BikinginLA

First up, let’s get a little business out of the way, since it’s time to take action on the Senate and House transportation bills

The former needs improvement, while the latter must die like the vile Satan-spawned Rosemary’s Baby of transportation bills that it is.

And don’t forget to sign the petition to increase bike and pedestrian funding in Southern California.

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This is why no one f***ing bikes in L.A. Results are in for the BPIT survey to prioritize L.A. bike projects. L.A. City Council holds the line on speed limit increases, at least for now. That planned paint test on the Spring Street green bike lane has been put off for now due to predicted bad weather. L.A. has been invited to apply for Bikes Belong’s Green Lane Project; Rick Risemberg asks if we’ve said yes yet, and if not, why? Streetsblog opens a branch in Boyle Heights. L.A. is holding a series of mobility Think Labs around the city starting in two weeks. Residents discuss planned bike lanes on Aviation in Redondo Beach. Long Beach offers free bike safety clinics. Women on Bikes SoCal kicks off a campaign to double the number of women on, yes, bikes.

Theresa Pham, the 13-year old sixth grader seriously injured in a Santa Ana hit-and-run while riding her bike is showing improvement. A gathering of OC bike luminaries to support the Orange County Bicycle Coalition. Cyclist and attorney David Huntsman considers the anti-bike bias that creeps into our conversations. The San Diego Bicycle Coalition is holding a workshop on best practices for bike advocacy. Advice on biking Santa Barbara. The SF Weekly calls for jail time for the cyclist who hit and killed a woman walking in the crosswalk with her husband. A San Jose man tackles a bike thief being chased by police. A pair of cyclists rescue a UPS driver who went off the road outside Saratoga CA. Lawyer please — a Saratoga attorney claims the victims of a hit-and-run merely fell off their bikes, then conspired to frame his client; this is exactly why some people hate lawyers.

I grew up around Denver’s Gates automotive belt factory; now they’re a leader in carbon fiber belt drives for bikes. A Michigan Congresswoman directs half-a-million dollars for a bike lane on a bridge near her home; should we be happy she supports cycling or angry about the earmark? Bicycling looks at the tragic death of Pennsylvania bike advocate Patrick Ytsma, while Bob Mionske asks if justice was served. Boston’s Bikeyface takes a typically amusing look at how to have a bike date. The only thing that can unite some New Yorkers is their shared hatred of bike lanes. Florida makes it legal to ride with no hands.

Maybe it’s time for a worldwide bike hour. Vancouver starts a new campaign to promote bike and pedestrian safety but continues to blame the victims, while a writer says helmets aren’t the answer. A man in pajamas rescues his own bike from a thief. Blaming cyclists won’t stop us from getting killed, even though it can be safer to break the law sometimes. Then again, why point the finger at cyclists when our streets are full of lawbreakers? A road raging driver deliberately runs down a UK cyclist, while another rider is nearly decapitated by a rope strung across a mountain bike trail. More on the Parisian decision to let cyclists jump red lights. Jan Ullrich is the latest pro cyclist to be found guilty of doping, while French cycling legend Jeannie Longo’s husband made 15 purchases of EPO, supposedly for his personal use. A writer says sport’s war on doping is pointless and ridiculous. Italy’s biggest newspaper backs the Times of London’s bike safety campaign; maybe the Times of Los Angeles should get behind it as well. A New Zealand study suggests the country’s mandatory helmet law has resulted in a 51% reduction in ridership and 53 premature deaths a year; others say bunk.

Finally, when their newly hired head coach took a header over his handlebars in ’79, it paved the way for the Lakers legendary Showtime era.

And Share the Road is nothing new; Shell Oil used it in the 1930’s to tell pedestrians and traffic delaying road users to get the hell out of the way — in other words, the same way many drivers continue to interpret it.

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Bike Talk airs every Saturday at 10 am; listen to it live or download the podcast from KPFK.

Bike Long Beach hosts Bike Saturdays every weekend; ride your bike to participating local shops and business throughout the city to get special offers and discounts.

The Culver City Bicycle Coalition invites you for an easy ride with the city’s mayor at 8 am every Monday, starting at Syd Kronenthal Park, 3459 McManus Ave, at the east end of the Ballona Creek bike path.

Los Angeles hosts the 2012 Para-Cycling World Track Championships this weekend at the L.A Velodrome at the Home Depot Center, 18400 Avalon Blvd in Carson. Events take place all day Saturday and Sunday starting at 9 am; thanks to the Claremont Cyclist for the heads-up.

