Archive for bikinginla

Morning Links: Downtown bike lanes draw new brewery, new bollards on Vineland and a new LA Bike Fest video

March 30, 2016 / / Comments Off on Morning Links: Downtown bike lanes draw new brewery, new bollards on Vineland and a new LA Bike Fest video

Just a few short years ago, DTLA was a ghost town after dark. And wasn’t much better during the day.

Now, according to the founder of Modern Times Beer, it’s becoming “one of the most walkable, bike-friendly urban centers in the country.” Which is why the company plans to open a brewery, vegan restaurant and specialty coffee shop in the booming South Park neighborhood.

Just more evidence that bike lanes improve livability. And bikes are good for business.

Now if only the rest of the city would get the message.

………

Maybe Vineland Ave is turning into LADOT’s testing ground.

CiclaValley offers video evidence of the new bollards that have been added to keep drivers out of the bike lane, which started out as a plain buffered lane before being painted green in sections, and now bollards.

Hopefully they’ll take the lessons learned there and apply them to other bikeways, new and existing, throughout the city.

………

A new video promotes May’s Los Angeles Bicycle Festival, with a Kickstarter campaign attempting to raise $3,500 by the end of April.

………

A writer for London’s Telegraph says pro cycling has some safety lessons to learn, because there’s been too many collisions with motorbikes in pro cycling over the past 12 months.

Meanwhile, a pro cyclist says it’s time to limit the number of motorcycles on the course and teach their riders how to operate around the peloton; the Daily Mail says that may be easier said than done.

………

Local

Metro’s planned bikeshare system could break new ground by making it a genuine part of the transit system, with transfers to and from buses and trains.

Glendora announces plans for an 11.5 mile network of urban bike and pedestrian trails along the San Dimas, Little Dalton and Big Dalton Washes.

Experience a mini-ciclovía or live out your Indy Car fantasies when organizers open the Long Beach Gran Prix course to the non-motorized public for a whole hour and fifteen minutes next Tuesday.

 

State

A Fullerton bike rider was struck by a hit-and-run driver after he tried to flee on foot from a cop who tried to stop him for an equipment violation.

A 37-year old transient was charged with murder in the stabbing death of 51-year old cyclist Sidney Siemensma on an Irvine bike path this January, as well as a separate charge for child pornography. Despite initial fears, it wasn’t a random attack; the two men were acquaintances who reportedly had an altercation that led to the stabbing. Thanks to Ed Rubinstein for the heads-up.

Chris Horner and Kristin Armstrong headline next week’s Redlands Bicycle Classic.

The Feds approved a grant for a new six-lane bridge, including sidewalks and bike lanes, over a deadly Oxnard railroad crossing.

Kindhearted Oakland police pitch in to give an 11-year old girl a new bicycle after her father was arrested for threatening her and her mother, just one week after he was released from prison on a previous domestic violence conviction.

 

National

Popular Mechanics explains how Ford’s recently patented automatic kickstands would work, allowing you to ride without ever putting your foot down. If you could manage to even get going with that much weight on your rear wheel.

The president of California’s Sustainable Trails Coalition says it’s inevitable that federal policy will be changed to allow bicycles in the nation’s wilderness areas. Possible, yes; inevitable, no.

A pilot protected bike lane through downtown Seattle will be extended and made permanent, with planter dividers replacing plastic posts.

A writer for the Wall Street Journal takes a stroll across the suddenly popular Brooklyn Bridge, and says it’s almost impossible for people on foot to avoid straying over the thin white line separating the bike and pedestrian sections, leading to abuse from riders who find their way blocked.

A St. Louis driver fleeing a traffic stop runs a stop sign, jumps the curb and hits a man riding his bike on the sidewalk. With three little kids in his car, no less.

A writer for HuffPo says New Orleans’ efforts to become bike friendly after Hurricane Katrina allow her to keep riding to work even though she’s nine months pregnant.

An Athens GA website explains why Complete Streets are good for everyone.

We only have to dodge LA drivers. In Florida, bike riders have to dodge BB guns and sword-swinging drivers.

 

International

A Canadian writer says cycling’s real image problem is that it’s just too much fun.

Cyclists in Victoria, British Columbia call for faster implantation of planned protected bike lanes to improve safety.

Make your reservations for Montreal’s French-flavored weekend long bike festival this May, including a 30-mile ride on closed-off streets that typically draws 25,000 people.

Britain’s government wants to increase biking and walking, but the country’s leading bike advocacy group says the plan won’t be worth the paper it’s printed on without adequate funding.

Cyclelicious looks at a British study that says driving really does make you fat. And illustrates it with a slightly dated traffic photo from Wilshire and Alvarado, right here in LA.

Working with computer simulations, Swedish researchers conclude bike helmets reduce the risk of concussion 54%.

National Geographic talks with Scottish BMX ace Danny MacAskill.

If you want to impress the Aussie press, try carrying a couch across Melbourne on your bike.

 

Finally…

How to be a dick at your local bike shop. Why wait for a train to pass when you can grab your bike and hop on board?

And is it really risking your life to ride from Los Angeles to Las Vegas when you have a half-dozen bikes, two chefs, a masseuse, stunt drivers, doctor and a bike mechanic?

 

Category: Morning Links / Tags: , , , , , ,

Morning Links: A very sad weekend in bike racing, and bikesplaining from a windshield perspective

March 28, 2016 / / 3 comments

You think?

The head of the Professional Cyclists Association says lessons have to be learned from the death of Belgian cyclist Antoine Demoitié, who was killed in a collision with a race moto on Sunday, and that rider safety must come first.

Then again, those lessons should have been learned by the collisions with race vehicles that left Taylor Phinney, Ian Crane and Matt Brammeier seriously injured, as well as mid-race collisions with motor vehicles that injured Sergio Paulinho, Peter Sagan and Jesse Sergent and Sébastien Chavanel.

