Forwarding a post from the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition that I thought we should all be made aware of

http://svbcbikes.org/content/273

Town Hall Meeting on Our Bicycle Safety Crisis

Saturday, June 28, 2008
1:00 PM

San Jose City Council Chambers
200 East Santa Clara Street
San Jose, CA

Here are the facts: Over the past 10 years, nearly 200 Bay Area bicyclists have been killed and more than 25,000 injured, according to the California Highway Patrol. During that same time, Santa Clara County had the highest number of fatalities and injuries per capita compared to the nine other Bay Area counties! Those numbers are rising at an alarming rate, both locally and nationally. What can we do to make the roads safe for everyone?

Bicycling advocates say that one solution is to raise motorists’ awareness that bicyclists have the right to use the roadways and to firmly enforce existing laws against drivers involved in collisions with bicyclists. Several states have passed laws requiring drivers to give bicyclists a minimum three-foot berth as they pass. However, an attempt last year by Assemblyman Pedro Nava to pass a similar law in California was unsuccessful. What are the alternatives?

Join this urgent town hall meeting to discuss the ways to reduce the number of bicycle injuries and fatalities in our communities.

This meeting will feature:
Congressmember James Oberstar, Chair
House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee

Will Kempton, Director of Caltrans

Carl Guardino (moderator), President & CEO
Silicon Valley Leadership Group

Follow-up discussion panel starting at 2 p.m. with:

Lee Taubeneck, District Four Deputy Director for Planning
California Department of Transportation

Ian McAvoy, Chief of Development
CalTrain

Therese McMillan, Deputy Executive Director for Policy
San Francisco Bay Area Metropolitan Transportation Commission

Corinne Winter, Executive Director
Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition

Chris Augenstein, Deputy Director of Planning
Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority

This free program is open to anyone. Co-sponsored by California Department of Transportation, CalTrain, City of San Jose, Friends of the Guadalupe River Park & Gardens, Mineta Transportation Institute, San Francisco Bay Area Metropolitan Transportation Commission, Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition, Silicon Valley Leadership Group, and Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority.