Breakfast links: Consequences of distracted driving, biking

Texting not stopping

Despite safety campaigns, including some graphic PSAs, teens still text while driving at very high rates, as do their parents. (Post)

Cost of phoning while driving: $1.25M

A Texas driver got distracted by a bird, dropped his cell phone, reached to pick it up, and drove his $1.25 million sports car into a marsh. Good thing he was near a marsh and not some pedestrians. (AP)

That mean Mall

A driver backing up killed a 76-year-old man on the Mall Sunday. They were in a crosswalk, but would the Park Police care as much if they hadn’t been in one of the too-scarce crosswalks? Maybe it’s time for some federal oversight over the Mall. Oh, wait. (Post)

Philly cracks down on cyclists

Philadelphia will start cracking down on bike scofflaws after two bicyclists killed pedestrians last month. Cyclists need to respect the more vulnerable and slower-moving users of the road, too. But this is only news because it’s so uncommon, unlike deaths involving cars. P.S.: Note how the article always says “struck by a cyclist” instead of “by a bicycle.” (Philly.com)

FTA recognizes people bike to transit

The Federal Transit Administration will widen the radius around proposed transit stops for pedestrian and bike projects to qualify for federal funds. Instead of a flat 1,500 feet, they’ll assume people can walk a half mile or bike three miles to transit. (Streetsblog Capitol Hill)

Good development, too much parking?

The Zoning Commission approved two large mixed-use projects at the Fort Totten and Brookland Metro stations. But the Office of Planning thinks both have too much parking; the Cafritz project for 929 apartments, a senior center, and retail wants 1,941 spaces, and Abdo’s 825 apartments near CUA include 853 spaces. The developers say that condo buyers will demand the spaces. Are they right or will this be another DC USA? (Housing Complex, WBJ, Pat O)  (Tip: Pat O)

The need to cover Tweed

Last weekend’s Tweed Ride got a lot of press, from the Post Style section to NPR to plenty of local blogs. Adam Voiland discusses the media’s excitement for this event and links to some of the best slideshows. (DC Bicycle Transportation Examiner)

Another Metro suicide

A man apparently “intentionally placed himself” on the tracks at McPherson Square and was killed by a Blue Line train last night. (Post)