Woman riding ebike killed in Colton, asking Zbur rival for Forest Lawn stance, and body on Ballona bike path

September 8, 2026 / / 2 comments

Glad to see we all made it through the holiday weekend.

I’d like to say we have a lot to catch up on, but there wasn’t a lot of bike news online over the weekend. And of the first four stories I had bookmarked today, three were hidden behind paywalls, and the fourth was written in Indonesian.

So we’ll just have to make do with what we’ve got.

………

A 38-year old woman, identified as Asandria Jacobo, was killed in a collision while riding an ebike in Colton Friday night.

But as usual, there was no clarification whether she was on a Class 1, 2 or 3 ped-assist bike, or one of the more common e-motorbikes or electric dirt bikes.

Witnesses said that the Jacobo crashed into the side of an SUV after running a red light, but that has not been confirmed by the police.

………

I mentioned last week that my Assembly Member, Rick Chavez Zbur, had signed a letter urging Los Angeles officials to halt safety work on Forest Lawn Drive, and publicly supported and voted for SB 194, a last minute bill to effectively halt any lane reductions on the street for the foreseeable future.

I also said that I would reach out to Zbur’s opponent in the November election,  fellow Democrat Colin Hernandez, for his comments on the bill, and on Forest Lawn Drive.

For the sake of openness, I am sharing the email I sent to Hernandez’ campaign. I’ll let you know if I hear back.

Good morning,

I am the editor of BikinginLA.com, a leading site for bicycle news and advocacy in Southern California, and Los Angeles in particular.

As you may be aware, Forest Lawn Drive has been one of the most dangerous streets in the Los Angeles area, with four fatal crashed in the last 13 years — the last one less than one month ago. After years of public meetings and re-engineering to address community concerns, a fully funded and shovel-ready safety project was scheduled to begin this past June, before it was put on pause at the last minute by Mayor Karen Bass.

Her action came at the urging of the owners of Forest Lawn and Mt. Sinai cemeteries, who together have spent over $360,000 lobbying city and state officials to stop the project, which they believe will cause massive traffic congestion, interfering with mourners’ ability to reach the cemeteries.

Your opponent in the November election, Assembly Member Rich Chavez Zbur, was one of five Los Angeles-area legislators who signed an April letter calling for a halt to the project.

Then the state legislature passed SB 194, which was introduced at the last minute, and written halt any lane reduction projects in cities of 2 million population or more, on streets with containing two or more adjacent cemeteries — which would apply only to Forest Lawn Drive in Los Angeles, and nowhere else in the state. Assuming Governor Newsom signs it, it would effectively halt any safety projects on Forest Lawn Drive for the foreseeable future.

Assembly Member Zbur both publicly supported and voted for the bill.

I am writing to ask if you have any comment on the legislation, or the safety of automobile, bicycle and pedestrian traffic on Forest Lawn Drive, that I can share with my readers, whether you agree with Zbur and Bass in halting the project, or have a different stance on the matter.

I will be happy share any comment you care to provide in response to this email, or by calling the numbers below at your convenience any afternoon or evening this week.

Thank you in advance for your cooperation, and I’ll look forward to hearing from you or your representative.

………

The popular Ballona Creek bike path was closed Monday after a body was found in or near the water around 9 am, just north of Lincoln Boulevard.

The victim had reportedly been dead for a few days when he was discovered, and appeared to have a hole in his head.

The area had been plagued by gang violence in the past, but that seemed to have abated in recent years.

………

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

A 17-year old Irish boy was killed in what may have been an intentional hit-and-run crash; the driver’s car was found partially burned the next morning. He had texted a friend prior to the crash that he was being followed.

………

Local 

The old cliche that they always return to the scene of the crime was right this time, when a man was arrested for stealing a $5,000 bicycle from a Hollywood Hills garage, after he returned to the same neighborhood a few days later.

Secret Los Angeles looks at the not-so-secret plans to close the infamous eight-mile gap in the Los Angeles River bike path through DTLA.

I can personally attest that All About the Cinnamon in Sherman Oaks is the best Black-owned, rap-themed cinnamon roll bakery in the state, if not the nation.

 

State

Calbike Executive Director Kendra Ramsey is a fan of Waymo, seeing expansion of the autonomous cabs as a benefit for bike riders, rather than a concern. Although I’m more excited about the next item, as freed-slave turned successful businesswoman Biddy Mason finally gets her due in DTLA. 

A hit-and-run driver critically injured a 27-year man in Escondido Saturday night, failing to stop after right-hooking the victim as he was riding his bicycle on the sidewalk, leaving the victim bleeding in the street with life-threatening injuries; police are looking for a light-colored SUV with tinted windows, possible a Ford Expedition or Explorer.

Police in Salinas arrested a 32-year old hit-and-run driver who killed a man riding a bicycle last month.

A 23-year old man was killed in a collision that was a hit-and-run near Salinas involving multiple vehicles, until it wasn’t; the CHP initially said the victim was hit by at least two drivers, one of whom fled the scene, but they later corrected it to say the victim fell in the roadway and was run over by a pickup driver, who stopped after the crash. No explanation was given for the confusion.

 

National

This is the cost of traffic violence. Friends remember an 85-year old Boulder, Colorado man who was killed by a driver — not a “car,” thank you — while riding his bike; in addition to still riding his bike, he also held several martial arts black belts. The only belts I ever held kept my pants from falling off.

Hats off to 18-year old Finn Fremstad, who graduated from my Colorado alma mater this May, then hopped on his bike a month ago to ride 2,000 miles for his first day at Swarthmore College near Philadelphia. And probably learned more in those 31 days on a bike than he will in his first year of college.

