BikinginLA

In yet another Southern California bike collision, a Ventura man was critically injured when he was hit by a car Tuesday afternoon.

According to the Ventura County Star, 54-year old Curtis Reese was riding across Ventura Avenue on Warner Street when he was hit by a southbound vehicle driven by Jason Friedman, also of Ventura. No other information was given about how the collision occurred or who was at fault.

The paper notes that, in an all-too-rare occurrence, the driver stopped at the scene. And not surprisingly, was uninjured.

Thanks to DC for the heads-up.

Update: A press release on the City of Ventura website, apparently based on the official police report, indicates that Reese was broadsided by Friedman’s vehicle and thrown from his bike, suffering major injuries.

Update 2: In a little good news, the Ventura County Star reports that Reese is in stable condition and recovering at the hospital.

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David Whiting, cyclist, and editor-at-large/columnist for the Orange County Register, will discuss OC’s one-a-month rate of biking fatalities at the monthly meeting of the Orange county Wheelmen Wednesday night.

Meanwhile, two Orange County girls are critically injured, along with seven other people, when an alleged drunk driver jumps the curb and hits a group of pedestrians in Santa Ana.

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Irmanol Erviti wins stage 10 of the Vuelta in a solo breakaway, while Joaquin Rodriguez claims the leader’s jersey. Saxo Bank gives Andy Schleck and Stuart O’Grady the boot from the Vuelta for an unauthorized tipple.

In other racing news, Bradley Wiggins and Emma Pooley win the men’s and women’s British Time Trial Championships, and the legendary Jeannie Longo wins yet another cycling title, this time in Steamboat Springs CO.

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LACBC releases an English Language version of their Central LA Better Bike Routes Map. Rach Stevenson reports on last week’s bike-focused meeting of the Malibu Public Safety Commission. Where’s the former Anonymous Cyclist been — besides fixing classic bikes and writing for Bike Rumor, that is? Bicycle Fixation celebrates new bike racks on Wilshire Blvd and at the Trader Joe’s at 3rd and La Brea. CicLAvia needs volunteers starting this week, and invites your family to join the MidDay Ridazz.  A view from Philly at Long Beach’s green bike priority lanes.  Dave Moulton discusses the right and wrong ways to ride in a group. Zeke contemplates what he’s learned in three years back on the bike. Oregon Live says if bikes can’t keep up with traffic, get out of the lane. Portlanders shouldn’t have to choose between bikes and baseball. A cyclist has his bike stolen after a 3,000 charity ride. Biking the most scenic road in North America. Missouri police seek a driver who intentionally ran down a cyclist. Fighting the proposed bike ban in St. Charles County MO; turns out Sag Harbor NY has had a bike ban on the books for 24 years. A cab crashes into an NYC coffee shop, injuring five people, including two cyclists passing by; commenters blame a separated bike lane for confusing the driver. A Philadelphia area man faces multiple charges in the hit-and-run death of a 16-year old boy. A man rides his bike to a garage sale, only to have it sold by mistake. Remembering a Florida minister killed in a hit-from-behind collision over the weekend. Vancouver drivers will soon confront a traffic-calming panic-inducing hologram. Prince Charles gets on, but apparently doesn’t ride, a Brompton. London bike commuting jumps as Underground workers go on strike; thanks to George Wolfberg for the link. Mark Ronson rides a bike in his latest video. A Brit woman is cleared of killing a cyclist when medical experts testify she may have blacked out at the wheel. News roundups from last week’s Eurobike, including the latest wheels, ‘cross bikes, an interview with Saxo Bank’s Jens Voight and a very sexy new bike from the Cannibal, as well as a new belt drive system. A YouTube look at the Netherlands’ Strict Liability law; thanks to Kirk for sending the link.

Finally, a poignant story from the Charlotte Observer about learning to ride again after being struck by a car.

His fingers, hand, wrist, pelvis, hip, femur and knee all fractured in one blow the day after Thanksgiving 2008. A motorist turning left struck Wiseman’s oncoming bicycle in Rowan County. The motorist said he never saw the bike.

“The right leg does 70 percent of the work,” said Wiseman of his body’s limitations now. The left just doesn’t remember anymore.

“I couldn’t pick my left leg up to get it on the pedal. I couldn’t move my leg up and down.”