Source: https://recreation-law.com/tag/biking/
Timestamp: 2019-04-20 11:13:21+00:00

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If you like biking, you belong at VeloSwap. Every year, every one is invited to the world’s largest consumer bike swap and expo.
Mark your calendar for Denver’s fall tradition: This one-day-only cycling marketplace and festival happens Saturday, Nov. 4, 2017.
All front range Performance Bicycle retailers are selling discounted VeloSwap tickets. Find a shop near you here!
You’ve come to shop and found that killer deal, now what?
Visit with supplier and reps to discuss what the 2018 lines will look like.
Not sure how best to maximize your VeloSwap day? Visit our Plan You Day section and get some best practice tips!
increases safety, improves conditions and provides a voice for people who ride bikes in Colorado.
Please take action today. On November 24, the Jefferson County Commissioners will vote on proposed changes to county transportation regulations that, if passed, would add bike lanes on several county streets.
The commissioners’ vote could go either way. Every email in support will count!
Safety Bicycle lanes on roadways provide cyclists and motorists with a simple visual indicator of where each vehicle should be on the roadway.
Economic vitality Attracting local and visiting cyclists to our county is good for the bottom line. They ride here and they spend money here.
Consistency with county policy The proposed changes are consistent with several policies in the county’s adopted Comprehensive Plan and Bicycle Master Plan. Failure to adopt the changes would directly conflict with adopted policy.
Public health A rising percentage of Jefferson County adults are obese, placing a growing financial burden on the county and Colorado. To reduce this burden, Jeffco should join the growing number of communities providing residents and visitors with safe public spaces to ride for both recreation and commuting.
Thank you for helping to create a bicycle-friendly Jefferson County by contacting your commissioners!
MISSOULA, MONTANA, November 16, 2014 — Adventure Cycling Association and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) today announced that AASHTO’s Special Committee on U.S. Route Numbering has approved 1,253 miles of new U.S. Bicycle Routes (USBRs): USBR 1 in Massachusetts and Florida, USBR 10 in Michigan, USBR 11 in Maryland, and USBR 90 in Florida. Realignments were also approved for USBR 76 and USBR 1 in Virginia, which were originally designated in 1982. The U.S. Bicycle Route System (USBRS) now encompasses 8,042 miles of routes in 16 states and the District of Columbia.
The U.S. Bicycle Route System is a developing national network of numbered and signed bicycle routes that connect people, communities, and the nation. Similar to emerging international networks, such as Europe’s EuroVelo network and Quebec’s La Route Verte, the U.S. Bicycle Route System provides important recreational and transportation options for the active traveler. Currently, more than 40 states are working to develop route corridors into official U.S. Bicycle Routes to be approved by AASHTO at their spring and fall meetings.
U.S. Bicycle Route 1 follows Florida’s Atlantic coast from Key West to Jacksonville, where it ends at the Georgia State Line. Much of USBR 1 follows the East Coast Greenway and Adventure Cycling Association’s Atlantic Coast Route. The route includes many scenic beaches and intersects cities and towns along the way.
State Bicycle Coordinator DeWayne Carver said that FLDOT plans to designate more U.S. Bicycle Routes in the near future.
U.S. Bicycle Route 90 is an east-west route that connects the Alabama border to Florida’s Atlantic Coast in Butler Beach, just south of St Augustine. The route partly follows Adventure Cycling’s Southern Tier route and traverses rural north Florida through pastures, forests, and small towns, with a few “big city” stops in Pensacola and Tallahassee.
Bicyclists interested in riding U.S. Bicycle Routes in Florida can find maps, turn-by-turn directions and other information at http://www.dot.state.fl.us/planning/policy/usbr.
US Bicycle Route 11 runs for 34 miles from the Pennsylvania state line northwest of Hagerstown to Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. There are a variety of urban and scenic attractions along the route, which follows a combination of rural roads, state highways and off-road trails. Cyclists can stop in downtown Hagerstown and explore its historical and art museums located in the picturesque Hagerstown City Park. For bicycle travelers interested in civil war history, there are many historical attractions along or near the route, including the National War Correspondents Memorial in Gathland State Park, the Antietam National Battlefield, and Harpers Ferry National Historical Park. USBR 11 also traverses the traffic-free, scenic Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Towpath (also designated as U.S. Bicycle Route 50) for 2.6 miles until it reaches Harpers Ferry.