Thousands of bicyclists turned out for Chicago’s 25th Bike the Drive, giving bike riders a carfree experience on 30 miles of Lake Shore Drive, showing riders what the city could be. Just like CicLAvia reveals what Los Angeles could be, but isn’t. 

The Somerville Alliance for Safe Streets explains how Somerville, Massachusetts got down to zero traffic deaths for the past four years. Of course, it’s easier to achieve Vision Zero with a population on just 81,000. But still. 

Streetsblog New York introduces a retirement-aged lawyer and convicted fraudster who keeps suing the Mamdani administration over bike lanes, to little or no success.

A Princeton, New Jersey writer explains that a new bike lane isn’t necessarily an underutilized frill, but rather, could be under used because it’s just part of a still-evolving network.

Tragic news from Connecticut, where a sixth grader was killed by a school bus driver while riding his bike — not in a collision with a school bus, thank you — when the driver apparently turned left as he was passing the bus, since he was struck by the vehicle’s left front wheel.

 

International

No surprise here, as the world’s happiest countries are the top bike-friendly ones, too.

The Onion says Google Maps is introducing crawling directions for bike riders hit by trucks. Although Google Maps also says there’s a Lake America between the US and Canada, so what the hell do they know?

A 51-year old Toronto man spent the last five-and-a-half years riding every street and trail in the city, a total of more than 4,200 miles. Which seems impressive, until you consider that Marc Pappas is nearing the finish line of riding all 7,500 miles of Los Angeles streets. Okay, it’s still pretty damn impressive. 

Road.cc takes a backwards glance at ten British mountain bike brands that have bitten the dust, starting with last week’s death of the iconic Raleigh badge.

Who knew that 20 mph speed limits were bad for drivers’ mental health?

A Bangladeshi writer asks if there’s enough room on the city’s streets for bike riders, since the bike paths are full of potholes and trash.

 

Competitive Cycling

Wout van Aert won the final stage of the Vuelta before Monday’s rest day, his second win in three days, as Enric Mas held onto the red leader’s jersey.

In the final part of a video series, ex-Tour de France winner Floyd Landis explains how and why he blew the lid off the Lance Armstrong doping scandal.

A Colorado paper covers the sixth edition of a 643-mile gravel race from my bike-friendly Colorado hometown to tiny Trinidad, Colorado. The town of just over 8,000 people was formerly known as the sex-change capital of the US, until a doctor specializing in the surgery retired or died. Now it seems to be best known for still being there.

 

Finally…

That feeling when the bike path you’re riding on could have been your juice bottle a decade earlier. Or when your new bike shelter is your old wind turbine blade.

And that feeling when Lycra is proibito, and don’t even think about clipless pedals.

………

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

Oh, and fuck Putin.

 

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

72-year old man riding bicycle killed by driver in Santa Ana Friday as cops watched, 5th fatal Santa Ana bike crash in 4 months

September 6, 2026 / / 2 comments

A 72-year old man was killed riding a bicycle in Santa Ana on Friday. And this time, the cops didn’t just respond to the crash.

They watched it.

According to KTLA-5, the only source that appears to have covered the crash so far, the victim had just begun riding west on McFadden Ave from Fairview Street a little before 7 pm when he was rear-ended by a driver traveling in the same direction.

The police immediately responded after witnessing the crash and began life saving efforts. However, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver remained following the collision and cooperated with investigators, and they did not appear to be under the influence. Neither the driver nor the victim have been publicly identified.

It’s not clear from the story whether the victim had turned onto McFadden from Fairview, or was continuing straight on Fairview. And even though the police saw the crash as it happened, the driver was not cited or arrested following the crash.

The intersection is controlled by a four-way traffic signal, but there are no bike lanes on McFadden, and the street has a 40 mph speed limit. If the driver was traveling at that speed, there is a 50% chance of fatality according to AAA, though the risk is significantly higher for someone of the victim’s age.

Anyone with information on the crash is asked to call Santa Ana Police Officer J. Hernandez at 714/245- 8217, or the Traffic Division of the Santa Ana Police Department at 714/245-8200.

This is at least the 43rd bicycling fatality that I’m aware of in Southern California this year, and the seventh we know about in Orange County. It’s also the fifth fatal bicycling crash in Santa Ana in less than four months.

Something that suggests the city has a significant safety problem on its streets.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for the victim and his loved ones. 

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , , ,

Another mass casualty crash by elderly driver, WeHo denies all blame in Ackerman death, and more on Forest Lawn backdoor deal

September 4, 2026 / / No comments

It’s happened again.

A 90-something driver was involved in a mass casualty crash, this time right here in Los Angeles. And in a Trader Joe’s parking lot, no less.

The 91-year old driver reportedly drove into a group of pedestrians at a high rate of speed, killing one person and injuring four others.

The crash occurred in the parking lot of the Trader Joe’s on Fairfax and Third, directly across from The Original Farmer’s Market and The Grove.

According to KTLA-5,

Witnesses said that for some reason, the driver lost control as she was entering the parking lot, sped up, slammed into a parked car, then veered into a group of people near a parking attendant stand before her car crashed into the (parking attendant) stand.

It’s unknown at this point exactly what caused the elderly driver to crash. Investigators at this time do not believe this was an intentional act of violence, but rather a horrible accident.

A “horrible accident.” You know, just another “oopsie.”

KABC-7 reports the crash occurred about 1:30 pm Thursday.

One victim, described only as a woman in her 30s, was pronounced dead at the scene, while four others were taken to a hospital, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.

Those injured included a 19-year-old man who suffered serious injuries and two women ages 30 and 57 with minor injuries, according to the fire department.

