Archive for September 15, 2009

Cyclists rise up, and a jackass backs down

September 15, 2009 / / 10 comments

Funny what some people think is funny.

A few years back, I helped introduce the world’s coolest car to the world. I’d been hired to write the marketing materials for the official introduction of the Tesla Roadster — the world’s first all-electric, high performance sports car, capable of doing 0 – 60 in under 4 seconds. Without burning a single drop of gas.

Though it inspired intense auto-lust, I remember thinking at the time that this car could be a nightmare for cyclists. Its virtually silent operation meant that a rider might never hear it coming until it was too late — something anyone who has ever been startled to find a Prius rolling up next to you can attest.

But I never occurred to me that some jerk would do something like that on purpose.

This last Sunday, though, British celebrity chef James Martin wrote about his recent Tesla test drive in London’s Daily Mail newspaper. Rather than just discuss the many attributes of the car, he focused on his hatred of cyclists.

And admitted — no, make that bragged — about intentionally harassing riders:

…But whenever I drive to London, dutifully paying my £8 for the privilege (on top of my road tax, petrol tax, parking and all the other rip-offs), without fail a cyclist will rap on my window and make some holier-than-thou comment, before zooming off_ through a red light where he knows I can’t get him.

God, I hate those cyclists. Every last herbal tea-drinking, Harriet Harman-voting one of them. That’s one of the reasons I live in the countryside, where birds tweet, horses roam, pigs grunt and Lycra-clad buttocks are miles away. But recently, there’s been a disturbing development.

Each Saturday, a big black truck appears at the bottom of my road, with bikes stuck to the roof and rear. Out of it step a bunch of City-boy ponces in fluorescent Spider-Man outfits, shades, bum bags and stupid cleated shoes, who then pedal around our narrow lanes four abreast with their private parts alarmingly apparent. Do they enjoy it? They never smile. I’m sure they just come here to wind me up…

Almost inexplicably, he actually devotes the next several paragraphs to discussing the car before returning to the subject closest to his heart:

…But I don’t care about any of that, and here’s why. Twenty minutes into my test drive I pulled round a leafy bend, enjoying the birdsong – and spotted those damned Spider-Man cyclists. Knowing they wouldn’t hear me coming, I stepped on the gas, waited until the split second before I overtook them, then gave them an almighty blast on the horn at the exact same time I passed them at speed.

The look of sheer terror as they tottered into the hedge was the best thing I’ve ever seen in my rear-view mirror. I think this could be the car for me.

You can probably imagine the reception it received in the cycling community. In fact, I had to add an extra sentence here just to include just a handful of the links — including the obligatory James Martin Hates Cyclists page on Facebook.

Even professional cyclists Bradley Wiggins and Robbie McEwan got in on the cyber beat down (these are Twitter feeds, so you may have to scroll down), while Lance tweeted back his two cents worth:

@lancearmstrong maybe you can tweet out for a group ride around where this idiot lives. http://tinyurl.com/mp62jd

The Daily Mail resonded by bravely cutting off the overwhelmingly negative comments, and removing the last few paragraphs where Martin bragged about his harassment.

And this morning, Martin blamed his comments on a misguided attempt at humor:

Regarding the The Tesla Roadster Article…

May I take this opportunity to apologize for any offence I have caused through the article in last weekend’s Mail on Sunday. It was never my intention to offend the many cyclists who share our roads across the country. What was intended to be a humorous piece was clearly misjudged. Further more I do not condone any form of reckless driving.

Once again, I am sincerely sorry for any upset caused in relation to this article.

James Martin

Evidently, he thought that he and the riders he terrorized would share a good laugh about it at the local pub afterwards.

Of course, the real problem isn’t some over-privileged Brit twit.

It’s that this sort of attitude is all too common on both sides of the Atlantic. And some people think they have the right to risk the lives of others simply because they don’t like us.

But it’s all in fun.

Right?

………..

Flying Pigeon will be participating in this Friday’s Park(ing) Day LA. San Diego’s bike kitchen takes its services out to the community. A Tennessee driver calls for better education on cycling laws and testing for cyclists, while a Columbia MO writer correctly explains the correct way to control an intersection. And while we’re in the area, the Tour of Missouri concludes another successful year with a cloudy future. Traffic guru Tom Vanderbilt visits America’s biking haven. Let’s Go Ride A Bike presents a series on vintage fashion and cycling, for all you stylish riders. Reuters features a press release about the new DC Bike Station; the company behind it is headquartered right here in Long Beach (hint, hint, Mr. Mayor). Seoul gets serious about cycling infrastructure. Ottawa responds to a rash of cycling accidents by ticketing riders and handing out bells. Finally, a Boston cyclist defuses a dangerous situation with an angry motorist with an unexpected, and surprisingly effective, technique. And yes, I am taking notes…

Category: General / Tags: , , , ,

The rules of the peloton won’t pass on the street

September 14, 2009 / / 3 comments

Let’s take one more quick look at common bike courtesy. Which seems to be pretty uncommon these days.

A few weeks back, I was riding on the bike path above Santa Monica when I came up behind an older woman riding slowly on an old beach cruiser.

Normally, I would have just passed her and been on my way, but there were a couple of joggers coming in the opposite direction. And there wasn’t enough room to complete my pass without posing a risk to her or the runners.