For more information on bicycling in Maryland, visit the Maryland Department of Transportation Bicycle and Pedestrian site at http://1.usa.gov/1uLsgp3.
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation has designated two new segments along U.S. Bicycle Route 1, adding 18 miles to the route, which now totals 38 miles. The two new segments offer a glimpse of what makes Massachusetts a special place for local and long-distance travelers alike, with an array of landscapes and settlements along urban and rural byways.
The more northerly segment of USBR 1 in Salisbury and Newburyport straddles the majestic Merrimack River. USBR 1 here offers views of watercraft, and reminders of the area’s rich nautical history. While the Salisbury Old Eastern Marsh Trail provides proximity to expansive Atlantic Ocean beaches, Newburyport’s Clipper City Rail Trail reminds riders that the City’s clipper ships were once the fastest on the seas, spawning a global maritime trade. Both communities also offer nature preserves and museums in close proximity to USBR 1.
Further south, USBR 1 traverses through the communities of Topsfield, Wenham, Danvers, and Peabody, which are removed from the Atlantic and offer a different experience of Massachusetts. The Topsfield Linear Common and Wenham Swamp Walk wind their way through these communities, and riders are treated to a number of river crossings. Wetlands remind cyclists of glacial epochs long past, and boardwalks provide opportunities to explore these landscapes and natural history. Timeless town centers and deep woods also attract riders. Further south, USBR 1 enters busier settlements via the Danvers Rail Trail and Independence Greenway where cyclists can buy needed provisions.
U.S Bicycle Route 10 stretches for 193 miles along U.S. 2 and connects the eastern and central portions of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The eastern terminus connects with U.S. Bicycle Route 35 in St. Ignace. As the route travels west to Iron Mountain, Michigan, travelers are presented with stunning views of the Mackinac Bridge, rolling sand dunes along Lake Michigan, and tourist attractions like the famous Mystery Spot. The gently rolling route passes numerous parks, state and national forest lands, and scenic overlooks. Along the way, small lumber towns and rural communities offer everything a bicycle traveler could need every 20 to 30 miles.
A recent study initiated by the Michigan Department of Transportation showed that bicycling brings $668 million per year in economic benefits to Michigan’s economy. The state’s third U.S. Bicycle Route designation, USBR 10 will bring bicycle tourism revenue and new economic growth opportunities to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The designation is also part of a regional effort to complete U.S. Bicycle Routes around Lake Michigan and market the area as an active tourism destination.
The Virginia Department of Transportation has realigned U.S. Bicycle Route 1 in Northern Virginia to provide a safer and more reliable route for cyclists. Increased traffic volumes, changes to access through Ft. Belvoir, and the closure of a bridge on Gunston Cove Rd were all factors which triggered a re-evaluation of the existing route. The realignment improved the scenic appeal of the route by adding more mileage along the Potomac River.
USBR 1 in Northern Virginia travels by several interesting and historic sites including Historic Occoquan, Mt. Vernon (Home of George Washington), Woodlawn Plantation, the Pope-Leighey house (designed by Frank Lloyd Wright), George Washington’s Grist Mill, and Old Town Alexandria. The route now ends at the 14th St Bridge in Washington DC.
The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has realigned U.S. Bicycle Route 76 in the Staunton District to provide a safer, more direct route for cyclists. The route was realigned just north of Lexington to Route 56 near Vesuvius and matches the existing Adventure Cycling TransAmerica Trail route. The new route follows roads with lower-volume traffic and avoids two interstate interchanges.
This section of USBR 76 passes through the historic city of Lexington, home of the Virginia Military Institute and Washington and Lee University. For eastbound cyclists, this section of USBR 76 is the last part of the route in the Shenandoah Valley and skirts the western foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The northern end of the realignment ends at Route 56 which then quickly climbs 2000 feet over four miles to the Blue Ridge Parkway. The 17-mile section of the Blue Ridge Parkway offers numerous scenic views and is consistently noted as one of the highlights of the TransAmerica Trail by cross country cyclists. Maps of the TransAmerica Trail are available at Adventure Cycling and more information about the USBR 76 route changes is available on the VDOT website.
