Archive for October 8, 2011

27-year old Pomona cyclist killed in Chino Hills, one day after Gov. Brown vetoes 3-foot passing law

October 8, 2011 / / 16 comments

On a weekend devoted to celebrating cycling — and just one day after Governor Jerry Brown vetoed California’s three-foot passing law — a cyclist was killed in a hit-from-behind collision in Chino Hills.

According to the Orange County Register, 27-year old Omar Gomez of Pomona was riding east on Carbon Canyon Road near Fairway Drive around 9:46 am when he was hit by a car driven by Augustin Bruno of Anaheim.

Bruno was driving an 1995 Acura Integra, which the Press-Enterprise suggests may not belong to him. What is clear, however, is that Bruno did not have a valid license to drive. The Register reports he will face charges for driving without a license; any other potential charges remain to be determined.

The impact of the collision threw Gomez to the side of the road; he was taken to Chino Valley Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.

The driver reportedly looked away from the road momentarily before hitting Gomez; according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, drugs or alcohol did not appear to be factors in the collision.

It isn’t clear from the news reports whether Bruno ever saw Gomez, or if he lost track of him while distracted.

What is clear is that hit-from-behind collisions are the leading cause of death for California cyclists. And our governor just vetoed a law designed to help prevent them.

Whether it would have made a difference in this case we may never know. But thanks to Governor Brown, it won’t make a difference for anyone else, either.

This is the 57th confirmed traffic-related cycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the 5th in San Bernardino County. That compares to six cycling deaths in San Bernardino County in 2008, and 4 in 2009, the last two years on record.

My deepest sympathy to Gomez’ family and loved ones.

Category: Bicycle Safety, Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , , ,

Gov. Brown inexplicably vetoes 3feet2pass, Tour de Fat and CicLAvia on tap this weekend.

October 7, 2011 / / 4 comments

I lost a lot of respect for Jerry Brown today.

California’s once and current governor had a chance to sign SB 910, a common sense bill mandating a simple three-foot passing distance when passing a cyclist. Legislation that has passed in 19 other states already, and been signed by a long list of governors including Mike Huckabee, Bobby Jindal, Jeb Bush, Tim Pawlenty and Jon Huntsman.

In other words, some of the leading conservative lights in the GOP.

In fact, the only other governor to veto a three-foot passing law up to now was Tea Party conservative Rick “The Executioner” Perry.

Not exactly good company our governor is keeping these days.

He reasoning doesn’t exactly pass the logic test. Or the smell test, either.

Courtesy of BAC Vice Chair Glenn Bailey

While he claims to support bicycle safety, he vetoes the bill that would do much to improve it, taking the advice of Caltrans and the CHP — two groups that probably understand California bike law and bike safety less than anyone else he could find.

His primary concern, based on advice provided by those decidedly bike-unfriendly state agencies, is that drivers would suddenly jam on the brakes to slow down to 15 mph to pass cyclists when they couldn’t pass by three feet.

Yet they have to do that right now, because current law doesn’t allow drivers to cross the center divider to go around cyclists, as the bill the governor vetoed would have. Which means that motorists either have to slow down and follow riders in front of them, or attempt to squeeze past dangerously.

Or just run them over.

And the dangers the Governor so desperately fears have so far failed to materialize in any of the 19 states that have a similar law now — and have had for as long as 38 years.

So I’d like to issue Gov. Brown a challenge.

Let him get on a bike, and I’ll pass him by less than three feet at 35 to 40 mph. And we’ll see if he thinks it’s safe.

From this moment forward, Gov. Brown has the blood of every cyclist who’s injured or killed by a too-close pass on his hands.

I hope he’s planning to observe Yom Kippur.

Because he has a lot to atone for.

……..

Moving on to happier things, this weekend marks two of the biking highlights of the year, with Tour de Fat on Saturday and an expanded CicLAvia on Sunday.

As I’ve noted before, CicLAvia reminds riders to be nice, as well as offering other tips for cyclists.