So I settled in behind her, matching her speed until I could safely go around her.

Meanwhile, a couple of riders entered the bike path behind me. One I recognized as a local amateur racer; judging by his jersey, the other appeared to be a member of a mid-level pro team.

As they rode up behind me, I positioned myself just behind and slightly to the left of the woman rider, making it clear that I was waiting to pass. But once the runners passed and I began to make my move, the two riders behind cut me off, without a word, passing so closely that our arms nearly brushed — something that could have easily taken out all four riders at once.

I had no choice but to squeeze my brakes and drop back, then offer my apologies to the woman I’d been trying to pass, who was nearly caught up in a dangerous collision through no fault of her own.

And once I caught up to the other riders, I was mad as hell.

I’m the first to admit that I handled it badly. Instead of calmly discussing the matter, I gave them both a piece of my mind. Not that I have that many pieces left.

But here’s the thing. There are different rules for racing and riding on the roadway. And what works in the peloton doesn’t work on the street. Or on the bike path.

From their perspective, they saw their opening and took it; it was up to me to respond more assertively. And in the peloton, passing closely is a sign of a rider’s skill — not the dangerous rudeness I perceived.

From a non-racer’s perspective, though, it’s just the opposite. The rules of the road dictate that you wait until it’s safe to pass, and allow the rider in the superior position to go first. And then, and only then, you give other riders the same clearance you’d expect a driver to give you.

In other words, three feet when possible. Or roughly the length of a grown man’s arm.

If the situation dictates that you have to pass closer than that, for whatever reason, you should always announce your presence by saying “on your left” or “passing left.” And always, always, always pass on the left.

The only exception is the rare instance when the rider is so far to the left that passing on that side just isn’t possible. In which case you may need to pass on the right, but only after announcing that you’re going to — and waiting a moment to make sure the other rider doesn’t respond by cutting back in front of you.

After all, some people seem to have trouble with advanced concepts like right and left.

And when the shoe is on the other foot — when a rider comes up behind you and announces “on your left” — remember that he’s not being rude, obnoxious or aggressive. He’s being polite and showing concern for your safety, as well as his own.

So just respond by continuing to ride straight, or if there’s room, move over to your right to let the other rider pass. And it couldn’t hurt to nod your head or say thanks as the rider passes.

It might encourage him or her to show the same courtesy to other riders down the road.

And who knows, this courtesy thing might just catch on.

………

L.A. prepares for its first ever bike count, there’s still time to sign up if you’d like to volunteer; Nashville just did it. Fellow cyclist Russell Crowe braves the traffic on Sunset Boulevard; note BOA and Chateau Marmot in the background. As usual, Joe Linton takes the high road and encourages Santa Monica to make positive changes to maintain its bike friendly city status. Another stolen bike alert in L.A. A new study suggests that bike lanes may encourage drivers to pass closer that they would otherwise. A man who dedicated his life to providing bikes to disadvantaged children passed away this week; most of us can only hope to do that much good in this world. A Colorado man is convicted of letting his dogs attack a cyclist during a race last year. Boise gets new bike lockers. Turns out the Vatican has long supported cycling, as well as other sports. An elite Aussie cyclist drives drunk, crashes into his former training partner and flees the scene. Budapest Critical Mass riders plan to encircle city hall in protest. A Middle-Eastern cyclist demonstrates the origin of the Camelback brand. Finally, two teams face off in a Gotham Iron Chef-style contest to raise New York cycling to Amsterdam-ish levels. Maybe we could use something like that here.

Category: General / Tags: , , , ,

A quick word on bike courtesy. And safety.

September 10, 2009 / / 5 comments

It’s a lot easier to learn to ride fast than to ride well. And a lot of cyclists don’t ride nearly as well as they think they do.

I was reminded of that the other day, when I swerved right to avoid a car that was drifting into the bike lane. Only to nearly collide with another cyclist who was coming up on my right.

What he was doing there, I can’t say.

Maybe he was trying to pass on the wrong side. Or maybe he was drafting on me, trying to catch a break from the day’s unusually strong winds.

I don’t even know where he came from, whether he turned off a side street or somehow managed to catch up to me on a long uphill climb — though I can’t imagine how I could have missed anyone coming up from behind like that.

It doesn’t really matter. Because I had no idea he was there.

And that could have gotten us both killed.

Next thing I knew, he’d moved over and was drafting on my left. No greeting, no asking if that was okay. No acknowledgment that I was anything other than a rolling windbreak.

As a rule, I don’t mind letting someone draft, as long as they’re polite about it. But this guy already had two strikes against him. If he wanted to ride with me, he was going to have to prove himself worthy.

So I picked up the pace and kicked it up a couple gears. At 25 mph, he started dropping back, despite his expensive carbon bike; by the time I hit 27, he was over a block behind.

Then as I waited at the next intersection, he blew through the red light without so much as slowing down, forcing the cars on the cross street to jam on their brakes.

Strike three.

Fortunately, he made it through okay, as did the cars that braked to avoid him; if he’d caused an accident, I would have been first in line to testify against him.

Not because I hate guys on high-end bikes, or even cyclists who go through reds. I just hate jerks who put other people’s lives at risk.

So what did he do that was so wrong — aside from the obvious mistake of running a red light in traffic?

