Caress Law Group’s Indiana Bicycle Accident Lawyers are excited to spread the news about the spIN 2013 Indiana Bike Summit set to take place at the Alexander Hotel in downtown Indianapolis’ new City Way development. This multiple-day event is hosted by Bicycle Indiana and consists of some very insightful presentations on topics relevant to Hoosier cyclists, a dinner, an opportunity to promote your club or organization, and is then capped off by a bicycle ride downtown.

Those interested should register as soon as possible, as the event takes place this week: March 14 – 16. The Indiana Bike Summit begins at 5:30 p.m. on March 14^th with a dinner consisting of local hosts. The event starts up again on March 15^th at 8 a.m. with presentations on the health benefits of cycling, the economic impact of cycling, and biking infrastructure. On March 16^th, the summit will pick back up at 8 a.m. with forums, advocacy discussions, and an opportunity for participants to promote their individual club, event, and/or organization. At 1 p.m., Indiana Bicycle Summit participants are invited to go for a bike ride that will utilize Indiana’s vast bike lanes, trails, and paths.

The Bicycle Lawyers at Indiana Bicycle Law would encourage all Hoosier cyclists who have the time to attend this unique event. It is a rare opportunity to listen to knowledgeable speakers, such as David Pauer of the Cleveland Clinic and members of the Toole Design Group, present information that directly relates to something that is continually growing in importance to our community in Indianapolis and throughout Indiana.

If you are not already familiar with the goal and mission of Bicycle Indiana, the Indiana Bicycle Accident Lawyers encourage you to frequently check their website for upcoming events and opportunities such as the 2013 Indiana Bike Summit. Bicycle Indiana serves all cycling Hoosiers by providing information, promotion, education, organization, and advocacy. They are located in downtown Indianapolis at the Indy Bike Hub YMCA. If you are interested in registering for this event, click here.

Past and Present

The Indiana Bicycle Accident Lawyers are excited to pass on the news of a pedestrian/bicycle bridge preparing to open in Jeffersonville, Indiana. The Big Four Bridge is a railroad truss bridge that was completed in 1895 and currently crosses the Ohio River, connecting Jeffersonville with Louisville, Kentucky. Although the Big Four Bridge was abandoned for many years, it will soon be booming with pedestrian and bike-friendly traffic. The bridge is almost complete, and it is scheduled to consist of bicycle and pedestrian paths extending all the way across the bridge with newly built ramps at the each end of the bridge, connecting cyclists and pedestrians with the cities of Jeffersonville and Louisville.

The Opening of New Bike Lanes

Although the Louisville-side ramp has already opened, the City of Jeffersonville is hopeful that its ramp will open in the upcoming months. However, the most recent news to come out of this story is that the City of Jeffersonville plans to construct additional walking and bicycle lanes to the City’s downtown area before the Jeffersonville ramp to the Big Four Bridge opens. Recent reports indicate that adding these additional bicycle and pedestrian lanes to the City’s streets and downtown area will boost business and quality of life in Jeffersonville.

Community

The Indiana Bike Attorneys applaud the efforts of Jeffersonville, Indiana in deciding to allocate its resources for recreational purposes like biking, running, and walking. Living in central Indiana, we have the opportunity to use a number of different trails and paths that the City of Indianapolis and surrounding suburbs have done a magnificent job of creating in the last few years. The results has been a city bursting with proud citizens who utilize the city’s resources to travel, exercise, and enjoy what Indianapolis has to offer. We salute Indiana cities for taking advantage of old railroad paths, like the , and turning them into modes of transportation, recreation, and enjoyment. We truly believe that the more strides Indiana takes in this direction, the better the standard of living will be in Indiana, and the more Hoosiers will “share the road.”

As mentioned in some of our previous posts, the landscape of southern Indiana is breathtaking. The Indiana bicycle lawyers plan to take our bikes down to Jeffersonville upon completion of these new trails, and, once we do, we will provide readers with a review of these new paths. Please feel free to request a Bicycle State of Indiana Flag or Patch from us for your next ride, and we will send it to you free of charge. Our goal is for Hoosier cyclists to remain united and proud of the strides our state has taken in making our cities more bicycle friendly. Feel free to contact us or call us at 317-255-5400 with any questions.

Caress Law Group’s Indiana bicycle accident lawyers are very excited to help spread the word about the upcoming “Bike to Barns” event. This event is hosted by the Local Growers’ Guild and is set to take place on March 30, 2013. Cyclists of all ages and skill levels are invited to tour southern Indiana’s breathtaking landscape and visit a number of different farms along the way. These rides will take place throughout Monroe, Brown, and Owen counties.

The Local Growers’ Guild will donate all funds to their cause – which consists of farmers, retailers, and members of the community focusing on improving the food economy in southern Indiana through education, support, and market connections. The ride begins at 9 am at Binford and Rogers School in Bloomington, Indiana. From there, cyclists will be released in waves and can then choose from three different routes: a 6 mile “Urban Fruit Route,” a 35 mile “Seed Route,” and a 70 mile “Root Route” for the more weathered cyclists. Bikers will periodically be guided to local farms to interact with the local producers and growers.

The Indiana bicycle lawyers salute the Local Growers’ Guild for organizing this event that will benefit the southern Indiana farm community while also promoting bicycle use. For Hoosiers looking to spend some quality time with their children and family, Bike to Barnes is perfect for you. If you haven’t been able to ride your bike or run through the hills of southern Indiana, you should really give it a go and participate in Bike to Barnes. The southern Indiana hills will provide magnificent views, especially toward the end of March. Bike to Barns will even provide riders with a free Bike to Barns t-shirt and discounts at some of Indiana University’s favorite hot spots, like Nick’s English Hut and Upland Brewing Company in Bloomington.

The Indiana Bicycle Lawyers will continue to provide you with the latest Indiana bicycle news, laws, and resources, and we believe that Bike to Barns is an event all available Hoosier cyclists should consider. If you have any questions regarding this post or any issue involving Indiana bicycle accident law or personal injury law, please contact Indiana Bicycle Lawyer Tim Caress by calling him at 317-255-5400 or emailing him at Tim@CaressLaw.com.

Indiana news sources report that 48 year-old Mark Crosby of North Vernon, Indiana has died as a result of injuries sustained in a bicycle vs. motor vehicle accident near Seymour, Jackson County, Indiana. The bicycle accident is reported to have occurred on U.S. 31 near Redding Woods.

According to sources, Mark Crosby was riding his bike northbound along U.S. 31 when a 2006 Dodge Status driven by 53 year-old Gary Hollin struck the bicycle, causing Crosby to be ejected from his bike. Sadly, Crosby was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. According to the Indiana State Police, blood testing is required by law for any driver that is associated with a fatal automobile collision. According to the most recent reports, the results of this blood test are still pending and the bicycle crash remains under investigation.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Mr. Crosby’s friends and family, particularly his wife and four young children. Unfortunate events like these are heart-breaking but can serve as a reminder to Indiana bicyclists just how exposed we are when we are riding near traffic. Even though there are currently no additional details about this bicycle accident, we encourage all cyclists to wear a helmet and be attentive at all times while biking, especially near traffic. We also strongly encourage pedestrians walking near traffic to remain aware of the environment around them so that they might be able to avoid a collision based on a driver’s negligence.

If you have any questions concerning this post, please do not hesitate to contact Caress Law Group’s Indiana bicycle accident lawyers Tim Caress or Lance Worland at any time at 317-255-5400. As cyclists themselves, they take great pride in providing Indiana bike users with biking news and insight.