Be nice – CicLAvia is for everyone – 8-year olds and 80-year olds. Folks will be walking and skating. CicLAvia welcomes families, beginners, on foot, on skateboard, on wheelchair, on training wheels. This isn’t a race. It’s not the Tour de France or the Wolfpack Hustle (and we love those, too), this is CicLAvia. Keep an eye out for slow moving traffic, pass with care (the way you want drivers to pass you every day.) Wherever CicLAvia gets really crowded, walk your bike. If you see pedestrians trying to get across CicLAvia, help them out. (If you’re looking for a fast-paced workout ride, maybe take a long ride to and from CicLAvia – check our feeder ride listing.)

Though overall the route is very flat, we had a couple of serious injuries last year on two hills. These hills are minor, and many of us bike them every day. In the interest of safety, we’ve instituted two MANDATORY DISMOUNT ZONES going downhill on hills. These are at:

  • 4th Street just west of Boyle Avenue (in Boyle Heights)
  • New Hampshire just north of Beverly Blvd (in East Hollywood)

I’m not sure about those dismount zones.

While they won’t be a problem for riders with old school pedals, walking downhill for those of us who wear cleats could pose a whole different set of problems.

KCRW’s Shortcuts blog offers good logistical advice. Santa Monica Spoke is hosting a feeder ride from the Westside. Other rides will funnel in from almost every direction. Bikeside will be hosting political candidates and the LAPD.

As for me, I plan to take a quick loop around the route, then hang out at the LACBC bike valets at the plazas in Olvera Street and Little Tokyo during the afternoon.

So look for me there.

……..

The other big event takes place on Saturday at L.A. Historic State Park when the massive bike and beer filled carnival that is Tour de Fat rolls into town.

Sponsored by New Belgium Brewing — makers of my favorite American ale — and benefiting the LACBC, C.I.C.L.E. and Bicycle Kitchen, Tour de Fat is about as much fun as you can with your clothes on, a brew in your hand and your bike parked nearby. A weird, wild and wacky celebration of all things bikes and beer.

Best of all, admission is free. And beer is just $5 a pint.

It all kicks off with a bike parade from 11 to noon, with beer, bands, contests and other assorted entertainment from noon to 5 pm.

Costumes are strongly recommended. As is fun, as you’ll see from last year’s photos.

Besides, it’s Yom Kippur. Might as well have something else to atone for.

Not you, Jerry.

You’ve done enough.

Category: Advocacy & Politics, Bike Events / Tags: , , , , ,

Autry Museum to honor fallen cyclists with Day of the Dead display; remembering a fallen friend

October 7, 2011 / / One comment

Click to enlarge

This one is close to my heart.

Andy Rodriguez of the LACBC recently forwarded an email to me from Brian Yoder of Lore Productions looking for information about fallen cyclists for a Day of the Dead art installation at the Autry Museum in Griffith Park.

We are reaching out to the bicyclist community on behalf of Lore Productions and the Gene Autry National Center – Museum of the American Southwest, located in Los Angeles, California. We are currently preparing for the 2nd annual Day of the Dead cultural festival entitled “Vivan Los Muertos” on October 29, 2011.

Award winning parade float designer and multimedia artist, Marcus Pollitz from Fiesta Parade Floats will be presenting an installation in the form of an altar. His exhibit will be called “A Tribute to Fallen Bicyclists” and is a remembrance of those who have been lost while riding.

We are focusing on raising bicyclist awareness through this cultural event to better educate and inform people about this enduring and growing community.

To make this exhibit even more meaningful, we are asking bicyclist organizations, foundations, family members and friends of fallen riders to share a picture of their loved one that has passed and to include a word on the life that they lived, so that it can be apart of this powerful memorial.  In return, we will have a professional photographer capture this memorial on camera and we would like to send you a picture of the exhibit after the event.

Better yet, please make plans to come out to the Gene Autry National Center on October 29, 2011, and experience the tribute in person as it will be a very beautiful memorial with a touching message.

Below are some picture/info links with regards to last year’s event at the Autry Museum & a story on Marcus Pollitz.

Please contact me via e-mail for more information.  Please send your digital photo and message to brian@loreproductions.org

Thank you.

From my perspective, anything that calls attention to epidemic of cycling fatalities on our streets is worth supporting. Especially something that keeps alive the memory of those who have fallen, and remembers them as human beings rather than just victims of our auto-centric society.

