BikinginLA

Let’s start with a personal note.

When I was a kid, I watched my diabetic mother struggle to inject insulin, and vowed I would never live my life tied to a needle, like she did.

So I started riding a bicycle, and never stopped, eventually riding for nearly four decades, and well more than 150,000 miles.

Yet I ended up getting diabetes anyway. In retrospect, an athletic lifestyle and a natural diet only served to hide the condition for around 20 years after I developed it.

And despite my best efforts, I lost my battle to avoid insulin yesterday.

Which goes to show that no matter how hard or fast you ride, you can’t outrun your own body.

………

A Pasadena bike rider was the victim of a random violent attack Monday evening.

The Pasadena Police Department is reporting that a Pasadena resident in his 40s was riding his bike when he stopped to check his phone, and was physically assaulted after exchanging words with the suspect.

He suffered a three-inch cut on his head, as well as cuts to the mouth and a bloody nose.

The suspect was described only as a Hispanic man in his 30s, who was last seen walking north on Holliston.

………

Streets For All says there are two important city council committee meetings today.

The Transportation Committee will hear reports on multimodal improvements on Lincoln Blvd, a study of multimodal transit improvements in CD13, and a report on recent street safety upgrades in CD15 at 2 pm today.

Meanwhile, the Public Works Committee will consider a call for transportation infrastructure investments in CD1, and shutting down a portion of the Arroyo Seco for ArroyoFest at their 3:30 pm meeting.

………

Speaking of Streets For All, the transportation PAC is hosting their monthly virtual happy hour this evening, featuring County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath.

………

In a bizarre report, Fox News says the ex-wife of Evan Vanroy Smith, the man accused of running down, then fatally stabbing ER Dr. Michael Mammone in Dana Point last week, was afraid of him in the weeks before the attack.

The network cites a story in the New York Post crediting Smith’s former father-in-law as the source of the statements.

However, the Post backtracked in a later story, quoting Smith’s ex as denying those claims, saying there was never any violence in the marriage, and that reports of a bitter dispute over child custody were untrue, as well.

Her father also retracted his earlier statements. Yet no mention of that made it into the Fox story.

Then again, that’s not too surprising, considering the source.

Meanwhile, a website for physicians examines the role road rage may have played in the murder of Dr. Mammone.

MDLinx notes that a recent report found 17% of American drivers had witnessed someone exit a vehicle in a fit of rage, and 7% had seen someone use a weapon in a road rage attack.

………

A video from CNBC explains the concept of induced demand. And why building more lanes and highways doesn’t solve traffic congestion.

………