The driver, a 91-year-old woman, was also hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, the LAFD said. No arrest was announced.

Then there was this, also from KABC.

“[The driver] was pretty shell shocked, and she got out she didn’t realize what was happening. She said she tried to stop the Tesla, it was accelerating and she couldn’t stop it,” said Drake Piscione.

“She said her foot was on the brake, but it kept going. She got out and couldn’t believe what happened and didn’t realize she had killed someone”.

Yes, it’s possible that the Tesla malfunctioned, particularly if it was in a self-driving or assisted driving mode. But it’s far more likely that she was stomping on the accelerator, thinking she was hitting the brake, as has happened in countless crashes across the country involving elderly drivers.

You only have to think back to the 99 Ranch Market crash on Westwood Blvd this past February, when a 92-year old driver hit a bicyclist, then continued down the sidewalk on the wrong side of the street for a full block before she crashed through the side of the market, killing three people.

Because this, or some other similar incident, was the entirely predictable outcome of allowing someone that age to keep her license and continue driving.

It’s not being ageist to recognize that mental and physical abilities decline with advanced age. It is easier for someone that age to lose control of a vehicle, and become confused about how to respond afterwards.

There are rare exceptions, as there are with any other generalities. But most people reach a point where they simply should not be allowed to keep driving.

There was a huge outcry from older drivers when the California DMV reinstated a requirement for drivers over 70 to pass a written test, as well as an eye exam. The requirement had been suspended during the Covid pandemic, and the state was simply going back to the policy that had been in place since the ’70s.

Needless to say, the requirement was suspended. You don’t fuck with the Geritol generation.

I say this as someone who will be 70 later this month, and gave up driving several years ago, in part due to medications I was, and am, taking that inhibited my ability to drive safely.

And just like the vast majority of elderly drivers, I also don’t see as well as I did even five years ago.

We’ve got to find a way to weed out people who can no longer drive safely as they age. Because not everyone will willingly give up their keys.

And things like this will continue to happen until we do.

………

No surprise here, either.

We said yesterday it wasn’t surprising that the family of fallen bicyclist Blake Ackerman would file a lawsuit against the hit-and-run driver who killed him, as well as West Hollywood for maintaining a roadway known to be dangerous.

It’s also not surprising that WeHo denies any liability.

According to WeHo Times,

The City of West Hollywood is pushing back against a wrongful-death lawsuit filed by the mother of a 27-year-old cyclist who was killed in a hit-and-run crash on Fountain Avenue, denying allegations that the city’s roadway design contributed to his death.

Court documents reveal the city’s answer filed March 23 in Los Angeles County Superior Court, where the city denied “generally and specifically each and every allegation” in the complaint brought by Robin L. Ackerman, the mother of Blake Adam Ackerman and successor-in-interest to his estate. The city also denied that Ackerman was damaged as alleged or “at all.”

The city also blames the victim, alleging that Ackerman was “careless, reckless and negligent” and that his conduct somehow contributed to any injuries or damages.

You know, like death.

From what I’ve heard, however, Ackerman was doing everything right when the driver slammed into him from behind, then kept going without stopping. The only mistake anyone has charged him with was simply riding on Fountain to begin with.

It goes on, of course. The city’s attorneys throw everything they can at the wall, hoping that something sticks.

It may be enough. But chances are, the city will end up settling for something in the low seven figures to keep from having the case go in front of a jury, where the damages could be a lot steeper.

………

Streets For All is urging you to tell Governor Newsom to veto the Forest Lawn loophole.

TELL GOVERNOR NEWSOM:
VETO THE FOREST LAWN LOOPHOLE

The legislature and cemetery lobbyists inserted language at the 11th hour into the California state budget to make it harder for LA to implement the Forest Lawn Safety and Mobility Project. This is a dangerous precedent that, if allowed to become law, would entice any wealthy Californian to create their own law.

We need Governor Gavin Newsom to veto SB 194.

HOW YOU CAN HELP
Email to request a VETO from Gavin Newsom

EMAIL GAVIN NEWSOM TO STOP THIS BILL

ICYMI – Context on What Happened:

The cemetery has enough customers.

Just 16 days ago, another horrific crash killed someone on Forest Lawn Drive.

This is a road where 95 crashes occurred between 2013 and 2023, three people were severely injured or killed, and nearly 3 in 4 drivers drive at a deadly speed in the event of a crash.

After years of work, LA finally has a plan to make Forest Lawn Drive safer. Mayor Bass paused it in May.

Now Sacramento is threatening it.

SEC. 2. Section 1811 is added to the Streets and Highways Code, to read:
1811. (a) A city with a population of 2,000,000 or more shall not reduce the number of vehicle travel lanes on a street that provides the only access to two or more adjacent cemeteries without prior approval of the governing body and the concurrence of the mayor of the city.
(b) Prior to approval of a reduction in the number of vehicle travel lanes pursuant to subdivision (a), the governing body of the city shall do both of the following:
(1) Conduct a duly noticed public hearing regarding the proposed vehicle travel lane reduction.
(2) Consider and make written findings regarding all of the following:
(A) Whether there are alternatives that would allow for proposed street modification without a vehicle travel lane reduction.
(B) The impact of the vehicle travel lane reduction on emergency access to the cemeteries and the surrounding community.
(C) The impact of the vehicle travel lane reduction on emergency response to very high and high fire hazard severity zones
Text from SB 194 that threatens the Forest Lawn Safety project, ok’d by Assemblymember Zbur and Senator Durazo

Friday night, two hours before the deadline to amend bills, lawmakers introduced SB 194—language threatening the long-planned safety project after opposition from cemeteries along the route.

Yes, they’re really trying to put this into state law. And they could send it to the Governor by Monday.

