March 7, 2020 /
bikinginla / Comments Off on Huntington Beach BMXer Tyler Kanarr died after hitting ceiling beam at Vans Skatepark in Orange
Word is just breaking that a Huntington Beach man died last week following a freak accident at an Orange County skatepark.
According to KCBS-2, 25-year old Tyler Kanarr was riding at the popular Vans Skatepark in Orange on February 25th when he somehow hit a ceiling beam, and suffered a gash in his neck from a florescent light.
When firefighters arrived, they found t-shirts wrapped around his neck in an effort to stop the bleeding.
Despite reportedly doing everything they could to save him, Kanarr lost too much blood before they could get him to the hospital directly across the street.
The victim, identified only as a 21-year old Escondido resident, was riding north on Cedar Street when he reportedly rode through the stop sign, and into the path of a minivan driver headed east on Grand.
As always, though, the question is whether any independent witnesses actually saw him blow the stop, and whether it might have been possible for the driver to avoid him.
Anyone with information is urged to call Officer Mike Nelson of the Escondido Police Department’s Traffic Division at 760/839-4407.
This is at least the ninth bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the third that I’m aware of in San Diego County.
That compares with just five deaths in the county for the entire year in 2019.
Like the death of a bike rider in Laguna Niguel on Thursday.
Thursday evening, OC bike lawyer Edward Rubinstein forwarded a post from Nextdoor, which said Alicia Parkway was closed after a bike rider had been struck by a driver.
That was followed by an unconfirmed response stating the victim didn’t make it.
Sadly, that was followed by the tweet below, confirming a man in his late 60s was killed.
The tweet places the site of the crash at Alicia Parkway and Awma Road, at the entrance to Alisa Woods Canyon Park.
A response from Jim Martin suggests the crash may have been in the northbound lane.
Looks like Northbound, Lane 3/Left turn pocket. Lots of bikes cross there. No light, though a ped crossing light ~100 yards South that cars often blow at 60+ mph.
Unfortunately, no time is given. However, the email from Rubinstein came around 8 pm Thursday night, while the first Nextdoor post came nine hours earlier, placing the crash sometime before 11 am Thursday.
There’s no description of how the collision occurred.
A street view shows a six lane speedway, with just a stop sign on Awma. According to Rubinstein, the painted bike lane on Alicia was removed in a recent repaving and hasn’t been restriped yet, leaving riders at the mercy of drivers who frequently exceed the 50 mph speed limit.
The placement of the victim’s bike next to the center divider suggests he may have been trying cross the roadway and didn’t make it. But it’s also possible it was knocked there by the force of the impact.
There probably won’t be any bikes involved this time, even though the foster corgi’s owner is one of us, too.
It’s a beautiful story.
And if I know Nita, she’ll tell it beautifully.
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OC bike lawyer Edward Rubinstein has forwarded a Nextdoor post saying a bike rider was seriously injured in a collision on Alicia Parkway in Laguna Niguel on Thursday, along with an unconfirmed report that the victim didn’t make it.
There normally is a painted bike lane on Alicia, but it was removed in a recent repaving and hasn’t been restriped yet, leaving riders at the mercy of drivers who frequently exceed the 50 mph speed limit.
Update: Sadly, we have confirmation a man in his 60s was killed.
Thanks to everyone who helped confirm this year’s ride. There are far too many to thank here individually, but I really do appreciate the help from all.
Speaking of Denver bike lanes, a new survey shows 80% of Denver residents support bike lanes, even at the expense of parking or travel lanes. It’s long past time someone did a survey of Los Angeles voters, which might surprise some of LA’s less than bike-friendly councilmembers.
Unbelievable. A Michigan appellate court rules a bike rider was at fault for a crash after he got high the night before and might have been looking at his speedometer, even though he was left-crossed while he had the right-of-way by a driver who wasn’t looking. And the driver allegedly admitted fault.
