Today’s post, in which I prepare to talk bikes on KPCC

The closest I’ve ever come to being on the radio was when I was a kid, and talked the local late-night DJ into playing Pink Floyd’s classic Several Species of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together in a Cave and Grooving with a Pict.

Which I’m sure had nothing to do with the suspension he received the next day.

That’s about to change.

Wednesday morning, I’m going to be on the AirTalk program, along with LADOT Senior Bikeways Coordinator Michelle Mowery, on Pasadena public radio station KPCC.

It’s a sequel to last week’s lively discussion about the Good Doctor’s trial and well-deserved conviction. I’m hoping to correct a number of misconceptions from the original show and the online comments that followed, such as the idea that it’s illegal to ride two-abreast and that it’s safer to ride on the sidewalk — or illegal to ride on the sidewalk.

Wrong on all counts.

No, really.

Here’s how they describe the upcoming program:

Topic: PAVEMENT WARS – PART 2: Last week we talked about the assault, battery and mayhem convictions of Dr. Christopher Thompson, who attacked a group of cyclists on Mandeville Canyon Road by swerving his car in front of them and jamming on the brakes, seriously injuring two of them. Response to the segment was overwhelming. However, many KPCC listeners raised questions about the laws that govern cyclists. Are cyclists required to yield for passing cars? Are bikes permitted on sidewalks? What are the rights and responsibilities of California cyclists? And what is being done to improve conditions for bikes?

You can tune in from 10:20 to 11 am Wednesday, November 11 at 89.3 FM. If you’re stuck at work or outside their broadcast range, you can connect to the live streaming broadcast on their website at www.scpr.org/programs/airtalk. Or come back later in the day to download a podcast of the program.

It should be a very interesting discussion.

And I promise not to make Larry Mantle do anything that will get him suspended.

………

Stephen Box offers a powerful reminder that the Good Doctor’s conviction is just one case out of many that never get that far. Will Campbell explains why he’ll just go for a bike ride during next year’s Stadium to the Sea L.A. Marathon. LACBC offers their comments on the new bike plan, while Long Beach is on a mission to become the most bike-friendly community in America. L.A. used to have a state-of-the-art elevated bikeway. Seriously. More great shots from Russ and Laura’s West coast bike tour. Seattle has a new cycling mayor. D.C.’s cycling mayor clogs traffic; or maybe it’s the media trucks who follow looking for a story. Finally, New York added 200 miles of bikeways over the last three years; now bike commuting is up 66% in just two years. Coincidence?

8 comments

  1. Penny says:

    Pink who? My favorite! Good luck and have fun today!

  2. seltaeb7 says:

    I just finished listening to the show. Great job! Keep up the good work.

  3. Will Campbell says:

    Couldn’t break away to listen live, but I just heard the podcast and wanted to say what a great job you did. You deftly countered Mantle’s assumption grumble about cyclists taking lanes “unnecessarily.”

  4. bikinginla says:

    Thanks all, I appreciate the kind words. Will, thanks for the feedback; it’s hard to know how things are coming across in a situation like that. Glad to hear I made the point.

  5. TheTricksterNZ says:

    Dammit, forgot to listen to it last night.

    Damn this downloading podcasts business. Do they have a link thingy on the website that I can use here at work?

  6. bikinginla says:

    You can stream the podcast directly on their site. Just go to http://tiny.cc/airtalk111109 and click the arrow directly under the headline.

  7. TheTricksterNZ says:

    Good talk. I was waiting with baited breath for the usual bile spitters you get on talkback, but that wasn’t too bad. Hopefully you were able to at least start some dialogue or further people’s perceptions

Discover more from BikinginLA

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading