A DIY Pasadena bike plan, US ebike panic ignores the real problem, and riding in LA feels like #2 because we’re #3

May 27, 2026 / / No comments

I’m writing this with a migraine that’s threatening to make my head explode. 

So if you see this, it means my meds finally kicked in; if not, someone please clean up whatever is left of me. 

Thank you for your attention to this matter. 

Photo by Aidan Nguyen from Pexels.

………

That’s more like it.

The Pasadena Complete Streets Coalition is leading a community-driven effort to draw their own bike plan for the Rose City, proposing a connected, all-ages-and-abilities network of Greenways on low-speed streets, with protected bike lanes on faster roadways.

The map will be unveiled on June 3rd for World Bicycle Day.

That will come about a month before the city begins work on a new Active Transportation Plan intended to update the 2006 Pedestrian Plan and 2015 Bicycle Transportation Action Plan, as well as other documents, combining them into a single comprehensive blueprint.

………

He gets it.

Writing for Electrek, Micah Toll argues that America is panicking over ebikes while ignoring the real problem.

As in, cars, and the people driving them.

If you spend enough time reading local news headlines these days, you’d be forgiven for thinking electric bicycles are one of the greatest threats facing American streets. Teenagers on fat-tire e-bikes, viral videos of wheelies, stories about injuries complete with ER doctor interviews… the same themes are playing on repeat…

Some riders behave irresponsibly. Some companies sell vehicles that blur the line between e-bikes and electric motorcycles. Some inexperienced riders are suddenly traveling at speeds they aren’t prepared to handle.

But somewhere along the way, the conversation seems to have lost all sense of proportion.

According to Toll, ebike and e-scooter deaths are averaging around 135 a year across the entire US. That includes everything from Lime scooters to illegal, high-speed motorbikes passing as bicycles.

Meanwhile, motor vehicles kill over 40,000 people every year. A difference of a mere 29,500%.

Clearly, we have to do something to rein in ebikes that exceed the legal limits, and don’t meet the definition of a bicycle, ped-assist or otherwise.

But focusing on the dangers posed by ebikes is like trying to swat a fly on a crashing jet.

A point made by a columnist for Cycling Weekly, who says recent concerns over speeding bicyclists also missed the mark.

In practice most of the people with an instinct for obeying a speed limit aren’t going to be the people who were any sort of problem – morons will continue to moron, delivery riders will still need to earn enough to eat. Why am I so sure, you ask? I’ll refer to you our roads in general. And, as on the roads in general, enforcement will be minimal. Meanwhile, cyclists will continue to take abuse from everyone, from the local paper to the House of Lords, much of it because of a group who aren’t actually riding bicycles. Honestly, it’s time to start treating different things differently.

And yes, “morons will continue to moron” sums up the debate as well as anything else I’ve seen.

But at least a California bill intended to address the illegal e-moto issue is moving forward.

Twitter post

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Riding a bicycle in Los Angeles may feel like number two, but we’re actually number three, according to a Texas law firm.

In a story focusing on how safe Salt Lake City is for bicycling, ranking 53rd out of the 55 most dangerous cities for bicyclists, there’s an almost casual mention of which cities came out on top.

New York was number one, Houston number two. LA finished third.

Clearly, local drivers have to try harder.

We also ranked third for air quality, which is only surprising because we’re usually ranked as the nation’s worst.

………

Streets Are For Everyone urges you to sign their open letter demanding that city leaders declare a Traffic Violence State of Emergency in Los Angeles; they’re nearing the goal of 1,000 signatures before it’s delivered to the city council.

And yes, my name is on it.

………

We have Megan to thank for a trio of news stories, beginning with a report on Boise, Idaho’s “Blessing Bike” getting seniors back out for a ride.

Karim Alim, co-founder of the Gaza Sunbirds paracycling team made up of Palestinians who have been injured or lost limbs as a result of the Israeli invasion, says their riding is a form of resistance.

And a group of Austin, Texas bike riders are roaming the city delivering food to people who may otherwise fall through the cracks.

………

The war on cars may be a myth, but the war on bikes just keeps on going.

A suspected “bike racing hater” is being blamed for removing over 50 route signs over a 12-mile stretch of Germany’s Rhön Cycle Marathon, the country’s most important long-distance bike race.

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Local 

Public radio program Marketplace profiles LA’s Black-owned Ride On! Bike Co-Op, which is surviving difficult market conditions thanks to an ebike library program.

This is who we share the road with. Former NYPD Blue star Kim Delaney reportedly settled a lawsuit over a hit-and-run crash that injured a motorcycle rider on Venice Blvd; witnesses say she appeared to be intoxicated, but she insists she only left the scene since she felt threatened because of her celebrity. Terms of the settlement were not made public.

The West Hollywood Bicycle Coalition will host the annual Pride Ride on Sunday, June 7th, departing from the Hollywood and Highland Metro Station at 10:30 am, and riding to the WeHo Pride Parade and Street Fair in West Hollywood.

 

State

Carlsbad cops can start ticketing ebike riders for violating the city’s crackdown, after a two-month warning period ended.

A San Raphael man must not like bike riders. The 64-year old man was arrested after he allegedly confronted a bunch of bike-riding kids, swinging a fist at one before grabbing another child’s bicycle, first threatening to steal it, then throwing it at the kid when they wouldn’t let go; the same man was arrested three years ago for punching a man on a bicycle, knocking him off the bike, then striking him with a pipe during an apparent theft attempt.

A 75-year old Bay Area man says he’ll be riding in a SAG wagon in support of one of the two two legacy events replacing the AIDS/LifeCycle Ride, which ended last year; he’s aiming to raise $1,500 supporting the ride, after raising over $6,000 riding in the other legacy ride — and surviving with HIV since before the disease had a name.

Davis will host an all-ages bicycle scavenger hunt on Saturday, the seventh edition of the bike ride; this year’s theme is Music, with a goal of helping a band get their sound back together.

Speaking of Davis, police investigators have closed the case of a 60-year old woman killed when her bicycle collided with a teenager who was legally riding a class 2 ebike on a local bike path, confirming that no charges will be filed.

 

National

A law group ranks the 25 bridges that bike riders fear the most; surprisingly, none are in Southern California. Although the results were based on a survey of just over 3,000 bike riders nationwide, raising questions of how someone is capable of judging bridges across the country that they’ve likely never seen, let alone ridden. 

That neo-Nazi adjacent “Bikes Will Not Replace US” sign we linked to yesterday was part of a protest against the weekend closure of a Seattle lakefront to motor vehicles. Because nothing says your cause is just like linking it to a Nazi slogan. 

A writer for a Washington State website recommends exploring Lummi Island by bicycle. However, riding to it requires communing with the fishes, since it can only be reached by boat.

Oceanside bike lawyer and BikinginLA sponsor Richard Duquette forwards a story about the economic impact of Durango, Colorado’s annual Iron Horse Classic offroad race. Unfortunately, though, you’ll have to find a way around the paper’s paywall. And have I mentioned lately that paywalls suck and are self-defeating?

It’s been a bad few weeks for bike-riding kids in the Great Lakes region, with a 12-year old Michigan girl dying six days after she was struck by a driver while riding home from an ice cream shop, and a 14-year old boy killed by a driver in Illinois — even though the story doesn’t even mention anyone operating the apparently driverless vehicle.

The participants in this year’s Remember the Removal Bike Ride set off from Tahlequah, Oklahoma on a nearly 950-mile ride retracing the infamous Trail of Tears, one of the most shameful acts in American history.

The Sierra Club and Sunrise Movement are hosting the Ride to End Fossil Fuels, a century ride across Connecticut calling for elected leaders and state agencies to take action to address the climate crisis.