And those are just in the last two years.

Meanwhile, Demoitié’s Wanty-Gobert team has withdrawn from its upcoming races, while pro cyclist Marcel Kittel argues that safety in the peloton should be as high a priority as doping.

………

More bad news from the world of bike racing.

Twenty-two year old Belgian rider Daan Myngheer died of a heart attack while competing in the Criterium International in Corsica.

And 29-year old Oregon rider Randall Fox was killed when he hit a guardrail during a race in Washington on Saturday; he was a Ph.D. candidate competing for the Oregon State University cycling team.

………

A Clovis letter writer tries to explain bike safety and the law to bike riders from a decidedly windshield perspective, and gets it almost all wrong.

So just to clarify, there is nothing in California law requiring bicyclists to ride single file, nor is there any requirement that cyclists separate themselves by a few seconds distance.

In fact, bike riders are legally allowed to ride two or more abreast in any lane that can’t be safely shared with a motor vehicle — and it’s often safer to do so to increase visibility and control the lane to prevent unsafe passing. It’s also safer and more efficient for groups of cyclists to ride close together, rather than spaced out.

Despite his protestations, no passing zones prohibit drivers from crossing the center line to pass another vehicle; they are not intended to keep bicyclists from passing one another, or even slower cars, as long as they don’t cross the center line. There is also no requirement that cyclists enter the traffic lane to pass anyone if there is room to do it on the shoulder.

And someone should tell him who poses the real danger on our streets.

Because it ain’t the ones on bikes.

………

Local

A Santa Monica writer says if you’re traveling through the city at rush hour, you either need to walk, skate board or ride a bike, or find a new age CD to keep calm in your car.

A proposed Metrolink station near Rio Hondo College in Whittier would connect to the San Gabriel River bike path, giving Eastsiders an alternative to driving the freeway. Or driving, period.

A Lancaster family is trying to win a $5,000 adaptive bike for their 17-year old special needs daughter; she’s currently in first place in the voting with over 13,000 votes.

 

State

A San Bernardino man was shot while riding his bike following an argument with two men in a black Acura; no word on his condition.

Sad news from Fresno, as a 16-year old bike rider was the victim of a fatal hit-and-run. And a 15-year old Benecia boy died when he lost control of his bicycle and crashed into a street sign.

Modesto special needs kids learn to ride a bicycle at a five-day adapted bike camp.

San Francisco safety advocates question whether the city’s commitment to Vision Zero is being watered down to preserve parking.

 

National

IBM is helping the US women’s track cycling team gain an edge as they prepare for the Rio Olympics.

Bicycling offers advice on how to avoid fading during a long ride. Tip #7: To avoid fading during your ride, don’t get faded before it.

In between races, Vermont-based cross-country pro cyclist Lea Davison mentors the next generation of female riders.

A local TV station looks at the lack of equity in Boston bikeways, as some neighborhoods have benefitted from decades of bike lane construction, while others remain virtually untouched. And you can probably guess which ones.

New Jersey officials are quarreling over bikeshare, as Jersey City complains that Hoboken’s Hudson Bike Share is hogging all the public bike racks that could be used by its own Citi Bike system.

 

International

A Brit octogenarian offers advice on how to keep riding into your 80s.

A 67-year old Sri Lankan cycling champ looks back on his 50 year racing career.

Recreational riding is growing on the quiet, remote roads of China, as locals say spring is the perfect time to ride.

Aussie advocates point out that a bike lane without any signage or pavement markings is nothing more than a confusing line of paint on the street.

 

Finally…

Now you, too, can emulate motorists by turning your bike into a rolling ad. As if there wasn’t enough drama already in the relationship between drivers and cyclists.

And when you’re trying to make your getaway by bicycle, try to keep out of patrol car bumper range.

 

Category: Morning Links / Tags: , , , , ,

Morning Links: Belgian cyclist killed in wreck with race moto; 7 of the 8 most dangerous Valley intersections

March 27, 2016 / / Comments Off on Morning Links: Belgian cyclist killed in wreck with race moto; 7 of the 8 most dangerous Valley intersections

It’s finally happened.

After far too many pro cyclists have been hit by race motos and support vehicles the past few years, it seemed inevitable that someone would be killed if changes weren’t made.

They weren’t. And someone was.

Sadly, 25-year old Belgium rider Antoine Demoitie died after falling off his bicycle and being run over by a motorcycle in Sunday’s 2016 Gent-Wevelgem.

The tragedy overshadowed Peter Sagan’s first victory since winning the world champion’s rainbow jersey, after a string of second-place finishes.

Former Belgian national champion Jens Debusschere was also hospitalized after suffering a concussion during the race.

………

It was a very bad weekend for Belgian cyclists, as 22-year old pro Daan Myngheer was hospitalized after suffering a heart attack while competing in a Corsican race.

It took Eritrean cyclist Mekseb Debesay 15 hours and 149 miles to complete Belgium’s 128 mile E3 Harelbeke race after getting lost along the course. But at least he arrived at the team hotel clean and feed, after a Good Samaritan took him home and offered him a shower and clean clothes.

Two Russian track cyclists were just the latest of their countrymen to test positive for the recently banned meldonium; 27 Russian athletes have failed drug tests since the first of the year.

Closer to home, the 32nd Redland’s Classic begins a week from Wednesday with over 300 men and women riders set to compete.

………

Local

The LAPD and LADOT are working to improve safety at the eight most dangerous intersections in the San Fernando Valley, but the Daily News only manages to list seven. Evidently, the eighth one is a secret. Or maybe a tie between every other intersection in the Valley.

