Archive for February 28, 2014

Bike Events: Fix-A-Flat clinic, Bike Oven fundraiser, Bike Touring 101, Join The Ride tour and an LA River pop-up

February 28, 2014 / / 2 comments

Note: Some of the weekend events may be cancelled due to rain; check with the sponsor to verify the event is still being held.

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 Los Angeles Bicycle Advisory Committee, the city’s only official voice for bicyclists, meets on the first Tuesday of every even-numbered month; the next meeting takes place at 7 pm on Tuesday, April 1st at 6501 Fountain Ave.

The Bicycle Kitchen hosts a fix-a-flat clinic today, Saturday March 1st from 10 am to noon, 4429 Fountain Ave.

The 2nd Annual Bike Oven Fundraiser Auction takes place on Saturday, March 1st from 5 to 10 pm, 3706 North Figueroa St. Donations of any kind are welcome, from auction items to refreshments.

Stan’s Bike Shop is hosting Bike Touring 101 on Saturday, March 1st at 3 pm, 880 Myrtle Ave in Monrovia. Experienced bike touring gurus Johnny Lam and Errin Vasquez will offer advice on what to take and what not to, as well as how to pack for your adventure.

LA DOT, Enrich LA, Cafecito Organico & Let’s Be Frank Dogs and the Juice invite you to join them for a bike-oriented day on the LA River with the Pop-Up LA River Café: Activate from 8 am to 2 pm on Sunday, March 2nd. Ride your bike or rent one there, 3048 N. Coolidge Ave, mile marker 24.7 on the LA River bike path.

The Women’s Cycling Association invites you to their JoinTheRide Tour at 10 am on Sunday, March 2nd with rides of 27 and 41 miles, open to both men and women. The rides start and end at Pedaler’s Fork, 23504 Calabasas Road in Calabasas, with catered lunch to follow.

The Pomona Bicycle Master Plan comes before the city council for a hearing starting at 7 pm this Monday, March 3rd at Pomona City Hall, 505 S. Garey Street.

The formal recommendation to include bike lanes on a rebuilt Santa Monica Blvd in Beverly Hills goes before the city council on Tuesday, March 4th, at 7 pm; 455 North Rexford Drive. If you ride through Beverly Hills — or would like to — be there to fight to complete the missing link between the Century City and West Hollywood bike lanes.

Not everyone bikes, or even drives. But everyone walks. So consider joining in the March Fourth Pedestrian Day of Action from 4 to 7 pm on March 4th (get it?) at Alameda and Los Angeles Streets, across from Union Station.

Bicyclists are encouraged to attend a court hearing for Wendy Villegas, the driver charged in the alleged drunken hit-and-run that resulted in the death of cyclist Andy Garcia, and seriously injured two others. The hearing is scheduled for 8:30 am on Thursday, March 6th in Division 37 of the Downtown courthouse, 210 West Temple Street.

Sunday, March 9th marks the return of the LA Marathon — and the world-famous Wolfpack Hustle: The Marathon Crash Race. As always, the ride meets at 3 am at Tang’s Donuts, 4341 W Sunset Blvd, rolling at 4 am through the closed marathon course to the coast.

The San Fernando Valley Bike Club offers a twice monthly Campagni Group Ride — Italian for companion — on the second and fourth Sunday of every month; the next ride takes place on Sunday, March 9th. Click here for more details (footnote d); lots of other great sounding rides on the list, too.

Join C.I.C.L.E. on Friday, March 14th for the ArtNight Pasadena ride to some of the city’s best museums, galleries and exhibits. The ride meets at 6:30 pm at Memorial Park Pasadena, Raymond Ave and Holly Street, departing at 7 pm.

C.I.C.L.E. hosts The Way Back When Ride: La Puente, co-sponsored by Metro and Bike SGV, on Saturday, March 15th. The family-friendly, leisurely paced ride meets at 10:30 am at the Park-N-Ride Lot at Stafford Street and Glendora Avenue in the City of Industry, rolling at 11 am.

Also on Saturday, March 15th, give your legs a test with the annual Malibu Seven Canyon Classic, with routes ranging from 50 to 100 miles, including a new fast, flat route along the coast. All rides start at 8 am.

Ride to support LA cyclist Albert Soto in his battle with cancer on Saturday, March 15th. Meet at La Placita Olvera- La Golondrinas across from Union Station in Downtown LA at 11 am, rolling at noon.

The Encino Velodrome is hosting a Bicycle Swap Meet and Fun Race Day on Saturday the 15th, 17301 Oxnard Street.

Finish up the day with the first Streetsblog fundraiser of the year from 6 to 9 pm on Saturday, March 15th as they honor Streetsie Award winner Paul Backstrom, Transportation Deputy to Westside Councilmember Mike Bonin. The event, with a suggested donation of $100, will include Indian food, beer, wine and non-alcoholic beverages; location provided upon RSVP to Damien@streetsblog.org.

The City of Los Angeles will host a series of neighbor workshops to collect feedback on the Mobility Plan 2035, re:code LA and the Plan for a Healthy Los Angeles; the Mobility Plan especially will impact the future of bicycling in the city. Click here for addresses and other information (pdf).

  • North Los Angeles, 9 am to noon on Saturday, March 15th
  • Central, 5 to 8 pm on Wednesday, March 19th
  • South Los Angeles, 9 am to noon on Saturday, March 22nd
  • East, 9 am to noon on Saturday, March 29th
  • West, 6 to 9 pm on Wednesday, April 2nd
  • South Valley, 9 am to noon on Saturday, April 5th
  • Harbor, 10 am to 1 pm on Saturday, April 12th

Mark your calendar for Saturday, March 22nd from 11 am to 3 pm when Swrve, LA’s favorite non-spandex bikewear manufacturer hosts a warehouse sale; location TBD.

Test your legs against the city’s best with the annual Fargo Street Hill Climb sponsored by the Los Angeles Wheelmen on Sunday, March 23rd at 9 am. The Eastside Bike Club and Stan’s Bike Shop are hosting a ride to the event, meeting at Stan’s Bike Shop, 880 Myrtle Ave in Monrovia; meeting at 7:30 am and rolling at 8 am.

The LACBC’s Civic Engagement Committee meets on the last Tuesday of every month to discuss how bike riders can influence the political process. The next meeting rescheduled for Tuesday, March 25th, at 6:45 pm, 634 S. Spring Street in Downtown LA.

Lovers of Bikes & Beers should head to San Diego on Saturday, March 29th. The $45 event offers four start times, from 9:30 am to 11 am; the 26 mile ride will feature stops at some of the city’s best brew houses.

The 30th annual Redlands Bicycle Classic rolls from Wednesday, April 2nd to Sunday, April 6th offering some of the nation’s best amateur and professional bike racing.

The National Open Streets Summit is scheduled for Friday, April 4th through Sunday, April 6th at the Line Hotel, 3515 Wilshire Blvd in Los Angeles.

The next CicLAvia is scheduled for Sunday, April 6th on iconic Wilshire Blvd, LA’s historic main street. The free event rolls and walks from Downtown to the Miracle Mile with expanded hours from 9 am to 4 pm.

Fans of the Amgen Tour of California can ride the same official Stage 8 course the pros will when the L’Etape du California rolls on Sunday, April 6th in Thousand Oaks. Entry is limited to the first 1,500 riders to register.

Walk ‘n Rollers teams up with the LACBC to present the free 2014 South LA Kids Bike Festival on Sunday, April 13th from 11 am to 2 pm at the Foshay Learning Center, 3751 S. Harvard Blvd. The fun family event will focus on developing safe riding skills; a limited supply of bikes and helmets will be available to borrow.

The American Diabetes Association’s Tour de Cure Ship to Shore ride takes place on Sunday, April 27th at the Queen Mary, 1126 Queen’s Highway in Long Beach. Rides range from eight to 100 miles, with a $200 fundraising minimum.

On February 17th of last year, Damian Kevitt was hit by a minivan while riding his bike in Griffith Park. The driver attempted to flee the scene with Kevitt trapped under the vehicle, dragging him nearly 600 feet onto the 5 Freeway and leaving him for dead; the resulting injuries cost him a leg, and nearly took his life. On Sunday, April 27th, Kevitt is planning to finish the ride to raise funds for the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition and the Challenged Athletes Foundation.

The Ride 2 Recovery to benefit wounded vets returns to Southern California on Saturday, May 3rd in Thousand Oaks. The ride departs from the Lost Hills Sheriff Station, 27050 Agoura Hills Road, starting at 8 am; no cost for injured vets.

The Amgen Tour of California runs from Sunday, May 11th to Sunday, May 18th, starting in Sacramento. Three SoCal stages are planned, Friday May 16th, Santa Clarita to Mountain High; Saturday May 16th, Santa Clarita to Pasadena, and the final stage on Sunday the 18th in Thousand Oaks. There are also two women’s races scheduled, in Sacramento on May 11th and on the 12th in Folsom.

Bike Week 2014 is set to unfold the week of May 12th, with preview events on Saturday the 10th and Sunday the 11th.

  • May 10th: Get Ready and Fix Your Bike!
  • May 11th: Bicycling is for Everyone Celebration!
  • May 12th: Kick-off Bike Week LA
  • May 13th: Blessing of the Bicycles
  • May 14th: Guided Ride Day: Bike Lanes and More!
  • May 15th: Bike to Work Day
  • May 12th-18th: Bike Local Discounts

Mark your calendar for Glendale’s 2nd Annual Jewel City Fun & Fitness Ride on Sunday, May 18th, with rides ranging from seven to 45 miles.

LA’s most popular fundraising bike ride rolls on Sunday, June 22nd with the 14th edition of the LACBC’s Los Angeles River Ride. Ten rides of varying lengths, with starting points in Long Beach and Griffith Park, including two centuries, a 15-mile family ride and a free kid’s ride; discount prices available through May 27th.

Mark your calendar for the Peace Love & Family Ride for Crohn’s and Obesity in South LA on July 5th and 6th. Great cause; more details when they become available.

The year’s second CicLAvia takes place on Sunday, October 5th with a new variation on the classic Heart of LA route through Downtown LA, from Echo Park to East LA.

The first winter — or late fall, anyway — CicLAvia is also the first to roll through historic South LA on Sunday, December 7th, from the cultural center of the Southside in Leimert Park to the birthplace of West Coast Jazz on Central Avenue.

Find bike racing schedules and other cycling events at SoCal Cycling.

Category: Bike Events / Tags: , ,

Two of SoCal’s best bike advocates are finalists for national Advocate of the Year award

February 28, 2014 / / 7 comments

When I started this site, it seemed like you could count the female bike advocates on one hand.

And still have enough fingers left over for the inappropriate gesture of your choice. Wherever you chose to direct it.

Times, thankfully, have changed.

In only a few short years, women riders have risen to the ranks of the most notable advocates fighting for the rights and safety of cyclists with organizations throughout the US. As well as right here in suddenly soggy Southern California.

Two, in particular, have drawn attention for helping reshape the cities in which they live and ride. And I’ve had the privilege of watching both develop into people I would not want to meet in a metaphorical dark alley if I stood on the wrong side of support for bicycling.

Which is not to say Santa Monica’s Cynthia Rose isn’t one of the most pleasant human beings I’ve ever had the privilege of meeting.

Hard to believe that it was only a few years ago that she was asking me for advice on how to work with city officials to improve the lot of bike riders and improve relations with police in the LA area’s city by the bay. Fortunately for all of us, she didn’t take it.

Instead, she forged her own path, building close working relationships with city officials and forming Santa Monica Spoke — now an affiliate chapter of the LACBC — in the process. And leading to her election to the board of the California Bicycle Coalition.

