Bicycle talk Ohio

'Bikes, Trails, and Talk in Ohio' Forum Launched

Bicycle Talk Ohio is a new online discussion forum for cyclists in the Buckeye State.

Other Ohio bicycle resources include:

• Ohio Bicycle Federation, which has the Cyclist Friendly Community program for the state of Ohio.
  
• Crankmail is the "voice of cyclists in Ohio."
  
• Bike commuting in Columbus.
  
• Ohio Bicycle Events calendar.
  
• Central Ohio Bicycle Advocacy Coalition.
  
• Ohio Safe Routes to School program.
  
• Eco City Cleveland promotes cycling for transportation.
  
• Ohio City Bicycle Co-Op.
  
• Cleveland Area Mountain Bike Association.
  
• Lake Erie Wheelers is a bicycle club with members in the Greater Cleveland area.
  
• Consider Biking works to create a better environment for cycling in central Ohio and encourage citizens to make active transportation a part of their everyday lives.
  
• Bike polo in Cleveland!
  
• Yehuda Moon comic is from the Cleveland area.
  
• Columbus Rides bicycle blog.

Tax credit for exurban car commuters

Hey America, did you know that we're at near record low gasoline inventory levels in the United States? What do you do when you're running short of a declining resource? Do you carefully husband the resource so it will last as long as possible? "No!" proclaims Congresscritter Zack Space of Ohio. "Let's pass money around so we can use it up even faster!"

I announced my plan to introduce the Rural Commuters Tax Relief Act of 2007. This legislation could not be simpler: If your household makes less than the national median income, you drive more than 30 miles to work and you work at least four days per week, then you receive a $100 tax credit for each month that the average price of gas is more than $3 per gallon.

The U.S. household median income in 2006 was $48,200. If you're married filing jointly with two children, you can easily find enough deduction to bring your federal tax burden to less than $3000. With this tax credit you can chop your tax bill nearly in half!

It's nice that Mr. Space is pulling for the little guy, but I and others have been warning for years that the affordable house out in the exurban prairie won't be so affordable once oil prices start the inevitable climb right about now.

Read Zack Space's opinion piece here. You have to wonder what they thought on Easter Island when the last tree was chopped down.

Columbus Ohio Bicycle Commute

Jamie in Columbus, Ohio hates to drive. Jamie is an environmentalist. Jamie, who believes fitness is important, also wants to be a good role model for his son.

"I got absolutely tired of walking into work stressed out, angry and frustrated," he says, regarding his car commute. Jamie also "figured that the best way to be an environmentalist is to practice what I preach."

So Jamie talked about riding a bike. When he got a Specialized Expedition Sport comfort bike as a gift last November, he started commuting by bike almost immediately. Soon after, he started his Bike Commuting in Columbus blog.

"My first commute was during a warm spell in November along the bike path. I was in my work clothes and the path was just a tad wet, and I didn't have any fenders on my bike. So I got to work and had a slight stripe running up my arse. Luckily I'm a computer programmer so I don't have to get up too often. I started using wet-weather gear more often after that."

I asked Jamie about the advice he might offer to beginner bike commutes. "Ask around first about things you might need to know or have. Don't go into it without doing some research, or a bad experience might get you back behind the wheel before you've experienced a real good commute. One thing that benefited me was buying a really good book on the topic of urban biking and making sure that I was prepared. The book was Urban Bikers' Tricks & Tips."

Jamie has continued his bicycle commute through the winter. "I've never thought about giving up. The hardest thing to get used to was the traffic situation, but when I first rode in traffic I realized that most drivers around here were more afraid of me than I was of them. I enjoyed it too much, and I still feel very strongly about practicing what I preach. I love being outside in the elements, and I won't lie when I say that I get a private kick out of seeing the looks on the faces of my co-workers when I come in with all my bike stuff on and they look at me like I'm crazy, especially on mornings like today when there was 6" of snow on the ground when I came rolling in."

Bike Commuting in Columbus: Check it out.