The U.S. Bicycle Route System will eventually be the largest bicycle-route network in the world, encompassing more than 50,000 miles of routes. Adventure Cycling Association has provided dedicated staff support to the project since 2005, including research support, meeting coordination, and technical guidance for states implementing routes. Adventure Cycling also provides an updated list of links to maps and other resources for cyclists wishing to ride an established U.S. Bicycle Route on its Use a U.S. Bicycle Route page.
AASHTO’s support for the project is crucial to earning the support of federal and state agencies. AASHTO is a nonprofit, nonpartisan association representing highway and transportation departments in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. A powerful voice in the transportation sector, AASHTO’s primary goal is to foster the development of an integrated national transportation system.
Support for the U.S. Bicycle Route System comes from Adventure Cycling members, donors, and a group of business sponsors that participate in the annual Build It. Bike It. Be a Part of It. fundraiser each May. The U.S. Bicycle Route System is supported in part by grants from the Tawani Foundation, Lazar Foundation, and Climate Ride.
COUNSEL: [*1] For Jorge Hernandez, Individually Minor N. H, Elizabeth Hernandez, Individually Minor N. H., Plaintiffs: Thomas C Jessee, Jessee & Jessee, Johnson City, TN.
For Sequoyah Council, Inc., Boy Scouts of America, defendant: Suzanne S Cook, LEAD ATTORNEY, Hunter, Smith & Davis – Johnson City, Johnson City, TN.
JUDGES: J. RONNIE GREER, UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE.
This personal injury action is before the Court pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1332. Pending before the Court is the defendant’s motion to dismiss plaintiffs’ demand for punitive damages pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6). [Doc. 5]. For the reasons which follow, the motion is GRANTED.
The following facts are taken from plaintiffs’ Complaint and are assumed true for the purposes of defendant’s motion to dismiss. In June 2010, the minor plaintiff was registered by his parents to participate in a summer camp owned and operated by defendant in an attempt to earn merit badges towards becoming an Eagle Scout. On June 15, 2010, while at this summer camp, the minor plaintiff participated in a mountain biking activity/class sponsored by defendant. During the course of his participation, the minor plaintiff discovered [*2] that the brakes on his bike were not working, and he rode off the trail and struck a tree, sustaining severe bodily injuries.
The defendant was allegedly negligent as follows: (1) it failed to keep the mountain bike trails in a reasonably safe condition; (2) it failed to warn the minor plaintiff of hidden perils of the trails which defendant knew, or by reasonable inspection, could have discovered; (3) it failed to properly train its employees; (4) it failed to properly mark the bike trail; (5) it failed to properly evaluate and assess the skill of the minor plaintiff before allowing him to ride the trail; and (6) it was “negligent in other manners.” [Doc. 1 at ¶19]. The Complaint also states that “the negligence of Defendant . . . was the proximate cause of the injuries to the minor plaintiff.” Id. at ¶20. The Complaint contains a number of additional paragraphs that allege how the “negligence” of the defendant was the proximate cause of various other consequences. Id. at ¶¶22-27. The final paragraph of the Complaint states, “As a proximate . . . result of the negligence of Defendant, the Plaintiffs have been damaged . . . in an amount not to exceed $600,000.00 actual damages. As a [*3] direct and proximate result of the gross negligence of the Defendant, the Plaintiffs believe they are entitled to recover punitive damages . . ..” Id. at ¶28 (emphasis added).
Defendant has filed a motion asking the Court to dismiss the Complaint so far as punitive damages are concerned on the ground that the plaintiffs have failed to adequately plead a factual basis that would provide for the award of punitive damages.
[HN1] Fed.R.Civ.P. 8(a) requires “a short and plain statement of the claims” that “will give the defendant fair notice of what the plaintiff’s claim is and the ground upon which it rests.” The Supreme Court has held that “[w]hile a complaint attacked by a Rule 12(b)(6) motion to dismiss does not need detailed factual allegations, a plaintiff’s obligation to provide the ‘grounds’ of his ‘entitlement to relief’ requires more than just labels and conclusions, and a formulaic recitation of the elements of a cause of action will not do. Factual allegations must be enough to raise a right to relief above the speculative level.” Bell Atlantic Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 555, 127 S. Ct. 1955, 167 L. Ed. 2d 929 (2007).
