The victim was identified only as a man who appeared to be in his 50s.
The driver, a 52-year old Oceanside resident, was arrested on suspicion of DUI and vehicular manslaughter after apparently failing a field sobriety test, and admitting that he was using heroin.
That could be escalated to murder if it turns out this wasn’t his first DUI offense.
There’s no word on how the crash occurred, but it seems likely the driver struck the victim while either entering or exiting the mobile home park.
San Diego’s Fox5 reported on the crash as well, but seemed more concerned about the effect on traffic from the street closure than the needless death of a human being.
This is at least the 11th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the first that I’m aware of in San Diego County.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for the victim and all his loved ones.
November 30, 2021 /
bikinginla / Comments Off on Killer Oceanside hit-and-run driver gets 2 years, low curb hazard on new Culver bike lanes, and scam Bonin anti-recall site
Before we get started, just a quick reminder that today is Giving Tuesday, the one day each year set aside to support worthy nonprofit organizations that need your help.
We could name a very long list, from Streets For All and the LACBC, to Calbike and Streetsblog LA and California.
Along with your own local advocacy groups, wherever you live.
One group that recently came to my attention is the Los Angeles Bicycle Academy, a youth cycling and bicycle education program created to “empower, educate and develop entrepreneurial and leadership skills in youth between the ages of 8-18.”
Our focus is to work with youth from underserved communities where opportunity, access, equity, and exposure within the sport of cycling is extremely limited. We want to help more young people learn the positive impact a bicycle can have on their own lives, and the lives of those around them.
They have big plans for the coming year, including opening a community bike shop, launching a build-a-bike program, and developing a women’s cycling team.
She could have gotten up to four years in the state pen, with another year in county.
Instead, she got a relative slap on the wrist for leaving an innocent man to die alone in the street. Then hid her car for a full week until it was spotted by a homeless man.
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You can’t please everyone.
Culver City officially unveiled their new Move Culver City initiative, installing quick build bus and bike lanes on three major streets in the downtown area — in a fraction of the time and cost required for similar projects across the city limit line in Los Angeles.
But while most people came out to celebrate completion of the project, I’m told a group of drivers turned out to protest, apparently under the misconception that 100% of the streets belong to cars.
And unwilling to give up a single inch, let alone a lane or two.
On the other hand, the response from the two-wheeled group seems mostly positive.
However, Mitchell Guzik pointed out an unexpected hazard posed by low concrete curbs intended to protect people using the bike lanes, but which could present a risk to any bike rider who runs into them.
Photo by Mitchell Guzik
Even in daylight, it’s a struggle to spot them in the photo. Which means it would be nearly impossible after dark.
The obvious solution, as Guzik suggests, is to paint the curbs a more visible color. Or go crazy, and let some of Culver City’s many artists decorate them.
Obviously, we don’t want to fall into the common SoCal trap of letting perfect be the enemy of good when it comes to bike lanes.
But just a minor improvement could make them safer for everyone.
Correction: I originally misspelled the name of Mitchell Guzik. My apologies for the error.
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They’re back.
A few very unpleasant years ago, I had the misfortune of tangling with the fraudulent Westside Walkers Twitter account, which was created in response to the 2017 lane reductions on Venice Blvd and in Playa del Rey.
As Peter Flax made clear in outing the person behind the account, the Westside Walkers pretended to be “LA’s #1 walking & biking advocacy group.”
But it was actually just one man’s political dirty trick, posing as a nonexistent group to muddy the advocacy waters and make his opposition to traffic safety measures seem more reasonable.
Now he’s back, pretending to be the “Official Democrat Anti Recall” group supporting CD11 Councilmember Mike Bonin, which undoubtedly came as a surprise to the actual group opposing the recall.
As before, this is just another political dirty trick by a recall supporter and longtime Bonin hater, in an attempt to muddy the water.
And not hesitating to use outright lies to do it.
So don’t fall for it.
Whether or not you support Bonin — and I do — there’s no place for stunts like this, from someone with a long history of playing dirty.
Politics in Los Angeles are dirty enough.
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The war on cars may be a myth, but the war on bikes just keeps on going.
No bias here. A London political columnist takes issue with bike lanes and the unlicensed people who use them, saying bikes were fine for Victorian times, but should only be used on private property these days (scroll down — no, keep scrolling). Just wait until someone tells him who the roads were really built for.
A truck driver who fatally right-hooked a bike-riding San Luis Obispo man faces a maximum of one lousy year behind bars or a $1,000 fine after being charged with misdemeanor vehicular homicide, because he didn’t do it on purpose. On the other hand, the victim is still dead, whether or not it was intentional.