Let’s start with his initial position behind me on my right. That may be an acceptable position in the peloton, but it’s not okay in traffic. An experienced cyclist watches for oncoming traffic on the left. I look back over my shoulder every few seconds; the last thing I expected was someone coming up on my right, where there should have been nothing but curb and parked cars.

And that’s just as valid on the bike path as it is on Wilshire Boulevard.

Of course, he could have avoided any problems just by announcing his presence. While I listen closely for traffic coming up from behind, a well-tuned bike is virtually silent. So unless you tell another rider you’re there, he or she may never know until it’s too late.

A simple “On your left” or “On your right” — or “Passing left” (or rarely, “right”) — is more than just cycling courtesy. It’s a way to make sure another rider knows you’re there, and rides accordingly.

And that helps keep you both safe.

Finally, drafting on another rider without permission is more than just rude. (And yes, it’s very rude, because you’re making a total stranger do the hard work while you coast contentedly along.)

It’s also risky, because you have no idea how skilled the other rider may be — whether you’re the one drafting or being drafted.

Especially if the other rider doesn’t know you’re there.

………

A few hundred cyclists — excluding yours truly — got to ride with Lance through Griffith Park. Will Campbell questions whether he does enough as an advocate for cycling; no one else would doubt that for a moment. Victory, in terms of the Reseda Blvd bike lanes, is scheduled to be ours next month. A Long Beach cyclist takes life by the handlebars. A video from the Chicago Police Department says loud and clear, bikes belong. A Chicago rider questions why bike lanes are bad for driver’s expectations. A cyclist is hit by a car on a narrow bridge because cars are parked on the sidewalk. Interactive bike route mapping comes to Chicago, New York, Austin and… Louisville? Finally, keep your eyes peeled for a very cool, very small stolen bike; it looks like this in red. They used to hang rustlers around these parts…

Category: General / Tags: , , ,

The red badge of clumsiness

September 10, 2009 / / 6 comments

This isn’t what I’d planned to write about today.

I was going write about how nice it is when the kids are back in school and most of the tourists have gone home. And for the first time since Memorial Day, we can actually use the bike path along the beach for its intended purpose.

Granted, I still had to dodge the occasional pedestrian on yesterday’s ride. And twice I was nearly hit head-on by cyclists who allowed their attentions to wander, along with their handlebars.

But compared to a few weeks ago, when it was choked with kids and pedestrians and skaters and Segways and beer-swilling recumbent-renting tourists, it was paradise. And it should stay that way as long as the weather holds out.

That’s what I was thinking about, mentally writing while I rode, when I realized I’d sucked down the entire contents of my twin 24-ounce Polar water bottles.

Fortunately, I was on San Vicente at that point, on my way back home. And I knew there was a drinking fountain on the wide, park-like median, just around a sweeping curve where the hill levels out for a bit.

So I made sure there was no traffic behind me, crossed over two lanes of traffic to the center of the roadway and clipped out of my right pedal to pull my front wheel up onto the grass. But before I could clip out of my left pedal, I heard cars approaching from behind — and I knew they wouldn’t be looking for a bike on the left side of the road with one wheel sticking out into traffic.

No problem. I just pulled my rear wheel up over the curb without unclipping my left foot, a move I’ve pulled off dozens of times.

Make that dozens, minus one.

Instead of climbing the curb, I started a slow motion fall to my left. And with my foot locked into the pedal, there was nothing I could do about it.

Fortunately, I didn’t land hard. I twisted out and jumped up, pulling my bike out of traffic and waving to another rider to say I was okay. Then I calmly filled my bottle and gave my bike a once over.

Everything looked fine, except I’d twisted the saddle. So I dug into my tool kit, pulling out a handful of hex keys — which explained why I can never seem to find one at home — and a few moments later my bike was ready to go.

And that’s when I saw the blood.

Evidently, my front cog had gouged my calf as I fell, and I had rivulets of blood running down into my sock.

I thought about just riding home like that. But aside from matters of health and hygiene, I wasn’t looking forward to the well-meaning drivers who pull up a little too close and ask, “Are you sure you’re okay?”

Been there, done that.

So I pulled a couple of alcohol swabs out of my first aid kit and wiped the cuts off, revealing a couple of deep, long cuts. Unfortunately, my sweaty, hairy legs meant there was no way a bandage was going to stay on until I got home. And yes, that’s one reason many cyclists shave their legs.

I pulled a pen knife out of my tool kit, sterilized the blade with another swab, and gave myself a dry field shave. Which felt about as good as it sounds.

Still, the bandage stuck well enough until I made it back home.

Once I got there, I gave my calf a proper shave, cleaned the cuts out and slapped on a clear bandage that virtually disappeared against my skin. Only this time, it made sense to shave my legs — both of them — rather than live with an odd bald spot until it grows out again.

Again, been there, done that.

So for once, I look like I’m fresh off the peloton. And maybe now those riders on the high-end Ti and carbon bikes will stop giving me that dismissive look after glancing at my formerly hirsute lower extremities.

I just wonder how long it will take my wife to notice.