Arcadia police bust a bike thief using a GPS-enabled bait bike.

 

State

El Centro puts in temporary bike lanes at the city’s the Le Tour de 8th to show riders what’s coming.

An Ohio cyclist pauses along the Central Coast on his ride around the perimeter of the US to raise funds for Habitat for Humanity and Save the Children; he’s ridden 7,300 miles so far with 24 states to go.

A passing bicyclist found a Merced-area bike rider lying injured on the side of the road after hearing the hit-and-run victim plead for help.

Traffic deaths in San Francisco haven’t gone down yet, two years after the city adopted a Vision Zero plan. As noted before, Vision Zero is a long process requiring a dramatic shift in infrastructure, attitudes and enforcement, making quick results highly unlikely.

A Marin columnist bizarrely suggests the billions spent on roadways is proportionately little compared to funding for bikes, and fails to grasp that bike commuting might increase, and roads get a little less gridlocked, if people had safer places to ride to work.

You’ve got to be kidding. A Sacramento bike rider gets hit by a driver, who then assaults him before driving off without exchanging license and insurance information. And the local police respond, in effect, “So?”

 

National

Cheyenne WY will start a seven-station pilot bikeshare program this Saturday; unlike virtually every other bikeshare system in the US, it will be free to use. Meanwhile, cyclists in nearby Laramie are raising funds to build a bike park.

A group of strangers pitch in to buy an Amarillo TX girl a new bike in response to a Facebook post after hers was stolen.

Oklahoma City will host a three day bike festival this summer, including a multi-day pro-am crit.

Chicago advocates think they can convince the city to build an elevated bike path connecting two branches of the Chicago River. Maybe something like that would work for some of the narrower sections of the LA River, as well.

Maybe he should stick to his specialty. A Michigan orthopedic surgeon says always wear your bike helmet to prevent concussions. Except most bike helmets don’t do that.

Writers for a paper in New York’s Lower Hudson Valley get it, saying the state needs to fund Complete Streets to improve safety and access for everyone.

Statistics show New York’s Citi Bike really is part of the city’s transit system, as commuters make up a large percentage of the bikeshare system’s users.

NASCAR champ Jimmie Johnson and Atlanta Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff will join People for Bikes in riding 400 miles to Atlanta starting this Wednesday; they’ll be joined by a pair of women from Trek and Specialized who’ll set their professional competition aside to advocate for safer streets.

A bighearted Florida man fixes up discarded bicycles and donates them to a homeless center; the program he started has given the shelter around 500 refurbished bikes since 2008.

 

International

Former NYDOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan tells a Canadian audience that bike and pedestrian friendly cities are worth fighting for. Meanwhile, Ottawa city councilors urge the city to take advantage of new federal funding to speed up construction of bicycling and pedestrian projects.

The Guardian complains that the UK’s new blueprint for cycling and walking is undermined by a laughably small investment in either one; former Olympic champ Chris Boardman agrees, saying he doesn’t feel safe riding in London.

A British sports physiologist says bicycling is the country’s best hope against obesity.

An Indian state plans to improve safety by installing a series of protected bike lanes, although a local cyclist says the only real solution would be fewer cars on the road.

Pakistani women fight back against harassment on the streets with a bike rally in Lahore, after a woman was hit by a group of men in a car while riding to the city’s Critical Mass.

Leaders of the South African metro area surrounding Pretoria call for more diversity in sport cycling after most of the competitors in a two-day mountain bike event were white.

Australian authorities are looking for a driver who deliberately swerved to run down a bike-riding father of two.

 

Finally…

Maybe you’re so slow because you’re too fast. If you chase down and kill the person who stole your bicycle, chances are you weren’t really friends to begin with.

And road raging drivers can now claim the cat made me do it.

 

Category: Morning Links / Tags: , , , , ,

Weekend Links: Give your input on Vision Zero; LA Weekly questions the LA River bike path’s big Metro budget

March 26, 2016 / / 3 comments

Let’s just get right to it today.

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Local

Los Angeles Vision Zero wants your input on how the city should prioritize projects that address roadway collisions.

The LA Weekly questions why Metro has budgeted $425 million to complete the LA River Bike Path by 2025. It’s fair to question the price tag. Which is not to say it isn’t worth it; completing the 51-mile bikeway would do a lot more good than the $1 billion spent to widen the 405 for no apparent reason.

CiclaValley offers video evidence of just why protected bike lanes are needed on Spring and Main Streets in DTLA.

Instagram star and gambler Dan Bilzerian has to start his $1.2 million ride from LA to Las Vegas by the end of this month, and complete the ride within 48 hours to win the bet; he’s gotten coaching from Lance and spent $125,000 to get his multiple bikes and crew of 17 ready.

Downtown’s Just Ride LA is hosting a Bike 101 workshop starting at 11:30 this morning.

LAist looks at the inaugural 17-mile 626 Golden Streets coming to the San Gabriel Valley this June.

 

State

A Santa Ana bike rider was shot to death in an apparent gang-related drive-by; another man on foot was killed shortly later. And yet another man was shot while riding his bike in San Bernardino County.

An Escondido bike rider was seriously injured in a collision with an SUV after allegedly riding through a red light; police suspect the victim had been drinking.

Pardee Homes partners with the San Diego Mountain Bike Association to develop an off-road trail in Del Mar Mesa.

San Jacinto resident Luis Aranda Llamas will be sentenced in May after pleading guilty to misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter in the death of 55-year old Matthew Carp as he rode in a Menifee bike lane; compounding the tragedy, Carp’s son took his own life after his father was killed.

Ventura students call for justice in the double hit-and-run death of 14-year old bike rider Jonathan Hernandez. Thanks to Anthony Navarro for the heads-up.

