CiclaValley reminds us about tonight’s public meeting to consider the LA River Valley Bikeway and Greenway project.
The project, which will link Universal City to Canoga Park along the LA River channel, is a key step in plans for a continuous bikeway along the entire length of the LA River.
But as he points out, some of the sections are a little problematic, to say the least. And as always, there are those who oppose any sort of bikeway, anywhere.
………
In what has to be the most absurd bikelash story of the decade, twenty people and a dog turned out to protest bike lanes in Minneapolis, calling them Nazi lanes and Mafia lanes.
Seriously?
A little white stripe of paint on the side of the roadway is somehow comparable to the hate-based regime that murdered millions of innocent men, women and children?
It makes a little more sense you consider that the protest began as a hoax before sucking in the kind of people who apparently believe everything they read online, including a pair of city council candidates.
Although something tells me the dog wasn’t there by choice.
………
After that, let’s take just a moment to regain our sanity and consider the thoughts of a professional truck driver from the UK regarding those of us on two wheels.
………
Local
Evidently, once cars can drive themselves, traffic congestion will cease to exist.
LADOT proposes the latest round of speed limit adjustments mandated by the deadly 85th percentile law; surprisingly, there are a number of decreases, as well as the expected increases.
A writer in the LA Times relates the challenges of dating with a carfree lifestyle.
Caltrans and LA County consider reopening Highway 39 through San Gabriel Canyon, which has been closed since it was shut down by a rock slide in 1978.
Santa Monica’s Big Blue Bus system has begun installing sensors to help avoid collisions with bike riders.
Cycling in the South Bay reveals the winners of Saturday’s 2017 South Bay Cycling Awards.
State
Transit has languished in San Diego as driving mode share increases; bike commuting has decreased by a third since 1990.
A couple were both stabbed as they searched for a stolen bicycle in Coachella early Saturday; fortunately, they should recover.
Johnny Cash’s daughter Cindy officially opened Folsom’s new Johnny Cash Trail.
A San Francisco columnist goes undercover to discover if cyclists really are jerks like some drivers think we are. And discovers happy, healthy people, without a single jerk in the bunch.
We mentioned this one last week, but it’s worth repeating for anyone who missed it, as a Santa Rosa woman escaped the Sonoma County wildfires by bicycle, with her 70-pound dog in a duffel bag. Thanks to Doug Moore for the reminder.
National
If you’re in the market for a new job, VeloNews is looking for a pro cycling reporter with limitless energy and an inquisitive mind. Both of which count me out.
Bicycling explores the reasons people started riding their bikes, including thank you letters to Greg LeMond, and Richard Masoner of Cyclelicious.
Oregon’s new distracted driving law comes with a $260 fine for a first offense, rising to $435 for a second offense or one causing a crash, and up to six months in jail for a third. That compares to California, which has a measly $20 fine for the first offense, and $50 for each additional offense, thanks to Jerry Brown’s veto of a bill that would have increased the absurdly low penalties.
Phoenix installs its first protected bike lane. If you consider a few flimsy plastic posts protection.
A Colorado man rode and biked to the summit of each of the state’s 100 highest peaks in just 60 days.
An Idaho baby visited ten states by bike before she’s even a year old.
A Milwaukee writer says his problem with a proposed bike boulevard is that it isn’t about bikes, it’s about a mindset that historically favors people on four wheels.
There’s a special place in hell for anyone who’d intentionally shoot a 12-year old Chicago boy as he was riding his bike.
A Chicago-area writer says bicycling to work in the suburbs requires more risk and effort, but it’s worth it. Meanwhile, the Washington Post says bike commuting means better health and a longer life. But you already knew that, right?
A Michigan man faces up to 15 years behind bars after pleading guilty to the hit-and-run death of a nun riding her bicycle; he claimed he had hit a deer.
A former Tennessee hall of fame basketball player is riding nearly 1,100 miles to honor her late coach, and raise money to fight Alzheimer’s.
Police in a Massachusetts town plan a crackdown on packs of teen bicyclists who swarm cars and block traffic.
Don’t blame a van for trying to strike a South Carolina bike rider twice, it was the effing jerk behind the wheel.
A group of Atlanta lawyers formed an organization called Cycling for Good to deliver food, toiletry and personal items to areas frequented by homeless people.
International
You’d think cops would know enough not to door someone, but evidently, you would be mistaken, as Toronto police officers hit a passing bicyclist with the door of their cruiser.
Also in Toronto, the debate over bike lanes goes on, as a writer says we got used to traffic lanes for motor vehicles, and we’ll get used to bike lanes, too. Meanwhile, another writer says enough with the data, we already know bike lanes work. Thanks to Norm Bradwell for the link.
In celebrity news, Ed Sheeran broke his arm when he was hit by a car while riding his bike in London. And Taylor Swift is one of us, riding a bike on London’s Millennium Bridge as she films her latest video.
An Op-Ed in the Guardian says we need fewer cars, not cleaner ones.
Caught on video: A British bike rider learns the dangers of riding salmon around a blind curve the hard way.
A British writer asks why some people hate cyclists, concluding that the solution lies in less pontificating and more mutual understanding.
Killer drivers in England and Wales could face life in prison under a proposed new law, however, it would not apply to Scotland or Northern Ireland.
Copenhagen’s bike boom hits a speed bump, as bike commuting rates have dropped 4% since 2014.
A French website says Lance brought dishonor to the Legion of Honor; he was removed, while Mussolini and Vladimir Putin — and so far, Harvey Weinstein — remain on the list.
In a photo that’s gone viral around the world, the new prime minister of the Netherlands locks his bicycle up on his way to meet the king; a Pakistan website seems to like the idea. Thanks to Tim Rutt for the heads-up.
A South African website asks if violent attacks on bicyclists are increasing in the country.
A change in the law allowing bicyclists to share footpaths in Australia has not resulted in any additional problems, although one paper looks at the same stats and sees a lack of enforcement.
An Aussie pro cyclist tells Viennese border guards to Google him after a visa mix-up leaves him in danger of deportation.
Finally…
LA bicyclists hardly ever have to worry about kangaroo crashes. If you’re going to steal a bike, it’s only polite to leave another one in its place.
And if you insist on running down the jerk who stole your bicycle, try not to hit a pedestrian and ruin your own bike in the process.