C/netloves GM’s new ebike foldie, which is designed to solve the first mile/last mile problem. And says it’s a shame it’s only available in three European countries right now.
The study found that parking noncompliance rates across the five cities were far higher for motor vehicles (24.7% of 2,631 motor vehicles observed) than for micromobility vehicles (0.8% of 865 scooter and bike observations).
Food delivery and ride-hailing vehicles accounted for a disproportionate number of improper parking incidents impeding access or mobility for other travelers, Klein said. Most of these violations occurred while dropping off or picking up people or food, including double parking, occupying “No Parking” or restricted areas and blocking driveways.
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It looks like the COVID-19 coronavirus may be affecting the bike world for awhile.
That classic ’70s steel racing bike you’ve been dreaming of can be yours if you’ve got a mere nine grand lying around somewhere.
Your wait for a 1977 Eddy Merckx Kessels Reynolds 531 Bicycle with 1st generation Campy Record in Fiat Team colors is over. 56cm. The bike apparently was found in the bowels of the Gent velodrome. It's yours for $8,965.https://t.co/SKLBH0sbb2pic.twitter.com/lDZU0gxCjF
A city councilor in Regina, Saskatchewan wants to force all bike riders to wear helmets, whether children or adults. Which simply forces the burden of safety onto the people on bikes, rather than building safer streets so helmets aren’t needed, or making drivers put down their phones and pay attention.
No surprise here, either. An Irish study finds that four out of every five bicycling injuries occur on city streets, and nine out of ten injured riders were hit by cars. Maybe because that’s where the most bike riders and drivers are. And because cars pose a risk to anyone who’s not in them.
Mark you calendar for the track nationals in Carson this summer.
Mark your calendars: The 2020 @usacycling Elite/Jr Track Cycling National Championships are coming to the VSC, July 20-26, and it’s going to be something. #TrackNatspic.twitter.com/rqhWIeXIgc
The Monday night crash in Garden Grove left a man in critical condition with major head trauma.
And yes, the victim reportedly had the right-of-way.
Not that it mattered.
Garden Grove resident Victor Medina was arrested a quarter-mile away when police found his Chevy Suburban with major front-end damage, while Medina showed signs of intoxication.
Anyone with information is urged to call Garden Grove Traffic Investigator Paul Ashby at 714/741-5823.
Let’s hope the victim makes a full and fast recovery.
In other words, what some of us do every day, anyway. Virus or not.
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A quick reminder that CicLAvia isn’t the only open streets game in town.
March Madness is upon us! Come on down to Beach Streets University where we have entertainment for the entire family. From the trackless train, art installations, rock climbing, live music, BMX demo, and FREE youth skate lessons. March 21st is just around the corner. pic.twitter.com/DkLNE7FsgJ
A new interactive map shows the most dangerous places for bike riders in Santa Clara County. Although Robert Leone questions whether defense lawyers will use it to argue that bicyclists should have known better than to ride there. Or that their clients can’t be guilty, because officials should have fixed the problems right away. Which they should, but still.
Residents of a Las Vegas neighborhood want a new bike lane removed because they didn’t see a lot of bike riders riding there before it went in. Which is kind of like saying they didn’t see a lot of cars crossing the desert before the roads were built, either.
Life is cheap in Iowa, where a retired cop walked with a shameful two years probation for the hit-and-run death of a man riding a bicycle. If you ever wonder why people keep dying on our streets, the failure of our court system to hold drivers accountable for killing people — let alone fleeing the scene afterwards — is Exhibit A.
No bias here. A Staten Island op-ed argues that speed cameras placed near schools are just a money grab, because if officials really wanted drivers to slow down, they’d say where the cameras are. That way drivers could slow down for half a block to avoid a ticket, then speed up and resume putting the lives of little kids at risk.