Now she is one of the most knowledgeable, insightful and persuasive advocates anywhere. And the formerly less than bike-friendly city she represents is challenging, if not surpassing, Long Beach for supremacy as the area’s top bike city.

Whenever someone says change is too hard, if not impossible, I point to Cynthia as a perfect example of what one highly motivated person can do.

And yes, I know it’s not polite to point.

On the other hand, San Diego’s Sam Ollinger is a force of nature.

I first got to know Sam as a fellow blogger who I often linked to as she covered the nascent bike scene in our neighbor to the south with rare passion and intelligence.

It was enough to get her an invitation to join the board of the local bicycle coalition, just as it did me a seeming lifetime ago. But she soon found herself butting heads with the entrenched interests of vehicular cyclists who have long dominated the city John Forester calls home.

She also asked my opinion more than once in late night emails on how she should proceed against seemingly unbearable friendly fire. Frankly, I don’t know if she ever took it.

But she quickly went from board member of the SDBC to founder of BikeSD, the city’s first and only 501(c)4 bicycling non-profit dedicated to political action.

And in the process, has helped reshape the future of bicycling in San Diego, as well as the present. Including the recent election for mayor in which both candidates came out strongly in support of bicycling.

Like Cynthia, she finds also herself on the board of the state’s leading bicycling organization.

Together, they have already significantly improved bicycling in Southern California, and are working to put their stamp on the state as a whole. And inspiring women and bicycling advocates of all stripes throughout the US.

Especially now that both are finalists for next week’s Advocate of the Year Award.

I can’t speak for any of the other nominees. But based on from my own personal experiences with both, don’t ask me to choose between the two.

Each has grown to be among the most outstanding people and bicycling advocates it has ever been my pleasure to know.

And both Cynthia Rose and Sam Ollinger more deserve the award.

If it was up to me, it would end in a tie.

……….

Speaking of Cynthia Rose, the Spoke is asking for tax deductible donations to send her to next week’s National Bike Summit 2014. Just $1500 is needed to add her voice to the national bike congress.

……….

Now for the bad news.

In an incredibly misguided decision, a California appeals court has ruled that the next distracted driver who plows into a cyclist with face firmly planted in his or her cell phone map app won’t be breaking the law.

In a case involving a Sacramento motorist, the 5th District Court of Appeal said the state’s ban on hand-held cell phone use only applies to making calls or texting, rather than using it for any other purpose.

So in theory, a driver could be looking at a phone for virtually any purpose, from texting to reading email or downloading porn behind the wheel.

And if a cop happened to spot him or her, all they’d have to do is call up their mapping app before pulling over, making the hand-held cell phone ban virtually unenforceable.

Hopefully, this case will go to the California Supreme Court where, with any luck, the judges won’t have their heads planted so far up their own posteriors.

Because this wrong-headed decision just put the lives of everyone on our streets at risk.

……….

After years of complaints from lost bike riders, LADOT promises wayfinding signs throughout the city. And offers you a chance to check them out in advance.

A writer for the Times says less parking for cars, more parking for bikes. On the other hand, the usual bike-hating letter writers aren’t so understanding.

Loz Feliz locals say they’d rather keep all their traffic lanes on the Hyperion bridge, and screw anyone who doesn’t use a car to cross it.

Better Bike offers an open letter to the Beverly Hills City Council in support of bike lanes on a reconstructed Santa Monica Blvd through the city, which comes up for a vote before the council next Tuesday.

A Santa Monica police sting helps a theft victim get his stolen bike back after spotting it on Craigslist, along with two others.

The first local non-LA ciclovia could follow Huntington Drive through the San Gabriel Valley: thanks to BikeSGV for the tip. Maybe you were photographed at one of the previous CicLAvias.

A permanent memorial was installed on the Cal Poly Pomona campus today to honor fallen cyclist and Cal Poly student Ivan Aguilar, who was killed on the campus one year ago today.

When you’re riding in Carson with meth and a concealed shotgun, don’t commit vehicle code violations, whatever that means. Thanks to Erik Griswold for the heads-up.

Cycling in the South Bay looks at who brakes for whom. Or at all.

The Santa Clarita Valley Signal reports a cyclist was injured in a collision with an SUV on Thursday. But why do they insist on putting “Cannondale” in quotation marks when they don’t do that with “Acura RDX?” Not that bikes are treated like others or anything.

More on California’s proposed vulnerable user law. Personally, I’d much rather see a modified version of the European strict liability laws, which places greater responsibility for avoiding collisions on the operator of the more dangerous vehicle.

Introducing a new line of bike-to-boardroom bicycling business attire, and creative ways to light your bike at night.

Yesterday’s road raging Portland bike rider attempts to explain himself, sort of.

Yeah, let’s blame the victim for riding on the street, not the hit-and-run driver who killed him.

It’s not the New York bike lanes that cause double parking, even if the local press thinks the ones getting the tickets are the victims. And sometimes, it’s the cops doing the blocking.

Good thing the era of doping is over, as a Venezuelan pro tests off the charts in blood screening tests.

London will spend £300 million — the equivalent of $500 million — to fix 33 killer junctions; does LA even know where the most dangerous intersections for cyclists and pedestrians are?

A shocking Chinese study shows the higher the speed at which a car is travelling, the more likely it is to kill a cyclist or pedestrian. In other surprising results, water is wet and it gets dark when you turn out the lights.

An Aussie paper calls for a 6 mph speed limit for bikes to prevent injuries to pedestrians, but doesn’t suggest a mandatory helmet law for anyone on foot. Or slowing down drivers to prevent injuries to cyclists.

Another Aussie paper says there’s no suggestion that a fatal bike crash was deliberate. So why did they suggest it?

………

Finally, a bike-hating Chicago columnist says fuck cyclists because they — we — are worse than Hitler, and no one should be on a bike if they’re older than 13.  Or rather,

Bicyclists are worse than Hitler carrying a cancer death-ray shooting puppies, playing Justin Bieber music on repeat while your cell phone has 2 percent battery.