A Streetsblog op-ed accuses Oakland’s Vision Zero program of being an empty promise, and says the city needs to take it seriously if they want to eliminate traffic deaths. A sentiment most Los Angeles bike riders and pedestrians could probably relate to.
Streetsblog makes the case that the NYPD is lying about the risks posed by ebikes, conflating crashes involving ebikes, which are legal in New York, with mopeds, which aren’t. And placing all the blame on the bike riders, while ignoring who was actually at fault in those crashes.
So let’s thank Bernard B, Stephen M and Tom C for their generous donations to help keep SoCal’s best source for bike news and advocacy keeps coming your way every day.
So don’t wait. Give now via PayPal, or with Zelle to ted @ bikinginla.com.
Any amount, no matter how large or small, is truly and deeply appreciated.
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Be safe, and stay healthy. And get vaccinated, already.
The unknown driver followed Atkinson for about a mile after exchanging words with him, before slamming into his bike from behind on eastbound on Vista Way.
The impact flung Atkinson through the air as the driver continued down Vista Way, leaving him with a pelvis broken in two places, as well as broken bones in his elbow, collar bone and shoulder blade.
Police are looking for a black four-door BMW with front end damage and a missing passenger side mirror, driven by a man in his mid-20s. He’s wanted for assault with a deadly weapon.
Hopefully, that will be upgraded to reflect the seriousness of the crime, which could have easily killed Atkinson.
LADOT rep says program is funded by SB1 gas tax funding. Streets selected by council – based on High Injury Network and street condition – and "can be implemented without reconfiguring the roadway"
In other words, LADOT somehow envisions these as among the few Complete Streets projects that can somehow be implemented without changing the roadway.
So either the streets are already complete and capable of safely and effectively serving the needs of all road users, which means the projects aren’t necessary.
Or LADOT has no intention of actually making them complete, and just wants to call them something that sounds good and allows them to check a box when applying for funding.
I’d put my money on the latter.
Committee Chair Mike Bonin at least asked LADOT to work with the local councilmember’s office to implement the mobility plan.
Bonin urges DOT to work with local council office to implement the Mobility Plan. Bonin questions cost containment: asks for CAO to report back regarding infra cost trends, best practices for cost estimation, recommendations for containing cost escalation
Especially after the committee approved the projects as written, while politely asking them to think about doing the right thing when it comes to bus and bike lanes.
Here’s how Streetsblog’s Joe Linton summed up the whole sad affair in his story.
Streets for All had urged its followers to press the committee to implement the La Brea bus-only lanes already approved in the city’s Mobility Plan. Councilmembers Mike Bonin and Paul Koretz questioned why the planned bus facilities had not been included in La Brea’s preliminary designs. LADOT staff responded that the department tries to “balance the needs” and “our corridors are width-challenged.” This portion of La Brea is at least 75-feet wide throughout. The DOT representative stated that a bus lane would “compromise the objective” of this project, but could proceed independently.
Bonin encouraged LADOT to work with the local council office to implement the bus lane, stating that it is a Metro priority and important for equity. Sadly, the directive to work with the local councilmember is tacit acknowledgement that each councilmember has (and frequently uses) veto powers to get in the way of street improvements needed to save lives, and improve transit, health, and quality of life.
Nice to know that adding a bus lane to make La Brea even somewhat complete would somehow compromise the objective of a Complete Street.
You can click on any of the tweets above to read the whole thread, and the link above to read Linton’s story.
Having done that job myself, both on behalf of this site and as a board member of the LACBC, I can attest to just how draining it can be. And Bike the Vote went far beyond anything I tried to do.
Hopefully, someone will step up and fill the vote before next year, when we’ll elect a new mayor, city attorney, city controller and half the city council.
Because the only voice the bike community has comes from our perceived ability to influence elections. And if candidates don’t think our vote matters, they won’t even ask for our support, let alone support policies to make our streets safer and more welcoming to people on bicycles.
Otherwise, we can look forward to more Orwellian fiascos like we saw yesterday.
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In better news, Zachary Rynew calls our attention to newly striped bike lanes in the San Fernando Valley.
July 28, 2021 /
bikinginla / Comments Off on Canoga Park bike rider wanted for fatally shooting driver, and accused Oceanside hit-and-run driver pleads not guilty
The shooting took place around 2:18 pm, when the man on the bike shot into the driver’s car following some sort of dispute near the 6400 block of DeSoto Ave.