A Salinas man is hit by an SUV just 28 miles into his plan to ride at least 40 miles a day for 40 days to raise money for the homeless.

 

National

A new safety vest responds to your voice commands to signal your turns.

Bikeshare is expanding around the US, but often needs public subsidies to survive. Sort of like every other form of transportation, including private cars.

Bicycling lists 16 bike movies besides Breaking Away.

Bighearted Reno firefighters fix a boy’s bike after he was hit by a car while riding to school.

This is why people continue to die on our streets. An Illinois driver gets six years for running down a cyclist while driving under the influence — after four previous arrests for DUI, resulting in two convictions.

Chicagoist offers a beginner’s guide to biking on the mean streets of the Windy City. Which apply pretty much anywhere else, as well.

A Massachusetts bike trail is being redesigned to make it safe and informative for blind and visually impaired riders.

LA has Critical Mass on the last Friday of the month; Baltimore has the Baltimore Bike Party.

After a North Carolina state trooper responded to a collision involving a boy on a bicycle, he teamed with his wife and father to give helmets to 40 kids.

 

International

A London writer tosses political correctness — and logic — aside in claiming cyclists and their powerful backers are destroying the city. Evidently, it’s bikes, not cars, that cause pollution, and somehow, making space for bicycles on the roads makes it impossible for others to walk on the sidewalk.

The Guardian says there’s a fine line between bending cycling’s rules and breaking them; a Reno masters rider is just the latest to cross it.

Bike riders in the Netherlands will need bike registration and a helmet for any e-bike capable of speeds over 15 mph.

So much for that screaming Kiwi driver who went ballistic after getting stuck behind a group of cyclists; turns out she was an actress hired to do a voiceover for the video.

The Aussie man who took out an ad looking for the owner of the bike he stole for a drunken ride home actually found her.

A new network of inner-city Auckland, New Zealand bike paths have proven to be even more popular than anticipated; 30% of the riders on one pathway are new to bicycling.

 

Finally…

Is it the perfect first mile/last mile solution, or just a grown-up balance bike? Evidently, dark chocolate is a performance enhancing drug.

And ET, ride home!

 

Category: Morning Links / Tags: , ,

Morning Links: Bike collisions down across LA, hit-and-runs up in IE, and special offer on a new lighted backpack

March 25, 2016 / / 2 comments

How about some good news for a change?

According to LAPD statistics presented at yesterday’s bike liaison meeting, bike-involved collisions are down dramatically throughout Los Angeles compared to this time last year.

  • 49% reduction in bike collisions in the Valley Traffic Division, with serious injuries down 83%
  • 18% reduction in bike collisions in the Central Traffic Division
  • 30% reduction in bike collision in the South Traffic Division
  • No stats were available from West Traffic.

No reason was given for the sudden improvement in bike safety; as one officer said, it might just be luck.

But it’s a good way to start the year.

………

Meanwhile, things aren’t looking as good in the Inland Empire.

Hit-and-run collisions involving pedestrians are up 73% in San Bernardino County and 51% in Riverside County over the last five years, while hit-and-runs involving cyclists are up 34% and 40%, respectively.

………

An Anaheim bike rider was critically injured in a collision while crossing South Beach Blvd Thursday evening.

Let’s all hope he’s okay.

………

I’m normally not a big fan of the visibility arms race, in which it seems like every rider has to outdo everyone else to capture the attention of drivers.

But this new backpack seems like a great idea.

The Bluetooth-enabled Aster backpack from India’s Lumos Design Technology, currently raising funds on Indiegogo, lights up the night with side and rear LED lights, as well as forward white lights on the front straps. Not to mention turn indicators and automatic brake lights.

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It also functions as a commuter backpack, unfolding completely to provide easy access to your stuff, while offering helmet and U-lock holders, and a detachable shoe compartment.

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And it was designed for use in the US, and product tested right here in California, with feedback from 50 or so riders from the Bay Area.

As a special offer for BikinginLA readers, the first person to pledge at least $75 on the Aster Indiegogo page will also get their Lumos Thrillseeker Solar Daypack, designed to convert sunlight into electricity to charge your USB devices while you ride. Just include “BikinginLA” in the comments when you make your pledge.

But remember, this offer is limited to the first person to make a $75 or higher pledge; there’s no way of knowing if someone may have beaten you to it.

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Local

The LACBC’s Eric Bruins says that as planned, Metro’s proposed transportation tax increase will “build a fantastic system that people won’t feel safe walking and biking to.”

CiclaValley recaps Wednesday’s Traffic Safety Summit in Valley Village.

The LA River is slowly coming back to life in the San Fernando Valley, with plans for a walkway on one side and a bike path on the other.

Monrovia police bust a hit-and-run driver who left a cyclist with minor injuries. Thanks to DreamWaveDave for the link.

The lead guitarist for the band Pennywise is suing Uber after he was doored while riding in Hermosa Beach last year; the passengers stayed to help, but the driver fled.

Bike-friendly Long Beach wants to extend bicycle improvements to the city’s Southeast Area.

The Armenian Youth Federation’s annual Cycle Against Denial will be held in Santa Monica for the first time on April 10th; the event marking the anniversary of the Armenian Genocide had previously been held in the San Fernando Valley.

 

State

San Diego horses can be trained to share trails with bicycles, unlike the ones that use Burbank’s Mariposa bridge, apparently. Maybe they have smarter horses down there.

Temecula’s Sarah Hammer is the first American cyclist to qualify for the Rio Olympics; the multiple silver medal winner hopes her third Olympics will bring gold. Although she may have trouble winning anything if they don’t get the track installed in time.

The OC Register suggests a two-wheeled wine tasting tour through the Santa Barbara wine country.

A Contra Costa county bike rider is under arrest for randomly hitting and blocking people on a local pedestrian pathway.