………

Will stops at a red light, and notices history at his feet. The Tucson Bike Lawyer notes the online comments following the recent rundown of seven cyclists; apparently, it’s the responsibility of cyclists to stay the hell out of drivers’ way, rather than drivers to operate their vehicle safely. A Des Moines cyclist is struck by a hit-and-run driver; police say it wasn’t an accident. Somehow, I missed this NPR story on biking in NYC, featuring the famous Bike Snob himself. After DC authorities removed a ghost bike without informing the family, cyclists respond with 22 new ghost bikes and promise to replace them if they’re removed. More on the death of Toronto cyclist Darcy Allen Sheppard, murdered by a former Ontario AG. The Guardian asks if ghost bikes are a good idea. Finally, that’s what I get for being the last living human not using Twitter — apparently, Lance is leading cyclists through L.A.’s Griffith Park as I type this, and I’m not there.

Category: General / Tags: , , , ,

The state of cycling in semi-bike friendly Santa Monica

September 8, 2009 / / One comment

I wouldn’t want to be a traffic planner these days.

Following the recent controversy over LADOT’s super-secret plan to remove the existing bike lanes from Reseda Boulevard — so secret, even they didn’t know about it — comes two perspectives on the fight for a share of asphalt in Santa Monica.

First, fellow bike blogger J. Haygood — whose always entertaining output has been limited lately due to a couple little somethings coming soon to a screen near you — addresses coverage of that city’s attempt at traffic calming on Ocean Park Boulevard.

As part of a pilot project, a portion of the street was narrowed from four lanes to two, with a center turn lane and bike lanes on either side. And as he notes, local motorists responded with all the road-sharing equanimity you might expect.

In other words, they hated it. And demanded a return of their God-given right to zoom down the street and run off the road any unfortunate riders who might happen to be in their way.

Though I did appreciate the person who suggested that pedestrians and cyclists move to Bermuda; as soon as I receive my voucher from the city, I’m out of here.

I just hope my non-cycling wife can join me someday.

And as if that’s not enough to drive a traffic planner over the edge, now those darn cyclists want to revoke Santa Monica’s Bike Friendly Bronze Award.

Alex Thompson — one of the area’s most respected bike activists and proud possessor of a recently minted PhD — takes both that city and the League of American Bicyclists to task for an award many cyclists, including yours truly, consider something less than deserved.

It’s not that Santa Monica isn’t one SoCal’s more pleasant places to ride. Which, unfortunately, isn’t saying much.

I do a lot of my own riding in and through the city. And it’s a breath of fresh air — sometimes literally — after slogging my way through L.A. traffic.

And it’s not that we don’t appreciate their efforts. It’s just that they have a long way to go, as Dr. Alex explains:

Santa Monica has 19 miles of bike routes, but many of those bike routes are placed on some of the nastiest roads in the West LA Metro area.  Lincoln Blvd is a notorious road, and yet three miles of it count towards Santa Monica’s 19 miles of bike route.  Having ridden the 10 and 405 freeways, I can assure you that they are preferable.  In general, a sign denoting “bike route” in the LA Metro Area is most often a sign you should take another street.

Santa Monica has 16 miles of bike lanes, but nearly all of those miles of bike lane are directly in the door zone of oblivious motorists.  The beach bike path is not in the door zone but, as LA Times transit blogger Steve Lopez wrote the day before the award was issued, for utilitarian cycling the path is rendered useless by throngs of tourists walking, rollerblading, skateboarding, and Segways.  The Main St bike lane is probably the world’s foremost producer of right hooks, crammed with streetside parking and motorists turning down side streets.  If you haven’t nearly died on Main St, you probably haven’t ridden it.

The award cites Santa Monica’s efforts to encourage, including a bike valet service and a Bike to Work Day.  However, it fails to note the efforts of the department of discouragement, also known as the Santa Monica Police Department.  Apart for its $3000 monthly outlays to police Critical Mass, which may please the VC community, SMPD has been specifically citing cyclists riding brakeless fixies, despite their compliance with California Vehicle Code.  SMPD is generally loved for their response to emergency calls, but they are nearly universally loathed for their handling of accidents between cyclists and cars, and have recently failed atrociously at dispatching with bike thieves when provided detailed and specific evidence.

Personally, I haven’t ridden the 10 and 405 freeways, or Lincoln Boulevard. But having driven all three, I have to agree that I would much rather ride the freeways if forced to choose.

I can also testify that the beachfront bike path that should be the crown jewel of Santa Monica cycling is virtually impassible in the summer months, due to a complete lack if enforcement of bike only restrictions. And despite the promises made to Robert Downey Jr., uh, I mean Steve Lopez of the Times — I get them confused now — nothing has been done to improve the situation.

So if the award is based on nothing more than the amount of cycling infrastructure in the city, I can understand it. But if they factor in the actual safety and usability of those bike lanes, paths and routes — let alone the other factors Alex mentioned — they clearly have a long way to go.

And I agree that the LAB should figure out a way to make their Bike Friendly City program a more inclusive process, and get feedback from the local cycling community before presenting any award.

Maybe they should come up with a “Nice Effort, But…” award.

I’d be the first to nominate those long-suffering Santa Monica traffic planners.

………

Next month, an evening of bikes with ex-Talking Head David Byrne. Will Campbell plans an upcoming Westside presidential ride. A cool cycling video wins first place on YouthNoise Play City. Ex-Long Beacher Russ Roca and Laura Crawford discuss gear for long tours like theirs. A review of riding rules in Tehachapi. A Santa Cruz company unveils a bike light drivers might actually notice. A horrific collision in Tucson as an apparently distracted driver takes out eight cyclists before stopping. Spend the fall cycling through a few Mountain West national parks. A comparison of cycling in Canadian cities. More on the outrage over the vehicular homicide of a Toronto cyclist. The British bicycling Baronet gets a promotion. An Arab Gulf perspective on the recent Bicycle Film Festival. Finally, Bicycle Fixation meets with the Mayor of West Hollywood; has any cyclist ever had lunch with the mayor of Los Angeles? I’m just asking…

Category: General / Tags: , , , , ,

Today’s post, in which I take umbrage at Lance Armstrong wannabes

September 4, 2009 / / Comments Off on Today’s post, in which I take umbrage at Lance Armstrong wannabes

Let’s go back to that letter from Colorado I mentioned earlier in the week.

Something about it has been bugging me ever since I read it — aside from her insistence that cyclists could best share the road by staying the hell off it. And what bothered me was that she was about the two-millionth person I’ve seen refer to a certain class of cyclists as spandex-clad Lance Armstrong wannabes.

Sooner or later, it’s bound to turn up in just about any blog, discussion, comments or forum in which someone, anyone, complains about cyclists. In fact, Google the exact phrase “Lance Armstrong wannabe,” and you’ll get about 37,800 hits.

Okay, 37,801 now.

It’s become so common that I thought some bike hater like Rush Limbaugh must have trademarked the phrase by now.

Problem is, it’s not the least bit accurate.

It assumes that everyone who rides a road bike — particularly if they wear clothes designed for high visibility, wind resistance, moisture wicking, comfort and minimal chafing — fits into one easily defined category. And that category is defined by a desire to emulate the world’s greatest cyclist.™

I mean, I admire the guy. I’ve loved watching him decimate a peloton over the years. But just because I ride a road bike and wrap myself in skin tight, bright colored clothes that look like an explosion at a tutti frutti factory, it doesn’t mean I want to be him.

Then again, considering that I bought my first adult bike when Lance was just 9 years old, it’s entirely possible that he might have wanted to be me at some point — however briefly. Besides, the only rider I ever dreamed of emulating was the incomparable Eddie Merckx. And that only lasted until I passed my first driver’s test.

The simple fact is, if you get a half dozen road bikers together, you’ll get at least that many different types of riders.

Some race. Some ride fast, some ride slow. Some spin around the block, while others go for ultra distance. Some prefer group rides. And some, like myself, prefer to ride alone.

Which doesn’t mean I’m entirely anti-social.

Some run red lights and stops signs — sometimes only when it’s safe, and sometimes with a riding style that would make a kamikaze cringe. Some are rich, some are poor, some are courteous, some are not. And most fit somewhere in between.

About the only thing we all have in common is that we’re all unique in our own unique way.

Calling us all Lance Armstrong wannabes is no more accurate than suggesting that donning the old Stetson I inherited from my dad makes me a John Wayne wannabe. Or that a truck driver’s baseball cap means he really wants to be Albert Pujols or Manny Ramirez.

And I don’t think all those people wearing Lakers jerseys around this town really want to be Kobe Bryant. Although I’m sure most of them wouldn’t mind his paycheck for a week or two.

It’s stupid, it’s lazy and a sure indication that the user doesn’t understand what the hell he or she is talking about.

But other than that, I don’t have a problem with it.

………

Alex Thompson calls on the League of American Bicyclists to get their Santa Monica bronze-awarding act together. LA Eastside notes today is the city’s 227th birthday. But it doesn’t look at day over 215. Really. Bicycle Fixation says there may be hope for L.A.’s 4th Street Hudson River. San Diego is about to get new bike and pedestrian bridges, while Contra Costa calls for a network of multi-use bike and walking trails. Portland is working on 15 miles of new bike boulevards. The Springfield Cyclist achieves his life’s goal of being a pain in the a$$. Finally, a Kansas college students says those damn bikes can just ruin your whole day, and it’s their fault if you spill coffee on your pants. Really. A Toronto bike cop says you are, in fact, entitled to the whole lane. Anger rises over a British researcher’s suggestion that more people died from taking up cycling afterwards than died in the 7/7 terrorist attacks. Even north of the border, sharing the road ain’t always easy. Finally, a drunk-driving, hit-and-run scumbag and his wife try to blame his permanently disabled victim. There are no words…

Category: General / Tags: , , , ,

The Verdict 2 — Fighting Anti-Bike Bias in Baltimore

September 3, 2009 / / 2 comments

FADE IN: ESTABLISHING SHOT OF EXT. BUSY URBAN COURTHOUSE

CUT TO INTERIOR OF COURTROOM

A lawyer rises and addresses the court

PLAINTIFF’S ATTORNEY

We call BikingInLA as an expert witness.

DEFENSE ATTORNEY

Objection! What makes him an expert on cycling?

PLAINTIFF’S ATTORNEY

He’s been riding in Los Angeles traffic for nearly 20 years.

DEFENSE ATTORNEY

So?

PLAINTIFF’S ATTORNEY

He’s still in one piece.

JUDGE

Works for me.

