Before we get to this week’s events, let’s take a few seconds — literally — to look at a couple new helmet cam videos from a recent ride.
I’d like to say these are unusual events. No, really, I would.
But I see some sort of stupid driver tricks like this virtually every time I ride. Yet somehow, most drivers only seem to notice the cyclists who blow through red lights and stop signs.
Go figure.
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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.
A new support group has formed for people who have been involved in a bicycle collision. Everyone is welcome to share your experiences, gain insight and understanding into your emotional state and develop new coping strategies. The group will meet Saturdays from 11:30 am to 1 pm at 6310 San Vicente Blvd, Suite 401. Current LACBC members receive a discount. To learn more, contact Aurisha Smolarski at 323/203-1526 or email aurisha.smolarski@gmail.com.
If you’re reading this on Saturday, you’ve probably already missed the ride to benefit injured cyclist Russell Moon, starting at 7:30 am at Ocean Ave and San Vicente Blvd in Santa Monica. But maybe you can still stop by the same location at the end of the ride, where Moon will be in attendance from 11 am to 12:30 pm.
Flying Pigeon hosts their monthly Brewery Ride on Saturday, November 3rd from 3 to 5:30 pm. Riders meet at the Flying Pigeon LA Bike Shop, 3404 N. Figueroa St, and ride to a local brewery or beer-centric pub and back. That will be followed by the Spoke(n) Art Ride on Saturday, November 10th, and the Get Sum Dim Sum Ride on Sunday, November 18th.
This month’s LACBC Sunday Funday ride will take place on Saturday night, instead. The Haunted Saturday Funday Ride (scroll down) will take meet at 3:45 pm on Saturday, November 3rd at The Georgian, 1415 Ocean Ave in Santa Monica, rolling at 4:15 pm. Led by Executive Director Jen Klausner, the 16 mile ride will visit spooky destinations like the Marquez Family Cemetery, Sullivan Ridge Fire Road and the Murphy Ranch. Expect some climbing and descending; dirt-worthy bikes recommended.
Monday, November 5th, the High Desert Cyclists hold their monthly Cruiser Ride from 9 am to 12 noon. The easy, slow paced rides run about 20 miles, at a speed of about 10 mph, with stops along the way. This month’s ride meets at the north side parking lot at Ave S and the Aquaduct in Palmdale.
The Newport Beach Citizens Bicycle Safety Committee will meet at 4:30 pm on Monday, November 5th in the Friends Room of the Central Library, 1000 Avocado Ave. The meeting is open to the public, and anyone who lives or rides in the area is encouraged to attend.
Also on the 5th, the South Pasadena City Council will consider extending the Arroyo Seco bike path, and is asking for input from bicyclists. The meeting starts at 6 pm in the South Pasadena City Council Chambers, 1424 Mission Street.
Tuesday, November 6th is Election Day. Your vote matters, not just in deciding the next president, but for federal, state and local offices, as well as countless state and local measures. Be sure to Bike the Vote by riding to your polling place to show the world that we vote, too.
The stepdaughters of fallen cyclist Benjamin Torres are hosting a BikeRun in honor of their stepfather on November 10th starting at Rowley Park in Gardena, and proceeding to Wilton Place and 135th St. The ride assembles at 3:30 pm and rolls at 4 pm. I highly recommend this one to honor a hit-and-run victim who should still be with us.
Sunday, November 11th, the Culver City Bicycle Coalition is holding their first annual Cruise the Creek Fun Ride and Membership Drive. The intermediate level ride will run roundtrip from Culver City’s Syd Kronenthal Park, 3459 McManus Ave, to Manhattan Beach and back, followed by a family picnic and raffle in the park. Riders assemble at 9:30 am, departing at 10, with a kids ride in the park from 11 am to 1 pm and lunch from 12:30 to 2:30 pm. The ride is free for CCBC members, $10 for non-members.
CORBA (the Concerned Off-Road Bicyclists Association) invites riders to meet at the Hub in Topanga State Park on Saturday, November 17th to celebrate their 25th anniversary and show that mountain bikers can co-exist on off-road trails. Riders will meet at 10 am, with a group photo and cash prizes starting at 10:30.
Also on the 17th, C.I.C.L.E. is hosting the Made in LA Ride: Wine, Robots and Hot Spicy Tomato Sauce! from 10 am 1:30 pm, departing at 10:30. The ride starts the LA State Historic Park entrance to Chinatown Station, 901 N. Spring Street, and will explore institutions associated with products made in the City of Angels. A $10 donation is suggested, however, no one will be turned away for lack of funds.