That’s more like it. A Florida woman was sentenced to ten years behind bars for the hit-and-run death of a Navy veteran as he rode his bicycle in Pensacola three years ago, before fleeing to Kentucky to avoid prosecution, and having her car towed to Alabama to hide it from investigators; she will also face 18 years probation and lose her driver’s license for life.

 

International

Cardiff, Wales is combining new bike infrastructure with water conservation, designing bikeways that function as rain gardens and wildlife habitat, as well as providing shade, cooling the surrounding area and filtering air pollutants.

Bicycle ridership is surging and pedestrian injuries dropping on an Edinburg, Scotland bike path described as a “transport hell” and “the worst cycle lane in the world.”

An Irish study shows that over 80% of the country’s serious or fatal bicycling collisions occur during daylight hours and on straight roads, rebutting demands that bike riders be required to wear hi-viz.

 

Competitive Cycling

Jonas Vingegaard won his fourth mountain stage in this year’s Giro, taking stage 16 by more than a minute in a dramatic solo finish, while building a 4:03 lead over second place Felix Gall.

Defending Unbound 200 champion Cam Jones says he’s “genuinely scared” how fast he will be this weekend, as he defends his title on a prototype gravel bike with 32″ wheels, which will never be released to the general public.

A writer for Road.cc says gravel bikes go back at least 103 years to the 1923 Tour de France.

 

Finally…

Even the trees are out to get us these days. That feeling when bikeshare bikes outnumber seagulls on the local beaches. Nothing like relaxing with your three grand Zwift espresso maker.

And the deer are out to get us, too.

………

Be safe, and stay healthy. And get vaccinated, already.

Oh, and fuck Putin. 

 

Category: Morning Links / Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Results are in — bikes for the win, the normalization of anti-bike rage, and the great ebike battle goes on…and on

May 26, 2026 / / No comments

No surprise here.

A scoping review of 87 studies from 19 countries found clear benefits for social wellbeing in every study that measured it, concluding that bicycling not only improves physical fitness but also enhances mental well-being, reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression, strengthens social connections, and sharpens cognitive function.

But you probably didn’t need a study to tell you that, since you live it every time you ride.

At least, when the angry people in the big, dangerous machines let you.

Photo by Olya Kobruseva from Pexels.

………

Road.cc readers set off a minor online tempest over the weekend by questioning whether anti-bicyclist abuse on the roads of the UK and Ireland is getting worse.

That was posed this week by road.cc reader the little onion, who sparked the debate by revealing that they are shouted at by people in vehicles “once per hour or so of riding” in the north of England.

And almost always, the commenter noted, at the hands, horns and lips of male drivers.

“I reckon that about once per hour or so of riding, I get someone in a vehicle – almost exclusively male – winding down their window to randomly shout abuse at me, telling me to get a car, get off the f***ing road, or something like that.

“Mostly it is people overtaking, sometimes people travelling the other direction. And completely unprovoked, not reacting to anything I may have done, other than existing as a cyclist. Am I unique here? Does this chime with other people’s experiences?”

Evidently so, since that observation has been born out by recent studies.

A recent government report in Ireland found that a high percentage of women are put off riding a bike on the road thanks to an increasing “car culture”, “aggressive” driver behaviour, and potential abuse.

And earlier this year, a women’s cycling safety audit carried out by the Norwich Cycling Campaign noted that female cyclists are disproportionately affected by verbal abuse, intimidation, and street harassment while on their bikes.

However, while men are the usual perpetrators, the abuse seems to fall equally on both sides of the saddle.

“Unfortunately, it isn’t just you,” said NickSprink. “South of England here, I’d say just as common, especially if beeping of horns and finger gestures are included.”

Clem Fandango wrote: “Twice in the last six months I’ve been making my way along a quiet two-lane road. No vehicles behind me and no drama. Until on each occasion the driver of a vehicle coming the other way, and in no way affected by me minding my own business on the other side of the road, decided to roll down the window as they passed, to drop a C-bomb on me.

“No need for any conflict or interaction of any kind in that situation, it’s just pure narrow-minded abuse.”

Meanwhile, Momentum says the question isn’t whether anti-bicyclist abuse is getting worse, but why has it become so normal?

In North America especially, roads have been culturally framed as spaces built for cars first. So when someone rides a bike in traffic, some drivers react as if a social rule has been broken.

And because cycling has become tangled up in conversations about climate change, bike lanes, urban politics, and “car culture,” a simple bike commute can suddenly become symbolic to people already angry about broader social changes.

At the same time, roads themselves feel more hostile than they used to. Drivers are stressed, distracted, impatient, and increasingly isolated from one another inside vehicles. Cyclists — visible, exposed, and vulnerable — become easy targets for frustration that often has nothing to do with them personally.

One Reddit commenter captured it perfectly: “You are subject to this abuse simply because you are vulnerable to it.”

USA Today picks up the same theme in another story examining the “alarming rash of bike crashes” in the US.

“People have the opinion that cyclists don’t have the right to use the public roads,” said Maggie Ardito, who advocates for greater safety for cyclists as president of the St. Johns River-to-Sea Loop Alliance and as a board member of the Florida Bicycle Association.

Ardito says the sight of a group of cyclists can enrage drivers, and – in Ardito’s experience as a cyclist and a leader of the biking community in Florida – it’s been happening more and more.

And with predicable outcomes.

Data shows a concerning trend: Recent years have seen a sharp increase in bicyclist fatalities among men over the age of 20, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the Highway Loss Data Institute. Deaths have increased 15% since 1975, and 86% since an all-time low point in 2010. Meanwhile, fatalities have decreased for children. In 2024, 1,103 bicyclists died in traffic crashes, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data shows.

Granted, not every crash or death is the result of enraged drivers. The paper also blames over-engineered roads that encourage higher speeds and reckless driving.

Another reason, they say, is simply a numbers game. More bicyclists on the roads, combined with a post-pandemic rebound in motor vehicle traffic and a lack of safe bicycle infrastructure, means more people competing for the same space on the roads.

And yes, sometimes it’s the people on two wheels who are to blame, for crashes as well as going ballistic on the roads.

People who are more prone to road rage are more easily triggered than others by their experiences on the road, and may tend to perceive incidents (whether accidental or not) as personal slights, Hennessy said. Bikers can be just as guilty of aggressive behavior or dangerous driving, said Hennessy, who is a frequent cyclist himself.

“There are some cyclists who are antagonistic toward drivers,” he said. A cyclist might think a driver is coming up too close to them “because they’re a jerk,” he said. “In their mind, ‘How do you deal with a jerk? Well, you just piss them off even more, maybe you teach them a lesson.’ ”

Admittedly, we’re not all saints. Some of us are assholes most of the time, while most of us are assholes some of the time.

The difference is that people who ride bikes aren’t operating multi-ton weapons of mass destruction, capable of mowing down anyone and anything in their way.

Intentionally or otherwise.

But physically protected bike lanes can make a difference.  There are situations where even in the presence of a dedicated bike lane, unless it is protected by barriers, it may still be safest for a cyclist to ride in the road, Von Hagen said. Bike lanes can be risky if they are too narrow, and it’s all too easy for a car to drift or swipe a rider with a side mirror, she said. Bike lanes tend to be where people illegally park, or where garbage cans or accumulating fall leaves pile up.

The team at Rutgers studied driver and cyclist behavior before and after the implementation of a temporary bike lane in New Jersey. Men are generally more likely than women to ride in the street, while women are more likely to ride on the sidewalk, Younes said. When there is a protected lane, with physical barriers or a parking lane between a bike lane and car traffic, use is more universal, and people who are more risk-averse will use it instead of the sidewalk, Younes said.

And there’s nothing like that heady blend of antisemitic and anti-bike hate. Thanks to Ted Faber for the heads-up. 