[HN2] “To survive a motion to dismiss, a complaint must contain sufficient factual matter, [*4] accepted as true, to state a claim to relief that is plausible on its face.” Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 678, 129 S. Ct. 1937, 173 L. Ed. 2d 868 (2009). “A claim has facial plausibility when the plaintiff pleads factual content that allows the court to draw the reasonable inference that the defendant is liable for the misconduct alleged.” Id. Thus, “only a complaint that states a plausible claim for relief survives a motion to dismiss.” Id. at 1950. When considering a motion to dismiss, the Court must accept all of the plaintiff’s allegations as true in determining whether a plaintiff has stated a claim for which relief could be granted. Hishon v. King & Spalding, 467 U.S. 69, 73, 104 S. Ct. 2229, 81 L. Ed. 2d 59 (1984).
[HN3] “In a diversity action . . . the propriety of an award of punitive damages for the conduct in question, and the factors the jury may consider in determining their amount, are questions of state law.” Browning-Ferris Indus. of Vt., Inc., v. Kelco Disposal, Inc., 492 U.S. 257, 278, 109 S. Ct. 2909, 106 L. Ed. 2d 219 (1989). Thus, to survive a motion to dismiss, a claim for punitive damages must be plausible as defined by Tennessee law.
Here, defendant asserts that “Although the Complaint cursorily mentions ‘gross negligence’ one time in a conclusory manner, the Complaint [*6] lacks any facts or allegations that aver an utter lack of concern or reckless disregard such that a conscious indifference can even be implied . . ..” [Doc. 6 at 3]. The plaintiff counters that “The plaintiff in this case has identified specific detailed acts of negligence on the part of the defendant and . . . [consequently] it is clear that a jury could decide that the actions of the defendant were grossly negligent.” [Doc. 7 at 2].
The Court has reviewed the Complaint and agrees with the defendant. [HN6] “Where a complaint pleads facts that are merely consistent with a defendant’s liability, it stops short of the line between possibility and plausibility of entitlement to relief. Iqbal, 556 U.S. at 678. Such is the case with the Complaint in this matter. The entirety of the Complaint is dedicated to explaining why the defendant was negligent. However, there is no separate mention made regarding why the defendant was reckless. To be sure, the plaintiff could argue that by alleging in multiple paragraphs that defendant “knew, or should have known,” of certain unsafe conditions, he has sufficiently pled both negligence and recklessness. However, plaintiff would be mistaken in asserting such [*7] argument.
[HN7] Under Tennessee law, “A person acts recklessly when the person is aware of, but consciously disregards, a substantial and unjustifiable risk of such a nature that its disregard constitutes a gross deviation from the standard of care that an ordinary person would exercise under all the circumstances.” Hodges, 833 S.W.2d at 901. An examination of the Complaint reveals that plaintiffs have failed to allege how or why the defendant was aware of the deficiencies in the bicycle and the biking trail. This is fatal to plaintiffs’ claim for punitive damages. See Carrier Corp. v. Outokumpu Oyj, 673 F.3d 430, 445 (6th Cir. 2012) ( [HN8] “To survive a motion to dismiss . . . allegations must be specific enough to establish the relevant ‘who, what, where, when, how or why.”); See also, Tucker v. Bernzomatic, 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 43771, 2010 WL 1838704 (E.D.Pa. May 4, 2010) (Dismissing punitive damages claim in products liability action because consumer did not allege how or why manufacturer knew that its product was dangerous).
In light of the foregoing, the Court concludes that the Complaint does not contain sufficient factual content to allow the Court to draw the reasonable inference that defendant has acted recklessly. [*8] See Iqbal, 556 U.S. at 678. The punitive damages claim will therefore be dismissed.
For the foregoing reasons, defendant’s motion to dismiss plaintiffs’ demand for punitive damages [Doc. 5] is GRANTED and plaintiffs’ demand for punitive damages is DISMISSED.

References: § 1332
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