Sunnyvale’s mayor accepts a student’s challenge to ride a bike to a local high school, and sees first hand what students have to deal with.

San Francisco’s red transit lanes are forcing cyclists out of the right lane and into traffic.

After a speeding tour bus driver crashed into pedestrians and a cyclist in a crowded San Francisco neighborhood, injuring 19 people, police basically say “oops.”

Fremont becomes the latest California city to adopt a Vision Zero plan, while Daly City considers it.

Someone must not like mountain bikers in Folsom Lake. Three riders were forced to take cover when bullets flew over their heads, even after they called out to stop shooting.

 

National

Bicycling offers advice on riding during your period. Or maybe gel for your hoo ha would help.

Treehugger says the cargo bike is the new family car.

The Department of DIY strikes in Portland, as someone puts up fake speed limit signs saying 20 is plenty.

A Washington bike commuter suggests it’s your own damn fault if you get hit by a car if you’re wearing dark clothes and not using lights.

Police in my hometown finally make an arrest in the case of the courteous hit-and-run driver who apparently moved a bike and backpack to the curb, but left his victim lying in the street.

A protected bike lane in Nebraska suffers $2,500 in damages when a wrong-way driver plows into the concrete divider. On the other hand, without it, that could have been a bike rider.

When a Pennsylvania man walked over to the local police station to see if they’d found his stolen bike, a bighearted cop dipped into his own pocket to buy him a new one. Thanks to Mike Bike for the heads-up from his home town.

 

International

Bike Radar looks at ambitious mountain bike products that failed big time.

Folding bike maker Brompton calculates it costs the equivalent of $62 a month to store a bike in your London home. Not that you have a London home, of course. And not like they have a vested interest in suggesting you might want a bike that takes up less space.

A British cyclist is riding 1,400 miles across England to collect signatures for the Queen’s birthday card.

A new Irish study says the perception that you’re only riding a bike because you can’t afford a car is slowing efforts to get people out of theirs.

 

Finally…

When police can’t identify the vehicle a piece of plastic came from, the Internet can. If you take your imaginary friend for a ride, does he need his own bike?

And if you’re going to flee the scene after a drunken wreck, maybe it’s best not to be painted gold from head to toe.

 

Category: Bicycle Safety, Morning Links / Tags: , , , , ,

Morning Links: Connecting the dots in LA doping scandal; bike routes through Camp Pendleton closed next week

March 23, 2016 / / 6 comments

One quick note before we get started.

I’ll be meeting with the officers in the LAPD’s bike liaison program later today; leave a comment below if you know of any bicycling issues or problem areas you’d like me to address with them.

………

Peter Flax, former editor in chief of Bicycling magazine, connects all the dots in the Nick Brandt-Sorenson doping scandal.

He points out that the rider disqualified for doping after winning the Masters 30-34 national road championships — and recently convicted of selling performance enhancing drugs over state lines — is the same one who owns many of the allegedly dope-aided LA-area KOMs on Strava.

Many people, especially road-racing types in Los Angeles who have to wake up to emails from Strava notifying them of lost KOMs, would like to see these marks stricken. We are talking about a convicted doper who now has admitted to selling EPO. We are talking about a strong but undistinguished big guy who was pack fodder in Pro/1/2 crits who has taken dozens of KOMs from far smaller WorldTour climbers.

When I asked Marcotte about Brandt-Sorenson’s Strava achievements, he laughed out loud. “There’s no way that guy could have done that with the fitness I ever saw — no fucking way,” Marcotte said. “He’s a pretty stout dude. He must be 75 kilos [165 pounds]. That’s a red flag.”

Then there’s this,

I emailed a copy of these testing claims to Cannondale pro Phil Gaimon, who says he doesn’t know Brandt-Sorenson, but has riding friends in common. His reply: “To be honest, he seems like Lance-level creep, just not as good at it.”

It’s a good story, from someone who knows how to tell it.

………

Richard Masoner of Cyclelicious forwards word that the bike path through Camp Pendleton will be closed next week — as will the usual alternate route on the shoulders of I-5 through the base.

This comes from an email from Caltrans’ Seth Cutter —

The U.S. Marine Corps is planning to temporarily close the Camp Pendleton Bike Path—the only bike access between Las Pulgas Rd. and Basilone Rd. along Interstate 5 (I-5)— for military operations between this Monday, Mar. 28 and Friday, April 1, 2016.  Under normal bike path closure circumstances Caltrans would open the freeway shoulders in this segment to bicyclists, however there is a construction project that has closed the shoulders of I-5 in that segment.  Caltrans will provide a 24/7 on-call shuttle to carry bicyclists through the closures in the I-5 corridor between Oceanside and San Clemente.  The phone number for the shuttle is (619)385-3267.  Pick-up/drop-off locations are at Oceanside Harbor in the east parking lot (NW corner of the lot), at the park and ride lot at Las Pulgas Rd., and Basilone Rd.(at the south end of the Trestles bike path, where it meets Old Hwy 101).  Signs at these locations will include the shuttle phone number.  Please share this information and make your plans accordingly. We apologize for any inconveniences in advance.

………

A British driver is caught on video deliberately driving onto a sidewalk to run down a bike rider, who then gets up and smashes the car’s rear window.

………

 

Local

Councilmember Jose Huizar announces a new plan called DTLA Forward to improve safety in the Downtown area, including parking-protected bike lanes on Spring and Main. Which just shows what can happen when a councilmember actually gives a damn about improving safety, rather than blocking needed improvements.

Boyonabike gets excited about the new buffered bike lanes on North Halstead Street in Pasadena. Especially since he called for them in his very first blog post nearly four years ago.

Stephen Frears, director of The Program, talks with Variety about Lance and doping.