Forty-three-year old Glendale resident Mkher Alaverdian was pronounced dead after he was taken to a local hospital.
There’s no description of the shooter or his bicycle, and no word on whether this was a road rage dispute or some other kind of argument.
Anyone with information is urged to call LAPD Valley Bureau Homicide at 818/374-9550, or 1-877/LAPD-24-7 after business hours.
A few blocks north of where a driver killed a pedestrian in June on Allen Ave in @PasadenaGov drivers seem blissfully unconcerned with the speed limit. Notably, these are the speeds going UP hill. I can't imagine how fast they're going on the other side of the street. pic.twitter.com/kQAh0m21oO
A New York man is planning to bike 8,000 miles through ten states to get more kids on bicycles, raising funds to donate new bikes to underprivileged children around the country; the Black bike rider who grew up in the city’s low-income Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood says if he can do it, most people can.
Thank you to everyone for all the kind words. Your support really means a lot to me.
The good news is, taking most of last week off helped lower my blood sugar levels over 25%, down to a more normal level for diabetics.
It also allowed me to realize that not all the symptoms I’ve been dealing with were caused by my diabetes; the last medication my doctor put me on to lower my blood sugar was apparently caused a long list of damaging side effects.
So we’ll what happens now that I’ve stopped taking it.
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Maybe we’ll see some justice in San Diego County after all.
Thirty-eight-year old Adam David Milavetz allegedly ran away right after the crash and dumped a couple baggies of white powder over a fence, which police believe were filled with meth.
The murder charge suggests that Milavetz has at least one previous conviction for DUI, and was required to sign a Watson advisement indicating that he could be charged with murder if he killed someone while driving under the influence.
He was also arrested on a separate DUI count on the 1st of this month.
Thanks to Phillip Young for the Oceanside heads-up.
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It looks like the accused killer of a Palm Springs bike rider could be in the wind.
Proving once again that there is nowhere safe from the big, dangerous machines and the equally dangerous people piloting them.
Case in point, this is who was share the living room with.
Thanks to Ralph Durham for the video, who blames the house for not wearing hi-viv, for the link.
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Sunset4All is hosting a guided bike ride and happy hour this Wednesday. Meanwhile, the crowdfunding campaign for LA’s first public/private bike lane partnership stands at 57% of the $25,000 goal.
Take a ride up Pacifico Mountain with Gravel Bike California.
NEW GRAVEL GUIDE! Pacifico Mountain is important for two reasons: 1. It's our favorite ride in LA County 2. Without Pacifico Mountain, Gravel Bike California may never be. Watch and see why Pacifico is so special:https://t.co/fjEPEWyiNR@GravelCyclist@gravelgurutv
— Gravel Bike California (@GravelBikeCal) July 22, 2021
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Who needs a mail truck when you’ve got bike lanes?
Canada Post to test mail delivery tricycles in central Montreal. When you build bike lanes, this kind of thing is possible. https://t.co/R0R4RLCT3p
Nice story from San Diego, where a Chula Vista family has turned to tandem riding to overcome a near-fatal e-scooter crash, as well as the son’s blindness and chronic heart and lung disease, while helping others.
Who says bike riders aren’t tough? A Fresno woman got shot in both legs in a domestic violence incident — then got on her bicycle and chased down the man who shot her, following him until police arrived. Thanks to Megan Lynch for the heads-up.
A Colorado man faces up to six years behind bars after being convicted of killing professional cyclist Benjamin Sonntag; oddly, there was no charge for hit-and-run, even though he tried to flee the crash on foot, and had to be restrained with a taser until police backup arrived.
The New York native who made headlines across the US for riding a bikeshare bike from New York to Santa Monica in search of a new home will now be living on Tulsa time.
Police in India arrested seven people for flying kites with nylon strings after several people riding bicycles and motorcycles were injured, including a 12th grade girl whose throat was slashed by a kite string as she rode her bike.
July 16, 2021 /
bikinginla / Comments Off on Update: 27-year old man killed in Oceanside hit-and-run late Thursday; tenth bicycling death in San Diego County this year
Another day, another Southern California bike rider murdered by a hit-and-run driver.
There’s no word on whether he was wearing a helmet, which might have a difference in this case.
Or not, depending on the speed of his killer’s car.
Investigators believe he was riding east on Oceanside when he was run down from behind by the driver of a black 2014 to 2016 Nissan Versa Note hatchback, based at least in part on evidence left at the scene. The car is likely to have damage to the front grill, hood and undercarriage.
Anyone with informations urged to call Accident Investigator Kevin Lissner of the Oceanside Police Department at 760/435-4651.