Reddit post

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Streets For All reports they helped kill two bad ebike bills in the state legislature, and are working to get two others over the finish line.

Last week, two bills that would have devastated e-bike access in California died in the legislative process. Your advocacy helped make it happen.

AB 1557 (Papan) would have severely limited access to legal e-bikes by dismantling the standard 3-class e-bike system and limiting the speed and power of e-bikes. AB 1942 (Bauer-Kahan) would have required licensing and registration for e-bikes, products which do not currently exist in California.

Both AB 1557 and AB 1942 died in the Assembly Appropriations Committee after hundreds of you called, wrote, and lobbied your legislators.

This means that California just narrowly avoided the fate of New Jersey, where a new e-bike law going into effect in July is creating massive new bureaucratic hurdles to owning and riding an e-bike.

But we’re not stopping at just killing the bad bills.

This Monday our team went to Sacramento to build on the momentum for e-bikes. We met with legislators to make the case for SB 1167 (Blakespear), which would establish clear labeling requirements that distinguish legal e-bikes from illegal e-motos. We also pushed for more funding for California’s Active Transportation Program and a new statewide e-bike incentive program.

Here’s what we’re seeing: legislators want to get e-bike policy right. When they understand the real issue — that illegal e-motos, not legal e-bikes are what need regulating — most of them get it. SB 1167 already has strong bipartisan support. And AB 1569 (Davies), which directs the department of education to create an e-bike education curriculum for 7th-12th graders, just passed the Assembly and is heading to the Senate.

The two harmful bills are dead for this year. But they could easily return next session.

That’s why Streets For All works year-round in Sacramento: So the people making policy understand the difference between a legal e-bike and an illegal e-moto before the next bill drops.

Meanwhile, CNN breathlessly proclaims what ER doctors, prosecutors and parents want you to know about ebike dangers. But evidently, they don’t want you to know, since the story is hidden behind their paywall for subscribers only.

Apparently, things are no different north of the border, either.

Or even in Amsterdam, where officials want to implement a 12.5 mph speed limit to rein in illegal ebikes, but others warn that “young people don’t give a damn about a sign.”

On the other hand, New York State won’t take up consideration of an ebike bill this year, after legislators ran out of time to put one together.

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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 South Seattle writer complains about the city’s closure of a lakefront drive to motor vehicle traffic for 15 “Bicycle Weekends” this summer, framing it as a gentrifiers’ assault on “one of the very few simple pleasures enjoyed by the BIPOC and other marginalized communities that have been push-broomed into South Seattle,” because they can’t take a drive along the shore from Friday night to Monday morning. Apparently only wealthy, white people ride bicycles and “the BIPOC and other marginalized communities” never, ever want to take pleasant strolls or ride bikes on the lakefront. 

An Irish writer complains about commenters who insist on dissecting every positive comment about bicycling while proclaiming that not everyone can ride a bike for every purpose, as if no one had ever thought of that before. And that no one ever makes the same comments about car ads, even though many people can’t drive.

But sometimes, it’s the people on two wheels behaving badly.

The husband of an 80-year old woman who suffered a fatal brain injury when she was hit by a bicyclist participating in the Tour de Manc sportive on the Isle of Man complains that “it’s unbelievable” that people on bicycles can’t be prosecuted for speeding in the UK — even though the bike rider never topped the 30 mph speed limit, and had only two seconds to brake after she came into view on a descent.

A man riding salmon in Singapore stuck out his leg as a driver went past, in an apparent attempt to kick the car, for reasons known only to him.

@asiaone

The incident happened along the East Coast Park Service Road on Saturday (May 23) evening. #sgnews #Singapore #Cyclist #Road #Safety 📹: Facebook/SG Road Vigilante

♬ original sound – AsiaOne – AsiaOne

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Local 

LADOT is asking the city council to speed the implementation of the city’s pilot speed cam program without putting it through the usual competitive bid process, instead piggybacking off a contract approved by Oakland after going through competitive bidding up there. After all, what could possibly go wrong, since Los Angeles and Oakland are identical in every way?

The Eastsider features of photo by Gavin Brennan of E Bike Tours LA showing at least 15 dogs lined up in Griffith Park overlooking the city. Although that strikes me as about one corgi short of a pack. 

Streetsblog reports the half-mile Move Culver City Eastern Segment closed a key bikeway network gap with new bus and bike lanes on Washington and Adams.

There’s a special place in hell for the hit-and-run driver who knocked a 13-year old boy off his bicycle as he rode home from school in Cerritos last week, leaving the kid with a mouth full of broken teeth.

 

State

Calbike is hosting a webinar at noon tomorrow to discuss their strategic plan for 2030. My strategic plan is to still be on this side of the dirt by then.

A 46-year-old Rancho Cucamonga man faces a murder charge for attacking a homeless man riding a bicycle in a parking lot May 6th; 57-year-old Ricardo Castanon died of his injuries on Saturday.

A 15-year old boy suffered a broken leg when he slammed his Class 2 ebike into the side of a car in Pacific Beach, after the 17-year old driver made an illegal U-turn in front of him.

More proof there are still good people in the world, as the Ramona community rallied around a 37-year old autistic man after his ebike was stolen from the Circle K where he works, as one person donated a used ebike, others raised over $1,500 on a crowdfunding campaign, and a nearby business owner confronted the thief directly, demanding he return the ebike — which he did.

Like mother, like daughter, I guess. When Britney Spears was being arrested for DUI in Ventura County in March, she blurted out that her mom had killed a bicyclist in 1975; her mother Lynne was acquitted for killing a 12-year old boy when she was 20 years old.

An award-winning San Francisco chef reduces the stress of running two restaurants in the city while opening two more in Napa with “lethally fast” century rides.

Sad news from Roseville, where a bike rider was killed in a collision Monday morning. Or at least everyone is assuming it was the bike rider who died, and not the driver.

 

National

A writer for CNET says yes, you can replace your ebike with an AI-powered exoskeleton and a regular bicycle, but maybe you don’t want to.

Cycling West looks at “the incredible life of Paul Willerton,” a nearly lifelong bicyclist and founder of the bicycling sock brand DeFeet, who helped Greg LeMond recover his bike skills after he got an accidental shotgun blast to the gut courtesy of LeMond’s brother-in-law, who mistook the cycling great for a turkey.

Electrek examines the rise of the bike bus, and why people love them so much — like the weekly Roosevelt Bike Bus to Burbank’s Roosevelt Elementary School.

Now you, too, can be replaced by a robot, as engineering students at Olin College in Massachusetts have designed and built an autonomous self-balancing bicycle.

The New York Times examines the free adult bicycling classes offered by a local nonprofit group, full of nervous novice riders, many of whom are women.

A Complete Unknown and Marty Supreme star Timothée Chalamet is one of us, riding a bikeshare around New York on Friday.

A 48-year old Queens, New York man was critically injured when he was doored by a 15-year old girl opening the back door of the car she was in, knocking him into the path of an oncoming car. Dooring is one of the most common types of bicycling crashes, which is why both the Bike League and CyclingSavvy recommend riding in the middle of the traffic lane, away from swinging doors. 

No need to complain about the new bike lanes in the Town of Carthage, North Carolina, because they aren’t.

A Naples, Florida man faces charges for intentionally crashing his car into a child riding an ebike, swerving towards the victim before revving his engine and crashing into the kid — apparently for the crime of being out riding the bike after getting suspended from school.

 

International

A couple men are in the midst of a 50-day, 2,500-mile bike ride to raise awareness of the plight of Whooping Cranes, North America’s most endangered bird; the men are following the Central Flyway migration route from the Gulf Coast through central Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, the Dakotas, and the prairies of central Saskatchewan, Canada.

She gets it. A British Columbia woman writes that bike lanes aren’t a luxury for her family, and that “blaming traffic problems on bike lanes ignores the fact that an increasing proportion of people are choosing or needing to bike.” Amen, sister.

