We’re #8!
A new study from a law group shows that California recorded an average of 1,164 pedestrian and 153 bicyclist deaths per year over a five-year period between 2019 and 2023.
That ranks us eighth in the US on a per capita basis, behind perennial champion Florida.
Although yet another study from yet another law practice ranks Louisiana as the state where bicyclists face the greatest risk of getting killed on a bike and from bad roads.
By that standard, California ranks seventh.
None of which really proves anything, other than a) too many people die from traffic violence on California streets, b) we need more and better bike and pedestrian infrastructure, and c) law firm marketers think bikewashing is the best way to improve their search rankings.
And they’re probably right.
Which is why I linked to stories about their studies, rather than the actual studies. You can click through if you really want to.
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This is who we share the road with.
The LAPD is looking for a hit-and-run driver accused of using his car as a weapon to run down a 54-year old man walking in South LA, intentionally driving up on the sidewalk and striking the victim twice.
The man died after being taken to the hospital.
There’s no description of the driver or the suspect vehicle at this time. Although as always, there’s a standing $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the driver.
Even when it’s on purpose.
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The war on cars may be a myth, but the war on bikes just keeps on going.
Adding insult to literal injury, a Louisiana bicyclist was ticketed for being at fault after the bike rider was struck by a state trooper in an unmarked car. Because somehow, cops never seem to be at fault when they hit someone on a bicycle, especially when they’re doing the investigating.
But sometimes, it’s the people on two wheels behaving badly.
No bias here. Some New Yorkers are up in arms over Mayor Mamdani’s decision to stop criminally charging bicycle and ebike riders for traffic offenses — including the widow of a Gone Girl actress killed by an ebike rider — instead of giving them traffic tickets like people in what obviously must be much safer motor vehicles. Never mind that they continue to confuse ped-assist ebikes with electric motorbikes and dirt bikes.
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Local
Congratulations to Bike LA Executive Director Eli Kaufman on his speaking gig at next week’s National Bike Summit in Washington DC.
State
Someone please tell the Seal Beach Police Department that a Surron is not an electric bicycle, as the local weekly says there’s been some online debate over whether the kid who hit an elderly pedestrian was riding “an electric bike or an electric motorcycle.” Gee, ya think?
He gets it. An op-ed writer for the Voice of OC says investing in bike infrastructure pays dividends for all, noting he can get from Anaheim to Irvine faster on a bike than by car.
That’s more like it. About 30% of San Diego Door Dash deliveries are made by bicycle, ebikes or scooters, enabling workers to spend an average of around 15% less time from offer acceptance to pickup, while earning over 10% more per hour.
San Bernardino County’s latest extension of the Santa Ana River Trail was named the 2025 Inland Empire Branch Project of the Year, as well as the Southern California Chapter’s BEST (Building Excellence Shaping Tomorrow) project from the American Public Works Association.
A San Francisco website gets candidates for the city’s Board of Supervisors District 4 on the record for their stands on bicycling.
National
No bias here, either. A Seattle news radio program blames a new bike lane for costing $156 million and removing curbside parking, conveniently forgetting that most of the money is being used to build bus lanes.
Minnesota Governor and erstwhile vice presidential candidate Tim Walz made a visit to Angry Catfish Bicycle in Minneapolis, which sponsored the nationwide Unity Rides honoring fallen mountain biker and VA nurse Alex Pretti, murdered by ICE agents in January.
Residents of Downtown Miami are reportedly fed up with people parking in bike lanes, as well they should be, arguing that it’s a public safety hazard and enforcement is rare.
International
An Irishman was killed falling off his 30-year old bicycle, offering a tragic reminder not to ride when you’re three — no, make that four — sheets to the wind.
Speaking of biking under the influence, Japan suspended the driver’s licenses of 1,507 people for bicycling while legally drunk last year, up from just 23 the year before.
Finally…
Look, if you’re going to shoot someone over ten bucks, maybe try riding off on a plain colored bicycle. What self-respecting male reality TV star wouldn’t ride a tandem in lingerie and suspenders?
And that feeling when your bike seat falls off with 14 miles of cobbles left to go.
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Be safe, and stay healthy. And get vaccinated, already.
Oh, and fuck Putin.
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