BikeSGV will celebrate the new Gold Line extension with a Bike the Gold Line ride this Sunday.

CiclaValley talks with John Morlock about Ride2Recovery and next month’s Honor Ride in Simi Valley.

 

State

Redlands will host the 7th annual RUFF Ride this Saturday to benefit animals, including shelters, rescues and spay-neuter initiatives. Yesterday was National Puppy Day; celebrate by adopting an adult rescue dog who used to be one.

San Francisco’s bikeshare system is expanding by adding 72 new stations and up to 1,000 more bikes by the end of the year.

Bike-friendly UC Davis is looking for a new Bicycle Program Coordinator, while Calbike is looking for a Communications Director. I’ll take it if they change the title to Minister of Bicycle Propaganda.

 

National

Portland traffic fatalities are running ahead of last year, despite the city’s Vision Zero pledge last year. Just adopting a Vision Zero isn’t enough; it takes real changes on the streets, as well as education and enforcement. And more than just one year.

City Lab says every city needs a Bike Batman to recover stolen bikes, not just Seattle.

A Utah driver gets off with a misdemeanor after fatally running down a bike rider; he had a BAC nearly three times the legal limit following the crash. This kind of failure to take traffic crimes seriously is why people continue to die on our streets.

Ohio transit workers pitch in to buy a 14-year old boy a new bike after his was crushed in a collision while on the front rack of a bus.

Kentucky expands the time period for tracking DUI offenses from five to ten years; a fourth conviction for driving under the influence within a decade would be treated as a felony. Nice that they’re finally doing something. But allowing four strikes before the crime is taken seriously just keeps dangerous drivers on the road.

A new Texas study says women who take oral birth control are less likely to suffer a knee injury and recover faster if they do.

New York plans to remove a four-lane highway blocking access to the Niagara River, replacing it with a park and walking trails.

 

International

A new study from the University of Duh says if you’re out of shape, an intense training session could do more harm than good. Which anyone who has gone for a hard ride too soon in the season can attest to.

Your front derailleur could soon be a thing of the past.

Argentina’s president gives President Obama a new 250-watt e-bike foldie (scroll down). Which should be good for zooming around DC once he’s a private citizen next year.

A Toronto cyclist says a new parking protected bike lane could be a game changer.

A Belgium bike race goes ahead despite this week’s terrorist attacks, with a local favorite coming in first.

Bike Radar talks with the German expat bike shop owner at the heart of Dubai’s cycling revolution, who’s selling high-end bikes to royal customers.

Surprisingly, an Australian study shows there’s no difference in how drivers treat cyclists, regardless of whether they ride themselves.

That $3,000 Chinese smart bike has already smashed its crowdfunding goals, selling 110 bikes with two more weeks to go.

Tokyo authorities hope a new bikeshare system and a 100-bike sidewalk parking space will reduce the number of illegally parked bikes in the Akihabara district.

 

Finally…

Yes, your bike helmet has an expiration date, or maybe not, after all; thanks to Ron Richings for the correction. What do a tandem bike, a WWII grenade and a headless Paddington Bear have in common?

And a Kansas man noticed someone riding a bike that looked just like his son’s. Because it was.

 

Category: Bike Access, Bikes & the Law, Legal Cases, Morning Links / Tags: , , , , ,

Morning Links: 75-year old cyclist cuffed and ticketed for riding legally on I-15; Specialized says they’re sorry

March 23, 2016 / / 5 comments

03-15-2016 Jerry ticket from CHPMaybe the cop didn’t get the memo.

Or maybe he was confused after losing an hour of sleep two Sunday’s ago when the nation switched to Daylight Savings Time.

Either way, Jerry Counts was well within his rights on March 13th to ride his bicycle along a section of I-15 north of San Bernardino, where bikes are legally allowed on the roadway.

Yet he was handcuffed and ticketed by a CHP officer for violating CVC 21960(a), using a non-motorized vehicle on the freeway.

Yes, they handcuffed a 75-year old man to write a traffic ticket.

An invalid one, at that.

When was the last time you heard of a 75-year old man being pulled from his car and cuffed for a simple traffic violation?

As Ginny Sullivan of the Adventure Cycling Association points out in an email, this section of the freeway is part of the ACA’s Bicycle Route 66, running south of Oak Hill Road between exits 138 and 129, where no viable alternate route exists.

The DMV puts it this way,

Of the more than 4,000 miles of freeways in California, about 1,000 miles are open to bicyclists. These open sections are usually in rural areas where there is no alternate route. California Vehicle Code Section 21960 says Caltrans and local agencies may prohibit bicyclists from traveling on freeways under their jurisdiction and that they must erect signs stating the prohibition. There are no signs permitting bicyclists on freeways. When a bicyclist is legally traveling on a freeway, he/she may be directed off the freeway at the next off-ramp by a sign that says “Bicycles Must Exit.” The freeway will be posted at the next on-ramp with a sign that says “Bicycles Prohibited.”

Exit 129 going North

Exit 129 going North

As the photos she pulled from Google Earth show, there are no signs at either entrance prohibiting pedal-powered bicycles from riding on the freeway.

I’d like to write this off as a simple mistake.

However, it fits a long pattern of CHP officers being unaware of the rights of cyclists, whether it’s riding on the freeway, or ticketing cyclists for riding two abreast or in the traffic lane. Which points to officers receiving inadequate training both at the academy and in the field.

Exit 138 going South

Exit 138 going South

Although the bigger question is why the officer felt the need to handcuff a man well past retirement age, for the simple crime of riding a bicycle.

Advocating on his behalf, Sullivan has contacted both the CHP and Caltrans District 8 asking that the ticket be dismissed, and that Caltrans provide the CHP with a letter stating that bicyclists are allowed on that section of the freeway. And that the CHP train its officers accordingly.