British taxpayers can continue to claim a 20 pence per mile credit on their taxes for riding a bike to work, which works out to about 27 cents a mile on this side of the Atlantic.

Spandau Ballet lead guitarist and songwriter Gary Kemp is one of us, bicycling for “fitness, camaraderie and stories,” as well as his mental health.

Cops in an Irish town face a backlash after accusing abusive “male youths on bicycles wearing dark clothing” of damaging the local castle’s gardens by building a bike ramp. But why would bicycles need to wear dark clothing?

An Irish woman explores why making sustainable choices like giving up meat and riding a bicycle prompt such rage and outsized emotions.

The Global Times offers photos from the weekend’s spring bicycle festival in Moscow, Russia. Which looks like what you could expect at any CicLAvia.

ABC — no, the other one — examines the long and painful road to a bike-friendly Australia.

 

Competitive Cycling

You can probably close the door on this year’s Giro d’Italia, after Jonas Vingegaard claimed the maglia rosa leader’s jersey on Saturday, while his Visma Lease a Bike team took firm control of the race.

Italian cyclist Enrico Zanoncello learned the hard way that one of the easiest ways to get kicked out of the Giro d’Italia is headbutting a competitor, after knocking rival sprinter Bob Donaldson off his bike in the closing meters of stage 15.

Belgian pro Victor Campenaerts fessed up to being behind the Giro’s pee-gate, admitting that he was the one who relieved himself in empty water bottles and tossed them to the side of the road.

Cycling Weekly takes a look at the competitors for this weekend’s 20th edition of Unbound Gravel in the Flint Hills region of east-central Kansas, including defending champ Cam Jones and our old favorite Taylor Phinney, with Polish cyclist Karolina Migoń and three-time US gravel champ Lauren Stephens heading up the women’s roster.

 

Finally…

Treat your kid to an officially branded Peppa Pig bike. That feeling when your Amazon cargo bike gets tree-bombed. If you’re going to steal a bicycle from under the nose of a cop, make sure they’re busy with more important things, first.

And yes, it is possible to make cars go bye.

………

Be safe, and stay healthy. And get vaccinated, already.

Oh, and fuck Putin. 

 

Category: Morning Links / Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

LA begs for six more years to start state-funded low-income community work, and Long Beach boy dies chasing ball into street

May 22, 2026 / / No comments

I hope y’all have recovered from your Bike Day hangovers, and come down from the high of a free transit day.

Something the corgi and I tried to take advantage of, but had to wait more than half an hour for the damn 2 bus to come. So if you ever wonder why people refuse to get out of their cars and use transit, put that kind of unreliability near the top of the list.

Speaking of getting people out of their cars, though, Metro is suing Burbank over its refusal to grant construction permits for the NoHo to Pasadena rapid bus route.

Maybe they should build it on Sunset Blvd, instead.

As usual, I’ll be taking Memorial Day off to remember those who gave their lives to give the freedom we seem so willing to give away these days.

And stay safe out there. I want to see you back here on Tuesday.

………

More evidence of the glacial pace and basic incompetence of LA City Hall.

According to LAist, the city says it needs six more years to complete safety projects in underserved communities, already as much as four years after Los Angeles received $100 million in grants from the state to do the work.

Which, by my count, makes that a ten year timeline, just to get started.

Los Angeles won more than $100 million from California in 2022 and 2023 to improve crosswalks, bike infrastructure and general mobility in historically underinvested communities. But it just doesn’t have enough people to implement the three projects in time, city officials have said.

To retain the entirety of the grant funding, the city has requested a six-year time extension on state-mandated deadlines to complete the pre-construction phases of the projects in Boyle Heights, Skid Row and Wilmington. The city is hoping the California Transportation Commission will evaluate its request in June.

Unless the California Transportation Commission, which administers the grant program, grants the city an extension, they’ll have to give all the money back.

One. Hundred. Million. Dollars.

In a city already experiencing a traffic violence emergency, where Vision Zero has failed, and traffic deaths significantly outpace murders. And for communities that bear the brunt of that violence, on both counts.

Los Angeles has always been inefficient, with city departments needlessly siloed when they should naturally work together.

Those same departments — LADOT, Engineering, City Planning and Street Services — have been historically understaffed, leaving LADOT basically begging for someone to work on bike projects.

That problem is compounded by the city’s financial problems, due largely to its penchant for paying outsized legal settlements, usually because of our cops. The same cops who got a big unfunded raise three years ago, along with a smaller increase for other city workers, also unfunded.

Leaving the city with a whopping $1 billion budget shortfall; planned layoffs were averted only by moving people around and making cuts in other areas.

Like repaving streets and fixing potholes. Never mind the six month wait to repair streetlights stripped of their copper wiring.

All of which resulted in virtual skeleton staffs unable to complete basic tasks, such a completing pre-construction work to fulfill state grants.

And resulting in shameful ten year-plus timelines just to get them shovel ready, despite all the talk we’ve heard about preparing city streets for the World Cup and the ’28 Olympics.

Maybe they’re just planning to hide communities like Boyle Heights, Skid Row and Wilmington.

You know, out of sight, out of mind.

And not a damn thing on the streets but trash and homeless camps.

………

Traffic violence clearly isn’t just a problem in Los Angeles.

Family members are mourning a Long Beach boy who was killed by a driver when the eight-year-old chased his ball out into the street, on a street where the posted speed limit is 40 mph.

Which means, at that speed, he only had about a 20% chance of survival — if the driver wasn’t speeding.

Never mind that most LA area drivers consider an extra five to ten mph over the posted limit their God-given right.

………

Culver City-based Walk ‘n Rollers is hiring an Administrative Assistant / Assistant Outreach Coordinator.

But you may have to guess how to contact them, because I can’t get the link to work. Maybe you’ll have better luck.

………

The war on cars may be a myth, but the war on bikes just keeps on going.

Medford, Oregon is ripping out a downtown protected bike lane to make room for 40 angled parking spaces. Because who cares about the safety of bike riders when the convenience of drivers is at stake?

Life is cheap in Georgia, where a road-raging driver was released on a lousy $12,500 bond after he threatened to shoot two men for riding their bicycles on the road, then backed into one of the victim’s bicycles — and even though it was the driver’s third arrest in three years. Although something tells me he’d still be behind bars if he wasn’t white. 

………

Local 

No surprise here, as the subway rider won Streetsblog’s race from Beverly Hills to DTLA on the D Line; the only surprise was that the driver beat the bike rider by a few minutes.

 

State

San Diego had over 100 pit stops for the city’s Bike Anywhere Day yesterday, while the Naval Base San Diego took part, too. Which compares favorably with the one pit stop that we know about in the LA Area, at Pasadena City Hall. 

The Bay Area saw a dramatic increase in participation in the area’s Bike Anywhere Day, with actual swag bags given to passing riders at numerous “energizer stations.” Which compares favorably to Los Angeles, where no one knows how many bike riders participated, or even knew about it, and most who did got nothing but a good ride on a nice day.

Sad news from Grass Valley, north of Sacramento, where a 7th grade schoolboy died nine days after he was struck by a driver while riding his bike.

A Chico man got his bike back when police spotted it outside a homeless camp, after it was one of several bikes stolen from a local bike shop

 

National

Reuters puts licensing rights up for sale on a photo of the ghost bike for two bike riders killed in the Goodyear, Arizona crash, in 2023, which injured 19 other people. Feels kind of like grave robbing to me, with the company attempting to profit off the grief of others.

A Vermont man is still refurbishing bicycles at 81 years old, selling the finished bikes for $25 to $50, or just giving them away if the mood strikes.