March 3, 2020 /
bikinginla / Comments Off on Metro proposal would remake Westwood for bikes and pedestrians, and first world digital bike conference this month
Metro recently sent out a letter looking for input on a draft first mile/last mile plan for the upcoming Westwood/UCLA Purple Line Station.
Although the deadline for comments is today, unfortunately.
Westwood/UCLA Community Members:
As you aware, Metro is developing a First/Last Mile (FLM) Plan for the Westwood/UCLA Station Purple Line Station. At this time, we invite your feedback on recommended plan improvements prior to Board consideration this Spring.
The Plan is intended improve this “first last mile” experience for users of the future station by identifying projects for efficient access and safety. Projects identified in the Plan are then positioned for further study as part of a preliminary design phase through early 2021.
The conceptual plans included with this email are a product of over a year of field research, consultations, and community engagement.
Please carefully read the instructions and returned your completed comment form to me (liebj@metro.net) byTuesday March 3, 2020.
The comment form can’t be attached on here, so send your comments to the email address above.
There’s a lot to like here.
Especially the promise protected bike lanes on Ohio, as well as Westwood Blvd through Westwood Village — despite CD5 Councilmember Paul Koretz’ pinky swear promise to Village business owners that he’d never allow bike lanes on Westwood Blvd.
Let alone protected ones.
It also includes plans several bike boulevards throughout the Westwood area, otherwise known euphemistically by the City of Los Angeles as bicycle friendly streets. Which raises the question of whether any of this has been run by the city’s transportation department before being released.
And whether it has the support of LADOT and city leaders, or if it’s just the planning equivalent of vapor ware, waiting for Koretz or someone else to shoot it down.
The San Diego Association of Governments, aka SANDAG, is hosting the 30th annual San Diego Bike to Work Day on May 14th, and wants your help to pick the color of their official T-shirt. I’d vote for purple, especially if they feel like sending me one. Thanks to Robert Leone for the heads-up.
Nearly 200 bike riders took part in a Chico charity ride to raise funds for bicycle safety and advocacy; the annual Tour de Ed Bike Ride began in 2008 after a local bike advocate was paralyzed in a bicycling crash.
When you’re making plans for the upcoming weekend, clear some time for the Tour de Murrieta,; rather than road races, it’s actually two days of crits, which are more fun to watch anyway. Thanks to Robert Leone for the link.
Thanks once again to Matthew Robertson for his monthly donation to support this site, which comes just in time to pay my email service fee every month.
March 2, 2020 /
bikinginla / Comments Off on Killer drunk driver walks free after 23 days, racist bike-hater gets probation, and 1/2 mile extension for Chandler Bikeway
My thanks to everyone who sent me links over the weekend.
Because of today’s overstuffed post, and the need to sleep sometime tonight, I’ll try to catch up on the rest tomorrow.
Which wouldn’t exist if Metro and the city hadn’t caved to a handful of NIMBY homeowners who were afraid thieves would ride bikes up to their homes to steal their flatscreen TVs.
No, really.
Because apparently, criminals don’t drive. And couldn’t accomplish the same thing by just driving up to their front doors.
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Why is it that bike safety goes out the window whenever someone wants to make a movie in Los Angeles?
A British driver complains that a mountain biker plowed into his car as he was stopped at a red light, then brutally attacked him when he got out to see if the bike rider was okay, while a young boy begged the attacker to stop. Although something tells me there might be another side to the story in which the driver is not wholly innocent.
Some people just don’t get it. A St. Paul letter writer says no one can commute or carry groceries on a bike, and people will stop riding when they get older. All of which is refuted by people who do it every day.
A new report from the International Transport Forum concludes that 80% of bicycling and e-scooters fatalities involve motor vehicles and the people who drive them. And traffic safety will improve if car, truck and motorcycle trips are replaced by scooters and bikes.
London is dropping speed limits to 20 mph in areas of the city used most by pedestrians, bicyclists and motorcyclists. Which compares to speeds of 45 mph or more on some LA streets.