I’d take it a step further, and request a formal apology to Mr. Counts.

I’d also ask that the notoriously auto-centric CHP follow Caltrans lead, and accept that bikes are legally a part of the California traffic system, and we’re here to stay.

Because we shouldn’t have to know the laws regarding bicycling better than they do just to defend our right to the road.

………

Specialized apologizes for last week’s Playboy Bunny fiasco, claiming the models were hired by their German affiliate, without knowledge of its global marketing staff.

Which is kind of hard to believe, since they were hired to promote Specialized’s new Playboy-branded e-bike.

………

Local

Streetsblog’s Damien Newton talks with Glendale Mayor and Metro Boardmember Ara Najarian and Bike SGV Executive Director Wes Reutimann about Metro’s proposed transportation sales tax measure. And reminds us about Thursday’s celebration to benefit Streetsblog and Santa Monica Next.

Once again, Santa Monica police will step up enforcement of traffic violations that put pedestrians and bicyclists at risk this Saturday, regardless of who commits them. So straighten up and ride right, for one day at least.

The WeHo Bike Coalition announces that the West Hollywood city council has approved bike lanes on Fairfax Ave; when completed, they’ll join existing lanes in LA to create a continuous bike lane from Hollywood Blvd to Melrose.

The World Cycling League debuted in Carson over the weekend as teams from Pennsylvania and Mexico battled it out for the inaugural victory.

Bike Long Beach offers photos of last weekend’s successful Beach Streets Downtown.

 

State

Santa Barbara bike riders compete to see who can ride the slowest down a 50-foot course without putting a foot down or swerving out of their lane. Meanwhile, promise to ride slow yourself and you could win a new bike from People for Bikes.

A Salinas man is riding 40 miles a day for 40 days to raise funds for the homeless.

 

National

Yes, it is possible to ride cross­-country sans chamois or other bike gear.

BuzzFeed offers 19 things every cyclist needs. Most of which most cyclists could probably do without.

Former pro Alex Candelario is offering bike tours through usually off-limits back country on Hawaii’s Big Island.

A bighearted firefighter replaces a bike that was stolen recently from a 10-year old Spokane boy.

A teenage driver in my hometown will be sentenced to 100 hours of community service at a bike nonprofit, and a $1,500 donation to a nonprofit bicycle organization, as part of a new diversion program for killing a cyclist after falling asleep at the wheel.

CNN looks at Chicago’s Heritage Bicycles, which has made bikes for everyone from Beyonce and Jay Z to Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey.

Washington’s popular bike-riding running back departs for the hated Cowboys.

Once again, someone used a DC bike rack to jump the fence at the White House. Considering how often that keeps happening, wouldn’t it be prudent to move that rack just a little?

An Orlando doctor says yes, riding a bike really can help with Parkinson’s.

 

International

Despite numerous studies showing bikes are good for business, Vancouver business owners oppose a bike lane on a busy shopping and dining street, which the city says is needed for safety.

Saskatoon’s mayor questions the cost of clearing snow from a protected bike lane; then again, he opposed building it in the first place.

Toronto’s notorious crack-smoking, anti-bike former mayor Rob Ford has died at 46.

A Belgian bike race is expected to go on despite Tuesday’s terrorist attacks.

Indian police crack down on bicyclists riding without a helmet.

An Australian program is working with kids as young as 10 years old to develop the first aboriginal cycling star.

A road raging Aussie driver is fined a whopping $100 plus $169.10 in court costs after smashing a cyclist’s helmet cam in a fit of anger.

 

Finally…

Your next bike could be grown and printed. Now you really can be replaced by a robot, even on your bike. But does it still have to wear a helmet if it’s under 18?

And any t-shirt that combines Corgis and bicycles can’t be all bad. Thanks to Megan Lynch for the heads-up.

 

Category: Bikes & the Law, Law Enforcement, Morning Links / Tags: , , , , , ,

Morning Links: Rough week for LA bike riders, Streetsie Award celebration, and more sexist bike marketing

March 22, 2016 / / 2 comments

Last week was a rough one for LA area cyclists.

Santa Monica police are looking for the hit-and-run driver who rear-ended a bike rider on Ocean Avenue last Wednesday; anyone with information is urged to call Traffic Investigator Jason Olson at 310/458-8954.

An 82-year old cyclist from Marina del Rey was seriously injured when he was hit by a car in Palos Verdes Estates on Friday.

And a bike rider suffered major injuries when he was hit by a UPS truck turning into a driveway in Baldwin Park Friday evening.

………

Streetsblog will honor two of their 2015 Streetsie Award winners this Thursday, Santa Monica’s Cyclehop/Hulu for the Breeze bikeshare program, and CA Assemblymember Richard Bloom.

………

Specialized builds the bike of the future, sort of.

Yet that doesn’t seem to be the only thing they specialize in, as they somehow resort to the sexist marketing of the past to promote their new e-bike.

Maybe bike companies should be required to hire women to head up their marketing departments so the industry will finally stop shooting itself in the foot.

Thanks to Megan Lynch for the heads-up.

………

German pro cyclist Marcel Kittel says there’s no longer a systematic doping culture in the sport. Then again, that’s what Lance said.

Of course, doping isn’t the only way to cheat; France’s Arnaud Demare is accused of getting a tow from a team car before winning Saturday’s Milan-San Remo race in a tight finish, while the peloton rode through a wall of smoke along the way.

If you have a USA Cycling license, your personal data may have been hacked.

………

Former pro Phil Zajicek remains in a medically induced coma after losing an arm when he apparently crossed the center line and crashed into a pickup while riding with a group in Boulder CO; he also sustained facial fractures, broken ribs, a shattered femur and an undisclosed head injury.

