Squeaky wheel, meet grease.
Just seven weeks ago, the Los Angeles Times reported that Patrick Pascal had received a $200,000 settlement from City of LA after he was injured when his bike hit a pothole on Griffith Park Blvd.
Now he reports the city has begun pouring new concrete to patch the crumbling stretch of concrete that took him down.
As usual, despite years of complaints, they only got around to it after it was too late. And after being embarrassed with a front page story.
But at least it should help prevent the next one.
Photos by Patrick Pascal.
……..
More fallout from the crash of a self-driving Uber car that killed an Arizona woman as she walked her bike across an overly wide street.
Arizona’s governor has suspended testing of self-driving cars in the state, after previously welcoming them with open arms when California installed safety restrictions on them.
The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition has called on the state to pull the plug on driverless cars.
Uber has won’t renew their permit to operate driverless cars in California when it expires at the end of this month.
A Pittsburgh PA bike advocacy group is calling for greater regulation of driverless cars.
No surprise here, as former Uber employees said the crash that killed Elaine Herzberg was entirely foreseeable.
The Smithsonian considers the ethical quandaries self-driving cars will face every day.
And an American historian warns that requiring bike riders to wear beacons to avoid getting run down by autonomous autos could kill bicycling.
……..
Local
The LA Times looks at the Los Angeles River Greenway Trail bike path-adjacent Frogtown neighborhood.
Speaking of the LA River bike path, it’s about to be shut down once again, this time for construction of a long-planned bike and pedestrian bridge connecting Atwater Village and Griffith Park.
CiclaValley previews Saturday’s San Fernando Street Festival; think of it as a mini-CicLAvia with four streets closed to motor vehicle traffic.
Santa Monica is holding a couple of open houses to discuss safety improvements planned for 17th Street & Michigan Avenue.
State
Caltrans has released a biannual report listing their active transportation achievements over the past two years, including SoCal’s Go Human campaign in conjunction with the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG).
San Diego’s Little Italy Association is scooping up dockless bikeshare bikes, and depositing them outside the business district. Which is strange, because these are the same people who fought planned bike lanes, insisting that all their customers come by cars. Thanks to Frank Lehnerz for the heads-up.
Sacramento is removing nearly 200 hi-tech parking meters to make way for a parking-protected bike lane.
National
A new study shows ebikes are actually getting people out of their cars. Imagine what they could do if people actually had safe places to ride them.
Blocked bike lanes are becoming a problem in Denver. And everywhere else, for that matter.
How to bike the 75-miles of developed, multi-use trails in San Antonio TX.
A periodic reminder that cars are banned on Michigan’s Mackinac Island. And no, the world didn’t come to an end.
A pilot program will allow New York bicyclists in three boroughs to ride through red lights on the leading pedestrian intervals. Something that is currently illegal in California, but shouldn’t be.
A new documentary play tells the real-life story of a Virginia bike rider who was killed in a collision.
Mobile is about to become more mobile, as LimeBike is poised to bring dockless bikeshare to the Alabama city.
International
Cycling Tips rates the best fast, inexpensive chain lubes.
The mayor of Hamilton, Quebec learned about the need for safer streets the hard way, nearly getting hit by a car just seconds into a ride to promote the city’s bike infrastructure.
A proposed Toronto ordinance would prohibited assembling and disassembling bicycles in parks to ban bicycle chop shops.
The British Cycling Federation is due to go on trial, along with a race official and a course marshal, in the death of a mountain bike spectator who had gone to watch her boyfriend compete.
Bike Radar visits Belgium’s Roeselare cycling museum.
A group of “cheeky” urban activists are trying to reclaim car-centric Rotterdam for people.
A Kiwi sociologist says the bikelash over the new bikeways stems from “a sort of initial adjustment stress” from people who are unable to handle the change to the street.
Caught on video: An Australian bike rider demonstrates exactly what you shouldn’t do by weaving through a line of cars while riding against the red light in a crosswalk.
An Aussie research fellow says drivers cause the overwhelming majority of collisions with bike riders, and the law should reflect that.
The Sidney Morning Herald says it’s time to design the streets of Perth for bikes to help increase kids’ independence.
Competitive Cycling
Outside asks if the Tour de France will really ban reigning champ Chris Froome, who is under investigation for possible doping with an asthma drug.
Finally…
Now you, too, can live like Lance for a mere $7.5 million. When the new local bike shop blows — no, literally.
And every now and then, Twitter justifies its existence.
Ted, thank you as always for the informative and entertaining links! I must respond to your comment on e-bikes, i.e. “Imagine what [e-bikes] could do if people actually had safe places to ride them.”
Um, we do have safe places to ride them: Our public roadways. In fact, it’s only on regular roads where e-bikes are truly useful.
When I’m riding on a greenway, side path, or in any sort of bike lane or facility, I never operate my e-bike anywhere near its full capacity. I always go slow. It’s just too dangerous to do otherwise. But on the road? Omigosh! What a fabulous way to get around.
What people need with e-bikes are not special facilities, but education. If you want a good experience on an e-bike, knowing how to keep yourself safe in all the places you can ride is crucial.