Proof that cyclists aren’t always the good guys

According to the Times, an 18-year old man was killed when he ran into traffic to escape a bike-riding robber on Thursday evening.

Responding to a report of a traffic collision about 8 pm, police officers discovered Miguel Alvarenga unconscious in the street in the 20600 block of Sherman Way in Canoga Park.

Reports indicate that Alvarenga was hit by a car when he ran out into the street to escape the cyclist. The would-be robber fled on his bike; Alvarenga died of his injuries the following day.

Homicide detectives are asking the public to help identify the cyclist. Anyone with information is urged to call 818/756-3363; callers can remain anonymous.

Obviously, the fact that the robber was on a bike is secondary to the crime he was trying to commit.

But he is every bit as responsible for the death as the hit-and-run driver who was apparently fleeing another crime when he killed a cyclist and critically injured his step-brother in San Bernadino last month.

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CicLAvia currently ranks 51st out of 100 proposals in the Pepsi Refresh Project; only the top 10 in each category receive funding.

So it’s time to get clicking, L.A. — you can vote up to 10 times per day.

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The Fly V Australia racing team is unveiled in Beverly Hills, with plans to ride in the Amgen Tour of California; evidently, my invitation to the event was lost in the mail. Better signage forms the backbone of the Backbone Bikeway Network. The Times reviews belt-drive bikes. Pasadena’s new bike plan could be a blueprint for more thoughtful use of public space. Cindie Davis Holub, the cyclist killed in Scottsdale last week when a garbage truck tried to pass without sufficient room, was an experienced rider from Massachusetts training for a triathlon. Colorado’s governor is finally home after four days in the hospital following a cycling accident. Participants in Miami’s Beer Snob Bicycle Pub Crawl are warned about cycling under the influence.  A new record in the frozen bike race over Alaska’s legendary Iditarod course. Would Luke Skywalker refuse to ride because he didn’t have a bike lane, or would he boldly take and hold the lane? What happens when joggers and cyclists conflict in a 4-foot wide strip of asphalt? The case against the former Ontario government minister who deliberately killed a Toronto cyclist is delayed until April 14. Passersby rescue a Windsor, Ontario cyclist trapped under a car. A London borough is investing £2 million pounds to encourage 20,000 new riders to take up cycling. A big-hearted UK girl will ride on Sunday to raise £700 for Haiti earthquake relief; you can donate through her website.

Finally, British conservatives plan to cut the chauffeur budget and tell government ministers to ride a bike instead. Can anyone imagine American conservatives suggesting something that?

I didn’t think so.

4 comments

  1. Justin N says:

    The hit-and-run occurred in San Bernardino. San Bernardino is not Riverside.

    • bikinginla says:

      Thanks for the correction, Justin. That’s what happens when I try to write from memory at 1 am.

  2. Ty says:

    Re: voting 10 times per day on the Pepsi Refresh challenge. Is there a way to vote 10 times per day for one project? Seems like just 1 time per day per project.

    • bikinginla says:

      You just have to close your browser, wait a bit and come back again a little later; I haven’t been able to determine just how long you have to wait yet. Or if you more than one browser — for instance, I have both Firefox and Apple’s Safari installed — you can use one and then the other without waiting.

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