That’s more like it. A 68-year old Philadelphia man will spend a minimum of six-and-a-half years behind bars, and possibly as much as 21 years, for the hit-and-run death of a lawyer riding in a bike lane, while the driver was allegedly under the influence and doing 65 mph; he also struck another bike rider, who survived the crash.

The 26-year old grandson of basketball legend Mike Krzyzewski has been charged with felony death by motor vehicle and involuntary manslaughter for killing a 15-year old North Carolina kid riding an ebike.

If you want to keep your bike safe from thieves, Florida researchers have determined that you should leave it on top of a hill. Because thieves evidently don’t like climbing hills, even if they can ride a hot bike down.

A Vero Beach, Florida bank president is postponing his planned 70 mile fundraising ride to mark his 70th birthday for about six months, after he broke his leg in four places when he lost air from his tire on a training ride.

 

International

Three men rode their bikes from Argentina to the United States, crossing more than more than 10,000 miles and 17 countries to follow the Argentine national team at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Sounds kind of Messi to me.

Canadian mounties are looking for a hit-and-run dirt bike rider who knocked a 63-year old woman off her bicycle and into a Vancouver Island ditch, leaving her with broken ribs.

No bias here. Readers of a newspaper in Leeds, England, debate the expansion of the city’s bike lanes, which have grown 113 miles over the past ten years — or an average of just 11.3 miles a year.

I want to be like her when I grow up. A 78-year old British woman is setting off on a nearly 400-mile solo bike ride across Europe, her 32nd fundraising ride in the past 32 years.

A writer for Cycling News goes down an AliExpress rabbit hole in search of low cost deals on bike gear on the Chinese website, and discovers a Wild West of fake parts, misspelt brands, dubious deals, and no safety guarantees.

 

Competitive Cycling

Cycling News says Italy’s Filippo Ganna just wants to win a race that isn’t a time trial, after taking the Tuscan time trial stage of the Giro d’Italia — his eighth Giro stage win, seven of which have been TTs.

Speaking of the Giro, Belgian Alec Segaert claimed a solo victory in Thursday’s stage 12 with a perfectly timed breakaway less than two miles from the finish, as teammate Afonso Eulálio held onto the pink leader’s jersey.

 

Finally…

This is what too many bike lanes look like.

Bluesky post

No, seriously. That’s all we’ve got today. 

………

Be safe, and stay healthy. And get vaccinated, already.

Oh, and fuck Putin. 

 

Category: Morning Links / Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Happy Bike Day such as it is, sex workers protest Mexico City bikeway, and summing up CA candidates in a single sentence

May 21, 2026 / / 3 comments

My apologies for yesterday’s unexcused absence.

I’m learning in real time that my body no longer responds like it did when I rode a bike every day, which seems like something I should have learned a long time ago.

Okay, so I’m a little slow.

There’s a limit to what I can do now before I just shut down. And trying to dig a little deeper like I did on m bike just makes it shut down harder.

Oh, and diabetes sucks.

That one I already knew. But still. 

Today’s photo: Metro Bike is free today for Bike Day, no matter how many legs you have, and whether you fit on the seat or in the basket. 

………

Happy Bike Day in Los Angeles County.

No, seriously, that sound you hear is me whipping out the noisemakers.

Metro and Metrolink buses and trains will be free today for anyone with a bicycle or a bike helmet, along with free Metro Bike bikeshare rides; some other bus lines will likely participate, but your mileage may vary.

Twitter post

Pasadena will host a Bike Day pit stop at City Hall from 7 am to 9:30 am handing out free coffee, snacks, and giveaways for anyone who shows up on a bike.

Meanwhile, a San Diego bike co-op is bypassing that city’s Bike Anywhere Day because the San Diego County Association of Government, aka SANDAG, which is sponsoring it, is selling information from a criminal database to the feds.

………

Um, okay.

NPR reports that Mexico City is getting pushback after preparing to host the World Cup by opening the new 15-mile Great Tenochtitlan Bike Highway, running from the center of town all the way to the main World Cup stadium.

Not from drivers. Or business owners.

Sex workers.

Like other professionals that claim their sales are down after a bike lane goes in, the street walkers of Calzada de Tlalpan insist their earnings are down 70%, because the bike lane now covers the outer lane of the roadway where they used to stand and negotiate with customers.

And while bikes may be good for business, as a rule, they offer very little privacy.

Although they do travel at a slower pace, allowing riders more time to examine their, uh, options. And giving everyone more time to drive a hard bargain or lend a hand.

Thanks to Joel for the heads-up. 

………

If you’re still stuck on who to vote for, the Golden State Report’s Mariel Garza offers the most concise summary of the candidates running for California governor I’ve seen.

The former Los Angeles Times Opinion editor says forget about the polls, and vote for the candidate who most closely matches your values, while somehow managing to accurately capture the gist of each one in just a single sentence.

For example,

Vote for:

Xavier Becerra if you are happy with the way the state has been heading policy-wise and prefer a governor with unquestioning loyalty to the Democratic Party who is unlikely to make substantial changes…

Steve Hilton if you are a Republican or a conservative-leaning independent who is not super MAGA, but wants the state to abandon its climate-change objectives and focus on drilling and logging.

Matt Mahan if you want a business- and tech-friendly centrist Democrat as governor who will bring a flavor of San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie to the whole state…

It’s worth clicking through to read the entire, very brief, piece.

Because she nails it.

And she did more to clarify my thinking than two months worth of angry debates filled with gubernatorial wannabes shouting over one another.

Speaking of Garza, she also considers LA Mayor Karen Bass’ concern about trash lining the streets of the Golden State, as if the mayor’s fair city isn’t the biggest offender.

Look, I’m not saying I’m old.

But I remember when Los Angeles had trash cans on every corner of every thoroughfare, and people who actually came out and emptied them once or twice a week.

Ask your grandparents, kids.

And I, for one, can’t wait for people come here for the World Cup, and return home talking about the squalor they found on the streets of Los Angeles.

Yeah, us.

………

Megan forwards news that San Jose bike riders will soon have to share bike lanes with DoorDash delivery robots. Never mind that people on bicycles could face added risk from motorists un inattentive motorists while swerving around the bots blocking the bike lane.

………

The war on cars may be a myth, but the war on bikes just keeps on going.

A New Jersey letter writer, who cites his experience founding a bike bus and as a Scouting Bicycling Merit Badge Counselor as his source of expertise, says opposition to New Jersey’s draconian licensing requirement for all ebikes is disingenuous, because it usually hinges on the benefits of ebikes for elderly people, who aren’t the primary buyers of ebikes. As if there aren’t multiple types of ebikes and users, with multiple motivations, and no possible options between no regulation and a heavy-handed crackdown.

Drivers in Oxfordshire, England oppose a new plan to convert ten streets, out of God only knows how many, into quiet streets for people who “walk, wheel, cycle, and horse ride.” Because of course they do.

This is what a punishment pass looks like. And why a driver got the equivalent of a $5,800 fine and lost his license for three months — even if video like that couldn’t be used as proof of a traffic violation in most of this country.

But sometimes, it’s the people on two wheels behaving badly.

A website devoted to odd stories lists 15 crimes involving bicycles that you didn’t know, even though it’s actually 14, and only 13 if you don’t consider Lance’s doping a criminal offense. And they apparently don’t know that the outlaw Harry Longabaugh was better known as the Sundance Kid.

A Punjabi political writer complained about the state governor riding a bike to the capital on No Car Day, noting he lives directly across the street and could have just walked, instead of stopping traffic for his short bike ride.

………

Local 

Streetsblog says progress is being made on the long-delayed Mid-City Greenways project, including a new roundabout and diverter on Rosewood Ave; the project aims to connect Rosewood, Formosa Ave and Orange Drive to make them more conducive to walking and bicycling

Walk ‘n Rollers is hosting a walk to explore the Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve, while Bike Culver City is holding a feeder ride to get there.

