First up, Michael Eisenberg forwards video of a careless LA bus driver that came too close to making him Santa Monica road kill.
I’d like to say it was shocking, or even unusual. But most of us have been in that same position too many times.
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A British letter writer blames all bike riders for the death of one, in one of the most bizarre anti-bike rants I’ve read.
And even though the driver got off in the case that set him off, he questions when motorists will ever get a fair deal and be listened to.
I don’t know what planet he lives on, but it doesn’t appear to be this one.
To those cyclists that complain ‘It’s our right!’: So what?
Someone has died because you all fail to follow the rules, as cyclists do every day. Even if you did, so what? No driver wants to hit you, so stop this happening: give up. …
For your own safety leave the bike at home, get in the car like any rational person would. You’ve lost the fight for your right on the road and a legal precedent has been established.
Thanks to Carlton Reid for the link.
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This is why bicyclists need to fight for Santa Monica’s MANGo project, which is up for a vote at tonight’s city council meeting. Although someone should tell the local paper it’s actually a neighborhood greenway that will benefit everyone, rather than just a project for bike riders. Meanwhile, the NRDC voices its support.
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Tour de Palm Springs officials promise to review the event following the death of cyclist La Vonne Koester, who authorities now inexplicably blame for her own death.
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No bikes involved. Just a 21-year old drunk wrong-way driver who killed six people, including her own sister. And just four years after she was convicted of DUI at 17 — and received two other tickets while her license was apparently still suspended.
So six innocent people are dead because, once again, authorities didn’t care enough to keep a dangerous driver off the road.
As Tom Vanderbilt famously put it, drivers licenses are too easy to get and too hard to lose. And that needs to change.
Now.
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The LA Bicycle Advisory Committee steps up and tells the city councilmembers who appointed them to stop wasting time and money by stalling on bike projects. The City of LA may finally attempt to figure out what Complete Streets means. A member of the USC Bicycle Coalition calls on the university to stop opposing the MyFigueroa project that will help encourage non-motorized transportation to and from campus and keep students safer; but does the historically bike-unfriendly school administration give a damn are they listening? Bicycling is not dangerous, driving is. You could help fix our broken streets and have people like me on your case all the time, as LADOT is looking for a Senior Project Coordinator for the Bicycle Program. Wayfinding signage has finally come to the LA River; even if a new riverside park in Lincoln Heights remains sort-of fenced off. Santa Monica Spoke shares their excitement for the new SaMoHi Safe Routes to School Program. Better Bike is still waiting for those promised Beverly Hills bike racks. This week’s Bike Talk features some of the area’s leading women bike advocates talking, uh, bikes. Bicycling magazine offers a full spread on LA’s own Sweet Ride.
The Level of Service standard that favors motor vehicles over every other form of transport could finally be replaced by the state. Pedal Love shares a little pre-Valentines bike romance. San Diego’s Uptown neighborhood may be warming up to bikes after all, while the city hopefully votes for a bike-friendly — and non-perv — mayor. A San Diego cyclist is injured when the city repaves traffic lanes, but leaves the bike lane in worse condition than it was before; thanks to Mark Ganzer for the heads-up. An Ojai cyclist is flown to the hospital after an apparent solo crash. This is why you should let the authorities deal with a bike thief, as a Santa Cruz man is stabbed trying to stop one. That Santa Cruz Tesla driver who claimed he killed a cyclist because of the new car smell faces up to a year in prison, while his lawyer should get five years just for that bogus excuse; thanks to Brother Dave for the tip. Long time state Assembly Speaker Willie Brown hasn’t changed his anti-bike, pro-freeway attitude. A Napa Valley rider imitates Rodney King by asking if cyclists and motorists can get along.
Hit-and-run fatalities are on the way up nationwide, led by our own City of Fallen Angels. Of course. Bicycling lists nine great campuses for cyclists; not surprisingly, no SoCal colleges made the cutoff; see USC above. A Spokane cyclist’s estate gets a $120,000 settlement from the city for failing to maintain the dangerous intersection that killed him. Anchorage police chief says bikes and motorists can safely coexist. A bike advocate from my hometown says you’re safer when you ride like you belong there. So who do you have to kill to get a New York cabbie’s license revoked? Philly cyclists get a new pumptrack; and no, I had no idea what that was until I read the story. Race car drivers at Daytona urge drivers to be kind to cyclists. The Florida cyclist who was dumped behind a dumpster to die by a heartless hit-and-run driver speaks out, and he’s justifiably pissed-off — and paralyzed.
Next up on Kickstarter, a combination tail light and rear-view camera to record the drivers who run you down from behind. Olympic gold medalist Chris Boardman says cycling is safer than gardening; they must have some tough slugs in the UK. British Cycling offers a 10 point plan to get the country riding. Brit hit-and-run victim says drivers hate us; he’s not far off for some. US pro cycling prodigy Taylor Phinney wins his first pro tour. No, really, that South African official’s convoy stopped to help a fallen cyclist instead of running him over. Mastering the etiquette of Kiwi group riding.
Finally, a Nepal cyclist likes to live dangerously by riding his bike backwards across Africa and Asia. As usual, Bikeyface nails it in suggesting everybody should get a bike. And once again, the Cycling Embassy’s blog roundup puts the above link compendium to shame; the student has truly surpassed the master.
