The Monday Roundup: RIP Daunte Wright, MUTCD debate, freeway fighters go big, and more

Happy Monday BikePortlanders.

Here are the most notable items we came across in the past seven days…

Routine traffic stop: A Black man named Daunte Wright died Sunday after he was shot by a Minnesota police officer. The man was pulled over for a minor traffic violation and was in the process of being arrested for an outstanding warrant prior to the the incident.

MUTCD’s 15 minutes of fame: The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), which is the federal road engineering bible that dictates everything from sign design to speed limit rules is undergoing a major revision and the fight between advocates on the outside and inside over how much it should change has reached national political drama status.

Learn more and speak up: The National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) has an excellent overview of the MUTCD issue and has all the links and info you need to comment to the federal government.

Get inspired: A photo essay from a travel photographer who cycled across England and captured a series of “poetic self portraits” is sure to get your legs and tummy tingling for adventures.

Freeway fight goes national: Dozens of activist groups across America have realized they have something in common: A strong dislike of freeway expansion projects and a sympathetic US DOT Secretary.

Tragedy and a tweet: A man killed while bicycling in D.C. had tweeted about how dangerous road conditions are in the area just hours before the collision.

USA Cycling on Arkansas: America’s governing body for competitive cycling has issued a statement that supports athletes who wish to boycott Arkansas events because of that state’s anti-transgender law.

Crash not accident: The City of Chicago is taking steps to remove the word “accident” from their municipal code on account of it being inaccurate and harmful to progress on traffic safety issues.

Speeding Tiger: Color me shocked on two fronts to this sad story: Superstar icon Tiger Woods was speeding recklessly prior to his serious crash in California last month, and (of course) he won’t be cited.

Sign of evolution: For the first time ever, the vaunted National Transportation Safety Board has put a priority on the safety of humans who exist outside of large motorized vehicles.

Eff you-Vs: Just how screwed up is our infatuation with SUVs? According to Grist, “If all SUV drivers banded together to form their own country, it would rank as the seventh largest emitter in the world.”

— Jonathan Maus: (503) 706-8804, @jonathan_maus on Twitter and This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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