of last year when he was hit by a driver that ran a stop sign. The crash put Gordon in hospital, and out of work for a month. The driver received a ticket for running the stop sign, but no charges were brought against them for the serious injuries that their action caused to Gordon.
It is an unfortunate truth that bicycling, walking, or running on Louisiana’s roads can be a dangerous activity.
Senate Bill number 171 is not a radical proposal. Similar bills have already passed in nine other states, and each one has seen a reduction in injury and fatality rates amongst the most vulnerable of road users.
This bill would see similar results in Louisiana.
I would urge all of the committee members, regardless of whether they themselves walk, run, bike or otherwise, to consider the safety and wellbeing of themselves, their friends and families, and their constituents by voting in favour of this bill.
Thank you."
Full text of the bill :
"Proposed law creates the crime of infliction of serious injury or death on a public road user, which is the inflicting of serious bodily injury upon the person of a public road user or the killing of a public road user when caused proximately or caused directly by an offender engaged in the operation of a motor vehicle in a careless manner.
Proposed law defines a "public road user" as:
(1) A pedestrian, including but not limited to a person engaged in work upon a public highway
or other roadway, or in work upon utility facilities along a public highway or other roadway,
or engaged in the provision of emergency services within the right-of-way of a public
highway or other roadway.
(2) A person riding or leading an animal upon a public highway or other roadway.
(3) A person lawfully operating or riding any of the following on a public right-of-way,
crosswalk, or shoulder of a public highway or other roadway:
(a) A bicycle, tricycle, or other pedal-powered vehicle.
(b) A farm tractor or similar vehicle designed primarily for farm use.
(c) A skateboard, roller skates, or in-line skates.
(d) A motorcycle, moped, or scooter.
(e) An animal-drawn wheeled vehicle, farm equipment, or sled.
(f) An electric personal assistive mobility device.
(g) A wheelchair, rollator, rolling walker, or walker.
Proposed law provides that a person issued a traffic citation pursuant to proposed law must attend a hearing on the citation before a court having jurisdiction over the alleged offense.
Proposed law provides that a person found to have committed an offense causing serious bodily
injury under proposed law may have his driving privileges suspended for a period of not more than one year and in addition may be:
(1) Fined not more than $2,000.
(2) Imprisoned for up to 90 days.
(3) Ordered to complete a court-approved motor vehicle accident prevention program.
(4) Ordered to perform not more than 200 hours of community service.
Proposed law provides that a person found to have committed an offense causing death under proposed law may be imprisoned with or without hard labor for not more than five years, fined not more than $5,000, or both."
On behalf of all of bike baton rouge, and everyone who walks, bikes, motorcycles or uses a road in Louisiana, thank you!
Bike Baton Rouge