So I traded a few emails with Brian, who responded with a more in-depth description of the project.

This project is very important to Marcus Pollitz (the lead artist in charge of this tribute) as he enjoys riding himself.  In fact, all of us working on this event at the Autry are passionate about this particular installation as these are very sad and unfortunate events that seemed to get overlooked in society.   I think the most important part of the tribute is the pictures and bios of the riders themselves so if you can help by reaching out to the families, friends and bicyclist community through your blog, that would really be incredible.

Click to enlarge

Here is the artist rendition of the exhibit from Marcus.

The fallen bicyclist display consists of a skeleton figure riding a “Ghost” bike through a neighborhood row of round bushes, bike topiaries, colorful flowers, doors and windows. 50 brightly colorful helmets transformed into skulls will make up the back wall. The number 50 helmets represent fallen riders of each state of the union.  In the front, they’ll will be NHTSA info about bicycle deaths and prevention, and framed pictures of lost cyclists.

Every death is tragic. And every cyclist lost on our streets cuts family and friends to the bone, and leaves a whole in their lives and our communities that can never be filled.

I can’t think of a better way to honor those who have lost their lives for no reason other than they chose to ride a bike, at the wrong place and the wrong time, or possibly in the wrong way.

I strongly encourage you to go see the exhibit when it opens.

But more importantly right now, if you’ve lost a loved on riding a bike — here in Southern California or anywhere else, recently or in the past, I urge you to share your story with the artist. I’ll be forwarding a few of the stories we’ve shared here.

Because these aren’t just victims, or even cyclists. They’re mothers and fathers, grandparents, children, brothers and sisters, husbands, wives, lovers, family, friends and co-workers.

And they all deserve to be remembered.

……..

One personal note.

Thirteen years ago, Matthew Shepard was beaten and tied to a fence outside Laramie, Wyoming, and left for dead.

He was found by a passing cyclist the next day, October 7th, who initially mistook his limp, nearly lifeless body for a scarecrow.

His death hit close to home for me. Both because Laramie is less than an hour from where I grew up, and because Shepard used to frequent my home town, feeling it was more accepting of gays than the more conservative town where he attended college.

But more importantly, perhaps, because 17 years earlier, I lost a good friend in a gay bashing, beaten to death in a Cleveland motel because he invited the wrong person back to his room.

Just as no one should ever die because they ride a bike, no one should ever die because of who they are or who they love.

It doesn’t matter if you’re gay or straight.

Everyone deserves the right to live in peace and equality. And be truly accepted and loved for who you are.

Whoever that may be.

……..

I’ll be back later tonight with photos from last year’s Tour de Fat, and notes about this weekend’s CicLAvia.

Right now, I’m going to go ride my bike. And let the wind blow away my tears.

Category: Bicycle Safety, General, Injuries and Fatalities, Violence & Crime / Tags: , , , , ,

Felony charges in SaMo road rage after all, and I nearly run down a seemingly semi-suicidal cyclist

October 5, 2011 / / 3 comments

I was wrong.

Twice, as it turns out.

Last week, I wrote that a report that the charges against SaMo road rager Jeffrey Ray Adams had been upgraded to a felony appeared to be incorrect, based on responses from both the DA’s office and the Santa Monica City Attorney’s office.

And I had previously written that any charge against Adams was likely to be filed as a misdemeanor rather than a felony, based on the victim’s lack of serious injuries.

Wrong on both counts.

Cyclist/attorney Dj Wheels reports that as recently as last Thursday, both offices still said the case had been referred to the CA. However, when he checked on it again today, he discovered that on September 23rd, the DA had filed two felony counts of assault with a deadly weapon, case No. SA078790.

Why two felony counts for the one incident, I have no idea. And no word on why the DA’s office changed their minds.

As I noted last week, Adams was scheduled to appear for arraignment on September 26th; a felony bench warrant was issued when he failed to appear. The warrant was recalled when he appeared on the 28th with a new attorney at his side.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for November 2nd at the LAX courthouse.

My apologies to the victim, and to everyone else, for getting it wrong this time.