A strikingly handsome man rises from the gallery, immaculate in his finely tailored three-piece suit. He then steps aside to make way for a man in well-worn spandex biking clothes, helmet tucked under his arm, his cleats clacking loudly on the marble floor. He takes a seat in witness stand.

The bailiff offers him a bible; he waves it off and pulls out a biography of Eddie Merckx, placing his hand on it.

BAILIFF

Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you…Eddie?

BIKINGINLA

I do.

PLAINTIFF’S ATTORNEY

I’d like to direct your attention to the case of John “Jack” Yates, a Baltimore cyclist who died recently in a collision with a tanker truck. I understand you’ve made some observations on the case…

BIKINGINLA

I have.

DEFENSE ATTORNEY

Objection! What does this have to do with bicycling in Los Angeles?

PLAINTIFF’S ATTORNEY

Your honor, if you’ll grant me some leeway, the connection should become clear.

JUDGE

Overruled. But make it quick.

PLAINTIFF’S ATTORNEY

Continue.

BIKINGINLA

As you may be aware, Jack Yates was riding his bike on a city street just before noon when a tanker truck made a right turn in front of him; according to police, Yates collided with the rear of the truck, became entangled in the truck’s wheels and was killed. The driver left the scene, apparently unaware of the collision. The police obtained security camera footage of the collision, and determined that Yates was at fault. And society lost a respected cyclist and a man who had dedicated his life to knowledge and helping others.

PLAINTIFF’S ATTORNEY

And you have reason to believe the police report is not accurate?

BIKINGINLA

I do. Let’s start with the fact that the lawyer retained by the victim’s family viewed the same video footage and said that the driver failed to signal. Independent witnesses also reported that the driver didn’t make sure the intersection was clear before turning into the cyclist’s path.

Now let’s consider how the accident occurred. According to the police, Yates struck the rear of the truck. However, the family’s lawyer said: “He did not crash into the rear [of the truck]. He was literally taken under the passenger-side rear wheel.” Now, that suggests that the rider struck the right side of the truck and fell under its wheels. So unless Yates felt a sudden suicidal urge and deliberately broadsided a turning truck, the only way that could happen is if the truck had turned into the path of the rider — what’s known as a right cross collision, and one that is almost impossible for a cyclist to avoid.

There are virtually no circumstances in which the driver shouldn’t be at fault in a right cross, just as a driver in the left lane who turned across the path of a driver in the right lane would be at fault. However, police often blame the cyclist for failing to stop or riding in an unsafe manner — a clear indication that they fail to understand the basic physics of bicycling.

PLAINTIFF’S ATTORNEY

Yet the police determined the driver wasn’t at fault…

BIKINGINLA

There is speculation that the police believe Yates was riding too close to the curb, and therefore couldn’t be seen by the driver as he passed. By this theory, he should have taken the lane, which presumably would have put him in the driver’s field of view.

There are a few problems with that, though. First of all, the driver should have seen Yates regardless of where he was on the road. A truck cab sits high above the road, offering the driver a superior view of anything in front of him. Whether Yates was in the lane or hugging the curb, the driver should have seen him as he passed — especially in broad daylight.

Secondly, for Yates to be at fault, he would have been riding at an extreme speed — which no one has suggested, and which is unlikely for a 67-year old cyclist — or been unaware of the truck before running into it. But any experienced cyclist can tell you that if a truck that size is in front, behind or beside you, you know it.

Just as I did last week when I got buzzed by a garbage truck.

PLAINTIFF’S ATTORNEY

And when you sense a large truck approaching like that…

BIKINGINLA

Typically, a cyclist would respond by moving to the right to give the truck as much room as possible — which would explain his presence next to the curb, rather than further out into the lane.

As Bob Mionske pointed out the other day, cyclists are require to ride as close to the right as practical if they are traveling below the speed of traffic. And it is up to the cyclist to determine exactly what that means, and where and how to safely position themselves on the road.

Yet because Yates isn’t around to defend his actions, the police can say he was in the wrong place without fear of contradiction.

PLAINTIFF’S ATTORNEY

Is there anything else about this incident that doesn’t seem right to you?

BIKINGINLA

Yes. The police have stated that the driver may not have known that he struck anyone, but I find it inconceivable that a truck could run over a grown man, and the driver not be aware that he hit something. He may not know what he hit, but he should have known something wasn’t right.

And he certainly would have become aware of it as soon as he examined his truck, which any professional driver does on a regular basis.

PLAINTIFF’S ATTORNEY

This incident occurred in Baltimore. So what does this have to do with Los Angeles, or any other city, for that matter? Why isn’t this just a tragic, but strictly local, matter?

BIKINGINLA

Simply this. The police in Baltimore have responded to questions about this case by issuing a statement in which they say the case has been thoroughly investigated, by officers who have been trained in “the physics of a pedestrian crash and a cyclist fatal crash.”

Yet the explanation they’ve offered simply doesn’t add up. Either they have additional evidence they haven’t revealed, or their conclusions appear to be invalid.

And if that doesn’t sound familiar to Angelenos, it should.

I’m not saying that police are intentionally biased. But even experienced police officers say the training most officers receive in bike accident investigation is inadequate.

Clearly, this isn’t just an L.A. problem, or a Baltimore problem. It’s a nationwide problem. And cyclists will continue to be injured and killed on American roadways, with little or no protection or recourse, until we find an effective solution.

