Just nine days left in the 7th Annual BikinginLA Holiday Fund Drive!
Thanks to John C for his generous donation to help keep SoCal’s best bike news and advocacy coming your way every day.
Take a moment now to give now via PayPal, or with Zelle to ted @ bikinginla.com.
Any amount, no matter how large or small, is truly and deeply appreciated.
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Here’s your chance to help design stress-free connections for biking and walking in Central Los Angeles.
And score a free tree in the process.
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Metro is looking for feedback on plans to close the longstanding gap in the LA River bike path through DTLA, Vernon and Maywood.
@bikinginla Metro continues to move forward with the LA River Path Project, a new bicycle and ped path along an eight-mile stretch of the LA River from Elysian Valley thru Downtown LA, City of Vernon to the City of Maywood. Take a short questionnaire… https://t.co/H0rxkSceQh
— keith johnson (@keith_johnson) December 15, 2021
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CD3 candidate Yasmine Pomeroy talks about the increased dangers to pedestrians on LA streets, despite the city’s Vision Zero program, and the lack of funding for Safe Routes to Schools.
She’s running to replace Bob Blumenfield in the district.
In the City of Los Angeles, there has been a pedestrian death every 3.5 days since the beginning of Vision Zero to the end of 2020, compared to every 4.8 days in a comparable period before.
Walking our streets hasn't gotten safer. pic.twitter.com/23pG9gOPTL
— Yasmine Pomeroy (@yasmine4thecity) December 15, 2021
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Never put it past an impatient driver to pass at exactly the wrong time.
Here's @alex_howes @Kielreijnen with a close call from motorists going double the speed limit and passing over the double yellow with oncoming cyclists. pic.twitter.com/4JKHP5Nhd5
— Phil Gaimon (@philgaimon) December 15, 2021
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Legendary writer Arthur C. Clarke was one of us.
Even if those shorts are a little scary.
Born on this day, December 16:
Arthur C. Clarke (1917-2008), science-fiction writer, science writer, futurist, inventor, undersea explorer, television host, and – as is evident by his chosen means of transport – man of impeccable taste.
Happy #bicyclebirthday, Arthur!#botd pic.twitter.com/MyFOStUzm6— Cool Bike Art (@CoolBikeArt1) December 16, 2021
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Pink Bike demonstrates how to make jumps easier on a mountain bike.
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The war on cars may be myth, but the war on bikes just keeps on going.
A shirtless Houston jogger faces charges for attacking a bike rider with a metal pipe for no apparent reason, after the rider had already passed him once without incident.
Sad — or maybe infuriating — news from the UK, where a woman has left Twitter after complaining about the abuse she received from a group of men opposed to her efforts to support active transportation.
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Local
No news is good news, right?
State
A new bill in the state legislature would put an end to freeway expansion in underserved neighborhoods. Maybe they could spend the money on transit and bikeways serving those underserved communities, instead.
San Diego’s Rouleur Brewing is hosting an Ugly Christmas Sweater Ride this evening.
A columnist for the San Diego Union-Tribune points out that bike lanes usually have a positive impact on local businesses, although the cost for the city’s planned 77-mile regional network has ballooned to $446 million, more than double the original estimate.
Caltrans promises to make improvements on Bakersfield’s Union Ave, including pedestrian crossings, new sidewalks and green bike lanes; the deadly corridor has seen 28 traffic-related fatalities in just the last two years. With deadly stats like that, they should be putting in protected bike lanes for the full length.
National
The only bike mechanic in Congress, retiring Oregon Rep. Peter DeFazio, talks with CityLab about the state of transit in the US, fixing existing highways before building new ones, and the need for protected bike lanes.
A pair of Seattle cops won’t face discipline over a viral video that appears to show bias against a homeless man who was struck by a driver while riding a bicycle.
The family of a man killed in the meth-fueled crash that killed five Las Vegas bike riders have filed suit against the driver, the trucking company he worked for, and the driver who was escorting the group.
A bighearted 81-year Texas man is spending his retirement refurbishing and customizing discarded bicycles to give to local kids. And sometimes not so local.
DC bike riders are worried that the city isn’t living up to the mayor’s commitment to build ten miles of protected bike lanes every year. At least they have a commitment, unlike LADOT’s vague promise to build one major active transportation project per year.
Meanwhile, DC announced plans for a people-friendly makeover of a busy commuter corridor, removing traffic lanes in favor of installing bike lanes and improving access for people on foot, as well as transit users.
Evidently, Georgia’s not the most bike-friendly state, as only Decatur managed to receive a silver-level award from the Bike League’s Bicycle Friendly Community program, with a handful of other towns garnering bronze.
International
CityFix calls for investing in bicycling and walking to build safe, sustainable cities.
A Toronto bike messenger has been acquitted of all charges over a viral altercation with a driver, after the judge concludes that his actions were reasonable self-defense.
This is who we share the road with. Or not, for the time being, as a Paris cab company has suspended the use of Teslas after one of the company’s cars accelerated instead of stopping when the driver hit the brakes, killing someone on a bicycle and injuring 20 other people, three of them seriously.
A German court has has sentenced a bike-riding Russian hit man to life in prison for killing a former Chechen commander in a Berlin park, after prosecutors alleged he was the commander of a special unit of the Russian FSB spy agency.
Bicycling wants to take you riding on a seven-day tour of Tuscany, for the low, low price of $7,650 if you’re willing to share a room, $8,100 if you’re not. I can’t find this one on Yahoo, so you’re on your own if the magazine blocks you.
Add this one to your bike bucket list, as Italy plans to open a 26-mile rail-to-trail pathway along the country’s famed Adriatic coast.
Shimano has successfully gotten a fake clearance site taken down that was posing as part of the company.
Competitive Cycling
Eritrea’s Biniam Girmay has been named African cyclist of the year for the second year running, after taking silver in the U-23 world championships.
Three days of track cycling are coming to the Carson velodrome this weekend.
If you’re in Southern California this weekend and want to see some fantastic bike racing in a wonderful, warm, dry, environment, come to Velo Sports Center Friday night through Sunday afternoon. @bikinginla @roadbikeaction @SoCalCycling @Pflax1 https://t.co/7sLHGtnA7C
— David Huntsman (@DavidMHuntsman) December 16, 2021
Finally…
That feeling when your bike goes through someone’s windshield, without anyone riding it. If you’re pretending to be blind, maybe don’t ride your bicycle through the town square.
And we all know who’s always to blame.
Right?
@bikinginla pic.twitter.com/1P2VVfQigJ
— keith johnson (@keith_johnson) December 15, 2021
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Be safe, and stay healthy. And get vaccinated, already.