And thanks to the DA’s office for taking this case seriously, and to Dj Wheels for staying on top of it.

……..

Tuesday afternoon, I nearly hit a cyclist.

I was driving back from REI in Santa Monica, partly because I needed some new arm warmers and partly because our dog has had a difficult week. And like a typical Angeleno, there’s nothing she enjoys more than a ride in the car to cheer her up.

Just what I need, an auto-centric Corgi.

This particular cyclist was hugging the parking lane, riding closer to the curb between the parked cars, then coming back out into the traffic lane to go around parked vehicles.

When he moved back towards the curb in an extended space between cars, I took my opportunity to pass, moving slightly to the left just in case. Then watched him look back over his shoulder, my car clearly visible on his left. I responded by letting up a little on the gas.

And sure enough, even though we were in the middle of the block, he suddenly threw his arm out to signal a left turn and immediately cut across my path, forcing me to hit my brakes to avoid him.

Suddenly, I had a far different perspective on all those SWSS collisions — Single Witness Suicide Swerve — in which drivers swear the cyclists they hit pulled out in front of them without any warning.

Because I was that close to being one of them.

Fortunately, I recognized the warning signs and reacted in time, although my move to the left actually increased the risk of a collision by putting me closer to him as he cut across.

Although if it hadn’t been another cyclist following behind him and recognizing the warning signs, he might not have been so lucky.

Then, oddly, I came home to read a few online news stories I’d been saving from the weekend, and discovered one from a British cyclist who had a nearly identical experience.

And went back to talk to the offending rider the next day.

……..

Governor Brown has just five days to sign SB 910, the 3feet2pass bill, despite opposition from the CHP — and eloquent support from a retired CHP officer paralyzed on the job. Best biking buddies Lance and Tony urge the re-governor to sign, too.

……..

Joe Linton offers a behind-the-scenes look at Sunday’s CicLAvia, while Mayor Villaraigosa stands up for it. This year’s route will cover 10 blissfully car-free miles. Bikerwave is closing Sunday so they can be there; maybe they’ll meet with some of the candidates for city council in CD15 hosted by Bikeside.

And half of your Veggie Grill purchase tonight will go to support CicLAvia.

Speaking of Linton, he offers a remarkable review of the results of the recent ThinkBike workshops for Downtown, Pacoima and South L.A. And likes what he sees, despite complaints about the process from some quarters.

……..

Gas 2.0 says no one walks in L.A., but we do bike. KPPC’s Air Talk program talks bikes with the co-author of The Urban Cyclist’s Survival Guide. Jaclyn Andrea Garcia is scheduled to start her jail sentence on Thursday. LADOT is three-quarters of the way to its first 40 mile annual bikeway commitment, assuming you count sharrows. A beginner’s guide to surviving the streets of Los Angeles. South Pasadena plans a new citywide bike network. Santa Monica gets a new bike riding training course. Bike-friendly UCLA offers students free use of a new $1400 repair station, while free air stations are a big hit in the South Bay. Long Beach is ready for its close-up. A bike riding Downey gardener refuses to use power tools. The importance of overcoming obstacles of the mind when you ride.

Temecula police arrest an 18-year old mask-wearing cyclist who appeared to be casing parked cars; okay, but how exactly do you ride suspiciously? An OC cyclist loses control on a busy roadway and slams into an SUV; sounds like he’s lucky that’s all he lost. Corona del Mar cyclists could soon have new signs and striping at key intersections. The Voice of San Diego says it’s time to fix the city’s cycling problems; as usual, the comments offer the same battle between cyclists, bike haters and vehicular cyclists you’ll find on almost any online infrastructure story. A lightless cyclist is sideswiped by a Chico State University police officer. If you’re looking for an emotionally charged name for a new hockey team, how about Critical Mass?