I realize he’s trying — and failing — to be funny. He should also fail at keeping his job.

Then again, he could take lessons from the semi-literate bike hater who called London cyclists wretched “Talebans” who poison people’s lives.

Cyclists-Talebans

Seriously, you can’t make this shit up.

Category: Advocacy & Politics, Morning Links / Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Morning headlines: Another day, another three Times bike opinion pieces — and this time, they get it right

February 27, 2014 / / One comment

Wednesday was a good day for the LA Times editorial department.

First up is a ringing endorsement of the seemingly troubled My Figueroa project, which would create the city’s first complete street if the local councilmember and various bike lane-hating businesses — hello Felix Chevrolet! — would just get out of the way.

Yes, they note, the project may result in some traffic congestion until motorists adjust their routes or adapt to other forms of transportation. But as they put it —

Mayor Eric Garcetti and the City Council should not let fears of traffic congestion turn this transformative project into another incomplete street.

Meanwhile, another writer for the Times notes that bicyclists are not the only ones who will benefit from the project.

But only if City Hall has the courage to say yes to a project that will benefit everyone. Including the people and businesses currently opposing it.

On a related subject, Times writer Paul Thornton correctly calls the city out for failing to patch the roadway before painting bike lanes.

Like the cracked and badly patched pavement the passes for a bike lane on 7th Street, which too often calls for an ice pack in a very private place by the time I get home. Over in the UK, they sue for that sort of thing.

And Cycling Unbound takes on Tuesday’s Times opinion piece that tacitly endorsed running down cyclists who have the audacity to complain about nearly getting run over.

Funny how bike riders’ instinct for self-preservation so often looks like self-righteousness to uncomprehending motorists.

……….

A high desert official says if cars can’t pass your bike safely and there’s no place to pull over, you have to get off and walk your bike.

Uh, no.

You are required to pull over and let cars pass if, and only if a) you are on road with only one lane in your direction, b) you are traveling at less than the speed of traffic, and c) there are at least five vehicles stuck behind you and unable to pass. If they can go around you, you aren’t impeding anything.

And there is absolutely nothing in the law that would require you to get off your bike.

However, that’s not to say you can’t be polite and pull over to let cars go by. Anytime I take the lane, I try to move right and wave trailing traffic around me when it’s safe to do so.

……….

Mentioned this one over the weekend, but it bears repeating, as Sheriff’s investigators prepare to turn the results of their investigation into the death of cyclist and former Napster exec Milt Olin over to the DA’s office for evaluation. Don’t hold your breath for criminal charges, though; I suspect this one would have been brushed under the carpet along time ago if it had just been you or me under that deputy’s car.

The LACBC calls on Metro and LA County to fight for our share of active transportation funds.

Outgoing County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky looks at Metro’s Bicycle Roundtable, and notes that bicyclists are no longer the squeaky wheel that gets ignored. Even if there is room for improvement.

Long Beach’s traffic calming dinosaurs go the way of the stegosaurus and non-speeding motorists.

San Diego’s Bicycle Film Festival starts this weekend.

Cyclelicious explains why the Fourth Power Rule means cyclists shouldn’t have to pay for the streets we ride on. Or if we do, SUV drivers should be prepared to write a very large check.

San Francisco okays a project to give unclaimed bikes to the poor, starting with low-income at-risk youths. Now that’s a program I can get behind.

When you’re raging against a driver, remember you’re the one who’ll come off looking like a jerk, no matter how much he or she may deserve it. Which explains why some of the videos I record will never see the light of day.

It’s a mixed bag in court for the fallen king of pro cycling, as Lance loses in Texas and wins in LA. But aside from his financial advisors, does anyone really care anymore?

The Canadian politician who killed cyclist Darcy Allen Sheppard is attempting to make a comeback five years later. Unfortunately, his victim won’t be making a comeback anytime soon. Or ever.

A South African bike commuter races for his life to escape armed robbers chasing him in a car, before finally giving up his bike at gunpoint.

A reminder from Tokyo to ride safely around pedestrians. And not just because it could be you that ends up going to the hospital.

Oh, so that’s the reason women don’t ride in greater numbers: it’s the helmets. Or maybe not.

Finally, a Jupiter FL cyclist gets a $3 million dollar settlement for a dooring — yes, million — and his wife gets over half a million for loss of consortium.

Don’t tell my wife, or she’ll ask me to start riding in the door zone. Something tells me she’d gladly trade consortium for a cool half mil.

Category: Bikes & the Law, Morning Links, Streets and Infrastructure / Tags: , , , ,

Update: LA rider killed in solo fall earlier this month; 5th cycling fatality in Los Angeles already this year

February 26, 2014 / / 6 comments
Ghost bike for Josh "Monster" Michael; photo from Ghost Bikes-LA.

Ghost bike for Josh “Monster” Michael; photo from Ghost Bikes-LA.

Not every fallen cyclist makes the news.

Sometimes riders lose their lives, and no one even notices aside from family and friends. And we may never know we lost a brother, a sister, a friend we never knew, and now never will.

That’s what almost happened here.

A rider died earlier this month, only a few miles from where I live, on an intersection I know well. But the only hint came in a tweet from filmmaker and photographer Danny Gamboa, who posted a photo of the newly installed ghost bike.

And that’s how I learned Josh Michael, aka Monster, had died earlier this month.

The details are still sparse. What I’ve been able to gather from Facebook is that it appears Michael was riding on the weekly Night Owls ride on Tuesday, February 11th (actually the 4th), when he somehow fell at the intersection of Sunset Blvd and Crescent Heights.

Tragically, while he normally rode with a helmet, he’d forgotten it that night, but decided to ride anyway. And he was only planning to join the group for a few miles, just to say hi to his friends.

But something caused his bike to go down, hitting his head on the pavement. He passed away almost two weeks later on Sunday the 16th.