This is what it looks like when politics and powerful interests are put ahead of human lives.

We have 48 hours to kill this disastrous precedent and misguided, last minute back room deal. Read our full statement here.

Forest Lawn Drive should be a road that passes a cemetery—not one that sends people to it.

HOW YOU CAN HELP
Email to request a VETO from Gavin Newsom

EMAIL GAVIN NEWSOM TO STOP THIS BILL

………

On a related subject, Streets Are for Everyone sent out this notice yesterday.

This Saturday, we’re asking you to stand with us on Forest Lawn Drive.

On August 13, 2026, a single-vehicle crash on Forest Lawn Drive ended with a vehicle engulfed in flames, killing one person. Details about the crash are unknown, but we know this is not the first deadly crash on Forest Lawn Drive, and without meaningful safety improvements, it won’t be the last.

SAFE recently released a report detailing the urgent need for these safety improvements, after documenting that more than half of drivers regularly exceed the speed limit. The report highlights how a fully funded safety project designed to reduce known dangers on the 1.1-mile road was indefinitely paused by Mayor Karen Bass after nearby cemeteries successfully lobbied to stop the safety improvements.

Streets Are For Everyone, People’s Vision Zero, and Streets For All will be hosting a Ghost Tire Memorial on September 5th, 2026, at 10:00 AM to honor 70-year-old Bijan Yousefian, a victim of traffic violence who died in a fiery crash on Forest Lawn Drive.

Please join us this Saturday at 10:00 a.m. as we remember a life lost and demand that our local leaders stop killing road safety improvements at Forest Lawn Dr and across Los Angeles.

Event Details:
Date:

September 5th, 2026

Time:

10:00 AM to 11:00 AM

Location:

Forest Lawn Drive (across the street from Malinow and Silverman Mortuary) click here for the exact meeting location and see image below:

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Evidently, the bike leg of a triathlon is your only chance to beat a hungry, hungry hippo.

Twitter post

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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 Berkeley neighborhood group is suing to prevent the city from installing protected bike lanes on Hopkins Street, accusing it of violating the city’s bike plan. Which is kind of funny, considering Los Angeles has done nothing but violate its bike plan.

No bias here. A pro-driving group is accusing the Bristol, England city council of “ignoring road safety” with its so-called “cycling propaganda” — for the crime of showing someone riding a bicycle without a helmet.

………

Local 

Um, okay. A writer for The Argonaut calls ebikes a menace on the Marvin Braude Bike Trail, complaining about “30–60-year olds clocking more than 25 mph without head gear on the narrow path;” however, he’s no fan of pedestrians, either, griping about “clueless and inconsiderate pedestrians” annoying bicyclists by walking on the bike path instead of the walkway. No offense, but he comes off like an old man yelling for kids to get off his lawn.

Streetsblog reports sections of the popular San Gabriel and Rio Hondo river path will be closed for several years starting October 1st, as the Army Corps of Engineers begins a “high urgency” $735 million project to repair the Whittier Narrows Dam.

 

State

Encinitas is urging Governor Gavin Newsom to veto a budget measure that will keep them from ripping out a new protected bike lane on Santa Fe Drive.

Axios San Diego suggests beating the heat with a bike ride on the Solana Beach Rail Trail, a fully protected bike path located between Highway 101 and the Coaster train tracks. Although this weekend, wind and rain from a rare Pacific coast hurricane could be more of a problem.

The carnage continues in Northern California, as a man in San Jose was killed by the driver of a dump truck while riding an ebike in the bike lane. And yes, what’s left of the bike looks like an actual ped-assist ebike.

The NorCal news gets worse, after a Sacramento woman was killed by a hit-and-run driver as she tried to her bicycle on the side of the road.

 

National

Cycling Electric says that studies from around the world prove that ebikes are not cheating, and the workout they provide is similar to the effects of a regular  bike.

A Seattle podcaster says bicycles are medical devices, after he took up bicycling to treat his type 2 diabetes and get in shape, losing 30 pounds, and improving his health and wellbeing. On the other hand, bicycling and a healthy diet hid the most of the effects of my type 2 diabetes, causing me to go undiagnosed for more than 20 years, and doing major damage to my health. 

Kentucky’s governor announced plans for a new pedestrian and bicycling bridge to provide better access to a Civil War battlefield.

This is the cost of traffic violence. An MIT professor described as “an expert in ancient metallurgy” died two weeks after he was was struck by a driver while riding his bicycle.

Atlanta is rolling out another round of the city’s ebike rebate program, with $1 million in funding to offer rebates up to $1,600. Which compares favorably to LA’s zero dollars in funding, with rebates up to not a damn thing.

 

International

Road.cc offer bicycling hacks to provide cheap alternatives to expensive products to keep you riding this winter.

The Times of London dropped their paywall to say that gravel biking will be the next great MAMIL-ian obsession. And here I thought it was pickleball. Although the cheapest of the three gravel bikes they recommend retails for the equivalent of $13,500, which makes pickleball look a lot better. 

An English hotel manager raised the equivalent of over $5,400 for a Welsh children’s hospice with a 180-mile ride between all nine of the company’s hotels in England and Wales, completing the ride in under 12 hours.

That suddenly shuttered bike shop in the UK is promising that everyone who left a bike to be repaired will get it back, even as someone reported the shop for stealing his bike — but if you put down a deposit on a new bicycle, you’re screwed.

Tragic news from Australia, where a second person has died following last week’s mass casualty crash in Canberra, Australia, when a 40-year old woman plowed into a group of bicyclists; a 39-year old man died in the hospital this week, after a 32-year old woman died at the scene.