 

State

Sad news from San Luis Obispo, where someone riding a bicycle was killed in a collision around noon yesterday.

This is who we share the road with. The CHP has identified the 24-year old driver who fled on foot after killing two 20-year old men who had stopped their e-motorcycles in the roadway, while allegedly speeding and under the influence.

 

National

CyclingSavvy offers advice on how to avoid potholes and the dreaded pinch flat. Although I’d be far more concerned about the dreaded face plant.

Velo offers their expert picks on how to pick the best gravel bike. And for a change, when they say expert, they might actually mean it. 

Officials in Eugene, Oregon discuss bike safety plans after four bicycling deaths already this year, ten years after committing to Vision Zero. Although they apparently didn’t have much to say. 

This is who we share the road with, part two. A Vancouver, Washington driver is accused of intentionally running down two teenaged kids who were sharing a dirt bike and allegedly harassing people in a parking lot.

Life is cheap in Denver, where a hit-and-run driver walked without a single day behind bars for killing a 21-year-old Turkish aerospace engineering student riding a bicycle in the city.

Colorado-based Niner Bikes is apparently the latest bike brand to bite the dust, pausing operations while its parent company ponders its future direction. Which is business speak for “We outta here.”

A Milwaukee writer debates her rights as a bicyclist versus her instincts for self-preservation, and to just, you know, be nice.

A new two-way bike lane will allow bicyclists to circle all of Belle Isle, Michigan, a nearly 1,000 acre island in the middle of the Michigan River off Detroit — even though the map appears to show it as a straight route through the heart of the island.

New York is preparing for next month’s World Cup by doubling the width of one of the city’s busiest protected bike lanes. Meanwhile, Los Angeles is preparing by doing what it does best. Nothing. 

 

International

Momentum offers tips on how to stay cool, hydrated and comfortable on your ride to work.

Bike Radar makes the case for why every bike should have mud guards, including your 4.5 oz Unobtainium-frame roadie.

Montréalais et Québécois are being urged to take the Metro or ride a bike to attend the Canadian Grand Prix, since the F1 event is ironically carfree.

Naturally, the popular “bun run” in the shadow of Windsor Castle has been reframed in the context of bike vs cars. Because when you only have one lens, that’s how you see everything.

I want to be like him when I grow up. A 91-year old British gent is in the midst of a 500-mile fundraising ride.

Now you, too, could own Albert Einstein’s German bike seat. Even though it was the other end of the famed physicist that came up with the Theory of Relativity and such. 

 

Competitive Cycling

In case you missed the more cryptic mention the other day, pro cyclists have been asked not to pee in their water bottles and toss them onto the side of the road. Because racing fans like to pick up discarded souvenirs.

Carson’s VELO Sports Center will host a UCI 2 six-event track cycling series, offering a preview of competition ahead of the ’28 Los Angeles Olympic Games.

The San Diego Velodrome will comply with new rules banning trans women by making all future sanctioned races “open” for competitors of any gender, with the expectation that most people will still select races that align with their gender identity.

 

Finally…

Your next ebike could be a woodie. That feeling when a bike lane is “failed” and “underutilized” because it’s full of parked cars.

And you can’t say we haven’t made progress over the past few millennia; thanks to Steven for forwarding.

………

Be safe, and stay healthy. And get vaccinated, already.

Oh, and fuck Putin. 

 

Category: Morning Links / Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Guest post: Torrance Candidates Weigh In on Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Ahead of June Election

May 19, 2026 / / No comments

We mentioned earlier today that the South Bay Bicycle Coalition Plus has prepared a candidate survey for people running for office in Torrance.

Below you’ll find the full questionnaire, as well as the responses they’ve received to date. 

If anyone else has something similar to share, let me know.

………

RE: 2026 Torrance Candidate Questionnaire –
South Bay Bicycle Coalition Plus (SBBC+)

To: Candidates for Torrance Mayor and City Council

From: Kyle Richardson, SBBC+

Date: April 2, 2026

Dear Candidates,

For several years, the South Bay Bicycle Coalition (SBBC+) has engaged with local candidates to facilitate meaningful discussions regarding pedestrian and bicycle safety. To accommodate your busy schedules, we are utilizing a written questionnaire in lieu of an in-person forum.

About SBBC+

The South Bay Bicycle Coalition is a neutral 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. We do not endorse candidates or provide opinions on which individual is best suited for office. Our goal is to provide voters with clear information on where candidates stand on active transportation issues.

The results of this questionnaire will be shared with our network of approximately 1,500 active community members and distributed to local news outlets, including the Easy Reader and Beach Reporter.

 

Election Overview

On June 2, 2026 , Torrance residents will elect a Mayor and three City Council members. We are reaching out to the following candidates:

  • Mayor: George Chen, Sharon Kalani
  • District 1: Jonatan Kaji, David Kartsonis
  • District 3: Asam Sheikh, Mike Mauno
  • District 5: Michelle Brooks, Betty Lieu, Harry Ward

 

Submission Guidelines
  • Word Limit: Please limit each response to 250 words.
  • Profile: Please include a brief candidate profile with your submission.
  • Deadline: Please submit your responses to the undersigned by May 1, 2026.

 

Questionnaire:

1. Active Living: If elected, how would you encourage residents to become more active (e.g., walking or cycling more)?

2. Safety: What specific steps would you take to make our streets safer for pedestrians and bicyclists of all ages and abilities?

3. Regional Transit: Do you support the Redondo Beach Boulevard Metro Active Transportation Program, and would you direct the Public Works Department to prioritize the implementation of protected bike lanes along this corridor?

4. Infrastructure Pace: Since the adoption of the South Bay Bicycle Master Plan in 2012, Torrance has implemented roughly 10% of the proposed network. To ensure a connected community is realized within a modern timeframe, a more robust pace is required. Do you support the completion of this plan, and what specific strategies would you champion to accelerate its delivery?

5. E-Bike Policy: Following public safety concerns, the City Council restricted Class 3 e-bike usage in December 2025. However, much of the documented reckless behavior involves high-powered “e-motos” rather than traditional electric bicycles. Before implementing further restrictions, will you commit to engaging with local bicycle communities to understand the technical and legal distinctions between street-legal e-bikes and unregulated electric motorcycles?

6. Closing Statement (Optional): Please provide a final statement to the voters.

Thank you for your time and your commitment to the City of Torrance.

Sincerely,

Kyle Richardson South Bay Bicycle Coalition Plus, Inc.

The South Bay Bicycle Coalition is designated by the IRS as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization and your donation qualifies as a charitable contribution under the applicable federal tax law.

………

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Torrance, CA — The South Bay Bicycle Coalition (SBBC+) has released candidate responses to its 2026 bicycle and pedestrian safety questionnaire ahead of the June 2 Torrance municipal election. Of the 9 candidates contacted, four responded.

Candidates were asked where they stand on safer streets, bike lanes, Safe Routes to School, the Redondo Beach Boulevard Metro Active Transportation Program, and e-bike policy.

The responses show growing recognition that safer streets, connected bike infrastructure, and walkable neighborhoods are increasingly important issues for Torrance residents.

 

What Candidates Said

Several candidates highlighted:

  • Safer sidewalks, intersections, and crosswalks
  • Protected or connected bicycle infrastructure
  • Traffic calming near schools and parks
  • Expanded Safe Routes to School programs
  • Increased implementation of the South Bay Bicycle Coalition Master Plan
  • Better distinction between legal e-bikes and high-powered electric motorcycles (“e-motos”)
  • Community engagement before adopting additional restrictions

Many candidates also emphasized balancing safety, mobility, neighborhood concerns, and regional connectivity.