We’ll never know if he would have survived if he’d been wearing his helmet. But this type of solo fall is exactly what bike helmets are designed to protect against.

This is the 18th bicycling fatality this year, and the seventh in Los Angeles County. He’s also the fifth rider to die in the City of Angels already this year.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Josh Michael and all of his loved ones.

Update: Now it makes a little more sense.

According to his friend Huey JD Steven, Michael was riding downhill on Crescent Heights towards Sunset with a group of riders around midnight on Tuesday, February 4th.

He was riding at speed, maybe a little faster than necessary, when he somehow missed the call for a right turn, bumped another rider and fell, landing on his head.

He was taken off life-support on Sunday the 16th.

As Steven put it, 

He went out loving what he did.

Category: Bicycle Safety, Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , ,

The Bike Accident Lawyer You Choose Can Make Or Break Your Case

February 25, 2014 / / 6 comments

 

Jim Pocrass, Pocrass & De Los Reyes LLP

Jim Pocrass, Pocrass & De Los Reyes LLP

Bikes Have Rights™
By James L. Pocrass, Esq.
Pocrass & De Los Reyes LLP 

 

Last Sunday we attended the Los Angeles Bicycle Commuter Festival & Summit, which was organized by the Bicycle Culture Institute and its L.A. Bike Trains program. After helping to set up the Pocrass & De Los Reyes booth, I wandered around saying “hello” to old friends and making new ones.

As I was thinking about the many conversations I had with a variety of people at the festival, I was struck by the two things they all seemed to have in common: 1.) they all ride bikes and 2.) every one of them told me they’d been in a bicycle accident at some time in their life.

You wouldn’t think this would be such a revelation to me. After all, as a recreational cyclist, I, too, have been yelled at, “flipped off,” and only avoided a collision (so far), because I was more aware than the motorist was.

As a bike accident lawyer, I have handled hundreds of bike accident cases, which has allowed me to develop a relationship to many people who have suffered life-altering injuries, because of the negligence or carelessness of another. I see their struggle to heal: physically, emotionally and financially. As one of the exhibitors, whose accident left him with numerous pins in his leg and with a limp, said to me Sunday, “You heal, but you’re never the same.”

It’s a peculiarity of human nature that when we meet someone and they tell us their career, we have an urge to tell them our personal experience with their profession. We tell doctors our symptoms. We tell IT people our computer problems. And we tell bike accident lawyers about our bike accident case.

I never mind when people want to tell me about their bike accident case, even if it was resolved years ago. I am, though, very careful of how I respond. After all, I am hearing someone’s perspective, and I haven’t reviewed the case. I don’t want to Monday-morning-quarterback another lawyer.

There have been a few times (one of which happened last Sunday, which was the genesis of this post), that inside I was just shaking my head trying to figure out what the person’s lawyer was thinking. But I’m not going to go into that here.

Instead, I am going to give you the secret code of how to choose a lawyer. And though this information generalizes to all practice areas, I am going to use bike accident lawyers as an example.

Bike Accident Experience: does the lawyer have experience in handling bike accident cases? Just as you wouldn’t go to a foot doctor for a heart condition, you don’t want to go to a business attorney for a bike accident.

A bike accident attorney is very familiar with bike accident and motor vehicle law. These laws can be complicated, especially if a bicyclist is hit by a truck and then all sorts of federal or state laws could apply.

Another example is California’s comparative negligence law. This means that the court (or jury) can apply percentages of fault in a motor vehicle accident and a bicycle accident. So even if the cyclist is found to be 10 percent at fault, other entities could be found to be 90 percent at fault, and compensation is proportioned out on that basis.

This is particularly important in terms of liability. If you are hit by a car and the motorist’s policy limit is, for instance, $50,000, then that is all the compensation you could get regardless of the verdict or the settlement.

An experienced bicycle accident attorney knows how to determine if someone else could be partially responsible for the bike accident, in addition to the motorist. Maybe it is a dangerous road or signage is poor and that particular spot has a history of accidents. In those situations, a government entity may be brought into the case.

Verdicts and Settlements: check the attorney’s record of verdicts and settlements in bike accident cases. There are attorneys who have little or no trial experience and automatically settle with insurance companies. This will work to your detriment.

The insurance companies know which lawyers do not want to go – for whatever reason – to court. Lawyers who are known to avoid court give the insurance company license to low ball their offers, which means you may not get the full amount of compensation you deserve and which you may need desperately.

Resources: checking the attorney’s record of verdicts also tells you their experience at trial. Court trials are very difficult. Contrary to popular belief, juries do not automatically lean towards the plaintiff, which is, typically, you. In fact, because of the insurance companies’ decades-long public relations campaign of “jackpot justice,” juries are often prejudiced against people who bring lawsuits.

What evidence is admissible and allowed into “the record,” takes years of learning and skill. Trust me; it is nothing like what you see on television. Trials are a game of rules, and the outcome is often dependent on how well an attorney knows those rules.

But maybe most important for you to know is that going to court takes thousands and thousands – sometimes even more than a million – dollars. Medical experts (doctors) charge between $500 to $1,000 a day. Just filing a complaint with the court is almost $500. All of this money is typically paid for by your bicycle accident lawyer until the case is resolved.

If an attorney does not have the financial resources to fund your case, they may not take your case to trial. Especially in today’s economic climate, insurance companies are refusing to settle (hoping you will go away) or low-balling offers. It is critical that every case be prepared as if it is going to trial.

Today it is not unusual for the insurance company to “settle on the courthouse steps” or while the jury is deliberating. But I can guarantee, if the case was not taken to trial, the cyclist would get nothing or little in settlement in those types of cases.

Affinity with your Lawyer. It is very important that you are comfortable with your bike accident lawyer and with their staff. You will develop a very close relationship with all of these people. You want to make sure that they are there to respond to you in a reasonable amount of time, that they understand your particular needs, and that they explain the legal process in ways you can understand so that you can make informed legal decisions.