This is at least the 34th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the tenth that I’m aware of already this year in San Diego County.
At least 14 of those deaths have been hit-and-runs, including four just in the last two and a half weeks.
Update: This is the cost of traffic violence.
Hi everyone, my boyfriend was killed Thursday night by a hit and run on Oceanside Blvd. If anyone has any information please reach out. It seems it was a 2014-2016Nissan Versa hatchback. Please share and help us find the person. Here’s some of my favorite photos of Jackson ♥️ pic.twitter.com/sStZieHil0
Police respondeding to the crash found a man lying unresponsive on the north side of the road.
Witnesses reported the driver was headed west on Oceanside when he or she slammed into the victim, who has not been publicly identified. That was corroborated by physical evidence.
There’s no word on which direction the victim was traveling or where he was positioned on the roadway. However, there is a bike lane in both directions on Oceanside, with the intersection controlled with a traffic signal.
There’s also no word on whether he had lights on his bike at that hour.
The driver was arrested at the scene on suspicion of driving under the influence, with police also seizing their car.
Anyone with information is urged to call Oceanside Police Collision Investigator Clint Bussey at 760/435-4412.
This is at least the 26th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the sixth that I’m aware of in San Diego County.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for the victim and his loved ones.
There is simply no excuse to allow speeds like that on a surface street, unless your intention is to kill innocent victims.
It also seems extremely unlikely that the victim would have run the red light at an intersection like that, unless she was caught mid-crossing when the light changed.
Which is not the same thing in any sense.
Correction: I originally wrote that the driver was arrested for DUI. However, I misread the ABC 10 News story, which actually said a second crash occurred as police were investigating the crash, and it was that driver who was busted for DUI. Thanks to Zero 007 for the correction.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for the victim and all her loved ones.
April 9, 2018 /
bikinginla / Comments Off on Morning Links: 15 years for Oceanside drunk driver, ebike regulations, and young cyclist dies in Paris-Roubaix
For once, the charges — and the conviction — fit the crime.
In an extreme case of heartlessness, she drove over a mile with the victim’s body embedded in the seat next to her. Then parked the car around the block from her house and walked home.
And did all that after her friends warned her she was too drunk to drive, but got behind the wheel anyway.
At least she’s not likely to be driving again for a very long time.
Drunk or otherwise.
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Today’s common theme is ebikes and the rules governing them.
He had posted this moving photo on Instagram just two weeks ago.
Michael Goolaerts, who died today at the age of 23, posted this beautiful shot on Instagram two weeks ago. Just a kid living a dream. Life can be cruel. pic.twitter.com/4OEnfzKDZw
An Op-Ed in the LA Times says almost no one walks to or from LAX because the airport has made it virtually impossible to do. But those who do may find some hidden gems. Thanks to Mike Wilkinson for the heads-up.
Seattle’s new mayor puts the brakes on plans for a promised bike lane on 4th Street, delaying it until at least 2021 over fears of slowing traffic. Because everyone knows people on bikes don’t count as traffic. Right?
Denver’s bikeshare system is adopting a hybrid program to compete with dockless bikeshare, allowing riders to leave bikes in hundreds designated bike corrals, or leave them anywhere for a small additional fee. Something Metro may want to consider as dockless bikes expand through Los Angeles.
Treehugger says you could solve the problem of New York’s salmon cyclists by getting rid of one-way streets. Or at least installing contraflow bike lanes.
A Vancouver Op-Ed says bicycling is often more convenient than driving in major cities. I’ve found that true in Los Angeles, where I could commute from Westwood to DTLA in the same time it took to drive, with far less hassle and aggravation.
Milagro cómo sale el @Ride_Argyle sin que aparentemente le pase nada (el coche está bien aparcado y la curva no es peligrosa. Es un descuido) pic.twitter.com/xCGQW4jyCG
Oceanside police were unable to revive him at the scene, and he died after being airlifted to an Escondido medical center.
He has not been publicly identified at this time.
The 25-year old driver reportedly veered into the bike lane where the victim was riding. He was arrested at the scene on an outstanding misdemeanor warrant, as well as driving with a suspended license.
A satellite view shows three through lanes on westbound SR-71, with a double left turn lane, right turn lans and a bike lane. There’s no protection for the bike lane, which runs between the right through lane and the right turn lane, despite the apparent 55 mph speed limit.
Anyone with information is urge to call OPD officer David Paul at 760/435-4431 or Sgt. Rick Davis at 760/435-4906.
This is the 38th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the third in San Diego County. It’s also the second in Oceanside this year.