Tea Party members who criticize “socialist” bikeways might be surprised to learn arch-conservatives have supported cycling for over 40 years. What can be done to cut the unacceptably high rate of cycling fatalities. Evidently, drivers don’t like other drivers, either; turns out we’re all responsible for the tensions on the street. Bob Mionske says it’s time to stop blaming the victims. A Hawaii father says urges cyclists to make an informed choice on wearing a helmet. Bikes, cars and trucks attempt to occupy the same space/time on Seattle streets. As if the endless conflict between cars and bikes isn’t bad enough, in Colorado it’s cyclists vs. sheep dogs; I’ve had a few stare downs with stray flocks myself, but can’t recall a run-in the with the dogs guarding them. Texas A&M cracks down on cyclists for their own good, while bike laws don’t protect cyclists at LSU. If you don’t have plans for next May, you might consider the Tour de Rouge, a six-day ride from Houston to New Orleans; any ride that gets you out of Houston and ends in the Big Easy can’t be bad. Chicago bans hand-held cell phones and texting by cyclists; having watched in amazement as texting cyclists blundered into dangerous situations, I seriously do not have a problem with that. Senator Chuck Schumer walks, but apparently doesn’t ride, the Prospect Park West bike lanes his wife continues to fight, even though opponents knew their case had no merit. The Wall Street Journal puts a couple of negative bike studies in perspective, and not surprisingly, the results look a lot different from what the press has been reporting with baited breath; thanks to George Wolfberg for the heads-up. Streetsblog points out that bike-on-pedestrian injuries actually dropped as bicycling rates soared. Why DC needs their version of L.A.’s bicyclist anti-harassment ordinance.

Bicycling uses Geraint Thomas as an example of how to fall right, and offers eight examples of why The Cannibal may be the greatest cyclist of all time; no offense, Lance. Lululemon steps in to save the highly successful HTC-Highroad women’s team. New Calgary bike lanes oddly force riders to swerve out into the traffic lane. After nearly getting killed in an Arizona collision last year, adventurer James Cracknell cracks just 68 miles short of a tandem crossing of the British Isle; amazing that he could make it that after nearly dying last year. British cyclists prepare to go back to Blackfriars Bridge to demand safer cycling conditions. Another tragic — and predictable — London cycling death. The Dutch Cycling Embassy says cycling is for everyone, even if Dutch cyclists may not be qualified to ride in the UK. An Aussie magazine puts bike locks to the test. Tokyo police crack down on fixies (correction: Rick Risemberg points out they’re only going after brakeless fixies). Biking regains popularity in China.

Finally, cool L.A. bike jazz — and a cool L.A. bike jazz video — from Garfield Adams; I’ve started my day with this video for the past five days and it hasn’t failed to put a smile on my face yet. The music track is every bit as good without the bikes, too.

And I’m all for innovation when it comes to bike wheels, but no. Just no.

……..

One other quick note: I was hoping to highlight an exciting and heartbreaking new exhibit honoring fallen cyclists at the end of this month, but this post got a little too crowded. I’ll try to get to that in the next day or two.

Category: Bicycle Safety, Bikes & the Law, Legal Cases / Tags: , , , , , , ,

From dog sled racing to dreams of RAAM

October 3, 2011 / / 11 comments

Living our dreams has never been a problem for my family.

My sister Penny went from a high school dropout to regional manager of a children’s clothing firm, before starting a second career as an administrator of her son’s school. My brother Jim took up the mandolin several years ago, and now plays bluegrass throughout Northern Colorado.

My brother Eric is the (slightly) less hairy one.

And my oldest brother Eric earned a Ph.D in particle physics before moving on to a career in geophysics and environmental reclamation work. Then walked away to fulfill a life-long dream to run an Alaskan dog sled team.

Not bad for a kid who grew up watching Sgt. Preston in the Valley.

He’s competed in the famed Iditarod four times, finishing three — 1200 miles through the Alaskan wilderness in the dead of winter. The last time he ran, he had his fastest team. But held them back in the face of a severe storm, choosing to protect his dogs over finishing well.

There’s one story, though, that will tell you everything you need to know about my brother Eric.

The one year he didn’t finish, a series of mishaps left him with a broken leg, wrenched shoulder and a frostbite on his foot, forcing him to drop out of the race and seek shelter in a drafty shed, in the face of gale force winds and temperatures well south of 30 below.

But before he settled in to wait for rescue, he made sure his dogs were watered, fed and safe from the storm. Then refused to be evacuated until his team could be rescued, as well.