Celebrate the Year of the Dragon with 34th Annual Chinatown Firecracker Ride and Run on Saturday, February 11th (Ride) and Sunday, February 12 (Run). Say you were referred by the LACBC (go ahead, I won’t tell) and they’ll donate $7 to the Los Angeles County Bike Coalition, which will provide a bike valet for the event.

The monthly Spoke(n)Art Ride will take place at 6 pm on Saturday, February 11th, departing from the Flying Pigeon LA bike shop at 3714 N. Figueroa ST in Highland Park. Single speed beach cruisers are available to rent for $20.

Out of the Box Events is sponsoring a bicycle-based Venice Valentines Hunt on Saturday the 11th, Sunday the 12th and Tuesday the 14th; cost is $25 per person with some of the funds to benefit the Boys and Girls Club of Venice.

The Culver City Bicycle Coalition will host a fundraiser the day after Valentines Day, February 15th, from 4 to 7 pm at Joxer Daly’s, 11168 Washington Blvd.

The Watts Towers will be a popular destination in February as one of L.A.’s favorite cyclists leads a ride to the iconic artworks. Will Campbell’s Watts Happening Ride 2012 will start at 9 am on February 18th at the Happy Foot/Sad Foot at the northwest corner of Sunset Boulevard & Benton Way in Silver Lake, and explore landmark people, places and events in, to and from South L.A. If you don’t know Will, few people know more unofficial L.A. bikeways or fascinating tidbits and trivia about unexplored corners of the City of Angeles. Highly recommended.

Flying Pigeon will host a reception for Stephen Rea, author of Hollywood Rides a Bike: Cycling With the Stars on Saturday, February 18th from 7 to 10 pm at 3714 N. Figueroa ST in Highland Park. Vegetarian-friendly food and drink will be available.

The City of Los Angeles will be hosting a series of four Mobility Think Lab Workshops to help solve the city’s mobility problems, on Saturday, February 25th and Saturday, March 3rd in Van Nuys, L.A. and Pacoima.

Saturday, February 25th the Fortune 700 fixed gear stage race will take place at the Rose Bowl, with a team time trial at noon followed by a circuit race at 2 pm; link courtesy of the Claremont Cyclist.

C.I.C.L.E. is hosting a Tweed, Moxie and Mustache Ride — no jokes, please — on Saturday, February 25, from 1 to 4 pm; meet at Burns Park at Van Ness and Beverly Blvd.

The draft bike plan for the County of Los Angeles will face a hearing by the county Board of Supervisors in a public session at 9:30 am on February 28th, in Room 381B of the Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration, 500 West Temple Street Downtown.

You’re invited to train with the Wonderful Pistachios Pro Cycling team at their official winter training camp March 2nd through 4th in Paso Robles; the cost is a mere $3,000.

Sunday, March 4th, there will be a memorial for Carol Schreder, the Hollywood writer/producer killed while riding on Mulholland Highway last December. It will be held at the Aero Theater, 1328 Montana Avenue in Santa Monica, starting at noon.

The OC to LA Dream Ride takes place on Sunday, March 4th, riding from El Centro Cultural de Mexico in Santa Ana to Solidarity Ink in Lincoln Heights to celebrate the passage of the California Dream Act and link the cycling community with the immigrant rights movement.

Also on Sunday the 4th, the LACBC rolls out it’s first Tour de Taste, offering an easy, guided 12 mile bike ride along Ballona Creek, as well as food and drinks from some of the area’s best restaurants. The event kicks off at Media Park at the corner of Culver and Venice Blvds starting at 10 am, with rides departing every hour. Cost is $65 for LACBC members and $95 for non-members, with discounted membership and ticket available for $120 (pro tip — become an LACBC member before the 4th and save $20); all proceeds go to create a more bikable Los Angeles.

If you enjoyed the last CicLAvia, you’ll love the next one on Tax Day, April 15th from 10 am to 3 pm; the route will follow the same expanded course as last October’s.

The first National Bike to School Day is scheduled for May 9th.

Tour de Cure is coming to San Diego on April 21st; or maybe you’d prefer riding in Napa on May 6th. All proceeds go to support the American Diabetes Association.

The Amgen Tour of California brings world-class professional bike racing to the L.A. area on Friday, May 18th from Palmdale to Big Bear Lake; Ontario to Mt. Baldy on Saturday, May 19th; and the final stage from Beverly Hills to L.A. Live in Downtown L.A. on Sunday, May 20th.

L.A.’S favorite fundraising bike ride rolls out on Sunday, June 10th with the 12th Annual L.A. River Ride; this one just keeps getting bigger and better every year. Six different rides, from an easy family ride to a fast, flat century; more details to come.