 

Competitive Cycling

Cal State Dominguez Hills has founded what officials there say is the only varsity collegiate cycling team in California, one of just 20 other varsity collegiate cycling teams in the US; so far, it seems to have just one member, student-cyclist Alejandro Che.

Enric Mas strengthened his hold on the Vuelta’s red leader’s jersey, gaining nearly 30 seconds on second-place Primož Roglič.

The BBC is covering everything but the actual Tour of Britain, showing far more interest in flower-covered bikes and Spitfire flybys.

A writer for PeopleForBikes says that when the Philadelphia Cycling Classic returned to the city for the first time in ten years, it found a new cycling team and bike club from his own neighborhood.

 

Finally…

Your next cargo bike could have just a basket upfront, and no battery anywhere. Riding a bicycle to map the city’s crappy sidewalks.

And more proof that trees are out to get us.

………

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

Oh, and fuck Putin.

 

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

Failed bike bill wins in principle, Trump’s war on DEI bike lanes mirrors state’s attack on Forest Lawn Dr, and WeHo sued over Ackerman death

September 3, 2026 / / No comments

Calbike writes that there is victory in defeat for Encinitas State Senator Catherine Blakespear’s SB 569.

The bill would have prohibited the removal of any bike lane without ensuring that whatever follows provides a safe and accessible environment for bicyclists.

Yet the legislature affirmed the general principle behind the bill by adding a budget amendment limiting the application to the Santa Fe Drive project in Encinitas, which motivated SB 569 in the first place.

The budget bill prevents Encinitas from removing the bike lane on Santa Fe Drive, which was built using state General Fund money, unless the city can ensure that bike riders will be as safe without the bike lane as they are with it.

According to Calbike,

In doing so, the underlying principle behind the bill has now been validated by the Legislature: public investment in safe bikeways should have the same presumption of durability we expect from other roadway investments, especially if we expect people to shift how they travel.

The concept underlying SB 569 is bigger than protecting any particular strip of pavement. At CalBike, we see it as protecting the integrity of public investment. A bikeway is part of a network, so removing one segment can cause damage well beyond that block: a comfortable route to a school can suddenly have a dangerous gap, a connection to transit can become inaccessible to many riders, and a network that took years to assemble is often only as strong as its weakest link. When faced with such gaps, many would-be bike riders find the risk intolerable and opt into more car trips.

Which is a lot of words to say that bicyclists rely on an entire bike network to get where they’re going safely, and removing any one segment can make the entire network less safe, and less practical to use.

So even though the larger bill lost in this session, at least the legislature seems to get that bike networks need to be maintained in their entirety. And that losing one link degrades the whole damn thing.

Then again, the same could be said of not building promised bike lanes, which is what Metro is being sued over on the Vermont corridor.

And what the legislature actively prevented on Forest Lawn Drive.

………

Even People magazine has picked up the story of the Trump Administration’s bizarre war on “DEI” bike lanes, as if bikes were part of a secret commie plot to disadvantage white male drivers in favor of trans nonwhite women on bicycles.

The story includes this gem —

In an email statement to NPR, a DOT spokesperson said it “continuously reviews its policies to ensure each promotes safety, efficiency, and common sense.”

“Since nearly 80% of the population uses cars to get to work and their important medical appointments, we are taking a closer look at federal guidance to ensure American families have the infrastructure they need,” the statement said, per the outlet. “This is a common sense approach despite the Left’s belief that everyone should ride a bike to their shoebox-sized apartment to eat crickets to achieve a phony climate agenda.”

I would like it on the record that I, for one, have never knowingly eaten a single cricket, though I do sometimes sleep with my mouth open, so who knows.

Then again, our own state legislature has joined in that same war on bike lanes, DEI or otherwise, by passing legislation at the financial behest of Forest Lawn and Mt. Sinai cemeteries, that will make it difficult, if not impossible, to improve the bike lanes and traffic safety on Forest Lawn Drive.

So it’s not just the right making bizarre decisions to block bike lanes and keep our streets and highways dangerous.

And yes, this tweet from Elmo — no, not that one — pretty well sums it up.

Twitter post

Or this, for that matter.

Twitter post

………

No surprise here, as the family of fallen bike rider Blake Ackerman has filed a lawsuit against the city of West Hollywood, as well as the alleged hit-and-run driver who killed him.

WeHo Times writes,

According to court records obtained by WEHO TIMES, Robin L. Ackerman filed the lawsuit individually and as successor-in-interest to the estate of her son, Blake Adam Ackerman. The complaint, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, names Douglas Morton Adams, the driver accused of striking Ackerman, along with several unidentified government entities and other defendants.

The lawsuit alleges negligence, a dangerous condition of public property and wrongful death. It seeks damages to be determined at trial and requests a jury trial.

The family could have a good case, considering the city’s dithering over building the long-promised protected bike lanes on Fountain Ave that might have prevented his death.

As the lawsuit alleges, the city knew the roadway was dangerous for bicyclists but failed to make the necessary safety improvements.

West Hollywood is moving forward with the project now, although with the usual glacial speed. But as usual, the decision to move forward comes too late for Ackerman.

………

I recently received a request to add a specialized mountain bike suspension shop in Irvine to our list of bike shops on the Resources page.

However, I’m planning to remove that page, because it’s nearly impossible to keep it current the way bike shops come and go these days. So I responded with a counter offer to allow them to introduce themselves to you.

And yes, I’m open to any other bike shops who want to send me a similar description.

ST Tuned is a mountain bike suspension shop based in Irvine, CA, specializing exclusively in suspension service, tuning, and setup for Fox, RockShox, Öhlins, Cane Creek and DVO. We’re not a general bike shop — suspension is the only thing we do, which means every rebuild, tune, and setup gets the kind of dedicated attention a shop juggling a dozen other services simply can’t offer.