 

Candidate Highlights

 

Mayoral Race

Sharon Kalani

Mayoral candidate Sharon Kalani stated that “a more active Torrance starts with safer streets” and expressed support for safer sidewalks, traffic calming, connected bike routes, and expanded Safe Routes to School programs.

Kalani also voiced support for evaluating protected bike lanes along Redondo Beach Boulevard and called for accelerating implementation of the South Bay Bicycle Coalition Master Plan through grant funding, regional coordination, and integrating bicycle improvements into resurfacing projects.

Regarding e-bike policy, Kalani emphasized the importance of distinguishing legal Class 1–3 e-bikes from illegal or modified electric motorcycles and stated that policy should focus on unsafe behavior and enforcement of existing laws rather than broad restrictions on responsible riders.

 

Torrance City Council – District 1

David Kartsonis

District 1 candidate David Kartsonis stated that Torrance has “dropped the ball on cycling infrastructure” and called for prioritizing implementation of the SBBC+ Master Plan. Kartsonis highlighted the success of the North Torrance Bike Bus and said he would work to standardize bike bus programs throughout the city, including creating marked bike bus routes to schools.

He also expressed strong support for the Redondo Beach Boulevard Metro Active Transportation Program, calling it an already-funded project that would improve safety and regional connectivity.

On e-bike policy, Kartsonis stated that “Class III e-bikes are not e-motos” and said the city should focus on dangerous behavior rather than restricting bicycles themselves.

 

Torrance City Council – District 3
Asam Sheikh

District 3 candidate Asam Sheikh emphasized maintaining sidewalks, crosswalks, parks, trails, and recreational spaces to encourage active living.

Sheikh stated that public safety is a top priority and supported improvements including better street lighting, sidewalk maintenance, and safer intersections near schools and parks.

While not taking a definitive position on the Redondo Beach Boulevard Metro Active Transportation Program, Sheikh stressed the importance of public outreach, traffic analysis, and involvement from the Traffic Commission before major transportation decisions are made.

Sheikh also expressed support for engaging bicycle communities and industry experts before adopting additional e-bike restrictions.Torrance City Council – District 5

 

Betty Lieu

District 5 candidate Betty Lieu expressed support for promoting walkable and bikeable neighborhoods and community events that encourage active transportation.

Lieu stated that Torrance should continue expanding bike lanes and traffic calming infrastructure while promoting safety education.

Although Lieu did not take a formal position on the Redondo Beach Boulevard Metro Active Transportation Program before it comes before council, she said the project’s goals align with her values.

Lieu also emphasized the importance of stakeholder input and informed decision-making regarding future e-bike policies.

 

Candidate Participation

The following candidates did not submit completed responses to the questionnaire:

● George Chen (Mayor)

● Jonathan Kaji (District 1)

● Mike Mauno (District 3)

● Michelle Brooks (District 5)

● Harry Ward (District 5)

 

Why It Matters

Residents across Torrance have increasingly called for safer streets, especially near schools and along major corridors. Programs like local bike buses have helped demonstrate growing demand for safer options for families walking and biking around the city.

SBBC+ said the 2026 election gives voters an opportunity to evaluate where candidates stand on traffic safety, active transportation, public health, and infrastructure investment.

North Torrance Bike Bus

About the South Bay Bicycle Coalition

The South Bay Bicycle Coalition (SBBC+) is a community advocacy organization working to improve bicycle and pedestrian safety, expand active transportation infrastructure, and promote healthier, more sustainable mobility throughout the South Bay region. SBBC+ is designated by the IRS as a 501(c)3 non profit organization. Donations qualify as a charitable contribution under the applicable federal tax lax.

Category: Advocacy & Politics / Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Watch for smoke near Simi Valley, RoS meets LA Traffic Violence State of Emergency, and good bills die young in CA legislature

May 19, 2026 / / One comment

Before we get started, thanks to Kyle for sharing a candidate questionnaire prepared by the South Bay Bicycle Coalition for city offices in Torrance. 

Out of the nine candidates they contacted, four responded. It’s going to take me some time to format the questionnaire and their responses, so I’ll try to share it as a separate post later today. 

Let me applaud them for making the effort. Others have attempted similar surveys here in Los Angeles and surrounding communities, with varying degrees of success. It’s hard to get candidates to pay attention these days, let alone take the time to answer. 

I used to question candidates for my home council district, but as more money from special interests have flooded local races, the responses dwindled to roughly none. 

Okay, exactly none. 

So a nearly 50% response rate is pretty damn good. 

………

If you’re in the Simi Valley or West San Fernando Valley areas, keep your eyes on the skies for the next few days.

The Sandy Fire has swelled to 1,300 acres, which could affect where you ride. But more important, it can affect the air you breath if you happen to find yourself downwind of the flames.

Wildfire smoke contains tiny particulates and toxins that can cause lasting harm, and affect your lung health for days, if not weeks, afterwards — let alone the possibility of damage that can last for years, if not a lifetime.

As a bicyclist, your ability to draw in strong and healthy breaths are of vital importance, providing a lifelong benefit.

It’s not something you want to take foolish chances with.

And yes, that includes smoking, too.

………

As far as I’m concerned, tomorrow night mark’s one of the most important rides of the year.

The annual Ride of Silence takes place in cities around the world to remember those lost to, or injured by, traffic violence.

It’s a time to honor those victims — and we have a lot this year — and to call for traffic safety improvements. So that someday, the last person killed on our streets really will be the last person killed on our streets.

This year, we also call on Los Angeles city leaders to declare a Traffic Violence State of Emergency, after the complete and total failure to implement, let alone achieve, Vision Zero over the past decade. So if you haven’t already, sign the letter.

Then contact the mayor and your councilmember to demand action on safer streets.

Now.

And if they won’t do something, vote for someone who will.

Here are all the RoS rides I know about this year. If you know of any more, let me know and I’ll post them tomorrow.

Bakersfield
Contact: Louis Bravos   <–Send email
Distance: 8 mi
Notes: Meet at Café Smitten downtown 909 18th Street at 6:35. We will read names of riders to remember and the Ride of Silence poem with enough time to gather and start in silence at exactly 7:00 PM in brotherhood with all Ride of Silence events in our time zone.
Los Angeles
Contact: Rafael Hernandez   <–Send email
Distance: 10 mi.
Notes: Contact the organizer for more details.
Palm Springs
Contact: John Siegel   <–Send email
Distance: TBD
Notes: 2026 Ride of Silence

Wednesday, May 20, 6:30 pm, Ruth Hardy Park, Palm Springs
Pasadena
Contact: Thomas Cassidy   <–Send email
Distance: TBD
Notes: When
May 20, 2026, 6:15 PM – 8:30 PMWhere
Rose Bowl (Lot K), Parking lot, Pasadena, CA 91103, USA
Rancho Cucamonga
Contact: Cycling Connection Nancy Michalski    <–Send email
Distance: 13 mi.
Notes: Details here:
https://www.facebook.com/events/2842469792752657

Redding

Contact: Doug Holt   <–Send email
Distance: 8.8 mi.
Notes: Ride starts at Shasta Bike Depot 1322 California St. Redding.
Start time 7:00 PM. Public parking on south side of Bike Depot.

An additional Ride of Silence will be held in Long Beach, according to Bike Long Beach.

Ride and Walk of Silence

Organized by Car-Lite LB, community members, advocates, families, and local leaders will gather at Trolley Park at 2nd and Redondo on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, at 5:00 PM for the Ride of Silence, a worldwide memorial event honoring the lives lost and forever changed by traffic violence in Long Beach and beyond.

The gathering will provide a space for remembrance, reflection, and solidarity while calling attention to the urgent need for safer streets for everyone — including people walking, biking, using mobility devices, and driving.

