Morning Links: Savvy cycling in OC, keeping bike theft petty, and riding with the Ovarian Psychos

One quick scheduling note before we get started, as the Orange County Bicycling Coalition is holding another bike safety class later this week.

Orange County Bicycle Coalition

Cycling Savvy: Safe and Legal Cycling Class

Location: Jax Bicycle Center in Irvine

Thursday, November 12 6-9PM

Saturday, November 14 8-3PM

$75 for 3-part course

http://ocbike.org/education-ts101/

https://register.cyclingsavvy.org/groups/socal

……..

Local

The LA Times looks at how the effects of Prop 47 are helping to keep petty criminals on the streets, including a meth head bike thief. Although they get one thing wrong; it was the state legislature that increased the threshold for felony theft to $950, prior to the passage of Prop 47. Thanks to Gil Solomon for the heads-up.

Better Bike offers a ice a nice reflection on the LACBC’s recent volunteer bike and pedestrian counts in the LA in three very different area, with very different results.

Los Angeles broke ground Saturday on a new two-acre park at the confluence of the LA River and Aliso Creek in Reseda, including a three-quarter mile bikeway which will eventually connect to the LA River bike path.

A reporter for the LA Times gets a new perspective on the city by riding with the Ovarian Psychos.

La Cañada Flintridge votes to create a greenbelt along Foothill Blvd, with a bike lane on one side and a bike path on the other.

A Santa Clarita woman made her getaway by bike after overpowering a person at a market to steal a bag of groceries. Thanks to Megan Lynch for the link.

 

State

Who says a bunch of kids can’t accomplish anything? The state has approved a $2.37 million grant for a sidewalk and protected bike lane submitted by a group of Santa Ana teenagers.

Security cameras caught a man riding his bicycle through a playground full of kids at an Escondido elementary school with a stolen rifle slung across his back, and two more guns in his bag.

A 90-year old San Diego driver hit a pedestrian, 12 parked cars and a bicycle before continuing on to crash into a fire hydrant.

An Oxnard cyclist was seriously injured in a collision Sunday night.

 

National

The Texas driver who killed four people when he plowed through a crowded street at last year’s SXSW music festival has been sentenced to life without parole after being found guilty of capital murder.

Bystanders team up to save the life of an Illinois cyclist after he has a heart attack. It may not seem like it sometimes, but there are a lot of good people in this world.

Bikeshare continues to spread across the US; Pennsylvania’s Lehigh University is the latest college to open their own system.

 

International

A new foldie is specially made to fit in crowded apartments.

A British Columbia mayor is more open to improving bike safety after experiencing a dangerous riding route himself. Getting elected officials out on bikes is often the key to winning them over; maybe Paul Koretz and Gil Cedillo would finally see the light if we could get them to ride Westwood and North Figueroa with us.

Caught on video: Take a heart-pounding ride down the slopes of Whistler BC.

The Guardian tries out that glow-in-the-dark spray-on paint from Volvo, and decides it’s not such a bright idea.

A pair of British transportation consultants say “bleedin’ obvious” solutions aren’t necessarily the best way to improve road safety.

One British borough has seen a 250% increase in bicycling over the past eleven years.

London’s Design Museum will celebrate the evolution and symbolic power of bicycles.

Cycling Weekly looks at the central climb on Italy’s il Lombardia bike race, the last of the five one-day Monuments each season, where a museum at the top honors the Madonna del Ghisallo as the patron saint of bike riders. Call me superstitious, but I never get on a bike without my medal in her honor.

Turkish women call for improving the country’s streets for women riders.

Zambia’s sports minister says cycling should be embraced for physical fitness, as well as sport.

Yet another tack attack Down Under, as at least 40 Aussie cyclists had their tires punctured by tacks while on a ride to protest whoever has been spreading them on a secluded road for the last year.

Kiwi men are three times more likely to ride to work than women, and the gap continues to grow despite a nearly $300 million investment in bicycling infrastructure.

A new Filipino romantic coming-of-age film aims to inspire viewers to reduce fossil fuel emissions by taking up bicycling.

 

Finally…

Apparently, the solution to conflict between bicyclists and motorists isn’t safer streets, it’s mindful conflict resolution mediation. Scientists somehow conclude that walking to a transit station is healthier than just walking, or bicycling for that matter.

And a Canadian study that says the way to reduce bicycling injuries is to ride like a woman; somehow, I don’t think that will help.

One comment

  1. Ralph says:

    Are you sure the grocery theft wasn’t part of a new cooking show contest? Contestants have to prepare a 3 course meal based on the contents of a random bag of groceries they steal just before taping….

    The bike with the handlebars which turn, there seems to be one that has been out already for a couple of years. But here in Munich the bikes hanging up for sale all have their bars turned 90 degrees to save storage space.

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