Owner Mike Boon brings over 20 years of experience to every bike that comes through the shop, with a factory-level approach to rebuilds, custom valving, and bushing work. Whether a rider needs a full damper rebuild, a simple sag and setup session, or help troubleshooting a fork or shock that just doesn’t feel right anymore, the goal is always the same: get the suspension performing the way it was actually designed to.

One of the things that sets us apart is our on-trail suspension setup service. Rather than just dialing in numbers in a parking lot, we’ll go out on the actual trail with a rider and fine-tune sag, rebound, and compression based on how the bike feels over real terrain — roots, chunk, drops & jumps, whatever that rider actually rides. It’s a level of setup that’s hard to get anywhere else, and it usually ends with a rider feeling a difference they can’t believe they’d been riding without.

While ST Tuned is based in Irvine, we work with riders throughout Southern California — not just Orange County — and also offer mail-in suspension service for riders further out who want the same level of service without the drive.

Riders can find more information & book a service at sttuned.com or call the shop at (714)213-3083.

………

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

Murrieta is taking the fight against reckless teen ebike riders a step further, with a new ordinance that penalizes not only the rider, but also the parents of kids who ride recklessly on electric bicycles — even though the problem isn’t actually ebikes, but illegal e-motos and dirt bikes that are inexplicably mistaken for bicycles.

………

Local 

Something to look forward to, as you could be banned from using certain streets during the ’28 Olympic and Paralympic Games, with a travel network set aside for the exclusive use of Olympic traffic.

As the late, great John Prine said, your flag decal may not get you into heaven anymore, but your Santa Monica library card could get you discounts are local shops, including Bike Attack Electric and Road Runner Sports, among others.

 

State

Something called Fast Food Club lists ten California towns that are “perfect for a long, happy retirement,” many of which are bike friendly. And none of which are Los Angeles. 

Sad news from Kern County, where an ebike rider was killed in Taft on Wednesday when he was right hooked by the driver of a utility truck while riding against traffic on the sidewalk. And yes, sidewalks are bidirectional, and there’s no restriction on which way you can ride, but drivers too often won’t be looking for you as they look the other way for oncoming traffic. 

Police in Redwood City busted a serial bike thief for the second time, after receiving 10 separate reports of bicycle thefts from the Caltrain commuter line, one year after arresting the same man for the same crime.

Sad news from Auburn, where a 41-year old man was killed Monday when he was struck by three separate drivers as he tried to cross a highway on his bicycle.

Still more sad news from Northern California, where a 62-year old man was killed by a driver while riding a bicycle in Hayward on Monday.

 

National

A writer for Cycling West says local bike shops are fighting for their lives amid Trump’s up-and-down tariffs, and competition from direct sales, big box stores and online retailers. Which is why you should ride to your favorite LBS today and buy something. Anything. 

Portland, Oregon is about to experience its own Carmageddon, encouraging motorists to ride their bikes, while at the same time warning bike riders about increased dangers on the streets when the southbound portion of I-5 shuts down for five weeks.

Unlike the Pennsylvania story a little further down, police in Utah got it right, citing a driver for failure to yield after right-hooking a 14-year old kid riding a bike in the same direction as the driver.

New York bike riders now have a new 5.5-mile protected bike lane between Sunset Park and Dumbo. Insert elephant joke here.

Bystanders in Prospect Park, Pennsylvania came to the rescue when a woman riding an ebike was pinned under a VW bug after she was right hooked, lifting the car off her to free her. Although the local TV station bizarrely framed it as demonstrating the dangers of ebikes and not wearing a helmet, rather than drivers not using their damn mirrors before making a turn. 

She gets it. A North Carolina YMCA cycling instructor talks bike safety in the wake of the recent Milligan University massacre, reminding drivers that the speed limit is the maximum speed allowed, not how fast they have to go, and end with this — “Our roads belong to all of us. Every person using them has responsibilities, and every person using them deserves to get home safely.”

 

International

A bicycling club in Ontario, Canada celebrates their last tandnnmnnffffffsk            em ride of the season for visually impaired bicyclists. Okay, that’s where I fell asleep while typing. Well, one of the places. 

As we mentioned the other day — no, not that one, the other one — a British bike shop specializing in ebikes left customers hanging when they abruptly closed after 34 years, including one customer who paid the equivalent of more than $14,000 for two ebikes that were never delivered.

A writer for France Today invites readers to explore the country’s roads and bicycle routes — and asks French drivers to show a little understanding.

 

Competitive Cycling

Twenty-one-year old British “super-sprinter” Matthew Brennan won his third stage of the Vuelta on Wednesday’s stage 11, as race leader Enric Mas retained his 1:18 lead over Primož Roglič.

British cyclist Lewis Askey won the opening stage of the men’s Tour of Britain yesterday, finishing two seconds ahead of Italian Fillipo Ganna in a sprint finish.

Even Geraint the dog, named for British cycling great Geraint Thomas, turned out to line the course for the first stage of the Tour of Britain.

Nineteen-year old Ezra Caudell of the Modern Adventure Pro Cycling team remains hospitalized with what’s described as “multi-system trauma” after crashing hard with Lotto-Intermarché rider Milan Menten at the Philadelphia Cycling Classic; there’s no word yet on Menten’s condition.

 

Finally…

That feeling when the city paints a bike lane on the sidewalk, even though the same city bans bikes on sidewalks. Or when it’s harder to pedal your bike in rent-burdened neighborhoods.

And seriously, if you’re riding a bicycle after dark with coke hidden in your sock, put a damn light on it, already.

