BikinginLA

Yet another benefit of bicycling. A Swedish study says muscles can protect against depression.

Meanwhile, a medical study worth revisiting concludes Americans could increase their life expectancy simply by driving slower.

Especially for those of us who have to share the road with them.

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Belated best wishes for Sukkot, which somehow slipped past me, for all those who observe it.

I’m reminded courtesy of an enterprising New York yeshiva student who delivers Judaism by bike through portable sukkahs mounted on pedicabs.

Thanks to Megan Lynch for the heads-up.

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Local

A writer for KCET says as CicLAvia continues to grow, Angelenos do too.

Nine of the 14 SaMo city council candidates talk bikes with Santa Monica Next.

Seriously? A letter writer in the Daily Breeze (fourth item) says bikes don’t belong on the road any more than horses do; thanks to Margaret for the link.

 

State

A hearing was postponed for the allegedly intoxicated, meth hiding San Diego driver who ran down a group of cyclists, leaving one permanently paralyzed.

A Hesperia mother seeks justice for the still unsolved hit-and-run death of her bike riding son; Daniel Sanchez was killed after positioning himself to protect his date from an approaching pickup.

In a very bizarre case, a San Francisco cyclist sues after being arrested for riding with his infant in a Baby Bjorn carrier.

San Francisco police address a double parked car blocking a bike rider, but ignore vehicles parked in a bike lane. Evidently, the problem isn’t limited to the Bay, either.

Now that’s what I call a ciclovia, as Northern California’s Lassen Volcanic National Park goes car-free for the second time this year on Saturday.

 

National

The Bike League wants to know your big idea for bike advocacy.

Evidently, they take human life seriously in Hawaii, as a careless driver gets 10 years for drifting across a roadway and killing a bike rider. Note to West Hawaii Today: 66 years old is not elderly.

A local TV station explains how Seattle’s new bike share program works; the mayor is already considering expansion.

An NPR reporter biking through Texas discovers riding like a pro allows you to eat like a pig.

Despite a dramatic improvement in infrastructure, bicycling deaths in New York have doubled over the last year.

Evidently, a coat of purple paint is not enough to disguise a stolen New York Citi Bike.

Why do cities wait until it’s already too late before they get serious about bike and pedestrian safety?

 

International

An Edmonton writer says city officials should give up on bike lanes because no one is going to ride during the winter. Ignoring the fact that people bike year-round in cold weather cities around the world.

Turn out Harrison Ford is one of us, as he dons spandex and yes, compression socks for a spin around London.

Big hearted Brits donate over £3000 — nearly $5000 — after a bike is stolen from a charity auction.

Just heartbreaking. A driver was holding the hand of a cyclist he’d just hit to comfort the man until help arrived when they were both struck by another car.

The car carrying Australia’s premier nearly hits a cyclist “riding dangerously down the middle of the road.” Or in other words, someone who was most likely riding safely by taking the lane.

 

Finally…

I want to ride it. A Glasgow artist creates a human-powered rollercoaster — in effect a multilevel figure-eight velodrome. Caught on video: A stunt rider pulls a major endo on landing after a forward flip 72 feet in the air; then again, just riding that knife edge before the jump is enough to give me nightmares.

And would you pay $99 to avoid getting stuck at another red light?