Simply put, we are vulnerable on the streets. And we can’t survive without the protection of an informed and trained police force that truly understands how, and why, bicycle accidents occur.

PLAINTIFF’S ATTORNEY

Thank you. Your honor, we rest our case.

FADE TO BLACK

………

Prepare yet another ghost bike. A Duarte cyclist was killed on Monday just blocks from his home. As usual, the authorities haven’t released any information; if you have any details, let me know. Stephen Box responds to an invitation from the Mayor. The Examiner suggests avoiding smoke by riding up the coast from the ‘Bu. Marin County does something about those red lights that never change for bikes. A driver in Colorado intentionally strikes a cyclist in a case of mistaken identity. Oops. The makers of my 2nd favorite beer — this being #1 — suggest going car free. A cyclist in New York gets punched in the face after criticizing a driver for driving in the bike lane; police do nothing. A Seattle writer calls sharrows a sham, while Oregon drivers wonder if Portland just makes up those stats about cycling in the city, proving that “bike friendly” is a relative term. Bad infrastructure and adrenalin are blamed for cyclist/driver tensions north of the border. Researchers say cycling has killed more Londoners than terrorists. Finally, the cyclist killed by a former Canadian Attorney General in an apparent road rage incident may or may not have been too drunk to ride.

Category: General / Tags: , , , , , ,

All I need is the air that I breathe — riding through, and surviving, the smoke

September 2, 2009 / / Comments Off on All I need is the air that I breathe — riding through, and surviving, the smoke

I was going to add a link to this on my next post. But the more I think about it, the more important this information is right now.

Damien Newton has put up a great story on Streetsblog on how cyclists can cope with the bad air from the fires in the L.A. area.

It offers advice from C.I.C.L.E.’s Shay Sanchez, as well as Joe Linton, Roadblock and Ron Milam (and you’ll find my 2 cents in the comment section).

Read it before your next ride. Your health could depend on it.

Category: General / Tags: , , , ,

Just who has the right to the road?

September 2, 2009 / / Comments Off on Just who has the right to the road?

I stumbled on some interesting letters to the editor this week.

The first got my attention because it came from a town I know well, a scenic bump in the road in the Colorado high country near Rocky Mountain National Park.

My Grandmother lived in Granby, Colorado for awhile back in the ‘30s; my mother spent a few summers working there as a waitress when she was a teenager. And I grew up camping with my parents on the shores of Grand Lake just outside of town.

So I was surprised to read this letter in the local newspaper.

As these things often go, she was writing in response to another letter, which in itself was a response to an earlier letter demanding that cyclists be licensed, insured and taxed.

You know, the usual bull. As if most adult cyclists don’t already have a driver’s license and pay the same taxes anyone else does. And don’t make a fraction of the demands on the road system — or cause a fraction of the harm — that cars and trucks do.

When their real point is, they just don’t want to share their precious roads with us. Because, we’re like, in the way and stuff.

Her point was that local roads simply aren’t big enough to accommodate both bikes and the large logging trucks like her husband drives, especially given Colorado’s new three-foot passing law. Sort of like one of those classic westerns, where someone would inevitably say “this town’s not big enough for both of us.”

And it wasn’t her, or her husband, she thought should be leaving.

That came as a surprise to me, because over the years, I’ve driven — and ridden — virtually every inch of that area. And never had any trouble sharing those roads with anyone.

Then again, her idea of sharing the road is for us to get the hell out of the way.

The funny thing is, those curvy mountain roads that she claims weren’t built to accommodate cyclists weren’t built to accommodate today’s large trucks, either. Most of those roads were built in the ‘20s, ‘30s and ‘40s, when most cars were smaller and trucks were just a fraction of the size they are today.

In fact, I remember riding in the car with my father, stuck behind yet another semi-truck inching its way down a narrow mountain pass, and listening to him rant about how those damn trucks didn’t belong on narrow winding mountain roads.

Evidently, who belongs on the roadway depends entirely on your perspective.

And it’s not just bicyclists — or trucks — that backcountry drivers have to watch out for. There’s the problem of drivers frightened by the winding curves and steep drop-offs who insist on driving 20 or 30 miles below the speed limit. Or farm combines and tractors who crawl along at 10 or 15 mph as they move from one field to another.

And there’s always the possibility that a deer and elk, cow or fallen boulder that could be waiting in the middle of the road, hidden by the next curve.

But her problem isn’t with rocks or cows, farmhands or frightened flatlanders.

No, it’s just the selfish cyclists riding where they don’t belong who inhibit her husband’s ability to speed along mountain roads that weren’t designed for either one of them — yet can accommodate bikes a lot more easily, and with less wear and tear, than they can massive trucks.

So here’s the bottom line.

If you don’t have the skill or patience to share the road safely with other users — whether cars, trucks, skateboards, bikes, cows, pigs or pedestrians, in the mountains or on the streets of L.A. — you don’t belong on the road.

Period.

Whether you’re behind the wheel, or crouched over the handlebars.

Don’t like it? Get over it.

Because we’re not going away. And neither are they.