The bike, that is, not the sock. Or the coke.

………

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

Oh, and fuck Putin.

 

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

Dirty deeds done dirt cheap as legislature passes bill to keep Forest Lawn deadly, and another bill creates 10 mph sidewalk speed limit

September 2, 2026 / / No comments

So much for that.

The state legislature passed a last-minute bill designed to keep Forest Lawn Drive deadly on a permanent basis. The bill, introduced just three days before the end of the legislative session, came after heavy lobbying by Forest Lawn and Mt. Sinai cemeteries, in an apparent attempt to keep drumming up business on their front doorsteps.

I’ll let Streetsblog explain it.

The second trailer was to, in the official Assembly summary of the legislation, “Prohibits reducing vehicle lanes on a road serving two cemeteries in a city exceeding two million people unless specified public hearing, voting, and finding and declaration requirements are met.” This description fits one street in the entire state: Forest Lawn Drive in Los Angeles. This trailer is a political hot potato, as the fate of the Forest Lawn Drive safety project has become a major issue in the mayor’s race. Streetsblog Los Angeles explains:

Many Streetsblog readers are familiar with recent disputes over the city’s planned Forest Lawn Drive safety improvements. Briefly, in 2023, the city Transportation Department (LADOT) and City Councilmember Nithya Raman announced plans to reconfigure Forest Lawn Drive, making it safer for both drivers and bicyclists. Forest Lawn and Mount Sinai cemeteries strongly opposed the project. The project was delayed, but was nonetheless ready to be installed this summer, until it was paused by Mayor Karen Bass.

If the governor signs it — and there is no reason to believe he won’t at this point — it would be virtually impossible to build the fully vetted, funded and shovel-ready project as long as Bass remains mayor, and difficult if she’s defeated this November.

It has also convinced me to vote for the opponent of my current Assembly Member, Rick Chavez Zbur, who signed a letter opposing the project and supported the backdoor legislation. I plan to reach out to his opponent, Democrat Colin Hernandez, this week to get his stand on the issue.

Other legislators who signed the letter include 52nd District Assemblymember Jessica Caloza, 44th District Assemblymember Nick Schultz, 54th District Assemblymember Mark González, and 26th District Senator Maria Elena Durazo.

If any of those represent you, I would at least ask them why they oppose safe streets. And consider voting for someone who doesn’t.

………

One of the bills passed by the legislature creates a 10 mph speed limit for anyone using an “alternative mode of transportation” on any sidewalk in the state. If the governor signs it, AB 2346 would apply to bicycles, ebikes, scooters, skateboards or anything else that doesn’t travel on two feet.

The bill would also allow local governments to establish a speed limit for bicycle paths and multiuse trails, encouraging limits of 15 or 20 mph, or 10 mph in areas with heavy pedestrian use or limited visibility.

And it would require ebike sellers and distributors to provide written disclosures that include an ebike’s classification under California law and maximum speed and wattage, as well as the state ebike laws and age and helmet requirements. It would also require integrated front and rear lights for any ebikes, along with a speedometer for all Class 2 ebikes.

………

The New York Times says the Trump administration really does seem to believe that “D.E.I. bike lanes” really are a thing, fighting to roll back funding for bike projects across the US, even though 3/4 of Americans, and 2/3 of Republicans, support bike lanes in their area.

………

Streets For All is hosting debates for city council candidates in West Hollywood and Santa Monica.

Twitter post

Twitter post

………

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

No bias here. A Wichita, Kansas op-ed argues that the city is spending “more than any city ever should” to “facilitate a hobby enjoyed by a relative handful of people,” by building an artistically designed bike and pedestrian bridge ” that will serve “(maybe) hundreds of people in a city of 400,000.” Just wait until someone tells him what it costs to build a bridge for cars. 

They get it. More than 1,500 people turned out for London’s Critical Mass ride on Friday, which doubled as a protest over a recent intentional hit-and-run that resulted in a murder charge for the driver, with riders calling for a lifetime ban for drivers who use their cars as a weapon.

No bias here, either. A member of the Irish Parliament complains about “massive” bike lanes taking over the streets, in a city where less than 2/3 of a mile of bike lanes have been built in the last decade.

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

I think I need an English to English dictionary. After a British teenager refused to move her bike on a train for someone with a fancy racing bike, an online commenter responded “Nta, doesn’t matter how ‘swish’ the other dude’s bike is, it doesn’t give him the right to touch yours.” Google says “NTA” means “not the asshole,” while “swish” translates to “stylish, fashionable, smart or high-class.”

………

Local 

Streetsblog reports LADOT has installed new Toronto barriers on a portion of the bike lanes on Imperial Highway near LAX, as well as a new rigid plastic barrier on Crystal Springs Drive in Griffith Park, and plans to extend the protected bike lanes on Hollywood Blvd an 1/4 mile east onto Sunset Blvd. And no, I don’t know the difference between a Toronto barrier and a Jersey barrier. But I do know which term Donald Trump would prefer. 

This is who we share the road with. A high-speed crash in Norwalk involving five drivers and 12 parked cars resulted in the death of one driver, and injured two others.

 

State

The San Diego Reader lists the city’s mot treacherous spots for bike riders, including Friars Road, Nimitz Blvd, University Ave, Pershing Drive and Genesee Ave. Although lately, the answer to that seems to be “everywhere.”

Thanks to a $1.25 million grant  from the Coachella Valley Mountains Conservancy, shade structures and native trees will be installed at five rest stops along the Coachella Valley’s 50+ mile CV Link pathway. Despite the illustration accompanying the article, palm trees aren’t native to the California desert, nor are they technically trees, being a member of the grass family. 

