Don’t miss our first-ever bike giveaway. Just click here to learn more and nominate someone who deserves to get a free bike from Beachbikes.net.
Even if that person is you.
And come back later in the day when we’ll have the next installment in our new Describe Your Ride feature.
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One story that’s gotten lost in the shuffle in all the year-end discussion of new bike laws is California’s approval of bike traffic diversion programs last year. Which means if you get a ticket, you could see the fine waived or reduced once you successfully complete a bike training class.
To the best of my knowledge, none have been established in SoCal yet, though I understand the LACBC is interested in getting one going in the LA area.
Thanks to prinzrob for the reminder.
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It’s been a record-setting few days.
Three riders set out to set a new record for most miles traveled by bicycle in a single year last year; in the end, it was the lone American, Kurt Searvogel, who broke the 75-year old mark by finishing in Florida with 75,066 miles.
Meanwhile, a team of elite cyclists set a new record for riding the length of Africa from Cairo to Cape Town in just 38 days.
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Local
Los Angeles raids Pasadena, as Mayor Garcetti nominates Pasadena Planning and Community Development Director Vince Bertoni to head up the LA planning department. Bertoni was formerly a deputy planning director in Los Angeles, where he oversaw the creation of the city’s 2010 bike plan, now part of the recently re-adopted Mobility Plan 2035.
The LACBC’s monthly Sunday Funday Ride rolls this weekend with a 21-mile tour of the Martin Luther King Blvd corridor in South LA, including stops at Leimert Park, the LA Coliseum and the historic Central Ave, birthplace of West Coast Jazz.
CiclaValley offers a preview of the year ahead, while the Militant Angeleno looks forward to the coming year in the City of Angels and nearby environs, including four — count ‘em — CicLAvia’s.
Actor Ed O’Neill is one of us, with a decidedly topless New Year’s Day ride in Santa Monica.
Actually, California’s three-foot passing law has been in effect for over a year now, despite what a Santa Clarita news site says on the subject.
State
Streetsblog CA says Caltrans new design guidelines for protected bike lanes really are a big deal.
Oceanside police are investigating a suspicious death on a bike path near Buena Vista lagoon; it does not appear to be bicycling related, however.
Streetsblog SF talks to the San Francisco supervisor behind the city’s proposed Idaho Stop Law, while the police captain who inspired the effort by cracking down on cyclists says it would create chaos on the streets. Kind of like all those drivers who roll stops without getting stopped.
National
Bicycling talks with transgendered cyclist Molly Cameron about her battle with gender issues in bike racing. The magazine also interviews the formerly 560 pound man riding cross country in a successful effort to lose weight and win back his wife.
How to keep your hands warm on cold and wet winter days. Could be useful information if you’re riding through the rain this week; my advice is to find an attractive riding partner to warm them for you.
Portland spends just $2,000 to improve a dangerous intersection for cyclists. Demonstrating that not every situation demands a complex or expensive solution; small improvements can make a difference.
Phoenix says it’s making progress on bike lanes, even if not everyone agrees. Change the name of the city, and that same story could be written just about anywhere. Especially here.
An Illinois man gets just two and a half years for the death of a cyclist, despite being high at the time of the crash.
Months of negotiations have left cyclists and local residents no closer to an agreement over a contested Baton Rouge bike lane.
International
Europe is investing in bicycling to cut carbon emissions; better health and reduced congestion are just added benefits.
Great piece from the Guardian’s Peter Walker offering advice to anyone planning to write an anti-bike screed. Which they will undoubtedly ignore.
A British driver is charged with deliberately striking a bike rider who gave him an obscene gesture after he yelled at her to get out of the way. Rule #1 — never flip off the driver behind you. No matter how much he or she deserves it.
London cyclists complain about a budget that allots just 1% of the transportation budget for bikes.
Caught on video: A Brit bicyclist is rescued from flood waters after clinging to a tree for 40 minutes. Take that as fair warning — bike paths along SoCal rivers, and other low-lying areas, will be prone to flooding with this week’s rains. Assuming they actually pan out as promised.
Indian women ride through the darkness to claim their share of the night space and call for an end to atrocities against women. We should all add our voices to that.
If you make it down to Australia, here are ten Sydney bike paths offering stunning views of the city.
A Florida writer bicycles through Myanmar to observe its tentative transition to democracy. Or maybe you’d prefer to tour Vietnam by bike. The latter looks a lot more inviting than when the government threatened to send me there.
Finally…
If you’re riding home after a night of drinking, try to keep your pants on — along with the rest of your clothes. Go out and build your own bike, says the record setting Flying Scotsman who made his from a washing machine.
And evidently, women make bad safety advocates — and heads of police chief councils — because they rely on emotion instead of facts; especially ones who rudely insist on riding bikes instead of bungee jumping.
No, really. You can’t make this shit up.