………

The Times offers a great profile of the brothers — and philosophy — behind Flying Pigeon; next month’s Dim Sum Ride sounds like the best one yet. NPR considers the new Bike Station being built in Washington DC. New York might have a great new bikeway system, if it wasn’t for those darn New Yorkers. Stomach-churning video of a Wisconsin state legislator running a red light and hitting a cyclist. A Minneapolis cyclist is killed in a rare bike on bike fatality. DC authorities remove a ghost bike without notifying cyclists or the family — and do nothing to prevent more in the future. A writer insists the cyclist/motorist divide created by Columbia, MO’s new anti-harassment law is narrowing; the comments that follow beg to differ. The Cycling Lawyer clearly explains why the Idaho Stop Law is a good idea; people like the Columbia commenters and the letter writer above are why it will probably never pass. WorldChanging presents your guide to bicycle infrastructure; Bikes Belong announces a new Bicycling Design Best Practices project. Jakarta’s Bike to Work club celebrates its 4th anniversary. Finally, Portland gets a new separated cycle track, and a nifty brochure to explain it.

Category: General / Tags: , , , , ,

Do we dare to declare victory?

September 1, 2009 / / 2 comments

“I declare the war is over; it’s over…” — Phil Ochs, The War Is Over

In case you missed it, L.A. cyclists scored a couple of big victories in the last few weeks.

As you may recall, following the outrage over LADOT’s plans to remove the bike lanes on Reseda Blvd in order to install peak hour lanes, LADOT denied they would ever consider such a thing. As part of that denial, LADOT explained that they were planning to repave a 1-mile section of Reseda, and that maybe that’s where the “misunderstanding” started.

Cyclists, of course, smelled opportunity.

Or maybe we just smelled blood in the water. And insisted that LADOT prove their sincerity by completing the long-delayed bike lanes along the full length of Reseda that we were promised in the old bike plan, starting with that one mile section.

Then, as cyclists continued to press their case at a meeting of the Northridge East Neighborhood Council, Alan Willis, LADOT Principal Transportation Engineer for Valley Traffic Operations, announced that the promised bike lanes would be installed on the section to be repaved. And that the remaining gaps in the bikeway could — maybe — eventually be closed.

Of course, they never admitted their deception. Let alone offered an apology.

Then last week came news that after 5 long years, the city is finally moving forward with a Sharrow test project. Nine streets are under consideration, including one along the current Class 3 bike route on Westholme Ave, just blocks from my home.

This comes less than a year after an LADOT representative gave an update to the city council’s Transportation Committee, claiming that the delay was because they didn’t know what kind of paint to use so that cyclists wouldn’t slip on wet paint when it rained.

Maybe that was a legitimate concern in today’s highly litigious society. Although when I mentioned that to a respected transportation planner at the Bike Summit earlier this year, he just rolled his eyes.

Of course, cities from Pittsburgh to Long Beach — not to mention Portland, Denver, Minneapolis and Seattle, just to name a few — have already put sharrows to use on the streets. And to the best of my knowledge, there have been no rash of injured cyclists in those cities.

But maybe they don’t have wet streets in Seattle, Portland or San Francisco. Or maybe cyclists there don’t come out until the streets are completely dry after a storm.

Or maybe LADOT just forgot to call their counterparts in those soggy cities to ask what kind of paint they use.

Still, the commitment to move forward with a Sharrow pilot project is a major victory. And the LACBC deserves credit for hanging in there and refusing to let them delay it to death. Combined with the bike lanes on Reseda, those are the biggest wins for local cyclists in recent memory.

Of course, the bad news is that LADOT actually considered removing existing bike lanes to squeeze a few more cars onto the already overcrowded city streets. Which means that no bike lane, sharrow or bike route — existing or not — will ever be safe if it stands in the way of what they consider progress.

Which means that we need to remain vigilant, ready to defend what little biking infrastructure we have. Let alone fight for what we deserve.

Of course, there is another alternative.

The city — and LADOT in particular — could start working with cyclists, rather than seeming to fight us every step of the way. They could, finally, start focusing on how they can move more people, rather than just more cars.

And begin building complete, livable streets that work for all their users, as well as the people who live, work and shop along them.

They might just find that we could be the best friends that they — and this city — ever had.

……….

The Anonymous Cyclist spots new ex-parking meter bike racks in Westwood. No Whip discovers a wallride in Mammoth, and Stephen Box discovers a full-service bike station Down Under. Travelin’ Local presents five ways to use your bike while traveling on Metro. LADOT wins an Emmy for a PSA encouraging drivers to pay attention around kids. The Times much-missed transportation beat reporter is now pucking around online. Joe Linton details the latest controversy, this time over a SoCal Gas plan to “fix” the popular fat tire and hiking trail in Sullivan Canyon, while lining portions of the creek bed with rip rap and concrete matting. A writer on Bob Mionske’s Bicycle Law blog challenges car-centric news coverage of a driver arrested for intentionally striking a cyclist, while Bob discusses what “as far to the right as practical” means in real life. A DC cyclist is physically assaulted after pushing a car door to avoid being doored. Town Mouse outrides a herd of migrating Scottish cows. Controversy flares in Korea over a proposed mandatory helmet law. Finally, sex columnist Dan Savage dares drivers to show their contempt for the recent study showing they’re at fault for 90% of car/bike collisions — and they gladly oblige. Of course.

Category: General / Tags: , , , , ,
  Recent Entries »
Wordpress Theme by ThemeZee