#Brum

The snow has melted leaving behind huge potholes on many of Birmingham’s roads. So what can we do about it?

The council has set up two numbers to help. You can report a pothole on 0121 303 6644 (daytime) or 0121 303 4149 (evening / weekends). We also recommend that you contact FixMyStreet who will pester the council on your behalf. This way you have a record of the complaint and can see its progress.

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Popularity: 18% [?]

I’m interested in creating a map similar to ones that are made in the US which pinpoints potential hazards for cyclists. So far this Birmingham Cyclist Map has marked cycle journeys and will add any potential hazards I spot with a pink pin. I will also be adding any road information about potholes from Fix My Street.

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Popularity: 9% [?]

I’m investigating how safe Birmingham is for cyclists. Part of this involves mapping the city, using data to locate fatal collisions but also encouraging other bike riders to record near misses and smaller safety concerns.

I’ve also been tracking my own cycle journeys recording my hazards. Because of the winter weather, I had to ride an old bicycle which I’ve christened ’snow bike’ Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 11% [?]

I decided it was about time to get out there and start tracking my own cycle routes. On the map below you can see my latest track. Click on the Recent Tracks tab and you can scroll through all my journeys as I wheel about, gathering cycle interviews and other usual daily Hashbrum business. The Play button on this widget is the most fun.

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Popularity: 19% [?]

This is an experimental project from the Hashbrum team.

The idea is to turn a Google Wave into a resource on a particular subject.

Feel free to join in, add anything you like, let the Wave develop, and comment below!

(If you need a Google Wave invitation, @carolinebeavon has a few! If you have any going spare, let the world know in the comments section!)

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Popularity: 26% [?]

I’ve been running this investigation since November so to save you reading through the comments section and Help Me Investigate page here’s an update.

Mapping Birmingham
A local news search of fatality locations has only been successful on recent accidents so I’ve sent off another Freedom Of Information request.

Data released by the government recorded UK wide accidents involving pedal cycles. I’ve converted from OSGR grid references to Long/Lat readings but so far I’ve not found a way of putting such a large amount of data (16,000 per year) onto a map. If you know a map site that can handle this (Dave Harte pointed out that Times Online have managed it) then please comment below. I’m also interested in just pulling pinpoints for just Birmingham.

I’ve added the terrible accident which took place before Christmas and the accident that took place on New Year’s Day and with your help we can keep this map up-to-date. However, I want to highlight dangerous areas that a cyclist should be aware rather than just a crash map.

Encouragingly, similar investigations are taking place in both New York and Cardiff but I don’t want this investigation to end with this map.

Pedalling Some More
I want to go further than just stats. Over the next few weeks I will be filming my own cycle exploits and finding out what cycling Birmingham is like by talking to other cyclists and organisations. If you have anything to add about cycling in Birmingham then please comment or contact.

Popularity: 19% [?]

Good news! Marathon Guy is already on his way to London. I can officially declare to the world that I will be in the capital of the UK on the 25^th of April running with the best marathoners in the world. This truly comes as an early Christmas gift to me. But things looked a little bit gloomier some time ago…

As I signed off last week, I was still hesitant about my possibilities of being awarded a charity entry for the Virgin London Marathon 2010. After having a few phone conversations with events teams of the diverse charities, they put it bluntly: the competition among applicants was fierce and people were more than willing to pledge to raise large amounts of money for the charities. I was starting to fear that my participation in the renowned London race might be at peril. Luckily enough, the next morning I received a call from the Shelter Events Team. The gentle voice at the other end of the line informed me that if I wanted to I could join their team and support their charitable organization. My answer was not long in coming, it was an absolute yes.

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Popularity: 48% [?]

Saturday night, we were all warned the voltage at O2 Academy 2 would be dangerously high – but that was exactly what we’d come for. In spite of the cold, beer kept flying around the venue all night. And so did the stubborn crowd surfers who kept leaping from the middle of the crowd only to end up in the loving arms of the bouncers waiting for them in front of the stage.
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Popularity: 28% [?]

I want to run the Virgin London Marathon on the 25^th of April 2010! Like most things in this life, this is easier said than done. By the time I was determined to embark on this demanding challenge (running the marathon, that is), the ballot for London had been closed for months because of the massive level of interest that the race generates every year.

With the ballot closed, I deemed the charity entry would be the ideal thing to do. Not only might I be able to secure an entry into the place, but at the same time I would be supporting an honourable cause and the charity would be assisting me every step of the way. This would also be an added challenge to my initial idea, as I would have to pledge to raise an agreed amount of money.

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Popularity: 37% [?]

Here’s a short slideshow about Birmingham’s Frankfurt Market.

It really needs sound, ideally plug some headphones in…

Popularity: 25% [?]