I am a great believer in the American justice system. Like most trial lawyers, I have seen justice prevail many more times than I have seen it fail. Yes, it could be improved (better funding for the court system would be the first place to start), but I believe in it. However, the one thing I know absolutely is that the lawyer you choose – for all your legal issues – can make or break your case.

*California Vehicle Code 21200: A person riding a bicycle or operating a pedicab upon a highway has all the rights and is subject to all the provisions applicable to the driver of a vehicle. . .

………

For more than 25 years, Jim Pocrass has represented people who were seriously injured, or families who lost a loved one in a wrongful death, due to the carelessness or negligence of another. Jim is repeatedly named to Best Lawyers of America and to Southern California Super Lawyers for the outstanding results he consistently achieves for his clients. Having represented hundreds of cyclists during his career, and Jim’s own interest in cycling, have resulted in him becoming a bicycle advocate. He is a board member of the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition.  For a free, no-obligation consultation, contact Jim Pocrass at 310.550.9050 or at info@pocrass.com.

*Sponsored post

Category: Bikes & the Law, Bikes Have Rights, Guest Columns / Tags: , , ,

Your morning links: Neighborhood Council elections, and somewhat questionable bike editorials

February 25, 2014 / / 2 comments
Sometimes, what happens inside is as inspiring as the view outside.

Real bike power starts at the neighborhood council level. And too often, ends here.

It’s a lot easier to fight the power from the inside.

It’s become pretty clear in recent months that LA City Councilmembers are relying on local neighborhood councils for input on major proposed bike projects. Or maybe just political cover.

Either way, a successful Bike LA starts from the ground up. And that means electing more bike riders and supporters to their neighborhood councils.

And that’s where you come in.

The deadline to register as a candidate in some Eastside — and possibly other — races is today. Which means you’ve got to move fast.

Click here for election and registration dates in your area.

Thanks to Patrick Pascal for the heads-up.

……….

The LA Times Opinion pages continues its weeklong wrap-up of their RoadshareLA series, to lesser or greater effect.

Mostly lesser, today.

The first complains about the traffic backups caused by the recent road diet in the 2nd Street tunnel that gave us the city’s first protected bike lanes. But concludes maybe that’s not such a bad thing.

That was followed by a much more problematic piece that takes “self-righteous” cyclists to task, while complaining about the new three-foot passing law. And characterizes a road raging driver knocking down a cyclist as just a nudge. One thing for sure — bike riders usually only look self-righteous when viewed through a windshield.

Meanwhile, Streetsblog’s Joe Linton offers some decidedly on-point criticisms, and asks for your thoughts.

And hey, welcome home, Joe.

……….

Here’s your morning linkage.

Burbank wants feedback on a proposed bike and pedestrian path; a meeting will be held tonight (Wednesday) to discuss it.

That Facebook campaign conducted by the Huntington Beach Police Department led to the arrest of a suspected bike thief. But the not the return of the bike, at least not yet.

Santa Ana talks bike safety just two days after a rider is killed there, which oddly isn’t mentioned in the story.

Streetsblog takes a look at a raft of bike and livable streets-related bills before the state legislature. But a bike tax may not be the best idea.

Santa Barbara discovers fixies, and oddly doesn’t declare them a scourge in a surprisingly even-handed report.

A San Francisco cyclist uses her stolen smartphone to track her stolen bike, and gets both back in just 45 minutes — thanks to a beat cop that took the theft seriously, which doesn’t always happen in real life.

Bicycling lists six up-and-coming women’s riders now that women are finally getting a well-deserved place on the world stage. After all, you can’t tell the players without a program.

Don’t try to buy a bike with the credit card you just found in the street.

New UK product results in near-instant protected bike lanes. And they’re recycled, too. The barriers, not the bike lanes.

A British columnist examines the irresponsibility of failing to promote and/or mandate the wearing of bike helmets, with prototypically dry humor.

Brit bike rider follows his phone directional app onto a busy, bike-banned freeway.

At least we only have to worry about drunk, distracted and/or aggressive drivers, as a Swedish cyclist is killed by wild boars.

Call Sochi the bike-borne Winter Olympics.

Finally, no. Just… no. And a pro cyclist is felled by a flying mattress in the Tour of Oman.

Yes, a mattress.

Category: Advocacy & Politics, Car vs Bike, Morning Links /

Today’s post, in which I frighten a distracted driver, and serve up some hearty breakfast links

February 25, 2014 / / 7 comments

It’s been awhile since I’ve shared any helmet cam video.

Not because LA drivers have miraculously improved. But because I simply haven’t had time to edit the videos and get them online.

And because I’m still trying to figure out if Apple’s “new and improved” iMovie hates me. Or maybe everyone. Or is just the worst software upgrade in human history.

No wonder it was free.

However, I wanted to share this one of a texting, intersection blocking driver who didn’t have a clue I was there

This bike cam thing seems to be catching on.

……….

The El Segundo Police Department has recovered 14 high-end bikes and frames and they’re looking for the owners. Click here to download a pdf with photos of the bikes; if you recognize yours, call Property Crime Detective Ryan Danowitz at 310/524-2258, case #14-0497.

Then again, someone on Craigslist really wants to meet the person who stole his.

No, really.

……….

Now let’s get on to your shortened list of morning links.

LADOT has developed new spoke cards, including the Anatomy of a Safe Bike and another listing state and local bike laws. They also have new #bikeLA stickers, which I’m sure will be appreciated by everyone who has already been using the hashtag for years.

LAX wants to know how often you ride your bike to the airport, and why you do. Or don’t.

Prepare to say “Awwww” as actor Liev Schreiber bikes with his boys to the Brentwood farmer’s market.

Would a CicLAvia by another other name smell as sweet if they held it in Pasadena?

Long Beachize explains how Long Beach city hall got its bike sculpture.

A Newport Beach reporter looks at the challenges of staying alive on a bicycle in the upscale city by the sea. In three parts, no less. Thanks to David Huntsman for the links.