Sad news from Visalia, where a man riding a bicycle was killed in a hit-and-run  Sunday night.

In another backward step, a state board approved new private fences on private properties along the Sacramento River, complicating plans to complete a continuous 40-mile pathway along the river.

 

National

The National Park Service is proposing a new rule to ease access for bicycles and ebikes in National Parks, eliminating some review requirements and giving park managers more flexibility to allow bikes on roads, parking areas and trails. And yes, that includes here in Yosemite.

Authorities identified the person killed by a driver during the New Belgium Brewery’s annual Tour de Fat in my bike-friendly Colorado hometown as a 33-year old Denver man; the driver of the pickup reportedly drove up onto the sidewalk after hitting another vehicle while backing out of a parking space, killing the man and injuring four other people, as witnesses rushed to aid the victims.

Like virtually everywhere else, illegal ebike usage by minors continues to be an issue in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. Something that I included only because it’s so much fun to say Sheboygan. 

A 44-year old man was killed, and other person critically injured, in collisions just hours apart as they tried to ride their bicyclists around construction zones in Indianapolis, Indiana on Monday, raising questions about whether enough is being done to protect riders around traffic disruptions.

Tennessee State Senator Kerry Roberts completed a series of five century rides through his district to honor the victims of a 2021 flood that took 20 lives; he began the project after surviving a near-fatal brain aneurysm in 2020.

A 30-year old Massachusetts man was killed when his bicycle “collided” with a pickup truck, in a crash that apparently didn’t involve a driver, and where no humans appear to be in control of either vehicle.

A new 430-mile gravel bikepacking loop snakes through the Endless Mountains in northeast Pennsylvania.

This is the cost of traffic violence. A 63-year old Miami, Florida orthopedic surgeon is paralyzed from the waist down and fighting for his life after he was struck by a driver while riding his bicycle on the city’s deadly Rickenbacker Causeway.

 

International

Nearly 1,400 people took part in the 44th annual two-day, 190-mile Seattle-to-Vancouver bike ride.

Ontario, Canada takes a significant step backward, as work begins to rip out hard won and heavily used bike lanes in Toronto over the objections of city leaders, in order to give the space back to cars and offer a virtual “fuck you” to the province’s bicycling community.

A British man has been sentenced to five years and four months behind bars for killing a 17-year old boy who had just beaten leukemia, after crashing into the teenager’s bicycle while popping wheelies at up to 33 mph on an illegal ebike.

Queensland, Australia passed a tough new ebike law, mandating that ebikes to meet EU standards, banning any ebike riders under 16, requiring at least a learners permit to ride one, and limiting speeds to just 7.5 mph around pedestrians.

An Aussie writer suggests there’s a growing divide between bicyclists and cars in the country’s capital of Canberra. Although I believe he means between bicyclists and motorists, since most cars don’t really care one way or the other.

 

Competitive Cycling

British cycling pro Ben Moore is using his social media platform to help people get their bikes back after a major bike shop unexpectedly closed, locking the doors with customer’s bikes back inside.

French cyclist Bastien Tronchon overcame two late attackers to win a messy sprint to the finish in stage 10 of the Vuelta, as Enric Man held onto the red leader’s jersey with a 1:18 lead over Primož Roglič.

A columnist for Cycling News says Tadej Pogačar’s abandonment while leading the Vuelta and pending collarbone surgery will likely end his season, and could complicate next year’s plans.

 

Finally…

That feeling when you’re an 84-year old globe-trotting bike rider from the neck down, and a teenager from the neck up. Or when your hotel offers a bicycling concierge and multi-use trails right outside its door.

And presenting a bike tour for riders who give a Flock.

Thanks to Megan for the heads-up. And no apologies for the pun. 

………

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

Oh, and fuck Putin.

 

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

Update: Woman riding bicycle killed by alleged DUI, hit-and-run driver in West Covina early Saturday; 28% of SoCal bike deaths hit-and-runs

September 1, 2026 / / No comments

Another day, another person riding a bicycle killed on the mean streets of Southern California.

This time in West Covina.

KTLA-5 is reporting that a woman — or a “family cyclist,” whatever that means — was struck and killed around 4:47 am Saturday morning near Amar Road and Leanna Drive.

The victim, publicly identified only as “her,” died at the scene. As in “the victim’s identity will be released by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner after her family is notified.”

The driver fled the scene, apparently on foot. Investigators somehow identified the suspect as 40-year old Walnut resident Daniel Chavarin, who was arrested on charges of vehicular manslaughter, hit-and-run, and driving under the influence.

Anyone with information is urged to call the West Covina Police Department at 626/939-8688 or LA Crime Stoppers at 1-800/222-8477.

Unfortunately, KTLA is the only source reporting on the crime so far, and that’s all the information we have at this time.

There’s no word on how the crash occurred, how police identified and located the driver, what Chavarin is suspected of being under the influence of, or why the victim was identified as a “family cyclist,” a term I have never encountered before.

So we’re left with a number of questions, which will hopefully be answered in the coming days.

Hopefully.

This is at least the 42nd bicycling fatality that I’m aware of in Southern California this year, and the 14th we know about in Los Angeles County. At least 12 of those SoCal deaths, or 28%, have been hit-and-runs.

Update: The victim has been identified as 36-year old Ashley Kilbourne, no city of residence given, and no explanation for why she was initially described as a “family cyclist.”

According to SGV City Watch, Daniel Chavarin is currently. being held in lieu of $100,000 bond, with his first scheduled court appearance scheduled for tomorrow in West Covina Superior Court.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Ashley Kilbourne and her loved ones. 

Thanks to injury attorney James Johnson for the heads-up. 

 

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , , , , ,
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