Afterward, pedestrians and cyclists will walk and ride westbound on 2nd St to Bixby Park and from there head to Bluff Park for a candlelight vigil overlooking the ocean.

………

Speaking of the victims of traffic violence, Christian forwarded news over the weekend that an 87-year old man was killed by a driver while riding a mobility scooter in Irvine Thursday night.

According to the Irvine Police Department,

On May 14, 2026, at around 8:30 p.m., the Irvine Police Department (IPD) responded to a traffic collision involving a Tesla SUV and an 87-year-old man using a mobility scooter at the intersection of Irvine Boulevard and Groveland.

IPD and Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) immediately responded and attempted life-saving measures; however, the man was pronounced deceased at the scene. The driver of the Tesla was transported to a hospital for minor injuries and is cooperating with investigators.

Preliminary information indicates the driver of the Tesla was traveling westbound on Irvine Boulevard with a green signal light, while the man on a mobility scooter traveled northbound in the crosswalk at Groveland when the collision occurred. DUI is not believed to be a factor in the collision.

Let’s repeat that.

The victim was an 87-year old man who needed a mobility scooter to get around. But cops somehow had to blame him because he couldn’t clear the crosswalk fast enough for a driver who couldn’t manage to avoid someone on a mobility device directly in front of them.

I mean, it’s not like Teslas come loaded with cameras and collision avoidance systems, or anything.

………

Streetsblog offers a recap of the transportation bills that bit the dust at the state legislature at the first deadline, as well as the handful that managed to move forward.

And some very good bills died an ignominious death.

To wit,

  • AB 1557 would have limited the motor output of ebikes sold in the state to a maximum of 750 watts, aligning it with federal definitions; however, a similar bill (SB 1167) is still alive in the Senate.
  • AB 1833 would have allowed drivers voluntarily opt into insurance telematics, with privacy protections, to allow insurance rates to better align with actual behavior, so safer drivers could pay less.
  • AB 1976 would have streamlined planning, construction and protection of pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure across the state.
  • The good news is, AB 1942, which would have required owners of Class 2 and Class 3 electric bicycles to register them with the DMV and display a special ebike license plate, is dead — for this session of the legislature, anyway.
  • And SB 1035 would have suspended the state gas tax and other fuel charges for one year, which would have been a disaster for highway maintenance.

Among the bills moving forward,

  • AB 1546 increases penalties for repeat DUI offenders to bring California law more in line with other states.
  • AB 1662 would allow drivers who avoid fines through a court-mandated misdemeanor diversion program to still receive points on their driving record.
  • AB 2276 would have created a statewide pilot program requiring reckless and excessive speed offenders to install active intelligent speed assistance devices in their vehicles before they could regain driving privileges.
  • SB 1423 would steer half of State Transportation Improvement Program funds to projects to improve safety for people walking, biking, and taking transit, while also making the state’s top safe streets grant program easier for cities to access.

………

Bike Long Beach invites you for Bikes and Coffee at the end of the month.

Toss in some donuts, and I’m in. Although for diabetics like me, that could be considered assisted suicide.

………

LADOT wants you to check out the proposed final design for Pico Blvd between Crenshaw and Figueroa. And if “proposed final design” doesn’t tell you what’s wrong with LA’s process, I don’t know what will.

Twitter post

………

Support the NoHo to Pasadena Bus Rapid Transit line tomorrow.

Twitter post

………

ActiveSGV invites you to learn more about the El Monte Clean Mobility Nexus Program.

Twitter post

………

Thanks to Megan for forwarding a pair of recent videos.

In the first, a Bay Area nonprofit exec is taking on the “grueling challenge” of Everesting in downtown Los Gatos to help fund a program that helps people transition out of prison, after losing $3.4 million in federal funding. And yes, you can thank Elon Musk and his chainsaw for that.

In the second, Italian TV reports on a crash that was barely reported here, as a driver slammed into a bike and a group of pedestrians, injuring eight people — four critically. Police were unsure if it was an act of terrorism, or just another “accident.” It’s also unclear if anyone was on the bike at the time.

………

Just stunning.

Bluesky post

………

The war on cars may be a myth, but the war on bikes just keeps on going.

No bias here. An angry driver leaped out of his car to confront the UK’s Cycling Mikey, raging that “everybody hates you” for the bicyclist’s history of filming drivers illegally using their cellphones. Because the real problem isn’t distracted driving or even breaking the law, but getting caught.

………

Local 

Secret Los Angeles looks forward to this summer’s CicLAvia—Meet the Hollywoods, connecting East and West Hollywood with seven miles of carfree streets this July. Although that skips over next month’s CicLAvia connecting Leimert Park with Exposition Park.

Metrolink will offer free rides for bicyclists on Thursday’s Bike Day, not to be confused with last week’s mostly ignored Bike to Work Day.

 

State

Forget traffic safety. The Laguna Beach PoliceDepartment led a multi-agency traffic enforcement operation that resulted in 140 citations — with a focus on loud and modified exhaust systems, while also netting three illegally modified ebikes.

The Pacific Beach Planning Group heard the case for opening a one-block section of Ocean Blvd to pedestrians and bicyclists on weekends, who already make up nearly 74% of all traffic for that section.

Bike riders in Santa Maria celebrated the city’s inaugural BiciChella event.

A German writer tours Specialized’s Morgan Hill HQ, and gets to see a military-style ebike customized for Arnold Schwarzenegger, and one made for Jason Momoa, “the actor from Aquaman.” Although I must have missed the sequence where he rides his undersea bicycle, effortlessly flipping through gearing on the fl…uh, swim.

 

National

Denver is opening yet another round of ebike rebates, though the amount has gone down to a max of $675, which can be combined with state rebates of $225. Which is about $675 more than Los Angeles offers, combined with $0 from California. 

A former Southern Californian is spending her retirement just a few miles from my Colorado hometown, putting over 10,000 miles on her bike. Or as I used to consider it back in the day, a good year. 

The Canadian National Railway agreed to sell an abandoned railroad grade for a new bike trail to connect Hurley, Wisconsin to Montreal. No, the other Montreal, about three miles away in Wisconsin.

A prothetic limb specialist in Saginaw, Michigan is attempting to address the global mobility crisis by fabricating prosthetic legs from old bicycle parts. Especially since wars in Ukraine, Iran, Sudan and other hotspots are increasing the need every day, with help from motorists.

Richmond, Kentucky will get its first singletrack course, in part because an 8th grade teacher and a bunch of kids in matching blue and orange jerseys stood before the city council to demand it.

A Florida triathlete was lucky to escape with road rash and a deep forehead cut when he got right hooked by a truck driver, despite riding in a completely coned-off lane.

 

International

Road.cc takes a deep dive into the Rover Safety bicycle, which they describe as the first commercially successful modern bike, introduced in 1885.

Um, okay. An “ebike fan” writes about his favorite bike helmets for the London Telegraph, and how to choose the best one. So next week, we can probably expect a “bike helmet fan” writing about ebikes.

No surprise here, as a new report says aggressive drivers are the main thing putting Irish women off bicycling. Aside from Irish men, that is. 

You may have seen this one before, but Steven forwards “a perfect example” of our car-centric roads from Swedish artist Karl Jilg.

 

Competitive Cycling

The 2028 Tour de France will move to the end of June to avoid a conflict with the Los Angeles Summer Olympic Games, rather than the usual July start.

Portugese cyclist Afonso Eulálio continues leading the Giro as the peloton reaches the first rest day, though even he recognizes his time in pink is short, if not over.

 

Finally…

That feeling when you name a local hiking and biking trail to scare the tourists away. Who says you have to go butterfly hunting on your feet with a net?

And there may be more than water in that discarded water bottle you grab at the Giro.

………

Be safe, and stay healthy. And get vaccinated, already.

Oh, and fuck Putin. 

 

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