Now he’s taken up bicycling.

But I’ll let him tell you that story.

………

Eric's new bike, a GT Transeo 3.0

You would think that a grandfather with a Ph. D. in Physics would know better.  It started innocent enough.  We are involuntary retired living on fixed income.   With gas over $4 / galleon and my vehicle being a Silverado 2500 HD 4×4 dog truck (ok just read 8 mpg in town), I was feeling more than a little trapped.  I’ve been listening to Ted’s bike stories for some time, but I hadn’t ridden since I got my driver’s license at 16 (no I won’t tell you how long ago that was),  but just maybe I could ride some of my short errands and save some money.

Rather than buy a bike I might not ride (and really could not afford), I could borrow one and try it.  A good friend had a Wal-Mart mountain bike from Key West just sitting around and loaned it to me.  Ah, the slippery slope.  My first ride was 0.1 miles – from my house everything is downhill – that part went fine.  Riding back my legs almost fell off.  But it was enjoyable in a masochistic kind of way.

A week later I was riding a whole ¼ mile, all the way to the bottom of the hill and back up.  Man how I wished that bike had a grandpa gear!  Two weeks later I rode the 13 miles from my house to my VA appointment (Anchorage has great bike paths).  The feeling of freedom was every bit as good as getting my license at 16.  I was independent and could go wherever and whenever I wanted.  A month later I rode 24 miles to a meeting and rode back again.

I was hooked and went straight to the hard stuff.  Reading stories like “Miles from Nowhere”, discovering the Adventure Cycling and Crazy Guy on a Bike websites – Furnace Creek 508 and RAAM only fueled the fire.  I’ve got a daughter in Goldsboro, NC and visions of riding from Anchorage to see her are dancing in my head.  Time to buy my own bike.

With dreams of long distance touring, but reality of short commutes to meetings and errands, this has got to be a versatile “one size fits all” kind of bike.  I dreamt about riding the Novara Safari or Surly Long Haul Trucker, but choked on the price tag.  I’m haunting Craigslist, ebay, LBS, and REI.  Three weeks ago I found a GT Transeo 3.0 at REI that had been ridden and returned.  A “comfort bike” – I liked the sound of that.  Aluminum frame, front suspension, disc brakes, braze-ons, and best of all, this one had a 22t chain ring – Grandpa gear!

Of course you can’t let a good thing go – I’ve added fenders to ride in the rain (typical August through October weather in Anchorage), a Topeak rack and milk crate, water bottles, lights and lock.  I found studded tires for winter ridding on Craigslist.  I’ve ordered a trekker handlebar from Nashbar that is due next week.

For a guy that has run 4 Iditarods and signed up for the 2012 Yukon Quest, this might be serious.

Pray for me!

Eric

Category: Guest Columns / Tags: , , , , ,

74-year old cyclist killed in Moreno Valley; fifth SoCal cycling fatality in two weeks

October 3, 2011 / / One comment

Please, not again.

For the second time in less than a week, a cyclist in his 70s has been killed on the streets of Southern California. And the fifth area cyclist to die in the last two weeks, after going over three weeks without a single fatality — four in traffic incidents and one by shooting.

According in the Southwest Riverside News Network, as well as a other sources which published identical stories, 74-year old Vernon Slade of Moreno Valley was killed early Sunday morning when he was hit by a truck on the 13100 block of Heacock Street.

Detail are sparse.

The collision was reported at 3:27 am, and Slade was pronounced dead at Riverside county Medical Center at 3:56 am. The driver who hit him was traveling north on Heacock Street in a Dodge Ram truck; no information on where Slade was positioned on the roadway or if he was using lights, or anything else that might help make sense of his death.

The story reports that the driver of the truck was cooperative. And not surprisingly, was not injured in the collision.

Slade represents the 56th traffic-related cycling fatality in Southern California since the start of the year — one more than the annual total for the last two years on record. He is also the 10th cyclist killed in Riverside County, and the second in Moreno Valley; that number matches the annual average for the county.

And it’s only October.

Another seven cyclists have died in shootings since the first of the year, one in San Diego and six in L.A. County.