A gofundme account has been started to raise $300,000 for his medical care and to support his family.

………

Local

Streetsblog reviews Sunday’s Beach Streets open streets/ciclovía in Long Beach; a commenter calls it more relaxed and less bike-oriented than most CicLAvias. Meanwhile, the Press-Telegram says over 50,000 people turned out to enjoy the day. Which is over twice as many as supposedly attended last year’s far more crowded Culver City to Venice CicLAvia.

Investing in Place and the LACBC call for more funding for walking, biking and safe routes to school in Metro’s proposed transportation sales tax measure.

Joel Epstein writes that density is LA’s destiny, and says a proposed anti-growth measure comes at the wrong time as Los Angeles is embracing its bike, pedestrian and transit-oriented future and putting it’s auto-centric focus in the past.

LA’s Pure Fix offers advice on how to photograph your bike.

You know the new Ovarian Psychos documentary has had an impact when their story reaches Pakistan.

Caught on video: A Long Beach cop walks away when a BMX rider schools him on the law allowing bikes on the Rainbow Harbor Esplanade.

 

State

Orange County’s Transportation Authority has $20 million to invest in boosting bikeways in the county.

The Marines finally got around to releasing some of the mountain bikes that were seized for trespassing on trails crossing the Miramar base in North San Diego, after reaching agreements with the owners.

If you’re still jonesing for open streets, head out to El Centro in the desert north of Mexicali this Saturday.

Unbelievably, Fremont uses Safe Routes to Schools funding to make the street in front of a high school less safe by removing a bike lane to make room for a left turn lane. Update: It turns out the bike lane removal is only temporary during the construction, although using SRTS funding for a turn lane is questionable; thanks to Robert Prinz for the heads-up.

Sausalito continues to struggle with how to deal with bike-riding tourists.

 

National

The AP looks at lax penalties for errant drivers who hit cyclists. About damn time the press finally noticed.

Good idea. An Austin TX company offers e-bike foodie tours of local restaurants.

A Minnesota reporter wonders why the state shouldn’t adopt the Idaho Stop law now if it improves safety for bicyclists, and police aren’t enforcing the law against riding through stop signs as it is. Apparently, a British cardiologist would concur.

Jeffrey Tanenhaus explains why he left his corporate job behind and rode one of New York’s Citi Bike bikeshare bikes across the country.

A TV station asks if DC is moving fast enough on bike lanes; local cyclists say not really.

 

International

A new kind of bike rack promises to block bike thieves; since they were installed at a London stadium and park, not a single bike has been stolen. Can we get some here? Pretty please?

After a British bike courier was injured by a distracted hit-and-run driver, he turns to a crowdfunding site to raise money to pay his rent; so far he’s raised over five times the original £300 goal.

An Irish cyclist is injured in yet another anti-bike attack, as someone strung a wire at neck height across a bike bridge. Note to press everywhere: a deliberate attempt to injure or kill someone riding a bike may be many things, but a prank isn’t one of them.

A disabled Indian cyclist tries to crowdfund the money he needs to compete in the Rio Paralympic games.

Israeli cyclists ride in honor of the legendary Gino Bartali, following the route he rode from his home in Italy to the convents of Assisi, where he passed on documents that were hidden in his bike to save Jews in WWII.

A Kiwi website asks if it’s time to reevaluate New Zealand’s and Australia’s mandatory bike helmet laws. Although they may provide some protection from dead kangaroos.

An Aussie feels guilty about the bike he used to get home from a drunken night out, and takes out an ad to find the owner he stole it from.

The next time someone calls for registering bikes and licensing cyclists, remind ‘em that’s the way North Korea does it.

 

Finally…

If you’re going to leave an explosive device on a bike path, make sure police can’t defuse it by simply unscrewing the cap. When you’re riding after dark, try to keep your candles blowing out.

And evidently, they have some very bad swans in Florida.

 

Category: Bicycle Safety, Car vs Bike, Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , , , ,

Update: 21-year old bike rider killed in Devore collision Saturday night

March 20, 2016 / / One comment

New has just come in of yet another fatal bicycling collision.

According to the San Bernardino Sun, 21-year old Jimmy Lynn Fraley was hit a car in the area of Devore Road and the northbound onramp to the 15 Freeway around 5:50 pm Saturday.

He was pronounced dead at the scene minutes late.

Once again, no other information is available at this time.

Devore Road doesn’t seem to intersect with the 15; however, it would appear the collision was somewhere in this area.

This is the 29th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the fifth in San Bernardino County.

Update: According to the Highland News, Fraley was riding west on Devore Road — which appears to run north and south — when he was left-crossed by the driver of an eastbound pickup as it turned into the I-15 onramp. 

Update 2: Friends described Fraley as a vibrant man who took up bicycling three years ago to visit his girlfriend in San Bernardino; he had recently begun training for his first triathlon. 

A gofundme account has been established to help pay his funeral expenses.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Jimmy Lynn Fraley and all his loved ones.

Category: Bicycle Safety, Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , ,

Woman dies after bicycling collision in Buena Park

March 19, 2016 / / 4 comments

New is just coming in that a woman died on Thursday after a collision in Buena Park.

According to the Orange County Register, 35-year old Buena Park resident Becky Sheehan was hit by a pickup while riding her bike at near Stanton Avenue and Page Street at 7:41 pm.

She died Anaheim Regional Medical Center an hour later.

No other information is available at this time.

A street view shows a two-lane street with limited lane markings on Page, and a four-lane street with left turn lanes on Stanton; the intersection is controlled with a traffic signal.

This is the 28th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the sixth in Orange County.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Becky Sheehan and all her family. 

Thanks to bike lawyer John McBrearty for the heads-up.

Category: Bicycle Safety, Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , ,
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