The state legislature will consider a vulnerable user law this session. Although I’d think causing great bodily injury by running down a cyclist or pedestrian should be worth more than a $1000 and no jail time. Thanks to Christopher Kidd for the heads-up.

Urban Velo explains how to take advantage of the Federal Bike Commuter Benefit. I’d commute by bike but I work at home and my wife won’t let me ride in our apartment.

How Portland’s Sarah Mirk got her stolen bike back. More impressive is that the guy who recovered it said the promised $100 reward seemed a tad excessive.

A new family-friendly bike movie is now available on demand.

If you’re wanted by police and carrying meth and burglary tools, don’t ride your bike through a red light in front of a police car. And especially don’t crash your bike in front of the police station attempting to flee.

Finally, tragic news as the Fort Lauderdale bike rider who was dumped behind a dumpster by a drunken hit-and-run driver has died of an infection two months after the collision. If the SOB who left him there to die ever sees the light of day again, it will be a massive miscarriage of justice.

Thanks to Eddie Haardt for the generous donation. Very appreciated!

Category: Bike Cam Video, Stolen Bikes and Bike Crime /

The Times winds down their look at biking in the City of Angels, and the day’s best bike links

February 24, 2014 / / 5 comments

I love it when someone does my work for me.

Today it’s the LA Times that takes a look at the sometimes contentious relationship between bike riders and drivers, just a day after columnist Steve Lopez took a moving look at the ghost bike phenomenon.

And quoted yours truly in the process.

The Times follows up with twin videos offering a look at biking in LA from both a motorist’s and cyclist’s perspective.

They’re not exactly hard-hitting. But both step away from the angry give-and-take that too often defines the discussion. Even between cyclists.

And maybe they can start a more civil conversation about how to safely make room for everyone on the streets.

Meanwhile, they kick off the conclusion of their RoadshareLA series with a look at the state’s new mandate for complete streets.

Yet oddly, drawing no conclusion in the process.

………

Just a few other quick notes.

Huntington Beach police are using Facebook to identify a bike thief; thanks to Geri for the heads-up.

LAist may have misstated the purpose of this website, which does a lot more than just chronicle fallen riders. But they offer a haunting series of ghost bike photos, along with a brief documentary, from ghost bike builder and photographer Danny Gamboa.

A Santa Cruz writer says we can do more to protect cyclists. And we should.

If you see something, say something. The NYPD is urging residents to call 911 if they see a dangerous threat to peace and security in the city — like bicycle pizza delivery people riding on the sidewalk.

Got to be more to this story, as a Texas man is shot to death in a dispute over a bicycle. As much as I love my bike, once the guns come out they can have it.

Does anyone really buy this “Dear Abby” style story of a Toronto cyclist who repeatedly rams into right-hooking drivers — on purpose? In real life, I’d suspect that’s the sort of thing someone might try once, as the bruises and broken bones dissuade a second attempt. Let alone a third.

Good news for Virginia drivers as dooring remains perfectly legal. So get out there and slam a few bike riders in the name of freedom.

As if aggressive and careless drivers weren’t enough, now we have to worry about suicidal rabbits.

If you have more time to kill, take a couple minutes — or maybe a few hours — the check out the Cycling Embassy of Great Britain’s massive list o’ bike links.

I hadn’t ridden past the Santa Monica pier for awhile. So I was surprised to see a new bike corral has sprouted on the sand next to the bike path. Great idea.

Bike-Parking-Still

………

As you may have noticed, I’m trying something a little different today.

When I first started linking to news stories about bicycling, there weren’t many stories out there. Sometimes I had to struggle to fill a single paragraph.

These days, the explosion in bicycling has resulted in an equal explosion in news stories. Which is why I end up with those massive lists of links that take nearly a full day just to write, let alone read. And why you now only see them a few times a week.

So I’ve been thinking about offering a daily list of just the best links instead, sort of like you see above. Which would mean you’d get a daily fix of bike news from around the world. Just less of it, more often.

And still have time to actually have a life once you’re done reading.

So what do you think? Would you like to see something like this every day? Or would you prefer to keep doing what we’ve been doing?

Any thoughts?

……….

Finally, a brief reminder that if you like this site, you can help support my work through a much needed and deeply appreciated personal donation, advertising or sponsorship. This is a more than full-time job, and the only income I receive these days is what comes through this site.

Category: Bicycle Safety, Car vs Bike, General / Tags: , , , ,

Another LA bike rider run down and left to die in the street; fifth SoCal cycling death in last five days

February 23, 2014 / / 3 comments

Make that five.

On the day the LA Times columnist Steve Lopez examined the LA-area ghost bike movement, a heartless coward created the need for yet another in Downtown LA — the fifth bicycling fatality in Southern California in just the last five days.

According to KABC-7 and a number of other sources, the victim was struck by an unknown vehicle on Alameda Street at the offramp to the westbound 10 Freeway around 2 am this morning. Police responding to a call found him dead in the number two lane of the offramp with no vehicle in site.

The victim is described only as a man in his early 30s; no description of the vehicle or the driver who killed him is currently available.

Anyone with information was urged to contact the CHP at 213/744-2331.

The location of the victim’s body on the offramp seems odd, since a car exiting the freeway would be more likely to knock his body off the ramp, rather than onto it. That suggests the rider was either hit by a car driving on Alameda, rather than exiting the freeway, or was somehow riding on the offramp itself.

The location itself also seems problematic, since the westbound off-ramp from the 10 empties onto 14th Street well before it connects with Alameda.

The Times places the location near Alameda, rather than on it, and identifies the victim as in his 40s.

In my personal opinion, there is no lower form of scum than someone who would run away like a coward after a traffic collision instead of stopping — as the law requires — and call for the help that might have saved the victim’s life if it had come in time.

This is the 18th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the 7th in LA County already this year. It’s also the 2nd in the City of Los Angeles since the first of the year, and the year’s first fatal hit-and-run involving a bike rider, compared to 10 in 2013.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for the victim and his loved ones.