My deepest sympathy for Slade’s family and loved ones.

And thanks to Rex Reese and an anonymous source for the links.

……..

A few other quick notes.

The bike rider killed in the shooting in Long Beach on Saturday night has been identified as 29-year old Reynard Lionell Fulton of Palmdale.

Sam Ollinger of Bike San Diego offers more information about the dooring death of Justin Newman.

KPCC remembers extended station family member, and fallen cyclist, Alan Deane. Meanwhile, the recent deaths have Pasadena officials concerned; I should certainly hope so. Although a Whittier writer says it’s still safe to ride in the L.A. area, despite recent events.

……..

Come back later for a little good news, for a change, as my dog sled racing big brother offers his perspective on taking up cycling many decades after he set his bike aside at 16.

Category: Bicycle Safety, Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , , , ,

Another fatal shooting of a bike rider in Long Beach; should we care?

October 2, 2011 / / 9 comments

Does it really matter?

According to the Long Beach Press-Telegram, an unidentified man was shot and killed in Long Beach around 7:30 Saturday night; or rather, the authorities have not publicly released the victim’s ID yet.

Police found the victim on the 1300 block of Atlantic Avenue after responding to reports of shots fired; he was taken to a nearby hospital where he died of his wounds. Witnesses report he’d been riding his bike when he was shot, though police could not confirm that. However, a bike is clearly visible lying in the street in the news photos.

No description was available for the suspect(s), who remain at large. Police do not yet know if the shooting was gang related.

Chances are, though, it was.

Not because of any stereotypes about the location, though Long Beach has long had a gang problem, just like many or most cities in Southern California. But because most street shootings involve gang ties in some way.

Of the six — now seven — fatal shootings of cyclists in SoCal this year, at least four were suspected of being gang-related. One in Silver Lake last April involved an alleged gang member as the shooter, though the victim — and the reason for the shooting — had nothing to do with gangs. And last I heard, another April shooting, this time in San Diego, did not appear to be gang-related.

So what do these deaths have to do with the greater cycling community?

In most, if not all of these cases, the victims were not targeted because they were on a bike; the bike was merely the form of transportation they were using at the time.

That’s the argument several people have used in encouraging me not to give the same coverage to cases like this that I do to other cycling deaths. And why I no longer include shootings in my stats on cycling fatalities, instead separating them into their own category apart from traffic-related deaths.

Still others have questioned whether shooting victims should be honored with a ghost bike. Or if they should be, if not ignored by cyclists, at least not afforded the same concern and respect we show other fallen riders.

And should his death matter any less to us if it does turn out to be gang-related than if he was the victim of a road rage attack, killed precisely because he was on a bike and in the way?

My personal opinion is that all deaths matter, and that as cyclists, we should all be concerned when any one of us falls, for whatever reason.

For at least a moment, at the time of his death, this man was riding a bike. He was, however briefly or for whatever reason, one of us.

And he is now dead, like too many others. Whether they were victims of guns, or cars. Or their own riding errors.

He was one of us, and now he is gone.

So what do you think?

Should we care?

Or simply turn our heads and look the other way?

Update: the victim of the shooting has been identified as 29-year old Reynard Lionell Fulton of Palmdale.

Category: Dr. Christopher Thompson, Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , ,

Elite National track championships, Spooky SaMo Sunday Funday Ride, and Tour de Poway

October 1, 2011 / / Comments Off on Elite National track championships, Spooky SaMo Sunday Funday Ride, and Tour de Poway

Bike Talk airs every Saturday at 10 am; listen to it live or download the podcast from KPFK.

Bike Long Beach hosts Bike Saturdays every weekend; ride your bike to participating local shops and business throughout the city to get special offers and discounts.

The Elite Track Nationals continue Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 1st and 2nd, at the L.A. Velodrome at the Home Depot Center in Carson. The nation’s finest track cyclists compete for 27 national championships on the way to the 2012 London Olympics.

You’re invited to participate in the Gladiator Rock’n Run at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Saturday, October 1st. Not bike related, but at least they’re offering a discount for cyclists; enter code GLADIATORZ10 (all caps) to save $10 on registration.