Here’s your chance to ride with Mayor Frank Quintero at Walk Bike Glendale’s 2nd annual Mayor’s Bike Ride. The family friendly ride is open to all ages, and meets at Glendale City Hall, 613 E. Broadway, starting at 9 am.
Sunday, November 18th, the Westside’s Bikerowave is holding a free basic bike fitting class starting at 4 pm at 12255 Venice Blvd; RSVP at bikerowaveclasses@gmail.com.
Few things go together better than bikes and beer, which is what you’ll get with the Stone Brewing Company Brewcyclers Ride on Saturday, December 1st. Riders will meet at Stone Brewing, 1999 Citracado Parkway in Escondido at 8:30 am, departing at 9 am sharp on a 20 mile roundtrip loop.
The LACBC’s second Tour de Taste is scheduled for Sunday, December 2nd; mark your calendar for a unique combination of bikes and great food. And yes, I’ll be there in some capacity to be determined.
High Desert Cyclists win the award for the first scheduled Christmas party of the year, to be held at 7 pm on Monday, December 17th at the Texas Cattle Company, 44206 10th Street West in Lancaster. You can also buy a $40 raffle ticket for a chance to win a $600 Bicycle John’s gift certificate; the raffle ticket includes a free one year family membership to the HDC.
Registration is now open for a six-day ride through San Diego and Riverside Counties between the holidays. The HI-USA Christmas Trip, which has rolled every year since the mid-1950s, starts in San Diego on December 26th and returns on December 31st, with five overnights in between. Total mileage runs between 360 and 400 miles, with terrain ranging from urban to rural, mountains to desert. Thanks to Marvin Davis for the heads-up.
Make your plans for the Malibu 7-Canyon Ride on Saturday, March 23rd with rides of 100 mile, 100 kilometers and 50 miles. The fully supported ride will begin at Zuma Beach, and pass through Latigo, Encinal, Decker, Mulholland, Little Sycamore, Yerba Buena and Deer Creek Canyons, with over 9,000 feet of climbing on the century ride. The first 200 people to register before November 15th will get a 15% discount; enter the code First200 on the registration page.
I actually gasped out loud watching that second video. Holy hell. I got rear-ended (in my car) while stopped, waiting for a train to go by. Young girl in an 8000lb SUV, didn’t even realize she hit me, she said. I reamed her a new orifice. Imagine if I’d been on a motorcycle, or a bicycle. Then I almost got sideswiped by a guy in a LITTLE pickup truck, who was in the right lane, as he made a RIGHT TURN, but had to swerve into the left lane where I was to make the RIGHT turn. WTH??? It is my considered opinion that 90% of drivers should never be licensed.
Can’t argue with you. Like Tom Vanderbilt said, a drivers license is too easy to get and too hard to lose.
Humans, surrounded by airbags and 4000 lbs of steel, are fearless. I would venture to guess that SUV drivers tend to run more red lights and get more speeding tickets. There is no such thing as “bad” driving nowadays. Those of us on 20 lb bikes are unfortunately on the losing end of it sometimes.
Close calls are a daily occurrence with so many motorists around.
I’ve had some close calls but never hit by a car in 30 + yrs. I start from the assumption that the driver does not see me and I always have a plan of escape.
Agreed. In 32 years as an adult rider, the only time I’ve been hit by a car was intentional, by a road raging driver. As Wes notes, key is to always ride defensively; assume drivers will do the wrong thing at the wrong time, and prepare for it in advance. Always know be aware of every other vehicle on the road, and practice skills like panic stops, swerving and accelerating out of danger — sometimes a sudden burst of speed can get you out of danger when braking can’t.
My first post on your blog even though I’ve been reading for a long time! Loving these videos, they make me feel less crazy on my rides because I see this stuff all of the time. The one that bothers me the most is the person who cuts you off really slowly and stares you down the entire time. They know full well they are cutting you off but consciously decide to do so and even slow you down in the process.
Ted,
I see a future in pro-Bicycling P.S.A.s for you.
This series could all end with “Only Cyclists break the Law”
Thanks to my helmet cam, I’ve finally found a use for my head.
I sometimes say helmets protect a seldom used organ….the brain. Every time I go cycling or driving, I witness some incredibly risky behavior.
In the Bay Area, there is a news feature called “People Behaving Badly”. The second video clearly qualifies for that.