Category: Bicycle Safety, Hit-and-Run, Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , ,

A moving look at local ghost bikes, Pico Blvd cyclist threatened with knife, and your weekend reading list

February 23, 2014 / / 4 comments
Ghost bike for Compton victim Pete; photo by Danny Gamboa

Ghost bike photo by Danny Gamboa

I’ve long been a fan of LA Times columnist Steve Lopez.

And not just because he’s been a long standing supporter of safer bicycling, on the mean streets of LA or the seemingly serene Santa Monica bike path.

Today, he offers a moving look at the local ghost bike movement. It’s a must read. And one in which he quotes me extensively, as well as ghost bike builder Anthony Novarro, who lost his own 6-year old bike-riding son, and documentary maker and ghost bike photographer Danny Gamboa.

The comments that follow, not so much.

And while we’re visiting the Times, after writing last year about braving LA traffic as a bike commuter, writer Ben Poston calls it quits after getting right hooked by a pickup; not everyone approves.

……….

A cyclist says a road raging driver threatened him with a knife for riding on the street on Pico Blvd Friday afternoon.

Hopefully he reported the incident to the police; just brandishing the weapon should be enough for an assault with a deadly weapon charge. It’s bad enough when they threaten us with their cars.

And if he has witnesses to the threat — or other evidence, like an arrest or criminal charge — it could allow him to file suit under the city’s bicyclist anti-harassment ordinance.

……….

The Amgen Tour of California begins May 11th, with three SoCal stages — Santa Clarita to Mountain High on May 16th, Santa Clarita to Pasadena City Hall on May 17th, and a final Thousand Oaks stage on May 18th that offers four ascents of the famed Rock Store Climb.

The full roster of teams is announced. And for the first time, this year’s race also includes two women’s races; hopefully, a full women’s stage race won’t be far behind. Cycling in the South Bay says you can help that happen.

……….

The case against the sheriff’s deputy who killed entertainment lawyer Milt Olin on Mulholland Highway last December goes to the DA to determine if charges will be filed.

Meanwhile, a bike rider suffered severe injuries when he was hit from behind in South LA Friday night.

And a Santa Ana man who may have been on a bicycle was the victim of what may have been a gang shooting.

……….

Great article on the non-spandexed women cyclists and riders of color who make up a large but largely unnoticed part of the LA cycling community. Better Bike says Beverly Hills is making little progress on traffic safety, and may have the most dangerous streets for any city of its size in the state. Writing for Orange 20 Bikes, Rick Risemberg looks at last weekend’s successful Bicycle Commuter Festival and Summit. LA County Supervisor candidate Sheila Kuehl calls for bike valets at Expo stops; I like it, but it will take more than that to win my vote. Streetsblog maps out the upcoming 20 miles of new sharrows recently promised by LADOT. Outside looks at LA’s upcoming NELA Bike-Friendly District. If you’re an early riser, you may still have time to ride for dim sum with Flying Pigeon. The San Gabriel Valley Tribune applauds connecting the Rio Hondo river trail to the El Monte bus station. Redondo Beach will get a new bike sculpture over the bike path.

Cyclelicious offers a look at bike-related bills before the state legislature, including a plan to tax new bike sales to fund bike path repairs and appease motorists who mistakenly claim we don’t pay our way. I don’t feel it’s my place to criticize a guest post on here, but I can always count on others to have my back. San Diego’s North Park — my old neighborhood when I lived down that way — could become a better place to ride a bike. On the other hand, a bike lane could spell the death of the Hillcrest entertainment district by removing up to 91 parking spaces; cause, you know, no one would ever ride a bike to go out or anything. A participant in the recent fatality-marred Tour of Palm Springs looks at the event and finds it lacking. The Man in Black’s daughter offers her blessings to the new Johnny Cash Trail in Folsom.  If you see someone riding your stolen bike, try not brandishing a knife to get it back. A San Francisco Good Samaritan ends up behind bars after attempting to help and injured bike rider; thanks to my friends at the new and improved Altadena Point for the heads-up.

The long forgotten protected bikeway boom of 1905. Even Las Vegas is getting bike friendlier. The next step in better bike infrastructure could be protected intersections for cyclists. A cyclist is seriously injured attempting to ride through a tunnel in Zion National Park. My hometown newspaper says it’s time we all got along on the roads; not getting along may create conflict, but it’s seldom the cause of traffic collisions. Once again a bike wins, beating two buses, a pedestrian and a driver in rush hour traffic, this time in Austin TX. Dallas bike rider brawls with police after being stopped for not wearing a helmet. A Chicago rider says the cycling community can — and must — do better when it comes to including women and treating them fairly. A remarkably big-hearted Indiana family forgives the drunk driver who killed a cyclist. New York’s new mayor pushes for a 25 mph speed limit to save lives; I wonder if LA will ever have the courage to slow drivers down to safer levels.

A British Columbia bike rider is ordered to pay over a quarter million dollars for running down a walker on an off-road trail. British driver gets two years for leaving a cyclist for dead after hitting him at 80 mph; thankfully, the rider survived, but lost an arm. A UK van driver gets a lousy six months for laughing while deliberately attempting to run down a group of cyclists; a rider tells the story from the victims’ perspective. A Brit truck driver walks after claiming he couldn’t stop or swerve to avoid killing a cyclist, so he just ran him over. Amsterdam struggles to accommodate an ever increasing number of bike riders. An Aussie anti-bike group says keep to the right because you own a bike, not a Mack truck.

Finally, adding insult to injury, a Seattle man finds his bike stolen on Valentines Day, with a pile of crap left in its place. No, literally.

And a rider on the Santa Monica bike path has seemingly solved the problem of riding with your best friend.

Dog-Bike-2

Category: Bicycle Safety, Car vs Bike, Injuries and Fatalities, Violence & Crime / Tags: , , , , ,
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