The LACBC’s monthly Sunday Funday ride rolls through the Santa Monica Mountains on Sunday, October 2nd, with the Spooky Santa Monica Mountains Ride, a spine-tingling jaunt through the haunts of the Santa Monicas led by Executive Director Jen Klausner. This is the Coalition’s 1st mountain bike ride, so leave your skinny tired bikes at home. The ride assembles at San Vicente and 26th near the Brentwood County Mart at 10 am, and rolls at 10:30 for an intermediate-level 20 mile route, with a final stop at Bar Food on Wilshire for refreshments and relaxation.

The 26th annual Tour de Poway rolls through North County San Diego on Sunday, October 2nd, offering rides of 100, 62, 50 26 and 18 miles. The longer routes offer a challenging 6% 3-mile climb, followed by a 7 mile descent; the 26 and 18 mile routes offer a tamer route for the weekend rider, including a stop at the Bernardo Winery. This year’s ride will be held in memory of Nick Venuto, the cyclist killed last May when a car went off the highway and hit him and another rider on  separated bike path.

Challenge yourself behind the Orange Curtain with the 2nd annual OC Gran Fondo, with rides of 10, 64, 29 and 10 miles; registration closes on October 5th. The ride starts and ends at 5101 Alton Parkway in Irvine. Learn more from the Orange County Register.

L.A.’s Ultimate Bike Weekend begins with the 2011 L.A. edition of the Tour de Fat on Saturday, October 8th, benefitting C.I.C.L.E., the Bicycle Kitchen and the LACBC. Parade registration starts at 10 am, with the bike parade from 11 am to noon, and entertainment from noon to 5 pm at the L.A. Historic Park on North Spring Street. Admission is free, with bike valet available.

One day later, the third CicLAvia takes place on Sunday, October 9th, from 10 am to 3 pm, offering an expanded route taking participants another 3 miles north into Chinatown and south into the northern reaches of South L.A. Just remember this isn’t a race, and it’s not a bike ride. The route is open to everyone without a motor, whether walking, skating, biking or just sitting in the middle of the street. So get out there, slow down and enjoy yourself. And let everyone else enjoy themselves, too. The East Side Bike Club and West San Gabriel Valley Bike Coalition are teaming up to host a feeder ride in from parts northeast. If anyone else is hosting a feeder ride from other parts of town, let me know.

Thursday, October 13th, the Los Angeles Streetsblog team hosts a night of Streetfilms at the Echo Park Film Center, 1200 North Alvarado Street in Los Angeles. The event starts at 8 pm, with the $5 admission cost benefitting Streetsblog and the Film Center.

C.I.C.L.E. invites you to join them on a bike tour of Pasadena art museums and galleries on a leisurely paced 6 mile ArtNight Ride. Meet at Memorial Park Pasadena at Raymond Ave & Holly Street at 6 pm, with the ride starting at 6:30.

The LACBC is co-hosting a weekend-long training program for bicycle and pedestrian advocates with the Alliance for Biking and Walking from Friday, October 14th through Sunday, October 16th, 634 S. Spring Street, Suite 821.

The LACBC’s award-winning City of Lights program will host their 2nd Annual City of Lights Awards/Fundraising Dinner on Thursday, October 27th from 6 to 11 pm at CARECEN HQ, 2845 W 7th Street. L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and L.A. Times columnist Hector Tobar will be honored; tickets are available online.

The Malibu Canyon Gran Fondo rolls on Saturday, October 30th, starting and ending at Saddlerock Ranch, 31743 Mulholland Hwy in Malibu, with rides of 65 miles — and 6,800 feet of climbing — 45 miles and 17 miles, as well as a kids ride along the ranch, with a picnic and after party to follow.

Friday, November 11 through Sunday, November 13th, the Eastside Bike Club hosts the LA Tamale Throwdown at a site to be determined, offering a chance to sample some of the city’s best tamales, coffee and pan Mexicano; bike valet courtesy of Flying Pigeon LA.

And Sunday, November 13th, the LACBC unveils a perfect marriage of bikes and food with the 1st annual Tour de Taste in Culver City; more details soon.

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