I’ve made the same argument more than once.
While I’m normally willing to back any event that promotes bicycling, it just doesn’t make sense to support a bike event in a city that doesn’t support us.
Like the Biking Black Hole of Beverly Hills, for instance, which hosts the Gran Fondo Italia at the end of this month. And where anti-bike councilmembers have blocked plans for desperately needed bike lanes on a soon-to-be-reconstructed Santa Monica Blvd.
Nice to see I’m not alone.
Wesley Reutimann, president of the Pasadena Athletic Association bike club, forwards an email he sent in response to a request that the club actively promote the event among its members.
Thank you for reaching out to our club.
As President of PAA cycling, a 350 member bike club, I am unable to promote this event or any other in the City of Beverly Hills as long as its elected leaders and City staff do not take the safety of ALL road users seriously.
Over the past few years the City of Beverly Hills has repeatedly failed to support local efforts to improve the safety of its streets. At the same time neighboring LA, West Hollywood, and Santa Monica have made significant investments to protect vulnerable road users like bicyclists (e.g., bike lanes on Santa Monica Blvd).
Until the City can address these issues (e.g., existing bike lane gap on Santa Monica Blvd), I will be compelled to take my business elsewhere, as well as encourage that of our entire membership to do so as well.
Please feel free to relay my message to your contacts in the City.
Best regards,
-Wes
Exactly.
Meanwhile, Better Bike offers their typically insightful take on the same subject.
Update: Just to clarify, I’m not asking anyone to boycott Beverly Hills or the Gran Fondo; I trust you to make your own decisions.
However, if you haven’t already registered for the ride, consider planning your own ride with friends or your club that day, and donate the money you would have spent on registration to Better Bike or the LACBC to keep up the fight for bike lanes on Santa Monica Blvd.
If you have registered, or want to ride the Gran Fondo anyway, ask ride officials to use their influence to demand better accommodations for bikes in Beverly Hills.
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Semi-equality at last? Both the Amgen Tour of California and Colorado’s USA Pro Challenge consider multi-day women’s races.
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LocalKPCC’s Larry Mantle talks about the new three-foot passing law, and eventually gets it mostly right, while the Times offers one last look before it takes effect today.
Watts wears pink on October 4th as the East Side Riders Bike Club and Los Ryderz ride for cancer awareness with LA Councilmember Joe Buscaino.
Yet another bike rider is injured in a collision on PCH in Malibu over the weekend.
The Culver City Bicycle Coalition hosts a meet and greet from 6 pm to 8 pm this Thursday.
State
San Diego’s long delayed bike share program may be the most expensive in the US.
A Sacramento writer says if cyclists want respect, we need to act like we deserve it — something no one ever says that about motorists, no matter how many laws they may break. And someone should tell him that bike riders are already subject to all existing traffic laws, including hit-and-run.
A San Francisco supervisor suggests making the NACTO Design Guides the official policy of the city.
National
Bicycling’s Elly Blue looks at the Kentucky cyclist wrongly convicted for riding in the traffic lane, and offers advice on how to prevent future miscarriages of justice.
Bicycling says the worst city for cycling isn’t a city at all. And only 40 miles from their pick for the best.
Writing for City Lab, Sarah Goodyear says a little bikelash may be a good thing.
A new bike helmet is designed to act like a black box in a crash.
Kansas City considers a new law banning harassment of cyclists and other vulnerable road users.
A blues musician is pedaling a 1,200 pound piano bike the length of the Mississippi.
Louisville KY plans the world’s largest underground bike park.
A New York TV station disputes claims that bike lanes improved traffic times.
International
A UK writer says cars are the real wheeled pests, not bikes.
The Cycling Embassy of Great Britain offers their uniquely comprehensive roundup of bike blogs, here, there and everywhere.
An Aussie writer says there is no war between motorists and cyclists because many of us have a foot in both camps.
Finally…
Turns out the Columbia men’s cycling kit sucks almost as much as the women’s. Nice way to celebrate the big day, as a Des Moines wedding party attacks a 68-year old bike rider.
And Omaha police refuse to charge a driver for hitting a cyclist because he didn’t have lights or reflectors on his bike — four minutes after sunset.
